Welcome back! So this is the Initiation chapter! Never thought I'd get this far! Thank you! Also, thank you for 2 freaking reviews! And thank you for anybody new joining us! Welcome to chapter 5!

Important! There's a section on the problem with Rem and Pairings down below. I hope you pay attention to this.

In the World of Remnant, there are many professions that the people of the world could choose from. Anybody, with the right set of skills of course, can choose from a wide arrange of choices. From being a Janitor, to a cop, a electrician or even a corporate manager. The possibilities were limitless. Each and every job had a purpose, some more than others, and others practically being a waste of time. Probably one of the most important professions, however, had to be that of a Huntsmen.

Huntsmen- a simple word, but it held unbound significance to the denizens of Remnant. Not only for who they were, but for the sacrifice they gave to Remnant as a whole. The lives that were lost each day, combating an evil that was made not of reason, but insanity. The Huntsmen who risk their very lives to hold back the tide of despair that threatened to chip away at the walls of light. Their hands holding the torch of hope, while continually stepping over their fallen.

Huntsmen- The last hope for Mankind and Faunus alike. A beacon for the ships to follow. Warrior of light, fighting the never ending war against darkness. The pinnacle of maturity and respect. The perfect role models children should look up to.

Yet Huntsmen are not born, but made. Raised and trained to be warriors, their existence a mere existence a weapon against Grimm. Their life, sacred and harsh, are wrought with strife. It is not an easy task to be a Huntsmen, but those above will do anything in their power to see that they're used as the perfect pawns, always striving for the perfect end for themselves.

Ozpin, you will one day realize how useless your attempts to thwart me are, and when you do, I will gladly watch you burn.

Vale

Beacon Academy

Math Class

"When will this class e~nd!" Ruby quietly groaned as she slammed her head on the desk, a banging sound emitting from where she sat. The whole class looked at her curiously, before going back to their business. This was a ever growing normality within Beacon, specifically for those who knew one Ruby Rose. While the younger Hunter was especially skilled in combat, this didn't transition as well into education. While Ruby was known for her above average combat abilities, she was also know for her average to below average test scores. In her defense, growing up she believed that she didn't need to know the history of Remnant or any complicated math to cut a Grimm's head off, but what did she know? 'It isn't like I'm going to be calculating how many Grimm it takes just to clear a village… wait, will I!?'

"You should really pay more attention to the lecture, Ruby." Weiss said, the heiress poking Ruby's cheek with her pencil. Ruby pouted, not bothering to push the offending pencil away. "You may not know it, but one day these formulas are sure to help you in life, especially in life."

"No, I need to practice with my scythe if I want to be successful in life." Ruby replied, pushing the pencil out of her face. Sitting up, she leaned on her hands. "I'm not going to be a heiress of some fancy company, I'm going to be a Huntress that travels the world! Killing Grimm and rescuing damsels in distress… or something!"

"And every Hunter needs to have proper education. You are our team leader, and I won't settle with such a mediocre teammate holding the reins. Especially the leader herself."

"Says the girl who didn't know the difference between White Bread and Whole Grain!" Ruby teased, drawing out a small blush from Weiss.

"That has nothing to do with your lack of education!" Weiss said, trying to avoid the mishap in information the day prior. "A Huntsmen needs to be elegant, refined, and intelligent, and I'm afraid you lack all of those qualities!"

"Hey! I'm plenty elegant! I'll have you know, I was the main character in a play we had at my old school! I was told I was beautiful and elegant and all that stuff by the audience!" Ruby defended, a light blush to her cheek. Weiss smiled wryly.

"Oh, and who was the audience? Yang?" Weiss teased, causing the young Rose to blush even more. It was uncharacteristic of Weiss to openly tease anyone, but due to her close relationship with Ruby, she was an exception. Weiss normally just stuck with insults, such as 'Dolt' 'Rube' or 'Vazey.'

"And my Dad!" Ruby defended as her cheeks grew red. Weiss smile seemed to widen with unkempt joy at Ruby's flustered expression. As if called, Yang Xiao Long felt her hairs stand up, leaning into the duo's conversation.

"Oh! She was so cute!" Yang whispered, jumping in on the conversation. "When Ruby was young, she still had the cloak she is wearing right now, and it didn't fit her at all! She never took it off either, so when she was on stage, she couldn't stop waddling everywhere because she was scared she would trip!"

"Yang!" Ruby whispered louder, trying to get the older sister to stop talking of the past. Weiss smiled wider, enjoying where this was going.

"Oh! Oh! I think I still have some pictures on my scroll!" Yang whispered excitedly, reaching into her skirt pocket. Pulling it out, she opened it up, going to the gallery. She would have continued if Ruby hadn't ripped it out of her hands, much to the shock of Yang. "Hey! What're you doing!"

"I'm not letting anyone see those pictures!" Ruby said, flipping through the scroll, aiming to delete the childhood pictures. Frantic, Yang leaped onto Ruby, wrestling over the scroll. "Hey! Watch the face! Watch the face!"

"I'm not letting you delete those photos!" Yang yelled, pulling the scroll out of Ruby's hand, her superior strength showing through. "They're the only copy I have and it's too precious to just delete them!"

"Just ask Dad for them then! You know he has , like, a million copies!" Ruby yelled back, both forgetting they were in the middle of class. Weiss hid her face behind her book, ready for what was to come. "You better not show anybody either!"

"Or what!?" Yang smirked, punching her open palm. "You know you can't do anything to stop me!"

Before they could continue however, two chalk sticks made their way to Yang and Ruby's head, knocking them back. The Blank face of the math teacher held a glare that could only be worn by the devil himself. Both sisters shuddered under her glare, before sitting down in their respective seats. A snort made itself known, before another piece of chalk hit Nora in the forehead, knocking her out cold, impressing Ren. Silence overtook the classroom, no one speaking save for The teacher, her lecture continuing like always.

Tick

Tock

Tick

Tock

And with another loud bang, Ruby Rose slammed her head on the desk, a groan escaping her mouth. Once again, everyone gave her a look, some in annoyance, some in amusement, but all ignored her as they went back to listen to the lecture.

"When will this torment end!?"

Vale

Beacon Academy

Halls of Beacon

"I'm not sure if I fully agree with you taking in students so late in the year, Ozpin." Glynda Goodwitch admitted, as they walked through the Halls of the school, light shining and hiding as the Windows came and went. The tap of a cane and heels echoed through the hall, the owners smile never leaving his face.

"And why would that be? Is it because of the possibility that he would be left behind his peers? If that's the case, I can assure you that he will be anything but behind. He has impressed two of our Academies students, and he willingly wishes to join our school to increase his abilities. I don't see why we should avoid such a promising young man a future as a Hunter."

"You know full well why I am against this, Ozpin." Glynda spoke, an edge of danger to her voice. As they exited the building they were in, light hit their faces, momentarily blinding them. Ozpin stopped, a thoughtful face marrying his features, before he continued with his walk, his smile back.

"So it has to do with his Religion?" Ozpin asked, already knowing the answer. Of course, he had his own worries and doubts on the matter too, but his actions thus far had lead him to hold some faith in the Magic User.

"Of course!" Glynda's voice raised a little, her feelings on the matter showing through. "The boy worships The Witch if Envy! That should be enough reason to do… something with him! Not accept him into Beacon Academy!"

"That's where I have to disagree, Glynda. If the boy is indeed to be a Cult member, then we must keep a close eye on him. This is our chance to understand these radicals, and if possible, show them the error in their ways." Ozpin smiled wider, a smile that didn't comfort Glynda one bit. "Besides, he didn't just claim to be a Cult member, but also an Archbishop."

"What!?" Glynda all but shouted. Everyone who knew that The World Above was a Reality, knew of the Witch Cult. More than that, they knew of the Archbishops that served The Witch Cult. The most vile, mentally unstable, and disgusting beings to grace the world. "Ozpin, you can't possibly be thinking of allowing such a dangerous person into Beacon! It's already a risk with him being a Cult member, but an Archbishop!? I can't allow this to continue!"

"Fear not, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin said, a reassuring smile that Glynda couldn't help but doubt. "I already have a plan to detain, and if necessary, eliminate such a threat. I didn't make this decision based on a gut feeling; this has been all planned out and will proceed as I see fit."

Silence followed that declaration, as Glynda and Ozpin continued their trek, none speaking. For Ozpin, allowing his secretary to consider his decisions, and for Glynda a chance to think of the absurdity of such a decision. It was widely known that the Witch Cult were a detestable and unpredictable group that actively killed whatever was in their path, and to even consider one joining the school was worrisome. If the Archbishop decided that he wanted to kill a majority of the students at Beacon, he could very well do that.

Glynda didn't fear for the school or its property. That can easily be fixed and replaced. Fixing and replacing the deceased bodies of Team RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, and CRDL however? It was impossible. Glynda had seen enough death and destruction for a lifetime of torment; seeing the future Huntsmen and Huntresses bodies sewn across the campus was something she hoped to never see. Yet that may very well become a reality if the Archbishop were to be allowed to roam free within the Campus.

To Glynda Goodwitch, the Archbishop was a ticking time bomb waiting to be set off. With a weary sigh, she hardened her gaze and made her decision. As soon as the Archbishop did anything out of place, she would crush his very being. If this was against Ozpin's orders, or lead to her being thrown in jail, then so be it. The lives of the students were more precious than her own sinful being.

"Why do you put so much faith in this criminal, Ozpin?" Glynda asked, her voice held no warmth, only her intentions. Ozpin's smile faded, replaced by a blank face. His mind recalling the reason he made such a rash decision.

"Why did I?" Ozpin asked, not Glynda, but himself. He knew the reason, but he feared to speak it. For if he did, he would be admitting something that had been itching at the back of his mind for the last year. Something that could lead to his defeat. With a heavy heart, he swallowed this fear; deciding to face the music.

"I am afraid to make mistakes, Glynda. You know this." Ozpin stated, his voice heavy with regret. "I have done my best, for all my life, to make sure that Remnant was a home for Humans and Faunus alike. That when the time comes, Remnants species would come and fight alongside one another, like the days of old. Yet as time moves forward, my fear that we will be separated has slowly become a reality. The White Fang, and The Black Fang, two sides of the same coin killing each other mercilessly because they wish to protect their families. Our Kingdoms, instead of United, stand against each other, sending silent threats to one another rather than fighting next to each other. Criminals and Cops, an endless cycle of murder, robbery and violence.

"No matter how the times change, it's always the same. The wars, the meaningless battles over land and senseless killings between what should be friends, yet instead are enemies. Vacuo, and Mantle, polar opposites killed each other for no other reason than Mantle wanting their land. Vacuo was torn asunder while Mantle profited from the Dust that such a tropic had held. Mistral, the crown Jewel when it came to wealth, split it's citizens into Rich and Poor, with its quite literal underground being the birthplace for most Criminals now days. Even Vale, the Kingdom in which I run, is being robbed of its necessities in order to live by Roman Torchwick."

