Crack!
Yin dropped one last glowstick to the ground, its faint green glow lighting up a corner of stone. He and Ruby had gone through a number of caves together before they found themselves in their current one. With a short narrow tunnel that fed into a single sizable chamber, there was enough room to accommodate the four of them without something sneaking up on them from hidden depths they hadn't noticed.
"Why do you even carry these things?" Weiss questioned as he joined them around the glowstick at the center of the cool chamber. "I mean, your kind all have night vision. I don't see the point."
"They're useful for more than just visibility." He said. "Huntsmen don't always work alone and are often tasked with helping others. I've got to be prepared to accommodate the unprepared."
Weiss interpreted it the fact as a subtle jab at her, clicking her tongue as she looked away from him.
Pyrrha cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention her way. "Now that we've secured a place for the night I believe we should decide how we'll approach the rest of initiation."
"We still have plenty of time before the day is over." Weiss didn't hesitate to take the reins of the conversation, her desire to lead them plain as day. "We should investigate the ruins we're supposed to be extracted from ahead of time, slaying any Grimm we come across on the way."
Her assertive tone left little room for argument, Weiss more than likely believing there was no better course of action. Nevertheless, her confidence didn't stop Pyrrha from looking to him and Ruby for their input.
Yin shrugged. The only thing he would've added to Weiss plan was making an attempt to kill plenty of Grimm in their immediate area to lower than chance of anything coming across them, but they could always do that after investigating the ruins.
"That sounds good to me. I might be able to see Yang if we head there." Ruby said with a nod.
In unanimous agreement, they began to plot out a route to the ruins using the maps displayed by their watches.
XOXO
Tall stone towers connected by crumbling bridges reached out from the depths of a chasm. Just before the chasm was another structure, build of the same stone, the round structure beginning to crumble away.
"It's a temple of some kind." Weiss whispered.
The four of them hid among the brush of the Emerald Forest, crouched down as they scanned the clearing that separated them from the ancient structures. They weren't the only ones, plenty of students lingering about in the area in hopes of forming their own respective groups or gathering information as they were. If they didn't get a move on, some of them would no doubt fail or stumble their way through the rest of initiation.
"I wonder why its here." Ruby muttered.
There was no real way to answer that question. Since time in memorial the four kingdoms had been and we're still making active attempts to expand their territory beyond their walls. Failure was the most frequent end result, many ruins it like it dotting all of Remnant. Despite the intricate design of the towers shooting out of that chasm, the stonework suggested it was done using severely outdated methods.
Whatever the answer to Ruby's wonders, the calm of the clearing was broken by a team of four bursting out from a different part of the forest, a mad dash made for the ruins. A pair of roaring Ursai followed, their hulking bear-like forms trampling over the brush as they pursued the team.
Gunshots and panicked orders filled the air. They settled at the round structure before the chasm, two setting up to fire at the Grimm from distance while the other half of the team readied to defend them.
With boney armor protecting their vitals, the Ursai shrugged off the gunfire as they charged, making bites and swipes at the group's front-line. With their aura still active, vital injuries were avoided but it was clear from their haggard defense and desperation that this was hardly the group's first fight. They must've been in several battles before the Ursai sent them running.
A distant hum. That of engines.
"Did you hear something?" Pyrrha asked, looking to him rather than the fight.
"An airship is coming." Yin said.
Sure enough, the hum grew stronger until an airship, much smaller than the one's that carried them all to Beacon, soared overhead. Rather than landing in the clearing, ropes were thrown out as the ship settled over the center of the old structure the students were fighting in. They wasted no time abandoning said fight, the four of them scrambling away and grabbing hold of the ropes.
One of the Ursai, far quicker to give chase, leaped after them, mouth wide open. At least one of the group would end up left behind.
BANG!
A gunshot soared through the clearing in the blink of an eye and hit the Grimm's head armoring dead on, the bones shattered and the force of the collision knocking it off course. Its leap missed the team completely, the airship taking off in the direction of Beacon with all four still in tow.
