The Phases of Remnant
ESKK: Another chapter another day on a roll we are for you to enjoy reading. Be sure to leave a review at the after reading.
-Insert Dot Hack ROOTS OST Silly Go Round by Fiction Junction Yuuka (TV SIZE)-
-Yume kara samete mo-
The song began with the images of Aura with Haseo and Ruby reaching for the Twilight Bracelet. Aura was holding the bracelet in what looked like a forest of fantasy.
-Kono te wo nobasu yo-
The next image showed two hands reaching out towards each other but without any distinguishable markings it was impossible to tell those to whom they belonged. In turn the music picked up to show the title of the story.
"Phases of Remnant."
The next image showed four balls of energy with the images of winter, fall, spring, and summer flying through with the Twilight Bracelet. The song then continued as the image changed once more.
-Onaji tsuyosa de yobi au-
The next image showed Haseo running across the screen but the image of Skeith the Terror of Death behind him taking up the background.
-Kokoro ni nareru no naraba-
The next image showed Atoli walking across the screen with the image of a broken sword and what appeared to be Balmung in the background.
-Nanninbun no kizu demo-
The next image showed Ruby walking down a path with a smile as behind her was the image of the Twilight Bracelet in the hands of the Silver Eyed Kite and Black Rose.
Boku wa uketomerareru yo
The following image showed Ozpin as he looked upon a mimic form of Ruby walking off with her own scythe dripping with fresh blood. Accompanying this was an endless void as this figure showed itself to be something beyond human.
Mou sukoshi datte ki ga surunda
The next images was a montage of Ruby with team RWBY, Haseo with Team HAKE, and Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora looking at a saddened Atoli as Jaune was found lying in a hospital bed with monitors all over him.
Kono kabe ga kuzureru Reimei
The images that showed next was that of the Beacon Clock Tower before four Azure Flames flew by and began to take shape. The shapes taken were Azure Kite, Azure, Balmung, Azure Orca, and finally what appeared to be an Azure form of Summer Rose. It then showed Haseo, Ruby, and their teams preparing for battle against these foes. It then switched with the riff of a guitar and the surge of Dust blowing through.
-Yume kara samete mo mada minai yume no hou made-
Next was shown a montage of images starting with Ovan in a Library reading a book with one hand. Following this was Ozpin as he stood inside the Beacon Tower with his cane in hand. Then showed Haseo and Ruby charging in with weapons drawn for battle. Their foe was the blue and white knock off of Ruby as Ruby attacked first with the image of her teammates showing. Haseo went next as his images showed his own teammates as well.
-Bokura wa hitori de hashiri tsudukeru shika nainda-
The following image showed Pi and Glynda hard at work as well as the images of Sakubo jumping into her mothers' arms before being replaced by Gorre and then back to Sakubo and Glynda. The next images showed Haseo and Ruby charging into battle before they ended up falling through the ground to reveal the forms of AIDA hovering about.
-Korogari mayotte tsukuridasu boku no inryoku ga Itsuka Kimi e-
The next images showed Ruby and Haseo falling into the abyss before tightening their grips on their weapons. What followed was Skeith appearing and the Twilight Bracelet shining to life before Skeith and Ruby proceeded to fire off a Data Drain at the images of AIDA, Salem, and the shadowy force behind the Ruby mimic.
-End OST-
(Start Beacon Amphitheater Morning)
Today was the day morning had come for everyone and thus today was initiation day for the aspiring Beacon Students. Many of the students had begun to wake up or had already woken up and were rolling up their sleeping bags. Amongst them was a young man in green as he opened his eyes to an orange haired girl over him. "Wake up, Lazy bum!" The girl said and thus the young man began to rise from his bed. "It's morning! It's morning! It's morning! It's morning!" Nora Valkyrie, a teenage girl with orange hair and aqua eyes, exclaimed to her childhood friend, Lie Ren as they awoke for the day of their initiation with the other first years. Nora wore a black sleeveless dress with a white shirt over it and heart-shaped cut out over her breast line, white detached sleeves on both her arms and pink fingerless gloves. She also had a pink skirt with a white layer underneath and white boots with pink laces.
