Chpt. 0 - You Scream, I scream. The Police Come, It's Awkward.

Talk of the Vanguard exams had been going on for weeks.  The last standing kingdoms had been in talks of forming a Vanguard for each to begin taking back territory from the Grimm and to start lowering their population.  In the past, living outside the safety of the walls was dangerous but possible.  Now of days it was impossible.  The only thing that waited those outside the walls was a graveyard and inevitable death.

All non senior hunters were required to partake in what was a combination of standardized testing and practical combat done through one on one matches in various divisions until one was left standing.  The indoor arena was an upgrade from the original sparring center that stood within Vale Academy.  They decided to make a spectacle of it to try and raise morale.  Ozpin somehow an ever existing presence, spoke at the opening ceremony.  Some of the surviving professors decided to commentate, motioning to the large scoreboards that hung from the arena's ceiling.  

" The road ahead is undoubtedly filled with hardships and peril, and we have done the best we can to prepare you for it.  But the knowledge we have bestowed upon you can only carry you so far.  It is up to all of you to take the first step.  So tell me this, when you prepare to go to war, which do you send in first: the flag bearer, or the scouts?"  Ozpin left everyone with that one question before stepping off stage and allowing the judge to walk over as he started announcing the separate divisions.

-=-=-

Aurelia could barely hear the announcement of the divisions over the nagging of what past for friends behind her.  

"It's barely past noon and you're already drinking.  What possible reason could you have for that?"  It was like they didn't even know her.  Sometimes she wished she had something to stuff in her mouth to get her to shut up.

"You treat outside wounds with rubbing alcohol.  You treat inside wounds by drinking alcohol."  Aurelia sniggered before taking another sip of something hidden in a flask.

"That's Absurd, y-"  Before she could finish her sentence, Aurelia's finger was at the girls lips, shushing her.

"Hushh sushhhh.  Science."  That seemed to end the conversation, though the girl looked like she wanted to argue more.  But Aurelia had heard her name and had already taken off towards her division letter.  She ended up in Division D, which she giggled at as a thought, taking a seat in the growing crowd of huntsman.  Hopefully this was going to be better than the written testing they did the previous day.

Today was a lazy day for Aurelia. She was wearing a small gray jacket over a short ribbed tank top that bared her hips. Her Black Boots visible under the dark gray cargo pants that hung at her hips, revealing the slightest amount of the black underwear she was wearing this morning. The knees to her pants were ribbed and her family emblem that resembled a ursa's mask was patched onto her right thigh and the back of her jacket. Her hair showed some small signs of bed head, as though she just quickly ran her fingers through it several times to straighten it out and make it presentable instead of actually brushing it.

Tepes felt like her jaw almost became unhinged as she yawned.  She didn't really feel tired, but all the standing around bored her.  She thought there had to be a better way to organize all this.  But if anything, it gave time for the spectators to find their seats to watch a new generation of hunters try and kill each other.  Counting the people in her division, it looked like it was going to be a ten person free for all, probably followed up by one on one matches between the winners of each division.

Today Tepes had her length waist hair up in a loose ponytail.  A decorative silver headband sat upon her head, fitting snuggly around the darkred horns that protruded from her skull.  Because of it, those who didn't know her from the academy assumed they were a part of the headband and not her head.  The rest of her outfit consisted of red hardened leather and silver colored metal.  A leather overbust corset adorned her top side with a leather tasset starting her bottom.  The leather straps hung from it making it appear like a skirt.  Armored kneehigh boots and  bracers covered the rest of her.  Two short swords with longer than usual handles rested on her back, their handles on either side of her head.            

She found a seat and did her best to patiently wait for her division to be called to action.   A sucker appearing from virtually nowhere into her mouth as people scrambled past her to find their own place. A big sign saying Division B glowed far above her head.

Well, today wasn't off to a good start.

As she lowered the disposable cup from her mouth, Chrys' face was lined with wrinkles along her nose and eyes - a display of relative disgust at the very rudimentary brew that the huntsmen had thrown together for the group today. Although she couldn't fairly hold the lack of quality against them it was quite hard to fathom the mammoth task of having to finish this particular cup of "coffee" when she had grown so accustomed to the artisanal brews that her mother was able to put together in their little coffee shop even despite their dire conditions. She had half a mind to blame the coffee for the reason she was delayed in meandering over to her assigned Division C.

