"Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for Initiation?" Blake Belladonna heard over an intercom in the distance. "Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."

This was a redundant reminder for her. As an early riser, Blake was already fully dressed and standing on the grass-covered overhang. Her hand feathered over the pommel of the combination weapon hooked to her waist.

She had been the first student to arrive, although not the first in general. Glynda Goodwitch loomed near the precipice while studying a computer tablet. Other adults filtered by asking the professor in-charge hushed questions. She would casually direct them away with smooth gestures and clipped words.

Occasionally, Goodwitch would glance up at her potential pupils. Each time her gaze passed over Blake, her fight-or-flight reflex threatened to kick in. The hidden faunus forced herself to appear calm.

There was no reason to freak out, Blake reminded herself. Beacon would not have allowed her to come this far if they knew about her past. If they did, she would have been arrested as soon as she stepped off the Bullhead.

Yet a small voice in her head kept asking 'What if?'

What if she had done too well on the battle portion of the non-standard entrance exam? What if the doctor who had conducted her physical had shared that she had feline ears with the school? What if they put that information together with her name?

What if? What if? What if?

"May I take this spot?"

Her doom spiral was interrupted by a soft, masculine voice. Patiently awaiting her response was a boy in a green, long-sleeved tailcoat and white pants. A well-mannered smile graced his sharp face. The dark hair he wore in a short ponytail had a pink streaked bang that complimented his eyes.

A moment passed before she realized he was referring to the silver square on the ground beside her own. Goodwitch had told them to stand in a line on these markers facing the forest. The boy thought Blake was reserving one for a friend.

She did not have any, anymore. "You may."

"Thank you." He stepped on to the platform.

Based on his garb, she intuited he was from Mistral. That was a red flag. People from that kingdom tended to have a backwards view on faunus.

Maybe it was unfair to generalize. Not everyone from that kingdom was prejudiced. But it was often safer to assume the worst. With that mindset, she was rarely disappointed.

As their peers arrived and made to stand next to him, he politely asked that they instead leave a few spaces unoccupied. Evidently, he had friends. They did not keep him waiting long.

"Ren!" A short girl in pink and white ran up to him. "We're back! Miss me? Er, us? Me and us?"

"Of course." He said with a subdued cheerfulness as two others, a tall boy and another petite girl, trailed. "Who is our other tag along?"

The red-caped girl opened her mouth but was beaten to the punch. "This is Ruby! She's super cute and has to be on our team. Jaune agrees, right Jaune?"

"Wha-" The blond tried to say.

"See?"

"Nora," Ren began with a put upon sigh. "What have I told you about trying to 'collect' cutesy people against their will?"

Nora scratched her chin. "Don't? Because it is off-putting?"

"And what are you doing?"

"But Renny! Look at her!" There were stars in Nora's eyes. "She is so tiny!"

"Hey! I won't be small forever!" Ruby said loud enough to draw attention from all sides, resulting in her further embarrassment. "I, uh, drink milk?"

"So cute!" Nora squealed.

Her hips wiggled as if preparing to pounce. Ren instead placed his hands on her waist and steered her further down the line away from them. Jaune did the same with Ruby's shoulders, taking her to the abandoned spot next to Blake.

"I don't understand. We are practically the same height!" The caped girl grumbled.

"Well, Nora is more…" The armored boy stretched for the right phrasing. "Developed. In, well, certain areas."

Seeing the futility of arguing otherwise, Ruby sulked. "Ugh. She really is like my sister."

"Who's like me?" Another girl said while strolling in with an easy grin.

"Yang! Where have you been?"

"Oh, y'know. Yanging out."

This, apparently, was Ruby's sister. If they were blood siblings, the fact was hidden well. They were polar opposites in appearance.

The blonde was taller than Ruby, although about a head shorter than Jaune. Her clothing was daring; Black spats and a tight yellow t-shirt that showed off a sizable bust. A little modesty was preserved through a brown bomber jacket she wore zipped down.

Even the way the sisters held themselves differed, as the newcomer was much more carefree and open in posture. The only resemblance Blake could discern was their noses. Spotting this similarity came with a cost.

"Heyyy." The blonde teased her, having caught the faunus watching.

Blake quickly looked away. Yang wanted to push. Ruby had other ideas.

"Yeah? Well, while you were busy goofing off, I was almost smothered to death by a crazy girl!"

