Initiation, Part One

It's not the fall that kills you. Famous last words, Markus mused as he fell through the air. He had heard that the initiation at Lantern Academy was brutal, but he hadn't expected to be thrown from a helijet into the air above a canyon. As the air currents buffered him, Markus heard small cracks as he fell. Looking below him, he say small flashes in the canyon, other would-be Hunters and Huntresses using their weapons or Aura to arrest their fall. Markus then looked at the approaching canyon top and realized that he was running out of height, fast.

Can't use Romulus. Too heavy, especially with Remus. Hmm... Markus then was buffeted by a rather strong current as he fell below the canyon lip, sending him on a collision course with the canyon wall. Well, that works. Twisting his body, he pulled his greatshield from his back, before quickly and hastily tying one of his jacket's tails to it's grip, before hooking his foot under it's compacted lip. He then twisted his body so the greatshield was toward the canyon wall, pulled his beloved Romulus from his back and gave the greatshield a pat and the sword a kiss.

I love you both, but this is gonna hurt. He then focused and bolstered his Aura to full strength, and braced himself for impact.

The first time he hit the wall hurt. Even through the thick metal of Remus, and his Aura, Markus immediately knew that he would have, at the very least, bruises. The second impact hurt less so, whether because it wasn't as violent, or his mind simply ignoring. The third time Markus gripped the hilt of his beloved Romulus in both hands with as much strength as he could, prayed to the spirits of luck, and rammed the blade into the canyon wall. The immediate and sudden jolt nearly ripped his arms out of their sockets, if not off completely. But he, and his Aura, held, and Markus felt his descent slow, before coming to a stop completely, hanging a good 20 feet above the treeline. He then sighed and released one hand from his sword's hilt and patted his greatshield.

"Good boys," he muttered, before untying the knot connecting his greatshield to his now rather stretched jacket tail, grabbing it before it fell and returning it to it's place on his back. He then felt Romulus shift, and looked up to see the sword slipping. Well shit. Markus quickly looked around him, searching for something to leap to. Spotting a tree below him, he growled softly. This'll either kill me, or save me. He then wrenched the sword out from the canyon wall at the same time as pushing himself off, before falling into the trees below.

Snap. Crash. Thud. Bang. Markus fell, hitting quite a few branches on the way down. Just when he thought his Aura couldn't handle much more, he finally landed, painfully, on solid ground. Groaning as he pushed himself up, he quickly rolled to the side and, in one practiced motion, switched Romulus to it's ranged form and swept it up so it was resting on his arm, ready to fire at anything that moved. He waited, listening, watching, panning his massive weapon around him. Satisfied that a Grimm wasn't about to introduce him to the concept of death, Markus finally stood and stretched his sore everything. After indulging his aching body for a few moments, Markus looked around and took in his surroundings. The forest he stood in wasn't as large as he had expected, or as thick. The fairly well spaced trees in fact have rather large and expansive branches that interlinked and weaved with the branches of other trees, giving the illusion, from above, that it was densely packed. Turning, Markus say the canyon slope upwards into the wall he was so very intimate with a short while ago. Following it to his left, he saw that it carried on into the distance. Headmaster Nort said that there were two temples, one at each end. May as well follow the wall. I'll reach the end eventually. Shrugging Remus from his back, he threaded his arm through the grip and shouldered Romulus, before beginning his slow trudge through the forest.

Markus made steady, if not slow, progress. The sound of the helijet had long since faded, as had the sound of other student's weapons, Auras and cries of excitement and/or terror. Walking alone, in silence, the only sound the thump of his feet and the gentle clink of his armor shifting as he walked. Just the way I like it, he thought with a small smile. He then stopped as he heard a sound in the distance. A small cry, followed by several gunshots. Another student. Markus stopped, looking towards where the sound was coming from. If nothing else, I should go and help them, if they need it. Markus then shifted the weight of his greatshield and broke into a run, moving towards where the gunfire was originating.

Markus ran past a tree and into a sunlit clearing. The blast of sunlight blinded him for a moment, until he brought his shield up, blocking some of the harsh light. Scanning the clearing quickly, he saw a few smaller Grimm, Beowolves either dead or dying, scattered around. Further ahead, he saw more Grimm, Beowolves and an Ursa, converging on the source of the gunfire: Another student clad in navy blue, firing rather bulky looking pistols as fast as she could work the triggers. Gritting his teeth, Markus pushed Romulus into ranged form, before charging forward with a wordless cry. Both student and Grimm turned to look at him as he rushed forward, the girl taking the chance to dump her magazines and insert fresh ones. Then, she resumed firing as Markus inserted Romulus into it's niche on Remus and opened fire. The booming thunder of the Dust fueled shotgun drowned out the girl's pistol weapons, which Markus noted, in a rather distinct manner, seemed to have axe blades as sights. But then a Beowolf leaped at him and the world around him disappeared, replaced by the clash of bone claw on steel shield. Markus dug his heels in as the creature slammed a clawed paw against Remus, the blow making him shift backwards. He then pushed the creature back, blasted it with Romulus, disengaged the sword from its brother, smashed the shield into the creature before, with another cry, he reverted Romulus to it's melee form and separated the Beowolf's head from it's shoulders. Not wasting time on dramatics, Markus pushed past the creature's body, smashed aside a Beowolf with Remus, blasted another with Romulus and, with barely a moment to spare, tackled the girl to the ground as the Ursa swung a massive paw at her, knocking her to the ground. Injured pride and bruises are preferable to loss of important limbs, Markus reasoned. He then looked down at the girl, only to see vivid green eyes staring back. Well then.

"Markus Serryvolk," he said bluntly. The girl nodded.

