Time for a Test

When the next morning came, the day was hectic. Everyone was eager to get ready for the Initiation. Ryder got up and simply got ready for the day. Everyone ate breakfast in the cafeteria before heading to the Locker room to get their gear and weapons. That's where Ryder was. He equipped both of his gauntlets and then put on his boots and made sure they were tightly and firmly in place. After that was over, he loaded the dust cartridges into the boots and gauntlets. With the power and ammo secured, he stands up from the bench and quickly shadow boxes to make sure his gear is firmly secured. Once done, he tinkered with the gauntlets. As he did so, a pair of initiation participants walked past him. One of them was quite energetic and the other seemed calm and collected. He mentally joked about them being opposites but other than that he thought nothing of them. Once he was prepared for the initiation, he heard a familiar voice. 

"Hello again." Pyrrha said. 

Ryder turned to his left and saw Pyrrha. Seeing a familiar face made a smile come to his face. 

"Oh, hey Pyrrha." he greets before noticing her combat outfit. "Nice armor." 

Pyrrha's armor was almost reminiscent of ancient Greece, ideally the Spartans. 

"Thank you. Your outfit is also nice." She said, attempting to return the comment. 

"It's nothing special. My weapon takes center stage in my outfit. I may not wear flashy armor, but a good hoodie is all I need." Ryder said. 

"Really? Where others prefer armor, you rather take a hoodie?" she asks. 

"I don't intend to kill anyone or appear as a threat. So going as casual as can be kind of evokes a peaceful atmosphere unlike armor. No offense." he explains. 

"Oh, none taken. That's a valid reason and I respect that." Pyrrha said. 

Ryder was glad to hear that. He feared that some people might see his pacifist approach as cowardly and pathetic. At this point, he doesn't care what others think about his pacifist approach, it's what he wants and it's who he is. Ryder then notices Weiss walking over and is curious about what she wants. He then saw her weapon strapped to her hip in a ring-shaped sheath. It was a rapier with a revolver-like body above the hilt. It looked cool. 

"So, Pyrrha. Have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself." Weiss asks. 

Ryder frowned. It's obvious Weiss wanted to be a part of Pyrrha's team because of her fame. Though, he remembers Taiyang talking about Huntsmen teams. He always was a team-esk player back in the past. Whenever he played games like Overwatch, he would team up with certain teammates to combine Ultimate's. 

"Hmm.... I'm not quite sure. I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may." Pyrrha replied. 

"Best not to be picky on your teammates. Deal with what you got and make it work. That's what teamwork is." Ryder adds. 

Weiss lightly scowls at him before looking at Pyrrha. 

"Well... I was thinking maybe we could be on a team together!" Weiss suggests. 

"Well, that sounds grand!" Pyrrha said. 

Ryder could tell she just said that so Weiss can be happy. He used to be like that until he was sometimes taken advantage of. His Kindness was abused, and he hated it. 

"Great!" Weiss said, clearly happy. 

Weiss then looked away and had a scheming expression. Ryder and Pyrrha looked at each other and decided to not call her out on it. It's a nice thing to do. Whatever Weiss was scheming was cut short as Jaune stepped in between Pyrrha and Weiss. 

"You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you." he greets. 

Weiss gets an irritated look of annoyance by his appearance. 

"You again?" she asks. 

"Nice to meet you Jaune!" Pyrrha said, getting in between him and Weiss. 

"Yeah, yeah." Jaune said, brushing off Pyrrha's words and pushing her aside. "So, Weiss, I couldn't help but overhear your fondness of me the other day." 

Ryder almost busted out laughing but slapped a hand onto his mouth and held it in. But it was evident he wanted to laugh. Pyrrha saw this and guessed something must've happened yesterday. 

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Weiss cried out in annoyance. 

"Don't worry! No need to be embarrassed! So, been hearing rumors about teams. I was thinking you and me would make a good one! What do you say?" he offers. 

Ryder decides to but in and share some information before Pyrrha can. 

"Actually Jaune, the teams here are comprised of four people each." Ryder informs. 

"You don't say." Jaune replied. "Well, you two, play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team." 

He said this referring to both Ryder and Pyrrha. Jaune knew Ryder thanks to the conversation they had before Ozpin's speech in the auditorium. But he didn't know Pyrrha. Weiss then steps in and separates Jaune from both Ryder and Pyrrha. 

"Jaune is it? Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Weiss asks. 

"Not in the slightest, snow angel." Jaune replied. 

"This is Pyrrha." 

"Hello again!" 

"Pyrrha graduated top of her class at Sanctum." Weiss said. 

"Wait, really?" Ryder asks. 

Pyrrha nods his way with a proud smile on her face. She was clearly proud of her achievements. 

"Never heard of it." Jaune said. 

This beckoned a scoff from Weiss. 

"She's won the Mistral Region Tournaments four years in a row." Weiss said. 

Ryder's eyes widen and he looked at Pyrrha with those wide eyes. Now he understands what she meant last night when she said she took part in tournaments. Damn. He didn't know she was a champion. Jaune, however, was confused. 

"The what?" he asks. 

Weiss then rapidly shakes her arms in anger, almost hitting Ryder. 

"She's on the front of every Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes box!" Weiss said out of anger. 

