Episode 2 - This is Beacon

The airship carrying the prospective Beacon Academy students flew towards its destination.

Weiss was looking through information and pictures of Beacon Academy as the news played.

"Today is the day when a fresh crop of new students will arrive at Beacon Academy," Lisa Lavender reported on the news. "Let's all hope they become excellent Huntsmen. Now, for our next story..."

"After the entrance ceremony, students will be split into teams," Weiss read. "It'll be crucial to get into the right team."

"Good, always plan as much as you can," Winter said approvingly.

Weiss preened at the praise from her sister.

"And remember that no plan survives contact with getting launched several hundred feet off a cliff," Qrow added humorously as he sipped his drink.

Weiss deflated.

"You can never know what kind of team combination you'll end up with during Beacon's initiation," Professor Ozpin said.

"I never did like it much," Ironwood said. "It's just so random. What if the team can't get along?"

"Suck it up for four years then break up," Qrow said easily enough. "Not all teams stick together after all."

Teams RWBY and JNPR looked at each other. Yeah, that didn't look likely to happen.

"Outta my way!" Nora yelled as she ran by Weiss.

She stopped in front of Ren. "This is crazy, Ren! The bus is actually flying!"

"We've already been flying for two hours, Nora," Ren patiently said. "And I keep telling you that it's an airship, not a bus."

"Nora," Ren sighed.

"But Ren! Why can't we just call it an airbus?" Nora asked.

"That's... not a bad point," Professor Goodwitch said.

"Well, a bus is a cramped vehicle meant to carry you from point A to B with little in terms of accommodation," Blake said. "An airship is basically anything that flies and carries large amounts of passengers with varying levels of comfort."

Jaune walked past Weiss too. "Does anyone have anything for motion sickness?"

"Alas, poor Jaune," Ruby said.

"Haha," Jaune said. "I'll have you know motion sickness is more common than you think."

"Whatever you say, Vomit Boy," Yang said.

"I've never been anywhere this noisy!" Weiss complained.

"You get used to it," Winter said. She remembered when she left home for the first time. Not having a servant to cater to her every need took some getting used to. And not eating 5-star food for every meal too.

Weiss' eyes widened as a redhead walked by in front of her, looking down at her Scroll.

"That girl..." Weiss said as she recognized her.

Weiss looked up a picture of a Pumpkin Pete Cereal box with Pyrrha on it, comparing it to the redhead onboard the airship.

"Pyrrha Nikos!" Weiss said. She had found the perfect partner.

"Well, in terms of good partners, she does fit the bill," Blake said.

"Pyrrha can make any team great," Weiss said. "I mean, just look at them! She should have been team leader."

Weiss pointed at Team JNPR.

"If leadership potential was measured in terms of combat capability, perhaps," Professor Ozpin said. "But Mr Arc is the best tactician of the four, and thus, he has the job."

Elsewhere on the airship, Yang ambushed Ruby with a hug.

"I get to go to Beacon with my favourite sister," Yang said. "This is the best! You skipped two years, so I bet they're gonna start calling you a girl genius."

"I don't want to stick out that much," Ruby said. "And I enrolled without knowing anyone here."

"Aww... I'm sure everyone thinks you're the bee's knees!" Yang said.

"But I don't want to be the bee's knees," Ruby complained. "I just want to be normal knees."

"Say... what happened to all your friends from Signal who came with you anyway?" Blake said. "I don't recall you ever introducing us to them."

"Oh, yeah, I completely forgot about them," Yang answered. They always seemed to be like black cutout characters anyway.

"Must not be close friends if you forgot them that easily," Weiss said.

"Why don't you make some friends?" Yang suggested.

"It isn't that easy for me," Ruby said. "I'll just stay with you all the time!"

"I'd like that, but..." Yang remembered her conversation with her father.

"It's great that you support each other," Taiyang said. "But it's not good for Ruby if she's always depending on you."

"Ahem," Yang coughed into her fist. "All right! Let's make friends!"

"Eh?" Ruby said, not liking this at all.

"Operation: Make Friends shall commence immediately!" Yang said. "I totally should have done that when we were on the airship."

"Hurray..." Ruby said.

[RWBY: Ice Queendom OP]

"Huh, intro music," Jaune said. "Neat."

Weiss had already written the lyrics down.

"Doesn't really seem like your style of singing," Yang said.

"I'm thinking of branching out," Weiss said. "Can't be that hard."

"Let's see, who's here by themselves and looks bored?" Yang wondered before setting eyes on Blake.

"No, I'm doomed," Blake said in a complete deadpan. There went her quiet reading time.

"You are being befriended," Ruby said robotically. "Do not resist."

"Over there," Yang said. "Let's go!"

"H-Hey, Sis!" Ruby said as she was dragged along.

