We do not own RWBY or any other copyright content. All rights to it go to Monty Oum, VIZ Media, and their original owners. All OCs are owned by us.
Writing credits go to Uzumaki Ricky, Monsterhuntergod, and Sharad the hedgehog, and Traines, as well as Kima Whitehawk Jordan on Facebook. And a very special shoutout and thank you to 501awezome and Mega Ghost on Fanfiction.Net for all your support.
Tiger King and Dragon Queen
Volume 1 Chapter 18: To A New Journey
"Don't worry, dad. We aren't going away forever. Besides, when have we ever worried you?" Ruby said, hugging her father as they stood at Vale Air Pad Four.
"You two have literally given me a reason to worry every single time you two left the house." Tai answered in a deadpan tone.
"Yang, bail me out." Ruby huskily whispered.
"Come on, dad. How much trouble can we get into at Beacon?" Yang asked with a smile.
"Depends. How long is it going to take you to accidentally get pregnant?" Tai asked, raising an eyebrow at her.
Yang glared a bit at this. "Dad, I have a lot more self-control than that. Besides… Azura and I are still feeling things out." She pointed out.
"Lord Xiao Long…" Azura tried to say, in a new outfit and carrying a wrapped bag at his side and a backpack on his back.
"Tai." Tai quickly interrupted with a smile.
"Lord Taiyang, I promise you that we will not be at a point where pregnancy is a risk anytime soon." Azura said simply.
"So why were you two making so much noise last night?" Ruby asked innocently.
"YOU BE QUIET!" Azura and Yang yelled in unison at Ruby.
"Azura… I'm only going to say this once: I'm trusting you with Yang. If you make me regret that, you won't live to regret it." Tai told the young samurai seriously, making Azura pale ever so slightly.
"Your trust is safe with me, Lord Taiyang." Azura said confidently before muttering, "With Yang… however…"
Yang glared playfully at the azure shōgun before elbowing him in his side. Before a further a firestorm could erupt, Ruby grabbed the two's arms.
"Well, we should probably get on the airship before we get left behind." Ruby said with a nervous chuckle.
"You three have fun at Beacon and do your best." Tai said with a sigh, before giving a small smile.
"Bye, dad. We'll make you proud." Yang said confidently.
Tai smiled at that. "You already have, my Sunny Little Dragon."
"Right! Bye, dad!" Ruby said before using her Semblance to pull her two compatriots onto the airship.
"Ruby, stop pulling! We can walk on our own!" Azura called out before waving to Taiyang and saying out, "We'll see you around the holidays, Lord Xiao Long!"
As the airship's doors closed, Yang and Azura were left panting by Ruby's stunt. The sheer sudden force of her Semblance's newfound power took the breath away from them. Azura would have sworn if he were not so polite that she was using Iron Body to increase her legs' power. As Yang caught her breath, she noticed something was different about Azura.
Yang had a smile on her face as she looked him over. "By the way Azura, didn't get a chance to say it earlier, but I love the new look." Yang said.
Instead of what she was used to, his original outfit was now replaced with a long white overcoat over an azure-blue haori jacket. His black bodysuit underneath remained, however at the ends of his sleeves were two lacquered leather bracers, and knee-high black boots replaced his original armored boots. A thick belt and a black sash clung to his waist to keep aloft his three blades at his left side. Finally, in its usual place, was his trusty bow and arrow quiver.
"I was… just trying to figure out a look that worked." Azura answered with a bit of hesitation.
Yang smirked. "Well, I approve. You look even more handsome than usual." She purred.
"Right away making dad's worrying justified, I see." Ruby said with a playful smirk.
"Don't give me that, Ruby. I caught you staring at him, too." Yang pointed out.
"Yeah, but I'm not going to get in trouble, am I?" Ruby giggled and went to go find a seat.
"Yang… I thought we were going to take this slow?" Azura asked, trying to cover his nervousness.
"Oh, we are. This is my version of slow. Besides, can't a girl enjoy the fine work of art that you are?" Yang replied with a playful grin.
Azura blushed a bit but nervously smiled. "I-I suppose not. I do it all the time when it comes to you." He replied, trying to roll with Yang's playful flirting, bringing a light blush to her face as her smile grew.
"Come on, big guy. Let's go look at the view. It shouldn't take us too long to get to Beacon, but I hear it's a great sight from the air." Yang said.
Azura smiled and nodded. "After you, milady." He replied more calmly, stepping aside and giving a light bow to let her go first.
As the two moved through the airship, they found Ruby looking out the window. Yang giggled as Ruby had the wide-eyed look of a kid in awe. Looking out the window with her, they saw the cityscape of Vale. Even the titanic defensive walls that kept the Grimm out looked like child's toys from this height. It was a sight of such detail, you could not focus on one thing, forcing their eyes to dart about. Then, out of the corner of their eyes, they saw their destination. The architecture of the academy stood out, but in a way that emphasized its grandeur.
