A/N Initiation

Alt title: Teammates and Trials

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YeTianshi: Atlas works on a strict aristocracy. The Schnee name carries a lot of weight behind it. The Gele name, is a no name peasant. (That's Jacques's original name, Jacques Gele, fun fact! It's French for Jack Frost, just like Weiss Schnee is German for Snow White.) But yeah, Jacques needs to save face, because he himself is a no-name business man. Willow, hates Jacques, bit hates the idea of her father's legacy and hard work falling to ruin. So, a drunken one-night stand was no big deal. She just has to make sure to sleep with Jacques within the same week and, oops? Forgot the quickie was with a Faunus. XD

DancingLeaf: No, this Sharingan doesn't come with the negative emotions curse, but it also doesn't come with the Mongekyo, Susanoo, or any of the extra crap.

Riot Bringer: I mention all my reviews, well, most of them. Review enough and you might get your name tossed in a chapter somewhere. Just ask DancingLeaf. In my Worm fic, the MC attends singing lessons at the Dancing Leaf studio for the arts.

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I held a vote, and it was a tie between Kitsu and Cyril, halfway through it was another tie. So I'm saying fuck it, Cyril got three chapters in a row, and people are probably dying to know what happens with Kitsu and Mike.

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TLDR: Kitsu is next up.

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-Date, Time-

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

(Text)

Sounds/Actions*

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-Beacon lockers, 08/28, 2:20pm-

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Cyril Leon POV

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"Aren't Faunus only supposed to have one feature?"

"I have a rare recessive mutation that grants me two." Weiss says plainly, a clearly forced smile on her face.

"Oh, um, sorry." I say as I look away. "I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"You're forgiven." She says curtly. "I understand my condition is, intriguing to most."

'As are most Faunus.' I think to myself as I steal a glance between Weiss and Ruby's ears, or Ruby's hood in her case. 'How the fuck does that make any genetic sense?'

I may have had good scores in science, but I always found my interest in animal behavior when it was brought up. Not genetics. Though, genetics does play a part in behavior and vice versa.

Still! Faunus make, no sense! Then again, neither do Grimm, Dust, Magic, Aura, and a whole lot of other shit. A bit late to be nitpicking now.

"I take it you two know each other?" Weiss asks. "Are you cousins?"

"Nope!" Ruby says, almost enthusiastically. "No relation as far as I know. And my mom couldn't find anyone in the family who knows him. Not related at all!"

'And I thought I was socially awkward.' I think as I look at the excited girl.

"Hmm, are you perhaps from the Liliacaea clan?" Weiss asks. "You're skin and hair are fair enough."

"I assume they're the Atlesian clan of Silver Eyes?" I ask.

"I suppose that answers that." She says. "Yes, my father's had dealings with them. They currently hold a twenty percent discount on dust in exchange for twenty percent off of any services."

That's not a bad deal.

The more I'm here, the more I learn Silver Eyes have privilege. I guess that's just something you get in a world filled with creatures out for blood, and you have an inherent ability to just look at them and they die. Not as easy as that, but imagine you're town is being ransacked by powerful Grimm. Your house destroyed, family dead, you're about to meet them. And a man with Silver eyes walks up, light flashes from his eyes, and all the Grimm die.

Religions and cults have started over less.

"Are you not going to store your stuff?" Ruby asks.

"Nope." I answer simply.

"So, you intend to sleep in your gear and day clothes?" Weiss tries not to sound perturbed.

"Yep." I answer simply.

"Pretty sure we're required to put our stuff away." Ruby points out.

After day four when Qrow hid my shit to 'teach me a lesson on protecting valuables?' hell no.

"Show that rule to me in writing and I'll follow it." I say simply, getting more and more curt to try and make them take a hint to leave me alone!

"That's, rather brazen of you." Weiss says.

'Okay, I get why Ruby isn't taking the hints. She has the social awareness of a corgi.' I muse to myself. 'But why the hell is Weiss not? Isn't she supposed to be some sort of socialite?'

"So then how do you two know each other?" Weiss asks.

"We don't/I met him during a robbery!" Take a guess on who said what.

"What?" Weiss asks.

"Oh yeah!" Ruby starts to explain. "There was this robbery on a dust shop where these goons were attacking and the boss goon tossed a dust crystal ready to blow the place up! And I was all noooo! And he was all swoosh! And dived after the crystal! Knocking it away, taking the shot and saving the shop while I chased the boss onto the roof and a huntress helped me." She pauses for a breath. "And I'm rambling, ignore me. Please."