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"No! She held me to her chest and everything went dark. I saw a bright light at the end of a dark tunnel! There was violin music and everything!"

Yang rolled her eyes. "So dramatic. You got away, didn't you?"

"No thanks to you." The smallish girl stuck her tongue out. "Luckily, Jaune was there to help pry her off of me."

Both sisters looked at him. Now noticed, he chuckled nervously. When he spoke, it was in a humble tone.

"It was no problem. I mean, I didn't do much, but-"

"Wait… You didn't do much! Did you leave me to her as a distraction?" Ruby stomped her foot. "You did, didn't you!?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

His deflection was far from convincing. Irritated, Ruby began jabbing at his sides with her fingers. Despite the thick armor, he flinched back as if she were stabbing at him with a dagger. Yang watched them in amusement.

"Well, thanks for not doing much. Glad Rubes met someone to maybe watch her back." And then she was scowling. "Can't believe I'm the one having problems making new friends. The closest I got was that frigid-"

Someone cleared their throat loudly. The suddenness of the sound had Yang jump and turn. Glynda Goodwitch was looking up once more with an arched eyebrow. Beside her, with an amused demeanor, was the Headmaster of Beacon Academy.

Under this scrutiny from those who would be deciding her fate as a Beacon applicant, the blonde froze. When her brain rebooted, for some reason, she began to wave at them. Her little sister palmed her face.

"Omigosh, Sis!" Ruby hissed. "Go find a spot. Now!"

"I-I'll do that. Later taters."

She scurried away with some impressive speed. There were a few snickers from those who had caught the exchange. They quieted when Goodwitch gave them sharp glares as well. Once proper decorum was established, she spoke.

"Everyone here? Yes? Then let us begin." She nodded to her boss.


IV. Ish


The prospects watched Headmaster Ozpin pace before them with his cane. "For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

They looked past him into the vast forest. From their perched position, all appeared tranquil. That this deceivingly peaceful place could make or break their huntsman careers was not lost on any of them.

Next, the headmaster confirmed the rumors. A major part of Initiation would be the formation of huntsman teams. Whoever the students partnered with, he stressed, they would be stuck with for the foreseeable future.

Blake could not help but wonder about that point. Who could she be on a team with?

She had not spoken to many. Rather, she observed. Those that she had watched, she had not been impressed with.

Her peers seemed childish. All of them were too loud or focused on showing off. They did not understand what they were signing up for. Blake was confident that many of them would not survive in a real-world environment.

There was one exception: Pyrrha Nikos.

She seemed nice enough. A little standoffish, but otherwise pleasant. She could also hold her own in a fight. Blake would not have minded having her for a teammate, if not for exigent circumstances.

Unfortunately, Pyrrha's fame was an issue. Anyone on a team with her would be at the center of attention. Blake could not afford the scrutiny.

Along similar lines, Blake did not want any faunus teammates. Others of her kind would be quick to pick up on their shared heritage. One hair bow slip or mistaken flash of knowledge and they would know immediately.

Humans would be easier to fool, but not to get along with. There were a few that had already shown themselves to be prejudiced. Blake was unsure if she would be able to keep her mouth shut if they started spewing any garbage about 'animals' in her presence.

She suppressed a sigh. The truth was, there were too many people she did not want for a team and few that she did. Great care would need to be taken in selecting her squad mates, lest she come to regret it.

"It is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well." Ozpin summed up. "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

A ripple of confusion went through the crowd of aspirants. Ruby gasped loudly. Blake's hidden ears twitched in agitation. The inherent contradiction of those statements was irksome. It was as though the headmaster were mocking her fears specifically.

He did not even have the decency to explain why this method of selection was in place. Or to stick around.

A beeping from his pocket had him stop and pull out a Scroll. His brows curved inward before giving a nod to his deputy. He then stepped away. Ms. Goodwitch took over seamlessly.

"Your mission objectives are as follows. One, execute your landing strategy to safely enter the Emerald Forest. Two, locate a partner. Three, proceed to the abandoned temple at the northern end of the forest. Four, retrieve a relic from the temple. And five, return with the relic and your partner to this exact spot."

When laid out so succinctly, Beacon Initiation seemed simple. The most difficult part for Blake would be in finding a suitable partner. If selection were based on eye contact, she wondered if she could just keep her gaze averted until she found the least objectionable person.

