[Other FULL] [IC] As the Dust Settles; A RWBY RP [M] [EPILOGUE]

Foxrally · Dec 13, 2015

As the Dust Settles; A RWBY RP

Background

Remnant is a land comprised of four kingdoms; Vale, Vacuo, Atlas and Mistral. Far in the future, this land exists with high-tech weaponry, gadgets, vehicles and a natural energy called Dust. In this land all living things contain what is known as a Soul - the physical manifestation of an Aura; an innate energy that bestows the user with certain abilities and powers. These abilities give a person unique abilities representing an aspect of that person's character. This is called your Semblance. In this word, two intelligent species co-exist called Humanity and Faunus.

Mankind was born from Dust into a very chaotic and hostile world, being forced to battle for survival against dark creatures titled the Grimm. But over time, Mankind developed a power that could help them combat the dark forces. They named this power Dust, after that from which they came. Armed with this, Mankind fought back and were able to defeat the Grimm. In the absence of such a foe, Mankind was able to develop civilisation and spread throughout the world. Dust continued to be a large industry, giving rise to several large names. In the light of their victory, Humanity set up Academies at which students can train to become Huntsmen and Huntresses, warriors who risk their lives to defend Humanity from the ever present beasts of the Grimm.

Having survived such an onslaught however, Mankind quickly turned on itself, spiralling into self-destructive conflict. The largest of this was the Great War. A war fought over the concept of individualism. Each Kingdom fought for its own beliefs, but ultimately those fighting for the right to be an individual prevailed, allowing people become unified through diversity. However this didn't last, and another problem has arisen. Today, Mankind attempts to suppress the race known as Faunus to the small south-easterly area known as Menagerie which is also where our story begins...

Your Role

You play as either a member of Humanity or Faunus. Regardless of side you will possess special talent in the form of your Semblance. You will possess certain talents which, if you so choose, can be further manifested and strengthened through the use of a weapon. Faunus also have animal like traits, empowering their physical abilities, however this means their Semblance will not be as strong as a Human's. There is much tension between Humanity and Faunus, and tensions are high as revolution looks to break out.

Faunus - As a member of Faunus, you are oppressed and hated by Humanity. You are regarded with disdain and contempt by all Humans and often face physical confrontations. You are currently a novice Huntsman or Huntress, being tutored in a Faunus-run makeshift Academy. This Academy is simply titled the Faunus Academy. However in the light of the imminent revolution, your classes may involve a lot of teamwork and innovation on the front lines as your skills are needed. You will be expected to fight, and in doing so will gain experience and greater control over your Semblance, but also of your animalistic features. This means that your athletic abilities will also grow. Your goal as a member of Faunus is to successfully prevent the oppression of Humanity and gain equal rights to Humans. However not all Faunus are good, and some look to overpower Humanity and enslave them for eternity. Be careful who you choose to side with...

Humanity - As a member of Humanity, you are surrounded by members of your own race abusing and oppressing Faunus, however whether or not you join in is up to you. You are aware of the rising tensions, and a ominous atmosphere lays over the lands. You too are currently a trainee Huntsman or Huntress, studying in Beacon Academy in the Kingdom of Vale. However you too are about to gain first-hand experience in the field of combat, as the threat of revolution grows ever larger. You will not be expected to fight, but you will have to deal with the consequences of not fighting, such as distrust from Humans, as well as abuse and confrontation. As you fight, you will gain experience which will allow you greater control over your Semblance, and a deeper understanding of your own abilities, allowing you to be more creative with your weapons and skills.. Your goal as a Human is to survive the revolution that is imminent, however that may be.

Gameplay

This RP is mostly a sandbox RP, where your actions and interactions with other characters will drive the plot. You may fulfil the role of your character as you see fit, however I will be adding various events and scenes through which I shall push plots further within the RP. Locations available to your character will be unveiled as plots develop, and not all locations will be available to all characters. The RP will end when the revolution is concluded, one way or another.

In this RP, some confusion may be held over your Semblance and what exactly these do, and how to choose one. Semblances are mainly drawn from your character's personality, and will differ greatly from person to person. For example, a very hyperactive character would inherit a more speed-focused Semblance, allowing them to travel faster than normal, potentially reaching speeds faster than sound. Whereas a more head-strong character could potentially have the ability to absorb energy from damage they take, so they get stronger the more they get hit. However these Semblances can take almost any form, but can only give you one ability.

Semblances will start out weak, but as you gain experience and grow, you will be able to to manipulate your semblance to achieve more effects. For example you could start out with a Semblance allowing you to manipulate wind to buffer your opponents with, but as you gain experience you could learn how to control the wind better to form tornadoes, or use it in certain environments to have creative effects. It's recommended to choose a Semblance that you can develop and refine. A specific Semblance will give you little room to grow and will likely be declined.

As you fight and learn, you will gain experience. For the sake of this RP, this will be categorised into levels.

Level 1 - Your starting level and the level at which your Semblance control and understanding is at its most basic. Your abilities will also be at their most basic.
Level 2 - You have been pushed to develop, and are beginning to look at push yourself alone. Your Semblance control is still weak, but your abilities are improving.
Level 3 - You are now starting to develop your skills without an outside situation forcing you to. You are also gaining some understanding of your Semblance and your abilities continue to improve.
Level 4 - You are beginning to realise your full potential and your Semblance control is growing. You can now refine your Semblance into two abilities your character can lean on in battles. "Think spells".
Level 5 - You are mastering control of your body. Your abilities are reaching their peak athletically. You can also develop a new Semblance ability.
Level 6 - Your body has reached the peak of its athletic abilities. You can also develop a new Semblance ability
Level 7- You've mastered control of your Semblance, and you can develop an ultimate ability; one which can combine all others or be something entirely new. This ability is powerful but cannot be used often. This cannot guarantee victory when used either, but will be very powerful.

At first you will only be able to accomplish small feats, and your Semblance will only boost your skills slightly, aiding your fighting style in some way. You may also use a weapon, and details about weaponry creation will be detailed below. However later on your Semblance will play a bigger part and you can start to focus your battles around it, but enemies will also be developing along with characters. Various locations will include enemies that you can fight that will be members of the Grimm, in order to allow characters not wishing to kill Faunus or Humans to gain experience still. In Remnant, technology is highly developed, allowing for things like floating airships and holograms however bullet weapons are still relevant, so no laser rifles.

Weaponry

Weaponry creation is down to your creativity, and weapons are not a necessity, but not having a weapon could put your character at a significant disadvantage in some situations. Weapons can be mechanical, simple, or can be powered by Dust. Dust weapons are weapons which will be able to synergise with your Semblance, allowing you to manipulate your Semblance through your weapon. This means that various combos and techniques you develop with your weapon could help develop your Semblance, however will lock your Semblance to your weapon, meaning should you lose access to your Dust weapon for whatever reason, your Semblance will no longer be accessible to you until you retrieve it. Dust weapons do carry the bonus of being able to manipulate your Semblance to achieve various effects, left to your design. However your competence in doing this will rely on your control and understanding of your Semblance, as such a level 1 character will still only have minor benefits from the Semblance in combat, however these effects may differ slightly due to their weapon. How your Semblance varies is up to you.

Sign-Up Sheet

Name:
Age (17+):
Gender:
Race (Human or Faunus - include animal if faunus):
Personality:
Appearance (Image, Written or Both):
Semblance:
Weapon (If Any):
Roleplay Sample: Write a day in the life of your character, or post a link to a separate RP.

Rules

The GM's word stands as final! I'm very lenient though so don't worry ;)
All RPT rules apply
Do not God-Mod or Bunny without permission. Refer to the RPT rules if you do not understand these terms.
The GM will determine when your character's level increases. However you are welcome to request a level up if you have a good reason for it.
Be respectful at all times.
Try to be active. This means at least a post once every two weeks.
HYPE!

Locations

Vale
Vale is a region full of dense forests and vast plains. Luscious and green, but due to the many darkened areas Grimm thrive here, meaning that Humanity is forced to remain in the large settlements. Within the region one can find the city of Vale, Beacon Academy, Emerald Forest and Mountain Glenn.

Menagerie
A small island region in the south east. A very rocky region, this area has few ideal spots in which to build a settlement. The majority of Faunus live here, however a few do manage to live in mainland regions such as Vale.

City of Vale
The bustling city of Vale is full of shopping centers, fancy restaurants and amusement parks. As the centre of trade for the other regions, the city of Vale is a very rich city. The people here are bright, and the buildings extravagant. The city was very quickly developed and has a large tourist count.