Blake was quietly reading her book when Yang greeted her.

"Hello!" Yang greeted cheerfully. "Got a minute?"

Blake looked up from her book at the sisters.

"I'm Yang, and this is my cute baby sister, Ruby," Yang introduced. "What's your name?"

"Blake," Blake answered as she went back to her book.

"Blake!" Yang said. "Isn't the weather lovely today?"

Team JNPR were amused at Yang's attempt.

"The weather, really?" Blake asked.

"I thought you were supposed to be good at this," Ren said.

Yang blushed. "Well, I never had any trouble in Signal. And it's Blake. Only one harder to get to know would have been Weiss."

"Almost as lovely as this book," Blake replied. "That I'll continue to read as soon as you both leave."

"Oh," Yang said as her attempt at friendship got rebuffed.

"Ooh, rejected," Nora said.

"Hey, what book is that?" Ruby asked, giving this making friends thing a try.

"It's about a man with two souls, each fighting for control over his body," Blake explained, closing the book to show the cover page.

"Huh, weird," Yang said.

"It's practically the same conversation during the sleepover before Initiation," Ruby said.

"I like books, too!" Ruby said. "Reading stories about heroes was what made me want to be a Huntress."

"Because they all have a happy ending?" Blake asked. "The real world isn't the same as a fairy tale."

"That's why we're here!" Ruby said. "To make it a better place."

"Hmm, off to a better start than us," Blake said.

"Quite idealistic,' Ironwood said.

"She's fifteen, Jimmy," Qrow said. "And isn't that a good thing? That people can still dream of making the world better?"

"The real world doesn't work like that," Ironwood retorted.

"Nice one, Ruby!" Yang said as she hugged Ruby. "I'm so proud of my baby sister!"

"Cut it out, Yang!" Ruby said.

Blake couldn't help but smile at the sisters' antics.

"Did we win you over?" Yang asked.

"Maybe," Blake said.

"Now for our next story," Lisa Lavender said. "A riot broke out when members of the White Fang forced their way into a recent Faunus rights protest. Suspicious of the White Fang's involvement in a series of Dust robberies, the Schnee Dust Company, an industry leader in the Dust trade, is considering fortifying its security division and is increasing precautions."

"The Schnee Dust Company is really well known, huh?" Ruby said. "Rumour has it they're the most corrupt in the world."

"And they treat their workers like slaves," Yang said.

Blake frowned. She may have realised Weiss wasn't like that, but that didn't change the company's use of such practices.

"The news is exaggerating, right?" Weiss couldn't help but ask her sister and Ironwood. They would know more than anyone else.

"Nothing admissible in court," Ironwood answered neutrally. He would love nothing more than to nail Jacques Schnee for his corrupt practices, but he had bought off too many people and hard evidence was hard to get.

"Winter?" Weiss asked.

"I left home for a reason," Winter merely said.

"What did you just say?" Weiss asked from behind the two sisters. The two turned to face the newcomer.

"What do you two think you know?" Weiss asked.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Yang asked.

"I'm Weiss Schnee, the company's heiress," Weiss introduced.

"Seriously?" Yang said. What were the odds?

"Um, we didn't mean to say anything bad about you!" Ruby said. "We just heard those rumours..."

"Well, what are the odds?" Nora exclaimed. "Team RWBY is having its first team argument before it even becomes a team!"

Team RWBY hung their head. This was so embarrassing...

Blake looked away, knowing that the rumours were anything but. And not to blow up at the Schnee if she could help it.

"Rumours?" Weiss said. "You're swallowing every lie the anti-human Faunus and their lowlife group of thieves, the White Fang, are feeding you."

"Come on now, take it easy," Yang said, playing mediator.

"The White Fang used to be a pacifistic group," Blake suddenly said. "At least until your company started exploiting the powerless."

"Are you on the Faunus' side?" Weiss asked.

"Well, I suppose the answer was pretty obvious now that we know you are one," Weiss said.

"You're totally ignorant if you think every Faunus is evil," Blake replied.

"Why, how dare you!" Weiss said, pissed.

"Please don't fight on the airship," Professor Goodwitch said. "Beacon has to pay for any non-Grimm related damages."

Weiss and Blake looked embarrassed. They weren't that confrontational back then, were they?

Yang got in between them before something could start.

"Wait, wait!" Yang said. "We just got off on the wrong foot. Why don't we start over? We're all Beacon students, so let's try to get along."

"Well said, Sis!" Ruby said, agreeing. "Hi, Blake, Weiss. My name is Ruby. Wanna go shopping? We could go looking for school supplies."

"Hmm... A for effort," Nora said. "D for execution. School supplies, really?"

"I thought it was nice," Pyrrha said.

"Daw, that's why I like you, Pyrrha," Ruby said.

Weiss mockingly played along.