Ren, a young man with magenta-colored eyes, black hair, with a single magenta streak on his left side, stood up, already fully dressed in his clothing. He wore a dark green, diagonally-button, long sleeved tailcoat with black and gold trimming, as well as white pants and black shoes. As he prepared for the day, he listened silently to Nora's excited ramblings about their acceptance to Beacon.
"I can't believe we've been at Beacon for a full twenty-four hours! Not that I thought we'd get kicked out or anything, I mean you're the perfect student and I'm well… I'm me! But it's just crazy, ya know?" Nora said while Ren was brushing her teeth. Haseo walked past the scene and was wide eyed to find Nora in the boy's bathroom of all places while Ren looked just about done.
"We've been friends for soooo long! What are the odds we'd still be together? Well not together-together, not that I'm saying you're not handsome, you are handsome, but that just be weird. Right?" She said later while Ren was putting away his belongings for the initiation.
"Right, what was I thinking? But so, I hope that we still end up on the same team together!" She said later at breakfast with a pancake in her mouth the girl then inhaled her pancake before she continued to speak. "Oooh! We should come up with some sort of plan, to make sure we end up on the same team together! What if we bribe the headmaster? No, that won't work. He has a school." Nora said clearly spit balling ideas to ensure she and Ren are on the same team.
Her ramblings continued even into the locker room as they collected their gear. "I know! We should have some sort of signal! Like a distress signal! Oooh! A secret signal so we can find each other in the forest!" Nora said while Ren was getting his gear ready for the initiation. "Can you imitate a sloth?" Nora asked while she stood next to Ren and pointed at him.
"Nora?" Ren began finally speaking after Nora spent a good two hours at best talking nonstop.
"Yes, Ren?" She asked just before Ren slid his weapons into his sleeves.
"I don't think sloths make a lot of noise." Ren said with a calm tone showing he was used to Nora's antics at this point.
She paused for a moment. "That's why it's perfect! No one will suspect we're working together!" Nora said seeing this as a good thing for the group.
"Come on, Nora. Let's go." Ren said as they began to leave the locker room.
"But not together-together…" Nora continued as they passed by Haseo, Ruby, and Yang, who were also gathering their equipment from their respective lockers.
"Wonder what those two are so worked up about." Ruby observed as she saw them pass by.
"Oh, who knows?" Yang said brushing them off. "So, you seem awfully chipper this morning." Yang said happy to see Ruby was out of her shell for a bit.
"Yep!" Ruby responded with a grin excitedly as she pulled out Crescent Rose from her locker. "No more awkward small talk or getting-to-know-you stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking." Ruby boasted as she caressed her beloved weapon.
"Well remember Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation." Haseo said reminding his younger sister that there were several other initiates taking the test as well. "You're gonna have to meet new people and learn how to work together because no offense but I don't plan to be on a team with you two." Haseo said as he knew Ruby had to spread her wings.
Ruby gasped when she heard Haseo say this. "Haseo how can my big brother not want me to be on the same team as him!?" Ruby gasped and thus Haseo smirked to this.
"Because dear baby sister, you have wings, and you need to spread them unless of course you want to stay in dads' nest for the rest of your life." Haseo said and thus Ruby glared at her big brother.
"Well played." Ruby said with a small glare and pout towards her brother.
"Yeap so time to break out of your shell Rubes." Yang said and in turn Ruby gasped to this as well.
"You too?! I don't need to break out of my shell! That's absolutely…" Ruby began only to be cut off by Jaune who was passing by.
"Ridiculous!" Jaune shouted of frustration as he tried to find his assigned locker, looking at the assigned sheet in his hands. "There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday, I would have remembered to count that high!" Jaune said hoping to find his gear before Atoli starts to get suspicious of him. "Oooh, why does this have to happen today?" Jaune said trying to find his locker.
Jaune then ended up passing by Weiss, who was gathering her own gear alongside another young woman She had long red hair tied back in a ponytail, with green eyes. She wore golden and bronze armor similar to that of an Amazonian warrior, complete with a breastplate and thigh-high armored greaves, with black skirt and a red sash tied over it.
"So Pyrrha, have you given any thought as to whose team you'd like to be on?" Weiss asked her to try to get on her good side. "I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong individual, such as yourself." Weiss said her tone sweet and her smile pure.
