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Requested by :

Lea the RosenWulf

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Of all the heroic ways he'd always imagined his first - or, well, second, technically, he supposed - day at Beacon to go, hanging about fifty feet up a tree and trying desperately to wiggle the sword pinning him there out of the wood hadn't been one.

A great shock, he was sure.

"Come… On…" He grunted, standing on the branch below him on his tippy toes, reaching for the sword and then sighing and sagging against the wood, hanging while he caught his breath. Or tried to, at least, with his hoodie nearly choking him.

Because there was a sword through it…

"Ah, dang it." He sighed, turning to look up at it. "There's gonna be a hole…"

He had his sewing kit, of course… But less than a week in and one of the first things he was going to be doing was sewing? Not fighting a monster, or helping someone. Sewing. It was like the universe was laughing at him, or something.

"What next?" He grumbled, "How could this possibly go any worse?"

A quiet growl echoed from under him, and Jaune felt the entire tree tremble as the growling got louder. He twisted on the spot, using an arm to push himself away enough he could turn and look down, and his stomach dropped. Red eyes seared into his own, up between the branches from an Ursa standing tall at the base of the tree. It was massive, face armor scarred and pitted from a life of fighting, and bared its teeth as Jaune sucked in a breath. The monstrosity snarled again, beating its paws against the bark with enough force that the tree shook harder and harder, loose leaves and branches clattering around him.

"Ha…" Jaune chuckled, watching it try and fail to knock over his tree. Laughing louder, he asked, "What now, chucklehead!?"

Snarling like it was answering, the Ursa buried its claws in the bark…

And started to climb.

"Hey!" He laughed nervously, watching the thing slowly figure climbing out faster and faster as it scaled the tree. "I-I was joking!"

The Grimm didn't seem to care, ripping down a branch in its way and letting it shatter on the floor below with a mighty whush. Twisting and turning, Jaune tried to draw his sword, but the sheath kept striking the tree. And without pulling it forward, it was hard to draw it, trying to twist his chest and shoulder at an odd angle with no leverage. It eventually came out a bit, but his hands were sweaty and shaking, and he was not looking at his sword…

Until it clonked off the Grimm's forehead, pommel first, and slid past towards the ground.

That at least seemed to make it pause, for a second. Like it couldn't believe its luck, or Jaune's. Either way, it snorted and snarled and kept climbing, while Jaune kicked and struggled, yanking at his hood. He heard fabric starting to tear more as the sword slowly cut through it, but the thick, sturdy fabric was barely giving at all.

Already tired, Jaune sagged, sucking in breath, and muttered, "Damn you, Pumpkin Pete… Why did you make your hoodie so tough?!"

Something scraped his boot and he squawked, looking down at the Ursa as it buried its claws in the wood and pulled itself up on the same branch Jaune had been trying to use earlier. It made it halfway before it bellowed in anger and pain, sliding down as something wet echoed from under it. A second later, Jaune saw a hand appear, grab a handful of fur, and pull a tiny girl up over its rear. Her other came up a second later, burying in the small of its back and twisting painfully while the girl smiled viciously. The monster didn't give, though, trying to buck her off instead - so she stabbed it two more times in quick succession, pulling herself up using its spiney bone growths for leverage and burying another thrust right below its shoulder.

That finally seemed to break its grip and, roaring in anger and swiping at him just out of reach, the Ursa slid down the tree, ripping away bark as it went. Until it crashed into the ground, splaying out and shuddering as smoke started to waft off of it.

"Uh, tha-" Suddenly, the girl was in front of him, standing perfectly straight as if she weren't balancing on a tree branch fifty or so feet up in the air. He blinked, staring down at mismatched eyes, and stuttered, "T-Thanks?"

She smiled widely, cocked her head, and all Jaune could hear was the Headmaster's voice…

'The first person you make eye contact with.'

"S-So… Uh…." Still hanging there, Jaune offered her his hand awkwardly, "Put 'er there, partner?"