Beacon Academy
This large Academy is one of the best when it comes to quality of education. At its head sits Ozpin, a quirky man with a peculiar sense for fashion. Students here are advised to wear a uniform, but this isn't strictly controlled. Here there are many lecture theatres and many more sparring rooms. Each comes with training dummies and equipment for developing fighting techniques and skills. Students here are generally admitted at age 17, with some exceptional students being admitted earlier, but very few of them exist. Large libraries, a dining hall many dormitories and a cross-continent transmit service room can also be found. The amphitheatre is located in the centre of the establishment, with the main academy building circling around it and above it.

Emerald Forest
The largest forest in all of Vale, the Emerald Forest is particular for its evergreen trees which never lose their colour no matter what the season. The forest is inhibited with many monsters of Grimm, and can and will be used by students of Beacon Academy to gain first hand experience. The forest is very dark under the tree canopies, and extends for many leagues in all directions beyond the Academy.

Mountain Glenn
A reminder to Humanity that the Grimm are a constant thread. This ruins was originally intended to be an extension of Human settlements in Vale, however it was abandoned when Grimm attacks were too strong and too frequent to resist.

City of Porsh
This city of Faunus is situated on the island of Menagerie, the place many Faunus have been forced to live. It resides in one of the only areas suitable for a settlement to develop on the whole island, and the only area also defendable from the brutal attacks of the Grimm. This city offers a more diverse range of people, as Faunus from all over have been forced to congregate here, and personalities differ extremely. Fights are common, and shops are full of items and food necessary for survival. Luxury isn't a word that corresponds with this city.

Faunus Academy
A small academy built to train Faunus into Huntsmen and Huntresses more efficiently. This academy is quaint but gets the job done. There are few lecture rooms and practise rooms, but each serves its purpose. Often students will be taken into the plains to garner more first hand experience.

Menagerie Plains
The plains are everything that isn't the city on this island. The plains are dangerous, as they are full of caves and natural tunnels where Grimm can make themselves at home. There are also numerous valleys which appear unexpectedly, and provide a falling hazard for travellers.

Accepted Players

- Foxrally with Jairo & Sahn Xill: Faunus/Male & Female
- Shak with Lars Berrardi: Human/Male
- Godzil with Salazar Jones: Faunus/Male and Xyra Coronis: Human/Female
- Geras with Brooke Webster: Faunus/Female
- Fennekin210 with Lauren Baxiao: Faunus/Female
- Khawill with Archer Ines: Human/Male
- Orx of Twinleaf with Fajio Rekstum: Human/Male
- ShinyDiamond with Fei Zero: Human/Male
- Stingray with Varik & Nilya Umbra: Human/Male & Faunus/Female
- Kaylee Akua with Kaylee Akua: Faunus/Female
- CrowOfNobility with Natalie Star: Human/Female
- Oddball_ with Leon Ven Neku: Faunus/Male
- Strange with Shawn Mephitis: Faunus/Male
- Jay with Tenerus Stone: Faunus/Male

Human Teams

Credit to Shak for this list <3

TEAM CAOX
Cassandra Alexandra x Azreal Marjori x Orion Romanov x Xyra Coronis

TEAM SHLD
Selena Harter x Harley Barrett x Lars Berrardi x Dylan Arrianou

TEAM FEAR
Fajio Rekstum x Evegy Weqq x Azoo Rah x Rimer Reezin

TEAM GAIN
Gaige Decan x Archer Ines x Ilexa Fiolet x Nina Fiolet

TEAM NAFV
Nilya Umbra x Amane Levi x Fei Zero x Varik Umbra

TEAM STAR
Star, Natalie x Tyrael Din x Aris Shuseng x Rathos Veera

Faunus Teams

TEAM JSMN
Jairo Xill x Sahn Xill x Mira Cullous x Nel Phelia

TEAM BROS
Brooke Webster x Reese Kells x Oswald Carotene x Salazar Jones

TEAM LGHT
Lauren Baxiao x Gareth Dameron x Nara Inari x Tilki Kato

TEAM KYND
Kaylee Akua x Yvette Moreau x Niko Alvarez x David Grohl

TEAM LUST
Leon Ven Neku x Umbra Swan x Shawn Mephitis x Tahu Swan

Available Locations

Beacon Academy
Located in the heart of Vale, Beacon Academy is a top-ranking school for students to train to become Hunters and Huntresses. With many buildings, towers and rooms, this Academy is full of new discoveries. On the ground floors students can find the lecture rooms and training theatres, with dormitories on the upper floors. In the back of the Academy one can find the large food hall, with doors leading out into the amphitheatre found in the centre of the school. Outside, extra buildings such as a large library and the Cross-Continent Transmission (CCT) building. There are large fields around the Academy, giving students plenty of room to stretch their legs between classes and hang around with friends.

Here you can attend classes, practise in the training rooms, and learn about the forces of Grimm and what it takes to be a Hunter/Huntress. You can make friends, enemies and you will also be arranged into teams once everyone in Vale has joined the school. This starting location is for HUMANS. FAUNUS are permitted to start here, however this will be like selecting "Insane" difficulty and there is not a high chance of your character surviving here, unless you already have the back-story in place. Faunus who start here will have very hard times trying to grow and develop here, and I do not recommend starting here.

Faunus Academy
This Academy serves the same purpose as Beacon Academy, however is located on the island of Menagerie. This Academy is much more quaint than Beacon Academy, with much fewer lecture rooms, training theatres and no amphitheatre. Instead all Academy-wide meetings are held in the food hall. Shaped like a simple warehouse, there are a few dormitories on the upper floor, primarily reserved for the teachers. All offices of teachers can also be found on the upper floors, often coupled with their dorms. Students do not have dorms, however home for you will presumably be in the City nearby, which will become available as teams are sorted and Day 1 comes to a close. If you odn't want to live in the City... You're sleeping on the streets. Sorry folks XD

Here you can attend classes, practise in the training rooms and learn about the forces of Grimm and what it takes to be a Hunter/Huntress. You will also be trained how to fight Humans, and will receive some lessons detailing how they can be beating and their general biology. This starting location is for FAUNUS ONLY. No Humans are permitted to start here, as doing so would result in a 100% chance of a horrible and gruesome death.

Setting
The time is early morning, and you have just arrived at your respective Academy. You may not join any classes at this time, as you have yet to be sorted into the teams you will be attending these classes with. You should make yourself know to a teacher, who will show you around the school and introduce you to some fellow classmates. Use this time to introduce your character and settle them into this setting. I will send team PMs when everyone has posted at least once. You may also not end the day in your first post. Your first post should take you until around midday.

Final words.
Should your initial Semblances prove too OP, I shall be sending you a PM detailing how you should tone it down, and where your Semblance should be at for level 1. All teams shall be decided once everyone has posted once settling in to their chosen location, so that I know who is where. Do have fun with this RP, there is a lot of potential for very interesting character development.

Humans: Try and be a bit racist. If you're character isn't like a super-pacifist then you will have grown up hating Faunus outright, and that should show.

Faunus: You're angry at humans. They have oppressed you and pushed you away from your homes to a shitty little rock. Let that show too.

Enjoy! And see you in Remnant!

moon · Dec 13, 2015

Xyra Coronis

Beacon. Only a couple of years ago, Xyra never thought she'd find herself here. Then the Dustpaint discoveries were made, and she realized that she could have another purpose in life than putting paint onto canvas meticulously. Namely using the skins of Grimm as canvas instead.

The role of a fighter had come naturally to her, even though she could still find herself in immense danger when she let the enemy come too close. Apparently, at Beacon, she would learn teamwork, which would mean that she could have others taking the brunt of the damage on the front line while she sprayed her toxins from afar. At least that was her general picture of it, but now that she was actually here and saw all the other students, she was starting to wonder what she had really gotten herself into.

Her mother had gotten her a spot at Beacon through her contacts, but there were a lot of students here who were probably not that well connected. From the looks of it, some really weren't as wealthy as the Coronis. So that would mean that they had gotten the attention of the headmaster in other ways. Possibly through their sheer skills...

She shuddered at that thought, even though the weather was sunny and pleasantly warm today on the school grounds. The airship she arrived in had just left, and she had followed the other students towards the entrance to the academy but she hadn't entered yet. Some others were grouping up and talking to get to know each other, or maybe they were already friends to begin with. It wasn't that she was antisocial, it was just... Well perhaps she was a bit antisocial? Or simply... Introvert? She leaned her head into her hand for a moment with a sigh. These were never things she had considered before. Her life had been pretty simple, she was starting to realize, despite the whole being-hugely-bad-at-painting business. People had looked up to her and her sister and she had taken a lot of things for granted. Those things didn't exist here. People valued completely different things here than they did back home. Which she should be happy for! Since now, she could possibly finally do what she loved instead of what others wanted her to love. Possibly. Unless she was really terrible at it when she was finally compared to others?

