//------------------------------//
// Initiation 1.3 
// Story: SNST 
// by Jninja15 
//------------------------------//

    A boy with brown hair, and a cute mole under his right eye, is sleeping peacefully in his sleeping bag in the ballroom, waiting for initiation. That is until a girl with long blonde hair wearing a teal dress and a red hairband with small devil horns wanted him to join the land of the awake.
“Marco!” she shouted, causing the boy to yelp, jump up to his feet, still in the sleeping bag, flailing his arms about before settling into a fighting position.
Marco blinked away the sleep from his eyes and lowered his arms when he regained control over his martial instincts. “Ugh... Star?” he began rubbing his eyes. “Why-?”
“Come on, sleepyhead! We gotta get ready for the big day~!”
Marco stepped out of the sleeping bag, stretched, and dusted off the orange hoodie he slept in. “Way ahead of you.”

Marco was being very methodic about brushing his teeth. At the same time, Star seemed to go about it randomly while energetically mumbling a tune.
Marco spat the toothpaste foam into the sink. “Looks like someone is looking forward to their first day of school.” he paused to rinse out his mouth. “How come you weren’t like this any other year?”
Star gargled some water loudly, sounding like a Wookie before she spat it out with force into the sink. “Because, Marco Diaz, now we’re not learning boring stuff like history or science. We’re learning to hunt monsters!”

Marco finished tying up his sleeping bag. “What do you think we went to Asylum for? That was our primary combat school.”
“Yeah, but with a name like that, can’t you see why I’m so eager to be here.”
Marco paused, contemplating for a second. “Touche.”

Marco began speaking through a mouthful of cereal. “Hold on, that doesn’t explain why you think we didn’t learn anything about hunting Grimm back then.”
“Because nine times out of ten, we would be learning something useless. Like history, math, or how Vibranium can pierce someone’s aura without disturbing the aura. Grimm don’t have aura!”
“But that knowledge comes in handy when applying first aid. Field surgeons use vibranium filament lights to keep a person’s body from healing the wrong way while they’re doing surgery.”
“But we aren’t surgeons, are we, Marco?”
Marco softly groaned as he put a spoonful of cereal into his mouth.

“Instead of focusing on what we didn’t learn in school,” Star said as she stood behind Marco, rifling through his locker for his weapons. “Why don’t we figure out how to make sure we’re on the same team. We’ll need some sort of sign, a signal...”
“Wouldn’t that be cheating, Star?” Marco said as he pulled out a pair of tonfas and clipped them behind his back on his belt.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Marco. It’s not like we’re getting a grade on who we end up being partners with. Besides, those two over there have been talking about it since breakfast.”
Star pointed to a girl with red hair, wearing a pink skirt and white top with a heart cutout on her chest, talking to a boy with black hair and a pink stripe wearing an oriental long sleeve green top with white pants.
“How about a sloth?” the redhead said, zipping from his right side to his left, “Can you imitate a sloth?”
“Nora,” the boy said.
“Yes, Ren?” she zipped to his other side.
Ren sheathed a pair of bladed pistols into his sleeves. “I don’t think sloths make a lot of noise.”
Nora looked stunned for a second before she brightened up. “That’s why it’s perfect! No one will suspect that we’re together.”
“Daw! I was going to suggest that.” Star said, pouting.
Marco facepalmed. “Why don’t you go talk to her and make sure you two don’t accidentally use the same signal during initiation?”
“Great idea! Maybe we can even give each other tips on tradecraft.” Star giggled as she skipped towards Ren and Nora.
Marco sighed as he followed after her at a casual pace. “I’m surprised you know that word.”