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"Anyway." I cut in. "We don't know each other."

Weiss stares at Ruby a bit longer, before slowly looking back to me.

"So, what clan are you from?" Weiss asks.

"None." I answer with a shrug.

That gets a, noticeable reaction. Ruby's eyes go wide as Weiss's face goes blank.

Is, that such a bad thing?

"How?" Ruby asks. "Didn't your mom or dad or, whoever-"

"Dad's a deadbeat that I haven't seen in almost ten years and my mom wouldn't talk about him." I cut her off, a bit sour on the subject.

"Well I'm sure if you asked-" Weiss presses.

"The dead don't talk." I cut her off.

Was it harsh? Yes. Yes it was. But I'm quickly reaching the limit of my social battery, and really don't want to interact with the main cast.

"Oh, I'm, sorry for any offense." Weiss says as she gives a curt bow, her ears splaying back.

"It's fine." I say as I stand up and head for the exit where Port is waiting.

"My boy!" Port says in a booming voice. "Could you not find a locker for yourself in time?"

"I'm just gonna keep my stuff on me." I shrug.

"Hah!" He barks. "Preparing yourself for long treks in the wilds already! Quite bold of you to do so, be careful! That kind of message may come off as arrogance!"

He's referring to how it might come off as overconfidence. Not using the lockers that is. I think. Not sure how, this place has weird social customs. And I'm learning that Huntsmen are a social class all on their own.

"Let them think what they want." I say as I walk past to the auditorium.

"Ho! A feisty spirit like that will take you far lad!" Port says as I pass him. "Why! I remember when I had such gall and stones! And you see how far I've come!"

I keep walking.

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Weiss Schnee POV

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So he's an unaffiliated Silver Eyed Warrior with a dead family? While sad, that's perfect!

If I play my cards right I can get two Silver Eyed Warriors on my team! Though, he seems a bit more prickly. But that just might be the whole, dead family.

Though, since he's unaffiliated, if I really try, I could get him into dating me. Father wouldn't be able to set me up with someone else because, duh, why separate from a Silver Eyed Warrior? And since he's unaffiliated, there's no clan to bribe or strong arm to separate us. And no one can claim it as political since he has no clan!

If not, I could always bribe him into pretending to date me until I'm twenty and legally too old to set up. Or if he's insufferable I could pretend to date him until then. Though at that point I might as well pretend to date Ruby. Assuming she'd go along with it of course.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. For now, focus on initiation. Insuring father has no control over me can come later. Besides, getting into Beacon is the first step.

Wait.

"What was his name?" I ask Ruby.

"Hmm?" She perks up after closing her locker. "Oh! It was, uh, um. I don't think he ever said."

Darn.

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-3 hours later-

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Cyril Leon POV

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There are, quite a few people. And a lot of them are idiots as well. The part about the guys being show offs was not wrong.

There's one in front of like, three other girls. He's doing a handstand with one finger.

Oh, they just left him. Sucks to suck.

I don't see Yang, or Blake, I think I saw Pyrrha, but that could've been any long haired redhead. Though I'm certain I saw Ren and Nora. Jaune is a-

Spoke too soon. There he is, strutting across the room to grab one of the offered sleeping bags. In his bright blue bunny onesie. Oblivious to the snickering of everyone around him.

Or he's just that confident.

Me for the most part, I intend to get some meditation as I lean against the wall and close my eyes. Getting ready for a night of sleep before tomorrow.

After I unlocked my semblance, part of the book started writing itself. Basically, I'll slowly start to gain more and more words of power. But to advance their abilities, I need to meditate and think on the meaning of the words, not just the definitions.

Like, Kill is defined as ending another's life. But, that's not all it means. In truth, Kill means to abruptly end something. To kill a conversation, a life, or a thought. It's all the abrupt end of the subject mentioned.

Shit like that.

'I wonder what'll happen if I stand on the podium backwards. Or hell, if I just don't show up at all.' I find my mind wandering.

"You really are sleeping in your gear."

'Oh come on!'

Opening my eyes to see Weiss standing before me. Dressed in an immaculate white nightgown, arms behind her back.

"I said I would." I answer curtly.

"You did." She gives a slight nod. "You don't mind if we set up here, do you?"

"May I ask why?" I ask with no small amount of suspicion. "And what do you mean, we?"

"I got the bags!" Ruby says as a burst of petals appears beside Weiss.

"Well that answers that." I say under my breath.

"In truth?" Weiss says. "You seem to be the only boy here not being a show off. And I'd rather guarantee I get my sleep as opposed to having some jock, high on the accomplishment of being here, bother me and try to, woo me."

