Beacon Locker Room (Day)

"I know! We'll have some sort of signal, like a distress beacon! How well can you imitate a sloth?" Nora asks her friend.

"Nora, I don't think sloths make a lot of noise." Ren replied.

"Oh, on the contrary." they both heard. Turning around, they both saw Russo. "Sloths can get pretty loud during mating season." he said, taking a straight sword with a gold handguard out of his locker.

"Why do you know that?" Ren asked.

"We all have hobbies. You don't ask about mine, I don't ask about yours." Russo said as he left.

"What were they talking about?" Ruby asked.

"I think it's better if we don't know." Sapphire said, trying his best not to be involved with anything his brother was doing.

"Anyways, you two look chipper this morning!" Yang said.

"Of course we are, today's the day we finally get to let loose!" Sapphire said, excited.

"And I get to let my Crescent Rose speak for itself today!" Ruby said, stroking her weapon.

"Remember, you aren't the only ones going through initiation. If you want to grow up, you'll need to meet new people. And frankly, this seems like the best chance for you do that." Yang said.

"Ugh. You sound like Mom and Dad. First: What does meeting new people have to do with fighting? Second: I don't need people to help me grow up, I drink milk!" Ruby said, hands on her hips.

"But what about when we form teams?" Yang asked, causing her younger siblings to remember that little piece of information.

"I thought I'd just be on a team with you two and Russo." Ruby said meekly.

"Me on a team with that idiot!? Don't make me laugh." Sapphire said, trying not to imagine a future where that was the case.

"Maybe you should try being on someone else's team." Yang suggested to her sister. However, this only seemed to offend her.

"My dearest sister Yang, are you trying to imply that you don't want me on your team?" Ruby accused.

"What!? No, of course I do. It's just, I thought it would help you break out of your shell." Yang admitted nervously.

"What the- I don't need to break out of my shell! That's absolutely-"


"Ridiculous! There's no way I put my gear in Locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembered having to count that high." Jaune said to himself, trying to find his armor and Crocea Mors.

"So, Pyrrha. Have you put any thought into whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure that everyone would be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself." Weiss asked, trying to weasel her way into being on Pyrrha's team.

"I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may." Pyrrha said, causing Weiss to smile evilly.

"Pyrrha? I didn't know you applied to Beacon!" Russo said, alerting the two girls to his presence.

"Wait, you know this guy?" Weiss asked, surprised.

"Yeah, we met at a tournament in Mistral." Pyrrha explained. Seeing a weapon capable of that much destructive power both intrigued and terrified the girl. "I was going to let you know as soon as I got to Vale, but I never got the chance."

"Eh, no hard feelings. I just wanted to know where her brother was. You wouldn't happen to know, would you?" Russo asked, making Weiss wonder why he wanted to get that information.

"He's getting ready on the other side of the room." Weiss said. It was at that moment she remembered where she saw the blonde's face before. "Wait, aren't you that guy who got a special donation from the family company?"

"Yarara. Yeah." the boy said with a joyless laugh, unconsciously bringing his hand to his right eye. He really didn't like talking about that day.

"Russo! I've been looking for you!" Weiss' brother shouted.

"Sorry Welter, got a bit sidetracked." Dominic asked as he approached the boy.


Beacon Cliff (Day)

"For years, you have trained to become warriors. And today, your skills will be tested in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin said to the initiates.

"Now, I'm sure you all have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. You will all be given teammates...today." Glynda said, garnering disappointment from Ruby.

"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time at Beacon, so it is in your best interest to be paired with someone you can work well with. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with upon landing will be your partner for the next four years." Ozpin said, gaining temporary insanity from Ruby. "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path or you will die."

After hearing that, Russo, Ruby, and Yang looked at Sapphire, who had a face that could only be described as homicidal.

"You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but the instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and be graded appropriately. Are there any questions?" Ozpin asked.

"Uh, yeah. Sir, are th-" Jaune started to say, only to be cut off.

"Good. Now everyone, take your positions." Ozpin said, prompting most of the initiates to strike a pose. I say "most" because Jaune was launched without knowing what he needed a landing strategy for.


Emerald Forest (Day)

Russo had a very unusual landing strategy. He didn't have one. He just let gravity do its job and fell through the foliage until he eventually hit the ground, creating a small crater. "Well would you look at that. Still alive." he commented as he ventured as he said that, a King Taijutu burrowed its way to the surface, ready to kill. "I spoke too soon."

The snake-like Grimm lunged forward, only for Russo to duck under it and punch its underside. He then used his sword, aptly named "Vesuvius", to remove its first head. He looked around the area but was unable to find the second half of it. "It burrowed underground again." the boy realized. He stabbed his blade into the dirt, where the blade opened up to reveal a network of conduits and circuits of Burn Dust. With a grin, he caused the Dust to explode, startling the second half of the Grimm out of the earth.

With a swift upwards slash, he bisected the head, and the beast fell to the ground in a plume of ash.

"Nice work." Welter said as he walked out from behind a tree.

"If you were there the whole time, why didn't you help?" Russo asked.

"Because I knew you didn't need it." the Schnee said. Although it was really because he'd already dealt with an Elder Class Grimm and didn't feel like taking on a weaker opponent.

"So, this makes us partners?" Russo asked, smiling.

"Guess so. Do you remember where north is?" Welter asked.

"Yeah, follow me." the blonde said, walking south.

"He's going to get himself killed." Welter said to himself as he followed behind the boy.