"Yeah!" Weiss said. "Wanna, like, get all dressed up, and go shopping and talk about cute boys?" She pointed at Jaune behind her. "Like him?"

"Hmm?" Jaune said at being pointed at.

"Wow, really!?" Ruby asked, not sensing the sarcasm.

"Ten bucks Jaune will try to use that to hit on her later," Blake said.

"No bet," Yang said.

"Hey, I'm not that bad, am I?" Jaune asked.

"Mr Arc, your father was worse," Professor Ozpin said.

"Didn't his wife have to kiss him and then slam his head with the fact she was interested before he got the hint?" Qrow asked Professor Goodwitch.

She nodded.

"You've got to be kidding!" Weiss screamed at Ruby. "Please don't ever speak to me again."

The Schnee Heiress walked off away from them, Blake doing the same.

Ruby deflated. "I'm so bad at making friends."

"Don't worry, Ruby," Yang said.

Yang patted Ruby on the head, ignoring the rain cloud that hung over her.

"We should probably make it up to her for that," Blake noted.

"True," Weiss said. "Cookies?"

"And weapon's magazines," Blake said. Their team leader was very easy to appease.

The screens onboard the airship suddenly showed Professors Ozpin and Goodwitch.

"Welcome to Beacon," Professor Goodwitch greeted. "I'm Glynda Goodwitch, one of your instructors. Professor Ozpin has something to say to you."

"You have all trained to become warriors," Professor Ozpin said. "Today, the true worth of your training will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest test."

"A test? Already?" Ruby said, shocked.

"Dad told us, remember?" Yang reminded her.

"Hmm, having the test immediately instead of on the next day," Professor Ozpin mused.

"It would save time,' Professor Goodwitch said.

Ruby and Jaune, meanwhile, were panicking.

The screen on the floor suddenly showed a map of the Emerald Forest.

"Make your way to the old temple and eliminate any Grimm that get in your way," Professor Ozpin instructed. "If you don't, your life is forfeit."

"In the first, partner with the first person you make eye contact with," Professor Goodwitch continued. "Two pairs will combine to form a four-person team."

"These will be your teammates for your four years of study," Professor Ozpin continued. "Hopefully, you can get along together."

"Partners? Teams?" Ruby said. "Nobody told me about that!"

"Dad told you..." Yang said again.

"Well, he didn't tell me!?" Ruby yelled as she waved her hands up and down.

"Geez, it's not like it's you who is going to be doing the test," Weiss said. "We passed this already, remember?"

"Oh, yeah," Ruby said, calming down.

"The temple contains several relics," Professor Ozpin continued. "Choose one and bring it back to Beacon Cliff. We will monitor you, but will not intervene. You must make it through on your own."

"We will arrive at the test starting point shortly," Professor Goodwitch informed them. "Please prepare yourselves before then. May you be victorious."

In the ship's weapons' lockers, the prospective students prepared themselves for the test.

Weiss walked into the room, Mythenaster on her belt as she found who she was looking for. Pyrrha looked at the heiress when she walked up to her.

"How do you do?" Weiss greeted. "My name is Weiss."

"I overheard you earlier," Pyrrha said. "I'm..."

"Pyrrha Nikos, right?" Weiss said.

Pyrrha frowned as she heard the telltale sound of people recognizing her in the background.

"Would you like to team up?" Weiss asked. "I'm sure we'd be unbeatable together. We'd get top grades and be set for the future!"

"Right, I'll think about it," Pyrrha said.

"I'm sure we'd be top of the class!" Weiss said.

"Interesting way of trying to get a teammate," Winter said.

"Uh..." Weiss couldn't say anything at that. "I wasn't that bad, right?"

Pyrrha just smiled at her.

"Wow, you sound like one of those brown nosers and sycophants," Qrow said undiplomatically.

"Branwen!" Winter rebuked, glaring at the unrepentant drunk. "Though he isn't wrong."

Weiss merely placed her face in her hands.

"Hey!" Jaune interrupted. "I'm Jaune Arc. You said I was your type, right?"

"Huh?" Weiss said with contempt.

"It sounds like we form teams in the forest," Jaune continued. "I was thinking you and me would make a good one."

"Actually, I think the teams are comprised of four students each," Pyrrha said.

"You don't say," Jaune said. "Play your cards right and maybe you could join up with the winning team."

"Oh, Brothers," Jaune said. "This is so embarrassing."

"Cheer up, Fearless Leader!" Nora said. "You got her on the team, didn't you?"

"Do you have any idea who you are talking to?" Weiss asked the blond. "She graduated top of her class at Sanctum and won the Mistral Regional Tournaments four years in a row. This is Pyrrha."

"Huh, no kidding," Jaune said, not quite getting it.

"She's on the front of the Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flake's box!" Weiss said, showing a picture of said box.

