[h1]FREAKING EVERYBODY[/h1]
Part 1: Reaching the temple

Out of the trees and into the the clearing, the various pairs could afford to be a little less tense. Unlike the forest that was mischievous by nature, there were no more trees to block the view, no more shadows to impersonate creatures, and no rustling of leaves to fake movement. Here in the open, they would have a clear view if attacked by most species of grimm, allowing them to take a closer look at their destination.

Cereza glanced over the crumbling ruins dismissively, not really taking in much more than a forgotten piece of history that obviously bore no real impact on today’s world beyond being where Beacon held its initiation. The pedestals were obviously not part of the original structure, as they were all still in good condition and just kind of placed in a semi-circle, and she meandered into the centre of the overgrown flagstones.

The pack of loud applicants who came racing from the treeline surprised her for a moment, and she watched them with mild confusion as they yelled and jeered whilst swooping on a dark jian and matching bone sheath before disappearing into the forest again. They hadn’t even stopped to think about which relic they were taking, plus they seemed very loud and rude. [i][colour=2c75ff]‘I’m pretty sure that mohawk guy was the one tied outside the ballroom this morning...’[/colour][/i] The blonde mused to herself.

[color=00aeef]“This...must be the temple”[/color], said a suddenly subdued lady named Viola. Once upon a time her father lived in a rich estate near the shores and owned most of the ships that sailed around the port, but grimm had a habit of turning even the newest of estates into ruins, much like the ones here. Old, decaying and unkempt, these ruins looked like they were claimed by time, as opposed to the grimm, nonetheless, [i][color=00aeef]‘They still look far too similar to the ones mother showed me...‘[/color][/i]

As Argent stepped out of the forest and into the temple area, the silver knight gave a quick nod of agreement at his partner’s observation, this did indeed seem to be the temple they were searching for, a semicircle of stone pedestals and some crumbling ruins, but what grabbed his attention was that on each pedestal was either a sword or a sheathe, as none of either object was repeated. Argent surmised that they were most likely the relics that each team was supposed to retrieve. [i][color=8493ca]“I guess we should pick one...”[/color][/i] Thought Argent, looking around.

[i][color=forestgreen]“What was this temple in its heyday?”[/color][/i] Tierra wondered as she gazed around the area. The area felt still and calm, with birds singing and soft grass underfoot. The ruins were still beautiful even being only remnants of what there was before. The pedestals were the only new addition, allowing a convenient place for the relics, yet they didn’t subtract anything away from the place. As she let Cereza pick out their relic, she thought, [i][color=forestgreen]“Could this place have been any more beautiful?”[/color][/i]    

Nor's eyes blinked rapidly as he exited the forest, his sight adjusting to the unfiltered light. As his vision quickly returned, he took inventory of the surroundings. He gave snort of disdain as he observed the small clearing, hardly even qualifying as a ruin. It looked to Nor like it might have once been the bottom of a tower, but now it was little more than a stone circle with a wall and some pedestals. The pedestals however looked a bit more recent, each of them holding either some sort of weapon or a sheathe.

He quickly scanned the collection before a disturbance from the forest caught his attention, the group from the previous night bursting through, paying little mind to the others it seemed, other than to cast a few jeers as they left. Nor's hand had crept to Jet Stream at their appearance, tension evident in his stance, cursing as he dropped a component in the panel of the weapon.

Sighing as he grabbed a pair of needle nosed pliers from a toolset found on his belt, he began digging in the weapon for the piece. 

It didn't take much to put two and two together with the relics, the swords and sheaths having an obvious connection, but with the noise those bunch had made and the thing from before, he didn't really feel like sitting around to find what got curious. He closed the panel with a snap after replacing the part, turning to  Tsuki, [colour=6ecff6]"I'm gonna take a minute to reload, burned through a couple of  batteries back there,"[/colour] he told her as the head of the massive flail opened, a colorful assortment of short and stocky dust batteries visible, two of them now a dull black, one of them leaving a thin trail of smoke. Nor's brow furrowed at the sight, [colour=6ecff6]"Correction, I'm going to see if I can un-fuse this damned battery,"[/colour] he growled, tools coming out one after another as he tried to work the battery free.

[color=crimson]”This is incredible.”[/color] Lan mutters as she enters the temple clearing, hardly noticing as a quartet of unruly students shove past her to reach the temple. Watching as the orange haired leader snags a grim looking Jian, her eyes tracked the others as they grabbed the matching sheath and vanish into the woods, aiming for the cliff. [color=crimson]“Awe, man, i wanted that one.[/color] The lemur tailed girl complains as she walks into the temple, looking around at the ancient pillars. [color=crimson]”I wonder how many students like us have been here?”[/color] She ponders, pausing to look back to the edge of the area and gesturing for Russ to hurry up and come see. Lan looks down at the cracked stone of the temple floor, trying to imagine how it had been during her favourite Signal teacher’s initiation. The girl envisions a bright eyed young man taking some relic or another before bravely leading his team into battle, but quickly dismisses the image upon recalling the mage repeatedly insisting he had not been the leader of his team. Still, she wondered. What had his relic been? The girl had surprisingly never asked, a bit odd considering the usual barrage of questions she would issue him. Looking around, she sees gouges in the stone, as if some creature had made its final stand and lost.

That, or some kid got impatient and swang wide a few times. Who knows? She turns to watch the other students enter the temple, an oddly pale boy with some manner of oversized cannon being the greatest standout as she wanders closer to the relic stands.

[color=808080]"Yea, no problem, but if I were you I'd be quick about it. Since every initiate is headed towards this location, there's no doubt that some Grimm may have followed them. Plus, it's always good to be prepared."[/color] Tsuki replied to her partner, shrugging at her last comment. She tried her best to shove the feeling of punching someone in the face that the group of rambunctious boys had left on her. They grated on her nerves for some reason, but they were gone now. There was nothing the white haired girl could do about it. So, she took to observing the ruins.