Formed around a ring of pillars and a large moat with the water from the moat flowing into a cliffside waterfall, it was as if an ancient gothic castle had grown out of earth. The contrast of its white base levels transitioned to solid grays until its spires were sheer black, which stood in imposing defiance of the modernity that surrounded it. Yet, despite its vaulting and buttress laden architecture, almost giving it a lighter than air appearance, it was equally foreboding. As if its visage gave one final warning to all who entered.
"It always looks bigger than in the pictures. I don't think I'll get used to it…" Ruby said in awe.
"I'll never cease to be amazed by Valian architecture." Azura agreed with a smile.
"Well looks like we are about to land guys, so we will have four years to get used to it." Yang said as they began to feel the descent.
After a couple minutes of landing procedures, they finally felt the airship touch terra firma. Without any prompting, Ruby floored it out of the airship using her Semblance. The fact she did not nearly bowl over any of the would-be students was impressive. Or lucky. Likely both.
"Ruby, slow down!" Yang yelled, running after her easily excited sister.
"I'm still wondering how she has this much energy to spare…" Azura muttered and walked after the sisters with the rest of the students onboard.
When Azura finally caught up to the red and yellow sisters, he saw his favorite blonde fighter doubled over panting, her hands on her knees while her little sister was looking around in wide eyed wonder at the weapons of the other would-be students. Chuckling a bit, Azura gently patted Yang's back as she caught her breath. Finally, Yang stopped panting and coughing out her lungs as she stood up straight.
"Dammit… I lost her…" Yang panted out.
"Yang, she'll be fine. I'm sure nothing can possibly go wrong…" Azura said before a loud scream rang out.
"Watch it, you dolt!!" A loud shrill scream could be heard.
"You were saying?" Yang asked.
"How am I wrong so quickly today…?" Azura muttered as the two rushed up.
The two rushed up to see Ruby on the ground with another girl. Her long, stark white hair matched her white dress as she bored into Ruby's soul with blue eyes. Both Yang and Azura noticed despite her rich and well-kept visage, she also bore a scar on her left eye.
"Sorry about that, Miss…?" Ruby said, trying to be polite.
"Weiss Schnee." The girl answered, getting up and dusting herself off, before grabbing Ruby and pulling her up. "You're lucky you ran into me. At the speeds you were going at, you could have killed someone."
"Well, I wasn't intending to…" Ruby tried to say nervously, but Weiss cut her off.
"It doesn't matter what you intend to do, but what you are doing. Dangerous speeds like that in a congested area of bystanders are unacceptably dangerous. If you did that on a hunt, you could get your Huntsmen license revoked for reckless negligence." Weiss scolded, making Ruby get a bit stunned, and honestly a little frightened.
"Now, now. I believe we may have gotten off on the wrong foot." Azura politely said, separating his friend from the new girl as he looked at the shorter girl and gently smiled as he told her, "Our apologies, Lady Schnee. My friend is a very excitable and enthusiastic girl."
"Apologies accepted. She's lucky she ran into me and not someone else, Lord Sōtora." Weiss said with a nod of the head, immediately noticing the symbols on his clothing.
Azura gave a polite bow as he stepped out from between the two girls. "That we are. And we thank you for your advice." He replied, giving the two girls a little space to talk.
"Wait, how do you know Azura?" Ruby asked Weiss in confusion.
"I haven't. I don't know him, but I know of his clan and the reputation they spread of him." Weiss explained.
"Regretfully, yes…" Azura sighed at that fact.
"I mean no offense, merely answering the question." Weiss said to defuse Azura's change in demeanor.
"No, you are not at fault. Just a fact I wish was not true." Azura answered politely.
"Wait… Schnee? As in the Schnee Dust Company?" Yang asked in a hint of shock.
"One and the same." Weiss sighed in a similar tone as Azura had, catching the samurai off guard.
"I've heard about how much of a hit the company and the Schnee family's reputation has taken after Jacques Schnee took over. I'm so sorry you must be related to him." Yang told the shorter girl sympathetically.
"It is the burden I must bear. Anyway, I do not believe I got you or your red caped friend's name." Weiss said.
"It's a cloak, actually." Ruby answered.
"Apologizes." Weiss faintly answered, turning her gaze to Yang.
"I'm Yang Xiao Long. The excitable girl in red and black is my little sis, Ruby Rose." Yang introduced them with a smile.
Weiss raised an eyebrow at the different surnames but took it in stride. "It's a pleasure all around." Weiss said, giving a bow of her head to them.
"Well, we will not keep you any further. It is an honor to meet you, Lady Schnee, and we hope to see you around class." Azura said with a smile and a bow.
"Sorry about running into you, Weiss. I hope next time we run into each other, it's less physical." Ruby said nervously.
"Agreed. Have a good day you three." Weiss said, before giving a slight bow and walking off.
"Well, that went…" Ruby said before Yang grabbed hold of her.
"Don't scare me like that Ruby!" Yang said, shaking her.
"Too… fast… Yang…! Slow… down…!" Ruby said through the shaking.
"Yang, please calm down. Ruby is okay." The azure samurai told the golden pugilist.
"What if she ran into a pillar, or a man with less good intentions for her!?" Yang snapped back.
"But she did not. And now she knows better for next time. That is the important part." Azura explained calmly.
