30 Finally, Initiation Part One.

Being launched wasn't new to Weiss, it felt like flying and she knew… very intimately, how that felt.

"Now if I was going to land… uh hah! maybe wind dust…." She readied her 'Myrtenaster' and made sure the slide was on the right dust. Once she set the blade, she swiped it against the air where she was falling, like wind against the current, it was beginning to propel her more slowly because she held onto her weapon which was doing the resisting against the air current. Weiss continued to swipe her blade left and right, using her loaded wind dust quick and in precise amounts before she reached the ground like a feather. There was none in sight and the forest was thick, the underbrush didn't help seeing much as well.

"Hmm... OK, over there and between the trees is an opening." Weiss headed that way and came across one of the crater's that Ozpin warned everyone about before, this one was enough for her to walk out into-

"Right, some Beowolves and Boarbatusk's and... is that an alpha death stalker!" she nearly yelled out but calmed and quietly whispered the last Grimm's name. The death stalker which looked to be larger than normal however was burrowing into the ground, where the crater was deepest.

"I'll wait until- bah!" she was surprised by the hand on her shoulder, turning around, she came face to face with…Blake which she was most glad to be peered with in this.

"Gah! Don't- shhhhh, there's A Death Stalker-"

"Right, well we better be quieter yes, Weiss." Blake deadpanned at her.

"There's more then that here!" she yelled accidentally which alerted the Beowolves to their position. The death stalker however had already dug away, leaving A dugout which looked to be running deep.

"So, we've got to head north and find this ruined temple, land through Kron's mess too" Blake said.

"Right. But right now, we need to-" Weiss ducked one of the Beowolves that had being in the lead, running upward along the somewhat deep crater and retaliated with her blade, slicing it along the underbelly which killed it. Blake, seeing that things were getting serious… jumped down into the crater and sliced through three Beowolves as she slid down the cliff, using her weapons to expertly navigate around, like climbing picks.

"Weiss, come down, will secure the area here first before moving on" Blake was having an easy time of it, as she continued to slide down the side of the crater and either wrapping her blades deep into Grimm or using her superior dexterity to attack the Beowolves, knocking back into the bottom of the crater dead, the girl also switched it up some, taking shots at the rampaging Boarbatusk's that had also begun to charge them. Weiss had jumped into the hole too when she noticed that and much like Blake to support her and had begun to use her long-ranged attacks on the Grimm. Switching her 'Myrtenaster's' dust load-out to the fire dust, she begun launching fireballs towards the oncoming Boarbatusk's.

"Hey, Weiss, once were done here, we should be clear of Grimm for now. Keep an eye open for other teams." Blake had somewhat yelled from where she stood, mopping up the rest of the Beowolves within the Kron-made crater, her flexibility expertly wielded. The dugout was emitting growling noises from within which turned out not to be the Death Stalker, but A horde of creep's were rushing from the hole the Death Stalker left.

"Incoming, from that cave" Weiss said loudly.

"Yeah, I'm on it." Blake replied.

Blake, having sliced through one of the Boarbatusk's had turned to face the new threat, having been closer to the pit. Weiss just finished piercing through the boy of another of said Grimm before catching up to Blake. They heard more gunshots from their left, further then where they were when they had entered the hole. Blake concentrated on the Creep's using her long-ranged sub-machinegun volleys as they got closer to the two while Weiss assessed where the noise had come from, seeing if more had followed or gods-forbid, that alpha Death Stalker.

They saw two that they knew, Ruby and Yang. Ruby had begun firing upon the climbing creep Grimm coming out of the hole and Yang…

"Ruby, keep an ear to your back, I'm going down, heh" she was sliding down the side of the crater and holding and begun firing upon the Grimm in her way, using the blasts of her wrist-shotguns to slow her down as she slid.