"Wow! Awesome!" Jaune said, impressed. "But I never really liked that cereal."

"Actually, me neither," Pyrrha said. "It isn't very healthy."

"Really? No kidding," Jaune said.

The two shared a smile at that.

"And just like that, Jaune has already made a better impression on Pyrrha than you," Blake said.

"How does that idiot do it?" Weiss wondered.

"It's the innocent charm he has on when he's not applying his father's advice," Ren answered.

"Hmm..." Nora framed her hands over her leader. "You know, with a change in hair, I'm sure you'll have all the girls come after you."

"Step back!" Weiss said, pushing Jaune away.

"Why?" Jaune asked.

"Nobody invited you!" Weiss said.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Jaune said as he walked away.

"Weiss!" Winter scolded. "Apologize this instance."

"But..." Weiss said.

"I'm not hearing any apologies," Winter said firmly.

"Sorry, Jaune..." Weiss said.

"Uhh, apology accepted," Jaune replied.

Pyrrha had a smile on her face though, finding herself liking the blond knight.

"My dad said all that women look for in a man is confidence," Jaune said as he walked through the locker, having been rejected by the cool girls. "Where did I go wrong?"

Pyrrha patted her partner on the shoulder. "Don't worry. I like you." Her face lit up. "Uh, I mean, as a friend! Yes, a friend! Not that I wouldn't mind dating you or anything... As friends! That's what I mean..."

"Really? You're the best, Pyrrha," Jaune said.

Qrow just stared at the two, then looked at the two Beacon professors, who nodded. Yes, the two of them were oblivious to their feelings for each other.

The airship landed as it approached the cliff where the launch pads were.

The students gathered in front of the two professors.

"We will now begin the initiation," Professor Ozpin said. "Take your positions."

The students stood on the launching pads, each clearly labelled with their names on them.

"Well then everyone, have a safe landing," Professor Goodwitch said.

"What? We're going on this?" Ruby said, looking at her feet.

"Nice! Isn't this fun?" Yang said.

"I've got a bad feeling..." Jaune said. Said bad feeling intensified when he saw a student get launched.

"Hey, I just realized," Nora said as she pointed at Jaune. "You still don't have a landing strategy!"

"Hmm, Nora is right about that," Ren said.

"We should fix that," Nora said.

"I'm doomed," Jaune realized.

"Woo-hoo!" Yang said as she was launched.

"Yeah!" Ruby said.

"WAAAA!" Jaune cried.

The two professors looked at the flying students.

"You take a sick joy in that, don't you?" Ironwood said.

"Who, us?" Professor Ozpin asked.

"Whatever gave you that idea," Professor Goodwitch said.

Winter could understand the appeal. More often than not she ended up with people she wanted to launch off into a cliff.

"I wonder what kinds of teams we'll get this year," Professor Goodwitch wondered.

A long, white-haired person with purple lipstick on their lips appeared.

"And what kinds of leaders will appear, right?" they said.

"I see we have a new face here," Professor Ozpin said.

"She's not another professor, is she?" Ruby asked.

"We'll find out soon enough," Weiss said.

The two professors faced the newcomer.

"I thought you went on a journey in search of your prey, Shion Zaiden," Professor Ozpin said.

"And that's exactly why I'm here, Professor," Shion said.

"So that Grimm is here?" Professor Ozpin asked.

"Yes," Shion confirmed. "The test may become dangerous."

"What kind of Grimm could make the test more dangerous than it already is?" Yang asked.

"She might be a specialist Huntress," Professor Goodwitch theorized.

"Specialist? Like the Atlesians?" Blake asked.

"No," Qrow said. "Specialist Huntsmen are Hunters that specialize in dealing with exoteric types of Grimm, such as Apathy and Chill. Grimm where physical force alone can't easily deal with."

"You should be learning about them in your Second Year," Professor Goodwitch informed them. "They are particularly difficult to deal with if you don't know what you are facing."

"There's no such thing as a safe initiation test," Professor Ozpin merely said.

"You believe that future Huntsmen should be able to overcome any difficulty?" Shion asked.

"Of course," Professor Ozpin said. "I also hope that your hunt ends in success."

"You never change," Shion said with a smile. "Well, then. Until next time."

Shion took her leave, leaving the two professors alone.

"So, what could possibly make what we had to face here worse?" Ruby asked.

"You just jinxed us, didn't you?" Jaune sighed.

"What, no I didn't!" Ruby said.

"If I get killed, I will haunt you," Weiss said.

Yang used Ember Celica to land, while Ruby used Crescent Rose.

"Where are you, Yang?" Ruby called. She ran in search of her sister. "I don't wanna get split up!"

Jaune slammed into a tree, falling but getting pinned to the tree's trunk by a spear before he could fall far.