A headache was starting to simmer into her, and she grasped her trusty Painbrush to try to think of something else. The smooth, black metal body reflected the sun's rays perfectly, just like her own long hair did. She had seen a lot of different weapons being carried around already, but nothing that looked anything like her own. People must think she was really weird, walking around with a paintbrush instead of a blade or hammer. Or gun. There were possibly also guns that were also blades? Her curiosity was sky high, but she hadn't dared to ask anybody about their cool weapons yet. She hadn't really dared to speak to anybody. Yet. Gosh, how would she survive here? She missed Toru already.

LOCATION: outside the academy

Groc · Dec 13, 2015

Salazar Jones

Bright and early is a bit of a misnomer. The sun was just starting to come up, sure, but it wasn't exactly bright out here. Sal stifles a yawn as he approaches Faunus Academy, taking note of others around him. He breathes deeply, inhaling the scent of the various warmbloods heading inside. He snorts, idly wondering why he's never seen any other reptilian Faunus, or even a bird. They had to exist, right? He was proof enough of that, and he had to come from somewhere.

He shakes his head, as if he could get the thoughts out of his head as easily as shaking water off of himself. Introspection could come later. Now, it was time for introduction. He heads toward the Academy entrance, adjusting his long coat more comfortably across his shoulders, and offers a toothy grin to a doe of a girl by the door. By the way she runs off, she might actually be a doe, terrified of a large predator like him. His smile fades at the thought. This is supposed to be a school for Hunters. A prey animal like that would get eaten alive in a place like this. Maybe even literally... he thinks, his stomach rumbling.

The inside of the Academy is as impressive as the outside. Which is to say, not overly. It's large, sure, but perhaps the best description would be... spartan? Yes. It's a spartan area, with only the bare necessities to qualify as a school. Sal is quite happy to see a large mess hall, and can see some people setting up platters of food. Not a grand feast or anything, more of a light breakfast for all the students. It's a hell of a welcome, though, and Sal makes a beeline for a tray of sandwiches.

Before he can grab one, however, a large man grabs him by the shoulder. He's a head or so shorter than Sal, but the large ears and nose ring imply he's got a bit of Bull in him. He's apparently a teacher here, and he steers (no pun intended) Sal towards a desk covered in paper. Sal dreads doing paperwork on an empty stomach, and reaches for the tray of sandwiches. With a soft *WHUMP*, his Grappling Hand fires, allowing him to grab a sandwich from the tray. It returns, locking into place with a *click*. He lightly tosses the sandwich into the air, catching it in his mouth and eating it in one bite.

Legend · Dec 13, 2015

OOC: No formatting because I am lazy for this post.

Beacon. Cass never imagined that she would ever been in a school. Schools made her think of prison. Her early life was basically spent in prison, subjected to experiments left and right, fundamentally changing the once young, weak and vulnerable girl into the walking wrecking crew. She barely remembers what they did, and who even did it. It's hard to have clarity when every memory is wrought with agony.

But Cass endured. She also had to. She was a lone wolf. A sole survivor. A fighter. Enough was enough at one point. She broke out. Stealing prototype weapons and unleashing her semblance, Cass broke out of the facility and wandered for months in the wilderness with little aim and less reasoning. Then she happened to be "saved" from Grimm by a group of hunters, despite Cass handling the creatures relatively well despite a fundamental lack of training. Cass was all emotion and fire, unleashing it in every direction. The hunters brought her to safety and Cass, realizing that she had little purpose in the world (especially given her condition and skills) decided to try to become a hunter at their behest, with them believing she had great potential to use her abilities.

But she never pictured this. She never pictured school. She was hoping for some more akin to an intense camp and military training. This place seeped with drama and unnecessary wasted time. Biting her lip in frustration, the sunny day did not improve Cass' mood, as she wandered the school grounds. Many gawked at Cass' appearance. Her pink hair, adorned with goggles, was not as different as she thought. She expected to stick out in that respect alone. However, it was her other features that stuck out. The roman numeral of VI etched on her cheek. Her tall and lithe frame. Her nonconventional outfit that armored her legs and parts of her torso. But these paled in comparison to her arms. Her arms were coated in metal, seemingly constantly, with the Twin Enforcers constantly equipped. Their "resting" position was little more than gloves latched to her arms, rough and less than stylish. However, a simple charge and slam, and they would expand into two hefty gauntlets capable of so much more.

Cass approached the entrance and watched as other students waltzed. Most did not catch her eye, if nothing else because they seemed…normal. Boring, even. Considering what Cass had gone through, it was rather disappointed, but what could she expect. But one person was intriguing. She was far smaller than Cass was and her weapon was….a paintbrush. As the small, petite frame approached the entrance, Cass put herself right in the path of the girl.

"So, where the hell do you think you're going?" Cass asked. "Last I checked, this is a place for hunting…not painting."

Sephear · Dec 14, 2015

Victor Strossen & Brooke Webster

The island of Menagerie - Kitsune's Glade
Opening Day

A pleasant breeze seemed to run across all of Menagerie on a pleasant morning, carrying with it an unmistakable sweet scent. The air was particularly fresh in the only spot around Menagerie City that felt un-crowded, a small garden-like area near the edge of the city with short uniform grass, various flowers, and a single Cherry Blossom tree in full bloom. Kitsune's Glade, as the garden was called, is nearly always empty. But on this special day there was a single inhabitant there, kneeling under the tree with his hands clasped and his eyes closed. The person's pointed, sunset-colored ears twitched as the wind caressed them, he took in a deep breath. Dazzling purple eyes opened and the fox stood up and stretched. "Today's finally the day."

As he spoke, the area immediately in front of him began to darken, just a little. It was as if the sun had begun to set exclusively over the Glade. In contrast, a bright light could be seen forming above the palms of a passing girl's held out hands. The large, dog-eared girl stared intently at the orb, and after a few seconds her gloved left hand shined a light blue color. The small orb ceased to glow and fell into the girl's palms, and in the same instant the darkness falling over the Glade disappeared as if nothing had happened. The girl herself almost collapsed, but she was able to catch herself, if just barely. She wobbled a little, but managed to stand upright with some effort.

Looking at the orb in her hands, she walked over to the tree and leaned against it on the opposite side of where the fox was at which point she began to mutter something to herself. The scratching sound of a pencil on paper could be heard as well. "I seem to be able to force faster, stronger photon collection at a far greater rate than before, but my Aura can't keep up anymore. Not recommended."

The Fox boy's ears flattened when the Glade darkened and he looked around suspiciously, only relaxing when the darkness receded and he saw the lightsource leaning against the Cherry Blossom. His eyes widened curiously and he took a step towards her, leaning forward with his most winning smile. "Someone else here huh? I'm surprised, it's been a while since I visited, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone else come here before." He took another step and swept his gaze over her form, keeping the admiration for such a well-built person out of his eyes. "You certainly look ready for a good scrap, am I safe in assuming that flash that almost made me jump out of my fur was your doing?" He asked inquisitively.

The girl had been writing in a small, pocket-sized notebook when the boy approached her. She stared at him for a little, analyzing him before putting it away and deciding to stand up straight. The boy was decently tall, but she still looked down on him, even if it was just a little. She spoke in a firm, proud voice that was nothing like the muttering from before. "Yes, that was my doing. But who might you be?"

There was a short pause before he dipped his head slightly. "I'm Victor, Victor...Strossen. And what, may I ask, is your name gorgeous?"

The last word shocked her, but she did her best to keep it out of her expression. It certainly wasn't the sort of thing she heard very often. "Um... Brooke Webster, student. As are you, I'm guessing from the weapon you carry." Brooke held out her hand. "I look forward to working with you. Allies are valuable in these troubled times."

Victor couldn't help smiling wider at the slight hesitation in her voice, though he knew better than to let on that he'd noticed, and more than gladly took her hand. He shook it lightly, but with a firm grip, foregoing his normal over-the-top hand kiss. Brooke didn't seem the type to appreciate such showmanship. "It's very nice to meet you Brooke, and you hit the mark exactly, I'm a proud student of the academy starting today. In fact I planned on heading over there as soon as I was finished here, I just thought I''d stop by first, it's been too long since I visited." He took a look over in the direction where he knew the school awaited him, and couldn't resist an excited swish of his tail at the thought that occurred to him. "If you don't have anything more important to take care of first wanna join me? Carolyn and I could use the company." He affectionately patted one piece of the large two-headed halberd-like monstrocity on it's back, which only avoided dragging along the ground because he kept it seperated into two pieces when not prepared to fight.