"Heh, how's it going you two" Yang had yelled out while smiling to Blake and Weiss, obliterating another of the creeps into the last Boarbatusk's in the area, while looking away. Yang begun engaging the Grimm in her vicinity in melee using her fists, she was cheerful about it all and made easy work of the Grimm left in the crater. Ruby had also gotten to the bottom in A flash, reappearing in A cloud of rose petals as her long range was no more needed. Weiss was somewhat exhausted and now, they would have to climb out of this hole in the ground.

"So, we're all in this… pit of Grimm. Heh heh… what are we doing, are… are we going into-" Yang jokingly said, about to add more but was interrupted.

"No, let's get back to higher ground, and next time lets avoid these holes. Blake, you figure out a path out of here, yes." Weiss said, Blake smirked and nodded while Ruby and Yang had shrugged, following the two girls lead.

"Well, meet you at the top!" Ruby had cheerfully said, before disappearing in A flash, leaving behind evidence of her departure in the form of rose petals.

"Thats Rubes for ya, always doing things, quickly... uh, that's her semblance by the way."

"Right, it' is interesting, is she shy or something, why did she leave quickly instead of explaining it herself." Weiss asked, Blake spoke up then.

"She seems like a sweet girl, but-" Blake was interrupted by the reappearance of Ruby, Yang had turned to her sister.

"Ruby, you should explain your semblance to these girls, and maybe talk about your scythe" Yang smirked knowingly before turning around and preparing to climb out the hole.

"Ah right, so my semblance is speed, and this is my baby. She's a high-caliber sniper rifle. What's your weapons names... can I hold them; you know after this is over?" Ruby asked over eagerly, excited about something, most likely their weapons and getting to know Blake and Ruby

"Sure, after this test though, my Semblance allows me to make clones of myself, I can also infuse dust into the clones which allow different effect's" Blake spoke up, Weiss glanced at her before returning her eyes to the young girl Ruby.

"Mine is Glyphs. I can do a number of things with them but there's still stuff I need to learn about them, I'll end up showing you during the exams, I'm sure." Weiss said. Blake and Weiss slowly climbed out of the pit, while Ruby had an easy time getting out and ended up beating her sister Yang, who was almost out of the crater.

"Hey! When did you-" Yang was almost surprised, but she'd knew her sisters speed and sighed, catching her breath at the last minute of the climb.

"Yang, were off, out of this hole! Come on" Ruby had said, her form disappeared and rose petals had fallen in her place, Yang sighed and looked at the two girls behind her who were still climbing but were nearly out as well.

"Alright, let's get to that temple and get back. Weiss, Blake, you two good. We'd better keep up with Rube's before she kills all the Grimm in the way." Yang joked, looking towards where her sister went.

"Yes, that took a lot out of me, plus fighting those Grimm. Bloody Kron…" she muttered but was heard.

"Heh, why are you cursing out his name, I haven't seen him at the cliff's, it was actually what I was going to ask about, you know, yesterday before we'd all teamed up against him but I... kind of forgot." Yang rubbed her cheek smiling, checking out the surrounding area again.

"He was just my security-guard for the duration before Beacon initiation, and while he was 'protecting' me, he came out here. These meteor craters are the works of him" Weiss said.

"Yeah, Kron helped me out too, when I had first met him." Blake said Weiss looked at the girl curiously and nodded her way which Blake returned.

"Right…, well, let's catch up to my sis, before she gets lost, yeah" Yang smiled and begun the trek up the side of the cliff, Weiss sighed and huffed, she would have sore legs after this… she would avoid these craters in the future. Blake went first and both the girls glimpsed behind them, checking out the crater before going after the sisters.

(Pyrrha Nikos-POV)

She wasted no time after landing, pacing herself as she trudged through the thick underbelly of the Emerald Forest. Keeping calm and pacing herself, she headed north and kept an eye out for either another of her comrades or any Grimm. She went on not even ten minutes when the forest had begun to show a clearing, light could be seen coming through the gaps of the trees, stalking forward with her Milo in its rifle-form. Exiting the thick forest and coming out onto a ridge where A hole which was much smaller than the ones she had seen from the cliff and being launched in the air, she walked around it, seeing A few Beowolves at the bottom of the pit, and along the other side, on the opposite ridge from her. She ignored them, keeping them in mind as she trudged onward, noting her position and switching 'Milo' into its short-sword form.