"I'm sorry Ozpin, but where are you going with this?" Glynda interrupted, not following his train of thought. How did all this catastrophe connect to one Archbishop? A being that wasn't even from Remnant to begin with. Ozpin stopped, the Fountain of one of the first Huntsmen showering the area with mist. Glynda watched, as the Headmaster gave a sad sigh, before turning, looking her in the eyes.

"What I'm trying to say is, I'm afraid I have failed. I have failed to suppress the racist agendas of both the White and Black Fang. I have failed to help those of Mistral and Vacuo, and instead focused solely on Vale. I have failed to put an end to Salem and her forces. Finally, and most importantly, I have failed to keep this world intact."

Once again, silence reined supreme. It was not for the lack of words from Glynda, but of the sheer shock of what Ozpin had just said. From the moment Glynda had met the man, Ozpin had been nothing but optimistic and true to his cause. The words that he had spoken now however, were such a complete polar opposite that she was doubtful that this was even him, just a imposter wearing his skin. Yet as she looked at that sad smile that seemed to reach his eyes, she could tell it was really him. No one could ever have that sort of will in their hearts, not even Ironwood. Glynda bit the inside of her cheek, frustration taking over her body.

"So you see, I have to-" Ozpin was interrupted by a sharp sting on his face, his head recoiling from the force of the slap Glynda just gave. Eyes wide, he turned his head to his secretary, shock running across his features. "Glynda-"

"Shut up, Ozpin." Glynda commanded, further surprising the Headmaster. Goodwitch had never commanded anything of him, much less used profanity, no matter how minor. With sharp eyes, Glynda stared down her boss. "I have had enough of your whining. I have spent the majority of my life working, day in and day out, to make this world a better place. I have done all in my power to keep those within the Kingdoms, especially the students, safe. I have even done my fair share of dirty jobs to do so, and I have reason to believe that this world is a better place for it. However, when my boss, my comrade and friend, tells me that we have practically amounted to nothing, do you know how that feels?"

"Glynda, that's not what I me-"

"That's not what you meant!?" Glynda all but yelled, silencing the Headmaster. "You said that we haven't stopped the racist agendas of Black and White, when in reality their forces are at an all time low! You said we haven't helped Mistral and Vacuo, when in reality Mistral's population seems to be profiting, whether their from the bottom or the top! Vacuo is no different; their people value strength and comradery more than ever because you put a stop to Atlas' assault! Of course you failed to put an end to Salem! You didn't have the comrades you do now! Back then it was you verses all of Grimm! Now you have Qrow and the other scouts, Ironwood and the other Headmasters, and me and the other Professors!" Glynda panted, running out of breath. Ozpin stared at her, at a loss of words. Straightening her back, Glynda looked him in the eyes, resolve pushing her forward. "You said that you've failed the world, correct? Let me tell you something- that is what Salem wants. She wants you to break, to give up hope. If you have already fallen to despair, then I will kill myself right here. There is no point in living if our… my leader has given up hope."

Ozpin stood at a loss of words. Glynda's speech replaying in his head like a broken record, each word engraving itself in his mind and soul. The pain and desperation hidden by the anger in her tone. The way her voice cracked, as did her face, when the mere thought of him giving up passed through her. Guilt gripped his heart when he realized that this wasn't just a fight for himself anymore, but the countless people of Remnant. Swallowing his guilt, he looked into Goodwitch's emerald eyes. A smile marred his face as the flame of hope flickered in his heart once more, lighting the century old bonfire once again.

"Glynda, I am sorry." Ozpin apologized, Glynda's stern look unmoving. "I have only been thinking of myself this whole time. My desire for this world's peace hasn't been pure, and that has been shown through my pessimistic view of this world. Not once have I thought of the feelings of those close to me, or the dreams of my friends. For that, I am sorry." Glynda watched, as he straightened his body, holding both hands over his cane. "However, thanks to you, I have seen the error in my ways. I see the Good that I- no, we have done for this world. That the actions we take, no matter how vile, have been for the singular goal of peace within Remnant. That, I can believe in my comrades, and that no matter what, we are taking strides to a better tomorrow." Ozpin looked at her gratefully. "That I know my trusted colleague will have my back if I ever fall into despair again. Thank you, Glynda Goodwitch."

Glynda didn't respond immediately, instead watching Ozpin's every movement. From his calm breathing, to the way his fingers twitched with nervousness. Her gaze softened ever so slightly, as a beautiful smile graced her lips. She was never able to stay mad at Ozpin for long.

"You're Welcome, Headmaster Ozpin." Glynda responded, letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding in. In all honesty, she was fully prepared to kill herself right then and there. The thought that all the actions she had taken in life being pointless would have been too much for her to bare. All the lives, detestable lives but lives nonetheless, she had taken being for naught sent a chill down her spine. Turning, Ozpin continued to the Landing platform, Glynda following close behind. "Now, about the Archbishop-"

"I haven't changed my mind on that, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin said, causing Glynda to stop before catching up to him.

"Ozpin, you can't be serious! Even after all I have said, and what you have admitted, you still wish to take such a tremendous risk!?" Glynda questioned, shocked at the stupidity of such a decision still crossing his mind, even after all this time

"Of course I'm serious. You never did let me finish what I was going to say, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin spoke over his shoulder, causing the mature woman to give him a questioning look. "Before, I wanted to do this for the sake of seeing if I can change an Archbishop's heart, to see if my actions had any significance in this world." Ozpin admitted, shaking his head. "However, my view on this has slightly changed. I will do this not in the hope he will change for some selfish reason, but to change him. To make him see the world in a brighter light; that it isn't just filled with betrayal and sadness. That is my goal."

"Ozpin, speaking freely, that is the most absurd reason to invite a national criminal of the World Above to Beacon." Glynda admitted, watching as Ozpin gave a haughty laugh and shook his head. "The more I talk to you, the more I think you've lost your mind."

"Perhaps your right, and I've lost my mind over my many years of life. If that's so, then you would need to take over my position as Headmaster." Ozpin spoke, causing Glynda to pale at the thought. "Or, of course, my hope has transcended the realms of sanity, with no hope of stopping."

"If that's the case, then I'd prefer the pessimistic you." Glynda joked with a small smile. Ozpin gave a small chuckle at this, before Glynda returned her stern look. "However, I have to ask once more, are you sure that we should be heading down this road? One small mistake like this could end the lives of at least half of the campus. The risk you are taking is tremendous, and there doesn't seem to be any profit from allowing such a man in this school."

"You're right, Ms. Goodwitch. This is a tremendous risk. However, I disagree that there is no profit to gain from this risk. If we are able persuade him, indirectly of course, he would be a tremendous force for us to use, even more so than Huntsmen. Not only for the fact that he is an Archbishop, but because he can give us insight on how the Cult operates. With this knowledge, don't you think it would be beneficial if we are able to track the Cults movements and attack them if needed?" Ozpin questioned as they stopped at the Landing platform. A Airship could be seen making its way over to the Landing platform; small in size, but large enough to fit at least twenty passengers. That same Airship held a Archbishop of the Witches Cult, Natsuki Subaru.

"I agree that would be beneficial, but I still stand with the notion that this is an extremely risky gamble." Goodwitch said, pushing up her glasses, watching as the Airship landed. "With that in mind, I am going to keep a constant eye on the Archbishop, and if I see an ounce of behavior that I deem suspicious, I'll kill him."

"I would expect no less from you, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin replied with a gentle smile. In his honest opinion, he would rather have Goodwitch hovering over the Archbishop as much as she can, than have him run completely free. The reality was that he was an Archbishop, a dangerous man, not a child that needed to be guided off the path of Evil. Ozpin recognized that, but he couldn't help but still see the man as a child; not in an insulting way, but in a maternal way. He saw all of his students as surrogate children, even if they weren't as perfect as others. His love for the beings of Remnant was endless, and could even reach beyond Remnant. From Rich, to poor. Human to Faunus. Good or Bad. They were all his children, and if one of them were unwilling to see the light…

Ozpin would deal with them personally.

With a hiss, the door to the aircraft budged, cracking open slightly. Glynda watched with a glare that could rival the Devils, as the door slowly opened, prepared to use her Semblance to destroy the head of the Archbishop if need be. Ozpin watched, ready to greet the Archbishop with the smile of a pastor, innocence practically radiating off him. With a thump, the sound of metal meeting ground echoed through the area, the old aircraft obviously showing its age(1). Another thump made itself known as the man stepped out of the craft, his boots making the door creak. However, instead of the black clothing Ozpin had expected, and evil gaze Glynda had prepared themselves for, both couldn't help their mouth drop at the sight of the man who greeted them.

"Oh, Ozpin and Ms. Goodwitch, what're you doing here?" Ironwood questioned, stepping off the old aircraft, his arms locked behind his back. "I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome. Not to be rude, but what's the occasion?"

"I'm sorry to be rude, General Ironwood, but we weren't expecting you." Ozpin said bluntly, calmly assessing the situation. "We were expecting a much different passenger. There wouldn't happen to be a boy clad in black onboard, correct?"

"I'm afraid not, Oz, and again, drop the formalities." Ironwood responded, glancing over his shoulder to look at the worn down aircraft. "Was there supposed to be a special guest on board?"

"Yes!" Glynda spoke loudly, startling Ironwood. She had every right to be acting out if character, as she had just went through a mirage of emotions because of this 'Special Guest.' "There was supposed to be a new… student taking the initiation test today!"

"Ah!" Ozpin spoke, realizing something. Both Ironwood and Glynda looked to the wizened man, who smiled sheepishly. "I may have forgotten to tell our new initiate how to get to Beacon itself."

Silence reined over the three Adults, as both Ironwood and Glynda stared at Ozpin, who calmly looked between the two. Ironwood, confused as to what was going on, and Glynda in shock of such a simple mistake. Shaking, Goodwitch slowly raised her hand, pushing up her glasses in frustration. Ozpin watched this, knowing she wouldn't do anything rash, but prepared to jump back just in case. The slap he had received earlier had made it past his Aura, and he definitely didn't want to experience that again.

"If he was not aboard the ship, then, pray tell, where is he?"

Vale

Forest Outside of Beacon

Before there were Airships, there were boats. Before their were boats, there were cars. Before there were cars, there were carriages. Before there were carriages, there was horses. Before there were horses, there were feet. The path of traveling has come a long way since the days of primitive technology, and it only ever seems to grow. The times change, along with the way travel works.

However, even then all forms of transportation followed a set path. From the Airships airwaves, to the cars cement roads. From a carriages dirt path to a horses cleared path. The last and final, was the humans path. From sidewalks, to obscure clearings that lead around a forest, all held an order for Sentient beings to follow that would lead them to safety.

Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but feel endangered.

With a huff, he nervously glanced around his surroundings, fearful for what laid beyond the shroud of leaves. His hands opened and closed, ready to deflect, and if needed, grasp any threat within his claws(2). Sweat covered his brow, as he waited nervously for the attack that was bound to come. The ruffle of leaves as the wind pushed and tugged causing him to jump, spinning and clawing at the sound with his claw. Yet nothing was there, save for a shredded tree, curtesy of Subaru.

With a shaky sigh, he continued on the path leading to Beacon Academy. Silently, he thanked Sun Wukong for showing him this path, yet cursed him at the same time for it. When Subaru had asked the Huntsmen how to get to the Academy, Sun had eagerly pointed it out. Sun had said there were multiple ways to Beacon, the most common being air, which Subaru had freaked out about for a good hour, but suggested following the path, as Subaru was new. Apparently new students weren't allowed to take the Airship, as it was a privilege given to those who had already spent a year within its curriculum.

The problem was that Subaru detested man made paths. Well, detest was an exaggeration. Subaru loved them for the simple fact that they lead to where you wanted to go, while at the same time not ruining your cloak. However, due to his time within the Cult, he had discovered a few facts to hate about paths. One being that bandits, two being the possibility of being called out as a Cultist, and three would be the way it left room for would be attackers. At least deep in the woods Subaru had no fear of that.

With a deep breath, he ignored the itching feeling to claw at whatever was behind him again. If he continued to do so, it would take an unnecessary amount of time to reach Beacon, and it had already taken long enough. If Subaru had to hazard a guess as to when he started walking, it had to be around 3 A.M. Subaru knew it was going to take a long time to reach Beacon, and the discomfort of sleeping on the street again wasn't a welcomed idea for Subaru. Stretching his legs, he rid them of the pain of walking for hours on end. A 'Tsk' made itself known as he glanced at the right side of him, cliffs of stone and grass as far as the eye can see(3)

In all honesty, Subaru hadn't expected such a beautiful sight from the cliffs of Vale. Sure, he knew that Vale had to be one of the most technologically advanced Kingdoms of Remnant, and that was something to get excited about, but having lived on the road most of his life, the cold concrete and steel buildings felt… off. With time, Subaru was sure he would grow to enjoy the city, but for now he loved the grass and stone of the wilderness more. Knowing that Vale wasn't all just concrete and steel like Gusteko brought a small amount of comfort to him.

The roar of an airship caught his attention. Stopping and looking in the direction of the ship, Subaru watched as it flew over his head and stopping around a minute later. He was about to question what it was doing, before it slowly descended out of his sight. Slowly, the gears in his head started turning, before he realized that that meant Beacon, or some form of civilization, was near.

All pain and fatigue Subaru had felt until now washed away as excitement and adrenaline pumped through his veins. With a start, he dashed across the path, achieving speeds a normal human could only dream of(4). Rocks and dirt threw themselves in the air as Subaru dashed, his torn cloak blowing in the wind. Blood pumped as he saw the light of the sun, marking the exit to the forest.

With push, Subaru flew out of the shrubbery, into a clearing of grass and light. Landing, he let himself drop to the ground, the hours of walking having taken a toll on his body. Thinking about it, running when he was already tired was a horrible idea. It was just that, knowing his salvation was so near sent him an urge to run. Subaru greedily took in mouthfuls of air, slowly calming down his ever beating heart.

Calmed down, Subaru got up, finally taking in his prize for the long trek he had to endure. What he saw practically made his mouth drop in amazement.

If he had to compare it to anything, it would be have to be the Capital of Lugnica, specifically the Castle. From where he stood, the Academy looked nothing of like it's name, but more of a Castle. Large buildings and towers lined it's exterior, a mixture of Black and Grey coloring it's walls compared to the Pure White of Lugnica's Castle. A tower stood proud and tall, reminding him of that one in that forsaken desert(5). A path that lead to and out of Beacon held on it a impressive statue.

A loud thump shook him out of his trance however. Glancing over, he turned just in time to see a man clad in white step out of the Aircraft from before, their thundering thumps being heard even this great of a distance. Curiously, the man greeted a well endowed blond woman and a very familiar Headmaster.

Internally, Subaru couldn't help but cringe. Ozpin was one of the rare few to have him visibly nervous, second being Reinhardt Van Astrea, Clind, and Cecilus. Adding a man who had barely know for a few minutes didn't bode well with him. At least with Reinhardt and Clind, he had known them for a good amount of time before feeling any fear, and Cecilus was just a monster who he never wished to have to go against. Ozpin, however? He seemed to be able to make the hairs on Subaru's neck stand with just a look. Whatever Ozpin had went through had done him good, that was to be sure. With a deep breath, he cleared himself of that fear. Now was not the time to think of such things.

Reaching into his Suit, he pulled out his Gospel once more, flipping to the last page of entry. Yet again, no words were written, save for The same verse as before. With a sigh, he closed it, putting it into his Suit. Subaru watched the trio some more, having to decide what to do, instead of relying on his Gospel.

Deciding there was no point in watching them, Subaru started his trek to them. It wasn't that long of a walk, a fact which Subaru was grateful for. He had enough with walking long distances just to get to point B from A to last a lifetime. While it did indeed gradually build his body to peak conditions, it was tiring to do it every other day. Sometimes, Subaru wished he could just jump great distances instead of running.

As Subaru drew closer, he could hear the conversation of the three Adults. Apparently there was supposed to be a Special Guest onboard, thus the Headmaster and his Secretary(?) Presence. Ignoring the plight of the three present, Subaru continued forward. He came to join Beacon, not eavesdrop on a meaningless conversation.

"-where is he?" Glynda asked, both Ozpin and Ironwood glancing at each other, sharing a silent conversation. Glynda wasn't one to take lightly when angered, as demonstrated countless times in the past. It didn't make it any easier that her Semblance was telekinesis. Their next set of words needed to be chosen carefully, for if not, then a good portion of the landing platform may need reconstruction.

"Greetings!" That was not the choice words that Ozpin or Ironwood had in mind. The three internally jumped, keeping their surprise in check by multiple years of practice. In sync, all three turned their heads to the new arrival, taking in his appearance.

What stood behind Ozpin was in no short of a boy. If Glynda had to guess, she would have to say he stood at a good 5'8 or 5'9, Black Boots more than likely elevated that height. His pants were a pitch black, Green lining the bottoms in horizontal marks. His shirt, which was more of a coat, was more or less the same; a white line surrounded by green and red vertical lines marked the middle, continuing all the way to his collar. A dark cloak hung over that, and unlike the rest of his apparel, orange was on the inside. A black necklace hung around his neck, going under his attire. His eyes were a hazel color, holding unkempt emotions within them. The shape gave them a sinister look, as well as the style of his hair. (6)

Without being told, Glynda could tell who this boy was. The one who she had been worried about since Ozpin had told her of his arrival. The one who was a leader of the most detestable group out there. A Archbishop of the Witch Cult. His outfit and over all feel fit the description perfectly.

"Oh? Subaru, you made it." Ozpin spoke, his voice cheery, hiding his surprise. There was no edge to it, greatly disappointing Glynda. "That is good to see, but may I ask, where did you come from?"

"Huh?" Subaru hummed, confused. Raising an eyebrow, the Archbishop pointed to the clearing behind him. "I took the pathway from Vale to Beacon, as I was shown by one of your students."

Both Glynda and Ozpin looked at him with surprise, while Ironwood smiled. Ironwood, pride that a student would take the difficult route to get to Beacon, while Glynda and Ozpin in shock that he would do that. The walk to Beacon was by no means easy, as it was mostly a constant uphill hike just to get in a forest that covered for miles around. Even Ozpin, the Headmaster of Beacon, would never personally take that walk… again.

"Well, I for one am proud one so young would choose to take that path." Ironwood said, confusing Subaru even more. Wasn't first years supposed to take that path? Why was there a choice? "It must say a lot of your character to willingly walk such a dangerous path, instead of taking an Airship."

"Wait, I could've taken an Airship?" Subaru questioned, his eyes wide. Didn't Sun say that only second through fourth years could take the Airship? Eyes widening even more, a realization came over him. 'He better not have…'

"Indeed, you may have taken a Airship, Subaru." Ozpin answered, causing Subaru's mouth to drop. "Actually, we had a personal Airship waiting for your arrival. My orders must have been too ambiguous, as General Ironwood seemed to take possession of the ship."

"I wasn't intending to take it, but I was offered by a crew member." Ironwood said, defending himself. "Besides, how was I supposed to know that a new initiate was being brought here today."

"Don't worry yourself about it, Ironwood." Glynda spoke, speaking before Ozpin could get a chance. "Even I found out about the initiation just today. Ozpin has been keeping his mouth tight once again."

"I already apologized for that, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin said, turning his head to the other two. "I just hadn't found the time in my schedule to mention it. I believe it doesn't matter anyways, as you know about it now, no?"

"Of course it matters, Ozpin!" Glynda spoke angrily, pushing up her glasses. "I am the one who needs to go and create a new student registration, and add him to the enrollment sheets. This isn't an easy process, and uses time that I could be using for something else."

"Oh, I'm sure it isn't that difficult, Ms. Goodwitch." Ozpin replied, brushing off her woes. Surprisingly, Ironwood stepped up, defending her.

"I'm afraid I'll have to take Glynda's side on this, Oz." Ironwood spoke, "Speaking from experience, it isn't as easy as it sounds. There must be multiple background and drug tests, and the families must sign a waver agreeing that they won't have the right to sue if their child dies during initiation. That's just the beginning of the woes of such a task."

"I'm sorry to interrupt." Subaru spoke up, getting over his shock. The three Huntsmen looked over to him, wordlessly giving him the go ahead to speak. "But I have just one question; All the walking I did, it was useless? I could have just easily taken an Airship to get here?" At the nod from Ozpin, Subaru turned his head away from the group, whispering to himself. "I'm going to kill you, Sun."

Unseen by Subaru, Glynda's hand went for her wand, ready to restrain Subaru. With a reassuring glance from Ozpin however, Glynda begrudgingly restrained herself. As much as she wished to throw the Archbishop off the cliff, she had no reason to as of yet. The words he spoke under his breath only made the temptation all the more painful.

"There is no use in worrying about what has happened, as there is no changing the past. As for now, allow me to introduce you to each other." Ozpin spoke, motioning to Glynda. "Subaru, this is Glynda Goodwitch, a teacher I hope you recognize as your own if you pass the initiation." Next he motioned to Ironwood. "Next to her is General Ironwood, Headmaster of Atlas Academy. He may be your boss if you decide to proceed as an Huntsmen." Finally, Ozpin motioned to Subaru. "Finally, this is Natsuki Subaru, our new Initiate and Archbishop of his Church. He wishes to join Beacon Academy in hopes that he can attain greater strength, so he may not be… useless, as he would put it."