Sunset Shimmer entered the locker room with Yang and Ruby as they saw Ren, Nora, Star, and Marco pass by, the two girls tittering to each other.
“I wonder what’s got them so excited.” Yang wondered out loud.
“Well, it doesn’t matter,” Ruby said as she opened her locker and pulled out her weapon, Crescent Rose. “Today, I let my sweetheart do the talking.” She stroked her weapon in collapsed form and let out a shuddering breath.
Sunset cringed a little bit at Ruby’s... display of affection toward her weapon.
“Sooo,” Yang started, “What are you going to do about teams, Ruby, Sunset?”
Ruby clipped her weapon behind her back. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll just join you and Sunset.”
Sunset’s eyes lit up. “Really? You’d want to be on a team with me?”
Ruby looked at Sunset as if she asked a stupid question. “Well, of course, you seem cool and all. Plus, you’re a scythe wielder.”
Sunset began to tear up as she lunged at Ruby and wrapped her arms around her neck. “Waah! Thankyousomuch! Thismeansalottomee-he-hee!” and she continued bawling with a comical amount of tears pouring out like a fountain.
Ruby closed one eye to shield it from the tears berating her face, and she nervously patted Sunset on the back. “N-no problem, Sunset. We scythe wielders gotta stick together, right?”
Yang smiled broadly. “Well, glad to see that you have made a new friend that you are willing to be on a team with.” She then pulled her long golden hair in front of her and started brushing at it nervously. “But just be prepared if I’m not on the same team as you.”
Ruby disintegrated into rose petals and zipped aggressively in front of Yang. Sunset lost her balance and fell to the floor, continuing to cry as she wondered if her new friend had already rejected her.
“My dear sister,” Ruby said, glaring harshly at Yang. “Are you implying that you don’t want to be on the same team as me!”
“N-no, that’s not it,” Yang said defensively, “I just think that you should meet other people to help you grow up and make new friends.”
“I don’t need friends to help me grow up,” Ruby replied to her sister’s criticism. “I. Drink. Milk.”
Sunset and Yang said nothing as they stared at Ruby for a short while.

“This is ridiculous!” Jaune said, looking at a map as he passed by a trio of girls discussing friendship and milk. “I couldn’t have put my stuff in locker 636. I would have remembered counting that high! Aw, why does this have to happen today?”
While he was following his hand-drawn map to his locker, he spotted somebody out of the corner of his eye. It was the white-haired girl that called him cute yesterday. She was rather cute herself. Not only that, but she was talking to two other girls about teams. One had deep vermilion red hair tied into a ponytail and was wearing bronze armor, a length of cloth the same color as her hair tied around her waist. The other also had her blonde hair in a ponytail and wore a skin-tight blue top exposing her midriff and matching shorts that reached down halfway past her thighs.
“Now is a good time as any for me to start making my moves.” Jaune thought to himself as he approached the girls.