"Hmm, I'm not quite sure." Pyrrha began as she smiled back to Weiss. "I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may." She said clearly not affected by her winning streak being broken by Haseo a while back.
"Well, I was thinking that maybe we could be on a team together." Weiss suggested with a hopeful tone in her voice.
"Well, that sounds grand." Pyrrha said with a smile which got Weiss happy.
"Great!" Weiss beamed while also having comically sinister thoughts in her head. 'This will be perfect! The smartest girl in class combined with the strongest girl in class! Together, we will be unstoppable! I can see it now! We'll be popular! We'll be celebrities! We'll get perfect grades! Nothing will come between us now!' Weiss evil rant went until Jaune decided to cut in.
"Ya know what else is great?" Jaune said, literally coming in-between them, trying to act like a cool ladies' man. "Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you." Jaune said as Kuhn passed by and watched the show knowing an amateur when he saw one.
"You again?" Weiss questioned irritably while glaring at Jaune.
"Nice to meet you, Jaune." Pyrrha greeted in a friendly manner.
"Yeah, yeah." He seemed to direct his attention toward the Schnee girl. "So, Weiss, I couldn't help but hear your fondness of me the other day." He said while he flexed his arm, while she simply ran her hand down her face in annoyance.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Weiss said clearly annoyed with Jaune right now.
"Don't worry, no need to be embarrassed." Jaune continued to speak unaware of how much he was annoying Weiss. "So, been hearing rumors about teams. I was thinking you and me would make a good one. So, what do you say?" Jaune offered as Weiss was wondering where Endrance was when she needed him.
"Actually, I think the students are comprised of four students each so…" Pyrrha cut in for a bit while trailing off at the end.
"You don't say." Jaune said before he then directed his attention toward Pyrrha. "So, hot-stuff, play your cards right, and maybe you could join-up with the winning team." He offered trying and failing to play the role of the playboy.
"Jaune, is it? Do you have any idea who, you're talking to?" Weiss began as she quickly came in-between Jaune and Pyrrha.
"Not in the slightest, Snow Angel." He answered which served to annoy Weiss in more ways than one.
"This is Pyrrha Nikos." Weiss said introducing the champion to Jaune.
"Hello again." Pyrrha said as she gave a friendly wave.
"Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum." Weiss continued hoping to see how out of his league Pyrrha was for Jaune.
"Never heard of it." Jaune said as he shrugged hoping it's not something that would get him exposed to his sister.
Weiss scoffed to this before she continued. "She's won the Mistral Regional Tournaments three years in a row! She would have made a new record if not for some guy from Vale!" Weiss said unaware she was talking about Haseo.
"The, what…?" Jaune asked with a raised eyebrow.
Weiss' eyelids lowered before shouting. "She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes Box!" She snapped while comically waved her arms in frustration.
Jaune gasped clearly being what he recognized. "That's you?!" He asked while pointing to Pyrrha in overly dramatic fashion. "They only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!" He said recalling the cereal he had almost every morning.
"Yeah, it was pretty cool." Pyrrha said as she looked away with a shy smile. "Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you." She added knowing how much sugar was in that breakfast food.
"So, after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?" Weiss pointedly asked Jaune, causing him, and even Pyrrha, to look down slightly.
"I guess not. Sorry." Jaune said in defeat to that.
"Actually Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader." Pyrrha said, trying to help raise his spirits, which seemed to work.
"Oh, stop it!" Jaune gushed as he comically blushed.
"Seriously, stop it." Weiss said seriously clearly not liking this. "This kind of behavior should not be encouraged." Weiss said not wanting to be on a team with Jaune.
"So, Pyrrha's on board for Team Jaune." Jaune said directing his attention towards Weiss, going back to his cool ladies' man façade, and failing. "Spots are filling up quick. I'm not supposed to do this but, maybe I could pull some strings, find a place for you, what do you say?" Jaune said but before Weiss could respond Atoli passed by and grabbed Jaune's ear.
"Let's go." Atoli said yanking her brother by the ear dragging him away. Jaune cried out in pain as Atoli dragged her twin so they can make it to initiation.
"Thank you!" Weiss responded happy to be rid of Jaune.
"Heh amateurs." Kuhn said knowing full well that if anyone here was a ladies' man it would be him. And unlike The World he doesn't have to worry that the people he is flirting with are underaged. Yeah, he will NEVER be able to live that particular Quest down.