"The forest is infested with Creatures of Grimm. You are expected to destroy or avoid them as deemed necessary. While we will monitor and assign grades based on individual performance, returning without a partner or a relic by sundown is considered an automatic failure."

And there went Blake's idea. She would need to be on constant alert. Taking her eyes off the Grimm was lethally dumb.

"Questions?"

There were none. The only sounds were the shuffling of feet and mech-shifting of weaponry. Everyone was eager to start.

"Very well. On your marks." Goodwitch pressed the surface of her tablet.

To her left, Blake heard a pop and a yell. Then another. And another.

Looking to the blue sky over the greenery, she saw people flying. The platforms they stood on were launching them into the air one by one. Yang, sporting a pair of aviators, went zooming forward with a 'whoop.'

The sounds came closer. Blake tensed, unsure of how this would go. But she had already come this far. It was too late to back out now. She prayed for the best as her launcher activated.

/ / /

"Actually, I do have a question."

"Hm?" The strict professor hummed, only half listening.

"What, exactly, is a landing strateg-" The ground under him shifted as his words changed to a wail. "Eeeeeeeeeeeeee."

Like a heavy stone from a trebuchet, Jaune was sent tumbling through the air. Unlike the last time he was charted on an involuntary flight, the blond was able to right himself. Unfortunately, this did not mean his soaring was controlled.

"Aaaaaaaah! What do I do!" Jaune cried to the wind.

Frantically searching for ideas, he looked to his fellow prospects. Most were decelerating themselves using acrobatics or the kickback from firearms. Ruby, in the latter category, unfurled a long-barreled rifle to fire downward and pogo over the canopy.

With only a sword and board to his name, these demonstrations did little to inspire a solution. The boy did the only thing he could. He flapped his arms as though they might spontaneously sprout wings.

For a delirious moment, Jaune thought the insane approach was working. His ascent slowed. This proved to be temporary, though. The Arc had merely reached the crest of the curve.

He then began to plummet.

"Romaaaaan!" His voice reached a new octave. "Help!"

"Oh? Why?" The spirit sounded honestly confused.

"I'll die!"

"Eh, I've survived a worse fall. You'll break two bones. Three, tops."

At a different time, Jaune would have pointed out that Roman had not survived that fall. This was not that time. He was too concerned with experiencing a sudden, arboreal stop.

"Please! I'll do anything!"

"Anything, huh?" Jaune heard a strange whistle. "Hold that thought."

His hand lurched outward, glowing an odd, peach color. The tell-tale sign that Roman was controlling the limb once again. To what end, Jaune was unsure before he felt his fingers close around a cylindrical object.

He was suddenly moving in a new direction.

The cylinder was pulling him along by the arm with the rest of his body following. His pose was similar to the one that the heroes in the comics he read would take up while flying. The problem, once again, was that he had no control.

Sunlight beamed directly into his face, making him cover his eyes with the inside of his free elbow. He ran out of breath, but his mouth was still open in a silent scream. Over this terror, he heard Roman tell him to flair his Aura. Jaune obliged more out of fear than intention.

There was a 'thunk' as he collided with a rough surface. His spiritual shield softened the blow. That did not stop a sharp sting from racing across his face and torso.

Opening his eyes, he saw wavy lines of brown bark. Downward, his feet were dangling. Upward was the open sky behind leaves. He was once more in a tree. Holding him up was the long shaft that, even now, he had a death grip on.

"That was…" The boy blanked on a good description. "At least I didn't throw up this time."

"Small mercies. Now, can I let go or do you want to hang around like this all day?"

Jaune clumsily swung over to stand on a nearby branch. Roman relinquished control of the hand. The boy let out a slow, whistling breath. Leftover adrenaline made his legs wobble like spaghetti. He leaned against the tree trunk to regain his bearings.

A hysterical giggle left his lips. "Also, no murder hornets. Maybe our luck is turning?"

"Boy, you really are aiming to jinx us."

"Trying to be optimistic." Jaune said as he contemplated the mysterious rescue device.

It was a vibrant red with golden bands. The embedded end was shaped like a skinny trowel. Due to how deep it was buried in the tree, Jaune thought it must have a very sharp point. He grasped the pole and pulled.

The item did not budge.

"About what you owe me…"

"Do I owe you?" Jaune questioned as he grabbed with both hands. "Seems like someone else saved me."