"Archbishop?" Ironwood questioned, the name holding two meanings for him. One, he saw as a form of pastor, the second… in a not so great light. 'There's no way that he is with the Cult. Oz would never allow it.' "My name is James Ironwood, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise." Subaru spoke formally, lessons of the past resurfacing in his mind. Clind having engraved within him proper etiquette and how to treat strangers/customers. Bowing slightly, Subaru gave him his best smile. Ironwood returned that smile in full. Glynda however stayed silent, unwilling to greet him.

"Now, it appears we're short on time. Would you please follow us, Subaru?" Ozpin asked, to which Subaru nodded. Before Ozpin continued however, he looked at Ironwood. "General Ironwood, would you care to join us for the Initiation?"

"I suppose why not, I have nothing on my schedule as it stands." Ironwood looked at the Archbishop with a smile. "Besides, it's not everyday that we witness a initiation so late in the year."

"Great. Now let's be on our way." Ozpin said, turning on his heel and taking strides to Beacon Academy. The others wordlessly followed Ozpin, neither talking nor looking at each other. Silence, save for The tapping of heels and the thumps of boots. Subaru didn't mind this however, as this gave him a chance to look at the tower beyond his sight. It's light, of green and ominous, shown even in the brightest of day. It's tower, of Black and cold, stood out even amidst the gothic buildings. For one reason or another, Subaru felt like that tower was more important than it seemed.

"Ah, I'm sorry, but I have a question, if you don't mind answering." Subaru asked, realization dawning on him, gaining the attention of the three Huntsmen. "You said it wasn't everyday that an initiation is held so late in the year. I may be over thinking it, but is this a rarity?"

"Oh, by all means, it is." Ironwood answered for the Headmaster. "Normally, you'd have to wait until at least the second semester or next year to join the Academy, however there are those rare cases in which the Headmaster would personally step in. These instances are far in between, a special rarity that happens once in a decade. Of course, that's not all that makes these events special; The initiation process is what makes these special."

"What makes them so special?" Subaru asked, curious as to what the General meant. With a smile, Ironwood opened his mouth, but Ozpin continued for him.

"Normally, a future student would take a Initiation Test with a group of other future Huntsmen. During this test, they would be placed in a team that best suited them. However, seeing as you're alone, that wouldn't be beneficial to anyone as you have no other initiates with you to rely on. This leaves my options limited, so I've devised a simple plan." Ozpin said as they walked into an auditorium, going down a hall, lights flashing on and off as the light of the sun shown through the windows. "You will go against a student of my choice, and those watching shall be your judge. It doesn't matter if you win or lose, as long as your skills are enough to impress your future comrades, you shall be accepted into Beacon."

"Oh, that's good." Subaru didn't voice it, but he detested that idea. To leave your fate in the hands of those watching, some obviously judging on appearances, was a horrible idea. To put it into perspective, if he were to have a woman who hated men as his judge, their would be no point in even trying.

Their walk continued in silence, the taps of heels and thumps of boots carrying with it a feeling of anxiousness. Unknown by the three Huntsmen, Subaru mentally prepared himself to eat the cyanide pill within his mouth. No doubt preparing for the multiple resets that awaited him through that coliseum door.

Vale

Beacon Academy

Passing Period

"God, I thought that class would never end!" Ruby groaned as she slouched her way out of the classroom, the rest of Team RWBY and JNPR following in her wake, Ren carrying the unconscious Nora over his sshoulder. "Why is math so lo~ng!"

"You sound like a child." Weiss said, insulting Ruby. "Why don't you try to pay attention during class? Maybe then, your grades won't be so atrocious."

"I'm Weiss, I'm a nerd, watch me do math and nerdy things." Ruby mocked, snickering at her own jokes. Weiss rolled her eyes, Ruby's childish antics not getting to her.

"You're so childish. I still can't believe Ozpin chose you of all people to be our leader." Weiss bickered back, pointing out her distaste for the idea. In actuality, while she would still prefer to be leader, Weiss had come to accept the immature Ruby as leader. Besides, most decisions in the group were put to vote, so there was no use in arguing about it.

"Awe! You don't mean that Weiss!" Ruby cried, waving her arms at the heiress, who held Ruby back by pushing on her head. "We're the best of friends! You would never say that!"

"I did, and I will say it again if you don't stop." Weiss threatened, causing the young leader to back off, comedic tears trailing her cheeks. Yang, Ruby's older sister, slung a arm over the younger sisters shoulder, a cheery grin marring her face.

"Aw, don't get so sad, sis! I'm sure Weiss didn't mean it." Yang confidently said, Weiss rolling her eyes, but not denying it. "Besides, if not you, who's going to lead us next time we go against old man Torchwick!?"

"Torchwick?" Jaune spoke up, curious as to what Yang was speaking of. A look between Team RWBY was shared, before a synced nod was formed. Their exploits had been more of a little secret between Team RWBY (and Sun and Neptune). This was a group decision, as none wished to drag anymore friends into danger as it was. Looking at Jaune, Weiss decided to speak up.

"It's none of your concern." Weiss bluntly said, her tone being less than pleasant, causing Jaune's mood to drop. Ruby and Yang shared a sympathetic look with the young Arc, but didn't deny Weiss. What she said was the truth, no matter how harsh. "What Team RWBY does in our off time is none of your business, and I would be happy if it stayed that way."

"I'm sorry Jaune." Ruby spoke up, deciding that Weiss was being a little too harsh. "This is Team RWBY business. We don't want to get friends involved."

"Oh…" Jaune said, an air of melancholy hung around him. Pyrrha put a hand on his shoulder, giving him a comforting smile. Jaune leaned into her touch, as it did its purpose.

"Anyways!" Yang spoke, taking her arm off of Ruby, pumping her hand into her fist. "I can't wait for Fight Class! I've been itching to fight since we took down the you-know-what!"

"Today, we will be canceling Fight class." Goodwitch spoke in the auditorium, her voice echoing off the walls of the Arena. Yang, her excitement for class having been snuffed out, grabbed the railing of the seats.

"What the hell!" Yang yelled, causing the Professor to send a glare at the young Huntress for her choice of words. Yang, however, ignored the offending stare, instead continuing with her speech. "This is, like, the one class I look forward too! Why is it canceled!?"

"I believe I can answer that." All eyes turned to the sound of the voice, the tap of a cane following those wizened words. A man, gray in hair, black in cloths, looked upon the students with a stare of understanding and hidden love. This man, Team RWBY and JNPR recognized as the Headmaster of Beacon, Ozpin. "Today, we are going to do something a little different. Instead of fighting each other, you shall be the judge of a new initiate."

"Initiate?" Blake questioned, having never heard of something like this. "Isn't it too late in the year to join Beacon? I thought you were only able to join at the beginning of Spring?"

"Of course, that would normally be the case, but due to the recommendations of two of Remnants future Huntsmen," At this, Ozpin seemed to look at Ruby, which went unseen by all but Blake and Ren, his glance being only a second long. "I have decided to give the eager Initiate a chance."

"So, what're we judging? His looks?" Yang asked, actually curious.

"No, nothing so simple." Ozpin replied, tapping his cane. The Amphitheater went dark, before a light flashed, a monitor showing a mirage of categories. Agility, Speed, Strength, Intelligence, Endurance, and Durability. The group looked on confused, before another light shown, a spotlight for the Headmaster down below. "This is a list of Attributes that will be assigned by none other than you, the judges. I want you to know, however, that this isn't just a simple Attribute sheet. With each letter our initiate gains, that's another step closer to passing the test. General Ironwood, Ms. Goodwitch and I shall be the final judges, and decide if he shall stay or go."

"That sounds stupidly complicated." Mercury whispered, causing some of the other students to nod in agreement. A elbow found itself in his gut courtesy of Emerald. Glaring, Mercury continued to speak his mind. "What!? It is! Why can't we just swipe left or right to let him pass or not!?"

"Shut up!" Emerald told him under her breath. His speech was drawing in unwanted attention. Cinder, however, paid her puppets no mind, and instead tried to reason with why Ozpin would create such an elaborate system just to initiate someone. From what the mole in Mistral had told her, Vale had a unique way of testing cadets each year, this year being a scavenger hunt.

"Hmm." She hummed, an idea popping in her mind.

"On your scrolls should be an application to hook into the systems grading system. I will give you a moment to connect." Ozpin said, waiting as the students connected to the system. A series of beeps resounded in the Amphitheater, followed by a series of names on the monitor. All of them had the words 'Undecided' next to them. "Now, the grades will be given as such- E for lowest, followed by D, C, B, A, and finally, the highest, S. Again, each letter represents our initiates chances of joining Beacon Academy. I do hope that you take this seriously."

"Of course." Weiss spoke, more to herself than anybody. Being the teachers pet that she was, she was excited to judge someone purely on their fighting skill by commands of the Headmaster himself.

"Now, without further ado, would Fox Alistair please step down?" Ozpin questioned, confusing all in the stands. As the lights flashed on once again, everyone was momentarily blinded. As the spots in their eyes cleared, a man in Orange stood, a pair of gauntlets with blades coming out of the elbows his signature choice of weapon. Everyone who kept up with any form of Hunter Social media knew who he was in an instant.

"Who's that?" Jaune asked, surprise lining his voice. His surprise was shared with the group as they all looked back at him, shock covering their faces. "What? Is this another famous person like Pyrrha?"

"You don't know who Fox Alistair is!? You're such a dolt!" Weiss insulted, to which Jaune did his best not to seem down at. "He is one of Vales most famous Huntsmen, having taken down a hundred Grimm on his first mission alone, Fox Alistair of Team CFVY! Anybody who's anybody knows about him. But what's he doing here?"

"Seriously, those stories are way over exaggerated." An unfamiliar voice spoke up next to Team RWBY and JNPR. All looked over, surprise marring their faces as they greeted by none other than Coco Adel, leader of Team CFVY. "Our first mission was a disaster. Sure, we took out, say, a hundred Grimm, but that was as a team, and we lost a lot of civilians that day."

"I never want to do that again." Velvet Scarlatina, V in CFVY, quietly spoke, having flashbacks of the horrible first mission. Her bunny ears dropped down, covering her face in sorrow.

"…" The big guy.

"Coco! Velvet! And…"

"Yatsuhashi."

"Yatsuhashi!" Ruby said, surprise lining her voice. Team RWBY, due to past experiences, and Team CFVY knew each other… to an extent. It was mostly because Velvet had introduced Coco to RWBY after an incident involving Faunus racists went too far. Blake and Ruby decided to stand up to them, and Velvet being the ever kind spirit she was, wished to get to know them more. "What are you doing here!?"