I just stare at her with a slowly raising eyebrow. That's an excuse if I ever heard one. Mostly because it sounds way too rehearsed.

Hell, I'd have an easier time buying the 'there's no room' bs.

"Uh, wut?" Ruby asks.

"Do what you want." I say with a wave of my hand as I close my eyes again.

"Much appreciated." She says. "I, don't believe I got your name."

"You didn't." I say evenly.

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"May I have your name?" She asks.

I feel there's no way out of this without burning bridges. And while I don't want any interaction with the main cast, a bit late for that, I'm not about to ostracize myself.

"Cyril." I say.

"Weiss, nice to meet you." She says.

"And I'm Ruby!" Ruby answers.

"You don't need to raise your hand." Weiss says in a quiet voice.

"Nice to meet you." I say. "Now, good night."

I think on fus. Force.

Force, the exertion of energy. But, so much more. Force, is just the closest word to fus. Fus is more, the exertion of one's might. It's the purest form of exerting your will, to push others back. It's a rebuttal, a counter, not an offensive. The thu'um is a language after all, it's just one so primal that the words force themselves into reality. So, Fus, is literally, push back, rebuttal, back off. Not necessarily, force.

This is genuinely taxing to think about. Like, I'm actively getting a headache. And that's worrying.

All I'm doing, is thinking about the definition, of a word. I could understand a headache from trying to solve a math problem, but the definition and meaning of a word?

This place makes no sense.

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-Beacon Cliffs, 6am-

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I've been sitting on this damn launch pad, for half an hour. Waiting for everyone.

I wasn't the first one here, that actually goes to Ruby. I may have slept in my gear, but I still needed to brush my teeth and all that.

So far, I'm part of group one. There are actually several clusters of launch pads that situated around the plateau. Each will launch twenty of the students into the forest. This way, everyone is tested at the same time and no one can give anyone else hints.

I'm here with Ruby, Weiss, and a bunch of others I don't recognize.

There's a black haired cat Faunus that I think might be Blake, but. She's got her ears in the open, and is wearing a more tribal, kunoichi dress. Sort of a mix of her in canon outfit, and what her mom wore when she was present in the anime.

I guess, Faunus are more accepted here? Unless that's not Blake at all.

"Ah!" Prof- Doctor Oobleck says as the last person arrives. "Finally! Now! First order of business! Dine Greene, Harold Fair, Zaff Stone, and Kyle Ryte. Go home."

"What!?"

"Why!?"

"Bullshit!"

And a bit more. Not all from just those four. Seems everyone is surprised.

"Why!?" One of them asks again.

"Because you were the last ones here." Doctor Oobleck says as he pushes his glasses up. "Simple as that!"

"But we got here by six!" Another complains.

"Exactly!" Oobleck says as he raises a finger to the air. "You're late! If you're on time, you're late! You're only on time if you're early!"

'Huh, my dad always said something similar.' I muse to myself. 'Maybe it's a military thing? Huntsmen are a sort of paramilitary force.'

"That makes no sense!"

"Makes perfect sense." I say out loud. "You should always plan to be early in case something happens that delays you. That way, even if you're held back, you still make it before it's too late."

My dad's words were, 'plan to be early, and make it a habit. That way when something happens, you're still on time.'

"Precisely Mr. Leon!" Oobleck says. "Six was not the benchmark for success, it was the cut off for failure!"

"What about me?!" The red haired boy asks. "I still got here five minutes early!"

"Better luck next year!" Oobleck says.

"That's cold." Ruby says next to me.

It takes a bit more stonewalling on Oobleck's part, but the four eventually leave. Leaving sixteen left.

"Now then!" Oobleck starts. "You all will be launched into the forest and have one hour to pair up and find a relic to the east! There are four relics and each pair needs to acquire one! If you fail to retrieve the relic, you fail, if you take too long, you fail, if you die, you fail. At the end of the hour I will fire a flare into the air, signaling that the test is over and you need to return! Your partner will be the first individual you make eye contact with provided they do not already have a partner! Any questions!?"

"Yeah!" I say as I raise my hand, even as the launch pads start going off at random. "What are the relics?"

"They're the only manmade objects in the forest aside from the personal artifacts of you and your peers!" Oobleck answers quickly.

"That's all we ge-" I don't get anything else out as I'm launched through the air.

You know, I really should've stood up. Because now I'm just somersaulting uncontrollably.

This is going to suck. And I have none but myself to blame.

I try and course correct myself, but that just leads to me flailing my limbs wildly.