"Can… the… shaking… stop…?" Ruby continued through the shaking.
"Sorry, Ruby." Yang said, stopping her shaking.
"When were there six of you two all of a sudden?" Ruby asked, her eyes seeing triple.
"Funny, I thought only I could do that." A voice came from a nearby bench.
"You can't blame me for her! I didn't run into her!" Ruby yelled through the dizziness.
"Fair point. Though you could stand to be a little more careful." The voice, clearly that of a girl their age, replied in slight amusement as they turned to look at the source.
"And who are you to say on directions and stuff?" Ruby asked, slowly working through the dizziness.
Yellowish amber eyes peeked out from a book titled, "Ninjas of Love" and a small giggle could be heard. Her long black hair, approaching though not equaling Yang's in length, swayed a bit in the breeze. She wore a white shirt and pants with lesser amounts of black to compliment. Even sitting down, it was clear she was taller than Ruby, but not as tall as the towering blonde brawler. Completing the look was a black bow atop her head that seemed oddly stable up there.
"My name is Blake. Nice to meet you, Ruby." She said without looking up from her book.
Azura raised an eyebrow. "Forgive my forwardness, Lady Blake. But you look… familiar to me somehow. As though I have seen you somewhere before, though I cannot place where exactly." The azure shōgun commented.
"I must have one of those faces." Blake said, looking up from her book.
The blue samurai nodded. "Perhaps. I apologize for being rude, Lady Blake. I am…" He began to say only for her to politely interrupt him.
"Lord Sōtora Azura. A pleasure as well. And I believe you are Yang Xiao Long?" Blake continued, politely addressing the two of them.
Yang was a bit surprised. "Um… yeah. Pleased to meet you." The blonde fighter replied awkwardly, a bit caught off guard.
"Forgive me if I made things awkward. I wouldn't keep you from your business." Blake said politely. "I was reading a delightful novella when I heard the commotion. I apologize for interjecting in your affairs."
Azura shook his head. "Not at all, Lady Blake. I have read that book. It is quite beautifully written." He replied, commenting on her book.
"What book?" Ruby asked with innocent curiosity.
Yang read off the title. "'Ninjas of Love'...? Isn't that a smut book?" She asked.
"No. It's mature literature." Blake defensively said.
"I'm pretty sure that's smut." Yang said.
"There is nothing wrong with that, Yang. Do not judge." Azura said.
Yang sighed and rolled her eyes as Ruby cocked her head to the side in confusion. Blake sighed mercifully as she saw Azura defuse the situation, even giving him a nod as non-verbal thanks.
"It is an honor to meet you, Lady Blake. However, we must be off. I hope we get to see you around campus." Azura said.
"Likewise. You three are an unusually lively bunch." Blake answered with a small smile.
Giving a bow, Azura escorted the two sisters away as they began to talk amongst themselves. "She seems rather nice." The blue shōgun said with a smile.
"She has a nice bow and a nice smile." Ruby smiled as she skipped along with the two.
"Yeah, but something seems… different about her. I can't put my finger on it." Yang replied, a quizzical look on her face as she added, "A bit bold to read erotic literature in public, though."
As they passed, they noticed a rather tall, thin but decently built blonde boy throwing up into a garbage can. The girls flinched a bit, but Azura walked over to check up on the boy.
"Um… are you… alright…?" The azure shōgun asked in concern.
"Not… really… But I'll manage…" The voice of the boy said from the trash can between vomits.
Azura gently patted him on his back. "Easy. Just get it out of your system." The samurai nobleman said sympathetically as he turned back to Yang and Ruby before whispering "We have been off the airship for a while now. What did he eat…?"
The two girls shrugged as the boy groaned in pain. "Full breakfast…!" He moaned in suffering.
Yang rolled her eyes at the dumb blonde. She grabbed Ruby by the shoulders and said, "C'mon sis, let's get you to the amphitheater. I'm happy you're finally here. I'm also excited for you to make new friends!"
Ruby rubbed her arms, looking down at her boots and made some noises that Yang could not hear.
"What's up, sis? I couldn't get that?" Yang said.
Ruby put her head back and signed, "Yaaang, it's bad enough I had to do so much training just to be here, but I also don't know about what team I should be on. I really want to be on your team because I trust you. I don't want Vomit Boy or some jerk on my team."
Yang punched Ruby on the shoulder, "Oh, Ruby. Beacon isn't that bad. The reason why they only let the best of the best in is not just the fighting skills and the grades, it's the persistence. People may be jerks, but everyone has a lighter side to them. I'm pretty sure even Barf Boy over there is chill." Yang said while pointing her thumb at the blonde boy puking into the trash.
"Besides, you need more than just us, dad, and uncle Qrow." She pointed out as Ruby sighed.
"The name… gugh… is… ugh… Jaune Arc… blurgh… by the way… huuurgh…!" The boy, now identified as Jaune, retched into the trash can, beginning to recover.
Azura nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir Arc. I hope we will see you in class and that we can all get along." Azura replied with a polite bow as Jaune gave a shaky thumbs up from the trash can.