"Well, Fox got called out by Ozpin earlier today, we just decided to tag along." Coco said, popping the bubblegum in her mouth. "Besides, I'm not going to miss an initiation set up by the Headmaster himself."

"What's so special about this? Isn't it just a late initiation?" Weiss asked, confused as to why this was so special. Sure, it was obvious that this was special for this specific individual, but for the rest of them it wasn't. Coco raised an eyebrow at this, before popping her gum again.

"The Initiations into Academies generally happen only once a year, mostly during spring. Sometimes, during an off year, they'll hold it during Winter, making it twice a year. However, we're in Summer, meaning that this is a special Initiation." Coco explained. At the confused look of Weiss, she continued.

"She's trying to say that the Headmaster specifically chose this initiate." Yatsuhashi interrupted, earning a playful slug from Coco.

"And those are extremely rare. So rare, that the last time this happened it was around ten years ago." Coco said, stretching her arms. "So you see? If Ozpin chose this candidate personally, that means he hasta have some skill to ignore tradition."

"Or he's picking favorites." Emerald whispered to herself.

"I wonder who is skilled enough to gain the attention of the Headmaster?" Pyrrha asked, a form of excitement forming in her chest. It had been so long since there was a decent challen- 'What am I thinking!?'

"Whoever it is, they gotta be pretty strong! I wanna fight them!" Yang said excitedly, her urge to fight still having gone nowhere.

"I'm sure they wouldn't be as much as a brute as you, Yang." Weiss insulted, making Yang roll her eyes. Ren, who shifted the unconscious Nora onto him, gave a smile.

"I'm sure they must know a multitude of skills to impress the Headmaster." Ren said, his voice as ever kind as it was soft. Ozpin, watching as Fox took his steps into the Arena, smiled calmly.

"Now, if the Initiate would please step forward?" Ozpin spoke, watching patiently as the sound of footsteps reached his and the students ears. All watched, in eagerness and carelessness, as a boot entered the light. Followed closely, the leg of Black, the suit of purple, and eyes of hazel.

A mixture of reactions passed through the crowd. Some, with less than underwhelming enthusiasm. Some, creeped out by his gaze. Some, recognition lighting within their eyes. And one, of pure disgust and disbelief that this being was allowed within Beacon.

"Is that…" Blake didn't finish, her gaze half surprised, half uncaring. Glancing at her leader, the reaction was immediate. Excitement, surprise, and recognition bundled all in one little girl.

"Subaru!"

How many loops had it been? Ten? A hundred? Five hundred? No. It had to be one hundred twenty-four loops. One hundred twenty-four cyanide pills that destroyed his insides, killing him instantly. The constant losing to the Huntsmen who's name had been engraved within his mind.

Subaru had almost enough of the constant fighting. The constant failure. The constant rejection. The constant struggle that laid beyond that Coliseum door. Each step he took felt heavy, as fatigue ate at his mind. The tired body that wouldn't stop moving, even if he commanded it to.

Subaru wanted to give up. To sleep. To rest his mind from the constant fighting. Yet he couldn't. Pride ate at his mind, and he wouldn't… couldn't accept defeat as tremendous as the past loops. That's what pushed him forward; Pride and determination. A goal he had set, that he would never give up on until he won. Never rest, until he saw it's ending.

Light shown on his pale skin, blinding him momentarily. He knew what would happen next, as the rest of his body stepped out into the light, a bundle of red would scream at the top of her lungs-

"Subaru!"

Subaru winced, the noise echoing in his ears. Was it the amphitheater, or him? It didn't matter, it hurt all the same. Subaru, years of acting coming to use, acted surprised, looking in the direction of the voice. Within the stands, a hopping mess of red jumped up and down, excitement visible on her face. Even in this loop, Subaru didn't understand her excitement. Maybe it was because of his claws?

Subaru waved his hand at her, too tired to speak. That seemed to be enough for her, as she animatedly waved back. Her team(?) Watched her weirdly, before sizing him up. It was not like their opinions of him mattered to Subaru, so he ignored them.

"Who's that, Ruby?" Emerald asked, acting the roll as friend. This was information she needed to know, for if this was indeed a powerful ally to Ozpin, he may jeopardize the mission. Ruby, hearing the inquiry, turned to the pick pocket excitedly.

"That's Natsuki Subaru, a friend I met in Vale!" Ruby pointed excitedly, her fifteen-year old persona taking over. "You won't believe it, but he can use Magic! And he has this freaky arm things that are like claws and they just look so cool!"

"Magic?" Ren questioned to himself again, adopting a serious expression.

"So that's the guy you won't shut up about? The conman?" Yang asked, her first opinions of them not being that great. He dressed wealthy enough, but that didn't mean he wasn't a conman. "He looks really creepy."

"She's right, Ruby, is he alright?" Weiss asked, confusing Ruby, before she looked closer at the Initiate. His skin was deathly pale, as bags as dark as black under his eyes. He didn't look to be in all that good shape.

"Yeah… I don't know? Maybe he ate something bad for breakfast?" Ruby tried to reason, which Blake didn't very much agree with. She didn't voice it, but she understood that look. It was a look she had worn when she had realized what exactly the White Fang were doing. The looked she wore when she cut the chains on that train so long ago, abandoning the White Fang, and Adam Taurus.

The look of defeat.

"Subaru?" Ozpin spoke up, unsure. No doubt his visage looked terrible. "Are you unwell? If you want-"

"I'm fine. I just want to get this over with." Subaru interrupted, speaking honestly. "If your still worried, don't be. I've fought in much worse conditions."

"If you insist." Ozpin said, as the lights in the room dimmed slightly. The audience, once easily visible, disappeared in pitch black. The only ones visible, we're that of Ozpin, Fox and Subaru. "Subaru, do you by chance have a scroll?"

"No?" Subaru asked, surprised. This was the first time Ozpin had asked such a thing. Why would he ask that now of all times? Was it due to his horrible visage?

"Hm. If you pass this test, then I will have to assign you one." Ozpin spoke offhandedly. Turning to Fox, then Subaru, he decided on the best course of action. "Fine. Fox! When your Aura bar depletes, it's your loss."

"That's reasonable." Fox said, hopping on one foot to the next. Punching the air, stretching his arms. To the normal human being, those punches looked like nothing more than practice shots, but to Subaru they were much more. Each punch contained a burst of pain that could knock out a giant if placed correctly. Giants were one of the strongest beings of The World Above, so to actually compare him to that made him nervous to once again go against him.

"Subaru, you will fight a little differently. You will have three conditions in which will mark your defeat. One, if you sustain enough injury in which we must step in. Two, if you are knocked out, it will be your forfeit. Three, if you willingly forfeit, you fail. I hope neither of those come to pass."

"Likewise." Subaru formally said, stretching his muscles. The next set of movements were going to be fast, so he needed to be prepared. If he cramped, he would be done for. Ozpin stared at Subaru, before a gentle smile made its way to his face. Taking a few steps back, Ozpin gained a clear view of the two combatants.

"When I tap my cane, you shall begin." Ozpin spoke, both Combatants nodding in recognition.

Silence covered the area, as all watched with bated breaths for the fight that was bound to ensue. Excitement passed through Ruby Rose, eager to see Subaru's Magic once again. Suspicion passed through Yang, who didn't trust the boy down below and his lies to her sister. Weiss, a critical eye watching for any faults in the Bishop. Blake, uncaring as she pulled out a book, but watched through the corner of her eye. Jaune, eager to see another fight of epic proportions. Pyrrha, curious in the talents of the Initiate. Ren, his feelings unreadable, but face full of suspicion. Team CFVY, doing the same as Weiss, evaluating the newbie. Cinders Team watched with eyes of prey, tearing apart the fresh meat with their eyes.

"Break a Leg, Subaru!" Ruby yelled out, but if he heard it or not was a different story. His eyes never left his opponent, as Fox did the same.

"Legs!?" Nora woke up, surprising everyone around her.

With a tap of a cane, the fight began.

Both Subaru and Fox heard the tap of the cane, and both prepared for the assault that was to come. Subaru stiffened his muscles, as Fox dashed forward, clearing the distance in short time. It was as if the world had grown silent, watching the two clash.

A punch to the face, a brush to the side. A spin kick to the gut, a block with the arm. A upper cut, a dash back. A sweep kick, countered by a jump.

Fox smirked. In only four moves, the Initiate had already impressed him far more than most in his grade. That's not to say that they weren't good fighters, they just weren't good fighting other Hunters. It was like how Coco was; a good Grimm killer, but horrible Hunter Killer. (7). This guy was fast, and was able to keep up with his movements with little effort. This was going to be a fight worth remembering… for now.

In reality however, Fox's assumption was only half true. While it was true that Subaru could keep up with Fox, it was only due to memorization that this feat was possible. Subaru was a tactician, not a straight up fighter. However, as life had went on, he had gained skills that would put him on par with a normal combatant. While he wasn't able to defeat, say, a Headmaster or master Huntsman during his first loop, he would be able to stand on par with a normal first year.

This wasn't a normal first year. This was a second year with Skills to rival a master Huntsman. Why hadn't he graduated already was the question of the day for Natsuki Subaru.

Subaru landed, using the claws to keep back and land softly, a glare marring his face. Fox didn't let up however, dashing towards him, Fox threw a punch that was too far to connect. Twisting his arm however, the elbow blade was used to close that distance. Ducking, Subaru raised himself up, using his fist to send an upper cut. Fox leaned back, dodging the punch. However, much to the surprise to those watching, and Fox himself, a resounding clap was heard, ashe was sent back, lifting himself off the ground before her graciously landed.

"What was that!?" Mercury exclaimed, shocked that the punch, which was dodged, connected. Ruby, who barely hung over the rails, leaned back, looking at the Grey haired Assassin.

"That was Subaru's Magic! Didn't you see the claws!?" Ruby pointed excitedly. Everyone looked at her, confused. Ruby returned their expression. "What?"

"Ruby, there were no 'claws'" Yang said, worrying for her sisters sanity. Had the late night snacks and crime fighting finally gotten to her? The stress of becoming a Huntress finally driving her into a corner, seeing fairytale illusions to comfort her mind? That would be anything but comforting for Yang.

"Yeah there was! It was all black and purple, and looked really cool!" Ruby defended, to which the group shared a look of unease. Ruby's expression seemed to sour, as she turned back to the fight. "Maybe it was just too dark for you to see it…"

Fox stared at Subaru, Subaru stared at Fox, neither daring to take their eyes off each other. In that one punch, the type match had been decided. This wasn't going to be a fight where each opponent took and hit as Fox had hoped. This was going to be a fight of Wits, to see who could outsmart the other, which was what Subaru had wanted. For him, that was practically calling defeat on Fox's part.