"Well... you seem to be making friends." Endrance said as he walked over to Weiss. "Now if only you can make actual friends not business partners." Endrance added with Mia on his shoulder.
"Not now Endrance." Weiss said clearly not wanting her brother to watch over her 24/7.
Back over with the siblings Haseo chuckled over the improve show he just got. "Well, that was a scene worthy of a cartoon." Haseo said with a smile causing Yang to chuckle. But then as Ruby finished getting ready Haseo noticed the golden bracelet Ruby was putting on. "Hey Rubes, where did you get that?" Haseo asked looking to Ruby's new accessory?" Haseo asked as Yang finally noticed it as well.
"Yeah, I mean it looks like solid gold." Yang said noticing how bright it looked.
"I got it yesterday from this weird old lady." Ruby admitted as she looked the bracelet over while showing it to her brother and sister. "She called it the Bracelet of Twilight or something like that." Ruby said as Haseo looked to the bracelet in question and felt something familiar about it.
Just then Haseo hissed in pain when he was suddenly hit by a headache from the bracelet in question. "Hey Haseo, are you ok?" Yang asked noticing the pain Haseo was in.
"Yeah just… a headache." Haseo admitted before looking to Ruby. "Sorry about that it's just… I don't know how but I swear I've seen that bracelet somewhere before." Haseo said admitting he had some sort of familiarity with it.
"Weird." Yang said as she could not think of anywhere Haseo had seen the bracelet.
But before they could speak further the intercom turned on. "Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation." Glynda's voice spoke from the schools Intercom system.
Back over with the siblings they heard the call knowing it was time. "Well time to go." Haseo said as he knew it was time for their initiation.
"Good luck bro." Yang said and thus Haseo just waved while walking away.
(Later with Atoli and Jaune)
"Atoli let go already!" Jaune yelled as he got himself free from his sister ear pull. "What was that for I was starting to get through to them." Jaune said clearly upset over Atoli interfering.
"Jaune you were disturbing them." Atoli said as she knew the look Weiss had around Jaune and it was an uncomfortable look. "You were invading that girl's personal space and she didn't like it." Atoli added hoping to get through to Jaune about this.
"But dad always said to be confident." Jaune said which Atoli sighed seeing that Jaune didn't understand the lesson there.
"That was not confidence that didn't display any form of confidence it was borderline harassment and showed you as desperate." Atoli said hoping this would help Jaune to be better later.
"Come on it was working Atoli." Jaune said not seeing it and thus Atoli sighed.
"Have you been watching cartoons again?" Atoli asked knowing how immature her brother can be.
"…Maybe." Jaune admitted which proved Atoli's point.
"Look Jaune just focus on the Initiation today and when you pass focus on your studies first before dating." Atoli said putting a comforting hand on Jaune's hand. "Please for me." Atoli said which Jaune sighed and nodded. With this Atoli smiled and took her leave before Jaune scowled at her his eyes burning with jealousy and envy.
"You don't tell me what to do, Atoli." Jaune mumbled before walking off to head over to the Beacon Cliffs. But moving through the halls unaware to Jaune as he left was a set of black dots that moved around close to Jaune before retreating.
(Later at the Beacon Cliff)
All the first-year students, including Haseo, Endrance, Atoli, Kuhn, Ruby, Yang, Weiss, Blake, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren, had all assembled at Beacon Cliff, facing the forest below as Ozpin and Glynda began to give them their instructions for the test.
"For years, you have trained to become warriors." Ozpin said as he began to explain the rules and task to the students. "And today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin said which got everyone save Jaune pumped for action.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams." Glynda added taking over the instructions for a bit. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates, today." Glynda said which got Ruby a bit worried.
"…What…?" Ruby muttered nervously when she heard this. Clearly for Ruby this was not what she had in mind for how any of their teams would be formed.
"These teammates will be with you the rest of your time here at Beacon." Ozpin continued knowing he had the attention of the students. "So, it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ozpin urged as this only caused Ruby to look even more nervous. "That being said, the first person you make eye-contact with after landing, will be your partner for the next four years." He finished and thus gave the kicker when he did.
