CBLT: Huntsmen in Training

Chapter 7: Inaugurations

The next day the entire freshman body gathers once more in the auditorium, a collection of digital screens having been arranged over the stage. Several staff members stand on the side of the stage with a large collection of bagged uniforms. Once again general Ironwood stands collected with several others on stage. He steps up to the podium. 

"Students, I hope you enjoyed your night of rest. Today you will be assigned into teams for the next four years. You see, during your initiations we used a collection of video surveillance hidden throughout the area. Through this we will be pairing you up based on what on the performance displayed. Understand that we do not make these choices lightly. Without further ado, when your name is called please step on stage."

At his word, the first of the students are paired group by group. At every interval the video screens play a slideshow of yesterday's mission, with the presenting students displayed. Repeated series of cheers and claps echo throughout the room over and over. As numbers dwindle, an increasing anxiety holds over several remaining students. But soon enough, the final groups are paired.

"Jade Xifang, Sakura Silene, Pyr Aurum, and Rez Hadur." Several girls and one guy take the stage in order. "Your skill, speed, and reliability shone greatly during the initiation. Together you four have great potential as a scout and vanguard unit. Being the first on a scene is never an easy job but I believe that together, you have the potential to stand apart from your peers as an example of one of the top teams of Atlas Academy. You are hereby inaugurated as JSPR, team Jasper, with Jade Xifang as leader. Congratulations." Once again, the room fills with cheers, whistling, and clapping. The four steps down from the stage with their new uniforms in tow.

The people soon calm down as the video feed switches again. A video slideshow begins showing off Cobalt, Bianca, Tanaka, and Lapis. Replaying their fight against the manticore. "Cobalt Frost, Bianca Carbine, Lapis Tensei, and Tanaka Bright." They gather on stage alongside Ironwood. "You prioritized the mission to the greatest extent of your ability. Not only that, your determination in mission and adaptability in the face of changing conflict has earned you your spots here on stage. While as a team you may not excel in a single category, you have the versatility to become an incredible assault unit that can adapt to any challenge. Missions hardly go as you would like them too, so I can easily say that your adaptability will quickly become your biggest strength. I am proud to say you are hereby inauguration as CBLT, team Cobalt, with Cobalt Frost as your leader. Congratulations." The four leave the stage with uniforms. Cobalt casts his eyes down at the ground while Tanaka pats him on the back in congratulations.

"Finally, but certainly not least. Cherry Lyes, Alice Frost, Malak Hite, and Ogden Wayvern please step on stage." Her white duster coat splashing upwards, Cherry excitedly leaps on stage. Following suit: a girl in a light-blue Japanese kimono calmly ascends, a short and wild looking brawny kid throws himself on stage, and a final guy dressed in a loose beige kimono with forest green samurai armor. The video feed switches to the new pairing. It displays them speeding through swarms of centinels. Slaughtering the monsters with ruthless destruction. Eventually encountering an elder centinel that bursts from the ground. The creature nearly four times bigger, they destroy the grimm by cutting it into several segments before blowing it apart with a single shot to the head. They then escape the enraged swarm by stealing an abandoned cargo truck and driving their way out of the mountain with the androids in tow.

"You've shown your methods to accomplish a mission to be unorthodox yet clearly not to be underestimated. You each display high levels of skill and immense destruction. You might find others who think of this quality as brash and overly simple. Yet in our world plagued by grimm at every corner, we huntsmen are no strangers to gargantuan grimm who require much more than a single dust round to defeat. Today you've proven your ability deserves recognition. As such, you are hereby inaugurated as CAMO, team camo, with Cherry Lyes as leader, congratulation." With the final team set together, the student's entry into Atlas Academy comes to a close. Ironwood soon leaves the stage and the students are left to scatter about the academy as they please. A collection of beeps and rings can be heard from the many scrolls in the area. Numerous emails arrive detailing dorm locations and class schedules for each student.

"Well that turned out pretty well." Tanaka says.

"I wonder if our skill set mattered enough. It seems like pairings were mostly made on who fought together." Bianca points out while shifting through her school schedule.

Lapis steps alongside Cobalt and flashes her scroll in front of him displaying her schedule with a curious smile. He glances at it briefly before returning his gaze to the ground. Lapis lowers it and steps closer with a concerned expression. Cobalt's eye glaze over with a pitch-black color for moment. After returning to normal, cobalt turns away to see Ironwood leaving down one of the nearby halls. He runs off to catch up with the general. The other's gazes follow him. Tanaka shrugs in response.

"Headmaster Ironwood!" Cobalt calls out. Ironwood and his entourage halt and look back at the student. Cobalt centers his eyes on Ironwood. "I have a request." He says.

Ironwood gives him a small smile. "A request? It's barely your first day."

"With respect, I'd prefer not to take the role as leader." Cobalt tells him.

Ironwood looks at him confused but shakes his head and returns to smiling. "The decision to make you leader wasn't something decided half hazardly. You made calls that others in your position couldn't. You took action. I saw the videos you know. You knew what each of your teammates was capable of before they even told you."

"I took what was obvious." Cobalt retorts.

He gently points at Cobalt "what was obvious to you. You may not think much of that, but I won't downplay it like you." He firmly grasps Cobalt's shoulder. "You are the leader of this team, so wear it with pride." Cobalt sighs and nods. "Good, now go get acquainted with your dorms and classes. There are great things in your future." Ironwood turns away, leaving Cobalt to think about his words.

He spins around planning to find his dorm roombut stops in surprise as he finds Lapis leaning against the door frame to thehall, waiting for him. She smiles tenderly. The electronic voice emanates fromher scroll, "You okay?" He joins her side and gives her a single nod. "Dormroom 59 east wing for us." The two leave together to locate their dorms.