For Fox, he needed to find out what was the force behind the punch, as he was sure that he dodged the punch. There were many options to choose from this, his main suspicion was that Subaru held an ability that allowed him to hit others without touching them. As unlikely as it was, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

Yet that didn't explain how there were 'two' hands that were sent from 'One' punch.

"Fox." Subaru spoke up, his voice hoarse. Fox 'looked' at Subaru, who straightened his back. "I might have just realized this, and I'm sorry if this is a little rude, but you wouldn't by chance be blind, would you?"

Fox 'watched' silently, not speaking nor moving. Subaru waited patiently, as he planned out his next course of action. With a huff, Fox let out a breath, putting his hands in a defensive posture.

"Yeah, but I don't like bragging about it." Fox responded. There was no point in hiding facts if his opponent was already onto him. Unlike the rest of the world, he didn't see his disability as a hindrance, but saw it as an advantage. He was able to hear better, feel better, and 'see' more than the average human. The heavy breathing from Subaru signaled he was tired. The ruffle of cloth indicated that he was planning something, probably to obscure his 'vision'.

"I thank you for sharing that. It was just a curiosity of mine I had for awhile now." Subaru explained, remembering in a previous loop how Fox was able to tell where he was even when he had cut off his sight. It had bothered him ever since.

Subaru slowly put his arms in a defensive stance, slowly moving his way over to Fox, as did Fox. Inch by inch, the combatants movement drew them closer to the other. Sweat trickled down Subaru's cheek, his anxious eyes watching every bit of Fox. Fox in turn watched every detail of Subaru, from his boots to his necklace that was hidden behind the suit. As they came up to each other, Fox held a fist out, which Subaru looked at curiously, before tapping it with his own. Both drew back, as the battle commenced.

Fox was, once again, the first to strike. Sending his left fist to Subaru, Subaru deflected it with his right. Subaru used his left, aiming for Fox's stomach, which Fox caught. Thinking fast, Subaru formed a Claw in his left hand, forcing open Fox's hand, freeing him from his grip. Both pulled back their arms, Subaru going on the offence. Subaru used his right to swipe at Fox, which he blocked with his left. Fox used his own right to uppercut Subaru, who leaned back, but was still nicked by his blade, drawing blood on Subaru's cheek. Both drew back once more, as Fox went on the offensive once again, sending a quick left to Subaru's right shoulder, who was too slow to dodge, wincing as he felt a slight crack.

Thinking fast, Subaru formed both of his Claws at his feet, forcing the fingers into the ground. Pushing back, Subaru flew backwards, landing gracefully, but not removing the claws. Pushing off the ground, he used the Claws to drag himself back to Fox, who 'watched' bewildered by what he 'saw'. Drawing close, Subaru sent his right to Fox, who attempted to dodge to his left, but was still struck by a Claw that deformed at Subaru's feet, and formed at Subaru's wrist.

"What the hell!?" Mercury practically yelled, getting irritated at Subaru's tricks. Everyone looked back at him, curious. Chuckling nervously, Mercury did his best to cover up for his mistake. "Haha! Sorry, I just get really invested in these fights."

"Same here. This fight is so irritating!" Yang agreed, much to the shock to the assassin. "All he's doing is that stupid 'invisible punch' thing! Why doesn't he stop using tricks and start fighting like a man!"

Pyrrha gave a nervous chuckle at this, her style of fighting being Extremely similar to the initiate.

"Exactly! Finally somebody gets it!" Mercury agreed, earning a elbow to the ribs from Emerald. Growling, his snapped at her. "And will you stop slugging me!?"

"Once you learn to shut your trap." Emerald hissed, slugging the man once again, much to the irritation of Mercury.

"He's not using any tricks! Can't you see the 'claws'!?" Ruby defended, which caused Yang to worry a little more. The idea that stress had finally gotten to the red bundle of joy firmly planting itself in her mind.

"It shouldn't matter if he's deceiving our eyes or not; a fights a fight, and if he plans to use everything in his arsenal to win, then we should respect that." Blake defended, never taking her eyes off the fight. Unlike most of the audience, her fighting style, and way of life for that matter, revolved around deceit and surprising the enemy. To have others criticize something that she did herself was hypocritical if they didn't judge her on it.

"I second that!" Nora yelled, raising he right hand eagerly. Some looked at her confused, before she gave a shrug. "What? If they're more ways to crush someone's legs, why not?"

"Of course you would say that." Jaune face palmed, actually expecting something intellectual to come out of her mouth.

"I wouldn't think to hard on that, guys." Coco spoke up, sighing. She motioned towards the fight with her hand. "Fox has already won."

"Huh?" Ruby hummed, snapping her neck back to the fight.

Subaru hopped back, deforming the Claws that helped in his escape. Fox continued his assault, launching attack after attack, all with the use of his arms and blades. The memory of his style engraved within Subaru's mind helped him dodge, but he was still unable to dodge all. A shot to his side caused Subaru to wheeze, the pain being enough to punch the fatigue out if him. Another fist made its way to his head, but Subaru formed a Claw to catch it, twisting it, leaving Fox open. Surprisingly, Fox seemed to anticipate this, twisting his own body, and landing with a crouch. Almost inhumanly fast, Fox used his elbow blades to cut the offending hand, surprising Subaru.

Instead of attacking, Fox dashed back, crouching as he took deep breaths, as did Subaru. Both watched each other, neither attacking nor moving. In sync, they stood, both staring each other down.

"So that's your Semblance?" Fox asked, causing Subaru to raise an eyebrow.

"Sorry if I sound clueless, but what's a… 'Semblance'?" Subaru asked, surprising the Majority within the Amphitheater. Fox stared, trying to find deceit within his speech, yet he couldn't. Either Subaru was insane, or he genuinely didn't know.

"It's what us Aura Users gain with enough practice. A special power that makes us above normal beings. A power like Speed, Strength, Clones, or even… sight." Fox said, that last word filled with unkempt emotion. A small smile, a rarity for someone like him, made its way to Fox's face. "That's what you have. Those… hands of yours is your Semblance. Each Semblance represents Something about you… something that describes your very being. Semblance is something… Something that is tied to your very soul… something that is unique only to you. That makes you Special."

Silence greeted the crowd, as Fox let Subaru take in what he said. Subaru, lifting his hands, stared at his palms. The scared, beating palms that he had all his life. Slowly, black claws replaced them, an abyss that would never see light, even within the sun itself. If what Fox said was true, and this was Semblance, then what did that mean for the Archbishops? For Sloth, the ability to reach beyond the touch of humanity, a never ending hand to reach those in need. For Greed, the ability to share ones heart with another, protecting them forever like lovers. For Lust, to hide who she was, for shame of what she was. For Gluttony, a way to end the never ending hunger that was their life. For Wrath, a way to share the emotions if others, to experience their joy and pain. What of his own Prideful and Envious abilities? For Pride, a chance to fix past mistakes, helping those he might've looked over. For Envy, a chance to hold the burdens of the other Sins, no matter how great the pain.(8)

'No…' Subaru thought venomously. This isn't something as Pure as Semblance. This is Magic. And Magic is trickery, not Sorcery. Sloth is for reaching, not to nurture, but to strangle. Greed is for stealing, not sharing, another's heart. Lust is for deceit, to play with the mind of those who see. Gluttony was for devouring, stealing the memories and experiences of those they touch, and those that touch the victims. Wrath was not for sharing joy, but to share pain and misery. Pride… Pride wasn't an ability to fix past mistakes, but to rewrite history itself in favor of the owner. Envy… a chance to steal the abilities of the other Sins, in jealousy of Prides own abilities.(9)

Subaru looked up, staring Fox in his white eyes. This wasn't Semblance. It was Magic.

"No, I'll have to disagree." Subaru said, surprising Fox. "What I have isn't Semblance, or something that's connected to Aura. It's Magic, more specifically, a gift. I'm not sure who bestowed upon me such power, but I am nonetheless grateful. I am also grateful to you, Fox, as now I understand the powers of those within Remnant."

Fox didn't respond, instead listening quietly. Of course he didn't believe the words that came out of Subaru's mouth, but didn't argue against it. What Subaru was using was Semblance, and nothing could change that fact, even if the owner denied it.

Subaru was on the offence, running forward, and using a Claw to jump at his prey. Subaru formed a Claw around his hand, using it as a coating for his punch. Fox easily dodged, but instead of attack, Fox stared at Subaru. Subaru chose to make use of this, spinning and backhanding Fox, who ducked. Subaru formed a Claw behind his knee, using it to push his thigh into Fox's face, who hadn't expected such a move.

"Woah! Okay, I have to say, that was pretty good." Mercury said, causing the group to look at him, confused. "What? Do you guys know how hard it is to do two moves like that at once? Throwing a punch and a knee at the same time takes massive concentration."

"It's sorta like how I only focus fighting with my fists." Yang chimed in, understanding how hard it was to mobilize the whole body like that.

"And how I only use my legs." Mercury agreed. "If he could use his whole body like it was a puppet, then he'd be difficult to fight."

Fox flipped back, landing in a crouch, but Subaru didn't let up. Using his Claws to push off the ground, he flew through the air once again. Sending a Claw ahead of his fist, Fox dodged it, as Subaru used deformed the claw. Fox didn't attack, but stared at Subaru, a look of pity on his face.

"I've won." As soon as Fox said that, Subaru landed on his face, the momentum of the jump causing him to stumble. He could feel his nose bleeding with the impact. Quickly, Subaru got u-

"Huh?" Subaru hummed in confusion. Subaru commanded his arm to move, yet as much as he tried, his body wouldn't listen. Fox walked over to him, Subaru watching through the corners of his eyes.

"I've won." Fox repeated, crouching down, he pushed Subaru over, laying him on his back so he may have a better look at Fox. "Remember when I cut your cheek? That was the moment I won. Coating each of my blades there's a nonlethal poison that works to numb the body, thus disabling my opponent. This is your loss."

Subaru's eyes widened, shock running plainly through them. So he lost? Again? Frustration made its way through his body as his eyes shakenly narrowed. Fox noticed this, and continued.

"I hope you don't hold it against me, Subaru. You were a challenging opponent; definitely better than most Huntsmen my grade. Besides, we were both using shady tactics, so I think it's only fair if we don't curse each other out for this." Fox said, standing up and looking towards Ozpin, who patiently watched the proceedings. "Headmaster Ozpin, I believe it's my win."

Subaru cursed. He cursed Fox, who had poisoned him. He cursed the Witch, who put him in this situation. He cursed Garfiel, who caused him such a headache the other day. He cursed Ozpin, for actually making Subaru nervous. He cursed himself, for being fooled into this embarrassing situation. It wasn't like he could reset this time either, as the pill had fallen out of his mouth when his face his the ground. If he could, he would have shoved a Claw into Fox and-

'Wait…' Subaru thought as an idea popped into his head.

