The scene unfolds with the vast Beacon Cliff stretching out before the gathered students. The air was crisp, cool, with the gentle rustling of leaves from the Emerald Forest far below. The students, old and new alike, stood on shining silver tiles, waiting anxiously for what would happen next. In front of them stood Professor Ozpin, the ever-composed and enigmatic headmaster of Beacon, holding his usual mug with a quiet air of calm. Beside him, Glynda Goodwitch stood tall, her tablet in hand, her sharp gaze scanning the students before her.
Ozpin's voice cut through the silence, rich and commanding as he began to speak, his tone laced with the weight of years of experience.
"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest," Ozpin said, his eyes sweeping over the crowd with a subtle smile. "This is where you will be tested, where your skills will be put to the ultimate challenge."
Glynda raised her head slightly, making sure all eyes were on her now as she continued, her voice crisp and firm.
"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of 'teams,'" Glynda said, tapping her tablet. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today."
Ruby's eyes widened, her excitement giving way to anxiety. She looked at Yang beside her, her nervous energy palpable.
"Wait, what? Ohhh..." Ruby groaned, her voice trailing off as she glanced at the others around her, her thoughts running wild.
Ozpin continued, undeterred by the murmurs rising among the students. "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well."
Ruby's face dropped. She groaned again, overwhelmed by the idea of being stuck with someone else for four years.
"That being said," Ozpin's voice remained calm, though there was a slight amusement in his eyes, "the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."
Ruby's expression faltered. Her world seemed to crack like glass, and the pieces fell away as the reality of the situation hit her like a freight train. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Wh-what?!"
Nora, who had been standing a little farther away, heard the change in Ruby's tone and quickly turned to Ren. "See? I told you!" she started to say, pointing excitedly, but Ren raised a hand and cut her off, a look of mild amusement on his face.
Ozpin continued, unaffected by the noise around him. "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die."
The gravity of his words sank in as Jaune, who had been nervously standing to the side, gave a nervous laugh and gulped loudly. He looked like he was about to say something but then stopped himself.
Ozpin's voice rang out once more, clear and unwavering. "You will be monitored and graded throughout the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately."
He paused, looking out at the sea of students. "Are there any questions?"
Jaune, who had been anxiously standing with his hand raised, immediately piped up, his voice cracking slightly. "Yeah, um, sir—"
Before he could finish, Ozpin cut him off, his voice firm and unamused. "Good! Now, take your positions."
The students began to move, shuffling in place, but there was an unmistakable tension in the air. Everyone was preparing themselves for what was to come, gathering their thoughts as the gravity of the initiation settled over them.
Suddenly, a blur of motion interrupted the scene. A cat faunus—dressed in a haphazard assortment of clothes and carrying an odd, barely-contained energy—came streaking out from the group of students. She ran on all fours, her golden eyes flashing as she quickly darted across the field, heading straight for one of the launch pads.
"Wait! Wait! Hold on, nya! I just overslept!" she shouted, a mixture of panic and determination in her voice. The students nearby stopped and stared in shock as she zoomed past them.
With an almost comical screech of speed, the faunus vaulted onto the launch pad and let out a loud, drawn-out "NYAAAAAAAAA!" She was airborne before anyone could blink, zooming into the sky like a bullet shot from a gun. Her feline reflexes carried her effortlessly through the air.
Ozpin, his expression unchanged, stood with a subtle look of surprise on his face, glancing over to Glynda for a brief moment. There was a pause in the air, a flicker of awkwardness hanging between them.
Ozpin cleared his throat, giving a long, deliberate pause before speaking. "...Well, there is a demonstration."
BOOM!
The loud, thunderous sound of the launch echoed across the cliffside as the cat faunus shot into the distance, her shrill cry fading into the sky. For a moment, the students stared, stunned. Then, the faint sounds of Grimm roars could be heard echoing from the distant corners of the forest.
"Nya! That was actually not that bad!" came the distant, cheerful voice, though it was quickly followed by a sharp, frantic "Oh wait, never mind! NYAAAAAAAAAAA!" as the sound of more Grimm grew louder in the background.
The students were speechless, watching as the blur of the cat faunus disappeared into the distance, her fate unknown but somehow less worrying with her confidence.
Ruby blinked in disbelief. "Is she... is she actually okay?"
Yang raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and concern. "I think she's more than okay... for a cat Faunus."
Nora chuckled loudly, her face lighting up with amusement. "Well, we should definitely be friends with her."
Ren, ever the stoic one, didn't respond immediately, but his lips quirked in a small, knowing smile.
Ozpin's voice cut through the chatter once again, turning the students' attention back to the task at hand. "Alright, all of you, take your positions. The clock is ticking."
As the students began to prepare for their own launches, the buzz of excitement and anxiety was palpable. No one knew who would end up with whom, and the sudden, bizarre demonstration of the cat faunus only added to the unpredictability of the situation.
With a final glance toward the sky, Ruby and the others adjusted their gear, preparing for what would surely be the most challenging—and strange—initiation they would ever experience.
