[h2][center][color=crimson]LAN[/color] and [color=a0410d]RUSS[/color][/center][/h2]
As the proffesor was going throuh his speech, a red haired girl near the middle of the line stands ready, carefully plotting her course [color=crimson][i]"Alright, go about 300 feet, then launch my hook, catch a limb, and smooth sailing to the ground."[/i][/color] the moment the plate clicks to prepare for launch, she reaches for the folded spade at her side, eyeing the other students [color=crimson]"Shame I didn't get a chance to mingle yesterday"[/color] the faunus mutters to herself as she sees a masked boy go ]airborne, followed by one with silver hair [color=crimson]"Guess it's luck of the draw this time."[/color] she finishes as the heavy pad at her feet pushes violently upwards.

Russ's composure stumbled when the harsh sound of the platform at the end punctuated the professor's speech. The kid went flying like a god damn ragdoll. and everyone's eyes seemed to follow him. No one said anything though, not that she could hear anyway.

[color=a0410d]"Am I the only one who just saw that kid go flying?"[/color] she asked, once again met by silence. A bit frustrated, she clicked her jaw from side to side and threw her hands up in mock surrender. [color=a0410d]"Come on guys, no one else at least a bit concerned by-"[/color]

And the last of her words were slurred by the wind as she herself was propelled into the air. A brief and faint 'holy hell!' lingering behind. So much for calm and collected, calm and collected could go screw itself in the face of the rushing wind and eagerly approaching ground. Her eyes darted from side to side in panic, trying to spot others who might have found ways to maneuver down, but all she saw were people far off. No one else looked scared, in fact some of the bastards even looked like they were enjoying themselves. What the hell. One kid vanished into the tree tops below, and she thought it might have been Jaws by the massive weapon glinting off of his back. Rest in peace, Jaws. 

Her focus turned back to the ground beneath her and the air before her, and as time began its steadily increasing tick downwards, so did she. 

The crimson haired girl times herself carefully, concentration on the proper release of her weapons hook to slow her fall [color=crimson]"All clear. 1, 2, 3, NOW!"[/color] she shouts, bringing the monks spade downward as it unfolds, the crescent blade firing downwards towards a large branch, not seeing as a black haired girl veered dangerusly close, turning only as she attempted to correct for a change in the breeze [color=crimson]"Oh, hell"'[/color] the spade wielding student says, rolling her eyes just before they collide

Perhaps her attentions had been too focused on the ground, because before she realized that she was moving just as quickly to the side as she was down, the shape of another student came rushing into her periphery. 

[color=a0410d]"Shit shit shit!"[/color] her arms came up in an attempt to shield herself from the impact, but instead she only ended up horseshoed around the red-haired girl. As gravity began to take its hold back, Russ defiantly struggled against it...and gripping the girl's shoulders as if they were her last lifeline. Well, perhaps not merely 'as if'. 

She got a good look at her, eyes and all, which she supposed sealed the deal. Pretty girl, faunus, looked nice enough. If they lived she might even be a pleasant person to talk to, and if not, well at least Russ wouldn't have to worry about being paired with someone she would hate. 

[color=crimson]"So, partners then?[/color] the lemur tailed faunus muses, making sure to look her passenger straight in the eyes as they fell rapidly towards the forest floor, a quick flick of her wrist sending a wave down the wire conneted to her weapon, whiping the blade into a tree below as the motor in the shaft began to rapidly pull in the slack, noticing the girls obvious fear she wrapped her free arm around Russ [color=crimson]"Don't worry about it, i do this all the time."[/color] she giggles, a grin on her face as she uses the anchored blade as a pivot, shifting their movement forward in an arc [color=crimson]"May want to let go know"[/color] she adds, deadpan, as the blade frees itself and rapidly ratracts towards the pole, leaving them once again in freefall with no lifeline. [color=crimson]"Seriously. now. I need both hands for this part."[/color]

Oh good, at least the girl had a sense of humor. Made the plummeting thing seem much less threatening for around a half-second. For a moment she was prepared to shove herself off of the girl and flail for a handhold, only to be hit by the shocker that her living parachute had experience. Well now Russ, don't you feel silly.

All at once their trajectory changed, and the red-haired girl had them travelling forward rather than straight down, which was nothing less than a godsend. Then she said the most peculiar thing, in fact it was so peculiar that Russ had to go over it again in her head a few times to make sure she'd heard it correctly. Let go? Was this girl serious? Let go.They were travelling who-knew-how-fast and she wanted her to let go? 