"That was close," Jaune said as he looked at the height he was at.

"Ouch," Jaune said at the memory.

"Yang! Yang!" Ruby yelled as she ran.

She spotted someone and ran to them, hoping it was her sister. Alas, it was Weiss Schnee as the two made eye contact.

"Where in the world is Pyrrha?" Weiss asked as she walked away.

Winter raised an eyebrow at her sister.

"Ok, maybe I shouldn't be so petty when I don't get what I want," Weiss said. "And even if she isn't my partner, she could still be on my team!"

"That hurts, that really does," Ruby said.

"Aren't we supposed to be partners now?" Ruby said.

"Somebody, help!"

The two girls looked up at that call for help, spotting Jaune still pinned to the tree.

Weiss sighed and walked away.

"Hey! No, wait! Don't go!" Jaune yelled.

Weiss made sure to drag Ruby away by her cloak too.

"What? What?" Ruby asked.

"Ruby, don't leave me!" Jaune said with fake tears.

"Jaune!" Ruby followed suit.

"Ruby!"

"Children," Professor Goodwitch spoke up.

"Sorry, professor," the two team leaders said.

"Let's get moving," Weiss said. "Even if I'm paired with her, as long as I can get on Pyrrha's team..."

Unseen by either of the two girls, a red-tinged vision was looking at them, then moving its view to Jaune.

"Was that?" Qrow said.

"A Grimm in all likelihood," Professor Ozpin said.

"Damn it! Come off!" Jaune said as he tried to free himself.

The spear suddenly came loose, sending Jaune falling to the ground.

"Ouch, ouch..." Jaune groaned as the spear flew to its owner's hand.

"Hi, Jaune," Pyrrha greeted as the blond knight looked up at her. "Do you have any spots left on your team?"

"And the start of Beacon's greatest team is at hand!" Nora declared.

"I had to spend all night patching up the hole in my hoodie," Jaune said.

"Sorry," Pyrrha said.

"Nah, it's not your fault," Jaune said.

"She was the one who speared you to the tree," Ren pointed out.

"Ruby! Where are you?" Yang yelled as she looked for her sister. "Ruby!"

A bush near her shook, getting Yang to turn to it.

"Ruby?" Yang asked.

"I don't think she's small enough to fit in that bush," Blake said.

"Hmm..." Qrow squinted as he looked at his youngest niece, the image blurring from her fifteen-year-old self to her five-year-old self. Whether from self-delusion or alcohol, we would never know. "I don't know..."

"Hey, what's the hurry?" Ruby asked Weiss as they hurried along.

"I don't want to be delayed and lose time because you're so slow," Weiss said.

Ruby huffed and used her Semblance to appear in front of Weiss.

"See? I'm not slow," Ruby said.

"A Semblance?" Weiss said.

"I'll show you what I can do," Ruby said. "I bet you'll give me a second chance then!"

"Quit showing off your abilities like a child," Weiss said as she kept walking.

"So crabby," Ruby pouted.

"Well, she's probably a tsundere," Blake declared.

"A... tsundere?" Weiss asked.

"In Mistralian comics, a tsundere is a character with a personality who is initially very harsh before gradually showing a warmer, friendlier side over time," Pyrrha explained.

The assembled students digested that and then looked at Weiss, who glared at them.

"What?" Weiss snapped.

They nodded. "Tsundere."

"Hey, wait!" Ruby said. "Come on..."

"And you look like a child, too," Weiss said. "Were you really old enough to enrol?"

"You two are the same height," Ren pointed out. "Actually, Ruby is taller if you get rid of the heels."

"And Ruby is ah... more developed than you," Blake pointed out.

"And she's not childishly complaining about everything too," Yang pointed out.

Weiss was definitely not sulking after all this.

"Klein and I didn't prepare her for the real world as much as we thought," Winter mumbled.

"Well, that's... I skipped ahead," Ruby said.

"You skipped?" Weiss said. "So you are younger than me."

There was a sound and both of them turned to look at the source.

"Saved by the Grimm!" Ruby cried. Finally, something she could kill to show Weiss that she belonged in Beacon.

An Ursa Major tried to claw Yang, the Huntress in training ducking under the swipe which cut down a tree. Activating Ember Celica, she punched it in the gut with fists covered in flames. "Take that!"

The Grimm was sent back, right into Blake's waiting blade.

The Grimm disappeared, revealing the Faunus standing behind it.

"Wow, that was..." Yang said.

"Nice working with you," Blake said.

"A much calmer meeting of partners compared to that train wreck," Qrow said as Ruby and Weiss blushed.

Back with Weiss and Ruby, they had been surrounded by a pack of Beowolves.

"Remember your training, Weiss!" Weiss said to herself.

She charged ahead, right into Ruby's back as Ruby herself charged.

The two girls collided, falling to the ground in a heap.