He pulled once more. Nothing happened. It was deep in there.

"Please. This bolt-from-the-blue would have passed you by if I had not grabbed it. You were too busy screaming like a little girl."

"Erk. Fine." He placed a foot on the trunk. "You said earlier you didn't want Ruby on my team. Is that your demand?"

"We both know you are not in control of that decision. I instead reserve my right to call in a favor at a later date."

Jaune was already regretting accepting the help. He just hoped it did not involve any more cigars. Rolled tobacco made his mouth feel all gross inside. Brushing his teeth and spearmint gum only masked the taste so much.

With a sustained, firm tug, the object finally broke free. Regrettably, Jaune had not been as ready as he should have been for the sudden release. He fell backward, straight out of the tree.

Hitting the ground with a thud, he moaned. Now his back was throbbing. Fortunately, nothing was broken except his pride.

Sitting up, Jaune could finally view the item in full. As expected, the point was very fine. Its shape was similar to one of those old fashioned writing pens that had to be dipped in ink.

The sleek spear was made to be thrown. It was well balanced and firm, with a nice heft. In the right hands, Jaune was sure the projectile could cut the wings off of a fly with pinpoint accuracy. Those hands did not belong to him, though.

"Guess we should return this to the owner." Whoever that was. "Think we will run into them?"

"It will be hard to pass a field test without a weapon. I'm sure they will make themselves known soon enough."

Within moments of saying this, the weapon began to emit a black glow. The light spread to encompass his armored glove. There was a tingle in the extremity similar to when the thief's ghost was in control.

Yet the coloring was all wrong.

"Roman, are you doing this?" Jaune asked with raised alarm.

"I'm just as lost as you are."

"Then what-" His arm raised on its own at an angle.

There was a slow, persistent pull on his arm. Like one of his younger sisters trying to get his attention. Jaune was eventually forced to stand.

The pull got stronger and stronger. Digging his heels into the ground barely slowed this. All that was accomplished was grass being kicked up. He stumbled forward at a faster pace. Soon his feet barely touched the ground.

"Let go!" Roman said as though the thought had not occurred to Jaune.

"I can't! My hand is stuck!"

Takeoff was achieved. Jaune flew along the ground at an alarming, and increasingly breakneck, speed. He yelped as he crashed through a row of thorny bushes and further into the Emerald Forest.

/ / /

"Gotta find Yang. Gotta find Yang. Gotta find Yang." Ruby chanted as she moved.

Her big sister was nowhere to be found. Ruby had seen her briefly during the descent into the forest. She could have sworn Yang had landed somewhere nearby but was not having any luck in locating the blonde.

"Yang! Yaaaaaang!" She called to the trees.

The revelation that partnerships were determined at first sight had shaken the girl's confidence. Her social anxiety flared up in a big way. The idea of going through Beacon with a complete stranger was about enough to make her hyperventilate.

"Calm down. It doesn't have to be her. You met loads of awesome people that you could maybe team up with instead."

Like Jaune. The two of them were simpatico. They had spent hours together without issue. He had amazing custom gear and was willing to let her examine it. That was enough to earn her seal of approval.

Ren was another possibility. Ruby had not been able to get a good read on him, but he had seemed like the cool and collected type. Mysterious, too. Though she was not sure what they would talk about after being partnered.

Then there was Nora. While Ruby was not okay with the invasions of her personal space, the orange-haired girl was at least friendly. Life would not be dull with her around.

"Yang, Jaune, Nora, Ren…" She listed them before pausing. "Uh, am I forgetting someone?"

As she rounded a tree, that 'someone' was found. Weiss Schnee stood alone in a clearing. Her back was turned to Ruby, yet that was about to change. The sudden entrance had gained the white-haired girl's attention.

In the split second before they saw each other, a myriad of emotions surged through the fifteen-year-old's head. There was obviously surprise and confusion. The biggest thought was dread. She did not want to be partnered with Weiss.

Their first impressions had not been great. Witnessing the argument between her sister and the Schnee princess had convinced Ruby that they would not get along. Afterall, if the outgoing Yang could not make friends with her, who could?

Ruby did not want four years of petty squabbling on her team. Yet fate was about to take that decision away from her. She briefly wished for another outcome.

To her great surprise, the wish was granted.

Before eye contact was established, the greenery off to the side shook violently. Both huntress candidates turned to the disturbance. What sounded like another girl screaming approached them rapidly.