Jaune didn't have much experience with girls, but even he knew that the way her eyes lit up was… Not really normal. She looked almost like he'd handed her a Million Lien or something, bouncing ever so slightly on her feet which did things he ignored very purposefully - his dad had raised a gentleman, damn it. And so had his sisters! He was broken out of his thoughts, though, when her hand flicked, pinging the red sword he'd been hanging from out of the tree and sending it sailing into the forest below while Jaune squawked and tried to catch himself on the branch she was on.

Key word being 'tried', that was.

She caught him by an arm before he could fall, though, spinning on a heel like they were dancing and nearly tossing him against the tree. Saved twice, now, he stammered, "Uh, t-thanks. That was pretty-"

When she pressed up against him, pulling his head down, his words died in a sputter. And them a 'mwumph' as she kissed him.

And then there was light.

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Pyrrha bounced the Creep off her shield and spun as it hit the tree, crushing its windpipe with her heel. It collapsed in a wheezing heap until her shield came down, severing its spine at the base of its skull. Then it finally sagged, smoke filling the air as it faded away. She left it and its three fellows behind, smog filling the forest as she went on, growing more and more annoyed with having to fight without her actual weapon. Her shield was good enough, of course, in her hands, but…

Still, it was bothersome.

And the cause was worse so…

"At least I know why they're being lured to me…" She murmured, well aware of her agitation as she neared where she could feel her spear, resonating with her power. "I just need to find the oaf and decide-"

Blinding light cut her words off, shining through the trees straight ahead of her. For a confused moment, she froze. But… She knew what that light was, and rushed towards it in sudden, panicked confusion, disbelieving. It was right where her sword was - where he was - but surely he couldn't have another. Not here, not so soon. The odds of that were…

"So…" She heard, just before she'd been about to break through the tree-line. "W-What was that for?"

Stepping forward, she leaned against a tree and around it, looking up where she'd pinned him before. The blonde was there, with a tiny little thing clinging onto him like she was a drowning woman who'd found her first glass of water. Or a lake, judging from her smile, and the way she kissed him again, making the boy throw his hands up to either side, apparently entirely unsure what to do.

"Impossible…" She murmured, shaking her head, "T-The odds…"

Odds paled in the face of what she could see, though, and she forced herself to relax and focus. Neither were looking her way so she looked for her sword, abandoned on the ground - the other woman must have done that, she figured - and reaching out, she called it to her. Casting one last glance up at them, she shook her head and turned to retreat into the woods.

At least he wouldn't pay her any attention, she figured…

As odd as that made her feel.

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"She wasn't even admitted as a student, Ozpin!" Goodwitch argued, pacing in front of his desk while Ozpin sat at it, staring down at the image one of his many cameras hidden throughout the forest had taken of the girl, wide-eyed and panicking as her Ashikabi fell from a tree. Pointing at it, the Headmistress went on, "What she is only makes the risk greater, Ozpin! We do not know anything about her."

"Actually…"

"What," Goodwitch muttered darkly, apparently recognizing something in his tone, "do we know, Headmaster?"

"That she has lived in Vale in hiding since the Breach in Atlas, and has spent much of that time working quietly with one Roman Torchwick." The woman blinked, slowly at him, as if waiting for him to go on. Smiling, he took a sip of his coffee and offered, coyly, "Oh, the name doesn't ring a bell? He's-"

"One of Vale's most wanted criminals!" She hissed, "I am aware!"

"Then why the evident confusion…?"

"Because I don't understand why knowing that would help!?"

"Because it means we know who she is." He shrugged, smiling warmly, "At least, as far as we know who anyone is when they come here."

"Most people have records, Ozpin. Paper trails, paper work, residency listings-" She counted them off, frowning, "Even birth records!"

"A Sekirei would not have those…"

"Miss Nikos does!"

"Miss Nikos is an exception, not the rule." Ozpin nodded, "The wealthy and famous ever have advantages over the likes of us, as you know. This young lady did what she had to in order to stay hidden. I will not fault her that."