The Ursa crashed into the crumbling stone, shaking off the sudden attack and glaring.
Directly at them.
Behind them, Ruby, now standing, released a breath as she pulled back from the scope running along the length of her scythe's handle.
Any chance of them slipping away from their little scouting mission without a fight was all but a pipedream now.
"You dolt! Why would you-"
"Now isn't the time, Weiss." Pyrrha said, her weapon already out and in its rifle form. She and Ruby took a constant stream of shots as the pair of Grimm charged towards them. Precise shots too. By the time the Ursai were anywhere near them, the stream of gunfire had taken out an eye from both of them and cracked different parts of their armor.
Weiss set aside her dissatisfaction and twisted the dust chamber of her rapier before stabbing it into the ground. The temperature dropped, a thin layer of ice quickly forming along the ground. Yin caught on to what she was planning and pulled back his duel saber, his arm fully wound back.
The advancing ice solidified around the Grimm's legs, their charge put to total stop.
He took a hard step forward, his weapon thrown forward. It swung at an arc, slicing clean through the pair's now unprotected heads before completing its curve and returning to his waiting hand.
"Alright! That's another win for us." Ruby exclaimed as she lowered her weapon.
"Do you think before you do anything?" Weiss was quick to get on Ruby's case once the threats were dealt with, practically stomping over to the girl. "Why would you help our competition?"
"They were in trouble." Ruby retorted rather than shrinking under the icy glare like most with her social awkwardness would.
"That wasn't our problem. We-"
"Between the airship's engines and all the gunshots, Grimm will be swarming this place soon enough. Argue later." Yin said as he walked past the two. Pyrrha followed after him, then Ruby, Weiss given no other choice but to do the same least she be left behind.
Combat ability and looks aside, this team wouldn't be very effective if one half of it was breaking out in arguments anytime anything happened. He and Pyrrha could play mediators for now, but it was something that needed to be dealt with as soon as possible.
Initiation wouldn't go on long enough for any meaningful progress towards that but he could at least take a step or two towards better cohesion before it was over.
XOXO
Back against the stoney walls of the cave they were resting in for the night, Yin made certain to load a fresh magazine into his handgun and to check his dual saber over for any damage.
After returning from the ruins they spent the rest of the day hunting around the cave. Beowolves and Ursai were all they dealt with, the data on their watches helping them avoid the areas of more troublesome Grimm. They'd agreed to refrain from tackling anything too difficult to handle on the first day, aura and stamina reserved for tomorrow.
Even with all their efforts to clear out a perimeter, they'd still be spending the night in Grimm infested territory. That meant having a watch. Naturally Weiss was adamant about not being stuck with Ruby overnight so they swapped partners. Pyrrha and Weiss were off at the mouth of the cave, handling the first shift while he and Ruby would handle second.
Yin glanced up from his dual saber.
Sure enough, Ruby was still staring his way though her apparent infatuation with his weapons had passed for the moment, her silver eyes on his ears instead.
"Can I-"
"No." Yin shut down the request before it was fully voiced. Where as his ears put suspicion in Weiss, he could tell from the look in Ruby's eyes that she was genuinely curious about them.
"Wha- but you don't even know what I was going to ask." Ruby said.
He raised a brow. "Were you going to ask to touch my ears."
"No." He stared and Ruby's face fell. "…Yes. But I'm not going to pull them or anything, I swear. They just remind me of my dog's and- wait! I'm not trying to compare you to-" Panicked, Ruby stumbled over excuses, trying to explain herself without coming off as insensitive. Not that she needed to. He knew there was no malice in the request, the girl likely having little to no experience with a faunus.
It was genuine curiosity.
"The answer is still no." Yin said.
Ruby frowned but it vanished, another question thrown out. "Then, can I see your weapons? I'll be careful with them."