"OK, from up in the air, I had seen this pit here… there's another one to the north-east and then I should... come across this ruin the professor had spoken about." Pyrrha said to herself, glancing back into the forest and walking forward along the side of the hole. Heading close to the forest and out of sight of the Grimm where the crater was, she heard the sounds of grunts and the slashing of A blade, the thumping of a shield was also heard too, and the grunts turned out to be male. She went towards the noise and hoped she peered with someone that didn't know her. Maybe Weiss or Blake though or maybe... that Jaune fellow, she hoped to peer with that monkey Faunas too, but he wasn't spotted on the cliff with the rest of the initiates.

The fighting got louder and then the sounds died out, Pyrrha came out from behind A tree and saw the boy, Jaune standing there with his hand above his head, sword held high while his shield was also held high, and he was breathing heavily. His weapon lowered then, and he breathed out a sigh of relief before falling on his rear end, slipping his sword into its shield which turned out to be its holster. Jaune had heard her approach and turned around franticly, re-gripping his weapon before he breathed a sigh of relief and dropped his hand back onto his knees at the sight of Pyrrha, Pyrrha had smiled and came forward.

"So… uh, partner, you all-good?" she asked awkwardly, eyes glancing towards the physically exhausted boy. The boy in question nodded awkwardly before standing, he smiled at her and waved to her. He was bleeding on his right cheek and Pyrrha frowned before asking him about his aura.

"Huh, yeah just A scratch." he continued breathing heavily but that didn't answer her question properly.

"I meant your aura, why hasn't it healed you. You know what that is uh-

"-Jaune Arc. I uh, no... not really hehe" he laughed awkwardly and Pyrrha smiled, approaching him better, keeping an eye out for any Grimm all the while.

"Right, well allow me then, I can unlock it for you, if you want. shut your eyes and relax. Think of your aura as A door and I'm about to open said door." she hesitated, waiting for jaune to give the go ahead or decline... he better not decline, or he just might die on her from Grimm. He closed his eyes and gulped before his breaths calmed down. Pyrrha begun her chant within her head, eyes closed as she focused on unlocking jaune's aura.

'For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee'.

Pyrrha had felt the aura emitting from within Jaune that had begun to unlock from within him… it was quite big… Well... right, that's... anyway. She watched as Jaunes newly unlocked aura had easily and quite quickly had healed any and all wounds that the boy had accumulated whilst fighting the Grimm alone before.

"So, how do you feel now Jaune." she asked warmly and watched as he reopened his eyes. Jaune had stumbled back A bit when, surprised at how close she had gotten, he gulped before watching as his aura which had burst from him, the light had disappeared back inside him.

Pyrrha nodded to him and then returned her focus to their surroundings, glancing around the forest she noticed A clearing north of their position.

"We'd better head this way Jaune, keep an eye out for anymore Grimm or anyone needing our help." Pyrrha begun to trek through the bush, and she heard Jaune follow her.

"Right, well, Pyrrha was it... alright, eyes open." she turned back to her surprised.

"Do... do you not know me?" she had questioned the boy and he flinched, before rubbing his cheek in embarrassment.

"Uh, no... ah, should I, wait... I introduced myself before, you haven't introduced yourself yet." Jaune said and Pyrrha had glanced in surprise... and hope, agreeing with him that she had forgotten to introduce herself.

"I'm Pyrrha Nikos, the Pyrrha Nikos uh, you still haven't heard of me?" she questioned, glancing into his eyes and carefully watching him, for any sign of dishonesty. Jaune nodded no.