At that, they all headed into the academy proper, following the throngs of prospects. Even inside, it was a marvel of interior decorating, inhabiting flawlessly a style that had died out centuries ago. However, they did not have long to admire it as they soon found themselves in the same auditorium Ruby checked into for her test. Each one was being ushered into seats, with the room having more than enough capacity for the lot of them. The trio even noticed Jaune stumbling in just in the nick of time. However, the room began to fall silent as onto the sound stage came Headmaster Ozpin, with Professor Glynda Goodwitch following behind. Under the two's presence, noise dropped to the point where you could hear a pin drop.
"Thank you all for being so punctual. In case you were not informed beforehand, then it is my pleasure to welcome all you potential prospects for our newest class of Huntsmen. However, just because you all have passed the entry exam does not automatically mean you become a student." Ozpin said as some of the students were surprised to hear that while others knew what was coming next.
"Within the next few minutes, you all will be returned to the airship landing pads where you will all be picked up and dropped from the lofty heights an airship can attain into the Emerald Forest. From here…" Ozpin said as he activated a projector for a visual aid. "You will become partners with the first person you make eye contact with on the ground. Then, once you have a partner, you will brave your way to a set of ruins. Inside, you will collect a relic, one per pair. That will then help determine which team you will be put on."
The room fell silent for a second, as if taking it in before Ozpin delivered the final bit of news. "Should one of a team's pairs be killed, or you are unable to acquire a relic, then you will not become official students of Beacon. And, considering that it appears we have a larger than normal class this year, then the pressure will surely be on. My recommendation is not to delay if possible." Ozpin explained as a sense of dread now hung over the great room.
"Any questions?" Glynda piped up, her stern voice echoing over the hall.
The silence continued, not a single person even if they had a question daring to speak. "Good. Everyone, follow the directors back to the airships in a timely fashion. There will be no delays." Glynda ordered, and everyone started to get up and leave fast.
Later: On The Airships
Not much chatter or talking could be heard as the airships trudged through the air at their normal lethargic pace. The words of Ozpin clung to their minds. Even if all of them lived, not everyone would get into Beacon. Ruby, in particular, was concerned about that part.
She looked around at the ground, seeing how high up she was on the aircraft. She then felt her stomach turn. 'I hope I won't screw this up. I worked so hard for this.'
Ruby then felt a hand on her shoulder, then seeing her sister give her a sad but gentle smile and a reassuring nod. Ruby nodded back and then she jumped as Ruby felt her screams leave her lungs. She felt the wind hit her face like knives cutting her skin, then she tucked her shoulders and did a flip, using her Semblance to land somewhat decently on a tree in an open field and have one knee hold her as her scythe was out.
"Ooof." She groaned. "Yang!" She called. "Yang!" Her hands cupped to her mouth. "Yang!" She looked around.
"Alright, looks like I gotta find her if I want her on my team." The red reaper said as she then began to run.
"She never ceases to amaze me what she will jump face first into." Yang sighed back up on the airship.
Azura smiled a bit. "You know as well as I do that Ruby gets that from you." He replied playfully.
"Don't say that right now." Yang sighed.
Azura gently took Yang's hand. "Easy. She will be fine. She passed her exams, so she can do this." He told her, trying to calm the blonde pugilist down.
"Right. Let's get ready to jump then." Yang said, steeling herself.
"Wait a moment, Yang." Azura replied, bringing a wrapped bag out of his backpack and unraveling it to reveal three wrapped bento boxes, one red, one golden yellow, and one azure-blue.
"Are you ever not prepared? What, you got a case of beers in there or something too?" Yang teasingly asked. "Thanks, Azu. They look great."
Azura smiled and took his wrapped bento box, the azure one, out of the bag and put it into his backpack. He then rewrapped the red and gold ones in the larger bag before holding it out to Yang. "The gold one is yours and the red one is Ruby's. I prepared them with help from my mother and Argent early this morning, just in case we got hungry." He told her.
"Well, if I make it out alive, next time I see them I'll remember to thank them." Yang answered with a smile, putting them in her pack before giving Azura a quick peck on the cheek before she winked at him and jumped out.
Azura smiled as he watched Yang leap from the airship and, after a bit of a drop, send herself rocketing into the forest with shots from Ember Celica. "What a woman…" He chuckled before leaping from the airship himself.
Cutting through the air like a hot knife through butter, Azura sped past Yang in the descent. Quickly, the clouds and tree line of the titanic ancient forest cut her view as he slammed his feet into the trunk of a venerable tree. His footwear dug into the bark, slowly beginning to stop him as he grinded down the trunk. Once he reached a certain point, he leapt from the trunk, leapfrogging several branches, before performing a rolling stop on the ground. He stood up and shook himself off, making a quick check for if he was missing anything.
"Nailed it." Azura said with a smirk.
"Someone stupid break my fall!!" A loud, terrified scream could be heard, before an unholy cacophony drowned out panicked screams of pain.
