The Emerald Forest stretched endlessly below, its canopy a vibrant sea of green. Birds soared gracefully through the sky, their shrill cries adding to the wilderness's serene ambiance. High above, a lone black bird glided lazily; its wings spread wide as it basked in the morning sunlight.
"Birdie, no!"
The peace shattered as Ruby plummeted into view, her red cape trailing behind her like a comet. With a resounding CRASH, she burst through the unsuspecting bird in an explosion of feathers. Ruby flailed wildly as she plummeted, Crescent Rose clutched tightly in her grip.
"Okay, okay, landing strategy!" Ruby muttered frantically to herself, spinning midair as she tried to steady her fall. "Think, think, think!"
She managed to unfold Crescent Rose into its sniper rifle form, firing a few rounds downward to slow her descent. The recoil gave her a brief moment of stability, but her hand slipped as she attempted to adjust the weapon into its scythe configuration.
"Uh-oh," she whispered, panic flashing across her face.
Ruby finally swung Crescent Rose into its scythe form, aiming to hook a branch and slow herself down. But instead of catching the sturdy trunk she had her eyes on, the blade sank into a flimsy branch, snapping it in half.
"Ahhh!"
The force spun Ruby wildly out of control, and she slammed into another branch, then another, each one sending her tumbling closer to the ground. Desperate, she swung Crescent Rose again, but the momentum carried her too far forward. The weapon caught nothing but air.
Ruby's silver eyes widened as the forest floor rushed to meet her. "This is gonna hurt—"
Before she could finish, a sudden burst of cold air swirled around her. A glowing white snowflake sigil appeared midair, stopping her fall just enough to keep her from crashing. A second later, Weiss Schnee leaped gracefully off the snowflake, her figure poised and composed as she darted toward Ruby with Myrtenaster.
"Hang on!" Weiss called, her voice sharp yet steady.
Ruby barely had time to react before Weiss caught her mid-fall, cradling her securely in her arms. The motion was seamless, as if Weiss had rehearsed it a hundred times.
Ruby blinked up at Weiss in disbelief, her cheeks tinged pink. "W-Weiss?!"
Weiss gave her a small, confident smile, her ice-blue eyes glinting in the sunlight. "Are you alright, Ruby?"
Ruby nodded quickly, her face breaking into a bright, happy grin. "Yeah! I-I mean, yes! Thanks to you!"
The younger girl instinctively wrapped her arms around Weiss's neck, holding on tightly as they descended. She felt Weiss's warmth through the cool breeze and couldn't help but blush deeper.
Weiss, unfazed by Ruby's reaction, conjured another snowflake sigil beneath them to slow their descent even further. They touched down gently on the forest floor, and Weiss's landing was flawless.
Ruby remained in Weiss's arms, her silver eyes sparkling. "You saved me, Weiss! That was so awesome!"
Weiss raised an eyebrow, setting Ruby down carefully. "Honestly, Ruby. A landing strategy is supposed to prevent situations like that." Her tone was stern, but the faintest smile tugged at her lips.
Ruby rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, still grinning. "Yeah, I guess I kinda... messed that up." She suddenly perked up, her voice bubbling with excitement. "But we met! That means we're partners, right? Right?!"
Weiss chuckled softly, brushing a stray feather off her shoulder. "Yes, Ruby. It would appear we're partners."
Ruby practically bounced on the spot, her excitement contagious. "This is the best! It's totally happening!"
Before Weiss could reply, a loud shout echoed through the trees.
"Woo-hoo! Yeah! Alley-oop!"
The two turned to see Yang soaring above the treetops. She used her Ember Celica gauntlets to propel herself through the air in bursts of fiery force, each explosion sending her higher and further north. Yang's laughter echoed as she somersaulted midair, crashing through the leaves of a massive tree.
"Yang!" Ruby waved her arms frantically. "Over here!"
Yang finally landed with a loud thud, tumbling onto the forest floor in a plume of dirt and leaves. She leaped to her feet immediately, grinning ear to ear. "Nailed it!"
She dusted herself off and jogged over to the pair, her lilac eyes lighting up as she noticed Weiss standing protectively near Ruby. Her gaze lingered on Weiss for a moment—taller, commanding, and effortlessly elegant—even in the chaos of the forest. Then her gaze shifted to Ruby, who was still blushing furiously.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Yang teased, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Weiss, saving Ruby like a knight in shining armor? Are you sure you're not literally trying to sweep her off her feet?"
Ruby's face flushed an even deeper shade of red, and she waved her arms in a panic. "Yang! Don't say stuff like that! It's—it's not like that!"
Weiss let out a soft sigh, her ice-blue eyes narrowing slightly, though her expression remained poised. She crossed her arms and replied as smooth as silk, "If I hadn't stepped in, Ruby would've been a smear on the forest floor. I assure you, Yang, my actions were entirely pragmatic, not 'romantic.'"
Yang raised an eyebrow, smirking as she nudged Ruby with her elbow. "Sure, sure. Totally pragmatic. But I gotta say, Weiss, you have a way of sweeping people off their feet—whether you mean to or not." Her tone was teasing, but there was an unmistakable flicker of something softer in her eyes as she glanced at Weiss.
Ruby buried her face in her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment. Weiss, meanwhile, stood unbothered, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Before anyone could add more fuel to the fire, a calm, familiar voice broke through the banter. "It seems I'm not the only one who heard familiar voices."
The group turned to see Blake stepping gracefully out from the shadows, her amber eyes steady but curious. She glanced at the trio, her gaze lingering for a moment on Weiss, who returned the look with an unreadable expression.
"Blake!" Ruby exclaimed, her excitement bubbling over. "You're here too! Does this mean...?"
Blake gave a slight nod, her calm demeanor barely concealing the flicker of warmth in her expression. "It seems fate has decided we're a team."
Ruby clasped her hands together, her silver eyes sparkling with joy. "This is the best day ever! Our team is going to be amazing!"
Yang grinned and clapped a hand on Blake's shoulder, her energy lighting up the group. "Guess it's official, then. We're all stuck together for the next four years. Hope you're ready for the ride, everyone."
Blake gave a small smile. "As long as we survive this initiation, I think I'll manage."
Weiss cleared her throat, drawing their attention. "Now that we've established a team, we should focus on the task. The abandoned temple is at the end of the path, and we'll need to collect the relics before returning to the cliff."
"Right!" Ruby nodded eagerly. "We should stick together and get moving!"
Yang cracked her knuckles, her grin widening. "Alright, let's not waste any more time. Let's go get those relics!"
Blake nodded in agreement, and the group began moving as a unit. Weiss walked ahead, her calm demeanor hiding her amusement at Ruby's boundless enthusiasm. Ruby stayed close to Weiss, occasionally glancing her way with a soft smile.
As the team disappeared into the forest, the Emerald Forest seemed to grow still as though watching them. Their journey had only just begun, but the bond they had already started to form would carry them through the trials ahead.