"You're in the way!" Ruby complained.

"No, you are!" Weiss retorted.

"A more simple solution would be to designate areas of combat," Professor Goodwitch said.

"Basically, one of you takes the Grimm on the right, the other takes the Grimm on the left," Professor Ozpin said. "It's how two Hunters with no experience working together do it."

"Off to such a terrible start," Ruby mumbled as the rain cloud returned over her head.

A Beowolf leapt at them, the two separating just as it snapped its jaws where they once were.

Ruby moved away from more of the Beowolves and started shooting at them with Crescent Rose.

Weiss prepared a Dust attack with Mytenaster.

"Duck!" she warned.

Ruby did so, Weiss setting the Beowolves, and parts of the forest they were in, on fire.

Once the Beowolves were dealt with, they looked at the devastation. Unseen, a Grimm with vines crept near them.

"Deep-fried Grimm, coming right up!" Yang quipped.

"Those vines," Weiss muttered.

"We never saw them before, did we?" Ruby asked.

"No," Weiss answered.

"Perhaps it is Miss Zaiden's prey," Professor Ozpin said.

"You got them in one shot!" Ruby said in awe. "You must have some amazing Dust! The Schnee Family really..."

"It's your fault that I set the forest on fire," Weiss said. "All you do is waste Aura and Dust. Do you think you can pass the test doing that?"

"Quit complaining!" Ruby said. "I wasn't trying to insult you!"

"I've already long forgotten what you said in the airship," Weiss said.

"And there's the Schnee Family's abrasive personality," Qrow snorted.

"Their father is much worse," Ironwood said. "And worse, you can't punch him in the face since he uses societal convention to protect himself."

"I have a feeling if Ruby was the quiet type, this would be going very differently," Jaune said.

"Mostly Weiss making all the decisions and Ruby following along?" Ren asked.

"Probably," Jaune said.

"No you haven't, and that's why you're being so mean to me," Ruby said angrily. "Fine! I won't be your partner. I'll do it myself."

"Wow!" Weiss mocked. "You're so tough, you can ignore the rules and do it all yourself. Bravo!"

Ruby, in a fit of anger, cut a tree clean in half.

"You're not just slow, you also have a temper," Weiss said. "You're the worst. I'm going to keep going."

"You're so arrogant! I hate you!" Ruby yelled. "You think you're perfect, don't you?"

That last line from Ruby caused Weiss to remember cold nights wallowing in failure back home.

"No, I'm not perfect," Weiss said. "But I'm still leagues better than you."

The two looked as a giant feather floated down near them, then looked up at the Giant Nevermore diving right at them.

"Please tell me we're not going to end up riding on that thing again," Weiss said.

Ruby huffed and turned away from her partner.

"What? Oh, come on!" Weiss said. "You can't be upset at what my other said?"

"You would say the same things, don't deny it," Yang pointed out.

"Not the point!" Weiss said.

Yang and Blake had finally reached the temple, several relics were already taken.

"Hmm," Yang looked around. "A bunch of them are missing. I guess we weren't the first."

"Which one should we pick?" Blake asked.

Yang grabbed the white knight piece. "How about the cute pony?"

Blake nodded her consent.

"Well, we're there," Yang said.

Blake nodded.

"Which means..." Yang said as she looked at Nora.

"Yee-haw!" Nora yelled as she swung her hammer down. "Take... this!"

The poor Ursa Major she had used as a mount was hammered and walked through a pillar from the attack.

"Aw, it's broken," Nora said.

"Right on schedule," Yang said.

"Did that girl ride an Ursa there?" Winter couldn't help but ask.

"You get used to it," Ren said.

"Nora, would you please try to fight normally?" Ren requested.

"That girl was riding an Ursa," Blake couldn't help but say.

"Impressive," Yang said.

Nora picked the white rook. "I got the castle relic! I'm queen of the castle! You're the king, Ren!"

"Whatever," Ren said, well used to Nora's antics.

"Oh, that would mean you would have to marry him, Nora," Yang teased.

"Waa! But we're not together! I mean, we're together, but not together-together!" Nora blushed.

Ren coughed and looked away, sporting a blush of his own.

Ruby and Weiss ran as they were chased by the Giant Nevermore.

"Ruby!" said as she saw her sister.

Blake immediately took out Gambol Shroud and started shooting at the Nevermore, making it pull up and away from Ruby and Weiss.

"Our entrance was better," Ruby said.

"We were literally hanging onto that monster for dear life!" Weiss yelled.

"Oh, learn to live a little," Ruby said. "When else are you going to get to ride a Nevermore?"

"Preferably never," Weiss said.

"Ruby, I'm so glad you're okay!" Yang said.

"Yang!" Ruby replied as she ran to where the relics were.