This immediately called for alarm from the blue-blooded samurai as he rushed over. To his shock, the student that made the racket was alive. At least from what he could tell, from the mess of limbs and branches covering his body. Slowly the figure got himself out, revealing him to be a bit taller than Azura, about Kenshi's height, more muscular, and darker skinned. Short black hair had leaves and twigs sticking out of it, and ocean blue eyes locked with azure. To Azura, he reminded him of so many ancient depictions of ancient smiths that forged great weapons for worthy heroes.
"Stupid bird…" The boy muttered, looking up at the sky in vengeful wrath.
"Um… are you okay…?" Azura politely asked.
"Sad part is I've done worse to myself so far in my life." The boy said, wiping the leaves and branches out of his hair, to show two-hole shaped scars in his hands, one on each hand.
"I see. I suppose that this means we will be partners for the next four years. I am Azura. It is a pleasure to meet you." Azura replied, bowing politely but not too deeply to his new potential teammate.
"Zhan Vulkan. Nice to meet yah." The boy answered, offering his hand to shake it, causing a bit of confusion from Azura.
Realizing what his new partner wanted, Azura took his hand and gave it a firm grip and shake. This seemed to make a good first impression if the taller boy's reaction was anything to go by.
"So Azura, where ya' from?" Zhan asked, as he fully got himself out of the mess, he made on the forest floor with help from the azure samurai.
"Mistral. Though I did my last year of schooling on Patch at Signal Academy before I applied for Beacon." The blue wonder said with a small smile as he recalled his time in Patch with Yang and Ruby.
"Small town goer too? Finally. I hate dealing with all those posh bastards that go to the bigger schools." Zhan said with a hint of a smile, as if Azura somehow got points with the massively built boy.
"I actually was in the military before getting an honorable discharge to get into Signal. I had to do a lot of studying and preparing to get in for that last year and get into a good class." Azura admitted much to his own surprise, feeling like he could trust this boy.
"Could have fooled me. Those are not military issue." Zhan said with a raised eyebrow, catching sight of Azura's kit.
"Well… I was not in a Kingdom wide military. Security forces, and only for a few years." Azura admitted.
"And what kind of security force gives standard issue Kotachi pattern Mistralian bows? Or a katana made by the wandering master Oricalum Tsumi who's been dead for fifty years?" Zhan asked, his eyebrow raised in suspicion at his new partner's lowly explanation.
Azura sighed, seeing that he had already been found out. "You know your weapons even better than my friend Ruby does." He replied, awaiting the expected question.
"It's my job to know. And it's easy to tell what Sōtora-made weapons look like. You guys have very distinctive and less than practical guards for your swords." Zhan answered, pointing to the item in question.
Azura sighed and nodded. "Yes, I'm a Sōtora." The azure shōgun admitted.
"That's a big deal?" Zhan asked. "I was more curious because you didn't say it. Curiosity killed the cat, after all."
Somewhere deeper in the forest, a certain bow-wearing girl in a monochromatic outfit perked up in annoyance for reasons she did not understand. Shrugging, she went back to making her way through the treetops. Back with the current set of idiots…
"I would… rather not explain." The blue samurai replied.
"If it makes it easier for yah, I wouldn't ask. Just don't make a big deal out of it. We've got bigger problems. Like not dying or having our intestines be made into Grimm sweaters." Zhan said, looking around for where to go.
"Right. If possible, I would like to get to the temple, find what we need, and leave. If she gets through the forest before I do, Yang will never let me hear the end of it." Azura admitted, a small, playful smile on his face.
"So, you don't want your girlfriend to beat you? That doesn't sound healthy." Zhan asked, raising an eyebrow.
Azura blushed at that. "She-she is not my girlfriend! She is a friend who just so happens to be a girl…" The azure samurai replied halfheartedly.
"Sure, she isn't, big guy. Just keep telling yourself that one all the way to the wedding bells." Zhan joked back as he began to make his way into the dark forest. "Got a torch?"
Coating his ōdachi in Aura, Azura quickly drew and swung before quickly resheathing it. This somehow unleashed a blade of wind from the slash without Azura needing to use Dust. The blade of wind cut through the foliage, mowing down bushes in their way to clear a path for them. All the while, Zhan looked on in shock.
"Okay, keeping out of that arc." Zhan muttered as he followed behind the vegetative apocalypse being formed in front of him.
Meanwhile: In the Air Above the Forest
As the sky full of students descended into the primeval hellscape masquerading as a proving ground, two, despite falling from different points, landed relatively nearby. Said nearby was one stuck in a tree above the other. Landing in a proper heroic pose, and leading to eventual knee pain later in life, was a tanned military girl in a formal white uniform. Standing up, brandishing her Atlesian style spear, she scanned around for threats. Only when that was satisfied did she look up to address the student above her.
"You got this far into the process of becoming a Huntress and you got caught in a vine?" The girl asked, annoyed.
"I-It wasn't my intention!" The student answered in a distinctly feminine voice. The soldier could not quite see her properly in the reflecting rays of the sun and the thick branches.
"Which way are you facing?" The soldier girl asked.
"T-the ground?" She said, not entirely sure.
"Hold still. Or don't. I'll get you down either way." The soldier girl said, raising her spear to throw.
"W-Wait! You could hit me!" The girl answered in panic.
