o5 . initiation!

[clocktowers]

Who: clocktowers and students.
What: A training and teambuilding exercise.
When: February 5th
Where: Gaze and the Trenchwood.

[ Welcome, everyone, to Ozpin's favorite initiation ritual. With a kaiju battle on the way, now is the time for practice and teambuilding.

Please read Ozpin's starter for the instructions provided ICly, but you don't have to tag Ozpin to participate.

Feel free to use as many or as few of the beats below as you prefer. You can specify open, open to first tagger, closed to [character], etc. You can reach me at ochrona or Rona#7132 with any questions! ]

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1. ROOF JUMP

[clocktowers]

[ The morning is bright and cold, and Gaze's clocktower is very, very tall. How Ozpin got access to the roof isn't terribly important. What's important is that you, Sleeper, now stand at the edge of a terrible drop, looking out over the dark rooftops of the district and the tangled Trenchwood just beyond. ]

Ozpin | RWBY | OTA

[clocktowers]

[ Ozpin looks pleased by the turnout. He certainly doesn't look like a combat instructor: the man is six-foot-six and skinny, with odd dark little glasses and his hair pulled back into a ponytail fraught with cowlicks. He's dressed, as usual, in an ostentatiously detailed green tailcoat; his gloved hands rest upon a filigreed walking cane. ]

Welcome, everyone. Thank you for joining me here today.

In another life, I was headmaster of Beacon Academy, the most esteemed combat school in the kingdom— perhaps the world. We held our students to a high standard, but that was for good purpose: our students were all that stood between their kingdom and destruction. They were the heroes our land needed to keep its people safe.

Here in Trench, I recognize a similar need. And I see similar potential in every one of you standing here today. You could be the heroes this city relies upon.

But first, you must show bravery... dedication... skill... and the ability to work together.

Here is the task I present to you: reach the Trenchwood, and venture one mile due west. You may face terrible dangers along the way. Where you are going, there is no path, and to lose your way could mean madness or death.

That is why you must rely upon each other. Upon entering the forest, the first participant you lock eyes with shall be your partner for the remainder of the challenge. I advise you do not leave each other's side.

You will know your prize when you see it. Retrieve that item, one apiece, and return to me at my home. [ He points down to the forest's edge, where a turreted green mansion sits at the edge of the district, overgrown with creeping vines and Doorway's white roses. ] There will be tea and cookies waiting for those who have survived.

[ A beat as he lets that settle in, then: ]

I believe it is time to take the jump. [ He steps up to the rooftop's edge and turns to his students, expectantly. ] Good luck.

Ruby Rose | RWBY | OTA

[onekindsoul]

Touch the Sky

[Ruby Rose was mostly here for a refresher course and getting the chance to pair up with people she hadn't seen in action before. She was used to being thrown off cliffs or jumping out of airplanes and having to find creative ways to safely land, and she missed it. While some of the methods people in her world seemed off the wall compared to others it's what helped shape her into the fighter she is today.

She'll look to whoever's closest to her and smirk.]

You ready for this?

[And she doesn't wait for an answer before she let's herself drop off the roof backwards to plummet down toward the ground.]

For Every Life

[As everyone falls to the ground there's a burst of flame, lightning, or frost that vaguely looks like a flurry of rose petals darting back and forth through the air. If someone looks like they've lost control of their fall it'll dart their way before reforming back into Ruby. Her scythe in one hand and her giant scythe in the other she'll offer a hand to whoever's falling.]

Need a lift? Take my hand!

Kaworu Nagisa | Evangelion | OTA

[peripheries]

[Kaworu moves close to the edge, maybe too close depending on your opinion of heights, looking over at the city and not the ground, as if he has little concern for it.

Then he leans over further, zeroing in on the rooftop he'd land on and charting the course forward to their end goal. Easy enough.

He turns to the person next to him, offering his hand or taking theirs.]

Come on. Don't look so scared. It's easy.