As she arrived under the sign she exhaled, summoning up the purest form of courage she could muster as she raised the cup to her lips again, draining the cup of its bitter contents. Her eyes fused shut and she appeared to freeze for a moment as her body tried to decipher whether the appropriate course of action was to swallow the lukewarm dirt-water or spit it out into the dirt (quite possibly acquiring richer flavor along the way). With herculean effort she managed to work it down her throat, admittedly feeling queasy after the whole affair, and patted her chest briefly before looking around for a place to discard her cup.

"And that should do it."  Putting his brush away while talking to himself Skye stares at the mirror. His Cyan-coloured hair has grown out the past few months as his carefully groomed bangs threaten the vision of his right eye. His eyes are leaning towards Iris No don't think about that right now he mutters to himself, but it's true. A somber mood has pervaded his usual optimistic self. With talks of forming a new Vanguard and the retaking of land he often found himself thinking of his childhood in Menagerie. With a longing he stares at his only keepsake of those times, a turquoise jacket. Lowering his gaze he admires his form-fitting jeans, matching today's choice of amethyst-purple Velcro sneakers because who has time to tie their shoes on the battlefield. Adjusting his hair one more time he forces a smile and starts up a light jog to the stadium...

His mind in a better place he signs towards a Huntsman standing at the front gate and enters the main courtyard. Looking to the giant screen he sees the pre-assigned Divisions beginning to fill as names are called. Spotting his name under V he walks towards the designated area. He gives a wave to a few people he recognizes from training. Not paying attention he back-steps right into a pole. "Ow..." With snickers in tow he trudges to his place, pants now with a noticeable dirt mark on the butt he'd have to clean that later and his tail worse for wear. With an audible sigh he sits on the stone steps and waits for further instruction.

There was a certain feeling being in an arena, it made him feel at home. He felt somewhat under dressed and under armed seeing some of the people around him. He could see full plate mail and a variety of other forms of armor on several people. One person in particular stood well over a foot taller than him. He gave that guy a wide birth before spotting someone familiar. She looked like she might want to vomit.

"Whatever was in that cup, it couldn't have been that bad." Nero laughed darkly at the comment as he found a seat under a division he knew he wasn't a part of. There were ten seats and now eleven people, not that Nero seemed to notice. He pulled what resembled a protein bar out of his pocket and seemed to inhale it in a few bites, leaving him feeling a bit underwhelmed and unsatisfied.

"Or are you just feeling a bit under the weather Chrys, considering were all going to be bludgeoning each other into unconsciousness here in a few moments?" He had spent some time replacing allot of his ammo with things a little less, destructive. He wondered if the divisions were going to be fighting in alphabetical order.

As Nero passed by and dropped a quip about her expression after having braved the trials of her coffee she scoffed in reply, "Speak for yourself." She was questioning whether she could just fill her mouth with ambient water to try and rinse the taste from her mouth.

As he began speaking about the fact that everyone in her division was going to be busy bashing one another here in a moment she could get the feeling that the other huntsmen in her group had already written her off as a threat. She was the academic, more scientist than huntsman, barely able to handle a cup of coffee much less a melee. "Meh," she replied, not wanting to change whatever perception they may have.

While the concept of a "Vanguard" made sense to her as they needed to expand if for no other reason than to secure new resources the fact that they were involving all "able-bodied" huntsmen seemed to be more for show than rationale; they wanted the people of Vale to feel like everyone wanted to be a part of the expeditionary force when honestly very few were willing to volunteer considering the very real risks. She was aware of a few of her more academic colleagues that very much intended to make a half-hearted show of things before basically just throwing their spot in the melee round. If this were purely volunteers the numbers would be different... but she would be here all the same.

She didn't know what the others in her division thought of this whole Vanguard business but she was actually very serious. Did she want to risk her life doing expeditionary crap? No, not in the slightest. But in her experience, the majority of the huntsmen that were the types to relish these kinds of positions were also the worst sources of information when it came to Grimm - especially the Deviants that stalked the further regions. That this group was there to establish external land holds was great and all, but she was here for science. And she would be damned if a few huntsmen stood between her and collecting data.

"As if you even know what bludgeoning is anymore," she mocked in joking fashion, cup hanging loosely from her hand as she still hadn't quite found a place to pitch it.