"One, if you got this far you have Aura, so you'll be fine. Two, I'm a fairly good shot. Three, you wiggling about will probably cause me to hit you." The soldier answered and threw the spear.
A loud snap was heard, before a shrill scream. Soon a short, platinum blonde girl fell near face first into the ground. Activating a small band on her arm, the soldier girl's spear recalled itself to her hand. She soon faced her now partner.
"You could have landed on your feet." The soldier girl said.
"Ow… sorry." The smaller girl answered.
"Alright, up and at them soldier." The taller girl said with a roll of her eyes, getting her up to her feet and brushing her off.
"Thank you, miss…?" Was all she got before her taller partner curtly answered.
"Rena Septim. Former Sergeant-in-Training." She answered formally.
"Ember Hedda…" She answered.
"You're a bit short coming from Atlas." Rena answered, raising an eyebrow.
"A-Actually, my father was from Mantle. He went to live with my mother in Vacuo when they married…" Ember admitted.
"Well, it's a miracle you're alive then. Right, let's keep that miracle going by finding the temple." Rena said, slinging her spear over her shoulder. "Where's your weapon?"
"On my belt." Ember said, motioning to an iron bar on her belt.
"Why do I always get stuck with the ones that are first to die?" Rena muttered as they made their plunge into the forest.
"I-I take offense to that!" Ember replied shyly as she followed right behind her partner.
Meanwhile: Another Part of the Forest
With an almighty crash, Yang made her less than subtle landing into the forest floor. Getting up, stretching around, she looked to see if anyone or anything was nearby.
"All alone. Dammit. The one time I want someone to see my landing." Yang groaned.
"If you're going to make that much racket, then why bother seeing?" A familiar voice said from the seeming infinite darkness.
"Who said that?" Yang asked, looking all around.
"Fight now, talk later." The voice insisted.
"What do you…?" Yang tried to ask, only for her to be forced to dodge fast.
In front of her, now that it was in the light, was a Grimm. What she thought was a Beowolf now that it stopped moving was something far different. On all fours, more proportional to an actual wolf but twice the size of one, was a bone capped wolf Grimm. Red markings peppered the creature's black hide and fur, as its soulless, vengeful red eyes stared at her. Glistening ivory fangs bared and a deep, husky growl emanated from its throat. The name escaped her, as she had to dodge its next attempt at a lunge.
"Off to the races already? Man, this place doesn't waste time." Yang said, locking her weapons into their fighting position.
The shotguns of her Ember Celica cocked as she dropped into a stance. Out of the brush, half a pack's worth of the strange wolf Grimm meandered out to bring the total to eight, dripping black drool from their maws as they snarled. Smirking, the blonde pugilist dodged around a lunch as she lashed out with a fiery punch that blew a hole straight through one's chest. Seeing this, the rest of them stopped and began circling around her like sharks, searching for an opening. Raising her eyebrow at the oddly intelligent behavior for such a group of Grimm, Yang dropped back into her stance.
Leaving an opening on purpose to bait one of them in, her plan seemed to work. One rushed in as soon as it saw the opening, allowing Yang to dodge, knee it in the stomach, and send a flaming punch through the top of its head that caved in its skull. Seeing her back open, another wolf Grimm tried to lunge at her only for her to dodge around it. However, its fanged maw nicked her hair, pulling out a few strands. Yang's eyes turned red with rage as her hair began glowing like fire. Now she was pissed.
Roaring in fury, the blonde bruiser unleashed a barrage of fiery blows into the wolf Grimm before landing one last punch that sent it flying into another as a ball of flame, taking both Grimm out. The remaining four growled as they circled around the fiery blonde, searching for an opening. Finally, they all attacked together, one coming at her from the front as two others came at her from the sides while the last lunged from above. Dodging the lunge, Yang grabbed the wolf Grimm by the tail and used it as a weapon to slam it down onto the one coming from the front. She jumped over one of the ones coming at her from the side before turning in midair, barely avoiding being pounced on by its packmate.
Firing a Fire Dust round right into the skull of the one below her, she kicked the one above her up before firing another Fire Dust round up into its chest. The shot punched a hole through the wolf Grimm, killing it instantly as Yang landed on her feet. Dusting herself off, Yang let her guard down for just a moment. This allowed the wolf Grimm she used as a weapon, dazed but angry, to lunge at her, taking her to the ground. As she held it back, its jaws snapping at her viciously, she prepared to punch a hole through it only for the sound of a blade sinking into flesh to be heard. Yelping in pain, the canine Grimm went motionless as it collapsed on top of Yang. Looking at its back, she saw a black colored blade transformed into the shape of a kusarigama on the end of a black ribbon impaled through its back.
"So, you normally go around like a ninja or is this a special case?" Yang asked as Blake reeled in her weapon.
"I dabble in the art of ninjutsu, yes." Blake said with a soft, almost unnoticeable smile. Yang, however, could tell the smile did not reach her eyes.
"Are you trying to hold back a smile over something like killing Beowolves?" Yang asked. "How dull is your life?"
"Those were Lobos, actually. They're physically weaker, but faster and much smarter." Blake said matter-of-factly.