This gets a shocked expression from Jaune who even gasps. 

"That's you!? But they only do that for star athletes and cartoon characters!" Jaune said, apparently know a lot about Pumpkin Pete's. 

"Yeah, it was pretty cool. Sadly, the cereal isn't very good for you." Pyrrha states. 

"When is any cereal good for you?" Ryder asks. 

"So, after hearing all of this, do you really think you're in a position to ask her to be on your team?" Weiss asks. 

"Are you?" Ryder fired back with a smirk. 

"Quiet you!" Weiss barked. 

Jaune then seemed down as he realized he probably wasn't in any position to ask Pyrrha to be on his team. Ryder maybe, but not Pyrrha. 

"I guess not... sorry." Jaune said, responding to Weiss's question. 

"Actually Jaune, I think you'd make a great leader!" Pyrrha said, trying to lift his spirits which works. 

"D'oh, stop it!" Jaune said. Now happier than before. 

Weiss wasn't happy with this kind of thing, so she spoke her mind. 

"Seriously, please stop it. This kind of behavior should not be encouraged!" Weiss argued. 

"Sounds like Pyrrha's onboard for Team Jaune. Spots are filling up quickly! Now, I'm not supposed to do this, but maybe i could pull some strings, find a place for you. What do you say?" Jaune offers. 

Okay now it was time for Ryder to step in. 

"Woah there Jaune. That's pushing it." Ryder said. 

"Really think so?" 

"Yeah. 100%." Ryder said. "Plus, i don't think Weiss really cares about your team offer." 

"How do you know that?" Jaune asks. 

"Because I literally just said it!" Weiss buts in. "Take a hint!" 

"Oh..." Jaune said, deflating from happy to depressed. 

They all then heard an announcement over the PA system. Ryder recognized the voice as Glynda Goodwitch. 

"Would all first-years students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation. Again, all First-year students report to Beacon Cliff Immediately." Glynda said, using the PA System. 

"Well, that's us." Ryder said. 

He walked towards Jaune and grabbed the depressed boy by the hood. 

"Come on, Jaune." Ryder said. "See you later Pyrrha." 

Jaune just follows him but as they walk away, Pyrrha speaks. 

"It was nice meeting you!" she calls out. 

[Beacon Cliffside overlooking the Emerald Forest] 

Ryder stands amongst the many students taking part in the initiation. Each student stood on silver tile shaped platforms with their weapons on them. Standing before them was Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch. Ozpin held a mug most likely filled with coffee while Glynda held a tablet looking device. Ozpin stepped up to give yet another speech. 

"For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Ozpin said. 

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today." Glynda explained, dropping a truth bomb on everyone. 

Ryder got nervous while Ruby had a different reaction. 

"What? Oooh." She whined. 

"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 with." Ozpin explains. 

Ryder heard Ruby groan a little at this information. It's clear she wasn't exactly thrilled by this information. He himself was getting more and more anxious. 

"That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years." Ozpin adds. 

Ruby's world both figuratively and literally shatters. 

"Whaaat!?" Ruby cried out. 

"See? I told you!" an energetic voice said. 

Ryder recognized it as this morning, some energetic girl with ginger colored hair woke everyone up while trying to wake someone else up. He looked down the line and saw this girl next to a guy with black hair. The guy's black hair had a strip of pink and he wore a green outfit that almost resembled Japanese culture back on Earth. He almost looked like a Ninja. Nice. 

"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." Ozpin said/warned. 

This warning beckoned a nervous laugh and a nervous gulp from Jaune Arc who stood beside Ryder. Ryder's anxiety wasn't helped at all. This was about to be his first ever real battle against a threat that'll try to kill him. 

"You will be monitored and graded through 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." Ozpin explains. "Are there any questions?" 

"Yeah, um sir?" Jaune asks while raising his hand. 

"Good! Now, take your positions." Ozpin said, completely ignoring Jaune. 

Everyone takes a battle position as they are ready for the battle ahead. Ryder sighs and gets into his fighting stance. He knows his weapons are armed and ready but he is lacking confidence in his combat abilities. He's also worried for other people. What if someone dies? He doesn't want that to happen. What if he fails? He'll try not to. 

"Uh sir? I've got, um... a question." Jaune asks, once again. 

Ryder notices that Weiss is launched by the tile as it turned into a springboard. His face paled. They were getting catapulted into the forest. Oh, that's fine. Just gotta prepare to land after being launched at who knows how many miles an hour!? Other platforms ignite and launch their targets. 

"So, this, landing... strategy thing... uh wha-what is it? You're like, dropping us off or something?" Jaune asks, oblivious to the launching platforms. 

"No. You will be falling." Ozpin dryly replied. 

Jaune continues to remain oblivious. 

"Oh, uh, I see. So like did you hand out parachutes for us?" Jaune asks. 

"No. You will be using your own landing strategy." The Headmaster informed. 

The energetic ginger haired girl and the Ninja man are both launched. 

"Uh-huh... yeah." 

Ryder looked down the line and saw Yang wink at him and Ruby before she was launched into the forest. Ruby soon after is launched. Ryder breathes in and out as he's ready. He is then launched high into the air towards the forest. He feels the wind pushing against his skin but he straightens himself up in the air. His fear of heights be damned.