Chapter 3 – Emerald Forest
The test has begin, everyone who was launched into the forest and face the challenge. Pyrrha was landing on the branch of a tree, when he was get ready for the action, she got attention when she saw Zack flying in the air with his hand on his pockets and smiling, like he's enjoying the breeze on his face. She didn't understand why he showing his expression but she decide to continue the test.
Ruby was running through the forest, planning to find Yang or Zack cause she will be better to start to someone she knows like her beloved sister or the first friend she made it, but the destiny has made her meet Weiss, but she's having second thoughts about making partner with her, because maybe she could started again and trying to make her friend. When she was about to say something, Weiss just simply turn around and walk away, making Ruby frown a little.
Pyrrha was walking through the forest, looking around to see if some grimms could shows up. When she was walking, she could sense something's coming her way, when she was ready her weapons and prepare to strike whatever comes, she realizes it was Zack comes forward and landing in front of her. Zack stand, look at her and greets her
"Oh! hi Pyrrha." Zack said with a smile. Pyrrha got a little surprise, but she greets him as well.
"Hi there Zack." She greets her as well.
"Wow! That was crazy." Said Zack. "Who would know this guy would throw us like that." He speaks while he's scratch the back his head.
"Well, I think this was part of the test, you know, testing our capacity." Pyrrha commented.
"I guess so." Zack say.
"Hey Zack, since we are together, this made us partners." Pyrrha said with a smile. Zack realize that and speaks.
"Hey! You right! That's awesome!" Zack said with enthusiasm. "But wait, you don't mind being my partner?"
"Of course not, in fact, I'm happy to you be my partner." Say Pyrrha with a smile.
"Nice! So I hope we can get along like friends." Zack says smiling and reached his fist. Pyrrha just smiling to that and both of them bumped their fist. Before they could continue, they hear something from the bushes.
"Pyrrha?"
As soon as they heard, they looked to the scrubs reveal the heiress Weiss coming from there, calling for Pyrrha, but she only saw her with Zack. When she saw that, this makes her shattered from inside. All of her plans went down into the drain. In her head she was screaming.
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
When she was just standing there with completely devastated face, Zack just smile to both of them and break the silence.
"Well, this is awesome! Looks like fate brought us together." Zack says smiling while he approached to Weiss and put his arm around her shoulder. "Welcome aboard partner!"
"GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF ME!" Weiss screams, putting away his arm from her and walk away. Zack didn't understand what happened, he turns to Pyrrha to see if she knows, she just giggles nervously.
The heiress came back where Ruby was and grab her by her cloak, pulling the red girl together.
"By no mean this does make us friends!"
"You came back!"
Middle of the forest
Zack and Pyrrha were walking together on the way and they were talking.
"Being wondering for five years? That's pretty rough." Pyrrha commented.
"Yeah, it was." Zack replied.
"Well, I'm glad that you survive all these years until now." Pyrrha said with a smile, making Zack smile as well." You must have so many stories to tell."
"Yeah, and I will be happy to tell you." He says
"But curiosity, how did you get a master to train you?" She asked
"Before I was wandering around, I used to live with a swordsmen, he became my master and teach me everything that I know." Zack explained while he was looking his katana.
"I see, and how did you meet your master?
"Well… I almost got killed by some grimms, but he comes out of nowhere and save me."
"I see. That's nice."
"Yeah, if wasn't for him, I could be grimm food." Zack says making her giggle. They keep walking and knowing each other until they get to the temple.
After a couple of minutes while the partners keep walking, they hear sounds of gunshots from far away.
"Gunfire." Zack spoke.
"It's seems some of our comrades have encountered the enemy." Pyrrha said and they keep moving ahead. Pyrrha moves a branch of her way, Zack move out of the way to dodge the branch and keep moving, For a couple of minutes, they come to a dark cave and they been standing there about a seconds, until Pyrrha spoke up
"Do you think this is it?"
Zack was paid attention on the drawings on the wall, showing some hunters fighting with a grimm, he stayed silence for a second and answered. "…Nah, I don't think the relics will be there." He put his hand on her shoulder." Let's keep on going."
They both leaves the area and keeps searching for the relics, but suddenly, Zack stopped and felt some familiar presence coming from the cave. He wasn't sure what it was, but he feels like he knows this sense before. Pyrrha notice his serious look and ask.
"There's something wrong, Zack?" Zack remain silence for a couple of seconds and replies.
"No… It's nothing." Zack replied and turn around to leave."Let's get out of here."
With that, Zack leaves the area. Pyrrha didn't understand his attitude, but she forgot about that and goes with him.
A couple of minutes pass, they keep walking through the forest and keep going with their conversation.
"Hey Pyrrha, I'm curious. Why did you want to enter to Beacon?" Zack asked.
"Well… I think it's because I know Beacon it's a place that it feels right for me. In Mistral, the place I used to live for, and the academy from there it's also nice, but I know I can find my destiny here." Pyrrha explained to swordsman could understand what she says.
"That's pretty nice Pyrrha." Zack said to her, who replied with a smile.
"What about you Zack?" Pyrrha Asked.