"So that's what they're called. I always thought the teacher was just speaking about some weird dish from Vacuo." Yang answered, as the info hit her all at one from her days in the academy.
"No." Blake plainly answered before walking off.
"Killjoy." Yang muttered.
Meanwhile: In Another Part of the Forest
"WHEEEEEEEE!!!!" Ruby yelled, propelling herself through the forest without a care for her own safety.
However, she rounded the corner of a tree, loaded another round into the chamber of her weapon, and rocketed forward. Unfortunately, fate had a habit of rhyming as she slammed into another person. As Ruby picked herself up, she noticed an eerily familiar white clad girl.
"Weiss? What are you doing out here?" Ruby asked, getting herself off the rich girl.
"Oh, it's you. What was your name again?" Weiss asked with a confused tilt of her head.
"Ruby Rose. We literally ran into each other earlier." Ruby said, somewhat annoyed.
"Name doesn't ring a bell." Weiss claimed plainly.
"Doesn't it ring a bell? You got super lectury like a schoolteacher before Azura got there…" Ruby said, only to be cut off curtly by the white clad heiress.
"First of all, 'lectury' isn't a word. Secondly, that's where I know you from. In all honesty, I thought you were one of the Lord Sōtora's retainers." Weiss answered.
"Retainer? You thought I was part of the help!?" Ruby snapped in offense.
"Well, I'm sure they don't like to be called that, but yes." Weiss answered simply.
"I got into Beacon fair and square, Princess! On my own merits!" Ruby snapped at her.
"And you're demonstrating they made the right choice with this little… display." Weiss waved her hand dismissively in the air.
"Whatever! I guess we are stuck as partners now…" Ruby growled.
"I'd much rather not partner with the help." Weiss shook her head negatively.
"I will bend that bony ass over my knee and break it upon the righteous indignation for that damnable attitude of… Was that your stomach?" Ruby roared, before suddenly shifting to a more nervous tone from hearing a deep growl.
"We Schnee's pride ourselves on maintaining a full stomach at all times." Weiss said curtly as she prepared her weapon.
The two girls looked up, to see a towering, slavering Ursa face looming over them. This caused an immediate reaction as the two jumped back into a stance. However, they then heard further growling. Lumbering from the depths of the never-ending darkness came three more of the monstrous behemoths. Surrounded and outnumbered, the two partners stood back-to-back against the brutish assailants.
Drawing Crescent Rose and transforming it into scythe form, Ruby loaded a clip into it as the two girls prepared to fight. The Ursa roared as the lead one lunged at them. Leaping apart to separate, the two girls set their sights on two each. Taking aim, Ruby fired at the lead Ursa, firing shot after shot in an attempt to bring it down. The bullets dug into the beast's hide as it roared in fury while its partner tried to attack Ruby from behind.
Leaping out of the way of a claw slamming into the ground, Ruby swung her scythe and dug the blade into one of the Ursa's shoulders. Ruby then fired a round, the blade digging deeper into its shoulder as it roared in pain as Ruby ripped it free. Dodging a claw swipe, the red reaper fired more shots at the large bear Grimm. One of the shots bounced off its boney skull and sailed in Weiss's direction. The white-clad heiress barely dodged the ricochet of the shot as it hit one of her Ursa in the eye. The beast roared in pain as Weiss glared crossly at the younger girl.
"Well then, it seems I was wrong. You're not the help. For that, I apologize." Weiss said awkwardly.
"I told you!" Ruby yelled back as she ducked under an Ursa paw swipe.
Refocusing, Weiss thrusted and stabbed her rapier swiftly into the hide of the Ursa in front of her. Coating her blade in Fire Dust, she thrusted forward with a stab that punched a hole in the beast's shoulder like a gunshot. As it roared in fury and pain, Weiss sent a second fiery thrust through its eye, blowing its skull and head away. Turning her attention to the Ursa Ruby accidentally stunned, the Schnee heiress created a glyph in front of her before switching the Dust in her weapon, coating the blade in ice, and thrusted forward into the glyph.
Shots of ice blasted out from the glyph right at the half blind Ursa, hitting it and freezing parts of its body as one shot of ice missed and hit one of Ruby's Ursa in the head. As the beast's head froze, Ruby capitalized on the accidental assistance by stabbing Crescent Rose's blade into its frozen skull and firing, smashing through it, and blasting it into pieces.
"Can you stop freezing them and kill them already!?" Ruby asked her new partner.
"I'm setting them up for the kill! Mind your business!" Weiss snapped before clearing her throat.
"We're partners! It is my business!" Ruby yelled back.
Reading her rapier with Gravity Dust rounds, Weiss thrusted swiftly into the frozen Ursa before her. With each blow that connected, each stab punched a massive hole in the frozen Grimm like a blast from a small cannon before the frozen beast shattered like glass. Meanwhile, Ruby slashed deeply into the neck of her last Ursa. Firing a shot from Crescent Rose upon contact with its neck, the added momentum allowed Ruby to slice off its head, killing it instantly.
"Well, that could have gone worse." Ruby muttered, folding her weapon back up and putting it back on its holster.