Activating my semblance, I look around as best I can. Seeing nothing but sky, I deactivate it and reactivate it a few seconds later. Now seeing the forest, I think on how to best course correct myself, and realize I have no way of doing so.

'Welp, any landing you walk away from is a successful one!' Is what I think right before breaching the canopy.

'Doesn't make it an enjoyable one.' Is what I think after smacking my side on a particularly sturdy branch.

Turns out, the way aura works, is it prevents real damage from occurring, while still allowing your body to register any danger. Which makes some sense. I mean, if you get shot, it can only increase your odds of survival by knowing where the shot came from.

Doesn't mean I have to like it.

Activating my semblance as I grab onto the branch, I look around and think about what to do.

I'm about twenty feet off the ground, and still have all my gear. But, no clue where to go.

Deactivating my semblance, the sounds of the forest return as I grab one of my axes and latch into the branch. Distending the chain to allow me down.

And halfway down, a pack of young Beowolves charge out of the bushes and hang under me.

"Fucking hell." I groan as I rub my face.

I know the younger brother said the Grimm were attracted to magic, but this is just annoying. This is the second time I've been in this forest, and the second time a pack of Beowolves has been here just waiting for me.

"Fuck you, you pack of overgrown excuses for an edgy tweens fursona!" I curse the things.

Not my best move, as one jumps up and bites down on my side, pulling me down with it.

Crack*

And the branch as well as I retract the chain.

As I fall down, the Beowolf lands on top of me. Quickly followed by the branch and my axe. The branch hitting the wolf in the back of the head as my axe returns to my hand.

Taking advantage of its stumble, I bring my axe to its neck and follow through. Cutting its head clean off.

The unarmored sections are surprisingly weak on these things.

Rolling with my swing, I toss the beheaded Beowolf onto its back and jump up. Activating my semblance to get a clear view of my surroundings.

One of the Beowolves is charging me, not even ten feet from me.

Deactivating my semblance, I sidestep the wolf with my axe hand held out. Letting it decapitate itself with its own momentum.

Turning to look at the other two wolves, who are now cautiously trying to circle around me. I grab my other axe from its holster in preparation for whatever they have planned.

It doesn't take long before one of them gets impatient, and charges me from the left, quickly followed by the one on my right.

Switching my axes into khopeshs. I activate my semblance to orientate myself properly, and deactivate it. With a quick half spin, I swing my blades to decapitate both wolves as they lunge.

Only, my blade whiffs the one on my right. Only nicking its throat.

'This is gonna suck!' I think as I feel the lack of resistance on my swing.

Bang*

Looking up quickly, I see the wolf knocked back with its head missing. Turning back around towards the sound of gunshot, I curse my luck as I lock eyes with the only other Silver eyed individual here.

"Hi partner!" She waves excitedly from thirty feet away.

"Fuck me." I groan.

"Swear!" She shouts, pointing at me.

I stare at her with my flattest look. Hoping to get my point across as she keeps her finger up.

"How old are you?" I ask, unimpressed.

"I'm fifteen!" She says excitedly, bursting into petals as she rematerializes in front of me with her hand out. "Ruby Rose! Put'er there partner!"

Taking a few seconds to collect myself. I stare up at the canopy as I contemplate everything.

'This is just my life now, isn't it?' I think to myself as I return my axes to their default and sheathe them.

"Um, if you're uncomfortable with a handshake, you can just, let me know?" Ruby says awkwardly.

Looking back down to her, I take her hand with a sigh. Resigning myself to my fate.

"Cyril, Cyril Leon." I say.

No point arguing now.

'Should've taken Ozpin up on his offer.' I think to myself as I recall the bullhead.

"Yeah!" Ruby says, oblivious to my reluctance as she shakes my hand.

She then pulls her hand back and pulls out her weapon, Crescent Rose. Extending it out to its scythe form, which is easily longer than she is tall.

"So here's my baby." She says with stars in her eyes. "Highly customizable combat scythe with adjustable marksmen's scope, she can fire high caliber rounds at bolt action or be compacted to operate at semi-auto."

"Nice." I say as I start walking east, going by the position of the sun and the fact it's morning.

"Hey!" She yells, rushing up to me. "What about you!? I showed you mine, you show me yours!"

That causes me to stumble and nearly trip over my own feet. Looking to her with wide eyes, before realizing her meaning.

"Jesus Christ." I say under my breath as I continue walking. "Phrasing, and I have these axes."

I pull my left axe out and hold it out for her to see.

"Ooh!" She says excitedly, now clinging to my arm to look at the weapon. "What's it do!? What's its name!?"