"Nikita Bleumari," she replied. Nikita then wiped up her weapons and pulled the triggers, blasting a Beowolf above them. Markus took the hint and rolled off of her, before whipping his greatshield violently and smashing aside another Grimm.

"Five Beowolves and an Ursa," he said. He heard gunfire and a screeching cry. "Four Beowolves." He then felt something press against his back, and instantly he felt... Something. Safer? Protected?... Pack? He didn't have time to muse, as he watched the remaining Beowolves circle around them. He heard a pair of faint snaps, and tilted his head to see Nikita now holding a pair of rather vicious looking axes.

"What's wrong? You scared?" she asked, twilling the axes in her hands. Markus chuckled, before shouldering Romulus and bringing Remus in front of him.

"Hardly. Wondering just how unfair this is for them," he replied softly. Nikita gave a sharp laugh.

"Let's find out then!" She then gave a cry, jumped onto Markus' shoulders and, using him as a springboard, leaped at a Beowolf. Okay. I like this girl. Markus then gave his own battlecry and charged forward, introducing a Beowolf to Remus in a rather violent way.

The battle was short, vicious, and completely in the pair's favour. Markus had blasted one Beowolf with Romulus, before smashing Remus' edge down on the neck of the one already grounded, generating a sickening crack. He then heard a cry of "Wolf!" and he immediately brought his shield up and shuddered as a thundering blow broke across it. A frustrated roar from the Usra morphed into pain as Markus felt another, small blow on the shield, followed by several gunshots, before a red liquid dripped from the edges of Remus. The Ursa staggered backwards, minus one paw, as Nikita slid off the other side and landed beside him. Glancing to the side, Markus saw two more Grimm corpses, their necks and chests brutally hacked apart. Flicking Romulus to ranged form, he levelled the weapon at the Ursa and fired two thundering shots. At the close range they were at, the shots torn through the beast's knees, rendering it unsteady. Markus then charged forward and with a rather loud cry slammed Remus into the beast, sending it toppling over. He then twisted his body as Nikita jumped over him, before launching her upwards. He then continued turning, firing Romulus' Dust mechanism as he turned, superheating the edge of the blade as the vented dust ran along it. He then used the momentum of the twist to drive Romulus downwards into the beast's belly, searing it's flesh as he drove the blade into the Ursa. The cry of pain it gave was silenced a moment later as Nikita landed on it's skull, axes first. And then the battle was over.

Markus wrenched Romulus from the Ursa's corpse, cringing in disgust at all the blood staining the blade. Don't worry Brothers, I'll clean you later. He then returned Romulus to it's magnetic clip on his back and wandered to Nikita, who was struggling to free one of her axes from the Ursa's bone-like mask. Reaching past her, Markus gave the axe two quick tugs, before wrenching the weapon out on the third. He then offered the weapon to the girl.

"Thanks," Nikita said,accepting the weapon from him and standing, looking down at her, Markus realized that he towered her, relatively speaking.

"No problem. Partner," he said. Nikita paused and looked at him. After a few moments, she grinned and extended a hand.

"I guess we did match gazes during that," she said. Markus nodded, taking her hand and beginning surprised by the strength of her grip as they shook. "Oh come on Wolfboy, I'm not gonna break." Markus shook his head, smiling softly, before pausing.

"Wait. How did you-" Markus was cut off Nikita jumping over him and landing on his shoulders, her legs hooking around his neck gently, prompting a rather surprised Markus to bring a hand up to make sure she wasn't going to choke him.

"Your eyes. And... Ahah!" Her quick search was reward as she patted down Markus' rather messy mane of hair, revealing two fur covered wolf ears, the same dark grey colour as his hair. The pair twitched as they were uncovered. "These, are not as well hidden as you think." Satisfied, Nikita unfolded her legs and allowed herself to fall from Markus' shoulders, landing on her hands before twisting and standing on her feet once more. Then, her face lost some of it's latent glee.

"Why were they hidden?" She asked. Markus shrugged.

"I've been called monster more then once. Freak, more then that. Didn't want anyone freaking out on my account," he said softly. Nikita chuckled, her hands resting on her hips.

"You sound like a puppy. A big, strong, lost puppy. Besides, I like them. Suit you," she said. Markus felt his cheeks warming at the praise, and quickly moved to divert the conversation.

"So. Temple?" he asked. Nikita nodded, looking around.

"I saw it as I was coming down. I think it was... Ah! That way," she said, pointing to her right. Looking, Markus saw nothing but trees in the distance. Hopefully she's right. I was too focused on not becoming abstract art to see where they were.

"If we follow the wall of the canyon, we'll find it eventually," he said, pulling Romulus from his back and clicking the weapon into ranged mode, before pulling on the hilt, pulling it out and exposing the weapon's chamber. One shell left, partly used. May as well eject it. He popped the remaining shell out, before reaching for his belt pouch and pulling out four more shells.

"Good point. Lead on, Wolfboy?" Nikita asked, grinning. Markus chuckled, pushing Romulus' chamber back into place and priming the weapon once more.

"Naturally," he replied, before shouldering the greatsword and walking in the direction she had pointed, the girl clad in navy blue following behind him. Nice to know she's got my back. Better knowing I got hers.

A/N: First attempt at a RWBY fanfiction, following my golden rule of AVOID THE CANON STORYLINE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. Hope you enjoy :D

Notes: Markus: Profile can be found at r/RWBYOC/comments/1rz81w/needing_some_critique_on_an_oc (link typed as such cause last time I check, FF do not likey linkz. His last name is a bastardization of the english spellings of the russain words for Gray and Wolf.

Nikita: If she comes across flat, it's because she's not a fully realized character yet. I took the concept of 'Dual axe wielding Nord chick' and ran with it. Her last name is a bastardization of the French words for blue and navy.