Brooke looked at Victor as he spoke, but over time she couldn't keep her eyes from gravitating towards his weapon. She knew there had to be something special about it, hopefully a special mechanism or unique Dust application that could be replicated as opposed to a Semblance, that allowed him to use something so massive without having tree trunks for arms. When he made his request she brought a hand up to her chin in thought. "Very well," she answered. Then her voice changed as a little bit of excitement leaked into it, causing her tough girl voice to falter. "But only if I can get a closer look at that 'Carolyn' you've got."

The fox's ears perked up in shock at Brooke's request, it wasn't often anybody asked to examine Carolyn. What a pleasant surprise! "Of course! I always love the chance to let someone else admire Carry, I'm surprised I'm not asked more often. After all, she is a lovely piece of craftsmanship, at least I think so." He pulled the weapon's two halves out of the leather sleeves on his back and held them out to Brooke, his tail waving happily without him even noticing inspite of his usual attempt to suppress it. "Be careful though, she can be real heavy when she's feeling finicky, but I think she'll like you."

The last comment was met with a look of confusion from Brooke, but she took Victor's weapon into her hands anyway. "Whoa!" She gasped in surprise. At this point it seemed she had completely forgotten about the front she'd been trying to put up. "It's no feather but thought it would be way heavier! Is it some special alloy? It doesn't feel like Air Dust powered lift or anything like that. Maybe--" She stopped, realizing the weapon felt warm in her hands. She looked down at it, rotating it in her hands and even tilting it to look inside it through what appeared to be a gun barrel, but she couldn't see anything that would cause this.

When she looked back up at Victor, Brooke realized just how far she'd strayed from the image she was trying to convey. She cleared her throat before continuing in the voice she'd introduced herself with, holding out the weapon for Victor to take back. "The surface is rather simple, but I can tell there's a lot more to this weapon. If you would allow it, I'd like to examine its inner workings one day. I have a workshop in the city that you can bring it to whenever you need maintenance or something of the sort."

"Sure, as long as Carloyn's up to it." Victor replied good-naturedly. "Awwww" he cooed, "I think she likes you." At that moment Carolyn seemed to instantly become way heavier in Brooke's hands, so much so that she stumbled and Victor shot towards her, catching Carolyn in one hand and supporting Brooke's shoulder for a moment with the other. The concern and guilt in his eyes when he looked at Brooke was profound. "I'm so sorry! That was so careless of me, I think she was embarrassed."

"What the hell just happened?" Brooke asked, exerting as much force as she could to hold Carolyn upright. With all her formidable strength she was able to hold it unassisted, but she knew there was no way she'd be able to properly fight with it. Taking deep breaths through grated teeth as she lifted it higher, Brooke stared at the weapon. "Oh you are quite the marvel. Now I'm definitely going to have to take a look at what you're hiding!"

She looked back at Victor and realized that she'd gotten distracted for what seemed like the millionth time today. "Sorry," she said, holding Carolyn out for him to take. "You have a fine, if unorthodox weapon. Now, shall we get going? It wouldn't do to be late for orientation."

Victor gratefully took Carolyn back, seperated the pieces and returned them to their sleeves. "Like I said, I think she was embarrassed to have me announce her feelings. And I'd love to let you take a look at her inner workings some time, you seem to know a thing or two about weapons, I'm sure we'd both learn a lot from it." His ears pricked at the reminder of getting to the academy. "Yeah I guess we should get going, don't wanna be late." He turned back to the cherry blossom tree and put two fingers to his heart, then pointed them at the tree in an unknown, but affectionate gesture before leading the way out of the glade.

The walk to the academy was pleasant, if uneventful. Both felt the usual resentment at the position the Faunus had been pushed into on the island, but neither felt like commenting on it, no reason to spoil an otherwise nice day. When they arrived at the school grounds Victor couldn't help lashing his tail back and forth while he looked at the place he'd be attending in awe. It wasn't particularly big or impressive, but the fact that the Faunus were finally putting together a concerted effort to really prepare themselves to be free and safe was such a huge relief that it may as well have been a palace to him.

Victor's thoughts were interrupted when Brooke asked, "By the way, I noticed the smell of the cherry blossom tree at the Glade has been hanging around you the whole way here. Does that have something to do with your Semblance?" She preferred to know that her allies had abilities beyond smelling good, although she supposed that the fact that he wielded Carolyn was still impressive.

He shrugged. "I'm not really sure, nobody is. All I know is everyone in my family seems to have the scent, even those without Symil Anima - that's the name of my semblance - so there's really no way to be sure. I certainly don't mind it though, it's just another part of my charm!" He finished with a smile, then scanned back and forth in hopes of sighting staff of some kind. It didn't take him long to spot an older goat-horned gentleman in a surprisingly nice suit exiting through one of the doors of the main building and ran after him, waving and calling to get his attention. Luckily the man began to make his way towards them at a relaxed pace as soon as he heard the boy, he was more than pleased to meet another pair of students. He showed them around, it wasn't a very long tour, but how could it be with such humble accomodations? Sure by the standards the Faunus were forced into nowadays the Academy was practically a palace, but both students knew better than to think it compared to the scope a human academy would have.

Once all was said and done the teacher returned to his duties and the two were left alone once again with the reminder not to get into anything that could keep them busy when it was time for orientation. As much as Victor would have loved to spend more time with Brooke, he had no excuses to stay around her, and he wasn't sure if she might be tiring of his company. "Well, it was very nice meeting you Brooke." He held out his hand first this time, the companionable smile returning to his face as he did. "We'll have to see each other again some time, and you can look at Carolyn more closely. And maybe we'll get to know each other a bit better." He quashed his normally brave humor, and even the 'know each other better' bit sounded very literal and casual.

Brooke took his hand with a firm grip and shook it. "Indeed. We'll see each other again, Victor. Stay safe." With that, Brooke took off, heading her own way.

Victor waved as Brooke left, only allowing himself a moment to watch her leave. "Have fun!" What a nice, bushy tail. He chuckled lightly at his own stupid inner joke before taking a fresh stroll of the school grounds to find some way to pass the time until orientation.

Foxrally · Dec 14, 2015

The Island of Menagerie

Jairo & Sahn Xill

The Xill Siblings

"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Soon?"
"Don't know."

After a few minutes of silence, Sahn violently shook her brother, who was busy snoozing on her back, with his head on top of hers. "Are we there yet?"
"For spitting out loud, you're the one walking, you sack of sin!" Jairo snapped back, clearly irritated that his sister had woken him up so abruptly.
"Sorry."
"Yeah whatever, it's fine." he sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Yes, Sahn, we are there."

Simultaneously shielding both his and Sahn's eyes from the morning sun, Jairo took a good look at the academy. "Take a look at this place... Way better than than the webhole we had back home, eh?" The building certainly wasn't as good-looking as the humans' academy, based on the pictures they had seen of the place; but certainly seemed like the faunus community had tried to make it a good place to study in. As the two walked towards the front door, they noticed a pair of students coming out - a boy and a girl, both with dog-looking ears and tails; they seemed to have just been finished their tour of the school. Aside from them, there seemed to be very few students around. Jairo snicked at the sight of their ears, before being interrupted by Sahn, lightly tapping the two extra arms sprouting from his ribcage and giving him a stern look.

"Ugh... Had to wake me up early, didn't you?" Jairo grumbled, stretching his arms as Sahn entered the building.
"Sorry. Not really." Sahn replied, chuckling. The inside of the building was what you'd expect it to be from the outside; clean and tidy, but still rudimentary. A few staff were setting up what seemed to be a snacks table, as well as other things for the upcoming orientation ceremony. There didn't seem to be any dorms though, at first sight. They'd have to sleep outside again, or find some other arrangement. Jairo noticed a teacher putting some paper forms on a table nearby; and supposed that it probably was the same teacher who had shown the other two students around. He motioned for Sahn to go to him. The man had two slightly crooked horns coming out of his forehead, and a nose ring, and seemed to be the one leading all the other helpers.

"Hey, you work here?" Jairo asked. "We're looking for the guy who can tour us around."

The man grunted as he placed down the last stack of papers on the desk, and looked up at the four pair of eyes looking at him. "Over there." he grumbled, pointing them at a fancy-looking man with goat horns. "And watch your tone, kid."

"Yeah, yeah." Jairo muttered. The goat man turned around as soon as he heard himself being mentioned, and went to greet them.

The tour wasn't too long - after all, there wasn't much to see anyway - and confirmed their suspicions that there were no student dormitories. The man thanked them and told them they could wait around until orientation.

"Well, that was pointless." Jairo grumbled. "Put me down, need to stretch for a bit." Effortlessly, Sahn picked him off her shoulders and lowered him to the ground. Compared to her, he seemed like he would be her child - having the proportions of a human ten year old. She looked down at him, stifling a laugh. "Shut it." the latter snapped. The two made their way outside, where a few tables and benches were positioned, and sat at the one facing the academy. "You see that, Sahn?" Jairo began, pulling out his violin. "That, right there, is our ticket to redemption. Vengeance."