"I agree. We need to work on our coordination." Weiss said matter-of-factly.
"We can start by me throwing you up into the trees so we can see where we are." Ruby said curtly.
"I am not being thrown into a tree, thank you very much." Weiss said as she shook her head in irritation.
Ruby walked up to her and grabbed Weiss by the waist. "That's funny. You're acting like you get a choice."
"Come now, let's talk about this." Weiss said as she tried to squirm out of Ruby's grip.
"We will when you come back down." Ruby said before she shot Weiss up into the canopy.
Weiss let out a blood curdling scream as she was rocketed back up. Ruby tapped her foot impatiently; it took the heiress longer than anticipated to come back down. Stepping around a bit, she caught her back in her arms. Twigs and leaves stuck out of her formerly well-kept hair.
"We have to head East.' Weiss said in a dazed voice.
"Which way is that?" Ruby asked.
Weiss did not respond. What reason Ruby did not care, and she threw her back up into the air again, creating the same scream. Again, Ruby caught her in the same surprisingly gentle fashion.
"What was that for?!" Weiss demanded as she finally managed to wiggle out of Ruby's grasp, teetering briefly as she struggled to stand on solid ground.
"You were taking too long." Ruby answered with annoyance.
"We head in that direction." Weiss pointed to the East as she started to pull the bits of twig and leaf from her hair.
"Thank you." Ruby answered chipperly and began to head in that direction.
In Another Part of the Forest
"Thanks again for saving my butt, Pyrrha. I guess literally…" Jaune said nervously, rubbing the back of his head as he walked beside his redheaded partner.
"It was no trouble, Jaune. Even with Aura, that fall would've hurt." Pyrrha smiled kindly.
"Also, thanks for unlocking mine for me…" Jaune sheepishly said.
The armored warrior simply nodded her head good naturedly as they continued to walk through the woods. Jaune turned to try to walk in a different direction, only for Pyrrha to stop him by grabbing hold of his collar. Jaune in confusion turned to look back at her.
"Not that way." Pyrrha claimed simply.
"Why?" Jaune asked.
As if right on cue, a low rumbling hiss emanated from that direction.
"I now understand why…" Jaune nervously said.
With the speed of lightning and the force of thunder, a massive black snake lunged from the darkness. Pyrrha was forced to pull Jaune away with all her might, sending the poor boy face first into the ground. However, soon the sky darkened. Getting himself up and shaking himself off, he saw the paler companion head to the monstrous snake Grimm, and he swore he saw it lick its lips at him. Whether it did or not depends on how much fear he was in.
Drawing his sword and shield, Jaune barely blocked a lunge as the white King Taijitu head struck. The lunge knocked him back as Pyrrha rolled out of the way of a strike from the black colored head. Rolling to her feet as she drew her shield and her weapon in its sword form, Pyrrha deflected another lunge before slashing at its neck. Pyrrha's blow cut deep into its hide as the head lunged up, launching her upwards. As the black snake head tried to devour her, Pyrrha flipped over it and slid down its head and neck, digging her blade into its back as it hissed in agony. Ripping her blade from its back, the redheaded champion leapt upwards and sliced as hard as she could, decapitating the black head with ease.
Jaune, meanwhile, had much more trouble. Having to roll and dodge for his life, the white snake head was too fast for him to hit. Hissing in agony as the other half was slain, it knocked Jaune's sword and shield out of his hands. Hissing down at him as it glared at him with volcanic red eyes, it lunged forward to devour the blonde knight.
Screaming in terror, Jaune threw his hands up on pure instinct. What happened next, neither Jaune nor Pyrrha understood. From Jaune's left hand shot forward a powerful blast of wind like a hurricane, pushing the white head backwards while unbalancing it. From Jaune's right hand shot a massive, great levin bolt like a smite from the heavens, smashing into the snake Grimm and electrocuting it as it hissed in agony.
The snake Grimm fell to the forest floor stunned as Pyrrha looked at her partner in shock. Jaune looked down at his hands in disbelief as wind wisped off his left hand while lightning arced off his right. As the snake Grimm slowly got back up, still twitching from the literal shock it just got, Jaune rolled to grab his sword and shield. Hissing in fury, the beast struck as Jaune, digging down deep to coat his sword coated in wind and lightning, sliced forward. The blade struck true as a mighty slash wave of wind and lightning arced forth, cutting the head in half horizontally.
"Um… How did I do that?" Jaune asked, staring at his arms wondering what happened, why, and how he could do it again.
"I have no idea. We should investigate this later. Maybe the professors will know." Pyrrha said as she looked at Jaune's arm with wide eyes.
"Right… let's get going before anything else weird happens." Jaune answered as the two walked off. Unsure of what lay ahead.
Meanwhile: On the Outskirts of the Forest
Overlooking all the myriad of different engagements, some worse off than others, Ozpin and Glynda homed in on one screen in his little basecamp. Leaning forward towards the screens, they looked at Pyrrha and Jaune, as if they could not believe what they saw.
"Oh my…" Ozpin said in breathless amazement, before laying back in his chair to sip some coffee. Things were developing faster than he expected.
To Be Continued…