Neither were prepared for the fast-moving object that emerged from the bushes like a missile. A blur of black and yellow collided with white. Whatever it was did not slow down upon contact. Instead, Weiss was carried away by the screaming mass.

Her yells joined in to create a discordant noise similar to a wild cat chewing on a defective air horn. Belatedly, Ruby realized that the human projectile was Jaune. An unknown force was propelling him, possibly a Semblance.

Ruby watched this all happen with a slack jaw. She rubbed her silver eyes and then pinched herself. Neither woke her from this strange dream.

Accepting that what she had seen had indeed happened, Ruby was faced with a dilemma. She could follow after them and take a fifty/fifty chance of being partnered with Jaune or Weiss. Or she could go back to looking for Yang.

"They'll be fine." Ruby decided and went in the opposite direction. "Yaaaaang!"

/ / /

"Is this too forward?" Pyrrha wondered aloud.

This might have been too forward.

Both of the Champion's arms were extended towards the dense forest. Her hands were coated in a transparent Black color while her Semblance was active. Polarity was already pulling the target in.

Pyrrha had been blessed with the ability to imbue matter with a powerful pseudo-electromagnetic charge and then move them according to her will. This was not quite ferrokinesis since the object did not have to be iron or another magnetic metal for the Semblance to work. The effect was just stronger on those types of materials.

Ordinarily, the Ace Fighter would have needed to touch the object to create the attraction. However, long ago she had learned how to circumvent this limitation. If one object were charged, she could spread the field to encompass other nearby items.

That was what she had done here. Her javelin had spread the Semblance's effect to the target's armor. Now she was reeling in her tall, blond, and scraggly fish.

She started to sweat. The weight was growing. Most likely, Jaune was gathering brush while being pulled in. Hopefully, his Aura was active. She would have hated to have hurt him.

Her original idea had been to observe his aerial trajectory and track him down. Seeing him struggle with the landing strategy had her modify the plan further. She was going to pin him down with her polarized spear and use Polarity like a compass to find Jaune.

Another adjustment was made after seeing him grab the weapon in mid-air, depriving her of a fixed location. This required another change. The final change. If she could not go to him, then she would bring him to her.

Open palms turned to claws. There was no escaping the Champion. She would take what she wanted.

The shift in tactics appeared to be working. Pyrrha felt him come near, although she was confused by the sounds he was making. There was a two-toned nature that she could not place. It got closer and closer, until eventually breaking through.

Careening towards her was a mass of wiggling limbs, leaves, and terrified shrieks. She was so surprised by this development that she lost control of her Semblance. Polarity cut out, but not in time to stop the inbound cluster.

She let out her own cry of shock as it struck her. The world spun and spun. Twigs snapped as she tumbled along.

During the twirl, she was able to pick out two portions of the bundle. There was a smaller, pure white part and a more colorful portion. The first was eventually flung off by their tumbling. Pyrrha was left with the second.

After five or some rolls, she came to a stop. Though dizzy, she did not miss the weight that had settled on top of her. The heaviness wiggled.

On instinct, her legs clamped around the unknown's waist. She then seamlessly transitioned to half mount. Applying her Semblance once more, her thrown weapon flew to her hand and shifted. The now sharp edge of Miló, in its xiphos form, was ready to come down.

When her mind caught up with her actions, she lowered the blade. Under her was the one she was after. Jaune groaned, head flat on the grass as he regained his bearings.

"Ugh, what happened?" Blue eyes met green. "Oh! Hi there."

"Hello!" Said Pyrrha to her new partner.

/ / /

Glynda Goodwitch observed the first partnership of Initiation form between Pyrrha Nikos and Jaune Arc.

Due to Beacon Academy's proximity to vast swaths of wilderness, numerous cameras and sensors were placed throughout the Emerald Forest. Glynda's Scroll had access to this security network. She took advantage of this arrangement to grade in real time.

The professor had been watching Mr. Arc specifically. His comment on not knowing a landing strategy had concerned her greatly. She had been prepared to dispatch a proctor for a timely rescue. Now she was assessing the partners' progress.

Ms. Nikos and Mr. Arc's alliance was as quick as it was unorthodox. Usually it took a half hour before the prospects began pairing off. But such quick resolutions did occur in a chaotic environment. There were no rules against how you partnered, though Glynda would be deducting points.