Sahn look at the building, unimpressed, and shrugged. Jairo continued, all while tuning his violin. "After what they did to our brothers... All the suffering they've put everyone through... The horror they put us through... We finally get a chance to fight back." as he spoke those last words, he spat at the ground. He continued the tighten the violin's cords. "They'll see how it feels to lose everything. They don't only deserve death... they all deserve to be whipped, and burned, and poisoned, and whipped again till the last drop of-"

"Not all of them." Sahn interrupted, nonchalantly.

Jairo stopped for a second, startled by her comment. An audible *tzing* was heard, showing that he had tightened the string too tight and that it had come off. "What?! Yes, all of them! Are you one of those weaklings who say they want to make 'peace' with the humans? The same ones who threw us on this mess of land they call a 'menagerie', a zoo? You think they differentiated between the fighters and the innocents when they did?"

Sahn shrugged. Muttering a few curses, Jairo returned to fixing his violin. Spitting a little silk onto his thumb, he applied it to the place where the string had broken off from the violin, using it as glue until he could get a replacement. When that was done, he sighed and placed it on his shoulder, playing a few tentative notes to test out the tuning. "Perlman?" Sahn asked, glancing at him.

"Perpetuum Mobile." he replied without looking at her, and began playing.

Winter · Dec 14, 2015

Ludger Demaine
The Card Master

Ludger aimlessly shuffled the deck of cards in his hand, gazing out of the airship, looking at Vale's cityscape. He was very far from home in Mistral, and though he brought all his favourite games and books, he felt a twinge of dread at having to share his space with another person. With luck, he would be partnered with someone who did not get in his way and minded their own business. If Fortune's dice rolled well, he would have someone to play Dust: the Gathering and League of Huntsmen with. He regretted not charging his scroll, which resulted in a lost opportunity to do some in-game grinding using the airship's free WiFi.

There was a ping overhead, indicating at a holographic announcement to be made. In a few seconds, a prim-looking lady with a purple tattered cape addressed the airship's passengers.

"Hello, and welcome to Beacon." Who the hell is she? "My name is Glynda Goodwitch. You are among a privileged few who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy! Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world."

With that conclusion, the image flickered out as the aircraft descended. His was just one out of a fleet that carried possibly close to a thousand of students. After all, probably half of them graduated from Signal Academy.

Ludger snorted. He could not wait to meet them. The kind of people who over-accessorize their gear, mixing guns together with whatever classic weapon they decide to make uglier, with combat styles so inelegant and brutish. How they managed to lug around an overload of metal and Dust ammunitions was beyond him. Hopefully he'll find someone else from Mistral, with an unorthodox style of combat, without some ridiculous variation of gun-blade. But that was too much optimism for him to handle. Solitude was a safer bet; and he always played his cards right.

Since he came by one of the first few airships, he burned time loitering around the campus courtyard, observing the other students, as he leaned against a lamppost, his fingers idly flicking a card into the air before catching it. He noticed a girl, holding a paintbrush, seemingly lost in the crowd, eyeballing those who had over-the-top "cool"-looking weapons. If he could chance a lucky guess, he would assume the paintbrush to be her weapon. Ingenious.

There was another thumb sticking out in the crowd; which was a feat given how the entire crowd was filled with people who stood out in normal civilian society. It wasn't the pink hair with goggles, nor the scars on her cheeks, but it was the heavily armored and most likely weaponized arms that evoked an aura that seemed to intimidate a number of individuals in the crowd. Ludger noted the resting ***** face, and labeled her as someone not to be aggravated and should be avoided.

He heard the sound of the last airship's engines taking off after depositing the final batch of students into Beacon. Well, it was about time for the orientation to begin. Ludger merged with the crowd and walked through Beacon's doors.

Shak · Dec 17, 2015

Lars Berrardi

Like a Lighthouse

Barely dodging the incoming fist, Lars clutched onto his opponent's wrist which was now behind him, and responded with a big roundhouse kick sending the young man crashing to the ground. "Seriously, Lars? You do realise we have an initiation to get to, right?" A female figure stood behind Lars with her arms folded, sternly scolding the huntsman to be. It only angered her more when her old friend responded with no more than a dismissive shrug.

"Eh, I was just teaching this kid a lesson. He wanted it. That is why he's here after all." He laughed, pointing towards Beacon's large and extravagant structure. The knife wielder stood up again, darting towards Lars; who, despite the distraction, was able to again knock his opponent down with a kick to the jaw.

"Idiot, stop fighting people, you don't want to get kicked out of this place before we get in, do you?" She blurted in a fit of anger. Her question caused Lars to chuckle softly.

"What? I've only fought one guy." Lars complained defensively. "Come on Lena, I was just showing him where he needs to go to improve. I'm like…like a shining lighthouse." He grinned.

"Like a beacon?" She groaned with an exasperated sigh and her face in her palm.

"Exactly." He smiled. "Besides, the fact you seem to be ignoring…is that I'm already in." His smile turning to a smug grin. Selena's expression dropped from frustration to disgust. She stepped back, to give herself a break from the suffocating presence that was Lars' ego. As she stepped out of the shade, the sunlight caught her golden blonde hair. Hair which perched gently on the shoulders of her white hoodie.

"You cannot be serious." She sighed deeply.

"Initiation waits for me! Why would Beacon academy be stupid enough to get rid of its best?" In the midst of Lars' extreme bragging, Selena had already turned her back on him and began heading to the doors of Beacon. Lars chuckled and followed behind, leaving whoever was unfortunate enough to stumble across the unconscious body to clean up his mess.

Beacon's campus was impressive, a lot larger than what they'd experienced t signal. Though, they did expect that much. In all honesty, Lars couldn't really care less how big the school was or what he'd encounter once he was there. He knew he was the best, and whatever he'd face there would just be a stepping stones in his inevitable journey to the top. He glanced up at the back of Selena, who was only a few steps in front of him. If it came to it…even her.

Beacon Academy

Yukari · Dec 17, 2015

Alexandria Tobin

Alexandria stared out the window of the airship, resting her head on her hands. The world seemed to slow down around her as they traveled through the sky. It was miserable, as if she had been traveling for an eternity and a half. The only thought on her mind was when she would be able to get off this goddamn ship. She kept scanning the area to try and see Beacon off in the distance. Finally she spotted a giant building. Is that it? she thought to herself. It looked more like a castle than an academy. She had never actually seen the place, but it seemed to match the description she was given. Her parents wanted her to attend the place, telling her about how it would be perfect for her. In truth, she felt as if they just wanted her to get away from them.

She couldn't stop thinking of what the school may be like. And what kinds of people she might meet. Perhaps, she could even make a few friends. She still wasn't entirely sure how she even managed to make it into this school, considering her rather... Colorful reputation. Most schools weren't too happy about her attending, worried about what kind of trouble she might stir up in the event that she attended. If people would simply be nice to one another, then nothing would happen, but she always seemed to get the blame when trouble started. As if the people who started it were at fault... But that was the past. Now she would be attending the top ranking school for hunters, and huntresses.

That train of thought was abruptly cut short by an announcement. "Hello, and welcome to Beacon." So this is Beacon? she thought to herself, ignoring the rest of the announcement. She returned to starting out the window, fantasizing about what it might be like. Perhaps she would team up with some of the other students... No, it wasn't likely. She had quite a bit of trouble cooperating with others. More likely than not there would be quite a bit of conflict, they would probably fight and... Who knows what might happen? No, she wouldn't get along well with others. Of course, she may have no say in the matter. If she was forced to team up with others she wouldn't have a choice.

The announcement ended. Wait, I didn't hear that! The airship started descending almost immediately after. They had finally arrived.

Beacon was even more massive than she had though. The courtyard alone was larger than any of the the schools she had attended before. She saw a boy leaning against a lamppost, idly watching the crowd. The crowd of people gathered was almost intimidating. The final group of students arrived. Orientation would begin soon.

moon · Dec 17, 2015

Xyra Coronis

As Xyra approached the entrance, a taller girl suddenly put herself right in her path.

"So, where the hell do you think you're going?" the new face asked. "Last I checked, this is a place for hunting…not painting."

Xyra looked up at her and her jaw dropped before she could reply. The girl was looking ready to fight already - she might as well be on her way into an arena right now. She was obviously muscular, without being large, and her arms ended in large gauntlets that would surely be harmful to anybody who didn't agree with their owner. But what struck Xyra so hard was the girl's hair. It was brightly pink and cut in a rebellious fashion. It awoke so many feelings inside of Xyra, one of which was jealousy. But mostly the color was just so pretty that she couldn't stop staring for that reason.