It clicked suddenly, and if there'd been any spare moments Russ might have taken one to kick herself for being so forgetful. Before the girl had finished reitterating her request, Russ let go and started the quick and horizontal descent towards the earth. Her semblance bubbled up from her gut, she felt it rise and spread to the end of each limb, pricking up the hairs on the back of her neck. The very speed around her channeled itself into the semblance, and over the course of a few moments the whistling of the wind around her quieted down. Her feet touched the ground and she slid a soft couple of feet before stopping, letting out a heaving breath as both the adrenaline and converted energy began to release. 

[color=a0410d]"Holy freaking hell..."[/color]she mumbled, hunched with her hands on her knees. [color=a0410d]"Crazy-ass school with it's crazy-ass teachers and crazy-ass giant spingboards..."[/color]

Lan grips Shu Dao tightly with both hands and rams the spade end into the nearest tree, using it to slide down the trunk safely and landing beside the other girl. Lan takes a moment to straighten herself out, dusting off her shirtallowing her spade to fold up and clipping it back onto her belt as she offers the black haired human a hand, tail swishing back and forth [color=crimson]"Lan, you?"[/color] she says cheerfully, the bags under her eyes becoming obvious now that they are once again on solid ground. she pauses a moment turning to look into the forest [color=crimson]"Do you hear tapping?"[/color]

The tailed girl landed easily enough next to her, and wasted no time in getting her hand out. Russ gave her an odd look, still catching her breath and settling down from the fall. Her stomach still felt like it had shoved her heart up into her throat, and she put up a finger to ask for a moment, angling her head back towards the ground. If she was gonna puke, it might not be best to do it on her new partner.

A few seconds passed and she figured she'd be in the clear. Russ took the girl's hand and gave it a firm shake, eyeing her more closely. The tail threw her for a loop, then again she wasn't a zoologist or anything, so she just figured it was some kind of fluffy cat. Then again she didn't look particularly feline. Ah well, she could always ask later if it mattered, it wasn't like she had a monster-mouth or eight eyes. Her memory jolted. Right, poor Jaws, rest in peace.

[color=a0410d]"Russ,"[/color] she said, motioning to the sky. [color=a0410d]"Sorry about the whole...yeah. Usually remember my blinkers."[/color]

Something seemed to have caught Lan's attention, and when she asked if she'd heard anything Russ only turned her gaze to the thick line of trunks and bushes. A hand trailed up to grasp the Son's handle. Could never be too careful. [color=a0410d]"No, you?"[/color] 

[color=crimson]"Probably just hearing things."[/color] the girl trails off, scanning the horizon [color=crimson]"Again."[/color] Lan finishes, hand on one weapon [color=crimson]"Alright, north. sun is there, it's 9:45:36 in the morning, early spring..."[/color] she points in a seemingly random direction [color=crimson]"True north."[/color] she says matter-of factly [color=crimson]"Let's go."[/color] with that, she heads in the direction she had indicated, expression going neutral

Russ just stood still and listened to Lan rattle off what seemed like pointless information. Evidently however, the girl saw far more in it than she did, and without so much as a 'wow that fall was a real doozy wasn't it?', began marching off.

[color=a0410d]"Let's go? We just, hey okay yeah we're going,"[/color] she said, following along. [color=a0410d]"We just gave gravity a big middle finger, you good to just soldier on? I'm pretty sure a few of those other kids are dead. Like, [i]dead[/i] dead. Kid-pancakes. What if we run into one of thos-[i]them[/i]."[/color]

[color=crimson]"You didn't go to combat school, did you?[/color] the girl inquires, stopping and spining on her heels, a grim expression on her face [color=crimson]"People die. but not here. they're crippled at worst, they say teachers won't intervene, but that's just a scare tactic"[/color] the redhead pauses [color=crimson]"Probably. anyways, if we run into a grimm, we kill it. simple as that."[/color] she looks around once more as a  deep thumping sound comes from nearby [color=crimson]"Okay, I know I heard something that time."[/color] she grabs the spade from her hip and spins it as it unfolds, resting the crescent over her shoulder as she watches the surroundings

Russ's brow lowered as the girl went on. Oh boy, fearless, to the point, and she heard things. She had a feeling they'd be seeing just how far a sense of humor could carry things before too long. Was this what she'd missed by coming straight to Beacon? She'd never guessed that being flung into the air and calling professors on their bluffs would be part of a huntress' curriculum. 