"Hurry and take the relic!" Weiss yelled.

"Which one?" Ruby asked.

"It doesn't matter!" Weiss replied as the Nevermore flew back and launched its feathers at her. Weiss quickly summoned a shield glyph, protecting herself from the attack.

Soon, Pyrrha and Jaune landed at the temple, a Death Stalker hot on their tails.

"Hey, the gang's all here!" Yang said.

"Now we just have to get out of there alive, again," Jaune said.

It attacked the two with its tail, but Pyrrha blocked it with her shield.

"Jaune, get the relic first!" Pyrrha said.

"O-Okay!" Jaune replied as he went to grab a relic. He picked up the remaining white rook. "Um, this?"

Weiss formed a wall of ice to block off the Death Stalker.

"Pyrrha!" Weiss yelled. "I finally found you, Pyrrha!"

"Alas, too late," Weiss said. She had lost her to the blond idiot.

Jaune returned and grabbed Pyrrha by her shoulders. "There's one above too! Let's go!"

"The test is to bring back a relic, not to defeat those things," Blake said, agreeing.

"Are you gonna just run?" Yang asked.

"I'm all for that!" Jaune said.

"But the Professor said we'd have to kill the Grimm!" Ruby said.

"We have to go now!" Weiss said as she grabbed Ruby's hand.

"You have already accomplished your objective, Miss Rose," Professor Ozpin said. "Though I doubt those Grimm will let you escape without a fight."

"Well, we beat them once, we'll do it again!" Ruby declared.

"YEAH!"

The eight of them ran for the bridge, the Giant Nevermore still flying overhead, launching several barrages of its feathers at them, making them stop to duck for cover.

"Well, that's great!" Yang said as she, Weiss, Blake and Ruby ran ahead.

Ren and Nora looked back to see the Death Stalker coming right at them.

"This is bad," Ren said.

"No way out of fighting them now," Ironwood said.

"Well kids, time to show us what you've got," Qrow said.

"We'll just have to fight!" Nora said.

She got in front of the Death Stalker.

"Here I go!" Nora said as she fired several grenades at it. Pyrrha joined in with her own gunfire.

"Jaune, go ahead!" Pyrrha instructed.

"You really need to invest in a ranged option," Pyrrha said.

"But Crocea Mors is pretty reliable," Jaune said. "It hasn't failed me yet."

"It also means getting up close and personal to the enemy before you can fight them," Pyrrha countered. "Maybe a handgun."

"Ooh! I have so many recommendations!" Ruby said.

"I have a few of my own," Ironwood said.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang were already on the bridge when the Nevermore dived down for another attack run, this time destroying the bridge with its bulk.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang jumped up the falling debris back onto the remaining bridge.

"The bridge..." Ren said, seeing it be destroyed.

"Damn it! We're in trouble!" Jaune said as he looked back at the Death Stalker.

Nora dodged as it attacked with its tails and claws.

"Nothing is working!" Nora said.

"That things armour is tough, but not impenetrable," Qrow said. "It's all a matter of dealing enough damage to one spot."

"Yeah, you try while dodging two claws and the tail," Jaune said.

"I have, on much bigger Grimm," Qrow boasted.

Jaune ran to confront it head-on, sword and shield drawn. "We'll have to get close!"

"Jaune!" Pyrrha called out in worry as she went to join him.

Jaune used his shield to block one of the Death Stalker's claws, and Pyrrha did the same with the other claw. Ren jumped onto the Grimm's body and stabbed his weapons into the tail.

"Ren!" Nora yelled.

"Well, we're all not dead yet," Jaune said.

"It's a little concerning such large Grimm weren't spotted earlier in the Emerald Forest," Professor Goodwitch said.

"Perhaps they have learned to avoid Peter's usual hunting routes," Professor Ozpin said.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang continued shooting at the Giant Nevermore but not doing sufficient damage to it.

Ruby looked at each of the girls and their abilities and weapons, a plan starting to form in her mind.

"Ah, there's the mind that made you team leader," Yang said.

Weiss could concede to that. She couldn't have come up with such a plan on such short notice.

"We have to predict its movements," Weiss said.

"Weiss, please help me!" Ruby requested.

Weiss looked at her in surprise.

"What's her plan?" Winter asked.

"Something crazy," Weiss said.

Back with the Death Stalker, Ren hugged its tail as it swung it around, trying to shake him off, all the while shooting at the tail point blank.

The Grimm eventually shook Ren off its tail and into a building.

"Ren!" Nora cried out in concern but kept shooting at the Grimm while Jaune and Pyrrha kept it occupied.

Jaune noticed the damage Ren had already inflicted on the Grimm's tail.

"Pyrrha, the tail!" Jaune ordered.

"Okay!" Pyrrha threw her shield at it. "Take this!"