"I..." she begun, but realized after a second or two that her mouth didn't automatically obey her. She finally closed her mouth and cleared her throat before she gripped the Painbrush harder behind her back, just to give herself some kind of general familiarity and stability in the situation.

"I'm joining Beacon!" she said, trying to sound happy without being too chipper. It failed, she heard from the first high pitched syllable. "To... Fight Grimm of course! You look so tough-"

She halted herself - what kind of thing to say was that?

"Um, so I assume you're already a student?"

LOCATION: outside the academy

Sonata · Dec 17, 2015

Caroline Bjork - Goat Faunus

Location: Faunus academy

The airship touched down at the edge of the platform and students spilled out onto the ground below. Each seemed to be already in pairs, roughhousing and socializing with each other as if they'd known the other for years. Everyone was smiling and laughing, enjoying the moment as they made their way through the first day of school. Nobody in particular jumped out to Carol, and nobody tried to socialize with her either. She was simply there, almost like a ghost. It was a weird feeling.

For the majority of her life Carol had been pretty popular with others. Even though she didn't know anyone at this academy she still thought that someone would want to come talk to her at least. But they didn't. Everyone already had someone or a group of someones and completely avoided her. It was weird, but it didn't so much bother her. The girl was strong willed and knew that even if they wouldn't talk to her today, there would always be tomorrow, the day after or even the year after.

This school is where she belonged and she could feel it. She'd been allowed in while all of her friends had been rejected. They saw something in her that even she didn't see and knew they had to have her. This was almost like some kind of destiny. The girl giggled to herself as she walked towards the school. There were many various types of faunus around including some that she'd never even though could exist before. Each gave off a sense of warmth. Each had smiles etched onto their faces.

The girl had gotten about halfway to the school when someone bumped into her. A rather large fox faunus. His chest bulged and his entire presence screamed protector. His arms were the size of the girl's head and his legs looked as if they could crush boulders with ease. Caroline's eyes turned to hearts and her cheeks flushed as the beast of a beast-man reached his hand out to her and spoke to her in a throaty voice.

"WAKE UP CAROLINE! CAROLINE! IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!"

The voice screamed at her, causing her to wince in pain. Slowly the world around her faded. The sound of laughter and small talk was replaced by the roar of an airship's engine. Her eyes slowly peeled open to reveal the real world around her. An instructor's hands were placed firmly on her shoulders and he was in the middle of shaking her awake.

"Caroline! It's time to wake up! The airship needs to leave and you need to get to class!"

Caroline closed on eye and shut the other halfway as she tried to make out the instructor's image. She looked from side to side and noticed that she was still on the airship and was also the only one on board minus the pilot and instructor who was still shaking her. The girl waved her hand in front of herself and moaned.

"What do you want? Leave me alone. Just another five minutes. I was having such a good dream."

"Not right now kid. We have to go to orientation. You're going to be late."

Caroline felt herself being lifted up onto the man's shoulder.

"What are you doing? Put me down right now." Carol complained.

"Nope. Gotta go." The man said as he jumped down from the airship. As he hit the ground he took off at a sprint, trying to ensure that the girl made it to orientation on time. She was one of the last to arrive, but he'd be damned if her distant home was the reason for her being kicked out.

Caroline sighed and gave up. There was no way she'd be getting back to sleep in these conditions. She pulled out her dream journal and began to jot down what all had happened while she slept and how her instructor so rudely tore her from it. After which she ended the entry by stating how she wished that she could see that hunk from her dreams once more. If only she could make dreams into reality. If only.

Nagi · Dec 18, 2015

Gwen Bugail 羊

x

She clutched her beloved glaive, gently tracing her fingers along the carvings in its hilt, as she walked forward. Gwen had made this into something of a habit, plucking on the sharper edges, to the point where tiny bits of wood would chip off every now and then. It was somehow comforting to her, easing the fears that arose from passing over the school grounds of the Faunus Academy, where she was clearly surrounded by imposing characters and undoubtedly skilled fighters. She'd already spotted some intimidating faunus indeed - passing through the dining hall earlier she'd noticed a terrifying alligator faunus, and there were quite a number of other carnivores around as well... Why had she come here again? She was a prey animal for goodness' sake! She should've just stayed at home and taken care of her mother and siblings and--

No. That was wrong. She couldn't allow herself to think that now. She'd been a quitter all her life, but this time she would have to live up to everyone's expectations. Failure was not an option. Not this time.

Taking a deep breath to renew her determination, Gwen decided to take matters into her own hands. Rather than aimlessly walking around the halls and trying to grasp the area, she nervously approached one of the teachers assigned to guide new students around. A buff, older gentleman with a large mane and a gruff face, clearly a lion faunus, became the one to introduce her to the complex. Despite his occasional joking remark about her meek demeanor, he seemed friendly enough. Gwen thanked him afterward and upon receiving a rather strong pat on the back, he sent her on her way.

Orientation was about to begin, and so she decided it best to return to the dining hall, as she'd been told that doubled as assembly point. Upon entering, she was a little taken aback after all - when she walked by here earlier it'd been mostly empty, but only now that all students had gathered here, she realised just how large this academy actually was. She considered socializing with others, but looking around it seemed that most were already part of their own little cliques. A sigh escaped her lips, and she went for the safest option, sitting at the edge of one of the few remaining empty tables. It would be fine to leave introductions until after the initiation... right?

x

Circuit · Dec 18, 2015

.

Race: Faunus - Type: Cat
Semblance: Falcon-Eye
Level: 1

Chapter I - Introduction-

Elke Tegeler

The sound of birds in the sky filled the air. Elke walked towards Beacon Academy, standing in front of the large fountain that stood as a landmark for the Academy. The water was rushing and casting a soothing sounds alongside the birds. The whole scene was calm and inviting. She looked into the fountain and adjusted her bow, making sure it fit perfectly. She straightened her dress before walking towards the looming building of towers and pillars. It reminded Elke of a small castle. Groups of students could be seen in groups, chatting as they enjoyed the sunny day, or were alone as they wandered around trying to work out what they were supposed to be doing. A small group could be seen being talked to by what Elke presumed to be a teacher, so she wandered over. The teacher was a tall woman, who had short black hair and wore narrow glasses. She appeared quite stern.

"Now you've seen the outside, let us migrate into the Academy and show you around. Oh, you there, you're new as well I presume?" She pointed at Elke who was caught a little off-guard by the sudden interrogation.
"Yeah, I've just arrived" She blurted out on the spot. Thank heavens she was used to responding to humans already.
"Right well follow me then." She commanded. Elke quickly fell into step with the group as they began to enter the Academy. They entered the main hall where two paths split off leading to training theatres and lecture rooms. They first headed towards the lecture rooms, to see where they would be learning. A lecture room had a large board for visual displays, a large open space for demonstrations and many seats which rose up the further back they went. As they walked around the corridor they came to the Food Hall, a large long hall with many long tables and a canteen at the far end.

On the other side of the food hall the corridor carried on and the rooms on this side comprised of many training rooms. Within these one could find an arena with training simulations and dummies to practise on, along with an arena for students to fight against each other within. The teacher turned to the group and eyed them keenly.

"Since you have all made it this far you must have some skill in combat. How about you experience and demonstrate some of the equipment in this room?" She picked out one student to practise in the dummy arena, then turned to look for two more to show off their skills against one another. Elke shifted slightly, gaining the attention of the teacher. Immediately she was picked out and pitted against a boy quite a bit larger than she was. She remained calm and listened to the teacher's explanation.

"In this arena your health will be constantly monitored and should your condition become too critical you will be removed from the arena. Good luck, and keep it clean."

Elke waited for the countdown to end before jumping to the side, just in time to dodge a harsh tackle from her opponent. He stopped, turned and drew a sword. Elke studied him, drawing her own broadsword. The shiny black blade absorbed all the light that touched it, with only the silver blade edges having any kind of colour about them. She moved the blade faster than her opponent had anticipated, blocking his swing and pushing him back a little. Elke rushed forward and swung the sword instinctively. At the last minute she twisted the hilt and smashed the flat of the blade into her opponent's side, knocking him down and sending him sliding across the floor a short way. Elke thought she heard a rib crack and the rest of the group gasped. She stood tall and let the boy recover. He stood up and flicked a button on his sword, splitting the blade into two. He swung his blades and created a shockwave which broke against Elke's sword. Elke's mouth curled into a smile and she lifted her sword, pointing it at the boy. She pulled the handle on the side and fired the rifle extension to her sword straight at the boy's chest. The round was dulled but it still hit hard and knocked him back to the floor. Elke's accuracy was impeccable. She stepped over to the boy and leant over him to ask,

"Are you done yet?" The boy looked up at her and gritted his teeth, before beginning to stand up. She stepped back to give him room, before pulling her sword back to swing. Instead of swinging it herself, she fired the rifle giving the blade a lot more momentum before twisting the blade to hit the boy with the flat of the blade, knocking him harshly to the floor. With that the boy gave up and slid out of the arena. Elke noticed the teacher studying her, but paid it no heed and jumped into the crowd, becoming unnoticeable once again. Or at least, that is what she wanted to achieve, but now all the boys wouldn't take their eyes off her. A couple glared at her, and she figured they were friends of the boy she beat. They reached the amphitheatre and the teacher turned to them.

