[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210316/0b5262ccfdc24d064b7a43ec9651641e.png[/img]
[hr][color=C22108]B E A C O N   A C A D E M Y
T H E  G R E A T   H A L L
K I N G D O M   O F   V A L E[/color][hr]

Mei blinked with guilt as Violet spoke. [color=C22108]"You know, you don't [i]actually[/i] have to pay me back. Was just a joke. Though if you do have any excess money- or food, for that matter- I'll be happy to take it."[/color] Mei flashed a toothy grin as the girl went to check on the other kangaroo-looking girl, who was sobbing inconsolably. [color=C22108]"Talk about first day jitters,"[/color] Mei said, her eyes quickly turning to address the commotion. Drongo, who had been reaching for God knows what, had been tackled by what appeared to be another semi-awake Faunus wolf and also what appeared to be a dog. As the youthful Atlesian elite screamed after being suddenly pinned down to the ground, Mei shrugged, her eyes flitting towards Bren. He seemed a bit high-strung and almost lofty at the moment, but Mei supposed he was a nice enough fellow. Although the fact that he could summon guard dogs as he pleased was not a Semblance that Mei had a particularly high view of. Damned fanged beasts. [color=C22108]"Thanks for the advice, but I got it covered,"[/color] Mei said confidently, her arms folded in satisfaction, as if she hadn't almost just been shot in the back of the head. [color=C22108]"I'm used to looking after Number One. That being me. Don't need any sort of personal rich boy looking after me."[/color] Mei gave Bren a look-over. [color=C22108]"I'm used to looking after Number One. That being me. Don't need any sort of personal rich boy looking after me. Focus on the initiation, 'kay?"[/color]

Mei heard a vaguely annoying female voice ring out over the chaos, and her eyes locked onto Albedo. Who did this girl think she was exactly? Mei was not used to being bossed around by anybody, especially not girls that were smaller and probably younger than her. No way in hell. [color=C22108]"Aww, did the wittle baby walk too far away from Mommy and Daddy?"[/color] Mei shot back with a sardonic, mocking baby voice. [color=C22108]"Not sure what it was like in your castle growing up, Princess, but from where I'm from, if you want somebody to shut up, you shut them up."[/color] Mei hit her with a stinging glare, before turning away. [color=C22108]"I'm going to go [i]actually[/i] get some shut-eye now. So, from me to the rest of you, shut it, and I'll see you tomorrow,"[/color] Mei said sharply before making her way back to her sleeping bag. 

[hr][color=C22108]T H E  N E X T  D A Y
E M E R A L D   F O R E S T
K I N G D O M   O F   V A L E[/color][hr]

The next morning was pretty much a blur. Nothing particularly interesting happened- Mei woke up, got changed back into the same jacket she had worn during her arrival at Beacon, wolf down another monstrous helping of food at breakfast, and then made her way out to the landing site- a small clearing on the top of a cliff, that overlooked the massive Emerald Forest. Mei looked out in wonder as she took in the natural landscape. She hadn't really gotten much of a chance to explore nature too much in her formative years. The forest really was a breathtaking site. Standing at the top of the cliff alongside her was the noble-looking Carlisle, still in his finest suit of armor, holding what appeared to be a chalice in his hand. Standing next to him was a woman, around his age or perhaps a tad younger, with locks of steely blue hair and sharp dark eyes. She seemed much more serious-looking than the interim Headmaster. And hotter, too, but that was far besides the point. 

The knight directed the group of initiates over onto a set of steel pads on the cliff, before coughing. [color=Gainsboro]"Greetings, initiates! I hope you had a good night's sleep."[/color] He smiled fondly. [color=Gainsboro]"This is your day to shine and earn your place at Beacon. Standing before you is the mighty Emerald Forest, and within it are a number of creatures of Grimm. Your goal will be to traverse the dangers of the forest and make your way across towards the Initiation Temple."[/color] Carlisle gestured vaguely into the distance. [color=Gainsboro]"At the Temple, you will be obtaining a relic, and then returning back to this clifftop location to complete your task! And that's it, I believe. Azure?"[/color]

Azure was looking boredly at her Scroll. [color=00a99d]"Sterling, you missed almost [i]everything.[/i] Partners, teams, et cetera..."[/color]

[color=Gainsboro]"Ah, an intentional error, for I was testing your listening skills!"[/color] Carlisle said without missing a beat. [color=Gainsboro]"Today is not just the day you earn your spot at Beacon, but the day you earn your spot on a team! Your partnership will be determined through the tradition Beacon way- the first person of whom you lay eyes upon once you leave this clifftop!"[/color] Sterling smiled brightly, though the students seemed to have a much more negative reaction to this news. [color=Gainsboro]"No ifs and buts, my future Huntsmen. Fate has a plan for you, and we will be making sure that you follow what destiny has written. Once you arrive at the initiation site, you will be matched with another partnership through your Relic of choice! Those teams will be final. No ifs, no buts. This has always worked in the past, and we will continue to uphold this great tradition!"[/color] Carlisle raised his cup joyfully. [color=Gainsboro]"You will be watched and graded on your performance throughout this trial. However, we will not be intervening on your behalf. Unless, of course, you try to cheat. Cheating is strongly discouraged at Beacon. Any attempt of sabotage will be noted and punished, even in the face of imminent death. Alright, that covers everything!"[/color] Carlisle smiled jovially at this ominous statement.

 [color=Gainsboro]"Alright-y then, now I do think we’ve covered everything on the docket.”[/color] Carlisle glanced at Azure before gesturing grandly towards the sun. [color=Gainsboro]”I hope you’ve prepared your landing strategy in advance. Otherwise, you might be in for a rough touchdown. Now, fire away!"[/color]

Mei had no time to do anything before a Huntsman was flung from their landing pad and launched into the night sky. Mei blinked as, one by one, Hunters were launched into the blue sky, hurtling over the treetops into the depths of the forest. Mei quickly hashed together a plan in her head as the initiates were sequentially launched into the Emerald treeline. Nobody had exactly [i]told[/i] her that this was the Initiation- perhaps she should’ve asked- but Mei had no intention of failing this initiation because she [i]fell.[/i] She bent her knees and, as the pad sprung her off the clifftop, she soared through the air, grabbing Wicked Demon from her back and twirling the scythe in her hand as she flew through the air. As she began to descend, she flicked the weapon, the scythe head extending from the rest of the device and latching itself to a thick tree branch. A confident smirk clear on her face, Mei swung down like a little girl on a very high swing, looping 360 degrees around the branch before tugging the bladed edge free. Mei launched upwards and then fell back down, landing Mei nimbly on the branch. 

[color=C22108]”Not bad,"[/color] Mei said as she nimbly hopped through the canopy, jumping quietly from tree branch to tree branch. [color=C22108]"Now, let’s find that temple thing, or whatever. God, this challenge is stupid...."[/color] As she lamented the entire concept of the challenge, she thought about this mysterious partnership idea. Who would make a good partner? Mei couldn’t really think of a ‘best’ option. Bren came off as a touch haughty but was nice enough, she supposed. Rowan was...interesting, but at the very least he could fight decently. Metal Arm seemed sweet but also seemed like the type that would be pancaked on landing, so Mei doubted she would even come into contact with her. There were a couple of other Faunus as well that Mei had seen as well that seemed alright. Maybe they would be a good fit. This was all conjecture, though. 

As she moved through the treetops, she heard a rustling below her and stopped, grabbing her scythe. It seemed as though it was time for action. Mei leaped down from the branch, confronting whatever was moving down below her. 
[/center]