"Me?" Zack look to his katana and answered. "Well, after living on the streets and walking around, I was thinking that I put my skill to a good use, so instead of asking for jobs or missions, maybe being a huntsman will be change my life for good." Explain Zack.
"That's wonderful Zack! You will have a bright future becoming a huntsman." Pyrrha said happily for his teammate.
"I just hope that I have more than a future." Said Zack. Pyrrha was interesting and asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm… actually looking for someone."
Pyrrha's got really interesting, who a vagrant guy like Zack could be looking for. But before he could continue to explain, they hear a growling sound from behind. They turn around and to see four Beowolves from behind. As they see them, Zack spoke up.
"We got company." He say get ready to fight.
"Looks like." Pyrrha says taking her weapows to fight as well. So then, the Beowolves comes forward to attack them. They dodge their attacks and prepare the battle. Two Beowolves was comes towards to Pyrrha, she get her Akuo to block the grimm's attack, but he blows multiples strikes to her. Pryyha dodge their attacks and block the last one, suddenly, another grimm comes for behind her, ready to attack her. Pyrrha stops blocking, she kicks the grimm away from her and toss Akuo to strike him, making a ricochet to hit the other one, after that, she gives three cuts to him send the creature away with a kick, making him fade away. When she was still dealing with the grimms around her, for a moment she saw how Zack was doing. The swordsman was dodging the grimm strikes like it was nothing, when the dark creature was about to give the last attack, Zack uses his semblance to make a wind slash to cut off his arm, and when the Beowolf groans in pain, Zack swig his blade one more time and make another wind slash, cutting his head and fall down, fading away. The other grimm comes jumping towards him, but Zack was too fast and he back flips to avoid the attack, after that, the ursa trying to cut him, but he dodge by jumping from his backs and thrusts his Oni No Ha on his head, make the monster fall giving a quick dead and disappear. Pyrrha was holding the other ursa claws by his shield and impale his Miló on his belly, making him screams, quickly turn his Miló into a gun and shoot on the grimm's head, defeated him.
The duo was finish with the Beowolves. As they done with the fight, Pyrrha goes talk to Zack, but he was the first one to speak.
"That was nice. You did good back there Pyrrha!" Zack complement his partner. She just giggled.
"Thanks Zack. You were amazing too." Pyrrha complement him as well. "I see what you did with those grimms, how did you make that wind slash?
"This is part of my semblance. I can control the wind." Zack replied.
"A typhoonmancer?" She asked.
"That one." He answered.
Pyrrha giggled about this, she seen to enjoy him and his personality. But in that moment when they having fun with each other, suddenly another Beowolf came from behind Zack and hit him so hard that he send him away to a tree.
"Zack!" She screamed worried for his friend and looking back to the grimm with anger. The Beowolf was now aiming for Pyrrha and was ready to attack her, but she quickly throw her shield to his face, jumping towards him and cut his head and half, defeated him.
As she done, Pyrrha put it back her weapons and go look for Zack. The vagrant guy seems to be upside down in the cracked tree.
"Zack, are you okay? Did you got-"But before Pyrrha could continue, she saw something that really got her surprise. Not only Pyrrha saw her teammate upside down, but she also saw what was covering with the hair.
It was a huge scar on his left eye.
After that, Zack get up from the ground to compose himself and started to speak.
"Yeah, don't worry Pyrrha, I'm fine." He said while he cleans himself. Pyrrha was still with her surprising face and after a moment of silence, she got his attention.
"Uhh… Zack?"
"What is it?" Zack said looking to his partner. She was still staring to Zack for a couple seconds until she spoke up.
"No… It's nothing." Pyrrha said. She prefer not to talk about it because seems she met him for a short time time, it will be better to drop the subject.
"I let my guard for a second, and this is what happened." Say Zack.
"Well, this forest it's full of surprises." Pyrrha said."We can't take our eyes for a second for the treats on this place."
"Yeah, you're right." Zack said.
"Let's just keep going and trying to find-" But before she continue, Zack sense something coming towards Pyrrha. He quickly pushed her out of the way and swings his katana to counter the attack. When Pyrrha got up and asked.
"What was that?" When Zack stopped the attack, soon they find out it was a huge needle.
After that, when Zack and Pyrrha heard more sounds out of the scrubs and get even louder, a huge shadow covered them. When they look up, it was something really big and thorny.
"That… might be a challenge." That's was the only thing Pyrrha could say it.
Temple of Relics
In the scene, Yang and Blake was together in the temple holing the relics, but suddenly they hear a explosion from far away and see a big smoke of dust.
"Wow! What was that?" Yang asked. Her teammate Blake was only just looking from the sky.
"Blake, are you listening? What should we-"But before Yang could ask, Blake just pointed up. When she looks, it was Ruby falling from the sky.
"HEADS UP!"
But before she falls, a giant needle hits her in middle of the sky and sending away to a tree, pinning her by her cape.
"What was that?" Ruby asked while she still dizzy. As soon as she recovered, Ruby realizes she was stuck in the tree and she start to begging from help.
"Aaahhh somebody get me out of here! I love this cape!"
