The Coming Rain
Remnantian Year 875
“Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark, you performed admirably during initiation and managed to retrieve the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you four shall work together as Team Cardinal, led by…” Ozpin paused for a moment on the stage as he allowed some slight tension to build up for the surprise, “Cardin Winchester!”
“Of course a Winchester gets to be a leader,” Yang grumbled to herself from where the rest of the students waited patiently for their turn on the stage. Well most of them seemed patient, Ruby was anxiously tapping her feet on the floor as Nora jumped up and down in anticipation.
“What’s wrong with a Winchester?” Jaune asked in confusion and Yang just shook her head and sighed, not answering the question. Ren decided to answer instead of the blonde.
“The Winchester family has been the biggest advocates against faunus rights in Vale. They had singlehandedly pushed back the faunus voting rights bill by years before it passed,” Ren explained and Jaune let out a small sound of realization as Ren walked away to the stage, alongside Nora, Blake and Yang.
“Blake Belladonna, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you exhibited teamwork and cooperation prominently during initiation and managed to retrieve the black rook pieces. From this day forward, the four of you shall work together as Team Burgundy, led by… Blake Belladonna,” Ozpin revealed and Blake’s eyes widened in shock as her teammates cheered her on, with Yang being the loudest.
“Huh?!” Blake stood in confusion as the situation hit her and Yang and Nora lifted the bookworm up.
“Blake! Blake!” The two girls chanted as Blake tried to wriggle free, but could not. Ren just chuckled quietly as the team made their way off the stage.
“Why choose me? There’s no way he doesn’t know my past. He’s worked with dad before!” Blake questioned in her head, trying to deduce the reasoning, but for the moment let herself relax, “Remember what Ilia said. Don’t overthink things all the time, else I’ll get overwhelmed… I miss her a lot.”
“Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc, Weiss Schnee and Pyrrha Nikkos. The four of you exhibited strength and togetherness as you made your way through the forest and retrieved the black knight pieces. From this day onward, the four of you shall come together and work as Team Rain, led by…” Ozpin let a small smile grace his face at the four students who he knew would accomplish great things together, “Ruby Rose.”
“Huh?!” Ruby and Weiss both gasped in shock and surprise as Jaune pat Ruby on the back, a smile gracing his face.
“Why me?” Ruby wondered, the line of thought being the only thing keeping her from growing too overwhelmed. She really did hope her headphones got here soon. Ozpin turned away from the mic for a moment and turned to Ruby and gave a small nod, before waving them off the stage. Ruby did so reluctantly, wishing she could ask her question.
“Thank you students, both new and old, for gathering here for this new year. Our newest teams have just formed and I hope you do your best to lift them up as your upperclassmen did for you. Sadly though, this year I only had five teams to present to you as… three alpha grimm attacked during initiation. These creatures were only taken down through teamwork and strategy from members of Team Cardinal, Rain and Burgundy. Tomorrow, Professors Oobleck and Goodwitch will be taking fourth years and above to survey the forest, to make sure no more alpha grimm surprises await our younger years. Your regular schedules will begin the day after that. Second years, do not forget to give Professor Port your essays he assigned to you at the end of the last semester by tomorrow evening. Also, sixth years, your apprenticeships with Mistrali huntsmen are set to begin at the end of next month, so make sure to buy the supplies you need for that and make repairs to your weapons. Lastly, we shall be holding the public funeral for our lost initiation students tomorrow following your final classes. It is not mandatory, though I encourage attendance to memorialize the fallen of your age. That will be all for announcements. Team Coffee will show the first year students to their dorms, where your luggage will be already delivered. Classes begin at 10 am tomorrow, so make sure to rest well and if you need to discuss any events today with anyone, Professor Peach is a licensed therapist. Your mental health is very important, remember that. Negativity draws in grimm after all. Dismissed,” Ozpin finished his announcement with a tap of his cane and he walked away from the stage, not wasting a second as he left the room for his office, mentally bracing himself for a tiring meeting.
“Alpha grimm?! At initiation?! What the fuck Ozpin!?” Raven screamed at the man at the other side of the table from her, red eyes burning with rage, “My daughters were there. You better be glad that Qrow already told me they survived and even killed two of those damned things!”
“Rae, if you could please calm down,” A holographic form of Tai sighed, “Let Oz finish the information first. Then I’ll join you in ripping him a new one.”
“Why exactly was a full circle meeting called, Ozpin? It’s been just a few months since our last one when Amber was attacked?” Another holographic form questioned, this time being of the headmaster of Atlas Academy, General Ironwood.