The ground beneath her feet rumbled ever so slightly, and Russ's gaze turned immediately towards the source. Way too big to be a student, unless they'd admitted someone gigantic, or in a full suit of armor. Her hand went back up to the Son, and she began to step lightly, separating from Lan. 

[color=a0410d]"Simple as that..."[/color] she muttered.

[color=crimson]"Doesn't sound familiar,"[/color] the warrior says, eyes narrowing as a flash of red and white appears through some branches [color=crimson]"Some sort of bug?"[/color] she ponders while the massive centipede makes itself known, the deep rumbling turning to a frantic skittering as it bursts through the trees towards them [color=crimson]"Nope. not ringing any bells."[/color] she finishes, standing stock-still as it rapidly draws closer

As soon as the beast burst into the clearing Russ's stance changed. She hunched low, weight shifted to the outer leg, and as soon as it approached she dove out of the way, a spry roll ending her up on her feet. Lan however didn't appear to be moving at all, and Russ contemplated shouting out to her. Was she catatonic? Did she just not register the monster rushing towards her? What would happen if her partner ate shit in the test? No, bad Russ. Teammate, help the teammate.

A moment before the Inkume collided with the faunus girl, she flipped her weapn forward, slamming the flat of the bell blade into its skull whilst using the leverage to fling herself over the top of it, landing on precariously on its back, still wearing a puzzled expression as she tries to remember the name of the particular species [color=crimson]"It's a bug, so probably aim for the gaps between segments, i think?"[/color] she shouts, spinning her weapon and jamming the crescent blade into a leg joint, not even slowing it down as it turns sharply and begins to encircle the clearing

Armored bug, alright, it wasn't the [i]scariest[/i] thing they could have encountered. Well okay perhaps it was pretty creepy, but at least it wasn't some eldritch abomination with ten limbs and a hundred mouths or something. 

Lan was on it in no time, which absolutely floored Russ. No idea what it was, what it could do, and the girl decided to mount it first thing. Thank anything it hadn't just sprouted massive spikes, or rolled onto its back, or done any of the countless horrible things it might have been able to do. Instead it began to circle the area, and Russ found herself tracking the head as it did, sword still sheathed on her back. She'd need a speedy draw with range, just to be safe, and she planned to be safe. 

[color=a0410d]"I need a good shot! Can you...I dunno, turn it?"[/color] she called, incing closer to the edge of the clearing in anticipation of the head.

[color=crimson]"No idea, could be fun."[/color] Lan replies, jamming the crescent further into the joint until she heard a sickening pop, watching as the leg tumbled away, the beast shuddered violently, throwing her off balance as she throws herself aside, away from the beast, and aimed the curved ed once more, firing one blade at one segmente, the  tool catches underneath one leg and the connected wire becoes entangled around several others [color=crimson][i]"good start..."[/i].[/color] she thinks to herself absently as the wire unspools further [color=crimson]"I can do better."[/color] she finishes out loud, carelessly  running towards a tree and making several laps around it, jumping over the trail of wire each time . as the wire ceases to oncoil, the beasts momentum pulls against the trees roots and the razor thin wire tightens about umerous legs, cutting into the unarmored joins of many and severing them in all or in part. the sudden loss of traction on one side sends it towards the missing limbs as Lan attempts to remove the wire that is now embedded in the tree trunk [color=crimson]"That good enough?"[/color] she asks, suddenly sounding excited as the inkume rushes towards her, attempting to find its balance

Russ blinked, her stance stuttered as she watched Lan do her thing. [color=a0410d]"Holy shit."[/color]

The grimm was clearly disabled, and Russ made a dash for the wounded side. With many of the legs gone or thereabouts, the plates would be much easier to cut between. As got within range of it, she leapt up onto its back, the balance her semblance provided going a long way in keeping her steady. She put a hand to one of the plates, activating her semblance and drawing in the beast's speed, just in case, then took ahold of the Son's handle and slashed down. As the blade cleared its round sheath, the dust kicked in, igniting each segment upon contact with the open air and turning the blade into a verible whip of concentrated lava. Her aim was for the space bewteen the plates, but damned if the thing didn't buck enough to throw her steady hands off.

