Initiation I

[A/N: 

Alright, so a few notes before the chapter begins.

First off, I do apologize it took me this long for this chapter, but this time it wasn't because I was slacking. I wanted to get the next few chapters done to get them all out at a relatively fast pace because they're basically all to do with the day of Beacon Initiation.

Speaking of, the second thing I wanted to say was that the time skip has happened, and he is now enrolled in Beacon, and this begins with the Ozpin/Glynda speech as they are about to yeetus a bunch of children off the ledge.

You will notice mentions of things seeming more intricate/larger than RWBY made them, and that is because they are. I'm unsure if I've mentioned it before, or if you have picked up on it, but I've expanded the world of Remnant.

Treat this as an AU that is very similar to the original canon. Some of the biggest things that have expanded are the population, world size, and education system. The four Huntsman Academies are now the 4 Great Academies, because there are now several smaller, less distinguished higher academies after most people's lower academy years (and there are also more of those to accommodate the number shift).

Thirdly, in these chapters, Argento's teammates are introduced and described. Finally! I spent a lot of time when I first thought of this story trying to make them have a natural, meaningful team relationship and to make them a proper part of the story. Hopefully, I did them justice, and hopefully, you like them, because I do.

I will be including pictures I have found on the internet after hours of looking and comparing to find what I think works best for them. Only one of the characters doesn't have an anime character/picture I could relate them to, but with my description of both their outfit and their color scheme, you can picture what you believe they look like. (I described all but Argento so far, which I might do soon, but I'm thinking I'll just add the picture I found of a character that looked closest to what I imagined.)

That's all I can think of for now, if I have something to add or talk about I'll do so within the next few chapters, which might have specific 'A/Ns' for the contents of the chapter.

I hope you enjoy.]

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

As the faint scent of hot cocoa reached my nose, I took a second to simply gaze around me. The cliff we stood upon overlooked a large portion of a forest. When we began our trek here, I noticed the large number of students being split randomly into smaller groups, though if that was in RWBY before I am unsure.

What I am sure of is that our year consisted of 100 students; this was much more than seemed to be present in RWBY's year, but I guess the budget wasn't high enough to flesh it out properly.

"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."

While some of those present gave nervous glances down the line, without stepping out of it, others either hyper-focused on the speech being given to them or looked very arrogantly forward, having already "formed" a team beforehand.

On the other hand, I was just gently looking between those around me. I didn't bother with those more challenging to see as I am bound to see them all eventually just around campus or in class. 

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

"What?" "No way!" "I can't wait!"

As the outcries started, a quick glare from the Deputy Headmistress was all it took to shut the complaints down. I couldn't help but give a silent chuckle at this; not even a proper day into the academy, and Glynda already has them following her commands. If I didn't already respect her, that would've gained my respect.

The grumpiest outcry came from someone a few down on my left, as I was at the end of the line, which was accompanied by involuntary movements and slight ruffling of her blue-feathered wings.

"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."

Some nervous chuckles escaped several of my fellow students. I had remembered this speech since it wasn't heavily relevant to the RWBY story therefore it wasn't fuzzy, and having looked it up I knew they were lying.

There have been many close calls with lower-tier Huntsmen teachers, their aids, or temporarily hired help almost not saving the students on time, but no deaths. Unfortunately in many of those cases, the sudden near-death experience caused the affected students to either drop out or fall heavily behind. This, however, does mean there were a few that came out of it stronger than they went into it.

"You will be monitored and graded for 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. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and we will grade you appropriately.

Are there any questions?"

Compared to Jaune's lack of information and confidence, my group gave small shakes of their heads or murmurs of no.

"Good! Now, take your positions."

As my new schoolmates began getting into various levels and angles of crouching, at least half of which had their weapons at the ready, I began contemplating how I wanted to go about this. During one of our training sessions, Qrow brought it up, stating it is always good to have several different landing strategies for different situations.

As I began surveying the forest, roughly figuring out the area I should land in based on the past few students to get launched, it came together. Finally, with just the final few students to be launched, I settled into a comfortable lean and looked toward Ozpin.

As the guy next to me was launched I calmly smiled at the two teachers, this having been our first face-to-face meeting since he left me with Taiyang and Summer. And with a gentle smile from Glynda and a sip of his hot chocolate from Ozpin, I was propelled with tremendous force, following close behind the other students as the first few began the descent of their launch.

<Oz POV>

Even though I got regular updates about Argento from Qrow, it was strangely nostalgic to see him so grown up. Though they weren't very noticeable to most, I could easily spot the similarities to his parents from just a glance. 

From the gentle, focused observation of his surroundings he got from his mother to the lazy, strangely always-ready posture of his father; even if he only got the first 12 years of his life with them, they still show their impact on him to this day.

"It's nice to see he has grown well. And though he has that same strange glint in his eyes you sometimes get, he seems much more at peace."

"Yes, well let us hope he can continue to hold onto that peace. We both know what can happen in this line of work."

Giving a final thought-filled sip of my hot chocolate, my current drink of choice, I look out to the inheritor of the enormity that is the Chrono lineage as he expertly lands in the Emerald Forest.

'I look forward to what you've learned so far Argento.'

<Argento POV>

As I reached the apex of my launch, I made sure to note the general area each student seemed to end up in. I hadn't conversed with anyone else yet, but throughout the ride here, the opening speech, and the convened sleeping in the ballroom I had been observing.

Knowing how we would be paired up, I looked for traits of each student I wouldn't be able to stand. Some were avoiding the faunus of our group, others were unnecessarily haughty or arrogant.