"What!?" Ruby exclaimed as it felt like something shattered for her.
"See? I told you!" Nora said to Ren who just sighed knowing how Nora can be.
"Well, this just makes this a bit more complicated." Kuhn said when he saw what was going on here.
"After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest." Ozpin explained as he showed a map to the group of students. "You will meet opposition along the way, do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path, or you will die." Ozpin said as now it was Jaune's turn to look nervous as he gulped. "You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene." He warned them meaning that if they flunk chances are they're as good as dead. "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." Ozpin explained so the students knew how this test will be run. "Are there any questions?" Ozpin asked finishing up his explanation.
"Um… yeah. Sir…?" Jaune began as he nervously raised his hand, but Ozpin appeared to ignore him.
"Good. Now, take your positions." He instructed as the students each took some form of position on the individual platforms that they were each standing on.
"Uh sir… I've got a question…" Jaune said as the young known still had his hands raised. Meanwhile the platforms began to launch each of the students out one-by-one, Weiss being the first followed by her brother Endrance. "So, this landing strategy thing… um… what is it? You're like, dropping us off or something?" Jaune asked clearly nervous over this supposed landing strategy.
"No. You will be falling." Ozpin answered as more of the students were launched into the forest.
"Oh… I see… So, like… did you hand out parachutes for us?" Jaune asked as Nora was launched next, followed by Ren.
"No. You will be using your own landing strategy" Ozpin replied just before Kuhn was next to be launched.
"Uh-huh, yeah." Jaune said while he nodded nervously to the headmaster having second thoughts about this. Just then Haseo was launched into the forest as he flew across the sky. Yang was about to be launched next as she gave her sister a friendly wink, put on a pair of sunglasses, and was launched. Ruby was next with a smirk before she too was launched, leaving only and Atoli and Jaune.
Atoli was the next to be launched leaving only Jaune on the platforms. "So… uh… what exactly is a landing strategeeeeeeeyyyyyyy!" Jaune began but was cut off as he screamed after he was launched as well. Ozpin took a sip of his mug in response as he saw the students flying through the sky.
Just then Pi showed up after she witnessed the students being flung off the cliff. "Did… you just launch our students into a Grimm Infested forest?" Pi asked finding this to be of some concern.
"Yes." Ozpins aid simply which made Pi question it even further.
"Ok while I understand the need to train the students to combat the Grimm… don't you think that there was a preferably safer way to get this done?" Pi asked as she found this to be a major concern for her first day on the job.
"Perhaps but there is a reason for this." Ozpin said which got Pi's attention to the Beacon Headmaster. "There are scenarios in which a Huntsmen or Huntress end up falling from great heights, and this is a way for them to practice a landing strategy in which they do not die from said fall." Ozpin explained which made Pi raise a brow to this answer.
"That's… oddly specific." Pi admitted as she wondered how many times that particular scenario even makes itself known.
(Later over the Emerald Forest)
One by one the students began to descend to the ground as they made their way across the sky. "Birdy no!" Ruby cried out when she crashed into a bird before regaining herself. Ruby proceeded to fire off Crescent Rose using its powerful shots to slow down her descent before using the scythe to swing on a branch to the ground.
Weiss over where she was had opted to use her Glyphs in order to slow down her own descent to the ground. Nearby Ren used his weapons to spin around a tree and land on the base of it. When Ren got to the ground, he heard explosions and looking to the sky he saw Yang flying across the sky.
Yang was using Ember Celica to propel herself through the sky cheering all the way through. She eventually came through the tree branches without any damage to herself before rolling to the ground. Once she hit the ground Yang sprinted through with a smirk on her face." Nailed it." She said while running through the forest.
Back in the sky Pyrrha bashed her way through the trees with her shield raised. Going through she eventually arrived on a tree branch and had her gun out to secure the area she landed in. But when she looked through the scope, she saw Jaunt was falling through the air clearly with no hope for a safe landing. Pyrrha sprang into action and converted her gun into a spear and got ready to throw it. With the angle just right, she threw the spear and heard it whistle through the air to where Jaune was.
All was quiet for a moment until it eventually the tree close to where Jaune vanished. "Thank you!" Jaune was heard from afar after Pyrrha saved him.
"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha called out to Jaune knowing full well she would have to go over and help him down so she can get her weapon back.