Mr. Arc would lose a healthy chunk for his lack of preparation. To a lesser degree, Ms. Nikos would be graded down for an unsafe application of her Semblance. Depending on how well they fared going forward, they could regain these points, though the comments would remain.

Even if they failed Initiation, the professor would provide corrective feedback. Failure could be a valuable teacher. It did not need to be the end of their huntsman careers.

Typing out a quick appraisal, she glanced at their top-level biographical information. Oddly, there did not seem to be a common link, such as a shared hometown or schooling. Usually such a fast partnership meant the students knew each other.

She had planned to include a short paragraph on violating the spirit of Initiation. Beacon randomized the partner process to push prospect's out of their comfort zone. Huntsman life often involved many shifting variables and loyalties that had to be adapted to.

Not seeing an obvious link did not disprove its existence. There were multitudes of ways that the two could have known each other that would not have been reflected in their records. Regardless, Glynda opted to keep her written feedback limited to what she could prove.

There was also a comment to be made about Ms. Schnee's dodging skills, or lack thereof. But that could wait. The girl still needed to find her own partner.

Keys jangled behind the lead combat instructor. "Excuse me, Glynda?"

"Yes?" Her tilted head glanced sideways.

"Sorry to disturb you." Said the soothing voice. "May I have a word?"

"One moment." Quickly flicking through the live video feeds, she determined it would be a while before the next student pair formed. She turned fully to one of their proctors, Shion Zaiden. Their hands were gripped on the neck of their staff tightly. "Is something the matter?"

"A complication has arisen. Is Headmaster Ozpin available?"

"He had to step away." Most likely for another call from the Council. "In his absence, I am in charge."

"Then I will pass along the message to you. Peter has concerns."

An ill omen. Professor Peter Port was Beacon's Grimmology expert. If he were concerned, she would listen.

"How so?"

"An adult Nevermore that roosts in the area has disappeared from its usual locations. He claims to have told the rest of the staff to leave it to dissuade other Grimm from moving into the area. Yet it is gone."

Leaving an older Grimm in place was a controversial practice. The longer they lived, the more intelligent a singular Grimm became. Theoretically, there was a sweet spot where the creature was mature enough to keep the others predictable but not so much so as to cause issues.

It was a fine line. If monitoring broke down, a horde incursion led by a rampaging elder Grimm could occur. Only someone with Peter's experience, and Beacon's resources, could pull the tactic off.

"This missing Nevermore… Does he believe it is out there planning something?"

"No." Shion said to her surprise. "He believes it is dead. His fear is that another Grimm has moved in to fill the power vacuum. Something smarter."

"Smarter?"

"Several sensors deep in the forest are down. Peter took Ann out to inspect the security control center and run diagnostics."

Professor Ann Greene was the resident security authority. "What did she find?"

"The instruments themselves are working. The connecting cables, though, have been dug up and cut."

That was a major red flag. Grimm usually left control centers alone. High functioning monsters, however, understood that people created these structures. They were known to damage machinery to draw potential victims.

The timing could not have been worse. An elder Grimm of unknown ability appearing in the midst of numerous amateur huntsmen was a dangerous proposition. Her potential students were likely to attract whatever had moved in.

While expected to fight most Grimm, these children were not meant to handle the esoteric types. That was the reason that Beacon brought in specialized huntsmen such as Shion. They were meant to clear the training grounds and leave behind common Grimm.

"We must assume the worst, then." She said mostly to herself. "I'll gather whoever is available on campus and spread the word to be on the lookout. We must be ready to intervene if our students encounter trouble beyond their ability."

"How can I help?" The Nightmare Hunter asked.

"Reinforce Peter and Ann. See if the three of you can root out this mystery Grimm. Shall I hail a Bullhead for you?"

"No need. My ride is here."

Shion took position on a launch pad. Glynda nodded before maxing out the power and activating the platform. Holding on to their pointed hat, they were sent further and faster than any of the students had been over the forest. They disappeared over a distant hilltop.

"Attention all faculty." Glynda spoke into the intercom function of her Scroll. "Please report to Beacon Cliff. Repeat. All faculty to Beacon Cliff. Thank you."

The headmaster would disagree with her actions. He would say Glynda was being overly cautious. Interfering with Initiation would rob students of the opportunity to distinguish themselves in battle.