"I haven't I'm sorry... uh you do look familiar, but I can't-"

"I won the mistral regional tournaments... uh, A few times before." she kept it vague, Jaune itched his head but still nodded no.

"I graduated with honors at sanctum academy before coming here." she questioned again.

"Nope, I'm still sorry but I ah... never heard-"

"-I'm on the boxes of every 'Pumpkin Pete's marshmallow flakes. The breakfast cereal isn't good for you... but I had A fun time posing for it." he gasped in surprise before breathing out.

"That was you, wow. that's cool." Jaune had said genuinely and Pyrrha smiled, happy that he at least wasn't going to fawn over her for her fame created from her participation and wins in the various tournaments she'd entered in Mistral. She was looking forward to being partnered with Jaune Arc.

(Jaune Arc-POV)

He felt more stronger, oh sure at the moment he was having a tough time catching his breath from fighting those Grimm by himself. Pyrrha had quickly trekked forward and led the way through the thick forest. they had stumbled across a sight as they realized they were about to walk alongside an ridge, Pyrrha glanced at him and nodded down the hole. Jaune had seen many Grimm down there and was happy he hadn't landed in such A place, or he might have just died then and there.

"Pyrrha let's just… take a breather for five minutes please." Jaune sat down immediately and leaned against one of the nearby trees, Pyrrha looked at him and nodded before leaning against the same tree, sliding down it slowly and joining him.

"Sure Jaune, but uh, keep an ear out for any Grimm behind us. So, you're got you've an large amount of aura. I've never seen that amount before and in one person, be proud." she laughed, and it sounded awkward to his ears, but he smiled and replied, thinking up an excuse as to why he hadn't even known about it, a bad start with his now partner.

"Y-Yeah, I uh, wanted to wait uh, before I unlocked it but-" Pyrrha interrupted his rambling.

"No, it's alright. So do you have an idea… where the ruins were supposed to be exactly?" she asked hurriedly before continuing. "I was too busy looking for someone to partner up with, I am glad it was you." she added, smiling.

"Uh, well… no but maybe if we continue north and watch out for the hole's-"

"An excellent suggestion. I wonder what caused them as I never seen them when i had come for the written exam." Pyrrha mused out loud before stand back up.

"Here, let me give you a hand." Pyrrha reached her hand out and pulled him up. she begun to glance around before heading along through the trees but close to the crater.

"Thanks, now… lets head north, like you said Jaune. I remember having seen another crater in the northwest from here. We should avoid that and continue on" Jaune had nodded at her in agreement, stretching his arms around his head and stretched for A moment.

Just the two of them, they headed towards where they thought would be the most likely place where the ruins would be located, another occasional Grimm, Ursula or the common Beowolves or Boarbatusk's were destroyed by Pyrrha and him with she being the one annihilating them very much easily compared when he tried and fought the Grimm. Jaune noticed that the Emerald Forest had had more and more damage done to it as they trudged northbound.

After about ten or so minutes, stepping over roots of trees and through bush and over rocks of various size, they came across another open area to their left and upon glancing around here they were surprised.

"Huh… so that's a lot of Grimm here, at least two of those Death Walker's-" Jaune was interrupted by Pyrrha.

"Stalkers, but yes. Let's not rush into this fight, we just need to get A relic and return to the cliffs." They kept an eye out as the Grimm were walking an open field of debris and carnage, trees blown over, tiny holes scattered the landscape which looked to be caused by explosions and there were some more Grimm-made tunnels coming out of the ground with heaps of the Creep Grimm. There was Ursula scattered amongst the odd mix up too and the open terrain where the greenery was replaced by dirt and fallen tree trunks had Beowolves and Boarbatusk's scattered about in their own groups.

The two of them continued to follow along the destroyed landscape, staying in the tree line and keeping their eyes open for any Grimm close-by. If they alerted A horde this size, there was no doubt that they'd either have to retreat and fail the test or they'd be overwhelmed, at least unless they had more of them in their group. It was then that they come upon, an unlikely pair, A girl and boy who were heading towards the cracked landscape from the east, coming towards them.