Back in the air Haseo was still falling when he drew out his great sword and activated the saw blades on it. With this he cleaved his way through the trees turning them into splinters as he did so. Eventually he switched holds for a stab and thus managed to stab his blade into the tree, but it cleaved a bit before stopping. Haseo used the momentum to spin on the handle and land on the blades flat side. Looking around he saw his classmates were already landing with a few stragglers still airborne.
Atoli meanwhile was seen flying before using a Wind Dust to slow her descent with her weapon in staff form allowing her to roll to the ground before taking off into a sprint. Kuhn was not to far as he had his gunblade switch settings so he can use the gun shots to slow his descent before he hit the ground running as well. With his schoolmates all having landed safely Haseo jumped off and tore his sword through the tree before making his way to the forest floor. Once he got there, he ran on through to find a partner for himself.
(Meanwhile over with Ruby)
After a successful landing, Ruby immediately ran off deeper in the forest with only one thing on her mind. 'Gotta find Yang! Gotta find Haseo! Gotta find Yang! Gotta find Haseo!' Ruby mentally chanted while she ran. "Yang! Haseo!" Ruby tried calling out for her older half-siblings but got no response as she ran further and further into the Emerald Forest. 'Oh, this is bad, this is really bad!' Ruby thought to herself as she continued to run.
'What if I can't find either of them? What if someone finds them first?' Ruby mentally lamented her own anxieties. 'There's always Jaune. He's nice, he's funny. I don't think he's very good in a fight though.' Ruby thought trying to think of other teammates she could possibly work with. So far Jaune seemed more like he would only slow her down in the forest. 'Oh! What about Blake? So mysterious, so calm… plus she likes books!' Ruby thought thinking of the pros and cons with the people she met already met thus far. 'Well, then again, I'm not sure I'd be able to hold a conversation with her.' She thought recalling how quiet Blake was like a loner just before Ruby thought of Kuhn and Endrance.
'Oh, there's Kuhn he's friendly... but I hardly know him.' Ruby thought quickly realizing Kuhn was out of the question. 'Maybe Endrance yeah Prince Charming if I ever saw one and then as a team we can.' Ruby thought but then stopped herself from having any filthy thoughts. 'NO Down girl!' Ruby mentally yelled to get control of herself damn the struggles of puberty. 'Ugh! Okay, who else do I know in this school?" Ruby thought before she began to list them all down. "There's Yang, Haseo, Khun, Endrance, Jaune, Blake, and…' Ruby thought before her train of thoughts came to an end as she stopped herself from running into the only other person that she met at Beacon so far: Weiss.
Both girls stared at each other for a moment, a small and hopeful smile forming on Ruby's face. However, Weiss immediately turned around and walked away without saying a word. "Wait! Where are you going?!" Ruby questioned, before looking down dejectedly. "We're supposed to be teammates…" She mumbled clearly upset by the fact Weiss just left her.
(Over with Weiss)
Weiss pushed past some bushes, hoping to find somebody else that could serve as her partner. But she happened to glance up at the sounds of struggling to see Jaune hanging by his hood, impaled with Pyrrha's spear to the tree. No doubt she used that to keep him from crashing. He glanced down toward Weiss and waved nervously.
Deciding to pick a less embarrassing option, Weiss turned back around to meet up with Ruby. "By no means does this make us friends." Weiss said after she returned as she began to drag her away by her own hood.
"You came back!" Ruby cheered as she was literally dragged away by the now annoyed Heiress.
(Back with Jaune)
"Hey, wait! Come back!" Jaune called out to them while struggling to remove the spear and free himself. But unfortunately for the knight the pair were both out of earshot already. "Who's gonna get me down from here?!" Jaune cried out as he tried to get himself free from the tree.
"Jaune?" He looked down to see none other than Pyrrha looking up to him with crossed arms and a smirk. "Do you have any spots left on your team?" Pyrrha asked as she had come here to get Jaune down and get her weapon back.
"Very funny." He pouted before smiling slightly to which Pyrrha smiled back.
(Over with Weiss and Ruby)
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Ruby asked as Weiss walked on ahead, almost as if she was trying to lose Ruby despite begrudgingly accepting her as her partner.