He was likely correct. She certainly hoped so. But she was unwilling to needlessly risk the lives of the next generation at the first step in their journeys as huntsmen.

/ / /

In the depths of the Emerald Forest, a mass of vines and thorns slithered along the canopy. The natural greens and blacks of the creature's body blended with the foliage. Its gray, rose shaped facsimile of a face bobbed as a beady red eye pierced the leafy cover.

The monster moved with precision. Purpose. The target was nearby.

Hovering over their earthen den were the guardians of the hive. They buzzed the entrance before diverting to the visitor. Twitching antennae advised against approach. Though born of the same darkness, these creatures were wary of their cousin.

The plant-based Grimm wiggled its own appendages at the same frequency to convey a message. It sought an audience with the drone's sovereign. Important and pressing information needed to be exchanged.

A series of angry swipes were their response. Passage into the nest was prohibited to outsiders. Their queen was not to be disturbed during her rest cycle.

Changing tack, the intruder Grimm indicated it would not enter the hive. A momentary connection was all that was requested. The monarch could accept or decline at their leisure.

This compromise was deemed satisfactory.

A drone descended as the others flew away. It offered itself as a conduit. Vines immediately ensnared the insect-shaped Grimm. The Nightmare encountered little resistance to entering the Lancer hive's shared mental space.

What greeted the dream invader was a maze of synapse and impulse. Diving from node to node, finding the queen was straightforward. She resided on the largest and most magnificent isle. Her slumbering consciousness resembled a castle of purple crystal. Perhaps a latent desire to be more than merely queen of her colony.

The Nightmare rapped the gate. Lavender pulses brightened the palace. The Lancer Queen was willing to converse. Its thoughts emerged in intense bursts.

'Interruption. Why?' She asked, approximately.

'Soulbound have entered our domain.'

'Domain. Mine.'

'Your domain.' The Nightmare would not contest the claim. It had no interest in the waking world. 'We will remove them.'

'Remove. How?'

'Your drones. Our seedlings. Together as one.'

The Nightmare's seedlings were its eyes and ears. Each was an aspect of the whole. Similarly to Lancer Grimm, they communicated as a network. The difference was, there was no royalty. No central axis of control.

Only Nightmare.

'Terms. Yours?'

'Soulbound with our mark, live. Soulbound without, die.'

Survival was not a mercy. The Marked would die soon after being branded. Their bodies would serve as compost for future growth.

'Terms. Accepted.'

The Nightmare came as close to experiencing satisfaction as its kind could. Their propagation efforts would be greatly enhanced with the assistance. Seeking out the aspiring Queen of the Grimm proved to be a boon. Such cooperation was generally impossible with others of their ilk.

'Receive our knowledge.'

Using seedling memories, the Nightmare projected images onto the castle walls. Already, the Soulbound army was scouring the forest. The moving pictures showing their invasion from the sky was just another insult to the would-be supreme ruler. She took them as such.

Faraway pulses in the shared mindscape mimicked her displeasure. This information was reaching her drones. She was actively preparing them for war.

The Nightmare saw opportunity in this captive audience and acted. They exhibited a special set of images. On display were two high contrasting targets with potent soul energy. A red-colored soul outlined in black lay atop a peach one in a threatening manner. This was done by the aggressor either to take the submissive as a hostage or as a mate.

Possibly both. The Dream Devourer did not understand the Soulbound. It had never needed to.

This demonstration was meant to clarify what kind of Soulbound were meant to be marked. The Nightmare wanted the peach soul preserved. It was the largest they had ever seen. Their potential for producing numerous seedlings was extraordinarily high.

The Lancer Queen differed in opinion.

Her castle's colors swapped from royal purple to raging red. Cracks appeared in the crystalline facade. A warning blared out.

'Terms. Rejected.' She struggled to articulate under the howling of a hundred drones. 'Killer. Mine. Destroy. All. Interference. None!'

Crimson exploded outward, consuming everything.

The Nightmare was ejected back into the material realm. Black smoke rolled off its tentacles. The offered drone had ceased to be. Feedback from the dreamscape had proven too much for the conduit to handle.

A rumbling occurred. Underground, the hive came alive. Soon, it would be on the move to handle the Soulbound alone.

There was a facsimile of disappointment for the Nightmare Collective. However, they would honor the decree. They would not interfere. Instead, they would observe from the shadows and record for future use.