That he could do.
"Knock yourself-" Ruby disappeared in a swirl of roses, his staff snatched from his hand, and the girl reforming, propped against the wall beside him. "-out."
"Oh, this is so cool. What sort of metal did you use for the base? What about the blades? Do the dust crystals in the shaft affect them? How'd you get it to curve when you threw it?" Those and so many more questions streamed out of Ruby as she examined every part of the weapon. He answered when she actually gave him enough time to but otherwise let her go wild with it.
A beep from her scroll is what put her ceaseless curiosity on hold.
"Just a message from Yang." Ruby explained after pulling out her scroll and typing away on it. "She didn't get to team up with her friends but she said she found a decent team so I know she'll pass just fine." She sent her text and closed the scroll with a sigh, looking down at her lap. The silence between was short-lived, Ruby muttering a question. "Do you think Weiss is right?"
"About what?"
"You know, about me holding back the team and messing things up."
"Who knows." Yin said with a shrug. "We weren't told how exactly we're being assessed during our time here. For we know you got us a higher score by helping that team out. Huntsmen are supposed to be guardians."
Ruby raised her head, peeking his way. "You really think so?"
"All I'm saying is that it's possible. For now, just keep fighting the way you are and you'll be fine." Yin said. It took only one battle to see why Ruby had been allowed to skip ahead. Granted, it was against Beowolves, she made good use of her scythe and semblance, cutting down Grimm at speeds few could hope to match. Practical skill alone scored her a spot at Beacon. "But the next time you're about to start a fight give everyone a heads up. We're the ones who have to fight alongside you."
"Right." Ruby grinned sheepishly. "I'll make sure to do that."
Concerns assuaged for the moment, Ruby's previous obsessiveness returned, the girl returning to her attempts at figuring out everything there was to know about his weapon without taking it apart.
It wasn't long, only a half an hour later according to his watch, that Ruby talked herself to sleep. By then his attention had already been turned elsewhere, his ears perked up.
He couldn't make out the words but Weiss and Pyrrha were definitely having a conversation of their own. Maybe Pyrrha might be able to get the two to work together.
XOXO
The darkness of night morphed the bountiful greenery of The Emerald Forest from a wondrous place of life to a foreboding place of uncertainty. With what little sunlight leaked in replaced by a fainter moonlight, every bush, every tree, every branch could hide a stalking Grimm, their presence only noticed once it was far too late.
Pyrrha, peering out from the darkness provided by the mouth of the cave they'd repurposed into a shelter, couldn't help but pity any group reckless or desperate enough to make brave the night among all that foliage. Yin had been right to direct them to the mountain range early on.
A faint smack came from her side.
"Ugh, I hope this is over soon." Weiss complained, rubbing at her latest bug bite, this one along the back of her left hand. She leaned against the wall opposite to Pyrrha, arms crossed in an attempt to fend off the chill of the night. "How are you not bothered by all these bugs?"
"It could always be worse." Pyrrha pointed out, nudging her head towards the forest. "We could be spending the night in there."
"I suppose you have a point." Weiss admitted with a sigh.
Once again, Weiss proved she made decent enough company one on one. They passed the last few hours exchanging small talk about their respective kingdoms and training. Confidence always joined her formal politeness, the girl talking with all the eloquence of someone who, like Pyrrha herself, had plenty of experience with speeches and or interviews.
If only that pride of hers didn't prove so problematic around the other two, she'd perfectly round out the rest of the team.
"Yin I get." Weiss suddenly said, fully grabbing Pyrrha's attention. "Despite the nonchalant way he holds himself and a distinct lack of respect he has proven that he's more than prepared to do what's expected of a huntsman but I don't understand why you're so eager to accommodate that brat."
"Ruby-" Pyrrha made sure to emphasized that brat's name as Weiss so kindly put it. "-is just as skilled as anyone of us. From what I've seen I have no reason to think she needs to be accommodated. I imagine the headmaster thought the same. He is the only one with the authority to approve a student attending Beacon early."