"It appears that is indeed the case." Ozpin said. Turning to the audience hidden by the abyss, he continued. "As you can see, th-"

"Huh?" Fox interrupted, feeling something grasping his leg. Looking down, he couldn't help the shock that crossed his face when he saw Subaru's hand grasped around his ankle, his Claws forcing the hand closed. In confusion, Fox was able to 'see' the look on Subaru's face, one that was not of defeat, but of victory.

"El-Shamak!" With a furious roar, Subaru felt power circulating through him, and into Fox. Fox, who felt this, tried to jump back, but by then it was already too late. Instead of jumping back, he fell on his butt. Trying to get up, he realized, with shock, that his body wouldn't obey.

"W-What did you do!?" Fox asked, surprised at how hard it was to speak. A low chuckle was his answer, as it slowly formed into hysterical laughter. Calming down, Subaru looked at Fox through the corner of his eyes.

"With this, you are but the same as I! It works the same as your poison, but much, much faster. With this, you are unable to control your body!" Subaru grinned menacingly, the constant loops finally getting to him. "This is my Magic! The power to debuff, abilities, senses, and movement! This is my win!"

"I'm not so sure, Subaru." Ozpin said, walking into Subaru's line of sight. "The way I see it, you and Fox have just eliminated each other. There is no definitive winner here."

"A draw?" Fox spoke calmly, not an ounce of disappointment from his voice. "I can settle for that, too."

"I-I guess I could too." Subaru said. As long as he hadn't lost, then he was fine with a draw. It was definitely better than losing. With that, his fatigued mind finally clocked out, letting Subaru rest. Ozpin smiled at the two combatants warmly. This was the sort of behavior he expected out of his students. Looking up, he gazed at the audience.

"As you can see, the fight has concluded in a draw." Ozpin spoke, before he wore a deathly serious expression. "Now, it is time to decide Natsuki Subaru's stats. Afterwards, it shall be up to us staff to decide the fate of the young boy." With a tap of his cane, The Stats displayed from before showed up again. "I would like to remind you, each and every letter he gains with be the lifeline of his career- So I urge you. Choose. Wisely."

With that, the spotlight on Ozpin, Subaru, and Fox disappeared. The only light in the room being those of the scrolls, and the monitor that showed Subaru's stats. A series of clicks could be heard, as letters ranging from E to S flew across the screen. Minutes passed as this continued, continually slowing down until the set upon their desired stats. Ozpin watched, and analyzed the letters in which he saw.

Natsuki Subaru

Agility- B

Durability- C

Endurance- B

Speed- C

Strength- D

Intelligence- A

"Eh, that sounds about right." Yang shrugged, not really caring. Mercury and Emerald silently agreed with her, but chose not to voice it.

"I think he did better than that, but not on the scale I was anticipating." Weiss said, drawing the attention of those near. "From what I understand, this was a student handpicked by Headmaster Ozpin himself. I was expecting more of a show, rather than a thought Out duel."

"Maybe that's why Ozpin picked him?" Blake questioned, agreeing with Weiss. "From what I understand, we have a lot of Hunters who specialize in open combat, and not in tactics. Maybe this is why he caught the eye of the Headmaster?"

"No! It's got to be because of his Magic!" Ruby defended, unwilling to budge from her opinion. "You guys saw it too! The claws that Subaru kept using, and how he made Fox stop moving! It has to be Magic!"

"Ruby." Yang spoke worriedly, putting a hand on her sisters shoulder. "I don't want to sound rude, but I think we need to go see a doctor after this. You've been seeing things that No one else has." Yang gave a worried smile. "I'm worried for you."

"…I just don't understand how you guys can't see it." Ruby said, not denying her sisters suggestion. Maybe something was wrong with her? Maybe she was just seeing things, all apart of her imagination. Yang watched worriedly, before putting an arm around her shoulder, bringing Ruby in closer.

"Disgusting." Emerald whispered under her breath.

A flash of light caught their attention, as the Arena was lit up once more. Ozpin, Subaru and Fox were still in their same positions. The lights in the stadium once again brightened, showing the audience to the specters below. The sound of tapping heels reached their ears, as all watched Glynda Goodwitch make her way to the middle of the room.

"Our decision of the… initiate will be behind closed doors. For today, you have your assignments from the other Professors. I suggest you hurry to your dorms and complete them." Glynda said, dismissing the class. All got up, as a stretcher came and took Fox and the unconscious Subaru away.

"Ah! Actually, Ruby Rose?" Ozpin spoke up, stopping Team RWBY and JNPR. Ozpin gave them a small smile, but directed his attention to the young Huntress. "Would you mind staying? There is something I wish to speak to you in private."

"Ah…" Ruby worriedly looked at her team, who shrugged in response. Turning back to Ozpin, she gave a nervous nod. "S-sure."

"Great." Ozpin replied as the class left, Ruby taking her seat in the bleachers. Ozpin looked towards the other Professors, a quizzical eyebrow raised. "I believe the two of you know my answer on the matter, so I shall leave it in your hands."

"I, for one, disagree that allowing him in would be a good idea." Goodwitch spoke, pushing her glasses up. "Not only for his… circumstances, but also due to the fact that he doesn't stand on par with the rest of the students. He overly made use of tricks and deceit to keep an upper hand on his opponent. That is not the way a Hunter must conduct themselves."

"Then that's a no?" Ozpin asked, Glynda nodding in return. Sighing, he looked to Ironwood. "General Ironwood, there is one yes and one no. Natsuki Subaru's fate rests on your shoulders."

"I don't have to think much on this, Oz. Again, drop the formalities." Ironwood said, locking his hands behind his back. "I do agree that young Subaru wouldn't be able to keep up most Hunters his age without the use of deceit, but why is that a bad thing? In war, one must make use of all their pawns on the chess board. You must attack, defend, and of course, deceive. Subaru has shown to be able to do all of that, not great, but we'll enough to stand on par with the first years. With time and effort, he may even become strong enough to fight alongside us."

"I highly doubt that." Glynda said, not disagreeing with the strengths, but the idea that the Archbishop would fight alongside them.

"So I take that as a yes?" Ozpin asked, Ironwood nodding. Ozpin smiled, happy that his plan would be put in action. "Great! Ms. Goodwitch, could you please make a profile for one Natsuki Subaru and prepare a scroll for his use?"

"Begrudgingly." Glynda replied, stomping her way out of the Amphitheater. Ozpin turned to Ironwood, ignoring the fuming Professor.

"General Ironwood, it was a pleasure to have you. Until next time." Ozpin said, holding out his hand.

"Again, drop the formalities, Oz. The pleasure was all mine." Ironwood said, shaking Ozpin's hand, following Glynda out of the amphitheater.

Silence met Ozpin as he watched the two adults leave. A nervousness hung in the air as one Ruby Rose shakenly made her way down to the arena. Ruby looked down, repeatedly stealing glances at the much taller man. Ozpin watched, sadness that one so young would fear one such as him.

"Ruby Rose. I have a favor to ask of you." Ozpin spoke, surprising Ruby. Ozpin thought of how to word what he had to say, as if he failed, his plan may crumble.

"A favor?" Ruby asked curiously. From what little she knew of the Headmaster, Ozpin wasn't one to ask for favors. He seemed more of the type to command, and order others.

"Yes, a favor. I have a request that I could only entrust to you, and you alone." Ozpin replied, further lining that this was indeed important. This only made the young Rose even more nervous. "I ask of you; become Subaru's friend."

"Huh?" Ruby replied, not expecting that request. "I mean, yeah! Of course! I was planning to anyways… but, uh, why? Is something wrong with him? I mean! I don't mind if something's wrong with him! I-I-"

"Don't worry so much, young Rose." Ozpin chuckled, finding amusement in the red girls behavior. "He does not have any mental issues… Well, that may be a lie, I do not know Subaru all that well personally." Ozpin said, more to himself than to the girl in front of him. "The reason I am asking you this is because Subaru is an extremely… special individual. He holds a power that most of us could only dream of using."

"Magic?" Ruby asked, hopeful that she wasn't going insane. Ozpin smiled, nodding his head. Indeed, Magic was a source of interest for Ozpin, in more ways than one.

"Precisely." Ozpin said, walking around Ruby. "Subaru can use Magic, an art that has been lost to those in Remnant, but is a normality in The World Above."

"So they World Above is real!?" Ruby asked, excitement brimming from her voice. The knowledge that all those fantasies she had as a child becoming reality made her excited. That Dragons, Elfs, and Giants existed made everything in life all the better.

"Oh, by all means, it exists." Ozpin reassured, happy that Ruby was easy enough to sway. "Remnant has forgotten of The World Above. I can't tell you more than this, but I want you to know, once Remnant comes to realize their existence, many things could happen. Some good, some bad."

"Now I'm even more confused." Ruby said, scratching her head. "Why would Remnant forget about such a cool place? What does Subaru have to do with all this? None of this makes sense, Headmaster."

"And I'm afraid it'll have to stay that way, Ruby." Ozpin said, his voice lined with melancholy. Ruby looked at him, confused. "For now, focus on being friends with Subaru. Focus on your study's and dreams. In time, you will understand the importance of why The World Above is kept so secret."

"O-Oh. Okay. I guess?" Ruby said, confused by what Ozpin said. This type of thinking wasn't for her. She shook her head, trying to rid the thoughts from her mind. "Is that all, Headmaster Ozpin?"

"Yes, that is all." Ozpin replied. With that, Ruby turned around, shaking her head violently as she left the amphitheater. Ozpin stood alone, left to his thoughts. Memories of the past resurfacing like ripples in a lake.

"Was this the right choice?"

Vale

Beacon Academy

Exchange Students Dormitory

"Ugh! What was with that guy!?" Mercury fumed, something of a rare sight for Cinder and Emerald. The sound of footsteps followed them as they turned into their dorm. "Of all the people that dumb Headmaster to choose, it had to be someone who kept using the same trick over and over!"

"What's so wrong with that?" Emerald asked, raising an eyebrow. "All we ever do is trick our enemies. Besides, you're a freaking assassin, all you ever do is lie and cheat."

"Ah, ah, ah! Unlike that freak of nature, I have class when I lie and cheat." Mercury defended, causing Emerald to roll her eyes. Cinder, sitting on her bed, raised an eyebrow at what Mercury said.

"Freak of Nature?" Cinder questioned, gaining her puppets attention. "Explain."

"Huh? You mean to tell me you didn't notice?" Mercury questioned, causing Cinders eyes to narrow dangerously. "Alright, alright. That guy Ozpin showed us? He wasn't an Aura user. He was a Magic User, and a Witch Cultist at that."