Lan groans angrily and twirls the staff, severing the extended wire with the bell blade  and rushing in to help her partner, jumping over the centipedes back and jamming her weapons longer blade deep into the nearest gap in its armor to act as a point of balance, rocking the handle back and forth as the blade slides deeper into the beast [color=crimson]"Try and take off some legs. doesn't matter where"[/color] she advises, wearing an uncertain frown and trying to figure out how to retrieve her lost crescent blade [color=crimson]"Really should have thought this through a bit more."[/color] she scowls, jerking the glorified shovel from the beasts back and spinning it downward into another leg joint, slamming it in to quickly cleave through

[color=a0410d]"Legs, got it,"[/color] she said, a quick flick bringing the Son back into a rigid short sword. She kept moving along the beast's back, body low and steps quick, searching for an advantageous attack. 

Russ sliced out at a few on the unwounded side, figuring if they could get the thing immobile the fight was as good as over. But then, they really couldn't be too sure what they were up against, and she'd be lying if she said the beast's eerie complacency to their assault didn't unnerve her a bit. Why just madly dash around? Did it not know where they were? Strange, these creatures, but she hadn't come to Beacon to learn about them, she'd come to kill them. 

[color=crimson]"Not doing anything. can you try and get the crescent shaped bit from that tangle of wire?"[/color] she asked, running along the creatures back as, thrown off by the imbalanced legs, began crashing into trees at random, unable to regain its balance, while its forward eyes prevented it finding them properly. The Inkume turns sharply, throwing the faunus girl off of its back and catching her across the side with on large leg, tearing through her shirt and slicing into her flesh [color=crimson]"Son of a bitch"[/color] she mumbles lazily, attempting to regain her footing as her aura drops suddenly, the wound healing quickly as her eyes droop noticeably [color=crimson]"We need to finish this"[/color] she yawns, finally regaining her stance and spinning, the blade on her weapon severing several legs at the lower joint as they move past

Lan went sailing off, but Russ was relieved to see her get back to her feet, if not a bit stumbly. More legs went tumbling off and yet the damned thing still rampaged on, and while the superheated blade was doing some work, it clearly wasn't enough. 

Her eyes went back to the glimmer of wire on the ground, and she made a move to leap from the grimm's back. A leg swiped at her, but her semblance helped give her jump a little extra 'oomph', and she cleared both it and the distance to the pile covering the blade piece. She cast a glance back to the monster, making sure she still had time in case it caught on to her and decided to come back for seconds.

[color=a0410d]"Heads up!"[/color] she shouted, then cleaved the Son's glowing blade through the segment's wire cage, snagged the weapon piece, and then hurled it at Lan. [color=a0410d]"Oh shit please catch that,"[/color] she muttered under her breath.

The faunus catches the blade in both hands, fumbling slightly as her aura slowly rises, bringing her back to full awareness. Lan quickly slides the blade onto its mount, a whirring indicating that it has clipped the remaning wire into place. [color=crimson]"Hope this works!"[/color] she shouts, the spring back in her step as the lemur tailed girl sprints towards the beasts head, dodging a clump of dirt that is thrown towards her by one of the legs, and jumps onto its back, she maneuvers Shu Dao under its neck and splits the staff at the middle, drawing out razor wire to encircle the joint where its head met its torso, plus a bit more, before locking the spool [color=crimson]"Catch!"[/color] she shouts, tossing one end of the weapon towards Russ and diving aside, bracing her end against a tree

Russ caught the other half of the spade, albeit barely. Damn thing was sharp and fast and about to go clean through her. She saw Lan wrap hers around a tree and figured that would do the trick for her as well. 

Before the grimm could get any ideas, she lunged for the edge of the clearing and brought the spade around the trunk once before plunging deep into the wood. The wire tightened almost immediately from the three-point tension, and she turned her attention back to the beast just in time to see it rear back, lower segments continuing forward as the head stopped dead, wire tightening up just enough to cut through the tougher membrane before the momentum did the rest, tearing loose the head.

Lan whistles as she watches the directionless mess of legs go limp, remaining speed sending it sidewys into a bundle of trees [color=crimson]"Not bad for a first kill."[/color] she says to russ, making her way towards the human girl as the wire in Shu Dao retracts itself, [color=crimson]"So, the temple then?"[/color] she inquires, collecting the other end of her weapon and folding it back up, returnng it to its proper space on her belt

So the temple then...holy hell this girl was a trip. Russ let the Son's blade cool off before replacing it in the sheath with the longsword. Oh well, the beast was dead and they weren't, and that was about as much as she could ask for. Well, maybe a partner that wasn't a potentially crazy robot, but then beggars can't be choosers. 

She rolled her shoulders, then her neck, and followed along once again after Lan.

[color=crimson]"Damnit, I still hear that stupid tapping."[/color]