“Because of the alpha grimm, James,” Glynda spoke up from her spot in the office, looking like she was already fighting a headache, “Three alphas at an initiation. Killed all but twenty students. If it was a normal cleanup of the forest, with fourth years, or even third years, I’d accept that a team would find an alpha. Salem always sends some to try to test our defenses. But our staff here at Beacon is very thorough on removing those from the area for new students. So this occurring during initiation is very unexpected. You can not say that this is not abnormal.”
“She’s right and you know it James,” A third hologram spoke up, this time of the headmaster of Shade Academy in Vacuo, Theodore, “We’re already on the back foot with Salem, with her stealing power from a maiden and constantly testing our limited defenses, we need to get some momentum back for our side of this war.”
“Perhaps, we would get it if Miss Branwen would inform us about the Spring Maiden she’s been hiding from us,” The hologram form of Leonhart, the Headmaster of Haven Academy, “Like we have been asking about since she went into hiding.”
“Leo I swear to the brothers and maidens, this is not the fucking time,” Qrow snapped as he finished downing a swig from his flask, “We argue that every meeting. Put a sock in it for now.”
“And she’ll stay hidden. The only one here that I trust her with is Qrow. My brother is the only reason I even help this circus anyways,” Raven barked back at Leonhart, who just frowned in response.
“A circus would be more organized,” Saphron snarked from her hologram, looking bored as she yawned and sat down on a chair where she was. Which looked a bit awkward as a scroll call could only display people, not their objects nearby, so she looked like she sat on nothing to the others.
“Even if we are a circus, we need to stay on topic here,” Ozpin slammed his hands down on the desk, demanding their attention, “Salem is making a play in Vale. We need solutions quickly.”
“And Jimmy, if you even bring up occupying our country, come up with a better solution. For all we know, Salem has a tech wizard who could hack your toasters.” Qrow pointed out and Ironwood just pinched his forehead in frustration.
“My only other currently available options to help would be the Ace Operatives, who are my major defense for Mantle and Atlas, and Project P.E.N.N.Y, which is still dealing with some… fine tuning,” Ironwood growled out and Qrow’s eyes narrowed at this but it was Ozpin who spoke up.
“And I told you to scrap the project in the first place!” Ozpin angrily retorted, now standing at his desk, “And that aside, Miss Penny would still be young and from my sources, is basically a teenager. I’m not forcing the weight of the world on someone so young.”
“Yet that did not stop you from including Summer at age 16, didn’t it?” A new voice retorted and the holographic form of Ghira Belladonna, standing alongside his wife in Kali, formed amidst the grouping, “And what’s this I have heard about my daughter becoming a team leader? The last I knew, she was still in the White Fang. Now she’s becoming a huntress?”
“A topic for another time, my friend,” Ozpin raised his hands to appease the giant chieftain, “Now, I have an idea in mind to get the upper hand. James, I don’t suppose you would be able to get in contact with a Maria Calavera for me, if possible. I believe she could be beneficial to finding solutions for our current predicament.”
“So uh… wanna set up our room now or tomorrow?” Ruby awkwardly asked as she scanned her eyes across the room at her teammates. Weiss sat with a bored expression on the bottom bunk across from her, Pyrrha fidgeted with a butterfly knife (why did Uncle Qrow never get her one of those, they seemed cool, if a bit archaic), and Jaune just groaned into his pillow.
“Too tired, need sleep,” Jaune yawned and Weiss just rolled her eyes in response.
“You didn’t even expend half your aura today. You have no room to complain,” Weiss snipped at her new teammate and Jaune just threw his hands up.
“I barely know what aura is. My sister forgot to unlock it, and I’m lucky Professor Ozpin did,” Jaune snapped back, not even caring about revealing how behind he’d be.
“That… is very irresponsible of your sister,” Weiss states with a sad look on her face and Ruby frowns, wondering why Weiss looked sad when she said that. Did she have a mean sister?
“Yeah, probably. But Saphron was the only reason I even had any training at all. My parents did not want me to train at all,” Jaune responded with a sigh and Weiss’s shoulders tensed as she nodded.
“I can understand having troubles with parents well enough,” Weiss nervously added and Pyrrha bit her lip to keep her from adding in her agreement, her father’s words echoing through her ears as always.
“We should probably sleep soon. Better than be exhausted for our first day of classes,” Pyrrha suggested to break out of those thoughts and the room muttered their agreements out and Ruby shrugged and reached from her bed to flick the lightswitch off, ready to join her team in their rest after their exhausting day. As she fell asleep, she thought of her new teammates and her sister, feeling hopeful at finally becoming a huntress.