Weiss clicked her tongue but conceded the point. "It isn't only a matter of her capabilities. She's clearly too immature to be trusted out on the field. Her reckless behavior has caused plenty of trouble and will only continue to do so."
Pyrrha was willing to admit that there was some truth there. When it came to combat Ruby adopted a do first, think later approach. Combined with her semblance that usually met she was the first to enter combat, taking down two to three Grimm before others realized what was going on. An effective approach for now but if they hadn't kept an eye on her she would've run herself down before night came. That and each of them had to be aware of her to some extent, Ruby's semblance liable to place her in their paths with how freely she employed it.
"She should be more aware now that she's working with others now, but I still don't believe Ruby has done anything to warrant the way you treat her." Pyrrha insisted. "Going out of your way to start an argument over every little thing she does isn't going to help any of us."
"I'm not-"
Beeps from both their scrolls cut off Weiss's protest.
"I'll go wake them." Pyrrha said as they both dismissed their respective timers. Weiss nodded, her thin frown betraying the dissatisfaction she was holding back.
Pyrrha allowed a sigh to slip free as she went deeper into the narrow tunnel. With how highly Weiss valued competence, Yin's own performance during the day having generally done away with her initial distrust of him, Pyrrha was sure Weiss would eventually warm-up to Ruby.
She could only hope that eventually came sooner rather than later.
Pyrrha made it into the single chamber of the cave and found herself smiling slightly.
Yin and Ruby sat beside one of the dimming glowsticks against the rocky walls. The former had his head pressed against the knee of his right leg. Ruby was beside him, her head having fallen onto his left shoulder, his weapon in her lap. Whatever sounds Yin might've been making were masked by Ruby's faint snores.
At least these two were getting along perfectly. Ruby was still a bit awkward around her and walking on eggshells around Weiss but she'd taken to Yin quickly. His laid back and reserved attitude had everything to do with it, Yin never batting an eye when Ruby did or said something that others would find weird.
She probably rambled on and on about his weapon before they ended up getting any sleep.
Pyrrha kneeled down gently tapping Ruby's shoulder.
She awoke with a groan silver eyes cracking open. "Pyrrha?"
"You two are up." Pyrrha said.
"Up? Oh right, our watch." Ruby blinked as she raised her head. A few blinks later and a faint dusting of red spread across her face. "I'll just, uh, meet him outside." Ruby threw together the words hastily, nearly jumping up and taking off towards the cave entrance. She gone out of the way to spare Ruby the embarrassment of Yin himself seeing that she had used him as a pillow and she still got so flush.
Ruby's awkwardness was matched only by how cute she could be.
"Thanks. I wasn't sure if I should wake her up." Yin suddenly said, head raising.
"Were you awake this whole time?" Pyrrha questioned, slightly startled. Despite seeing it once before she couldn't say she was used to how easy he made it look to pretend to be asleep.
He raised a hand, flicking the tip of one of his perked up wolfish ears before rolling his neck. "I heard you come in."
Of course. Those ears of his seemed to pick up on a lot.
…and they were fluffy. Really fluffy. Did they feel as soft as they looked?
Pyrrha quickly shut down that line of thought. It would take a total lack of social awareness for anyone to be dense enough to ask someone they'd known for only a day if they could touch their ears.
Yep. In the far flung future when they were friends she'd ask. Surely it wasn't that strange of a request between friends?
"Good luck getting any sleep in here." Yin said before rising up and following Ruby out of the cave.
Good luck indeed. Pyrrha could tell from the moment she took the spots they abandoned that she'd need every drop of luck to get to sleep. If she sat wrong rocks would press into all the worst places, leaving her uncomfortable. Even if she somehow found a good spot, a morning of sores and cramps were a given.
Ruby had no idea how lucky she'd been. Yin's shoulder would've been real useful right about now.