Zib | Invader Zim | OTA

[zib]

[Zib stands very close to the edge of the roof here, observing carefully between here and the next place to land on and the drop between. He doesn't seem nervous at all despite how intimidating the drop may be to some, and when he notices someone next to him who appears to be looking anxious, he tries to offer some reassurance.]

Hey, don't worry--if you slip or something, I can help catch you so that you don't get hurt.

[How exactly is a small child going to catch you? He doesn't say...]

Are you ready?

[nilheality]

[Nil had only emerged from the sea a few days ago, and was unaware of the exercise. Hell, she barely knew how to work the omni, but she was very curious! Seeing a gathering of people walking through Trench heading out to the forest was enough to pique her curiosity. So Ozpin may have picked up an extra, albeit one who is giving the group a wide berth.]

[Here interest rose when she discovered the intention. A practice exercise! From the real headmaster of an academy!! This was the sort of thing that Farron would have dreamed about doing, and though she was nervous of interacting with people, she was not about to let the opportunity pass!]

[The first task seemed easy enough. But the people on the tower seemed a little bothered. Perhaps they needed some help.]

Oh! If anybody needs some help, I can help them! I have a broom and...

...

[And she left the broom back home. Oops...]

For Jack

[wapples]

[Billie does not really have a plan for jumping off the roof, but he rarely has a plan for anything. It's only by luck his Omen is with him, in spite of telling his family he was going to start leaving her home when he was off on adventures. Wicker is typically a regular brown tabby housecat, but this is dangerous, and she wants to help, so perhaps she ought to be something a bit bigger, and stronger.

So it's a lynx Billie is sitting astride with his hands buried in the fur at her neck. They stand at the edge of the roof and peer down at their surroundings. She's trying to pick the safest route down before she actually makes the leap.]

Izuku "Deku" Midoriya | OTA | My Hero Academia manga *spoilers*

[wannasmash]

Midoriya looks like a high schooler dressed for a comic convention. However, his demeanor is professional as he listens to Ozpin's speech. His shoulders are squared and his face is earnest but calm. Anyone who knows him may notice a lack of the usual little tells of nervousness and hesitation about being among an unfamiliar crowd or facing a new challenge.

He stands unafraid as he surveys the drop with a calculating eye, wind tossing his hair. He crouches, activating his super strength with a rush of air around him and energy sparking harmlessly in the air. This is the easy part.

"It's just like the start of summer training camp!" he says with a confident smile.

2. PARTNERING UP

[clocktowers]

[ Even at its edge, the Trenchwood is dark, tangled, and eerie. The snow could look beautifully pristine against the jagged shapes of the trees, but instead winter has given everything a treacherously slick and icy quality; watch out for frozen-over dark puddles and hidden burrows you could break your ankle in. At least the day is clear enough you should be able to navigate by the sun.

And, apparently, you won't be going it alone. Now inside the treeline, the first person you lock eyes with is your new partner. ]

for Keith

[vibing]

[ Jumping from a roof isn't exactly out of the realm of Yuri's experience. It wasn't exactly a blast, but there you go, he made it to the ground, the fall cushioned by Smokey, his kestrel omen, grabbing the back of his jacket and helping him the last few feet to the ground. ]

Not so bad.

[ He lets out a laugh, and Smokey shrinks back down to his normal size, perching on Yuri's outstretched arm. The old guy said something about partners, but Yuri isn't really here for that. He's here to test himself, to stretch himself. He wants to figure out what the hell is going on in his head, and what the hell is going on with his blood, and he doesn't need anyone else (except maybe Smokey) to do that.

His breath steams up in front of his face, a cloud of mist, as his feet crunch into the snow, heading out into the forest, intent to do it alone, but then, he hears something to his left, and can't help but look over and meets someone's eyes-- a guy. Maybe a familiar guy? He was on the roof, right?

Shit. That means they're partners, doesn't it? He could just leave. He could just pretend like he didn't see this guy at all and keep moving but, well.

He lets out a breath. That's what the old Yuri would do, isn't it? Go it alone, pretend like he doesn't need anyone, but he does. Everyone does. Suppressing a sigh, Yuri treks over to this guy with an exaggerated smile ]

We gonna do this?