"What? You mean like that guy we get the Magic Potions from?" Emerald asked, sitting on her own bed, watching as Mercury shook his head.

"No, the guy we get our Potions from claims that he's a Cultist, but in reality he isn't. I've seen enough liars to tell that guy is just a Merchant who got his hands on some really dangerous equipment." Mercury explained, surprising Cinder and Mercury.

"And why, Mercury Black, did you not tell me sooner?" Cinder asked, her eyes flashing a scarlet red. Mercury nervously chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"Haha! Well, you see, I didn't think it was important. I mean, we got what we wanted, and so did he. Besides, if he was part of the Cult, he would have been long dead by now." Mercury explained, causing Emerald to looked confused.

"Wait, what do you mean he would be dead?"

"Exactly that. You guys don't know it, but the Cult is extremely dangerous as well as protective. I've heard more than once whole villages being purged just for having one of their stupid cloaks." Mercury said, softly kicking his bed in frustration.

"You seem to know a lot of the Witch Cult, Mercury." Cinder said, stating the obvious.

"Of course. I am the son of a worthless assassin that wouldn't shut up about them. Always kept going on and on about how they were after him and they could never get him. I call Bullshit on that. We wouldn't be living in a shack in the middle of nowhere." Mercury shrugged, as Cinder adopted a thoughtful expression.

"Would you, per chance, think this Cultist would join us?" Cinder asked, causing Mercury to flinch, looking at her like she had grown two heads.

"Hell no! We are NOT working with that baby killer! I would rather trade my step legs than work with him!" Mercury yelled, hitting his metal legs.

"That wasn't my question, Mercury." Cinder said, an edge to her voice. Mercury flinched, before he looks away from her.

"I guess he would. Or he would try to kill us for outing him as a Cultist." Mercury said, shrugging before looking back at Cinder. "I'm just letting you know, I am one hundred percent against that idea."

"Duly noted." Cinder simply said. She would have to carefully think about this one. Emeralds face scrunched up, a thought passing her mind.

"Hey, I'm a little confused here." Emerald said, drawing the attention of her two comrades. "If he's a Cultist, what's he doing here? Obviously Ozpin must've known who he was. Hell, he flat out claimed to be to be a Magic User. Why did he let him take the test if he was a Cultist? That obviously must be dangerous for the students."

"Yeah, that's a good question." Mercury agreed, "He was also extremely weak. Even if Ozpin didn't know, there must be another reason why he let the Cultist in."

"It's obvious." Cinder said, a wry smile making its way to her lips. "Ozpin wants to keep an eye on him. He saw this as the perfect chance to understand how the Cult moves, and if needed, lower one of their numbers." Cinder explained, her smile growing twisted. "Even if he was weaker than everyone else in the school, Ozpin planned to let him pass. He is willing to gamble the lives of all the Hunters here just to watch someone like Natsuki Subaru, the Witch Cultist."

1)Ok, the reason why they are using old Airships was originally because of dust, but that changed. I've just decided to keep it in due to dramatic effect.

2)For now, I'm changing 'Unseen Hands' to 'Claws' because that's how they look. They are deformed versions of the Unseen Hand; not perfected like Sloth's.

3)Look at the first episode of RWBY to see the surrounding areas. Also, I didn't forget about the rivers.

4)Slightly faster than an Athletic runner. This will be explained in the coming chapters, so it isn't just 'Oh, power up out of nowhere.'

5)Hahaha! Anybody who knows Arc 6 of Re-zero knows this tower! Oh, it hurts every time thinking of how Subaru forgets Julius, after he promised to never, ever forget him (SPOILER- During Arc 5 Roy(Gluttony) ate Julius's name, making the world forget about him, sending him into depression. Imagine how it felt for him when Subaru goes 'Nice to meet you' after saying he would always be there for him, remembering him.)

6)That's how Subaru is described in the Light Novel. His family all have those eyes that make them look like villains. Almost forgot to mention, this outfit is similar to some fanart I saw. Once I find the source, I will link it. Just imagine a dark cloak over that and you'll be set. Well, unless you want to imagine something different. EDIT on this. I changed it back ti a standard uniform for Cult grunts. One, cause of inconsistencies, and two because this'll change later. Just imagine Betelgeuse outfit with a orange cape for the cloak. Not taking down the scrapped image, cause that artist needs some fame. Will mark the new link on profile though.

7)You know, I never understood why Team CFVY sent Coco and Yatsuhashi into the Vytal festival. They're good at killing Grimm, not fighting Hunters. Fox and Velvet are both Master Martial Artists, so they would have mopped the floor with Mercury. Emerald would have had a tough time. Maybe it was for fanservice? I don't know.

8)Okay! Here's a fun piece of trivia! Did you know that in Re:Zero Canon the Witch's gained their powers or items by their own desires? Similar to RWBY Semblance. Pride got her power to judge the wicked, fear of the dishonest. Greed got her power because she was scared she'd never be able to help those beyond her sight (I think this can be interpreted as intelligence, as she gained a book that held all the world's answers). Lust because she was too afraid she wasn't beautiful enough for her spouse. Wrath because she wanted to heal the world, stop war, but was unable to (gained the ability to heal anything by punching people). Etc. There's a lot I can play around with here.

9)This is the point that differentiates this Subaru from Canon. Canon Subaru would try to change people's minds, not kill them outright. Canon Subaru would keep this in mind, not throw it away.

Character Bio

Aura User: Fox Alistair

Semblance: Sight

Agility: A

Durability: A

Endurance: A

Strength: A

Speed: A

Intelligence: A

Fox Alistair, for most of his life, remained Blind. Unable to see the world, he grew saddened that he wouldn't be able to follow in the footsteps of his father. Due to massive amounts of training in perfecting his Aura, he was granted the one thing he wanted most in life- The ability to see.

Of course it isn't perfect. His Semblance allowed him to 'see' more. To be able to hear, Feel and sense what other could not. If one were to silence their breathing, shower the area with noise, Fox would be unable to do much of anything.

Note to self- his death would be most favorable if we plan to ruin morale.

The issue with Rem

Ok, when I first started this, Rem had a massive role to play. However, as I wrote this, my mind started drifting. This story has some of its major plot points in stone already, and probably won't change. However, whenever I thought of Rem, I thought to myself where she was needed. I am unable to come up with a proper consensus.

I also don't want her to be in the story just to be in the story. It would do her character wrong to treat her as a background character as she, I don't know, does maid things.

Of course she is in the story, that won't change, but until I can think of something she would be of use to, not just being there for fanservice, she will be removed from the tags. As will Garfiel. Cause he's dead. Heh.

Why do I do this to my favorite characters?

The problem with Pairings

Ok, this is a big one. I have my pairings chosen out. However, they could change as the story moves forward. This is a story that focuses on that; story. The pairings are subplots that'll happen, I'd say, during the dance arc. That's when we will see MASSIVE changes in the main characters. Not saying anything romantic will happen between characters, just saying that something will happen.

That said, again, the characters will attract each other. I'm not going to force two characters together that won't make sense. Hope that clears a few things up.

Story Rant

Ok! So things are picking up! Honestly, when I started this, I never thought I would be writing Fox's character. I enjoy him way to much.

Now let's start with this chapter as a whole.

I expected the damn thing to be 5,000 words, not 16,000 words.

That said, this might be the last chapter that is that long for awhile. The next few chapters is mostly socializing, which I suck at. I'm good with characters talking about major things and theorizing, not mindlessly chit chatting. They might be short and take awhile, so I'm sorry. After this Arc however, is going to lead into events that I'm looking forward to. One plot is going to be new grounds for me, so bare with me.

The fight scene this chapter was mediocre, but it was wither this slow paced, thought Out fight, or fast paced three paragraph long fight. Fox is mostly a hand to hand kind of guy, and Subaru manipulates his body like a puppet.

Speaking of puppet, do you guys know how many freaking ways there are to use the Unseen Hands? Or how many original Yin spells I've created!? It's endless! I love it!

One last thing- Ruby Rose. Again, this is the way I see her reacting if she were to come into contact with magic. It seems like she wants to be all over Subaru, but that isn't it. She s obsessing over the fact that Magic and Knights exist. She romanticizes the idea of Fantasy, not seeing the horror that resides within such a world.

At best, all she feels towards Subaru is curiosity. She claimed friendship when in reality they barely knew each other. Subaru barely even cares about her either. To her that's all Subaru really is. Same with her team. All of them don't think he's right in the head, so they won't be that friendly as you'd think towards Subaru.

Personal Rant

Wow! Thank you guys for the attention! Seriously! I don't think there has been one pure spiteful comment yet. I'm fearful of that day though.

Anyways, as said before, next few chapters will be difficult. You'll find out the reason why next chapter, if you make it to the end that is.

For now though, I'm going to continue polishing my writing, that is atrocious.

Also, embarrassing story during Thanks Giving. Ok, so my Mom had recently purchased the IPhone X, and I was complaining about how overpriced it was. She agreed, but wanted to show me the differences from my Galaxy S6 (I use this for writing. I want a computer), so we're going through camera. Take a picture, and instead of pressing the back button, she pressed the 'Go to Gallery' button. So all these… adult pictures show up for me and her, and she just goes 'Wow! That a lot!'

I want to die.

Reviews

Phr33k- Thank you! That means a lot! Seriously, it does! I'm not sure why everyone is ignoring this, but I won't complain. If someone else was writing this and they were only 5 chapters in, I'd ignore it too. For now I am grateful for the 2-5 followers per post.

victormt2live- Welcome back mate! Glad to have you with us!

About his insanity, I planned that from the beginning, but it wasn't going to be implemented until later. Much later. For me, as a writer, it would feel cheap to not have a build up and just add it in whenever. I'm probably going to scrap it though, as this was a mechanic for another Fic, and I have a better idea that I can't spoil.

About Regulus, the reason why he didn't really go on and on about his death is because there was really no point. I'm not sure if anyone else feels this way, or it might be because I'm generally uncaring, but when I think of my best friends dying, I don't feel sad. I know I'll feel sad when it happens, but thinking about it brings a meh feeling. I put this trait into Subaru because he's written to be uncaring, but he does care. When he does find out, you'll see his reaction.

Plus he finds alleys deaths annoying. Imagine going back over and over just to save one person.

Again, he is colder, but has a heart. He described himself as a bad guy for killing pregnant woman, that says something about how he views the world. He generally doesn't feel anything for death, seeing it as a game, but killing specific people and things makes him feel slightly bad. Not enough to cry over, but enough to go 'Wow, that's harsh.'

I'm sorry that they haven't really met yet, but that's next chapter, I promise. It was meant to be this chapter, but if I continued this would have taken two weeks.

I'm doing my best to update frequently. Thank you for reading! Hope to see you again soon! 