"I will not let my mission be delayed because you're too slow!" Weiss told her as she rather be teammates with Endrance if their Semblances weren't exactly the same. "I swear that if I get a bad grade because of your…" Weiss began to complain when Ruby suddenly appeared in front of her, much to Weiss' surprise. "What the…!?" Weiss asked surprised to see this happen.
"I'm not slow, see?" Ruby said while smiling to Weiss. "You don't have to worry about me!" She added as Weiss mind was trying to reboot.
"When did…" Weiss began as she double backed to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
"Weiss, just because I don't exactly know how to deal with people, doesn't mean I don't know how to deal with monsters." Ruby said as she put her arm around her shoulder, trying to act confident and friendly. "You're about to see a whole different side of me today, Weiss!" Ruby said boasting a bit as she smiled towards Weiss. "And after it's all over, you're gonna be like, 'Wow, that Ruby girl is really, really, cool. And I wanna be your friend.'" Ruby said she then dashed away, leaving a trail of rose petals which Weiss brushed away from her face, right before she heard the some of the bushes around her creak and crack.
"You may be fast, but you still excel at wasting time!" Weiss called out but looked concerned when she didn't get a response. "Ruby?" Weiss asked as more bushes were ruffled around her, causing her to look somewhat nervous. "Ruby..." Weiss asked only to soon find herself surrounded by a pack of Beowolves that growled and snarled at her with deadly intent. "RUBY!" Weiss cried out just as the Grimm roared at Weiss.
(Meanwhile over with Haseo)
Haseo was making his way through the Emerald Forest as he had yet to clash with any Grim on the way to his target. Then again, he hadn't found a partner as of yet either. Slicing his way through the trees he soon felt something was off right now. Haseo stopped when he heard movement followed by evil laughter.
"Well look what we have here boys." Came a larger young man with heavy armor and a large mace held over his shoulder. From the bushes three more students showed up all grinning with weapons drawn. "Another idiot coming in as competition." The young man said pointing his mace at Haseo.
"I'm guessing you're not here to form a team." Haseo said and thus the leader of this group of four nodded.
"Yeah, we're just securing our spot in Beacon Edge Lord." The young man said as Haseo sighed in annoyance to this. "So sorry not sorry you're going down." The young man said to which Haseo had enough.
"Even here." Haseo said as he reached for his daggers. "Seems there are idiots like you everywhere... guess I need to chop you down to size." Haseo said and then held his blades at the ready the sound of a chainsaw radiating from the blade's teeth.
"Cardin... I don't like the look on his face." Cardin's partner said as they saw Haseo had a mad look in his eyes.
"Shut up Sky!" Cardin ordered and thus was unprepared for Haseo when he moved. Haseo came in like a bullet and took out one of Cardin's teammates with his daggers. The crook was easy enough for Haseo to deal with before he went for Cardin himself. Cardin barely had time to block Haseo's attack. Sparks flew between the weapons thanks to Haseo's saw continuing to grind. Haseo grinned as he was being reminded of his days as a PKK.
But then two of Cardin's remaining cohorts came at Haseo from above and thus the Terror of Death jumped away to avoid the attack. Soon enough Haseo was surrounded by his enemies making him look around. They made the first move when Haseo sheathed his daggers, but he then drew his great sword in its Scythe form and used it to blow away the three crooks with one great swing of it. But before Haseo could attack one of them roared after recovering in order to attack Haseo but instead Haseo used a free hand to draw his dagger in its gun form. The Terror of Death dodged the attack and held the gun under the crook's head.
"Be thankful for Aura." Haseo said and then kicked the guy and shot him in the chest sending him flying back. "Otherwise, that would have hurt." Haseo said as he glared to where the crook landed.
Cardin roared as he charged at Haseo and slammed his mace down upon the former PKK only for Haseo to dodge it with ease. Cardin of course was not so easily avoided as he tried again to his Haseo only for the Terror of Death to smirked at the Huntsman in training. Haseo dodged the attack and while midair he converted his scythe back to its Great Sword form and held it against Cardin grinding the saw for added measure. The larger student roared as he went after Haseo with everything he had but Haseo proved to be stronger and faster than Cardin was.