The air was thick with tension, anticipation, and excitement as the students stood on the metallic launch pads, each waiting for their turn to be sent flying into the forest below. Professor Ozpin, ever calm and composed, stood to the side with his mug in hand, surveying the crowd. Glynda stood beside him, her eyes sharp, scanning the students, ready to ensure everything went smoothly.
Jaune, nervously shifting from foot to foot, raised his hand. "Uh, sir? I've got, um... a question." He sounded less confident than he had hoped, his voice faltering slightly. "So, this landing... strategy thing... Uh, wha-what is it? You're, like, dropping us off or something?"
Before Ozpin could respond, the platform beneath Weiss Schnee's feet suddenly activated. The metal tile shot up with a loud whoosh, sending Weiss rocketing into the air. She disappeared from sight before Jaune could blink, leaving a trail of confusion in her wake.
Ozpin, unfazed by the spectacle, gave a slight, knowing smile. "No. You will be falling."
Jaune's eyes widened. "Wait... falling?" He looked around, but before he could fully process this new information, he saw another student take a more dramatic approach to the initiation.
Kumiko Xen, a martial artist figure, held her spear confidently in hand. A lazy smirk spread across her face, and without hesitation, she launched herself off the pad with a powerful thud, yelling gleefully, "WOOOOWEEEEE!!!" Her voice echoed through the air as she hurtled toward the forest below, a force of nature crashing down toward the ground with the grace of a warrior.
The next figure to launch was none other than Cala Ad Lance, who had been patiently preparing for her turn. Her launch pad was specially made to accommodate her towering, armored frame. She adjusted the massive shield strapped to her back, one hand gripping it tightly, the other clutching the enormous lance. With a swift motion, she pressed the shield and lance close to her body, pulling her arms back in a way that maximized her speed and momentum. With an almost terrifying force, the pad released her like a giant mortar, and Cala shot into the sky, the air whistling as her massive figure flew overhead.
Jaune, still standing awkwardly on his own pad, blinked rapidly as he tried to absorb the chaos. "Oh, uh, I see..." he said, his voice trailing off in disbelief as he saw several other students being hurled into the air, one after the other. "So, like, did you hand out parachutes for us?"
Before Ozpin could answer, Jaune's eyes wandered across the platform. His gaze shifted to Sese Lenya, her elegant figure poised as she gracefully adjusted the bow in one hand and the musket in the other. Her blonde hair flowed in the wind like a golden banner, having her gaze fixed on Weiss from a distance as she slowly flew further away, Sese followed her childhood friend. With dramatic flair, she launched herself from the pad, her graceful form soaring through the air as if she were a goddess on the wind, a picture of elegance and power combined.
Ozpin's voice, calm as ever, cut through Jaune's rambling thoughts. "No. You will be using your own 'landing strategy.'"
Jaune's eyes darted between the students being launched around him, his nervousness only growing. "Uh-huh... Yeah..." He wasn't sure what he had expected, but this certainly wasn't it.
Then, it was Yang's turn. She stepped up to her platform, giving Ruby a wink before adjusting her aviator sunglasses with a confidence that could only come from years of being the center of attention. With a wide grin, Yang launched herself off the pad, arms spread wide as she shouted, "Woo-hoooooooo!" Her body sliced through the air like a bullet, her golden hair trailing behind her like a comet.
Ruby, standing just behind her sister, couldn't help but mirror her excitement. With a gleam in her eye, she joined her sister a moment later, shouting, "WOOO!" as she launched into the air, following close behind.
Jaune, standing awkwardly on the edge of his platform, looked up in confusion. "So, what exactly is a landing strat—"
His words were lost as the platform beneath his feet suddenly thrusted upward, sending Jaune into the air with a yelp of surprise. "YYYYYYY!... " The world blurred as he soared higher, his arms flailing in panic as he tried to steady himself. He had barely a second to gather his thoughts before the wind rushed past him, drowning out his thoughts entirely.
Ozpin, who had been quietly sipping his drink throughout the entire spectacle, glanced over at Glynda, his calm demeanor unwavering. "I believe we can count this as a... Warm welcome."
Glynda didn't even blink, her eyes scanning the students below as she adjusted her glasses. "Indeed. It appears they're... adjusting well."
Back on the cliff, the remaining students watched in awe as the launch pads continued to shoot students into the sky. The excitement in the air was electric as the students, many of them unsure of what awaited them in the forest below, were all now facing the harsh reality of their initiation.
Jaune's voice could still be heard faintly, though the wind now drowned out much of his panicked shouts. "Oh no! Oh no! I'm gonna die!" He flailed wildly, trying to calm himself, but only managed to make the situation more chaotic.
Above them, the wind howled as each student descended into the dense treetops of the Emerald Forest, unaware of what dangers lay in wait. Some were brimming with excitement, while others—like Jaune—were struggling to come to terms with the sheer unpredictability of what was happening.
Ozpin took another sip of his drink, nodding slightly as the last few students took off. "They will all learn, one way or another."
Glynda, her voice soft but sharp, responded, "Let's just hope they learn quickly."
The last of the students were launched into the air, and the sound of the launch pads falling silent marked the beginning of the initiation. The students, now scattered across the vast expanse of the Emerald Forest, would have to rely on their skills, wits, and teamwork to survive the trials ahead.
And, of course, their landing strategy.