"Teams will be assigned to you shortly. Please wait here and socialise while we prepare the welcoming ceremony." And with that she left. Elke stood around for a moment looking around, wondering what to do. All the students began to take a seat so she followed suit. She sat down, wondering what was about to happen, and where her life might lead now.

moon · Dec 18, 2015

Xyra & Cass
Beacon Academy

"A student? Yeah, I guess you could say I am. Not really by too much choice though," Cass admitted. "You really don't look like someone who can fight Grimm though. I mean, what the hell can you do with art supplies in a fight?" Cass shook her hand and brought her metallic glove to her head. "I've seen some stuff and trust me, kid. You ain't ready for out there the way you are."

That made a far too wide smile find its way to Xyra's face though.

"Art supplies?" she snickered involuntarily. "Oh, you'd be surprised! I have nearly managed to kill Grimm with these! The red one is probably the most efficiant still,but there's this bunch I haven't gotten the chance to try out live yet, I've only just mixed them..."

She glanced down at the shoulder bag she was carrying. Most of her luggage had been taken by Academy servants to... Somewhere. But she refused to give them her Dustpaint bag. Suddenly afraid she'd start babbling, she quickly looked up at the other girl again instead. She did still look very tough, which Xyra didn't. So she was probably much more experienced and skilled than herself still.

"How many Grimm have you killed, then?" Xyra asked.

Cass paused before immediately jumping into an answer, despite normally doing so. The truth is, the Grimm she killed was mostly with a bit of help. She held her own, but she could hardly come out and say she killed dozens of Grimm on her own. She wasn't that powerful, but enjoyed carrying that kind of presence. "I've fought more people than Grimm," she said. "Let's put it that way."

Cass turned around and started heading towards school. "Whatever. You ain't my problem. Just don't hold whatever team you are put on back with your stick figures."

Xyra couldn't find the words to say when the girl suddenly left her, so she was left standing awkwardly in front of the school. Eventually, she shook her head with a sigh.

"Not the nicest girl," she muttered to herself, or possibly to her paintbrush. "But I guess everybody can't be as nice as Toru."

Deciding not to let one rude person ruin her first day, Xyra followed the other students inside the main building.

Thirty minutes later, she was feeling dizzier than in a long time. Teachers had gathered groups of students and shown them around school, and although it had been very interesting, Xyra felt like she knew the area even less now than before. It might take some time before she learned to not get lost in the corridors. The teacher her group had been with had also tried to introduce the new students to each other. There were all kinds of people, such as a restless blonde teenage guy with ice blue eyes that Xyra found mesmerising, and also a large, muscular guy carrying around a hammer as if it was... well as if it was as dear to him as the Painbrush was to Xyra, actually. She wondered what the history behind them was.

SkyisUmbreon · Dec 19, 2015

Dylan A. Enaid
Beacon

Dylan could do little more than stand frozen on the bridge of the airship and gape at the scene in front of him as the rest of the passengers made their way towards the building. Neither mom or dad had said that the school would be this huge, or that this many people would be attending it...then again he probably should have known by the name. Even he knew that this place was one of the top tier schools for hunters and huntresses in-training. By some heavenly miracle or dark sorcery his parents had found a way to enroll him in the academy. After hearing about this he had excitedly doubled his studying and training to make sure he would get in, but now he wasn?t too far from terrified.

He had been hoping to meet some people and perhaps make a friend or two, but due to the lack of his experience in the area of anything social, he had ended up spending the entire ride standing stiffly among a group of students looking like a misplaced automaton. The flow of the crowd had eventually swept him onto the bridge where he now stood rubbing his bracers nervously. A rough shove snapped him back to reality as he took a few steps to regain his footing. Worried that he had already upset someone, he turned to face his aggressor with an apology already forming in his mind, only to find the boy turning back to playfully punch his mate who had pushed him. A deep sigh left Dylan already feeling worn out, but he did his best to compose himself and started off towards the school, unable to deny the slight flutter of excitement in him.

This of course faded after a couple of minutes of wandering through the campus, having been deserted by the crowd. Inside, the campus was even larger and very pristine, once again causing him to question his being there in the first place. Thankfully he was spotted by one of the roaming tour groups led by one of the teachers and was able to tag along, though he stuck more to the edge of the group offering excited but reticent responses when engaged. While not talking he took the time to read the faces of those around him, finding relief in the fact that not all of them seemed as acclimated to everything as he had thought. Perhaps this new ?private school? thing wouldn?t be too hard to get used to after all?

Feeling a bit more confident with this realization in mind, he turned to look around at the rest of the students until his eyes stopped on the face of a girl who looked incredibly jaded with the whole tour. His eyes lingered for a few moments until her own snapped to his and narrowed suspiciously, hinting slightly at aggression. Wide-eyed, Dylan winced and turned back to the front of the group, shrinking into his hoodie as he felt auburn irides digging into the back of his scalp. With eyes locked onto the doors ahead of him, he muttered under his breath softly.
?Baby steps Dylan, baby steps...sheesh?

Circuit · Dec 23, 2015

Classes

A teacher stood before a large crowd of students atop a stage. They looked down on the new entrants, wondering what kind of promising talents were locked inside each of them. They looked down at the cards in their hands, before beginning to speak.

"Welcome to this academy to train you all into fine huntsmen and huntresses. Here you will receive the very best with regards to training regimes and skills development. In the classes, you can expect to learn about your Semblances, Aura and how they are connected. You will also learn the biology of the Grimm you are training to fight. [Faunus Academy students will also learn about Human biology.] In training classes you will be pitted against dummies and your fellow classmates to better understand your abilities, Semblances and how you can improve them. There will be regular team-missions you will embark on, to better your teamwork skills, and throughout the year you will gain points as a team. The top ranking team will receive special commemorations and a special prize. So work hard both on your own and as a team! [Points will be determined by GM in the OOC] Teams have already been organised and you will find the list of teams over on the board to the left of the stage. Dormitories are for teams [that exist in Beacon Academy] and comprise of two bunk beds and a bathroom. There are also small kitchen facilities for weekends when the canteen shan't be open. First classes begin this afternoon. So drop your stuff and be punctual. That is all!

Stinging Bea · Dec 23, 2015

Nel Phelia - Arrival

Some people would only be able to dream about getting to ride on an airship. For Nel, she was lucky enough for that dream to become a reality. A reality which she felt ended far too soon when the ship landed at the Faunus Academy. Still, a smile was on her face and a spring in her step as she gathered her one and only luggage bag and practically skipped off the vehicle. The hawk Faunus felt her feathers tingling with excitement as she looked all around her. It really did feel like a new chapter in her life was beginning the moment she stepped off the airship.

"Too bad I'm not a tree... I'd have a much easier time keeping my feet planted on the ground," Nel commented, not really speaking to anyone in particular as she began to walk about and take a better look around.

The first thing she took note of was just how many Faunus were actually around her. Nel had never actually seen so many walking around so comfortably, without having to face the judgement of humans and such. She really did not hold a grudge against them for that though. After all, everyone was entitled to their own opinions, and if someone did not particularly find her too cozy to be around because of what she was... well, there really was not much she could do with that. The next thing she noticed was how... quaint the academy seemed. Nel's initial vision of the Faunus Academy was some grand and magnificent looking castle. This place was... well, it had its charm. She really was not disappointed in this fact. Rather, Nel found relief that it was small. It would be a lot harder to get lost this way.

"Welp, guess I better find out where I'm supposed to be going," Nel determined starting to wander about. Although, she did not get much further before stopping again. The girl immediately took note of a small, four-armed boy playing on the violin. Close by was a much taller, much more imposing woman. Although she only had two arms, they were quite... beefy to say the least, as if the woman could tear her in two if she very well desired it. Nel figured that perhaps they were related or something of the sort. Rather than wandering about aimlessly, Nel figured that it might be better to ask for directions. Putting on a friendly smile, the hawk Faunus made her way over towards the duo. "Sorry to interrupt and all, but your music really struck a chord with me. Do you happen to know where the dorms or anything like that are?"

jombii · Dec 26, 2015

image by http://pokemontrainern1.deviantart.com/

Black Gil

Intangibility

"Of all people, why do I have to be a Hunter?" Gil groaned to himself as he entered the Academy. There were other people coming too. Gil noted that everybody was looking excited and giddy. "I did not ask for this." His groans to himself were attracting the looks of other students walking, but he just gave them a smile. Move along now, buddies. Just someone who doesn't want to be here. The only thought that consoled Gil is the thought of meeting new people and, possible, learning new things. After all, Beacon is an Academy. "Knowledge above everything, right?"