It was beautiful in a kind of longing sense. As if it were waiting for a long time to finally be viewed again, but that was ridiculous. These ruins have been used for the academy's initiation for years. It was obvious in the way that battle scars littered the ground and the ruins themselves. Also the place had vines and weeds growing out from cracks, but not enough for the amount of time it's been abandoned. However, all these thoughts were pointless. Tsuki pinched the bridge of her nose when she realized that she was over analyzing the ruins. In the end, it isn't the ruins that are important, it's the freaking relics!

Russ side-stepped the fleeing students, only vaguely recognizing the scene-kid hair colors from the ship. [color=a0410d]”Watch it shit head,”[/color] she spat, though they were gone by then. Freakin’ wonderful, as if the Grimm weren’t enough to worry about.

Lan didn’t seem too fazed, and Russ felt a bit guilty not paying more attention to the display of relics. And on top of that it seemed as though Jaws had survived, which was cool, she’d been convinced the guy would have been a pancake. 

[color=a0410d]”Well, judging from the condition of some of these relics, either not many at all, or a whole damn lot,”[/color] she said, making her way to Lan’s side as she perused the ones still present. She cast a glance over her shoulder back towards the forest and the distant shape of Beacon way up high. [color=a0410d]”I’m more curious about the route the teachers take to plant them. Doubt they’d do anything dangerous just for preparations, maybe there’s some kinda straight-shot back to Beacon.”[/color]

As the initiates wander the temple, Lan catches sight of one more interesting individual. The crimson haired faunus approaches quietly, sneaking up behind the violet haired girl. [color=crimson]“Woah!”[/color] She shouts abruptly, forgetting to announce her presence to the other student as she observes the aquatic serpent coiled about her arm

A violent intake of breath and a flash of white hair was her initial response as Viola’s head whirled around to seek out the sudden noise. Upon noticing the source of her distress was a redheaded faunus, she removed her hand from the grip of her blade. Said faunus was so focused on her left arm she didn’t even notice Violas temporary change of hair color. After a moment of recomposing both herself and her hair, she turned towards her current source of interest and gave a practiced smile. [color=00aeef]“Is something amiss?”[/color]

The lemur tailed girl shakes her head slowly [color=crimson]”Nah, just looking at your weird snake thingy.”[/color] 

[color=00aeef]“Lis, darling,”[/color] replied the polite witch.

[color=crimson]”Lan”[/color] Lan replies automatically.

[color=00aeef]“If...it’s all the same with you, I would much rather it be called Lis. It’s the name I gave it after all.”[/color]

[color=crimson]”ME Lan.’[/color] she states jokingly, a small smile on her lips.

[color=00aeef]“...Oh! So so sorry for that, I’m not used to people introducing themselves to Lis,”[/color] her eyes traveled to her partner for a split second, [color=00aeef]“Allow me to formally introduce myself,”[/color] she continued, as she grabbed her skirt and with practiced ease, introduced herself with a curtsy.

[color=00aeef]“Viola Lis Marsilea. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss...?”[/color]

[color=crimson] Lan Chun Tsyu”[/color] she says, standing up straight for a moment and giving a half-bow with her arms crossed over her back [color=crimson]”Not often you see such a cool water…thing.[/color]  The lemur tailed girl says before reverting to her curious stance, slowly reaching one hand out to poke at the serpent before pushing a finger through the constructs surface, [color=crimson]”Kind of freaky, actually.”[/color] she adds lazily, swirling a finger around in the threads contained by the fluid form, attempting to hook the extremity around one to pull it closer to the surface

Finding her acts rather endearing, as well as familiar, Viola turned and walked at a slower pace, allowing the loony lemur the chance to play with her creation. [color=00aeef]“I assure you Lis will do you no harm; it shan’t move unless I tell her to, and even if it could I’m certain it would like you,”[/color] and she meant that. While most people in her village, even her dad for a while, where unnerved by her creations, Lan’s reaction matched her own when she created Lis for the first time; filled with wonder. 

[color=crimson]”I like her. Only seen a few construct type semblances before. I don’t think you would make the things hurt me/”[/color]

[color=00aeef]“Pardon, but Lis is an it; it doesn’t have a gender,” ‘or at least my mother hopes it doesn’t have one...come to think of it she never did tell me why that was a big deal...’[/color]

The ring tailed faunus girl withdraws her hand from the snake like entity, shaking imaginary water droplets from her limb as she stares at Lis for a minute, inactive and seemingly asleep. [color=crimson]”Hmm…”[/color] she mumbles, watching the threads drift about within the artificial creature, slowly withering away as if touched by an invisible flame [color=crimson]”Yeah, no, pretty sure it’s a she.”[/color] Lan assures, patting Lis on the head.

A polite giggle was her response as the violet lady raised her right hand to mask it. [colour=00aeef]“Then i won’t correct you again on the matter...If you’ll excuse me though, we appear to have reached the temple, so I need to consult sir Roan,”[/colour] she nodded in Argent’s direction, [colour=00aeef]” on which relic to pick. I would recommend you do the same, I’d regret not seeing you again simply because you and your partner believed the other would pick a relic.”[/colour] she ended with another curtsy, [colour=00aeef]“Till next time miss Lan.”[/colour] Said Viola before leaving.

[color=crimson]”Nice meeting you, Viola.”[/color] the sleepy girl says, waving as she walked back towards her partner [color=crimson]”And you too, Lis.”[/color] returning to Russ’ side [color=crimson]”So, relics.”[/color]