"Ozpin." Goodwitch sighed, "You're a multi-millionaire…"

"That," he smiled, "was Oswald."

"Ozpin…"

"The banks assure me we are different people." He shrugged, "Shall I send you to handle them?"

"I hate you so much sometimes…"

Ozpin only smiled and nodded coyly, tapping the Scroll in front of him and going on more seriously, if only to give the woman some measure of peace, "Sekirei are worth a lot in the way of risk, Glynda. Having even a handful in our Academy will make it that much more secure. It is why I went so far to acquire Miss Nikos and Miss Schnee. And why, here and now, I will continue to bend and break rules to accommodate them. I understand your concerns, of course, but this is a risk we need to take. And one I took on you as well, if you recall."

"I-I do…" She murmured, scratching at the side of her neck in that suddenly flustered way of hers. Finally sighing, she asked, "Shall I call the two up, then?"

"Yes, please." He nodded, "In fifteen minutes or so."

"Sir?"

"I should like to make tea and some snacks." He smiled, "The poorest among us do enjoy having food on offer."

With a fresh pot of tea, and a tray of sweet cakes, cheese, crackers and sliced sausage set out on his desk, Ozpin looked up and smiled as the elevator opened and his guests arrived. The young Sekirei looked absolutely over the moon even now, bouncing with every step and watching her Ashikabi's every move. Mister Arc, on the other hand, looked confused and terrified in almost equal measure. As much for the summons, he was certain, as for what had happened in the forest. Although his intuition told him there was something more, there…

And gee, how he wondered what that was.

"Mister Arc." Ozpin nodded in greeting, turning to the girl, "And… Neo, was it?"

The girl nodded brightly, hopping into her seat and then eyeing the distance between hers and Mister Arc's and bouncing her chair over so she could grab his arm, resting her head on his shoulder and smiling at the stiff way he sat. Goodwitch gave the display a look, and then gave him a look, and Ozpin smiled and waved her off. The girl was obviously elated to have found him, and whatever ends ultimately came of this meeting, Ozpin couldn't quite bring himself to ruin that happiness.

"First of all, I would like to offer my congratulations and praise." He smiled, gesturing at Mister Arc with a hand and waving them towards the food invitingly. The girl at least, was more than willing to go for the snacks, grabbing a cake to nibble at while she snuggled her Ashikabi. Ignoring her, for the moment, he went on, "You two, Miss Valkyrie and Mister Ren performed admirably against the Deathstalker. While I acknowledge you did not kill it outright, collapsing the bridge under it was an inspired move."

"Y-You're not angry we damaged the ruins…?"

"The ruins are thoroughly known." Ozpin shrugged, "The ruins of an old waystation Beacon once used, a long, long time ago. Thoroughly catalogued, and whatever valuable there was had long since been taken away. Or, I assure you, we would not have used them."

"It was… Pretty big for a waystation." Mister Arc murmured, blinking when Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "U-Uh, Sir."

"It was a primary one." Ozpin lied, "Do not concern yourself."

In truth, of course, it had been one of Salem's temples, nearly eight hundred years ago… Knowledge he kept preserved in his simple vault, here at Beacon. And nowhere else. And placing the false relics there for Initiation over the decades had proved excellent for continuing to slowly bury the site without any overt, untoward questions.

"I-I guess…"

"The reason you're here, aside from your tactical display…" Ozpin went on, turning to give the woman a look, "Is her."

"Neo…?"

"Indeed." Ozpin nodded, watching the woman watch him warily in turn. As if, were he to do something, she would attack him - in spite of being unarmed, and outnumbered between himself and his Headmistress. Smiling, he turned to her more fully and asked her, "How much do you wish to share? This is your story, after all. Your nature. Your history. I would not decide for you."

For a while, the woman was still, chewing on her little pastry and flicking him, Mister Arc and the Headmistress when she paced around his desk to stand beside him. But, finally, she reached up and under her coat, into her shirt, to pull out her Scroll and typed something out on it. Then she flicked it into his desk, and Ozpin spun it with a finger.