Upon entering the building, Gil was awed with the architecture of the structure. Clearly, a lot of mind and work was put into the construction. The pillars were sturdy and wide with clear engravings on it. The floor is beautiful with a glass-finish. The walls were lacquer-painted. There was a small group of new students being toured by a guy in glasses. Gil decided to quietly slink at the back of the group.

"Well, the lecture rooms are, er, located here. In the first floor I mean. We have several rooms that can house at least twenty or so students comfortably inside so you don't have to worry about cramming yourselves," the man said in a rapid, squeaky voice. "Upstairs are the dormitories where you will be sleeping with your team mates once it is determined." At that point, Gil decided he heard enough and tried to go back and take a peek into the dormitories but the tour guide saw him. "Mister, you are not yet allowed upstairs. There will be an orientation first and you have to meet your team mates first."

Gil smiled. "I got it, sir." He groaned inside himself. This will be a long day.

Ice1 · Dec 31, 2015

Niklas Brudheim
The Unmovable

The grounds below Niklas started to slow down. Or rather, the airship he was in started to slow down, as it lowered itself to the landing ground. Niklas was sitting in the windowsill, looking at the trees come closer, as if they were growing at an impeccable rate. The school grounds were beautiful, but Niklas did not much care for them. What caught his eye mainly where those that were leaving the blimps that had landed earlier. He started to categorize them in his mind already, judging them on muscularity, dress style and their weapons. The categories he made were: 'Probably strong', 'probably not strong', and 'You better not actually fight on high heels, idiot'.

The ship landed with a slight shock, and Niklas strolled out, ignoring the people around him leaving for solid ground. He towered above those around him, except for the far and few between fellow tall men. The schoolgrounds were gigantic, and Niklas felt like a fish out of water. Or maybe more like a fish that reached the ocean for the first time and took in its first big gulp of salt water. His surroundings didn't make him uneasy, but Niklas did feel himself being ready to pounce. Where he grew up, there rarely were crowds as big as this one, and if a wolf could hide between the trees, a person could certainly hide between people. Still, it wasn't like he was expecting confrontation right now, although he was secretly hoping for it.

Without putting too much thought into it, Niklas followed the other students into the grand hall. He sat down in the back, so he could avoid the mess that would consist of the students all leaving at the same time.

A teacher climbed the stage and started to speak. All basic information, and delivered very dry. The only bothersome thing was that the ****ing team listings were put next to the stage. Because that was a great ****ing way to handle logistics. I'm already starting to like it her, Niklas thought as he stood up, for ****'s sake.

Foxrally · Jan 4, 2016

Jairo & Sahn Xill

Nel Phelia

Jairo had been close to the finishing touches of the piece when he noticed a girl walking up to him. A few yellow-ish feathers protruded from her neck and shoulders, meaning she was probably some sort of bird faunus. Ugh, birds... he thought to himself.

"Sorry to interrupt and all, but your music really struck a chord with me. Do you happen to know where the dorms or anything like that are?"

A few seconds after she asked the question, Jairo stopped and shot her an angry look. "What is it?" he asked, clearly annoyed that somebody has interrupted him. "Didn't hear-" he began, but stopped when he noticed his sister laughing about something. "Hey, what's so funny?" he asked as Sahn chuckled at the bird girl's clever wordplay.

"Nothing." Sahn replied. "She asked about dorms."

"Oh, dorms. Yeah, apparently the flybags that run this place are too cheap to get their spinnin' students proper sleeping quarters. The ones they do have are for the staff or something. Basically their way of telling you to get back to the streets."

The smile never left Nel's lips as she took in what he said. In fact, it was possible that it only got wider. "Well... I guess they just didn't have enough room for everyone. But I kinda like sleeping out under the stars, anyways. Mom used to always say that I had my head in the clouds."

Deciding to put her best foot forward, Nel took a moment to extend her hand towards the duo. She really did not know if she was going to be seeing too much of the duo, but one thing her mother did enforce upon her was to always make sure to introduce herself to others properly.

"My name's Nel. It's nice to meet you both," she exclaimed happily.

Jairo glanced at Nel's outstretched hand hesitantly, glancing at her scornfully before shaking her hand with one his unused arms. "Jairo. This is my sister, Sahn." Sahn smiled and shook Nel's hand.

After a few seconds of silence, Jairo looked towards the front door of the academy again. It was beginning to fill, and the snacks table was getting cleared out by an intimidating crocodile dude. "Got any idea how this mess happens? Guy that showed us around wasn't much help." he asked. "They'll be keeping us outside forever at this rate."

Nel shook her head in response. "I don't have any clue, really. I only got here a few minutes ago..." She paused, flicking one of the feathers on her shoulder. "Guess you could say I'm flying blind."

"How does that... oh." Jairo stopped mid-sentence as he realized the pun Nel had made. "You, ah... Should try talking to someone els-"

Sahn nudged him in the arm. "She's good." She smiled at the hawk girl and picked up her brother, who began protesting that he hadn't finished playing yet. "Orientation will start." she added, facing Nel.

"Oh! We could go together then!" Nel beamed, her eyes shining with a bit of excitement. Without waiting for much of a comfirmation or decline, the Hawk Faunus began to lead the two Spiders towards where she thought the orientation was going to be. "I get the feeling we're all gonna be good friends!"

I'm afraid I'm feeling that too, though I'm not sure about the 'good' part... Jairo thought.

-------------------------------

The trio sat comfortably on the first few seats they saw. Judging by the large amount of students, it was unlikely there would be enough seats to accomodate everyone. Jairo took this opportunity to scan the room and the people who were there. There were the two canines and the the croc guy, along with a varied assortment of feline, bovine, rodent and other kinds of faunus. Hmm... Maybe the croc dude could prove useful... A teacher who seemed to have dog-like ears walked by and stopped when saw Jairo.

"Hey kid, I'm not sure if anyone let you know, but we're not letting children inside here. You'll get a chance to meet your sister after the ceremony." he motioned at the door.

"What? Do I look like a child to you? I'm a student here, websh-" Jairo began, before being cut off by Sahn mentioning for him to stay quiet.

"Spider faunus. We're short folks." she smiled at him.

The teacher looked surprised, and cleared his throat. "Ah, sorry." he apologized to Sahn. "You should watch your tone, boy." he added to Jairo; the latter crossing his arms and muttering curses.

After a few minutes, a man appeared on the small wooden stage and the audience quieted down. He was the same goat man in a suit that had toured most of the students around.

"Welcome, faunus, to the very first Faunus academy. I am professor Vicroc. We established this academy to train you all into fine huntsmen and huntresses. Here you will receive the very best with regards to training regimes and skills development - and to do so, we've appointed some of the best faunus instructors in the land. In classes, you can expect to learn about your Semblances, Aura and how they are connected. You will also learn the biology of the Grimm you are training to fight, as well as human biology."

"In training classes you will be pitted against dummies and your fellow classmates to better understand your abilities, Semblances and how you can improve them. There will be regular team-missions you will embark on, to better your teamwork skills, and throughout the year you will gain points as a team of four members. The top ranking team will receive special commemorations and a special prize. So work hard both on your own and as a team!"

Jairo smiled, glad he had done a quick inspection earlier and knew exactly who he'd pick as teammates. Heh, I already know who-"

"Teams have already been organised and you will find the list of teams over on the board to the left of the stage."

...dammit.

"First classes begin this afternoon. So drop your stuff and be punctual. That is all!" Vicroc concluded with a slight clap of his hands. "And remember..." His voice took a much more somber tone.

"Humans are not out allies."

-------------------------------

Jairo sighed as the audience began moving towards the large board to check their teams. "With our luck, we'll be stuck in a team with two spinnin' birds." he grumbled, climbing onto Sahn's shoulders.

"Don't let it bug you too much! Maybe our partner isn't too fond of spiders. We shouldn't go in holding a grudge or anything! This is a chance to start fresh!" Nel encouraged Jairo. "Besides, being with birds isn't too bad. It'll make it easier to establish a pecking order!"

Jairo groaned. "I pray for the poor souls who are going to be on your team."

A joint post by Foxrally and Himika

[Other FULL] [IC] As the Dust Settles; A RWBY RP [M] [EPILOGUE]

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