( for venti )

[fabrications]

[ 'The first person you lock eyes with' is, in all respects, an absolutely terrible way of pairing off participants for this little exercise - but Akechi had agreed to join and agreed to play by the rules. So here he is, standing at the edge of the forest and kicking his way through various snow drifts and keeping an eye out for trouble.

Instead he finds... a child. Or at least someone very short. Akechi actually tenses upon first seeing Venti, though he stops well short of actually drawing a his weapon. He knows better than to assume that this newcomer is harmless, however, so he doesn't relax, either.

Still, he's here to try to play to nice. So he should probably give that a shot. ]

I take it you're here for Professor Ozpin's little initiation?

for Johnny

[forwantofahorse]

[Sayo is fast and agile after many double shifts on Rokkenjima requiring skulking through the shadows to make sure Shannon and Kanon were where they were supposed to be at any given time.

She does not, however, "hardcore parkour," and her family's history with heights has left her disinclined to take the initiative on learning. And as it turns out, sometimes, experience is not the best teacher.

At least Ozpin arranged for a snow drift to cushion the fall for any students as unfortunate as Sayo, but she still feels like she cracked a rib. (Thanks to her... hormonal deficit, she probably did.) Swearing under her breath, Sayo tumbles out of the snow and drags herself to her feet, leaning on her sidesword for balance.

When she finally gets to her feet, she's face-to-face with the one, the only,]

...eh?

Lawrence-san?

I mean, er, Lawrence-sensei?

for Kaworu

[foulhussy]

[ Kainé cleared the acrobatic portion with ease, leaping nimbly from roof to roof, and landing gracefully in the snow. Still, she doesn't go quite as fast as she could, wary of the snow and ice on the roof, doubly so because those were both new things for her.

She spots the silver haired boy not long after landing. He seems quite young. She was already off killing horrible things at his age, but most people, even in her brutal world, did not lead lives like that.

She gives him a curt nod. If she has to protect him, she will. ]

I'm Kainé. Let's fuck 'em up, kiddo.

For Luca

[sparkknight]

[Klee landed on the ground on top of a transformed Dodoco. Now, her form a more fox like and large but with rabbit traits. Jumping off her back with a bit too much pep, she give Dodoco a pat before turning around and patting herself down. Good, her Jumpty Dumpty's didn't move at all. She makes a quick assessment of her surroundings before her eyes meets with Luca. Oh she remembers him. She gives him a cheery wave before jogging over to him. She remembers that he was super nervous about jumping.]

Hey you okay! Klee never jumped like this without a glider. Oh yeah, the Mister said if you look at each other then your partners! So hi! Klee remembers you. You asked about the bombs

[She remembers to put out her gloved hand in greeting. Also to let the boy know she was friendly and willing to work together with him.]

for Chara

[zib]

[Once they have reached their destination after the time spent roof-jumping, Zib is quick to pull his hood back up over his head for the time being. Not that there's any real point to trying to hide the PAK, given that some people like Klee saw him use it while practicing the jumps and even getting here safely, but... well, it's entirely possible that whoever he is meant to partner with for this next part might be unsettled looking at it for too long, so he's trying to be courteous for now.

Speaking of which, his eyes now meet said partner, who appears to be a kid his own age. He can't recall if he's met them before, so Zib adjusts his cracked glasses and offers an awkward smile for the time being in an attempt to be friendly.]

So, it looks like it's gonna be the two of us. Are you ready for this?