I know it's overall pretty pointless because what's on the surface isn't always how they truly are, but if I have even a slight chance and choice to avoid being stuck with people like that, then I'll take it. That being said, conveniently several people who, at least observationally, passed were close by.

Noticing the ground finally approaching, before I could reach a downward force I couldn't counteract, I spun around. Facing my feet at an angle to direct me toward the optimal area, a golden disk appeared below me.

Mixing my present inertia and my own jump, I lept toward the landing area of the man that had been standing next to me during our launch. From what I could tell, he was level-headed and held no prejudice against others, so it was a good bet considering his proximity.

Adjusting my course a few times with some well-timed mid-air jumping, I turn my feet to a counteracting angle, suddenly stopping all movement and dropping down the last few meters. Softly landing on the forest ground, I quickly take in my surroundings before swiftly making my way to where I saw him land.

As I was running, I felt danger coming straight for my head, and without hesitation, I dropped to a slide. Now flying over me was the body of a heavily smoking Beowolf, a clear sign it was greatly injured.

Though the state it was in made it a non-threat, I left nothing to chance. So in that regard, with a short burst of power time seemed to slow around me as I continued to slide.

As soon as I passed under the Grimm, I vaulted to my feet and swung my sword forward. As my sword smoothly went through its neck, the sludge body continued slowly on as the head separated from the body.

As I sheathed my katana, time suddenly went back to normal, and the close-by sound of a dust-based weapon going off resounded. Taking out my chokuto blades as I run, once I reach the slight clearing the shot came from I find the student I was looking for shoving his hand through a standing Beowolf.

In front of me was a man a little taller than me at a few inches over six feet tall. He looked quite similar to how I imagine an older Eijiro Kirishima would look but with a calmer and more tan countenance. His outfit was reminiscent of Guy's from That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, which made a nice combination with his Kirishima-esque looks.

[A/N: Image inserts here]

He had darker scarlet hair with similar colored beads hanging around his neck, while across his well-defined and bulky chest were designs that I could only describe as tribal; from what I know, in Remnant, those are normally only used for nomad tribes. He had weighted-wristband-looking things that were connected to a metal glove with remarkably sharp fingertips, and they had small dust-gun muzzles now receding into their compartments.

As I put my chokuto blades away, seeing as there were no longer any more Grimm around, I met his slightly lighter red eyes. He dropped the slowly disappearing body of the Beowolf, retracted the clawed gloves into the wristbands, and raised his hand, which I promptly shook.

"Looks like we will be partners from now on. My name is Eugene Cordova, I hope we work well together."

"The name's Argento Chrono, and the feeling's mutual. So, shall we head off?"

As we set off in the direction of our assigned ruin, I looked over to see a serene smile on his face, as if he was completely at home among the Grimm-infested Emerald forest. Few could look so at peace in such a dangerous environment, and one of those types is the ones who are brought up around such danger.

"Say, Eugene."

"Yes?"

"I apologize if this is a rude question, but are you a nomad?"

<Eugene POV>

So far, Beacon has indeed been quite an interesting affair. Nomadic life isn't the easiest choice, but to me, it is what I have lived for the majority of my life; so to suddenly be in such a massive city and go to such a renowned academy, the many different types of people surprised me.

In my travels, I have of course met a multitude of wandering individuals, both harmful and helpful, but as a nomad, it seemed they always thought of me as lesser. The most I could glean from eavesdropping as a child was that they saw us as more primitive, and this led to me being more reserved around my non-nomad peers.

"… Why do you ask?"

It is not that I am ashamed of my nomadic origins, in fact, I'm proud of them. It's just that I dislike when others tend to look down on me for my past, least of all the people I will be teaming with for my duration here.

"Well, it's just you have the markings that normally only nomads have. I don't know much about them, but I respect them, which is why I felt the desire to ask; I have a bad habit of doing that, so I apologize if I made you uncomfortable."

As the silver-haired man beside me bowed his head slightly in an apology, I couldn't feel his blood betraying him, meaning he is most likely being truthful. Sighing as I rub the back of my neck, I decided I might as well relent this information to my teammate of all people.

"Hahh, yeah, I guess you could say I am."

"You guess?"

"Well, I used to be a nomad. Recently my tribe decided it was time to settle, but having lived that sort of life I saw it as a waste to just sit around and find a normal job. That's when I settled on becoming a Huntsman; I already have all the survival skills I would need, now it's time I work on my other aspects."

I looked over curiously when I saw Argento nodding his head along, making his surprisingly long hair bounce around his shoulders some. As he seemed to almost continue speaking his golden eyes narrowed, grabbing from his waist a throwing knife I had previously not seen and sending it whizzing in front of me, straight into some distant bushes.

*Screeee!*

The ear-piercing squeal of a dying Boarbatusk rang through our section of the forest, no doubt alerting nearby Grimm to our presence. While I flicked my wrists for my claw-ed gauntlets to come out, I looked to Argento impressed. 

Among those capable of using aura, some are more sensitive to it or hold more of it than others, which leads them to be more capable of sensing danger. I wouldn't have known the Boarbatusk was there until it was about to attack, and I was the closer one.

"Tsk, it didn't go deep enough to shut it up."

"Well, it is impressive enough you found and killed it with just one knife, so I believe we should look at the bright side here."

"What bright side? I know it's just initiation, but we still have to make the journey back after making it to the relics."

"Exactly, the point of the initiation is to acquire the relics. Who said we HAD to fight?"

Once I said this, a blank look appeared on Argento's face as he processed what I said. Then a deep sigh and faceplant later, he began chuckling.

"I'm an idiot."

"No, an idiot would have argued against my point."

Not being able to help myself, I began laughing along with him. It seems Beacon might continue to be an interesting affair after all.