Initiation of the Initiation

"So, Pyrrha, have you given any thought to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with such a strong, well-known individual such as yourself!" asked Weiss, as she turned towards the other person she will consider her rival. But that remains to be seen. They don't need to be rivals yet, for it was mutually beneficial for them to become partners.

It was a surprise to Weiss that Pyrrha Nikos wanted to enroll in Beacon Academy. She thought she would be attending in Mantle. She was in the same yacht since everyone did not expect her to be in Beacon, much less aspire to be a Huntress. But the odds of them in the same institution was too good to ignore. Weiss has to be Pyrrha's partner, or be in one team if possible.

But Weiss sensed something odd regarding Pyrrha. She watched her fight in the finals that earned Pyrrha her third championship, ringside no less, and even saw her at the initiation with that large oaf she was with. She remembered that Pyrrha wore a skirt, a red short one. Now Pyrrha seemed to have moved past that and is now wearing short black gym shorts. It was a daring display, Weiss thought. Surely Pyrrha has to acknowledge that it left onlookers with little imagination of the shape of her buttocks.

"I have a particular person in mind," Pyrrha replied as she slung her weapons behind her back. "We met yesterday and I think I found my partner." Her cheeks grew red as she remembered her lover.

"Oh..." dejected, Weiss muttered. "Then can we still be in a team?"

"That sounds grand!"

"Great!" Despite Pyrrha's agreement, Weiss' thoughts were in disarray. 'Who is this usurper? Pyrrha could not have had a partner already?! Was it that large oaf with her during the professor's speech? That man would ruin my dream team!'

"You know what else is great? Me. Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you." A blonde young man interrupted Weiss' musings as Jaune came between her and Pyrrha. It was the scraggly blonde that she pointed at during an argument, which he had mistaken as her infatuation.

With Weiss distracted, Pyrrha made her way towards the other side of the locker room, hidden from view from most of the initiates. There, at the farthest locker, she found Cardin pre-occupied with his scroll. As she sat down next to him, he pocketed his scroll, before he checked his weapon and armor.

"What kept you?"

"I'm sorry! I had a chat with Weiss Schnee. I excused myself when someone interrupted us."

"Wait? Weiss Schnee? Here?"

"Yes, she is. I recognized, well... everything about her. She's a Schnee, dear."

"So she is that white-haired girl I saw yesterday."

Cardin gave his equipment one last once-over before him and Pyrrha sat in silence. The air was filled with anxiety and nervous chatter, and all he was about to contribute to that with one heavy exhale.

"Nervous?" He asked as he cracked his knuckles. Even after they popped, he was still trying to do it again.

"A bit. I've hunted Grimm before." Pyrrha softly spoke. "Sometimes it's for defense. Sometimes for practice. But this is the first time someone will grade me for doing so." She placed her hand on his knee, the tremor slowly subsided, but not completely gone.

There was no use in trying to be brave, Cardin knew. He knows that she is a better fighter than him, and to believe otherwise was foolish, arrogant even. "I usually have huntsmen with me in hunting trips. This is the first time I'm gonna be alone facing Grimm."

"Not really," Pyrrha assured him. "We got each other."

Cardin only smiled and grunted before he placed his hand on top of Pyrrha's. As they look at each other's eyes, they knew what was at stake. Their lips met with sincere affection, fueled by neither lust not want. They parted seconds later, after what felt like a lifetime.

Cardin stood with Pyrrha's hand in his before he ushered his muse to do the same. He hefted his mace on his shoulder before he said, "Well, time to take the first step."