@ tinya

[asas]

[ okay, the roof? shōyō might’ve gotten a couple of scrapes and bruises for getting a little overconfident with his balance at some point. he’s not a ninja, despite his beach volleyball nickname, neither was he trained in the art of parkour to fluidly travel or fall from great heights. his omen served as encouragement, and his training for weapon wielding has helped him in places enough that, even if he’s probably one of the last few to finish the first challenge, he didn’t finish panting ugly or seeming like he’s about to fall over.

he’s in great shape, even, and what you’d expect from just an average, normal dude with energy. once eye contact is made on the first figure waiting for someone by the edge of trenchwood, shōyō pulls the breaks with his heels, and says, with bounce and a thin coat of sweat over his brow: ]

—Hi! We’re partners now, right? I’m Shōyō!

closed to Nil

[hammerbearer]

"Gods, that man is insane," Gaia grumbles to herself on landing at the edge of the Trenchwood. It's not like the exercise of jumping from Gaze's clocktower had been something she couldn't do. Gravity defying Darkblood and small teleportation jumps had netted her a safe landing on a horizontal surface that she could continue to make her way toward the forest.

No one said it was a race so she paced herself. Getting a 'good partner' or 'being first' didn't matter to her. Not being winded by the time she got to the edge of forest by showing off with stunts? Yeah, she was more on board with that.

But she did have to find a partner in general as this is a team exercise and more importantly, one of the reasons she signed up in the first place. She's... still not great working with other people and she'd like to change that. So into the forest she goes after ascertaining her gear is in order, scarf wrapped firmly about the lower half of her face, a knit hat (ugh, her hair was going to be a mess) in place and newly obtained goggles secured to prevent anything unpleasant from going right into her eyes.

She had no doubts that even if the Trenchwood wasn't dangerous, that crazy teacher probably did put something in it to test them. With a (admittedly still amateur) care that has come from hard earned practice, she begins to move forward.

Awareness of her surroundings? Check. She's looking around constantly.

Pausing to look for tracks and traces and listen? Also check.

Muffling her footsteps? ...Not great and she winces every time she manages to snap a twig or crunch through packed snow and ice.

"You could have just stayed home. Or asked Thancred to teach you." A crowntail betta- the size of a medium dog- which serves as the manifestation of her Omen adroitly comments as he soar-swims through the air nearby. He too is alert for dangers.

"Hush, Arte. And I can't ask Thancred for everything you know." Gaia wants to see what she can do first before leaning too heavily on her benefactor's generosity. It's a bit of stubborn pride, sure. But there's also a sincere wish to stand on her own two feet. And she's aware where she might have been had the man not been there constantly supporting her struggles.

3. IN THE WOODS

[clocktowers]

[ Deeper in, you begin to find signs of the creatures that live in these woods— and they do not seem friendly. There are patches of churned-up and dirtied snow; mud gone red and tacky; spatters of blood, sometimes so fresh they haven't yet frozen. The sense of being watched starts to build, and it becomes clear how so many who get lost here go insane.

All sorts of things roam these woods. Good luck, heroes. ]

ange ushiromiya | umineko | ota

[entreats]

[ These woods sure are something, aren't they. In Trench, not even the woods are just some place where you could take a nice walk. It looks like something straight out of some gothic horror movie, with the constant feeling of being watched to match.

It seems that Ange has momentarily lost her partner, because she's wandering the woods by herself for the moment. She has her sword drawn, just in case, determined to show that she knows how to work it now she's got a good opportunity to do so.

Except if you approach her, or make any sound nearby, you might suddenly find said sword raised right towards you - and if you look, you might notice that it's not just a sword, because you're definitely staring down the barrel of a rifle.

It's only a moment or two later, when Ange realises that she's very much not looking at a monster, that Ange lowers the weapon, letting out a huff. ]

Don't sneak up on me like that!

[ You were probably doing none of the sort - but Ange can't help but take things way too personally, apparently. ]

4. SPOOKY UNICORNS

[clocktowers]

[ One mile west of Gaze, the trees become sparse. The forest opens to a shrubby meadow, currently bone-thin and bare with winter. It's a surprisingly vast clearing after the cramped rows of trees, and you might be relieved to step out into it.

Until you realize the ground is gouged by hoofprints, the snow churned up with old blood. Resting in the center of the clearing are several Nightmare Steeds, the most aggressive natural predators of the Trenchwood.