"Figure it out for yourself." I say as I turn my hand and open it to let her take the axe.

I have a low social battery on a good day. And with all the headaches, frustrations, and the sheer amount of times I had to say 'fuck it, I guess that makes sense.' I'm spent. And it's not even lunch yet.

"Really?" Ruby asks with a squeaky voice as she gingerly takes my axe. "Thank you!"

That should keep her occupied.

"Hmm, fixed design, highly mecha-shift reliant. Dust infused Anima steel." She rattles off. "Primarily a Mantilian bearded axe."

Shink.*

"Ooh!" She says happily. "It transforms into a hand scythe! But I know I saw it extended earlier."

'I glad someone's happy.' I muse to myself.

"Interconnectable extendable handle with a retractable and fuseable dust infused chain." She keeps going.

Shik*

"Ooh! A Menagerian khopesh!" She gushes. "Where's the gun?"

"There isn't one." I answer.

It takes a few seconds, but I realize she isn't following behind me anymore.

Turning around, I see her frantically turning my axe around and around in her hands. Quickly inspecting every aspect of it.

"Okay, funny joke!" She says with a nervous laugh. "Is it an interconectable channel? Do you need to combine both axes to form a double barrel or like, a gauss cannon?"

"No." I say, earning her wide eyed gaze. "There is no gun."

She stares me in the eye. Almost, making me uncomfortable with the intensity. Before looking down, her hood shadowing her face from view.

"Uh, you good?" I ask, causing her to start trudging forward.

She reaches me, and without looking, holds out my axe.

"Here you go." She says in a low, almost sad voice.

"Um, thanks?" I say as I take my axe back. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just, regretting a few life choices." She says as she ,starts walking past me.

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I could've sworn she called me a heathen under her breath.

"There's an Ursa behind you." She says softly.

Turning around quickly, I jump back and dodge the swipe of the hell bear.

"What the fuck!?" I curse reflexively.

Where the fuck did this one come from!?

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Bonus

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Ruby Rose POV

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'Go to Beacon, see cool weapons, get into cool fights, meet fun people, save people, be a hero!' I think on my life plan.

Shick*

' Maybe settle down and have a kid or two. It's what mom did. And she's happy!' I continue my inner monologue. 'Most of the time.'

"Where do you guys come from!?"

'Day one, met a nice girl named Weiss, her rapier Myrtenaster just screamed beautiful but deadly. Then I met the boy from the robbery, we have no relation, cool weapons!' I recount my experience. 'He's more on the, grumpy end of the spectrum. But that's not a problem! Anything can be fixed with time and effort!'

Schick* *Clang*

I then remember the non-customizable axes.

'Except for blatant heresy!' I feel an odd sense of anger and sadness fill me. 'How could he do such a thing? To, to cripple such beautiful materials?'

Crash*

'I could understand if it were an older design. You have to respect the classics. They walked so that our children could fly after all!' I nod appreciatively, before extending Crescent Rose and swiping an Ursa's head off.

The Grimm seem to really go after Cyril. Which, is a little weird. They normally target me. Perks of having silver eyes. Which he also has. But that would just mean they should target us both.

'But his is a modern design, with no gun!' I get my thoughts back on track.

"Dad was right." I admit to myself. "Boys will just let me down. Maybe I should adopt in the future."

"You could help!" Cyril shouts.

"Just don't let them get too close." I shout back. "You'd be able to do that with a gun!"

"If I had a gun I'd use it!" Cyril shouts back.

"Should've thought of that when you built your weapon!" I point out. Hoping he sees the error of his ways.

"I didn't make these!" He whines. "I was given these by two asshats who didn't think I'd need a good weapon!"

I stop as I hear that.

'Could it be?' I think hopefully.

Maybe that's why he's so grumpy all the time! He doesn't have a decent weapon of his, and the only thing he could get is, that.

He's not a heathen! He's just a lost lamb who was dealt a bad hand and doesn't know better!

"Help me!" He cries out as I hear him hit the ground.

"Don't worry!" I shout as I turn around, seeing the Beowolf with its jaws on his neck. "I'll save you!"

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A/N I rolled dice to decide Cyril's team, and then held another vote to decide who Cyril's partner would be.

And the fuckers on discord were colluding to leave it at a tie!

So, I closed the poll when I noticed someone (Nicolette, Knight of Warcrimes) kept changing their vote to keep it at a tie. So, I voted at random and shut the poll early!

Rigged elections!

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Link to the discord: discord .gg/DarkWolfShiro