RWBY Reboot

Volume 1 Chapter 5: The Dark Forest

"I know how youth is, so I'll try to keep it brief." Stated professor Ozpin.

He was standing on the podium, with both hands on his cane and leaning his weight on it.

"You have all joined Beacon, a Hunter Academy, dedicating your lives to helping people around and ensuring their safety from threats that the usual heroes such as Police or Fire Departments can't handle. By making this decision, you have already taken the first step on this path."

The elder man took a look around his audience. "However, I need you all to realize that for all the heroes whose stories you've heard, whose statues you have seen around the academy. It is not an easy job, and a lot of the time it doesn't feel rewarding."

"It is a job that requires you to put your bodies and lives on the line, and for every grand, heroic tale there are hundreds of tragedies. If despite that, you are willing to fight for the future of humans and faunus alike, you are more than welcome to participate in the initiation. If your mind has changed, the Airships will take you home right now, and no one will think any less of you. That is all."

As Ozpin finished speaking, the auditorium door opened. Ruby turned around and saw a mass of people walking out. Instinctively, she grabbed Yang's hand, who in turn gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Once the last quitter left, Glynda stepped to the podium. "The initiation will proceed as follows. Each of you will draw a number that will assign you to an entrance gate. Once all the students are at their gates, a countdown will begin, at the end of which, the gates will open simultaneously. That is a signal for the initiation to begin. Your task is to get to a temple in the middle of the forest, retrieve a relic and bring it back to one of the gates. You are required to finish the task in pairs, so the first person you encounter will become your partner for all your years at Beacon. We will begin drawing in alphabetical order..."

Ruby stood at the gate. Number 137. Hopefully, Yang drew either 136 or 138. The girl wasn't sure how she'd handle being paired with someone she didn't know. Skipping 2 years already stressed her out, but the realization that everyone in here is already more experienced and well-adjusted than her only made her feel more pressure.

Well, there's Jaune, he's kind of a dork, but they both seem to be thrown into deep water. Maybe pairing with him wouldn't be that bad.

What's the worst that could happen? Pairing with that snobby Schnee girl?

In all that thinking, Ruby hasn't realized yet that the siren already sounded and the gates opened.

On his end, Jaune immediately run in. Making his way through the woods, completely tunnel visioned in front.

He didn't even notice when a wolverine jumped at his side and tackled him to the ground.

The boy put all his strength into keeping the predator off his body, but found himself on the losing side of the struggle. That is, until a gunshot was heard. Then another. And another.

The wolverine panicked and decided to run away, leaving Jaune to lay flat on his back to rest.

His field of view was soon obscured by red hair, and green eyes staring at him. "Are you okay?"

"Pyrrha, right?"

The girl nodded, still concerned about his well-being.

"It only hurt what little pride I had."

Pyrrha didn't know whether to take it seriously or as a joke. Thinking on her feet, she decided to switch the topics. "Are there any spots left on your team?" She offered to help him up, but the boy rejected it.