"The short version." Ozpin read out, "He's already flustered."

"H-hey!" A peck on his cheek, somehow, seemed to kill any affront Mister Arc held for her description.

Ozpin chuckled, though, when he ducked his head down into his shoulders and muttered to himself nervously.

"Very well, then." He hummed, leaning back and turning to start, "For starters - your new partner is, in fact, not a Human being."

"She's… A Faunus?" He murmured, flicking her a look and then scowling when she tittered silently, hand covering her mouth. Quietly, he muttered, "Rude."

She just held a thumb up and nodded.

"Your new partner, should she choose to actually attend Beacon-"

"S-She's not a student?!" The blonde asked, seeming to hear and understand the implications instantly. Which spoke well of his insight, if nothing else - even if he really shouldn't leap to assumptions quite so firmly.

"She is not." Goodwitch answered sharply, "She, in fact, trespassed into Initiation to join you."

"She did…?" He blinked, seemingly talking out loud as he asked, "Isn't that illegal… And dangerous?"

The irony was very much not lost on Ozpin, in that moment, as he looked at the blonde young man.

"It was both of those things, indeed, for a normal person." He nodded, flicking Glynda a look and smiling when she scoffed and looked away. Smiling, he turned back to the two and went on, "But a Sekirei is not a normal person, and would do much for her Ashikabi."

"I… Don't know what those words mean…"

"As you shouldn't." Goodwitch nodded, "We… Keep them secret, well enough, from the open public. For the safety of Ashikabi and Sekirei alike, for a litany of reasons. As well as for… More ignoble reasons, that I would rather not mention as of now. Not without knowing your Sekirei's past and experiences."

Neo's face tightened at the words and, for all he was clearly already somewhat overwhelmed, Jaune seemed to notice. Which meant he was perceptive, too - something Ozpin took note of alongside his astuteness, even if both were in their infancy. Every little detail would matter, going forward. But as perceptive as he was, he didn't seem to know what to actually do with what he saw. A skill he'd need to develop soon, in his role.

But, at least, the Sekirei didn't seem to begrudge him that, leaning just the tiniest bit closer.

"Sekirei came to our world long ago, in great ships that crashed to Remnant far to the north, in Mantle." Ozpin explained quietly, lacing his fingers together and resting his chin on them. He could see the questions on Mister Arc's lips, but he stayed silent, listening in rapt, if confused, attention. "There has been a lot of conflict over, and between, them. As her bonded partner, you're going to be stepping into a deep river and trying to swim upstream…"

He gave the woman a look, and she actually looked away, sheepish.

Mister Arc only asked her, "Why me then…?"

"Sekirei do not choose their destined ones." Goodwitch answered for her, quietly, "She would have seen you and been… Compelled."

"How you choose to react, what you choose to do…" Ozpin leaned back, "That is your decision, now, Mister Arc. Say the word, and I will see her inducted into Beacon on your team. To whatever end the two of you may go."

For a while, he was quiet before, finally, he took the nervous girl's hand and nodded stiffly. Meeting Ozpin's gaze, he smiled…

And asked, "What else can I do if someone needs me?"

"Very well." Ozpin smiled, turning and adding, "Headmistress, if you would fetch us the proper paperwork? We'll need to back date it a few weeks…"

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"Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, Neo Politan, and Jaune Arc." Ozpin's voice echoed around Pyrrha, sitting in the little area behind the stage and watching from the sidelines. "Lead by… Jaune Arc!"

She watched the little Sekirei jump on him, beaming a wide, open smile and sighed. It made sense, she supposed, for the Ashikabi to be at the head of the team. Ozpin had made it clear to her that he knew her value, so knowing his only made sense.

"It's so dumb…" She turned, looking down at Ruby, who she'd fought beside in the woods. "I know you didn't find a partner, but to not even put you on a team? It's-"

"Temporary." She smiled, "Do not worry."

"If you're sure…?"

"I am." She smiled thinly, "But this is how things must be."

"For now…?"

"For now." She nodded, "Yes."

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