Haseo swung his sword against Cardin's mace stopping the attack in its tracks creating sparks from the friction of metal on metal. Haseo then roared and sent Cardin flying back from this and leaving his mace flying off further back. Then the last member of Cardin's group came after Haseo who was ready for the attacker as soon as the fight started. Haseo managed to block the attack before pushing back against the sneak attack. Then with a roar of challenge Haseo sent the last goon flying over to where Cardin and his crew landed.
"Wow man take it easy." Cardin said as he backed away to put distance between himself and Haseo. Haseo meanwhile just kept walking menacingly towards Cardin as if he were about to finish him off. "We can talk about this, come on bra." Cardin said trying to get Haseo to back off. But the truth was that Cardin was stalling so he can get to his mace and get a sucker punch in on Haseo. "Look I'll even apologize so just take it easy, calm down," Cardin paused as he soon had his hand on his mace. "AND DIE!" Cardin yelled only for Haseo to counter and send Cardin flying back until he hit a tree.
Cardin began to get back up only to find Haseo's sword right next to him. "This is going to be your only warning, gather up your mooks and take a hike or else." Haseo said punctuating the 'or else,' by grinding the saw on his sword.
"R-right s-sorry." Cardin said as he grabbed his mace and with his friends getting up, they all made a run for it to escape the Terror of Death. Once they were gone Haseo sighed and sheathed his sword and was about to take his leave to find a partner.
"Looks like you still have it." Atoli was heard as soon Haseo looked up and saw Atoli sitting in a tree.
"Yeah, they should be thankful if this was The World, their PCs would have been slaughtered." Haseo said as he did not tolerate PKs anymore.
"I'm glad though." Atoli said as she then jumped down to join Haseo. "Knowing that you still try to save people... it makes me happy." Atoli said as she and Haseo smiled to each other.
"Well let's go." Haseo said as he walked towards Atali. "After all we got a relic to find, partner." Haseo said while passing by Atoli.
"Right!" Atoli said and in turn followed after Haseo to head to where the ruins were located. But as the pair walked away, they failed to notice the black dots forming from within the forest itself.
(Meanwhile over at the Ruins)
Ruby's double sat on one of the pillars of the ruins as she saw the Emerald Forest. Already she could hear gunfire and battles going on from afar. She watched it all go on as Black Dots went down the pillar she sat on. "Well Huntsman in training need a landing strategy I suppose." She said while swinging her legs back and forth while she released the dots every so often. "Though seems that the Grimm don't really like me either." She added noting how the Grimm seem to flee from her when given the chance. "Well good thing you stay by my side Birdie." She added while she looked to a bird she had acquired earlier that same day.
It rested on her shoulder as she rubbed its head a bit with her hand. "Now I need you to be my eyes and ears out here." She said with a smile on her face though her smile was not a friendly or human smile. "Not go and bring me back what you see." She said and thus the small bird flew off showing signs of it being infected by some sort of substance as it flew away to the forest to observe her target.
She then sighed to herself before reaching out a bit with her mind and sensed them. "Well Morgana's little brats are here too." She said recalling what Skeith did to her last time after Kite pulled a fast one before. She then began to recite a familiar poem specifically the versed involving the Epitaphs she sensed.
Unknown where the Cursed Wave was born…
After the stars doth cross the heavens,
The sky in the East doth darken and air doth fill with mourning.
From the chosen land beyond the forest, a sign of the wave comes.
Riding the wake is Skeith, the Shadow of Death, to drown all that stands.
Mirage of Deceit, Innis, Betray all with the flawed image, and did aid the Wave.
And by the Power of Magus, a drop from the Wave doth reach the heavens, and creates a new Wave.
She then paused before going to the next verse involving the final Epitaph in the Emerald Forest.
Macha seduces with the sweet trap.
With that she sighed and glared at the forest her golden eyes glowing with a demonic fury from under her sapphire hood. Sapphire… yes, a name to blend in and to act as an antithesis. Thorn every rose has its thorns and thus a name began to form for this mysterious being.
"Sapphire Thorn. Yes, a suitable name for the time being." She said and in turn stood up before proceeding to jump down to the abyss bellow vanishing from anyone's sight.
(TBC)
ESKK: Another chapter has been completed and now all that is left is for you readers to review the update. So, until next time I shall again bid you ja-ne.