Just beyond them, up on a little snowy knoll, float two dozen orbs of glowing green Vileblood. Each is the size of an orange, just the size to hide something small inside. Those who know Ozpin will recognize the look of his shield magic, albeit with an odd and liquid sheen. ]

for Ciel

[terriblepurpose]

[Paul does not step out into open spaces from treelines without checking what lies beyond them, and so he's crouched like a gargoyle several feet back from their edge on a slightly raised lip of frozen forest floor, his tiny black mouse Omen on his shoulder and a paired set of long and short blades on his back. He's heard of the Nightmare Steeds before, seen them a few times in his wanderings, but he's always taken the path of avoidance - much like he's taken the path of avoidance through as much of this challenge as possible, once he'd worked out the rules. (Namely: there are essentially none. That's part of the test.)

There's no one he wouldn't have been able to partner with, he thinks, but few people who would have both agreed to a path of caution and been able to stick to it. Maybe he recognized that in the woman who had to be - prompted - to make her way down to the earth from the clocktower, and then carried him down in her arms. Maybe that's why, of all the eyes his could have met, they were hers. He turns to look at them again, his eyes seeming briefly lit from within in a spirit of anticipation, and says, in a very calm and not at all unreasonable voice:]

I want to tame one. I know I can do it. Do you believe me?

Izuku "Deku" Midoriya | closed to Oscar

[wannasmash]

Running, jumping, and attacking at blistering speeds through the forest while working together is rather like the first exercise of last year's summer training camp too. However, Midoriya is a very different fighter than he was then, and the beasts here are more varied than the rock monsters conjured by their supervisor's Quirk. The journey is a lot more interesting when both the player and the game are high level.

He knows better than to burst into a clearing.

"Wait," he mutters under his breath.

Caution proves the right choice. He knows these creatures. No Hunter worth their salt wouldn't.

5. QROW

[clocktowers]

[ Some of you may have noticed a bird in the trees, appearing again and again to watch your progress. Qrow Branwen, Ozpin's fellow teacher, has volunteered to challenge students on their way back to the end point; Ozpin trusts him to pull his punches exactly the right amount. If he's already engaged in battle, or you get lucky, you can make it back without seeing him— but if you'd like a fight, just tap the player here for a thread. ]

[forwantofahorse]

[Sayo, to put it bluntly, has had an absolutely awful day. As it turns out, refusing to train with your friend because she's taking it "too easy" on you—whether the snubbing was out of pride or self-flagellation is up for debate—is a good way to be entirely unprepared for this sort of initiation. The day started with Ozpin giving her a gentle, mentorly shove as she squeaked and sputtered at the edge of the rooftop (given her family's history with heights, who could blame her?) and only escalated from there.

And now, separated from Johnny, covered in a variety of bruises, cuts, scrapes, wounds, and only spared from broken ribs thanks to the generous padding around her chest, Sayo limps toward the finish line only to find Qrow in her way.]

...I'm guessing... this is the final test... Qrow-san...

[Her hand goes to the sidesword at her side, and her lips press into a thin line. It's hard to even keep up the pretense of Shannon right now, but she has to try.]

6. END MINGLE

[clocktowers]

[ When you return to the manor, the double doors are thrown open and Ozpin's stag Omen waits politely to guide returnees in. Through the grand foyer (this is not a normal amount of grandfather clocks for a man to own, and most eerily, they all stand frozen and silent), and through another set of old oak doors, is the private library.

Ozpin sits by the grand windows that look out over the lawn. This wall has been long overtaken by red and blue morning glories, and the home shows clear signs of damage: places where windowpanes have been badly replaced, wallpaper torn, bookshelves rebuilt a little lopsided. But there's a fire burning in the hearth, and a lot of comfy chairs, and tray of tea and snacks. Help yourself to pastries or the oddly endless supply of hot cocoa.

Maybe see if anyone can patch up your wounds or commiserate, while you're here. ]

Ozpin | RWBY | OTA

[clocktowers]

[ Once you seem to have your bearings and your breath back, Ozpin waves you over to his chair. He leans in over his knees, cane at his side, looking pleased— with himself or with you, it's hard to say. ]

Well done. How did you find the challenge?

[ He holds out his hand for the glowing orb, expectant. ]