“So, Pyrrha, Samus,” Weiss started. “I hear we’re getting our teams today. Do you have any plans on whose team you’re going to be on?”
The redheaded girl, Phyrra, paused to think. “I don’t know. I was just planning on letting the chips fall where they may.”
Samus glanced at Pyrrha through the corner of her eye with a raised brow before wordlessly returning her attention to assembling her pistol.
Weiss noticed Samus’ silence but pressed on. “W-well, I thought that we’d make a great team. You, Samus, and I.”
“I think that sounds grand!” said the redhead. “What do you think, Samus?”
Samus twirled her gun before holstering it at her side and gave a noncommittal shrug.
“This is perfect!” Weiss thought to herself. “The strongest girls in class teamed up with the smartest girl in class...” she continued silently, monologing, not noticing someone else sneaking up behind her. “Nothing will stop us!”
“You know what else is great?” came the voice of Jaune Arc. “Me.”
“Oh gods, it’s you again,” Weiss said bluntly.
Unperturbed, Jaune continued. “I heard you admiring me the other day.”
Weiss groaned.
“Now, I’m not supposed to do this,” Jaune said with more confidence than he really had. “but I might just be able to save you a spot on my team.”
“Actually,” Pyrrha interjected, “I’m pretty sure the teams are determined by-”
“It’s not up to you who’s going to be on your team.” Samus interrupted flatly as she pulled a pair of heeled boots, rimmed with glowing yellow light stips.
Pyrrha glared at Samus. Samus gave a ‘What? I did nothing wrong.’ shrug as she put on her high-tech high heels.
“You don’t say,” Jaune said with disinterest. “Well, hot stuff, play your cards right, and you just might be on the winning team.”
A dangerous gleam showed in Samus’ eye just before Weiss pulled Jaune far back. “Jaune, was it? Do you have any idea who these two are?”
“Not in the slightest, snow angel.”
Weiss opened her mouth to speak before a hand fell over her face and its twin over Jaune’s face, separating the two, nearly throwing Jaune off his feet.
An excited, squealing gasp came from the interloper. His green eyes wide, his messy, grass-green hair almost standing on end. “Oh, my, gosh!” Izuku gushed. “It’s Samus Aran and Pyrrha Nikos!”
Jaune managed to right himself as he stood next to the excited teen, mild confusion etched on his face.
“Four-time winners of the regional championships from Sanctum Academy!” Izuku continued.
“Never heard of them,” Jaune said.
Izuku turned to Jaune, stars not fading from his eyes as he continued to gush, his arms flailing, “They’re on the cover of every Pumpkin Pete’s cereal box!”
Jaune gasped and pointed at Pyrrha and Samus. “That’s you?! But they only do that for superstars and famous athletes.”
“Yeah,” Pyrrha chuckled, “it’s pretty neat. Sadly the cereal’s not good for your health.”
“Deku!” came a third, gruff, male voice. “The hell you doing?!”
“Kachan! It’s Samus and Pyrrha!” Izuku said, pointing to the famous athletes.
“So?” Bakugou said indifferently. “They’re just a couple of cereal box mascots. What’s the big deal? Their cereal’s not that good.”
Izuku reeled in horror. “How could my best friend say such a horrible thing! First of all, Pumpkin Pete’s is an excellent cereal, if not healthy. Second-”
Izuku was interrupted when Samus shoved him aside and aggressively stood in Bakugou’s face. “What was that?” she snarled.
“Samus touched my face.” Izuku squealed quietly.
Bakugou chuckled. “What? You upset about me insulting your favorite cereal too?”
“I. Am. No. Mascot.” she growled.
Daggers clashed as the two glared at each other with such intense hatred that one could hear ringing in their ears.
Izuku, blissfully ignoring the situation, loudly shuffled through his backpack and pulled out a notebook. “Samus, you seem a little busy right now. So, Pyrrha? Can I have your-.”
“Let’s go, Deku.” Bakugou barked as he grabbed Izuku by the collar and dragged him away, picking up Izuku’s backpack in the process. “It’s starting to smell too much like a bunch of losers here.”
“But wait,” Izuku whined as his heels squeaked against the tile floor. “I didn’t get their autograaaph!”
“Sorry,” Pyrrha shouted to Izuku as she picked up the book and pen he dropped. “Maybe next time?”
Izuku gave a thumbs-up as tears flowed down his face.
Weiss and Jaune stared in silence at the two boys making their exit as Samus continued to stare daggers at Bakugou, a steady rumble coming from her throat.
“So,” Weiss interrupted the quiet as she turned toward Jaune, “After seeing that, do you think you have a shot with these two ladies.”
Jaune looked at Samus and Pyrrha, then back to Weiss, and deflated. “No, I don’t think so.”
Pyrrha turned around to see Jaune looking down at the floor. She approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. “Cheer up.” she said, “I’m sure you’ll make a fine team leader.”
“Oh, stop!” Jaune said as he instantly cheered up and took a flirtatious pose.
“Seriously, stop.” Weiss retorted. “We should not be encouraging this kind of behavior.”
“Looks like someone is already on board for team Jaune.” he then leaned in close to Weiss, “Better act quick. Spots are filling up fast.”
“Ok, that’s a little too close,” Weiss said nervously. “Pyrrha, a little help?”
Jaune turned around to see Pyrrah’s response but was met with a shot to the chest. The air was punched out of him as electricity arced around him, causing his muscles to spasm and turn to jelly. He quickly collapsed to the floor, twitching like a dead bug.
Weiss and Pyrrha looked at Jaune in shock as Samus, not looking back yet, holstered her pistol and stormed out of the room.
Weiss gave an ambivalent shrug, “That works too.” and walked away.
The intercom then chimed, and the voice of Glynda Goodwitch came through the speakers, “All first-year students, please report to the courtyard for initiation.”
Jaune had mostly recovered from his paralysis as Pyrrha propped him to sit upright. He groaned as his head spun, the bright lights of pain in his head dying out as fast as they came.
“Having fun there, lady-killer?” Yang said as she, Ruby, and Sunset approached the poor boy.
“Uhg.” Jaune groaned. “I don’t get it.” he almost slurred. “My mom told me that all women look for is confidence. Where did I go wrong?”
Ruby kneeled down to help Pyrrha get Jaune on his feet and steady him.
“Snow-angel probably wasn’t the best choice,” Yang commented, “and Sammy definitely wasn’t.”
“Come on.” Ruby said to Jaune, “Let’s get going.”
Jaune only moaned in pain as his feet continued to stumble underneath him.