"Hello there, Nora Valkyrie, nice to-uf uf" The guy who hadn't yet introduced himself had covered his teammate's loudmouth, before motioning the girl to shush by blowing on his finger quietly. He released her mouth and both of the groups stopped in front of each other, keeping an eye or two on the landscape beyond the edge of the forest.

"Hey, names Lie-Ren. We ran into A massive horde of Grimm, to the east of us, inside one of them craters the professor mentioned" the young man introduced himself, Nora by him had calmed down… somewhat and was busy pacing around the area, A face full of cheer as she smiled.

"Yeah, we ran into one of those… deathtraps on our way here. I believe if we continue on like this, we will come out at the ruins. Want to stick with us, it'll be easier in A bigger group." Jaune questioned and Lie-Ren nodded, agreeing with him.

"So, I'm guessing we are heading along the forest then and keeping out of sight-" Ren was interrupted by Nora.

"Let's go, Ren. We've got to get back remember, I'm getting hungry…" Nora spoke somewhat loudly but multiple shushes from around her had her awkwardly laughing as she raised one finger of her left hand to her lips and went through the motions of having 'zipped' her mouth shut.

"Nora, I told you we should have had breakfast-"

"uh... right then. Let's just go, keep an eye out for any others in the area or Grimm in our vicinity. Pyrrha, you're our scout as your nimble and strong, keep to the side on the right of us for anyone incoming like these two." Jaune spoke up and Pyrrha listened and with A nod towards Jaune before heading up front.

"Right, well shall we, uh and watch out for that hole, its A mighty drop." Jaune added, glancing at Lie-Ren and Nora before trekking behind Pyrrha.

(Blake Belladonna-POV)

The Four of them, being herself, Yand, Ruby and Weiss had kept out of sight from one of the scorched parts of the forest, they had seen a few other pairs here or there, they also had kept out of the imposing craters as they housed a lot of Grimm down in them, they almost looked like they were concentrating their presence inside these areas and occasionally, the four girls had to fight roaming Grimm but it was one or two of them, not the hordes within those craters.

However, at the moment, the two of them had reached an large opening but this place was untouched by the scars inflicted upon it and instead the ruins were in sight. Blake sighed and leaned against A tree, eye their objective.

"Alright, there doesn't look to be any Grimm around, nor any other people besides us. Are you all doing fine, or do you want to rest here for A bit" Blake asked the girls who out of the four of them, Yang was working much harder than her, and Ruby looked A little tired being the youngest. Yang was prone to attack head on whenever they encountered any Grimm while she preferred to attack either from the back or from long-range, surprising the Grimm with swift strikes to vital points. Weiss was either mid-range or used her glyphs semblance in support while Ruby had either attacked close range or sniped the Grimm at medium to long range.

"We could hang back for A minute or so. How's your Aura reserves girls, that last Ursula had gotten A decent hit back there Yang." Ruby asked, looking to her in concern. Yang smiled and awkwardly replied.

"It was A close call sis, but I managed to dodge most of its attack, my aura took A hit but the Ursula only scraped by so I'm OK, I was lucky it had only 'just' managed to 'tap' me. No, I'm still uh, in the green" Yang replied, and they leaned against the tree, falling into silence. They stayed there for another five minutes when the sounds of twigs being snapped and bushes weaving around had put them on alert. Jaune and Pyrrha had come out of the trees and thick brush, followed along by two others.

"Hello again, Jaune lets have A quick break. Oh, and introduce yourselves you two." Pyrrha had gone over and sat near to the four girls already resting, Blake glanced at the new people she hadn't known.

"Hey, Names Lie-Ren, this is Nora." he leaned against A tree and Nora leaned over her weapon while smiling.

"Nice to meet you!" The new girl added, being loud about it.

"Nora, remember there's Grimm in here." Ren said and the girl nodded.