"Did you sister jus fall from the sky?" Blake asked
"And where this giant thorn came from? Yang also asked.
Suddenly out of nowhere, a Ursa came from the trees growling in pain, only because a pink explosion hits him from the back and kills him. After that, a orange girl with pink dress appears from behind then.
"Aww, it's broken!"
"Nora!" A green guy appears too. "Don't do something reckless again." But when he was trying to breathe, Nora runs to one of the relics, and when she picked one of them, she started to sing.
~I'm Queen of the castle, I'm Queen of the castle~
"NORA!"
Her friend calls for her. "Coming Ren!"
"Did that girl just ride in on an Ursa?" Blake asked.
After that, Ruby release from the huge needle stuck her in the tree and runs for her sister.
"Yang?
"Ruby!"
"Nora!" She comes from nowhere and interrupting the sisters. After this, they hear someone screaming.
"OOHOOO!"
Suddenly, everyone hears someone screaming for joy, and out of nowhere, it was Zack come surfing on the huge needle. "Alright!" So he jumps out and rolls out on the ground after the giant thorn stuck in the temple wall. After that, Blake just asked.
"Did that gray hair guy just coming from nowhere surfing a needle?"
"Zack!" Ruby screamed.
"Ruby!" Zack greets her as well
"Zack?" Pyrrha comes running out of the forest searching for him.
"Pyrrha!" Zack Said.
"Nora!" She screamed too.
"Nora!" Ren screams to her.
"Ren!" She screams and hugged her friend.
"Hey!" Everyone looks above to see who's screaming. It was Weiss holding in a Nevermore.
"How could you leave me!?"
"I said jump… "Ruby says.
"She's gonna fall."
"She'll be fine."
"She's falling."
"I got her." Zack say walking away from the group, and then, he uses the wind around him to create a jump boost.
As soon, Zack's highly jump to the sky and catch the falling heiress.
" Hi there princess." He greets her. And then they start falling again.
"Well looks like I'm not just a filthy guy who live in a trash. What do you say Snow white? How about a little appreciation?" Zack asks smirking to Weiss, but the only answer she made was looking down. He looked down either just to realize for moment that he forget about the ground.
(BAM!)
With the strong landing, making a hole in the ground Zack stands with so much pain that his body starts to shake from the feet to head, still holding Weiss. Everyone cringe at this scene, except for Nora, who was still smiling.
"My hero."
"You're welcome…"
"Great, the gang's all here! Now we can die together!" Yang says.
But after that, Everyone's hear a grimm roaring, but it was the Nevermore. Coming behind the forest, appears another grimm. This seems to be a giant hedgehog, but This creature have a cuirass full of giant needles, two red eyes, salivating too much and roaring for them.
"It's a Spina!" Nora shouted.
"Oh yeah, can't believe it for a moment I forget about him." Zack says.
"This grimm is giving us a lot of tough time." Pyrrha spoke up.
"This is might be a problem." Ren spoke as well.
"Not if I can do something!" Ruby says and after that, she jumps for the battle.
"Ruby, wait!" Yang shouted for her sister, but it's no use.
In the middle of the field, Ruby fast forward to Spina and double slice his head, but there's no effect. Ruby starts to walk away from the grimm slowly and retreat, but the Spina shoots a couple of thorns at her causing her to get stuck by the cape.
"Ohh geez! Not again!" She said worriedly.
Yang comes forward and trying to help her, but all the needles the grimms shoot are stopping her. So then, the Spina got ready to aim his needles to her.
"Ruby! Get out of here!" Yang shouted to her sister, who trying hard to release from the needle, but it's no use.
And in the sky, the Nevermore comes flying below to attack Ruby. She was in the middle of them being easy target. In that moment, Ruby seems to be scary and worried with this situation, and them, the nevermore threw his feathers to her and the Spina shot their needles to Ruby as well.
"Ruby!"
But before their attacks hit Ruby, something come speed forward in her direction and suddenly a massive tornado stopped the grimms attacks, throwing all the feathers and the thorns to the ground.
As Ruby slowly opened her eyes, Zack was in front of her.
"Zack… ?" Ruby only asked. Zack just put his sword back on his sheath and turn around to look at her.
"Are you okay Ruby?" He asks to her. Ruby was still looking to him and answered.
"Y- Yeah… "
He uses his blade to release her from the thorn, and then, she get up and thanks him. "Thank you Zack…"
Don't worry, that what friends do." Zack says with a smile, making Ruby smile too.
And then, the Nevermore was still flying into the sky and the Spina was running towards, both of them were preparing for attacking them. Zack just turn around to the grimms with a serious look. "Well then… "
He puts back his katana on his sheath and was ready to fight and with a smile he says.
"Let's make this party started… "
Hey guys, Heavy guts here. I'm sorry for the taking too long to finish this chapter, i been working with other projects at the same time, but here it is, finish it and ready to be read by you guy. And if you wondering, yeah, i create a grimm and the name Spina, it means Thorn in italian. Well guys, if you like it, give a favorite and follow me to not miss the next chapter.
Bye Bye