The thrown shield managed to slice through the damaged tail.

Pyrrha then threw her spear like a javelin, managing to crack and embed the spear in the front of its armour.

"Nora, nail it!" Jaune ordered.

"Heads up! Here I go!" Nora said as she ran up to the Grimm. "Take this!"

Nora slammed her hammer on Pyrrha's spear, sending it flying through the Death Stalker's front and out from its back.

The Grimm soon dissolved after being killed.

"Excellent teamwork, Team JNPR," Professor Goodwitch said. "And excellent leadership on your part, Mr Arc."

"Ah, jeez..." Jaune said.

"Hmm, not as impressive as nailing its own stinger into it though," Nora said.

"I'm going to have to check that Miló wasn't damaged by Nora using it as a nail," Pyrrha said.

"Sorry," Jaune said.

"It's fine," Pyrrha said.

"Ren, are you all right?" Nora asked as she ran to her friend.

"I'm all right, Nora," Ren reassured her.

"Didn't you collapse after we beat the Deathstalker last time?" Nora pointed out.

"I was just tired," Ren said.

With the Nevermore, Blake swung on her weapon's ribbon, leading it to her partner.

"Yang!" Blake yelled.

"Come on!" Yang said as she jumped towards the Nevermore. She landed on its beak and grabbed it screaming as she fired several shotgun rounds into its open mouth.

The Nevermore was slammed into the cliff, Yang jumped off it before it did so. It tried to take off, but its talons were trapped.

Blake threw her ribbon around two pillars, turning it into a makeshift giant slingshot. Weiss used her glyphs to freeze the talons of the Giant Nevermore, making sure it stayed grounded for a while longer.

Ruby jumped onto Blake's ribbons with her scythe, Weiss using her glyphs to pull it taut.

"Of course, you would come up with this," Weiss said to her.

"If I show you my awesome moves, will you give me a second chance?" Ruby asked.

"You're trying to show off again?" Weiss said. "What a child."

"No, I just want you to know I can really fight," Ruby said.

"I already knew," Weiss said with a smile.

"Daw... all it took to thaw the Ice Princess was a fight," Qrow said. He looked at Winter. "I wonder if that works on you too."

"Don't test me, drunk," Winter gritted out.

The Nevermore freed one of its talons.

"Hurry!" Blake yelled.

"Ruby!" Yang yelled.

"Okay, Weiss, now!" Ruby said.

"Finish him off!" Weiss said as she fired Ruby from the slingshot. Ruby further used her weapon's recoil to increase speed.

The Nevermore freed itself before Ruby reached it, flapping its wings to fly higher. Using her glyphs, Weiss redirected Ruby upwards towards it, where she got it in the throat with her scythe.

With the running platform made for her by Weiss, Ruby dragged the Nevermore up the cliff, constantly firing Crescent Rose, driving her blade deeper and deeper into the Nevermore's throat.

Once she reached the top of the cliff, she put in one last effort and sliced clean through the Grimm's neck, killing it.

Landing on top of the cliff, Ruby looked at her teammates.

"Success," Blake said.

"Now that's a badass landing," Nora said as she gave a thumbs up.

"Hmm, I suppose it was a decent plan," Winter said.

Nearby, Shion looked at the four girls.

"It seems they've already found the hiding place," Shion said. "Good work. Let's prepare for the worst."

"I wonder if she found her prey," Professor Ozpin wondered.

At Beacon Academy, the team placements were being officialized.

"Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren and Nora Valkryie," Professor Ozpin said. "The four of you retrieved the white rook. From this day forward, you are Team JNPR..."

"We did it, Ren!" Nora said as she hugged the boy.

"Nora," Ren sighed fondly.

"... led by Jaune Arc," Professor Ozpin finished.

Jaune looked at the Professor in shock.

"You'll be a wonderful leader," Pyrrha said.

"Huh... Yeah..." Jaune said.

"Finally, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long," Professor Ozpin said. "The four of you retrieved the white knight. From this day forward, you are Team RWBY, led by Ruby Rose."

Ruby was surprised at the Headmaster's announcement, followed by Yang hugging her.

"You did it!" Yang cheered. "You're amazing, Ruby!"

The crowd clapped as the First Year teams were formed.

"And the best First Year teams are formed!" Yang cheered.

"Hurray!"

Unknown to the others, a Grimm was already taking root on the back of Weiss' neck.

"Wait, what's that on Weiss' neck!?" Ruby cried out.

"Oh my, that does not look good," Professor Goodwitch said.

"What clued you in, the Grimm like veins?" Qrow sarcastically asked.

"Has this happened with the Grimm before?" Ironwood asked.

"Yes, but none like this," Professor Ozpin said. "We might be looking at a new type of Grimm, or one nobody has survived to report."

"And it's latched on to me, joy," Weiss said.