"Harsh, but not untrue." He didn't consider himself a small man, but he also wasn't the greatest melee fighter. He'd rather keep his distance and unload more than enough ammunition into whatever decided he was a threat. And he always made sure he was well stocked. "But I think a rubber bullet traveling at least two hundred feet a second is just as good at bludgeoning someone as a fist, except maybe for blondie over there." He motioned over to Aurelia in the division over who was the hot mess she always was. He shook his head as he spotted her drinking, he wondered if she even had a liver left anymore.

"Just glad I'm not in the same division as you or her. I value not being roasted alive or having my chest caved in." Though there were a few more individuals that he wished he could use his more special ammo on. He had a rather large laser like cannon that he never really got to shoot at anyone yet, he's been saving it for a special occasion.

"You actually going to try to make it through your division?" He knew that some people here were less, excited than others. He just wanted to do his part and maybe see Atlas again in the future. If he had to guess, they were doing quite well compared to Vale with their mech based army backing them up.

Aurelia hadn't been sitting down but peacefully resting against the pole that held her division letter.  She had made it a decent way through one flask already during her wait for something to happen, the rest of her cargo pants filled with a few more, some of them not meant to be drunken unless she needed it in a fight.  As though she had a magical radar that paid attention to her surroundings when she wasn't, a hair stood up when she heard the word blondie spoken in that tone of voice.  She was surprised she didn't hear the word tits follow it up.  

Glancing over her shoulder, Aurelia saw the usual suspect, she couldn't recall a time the little emo boy had ever called her by her actual name.  Seeing as her division wasn't up, she sauntered her way over, wrapping her right arm around his shoulders and neck, pulling him down slightly.  Lucky for him, their height didn't seem to see much difference.  

"Oh, how I missed your pet names.  Want me to make it through my divisional so we can test out your theories?"  She downed the rest of her flask just in time to hear someone announce that Division A was up.  Ten students got up onto the slightly elevated stage as the rules were read off before they separated equidistant from each other.  Aurelia showed a disinterest in the fight and just went on pretending she didn't hear anything.

"Hey Chrys." Aurelia tacked on at the end

Indigo was incredibly excited for the tournament. She loved seeing all the people, meeting new ones, all the lights and food. Nothing was more enjoyable than a great gathering of warriors from tribes across the land… Indigo started to fantasize about little battle stories, making the tournament into some grand story where everyone had a purpose and fulfilled their destiny.

A couple of people noticed and started laughing at her sparkling eyes, drooling as if waiting for a plate of food. Suddenly she became upright and starting rushing off when the announcement began. “I need to find where to go and calculate how much time I have do things before they call me,” she started, sizing up the situation and herself out loud as she started to skip a little. People occasionally looked at her, and she would pause to say a chirpy greeting.

As she walked, Indigo scanned the faces around her, creating and updating profiles, and sizing up whatever battle strategies she knew about. She was actually searching for some of the more interesting and unique fighters that tended to win battles in peculiar ways, and tended to congregate. “Now how did I know I would find you grouped together,” she said very rhetorically as if she had a marker on them or somehow psychic.

Some people have accused her of being psychic but she would always claim that’s far too invasive for her tastes. She likes to study intelligent creatures as they experience each other, however different it may be when she can hear their heartbeat. She tried not to make a habit of listening. That was the equivalent to a normal person like being able to touch them. It was always hard for her to set her own personal boundaries with people. Interacting with that box of information was always the most challenging to understand. As psychic as she seemed to be, Indigo could be completely clueless.

She stood slightly crouched with her tail flipping back and forth in a makeshift sundress. It was put together from several different shades of greys and blues, pulled in triangular patterns to make a dress. The high part started just below her belt, carrying her two gauntlets. Her armored boots rose to just below her knees and she wore a modest chestplate with slanting v’s coming down from her breasts.

“So! Has anyone made bets yet? I looked at the pairings and all of you are separate. I guess we’ll take stabs at each other later,” she said making poking motions at people with her finger from a distance.

A finger moved to Chrys' chin as Nero explained that he could use rubber ammunition to deliver a non-lethal beating to his division. Given their missions almost universally involved Grimm she never really had exposure to him using anything other than live ammunition. "Mmm, touché," she said with a shrug and a small smile.

As he kept going, talking about how he didn't want to be on the receiving end of her dust delivery or Aurelia's general beatings she made sure to maintain a poker face - she didn't want to give away the fact that she actually planned on making it through this melee round, even if she didn't really have plans of making it much further than that. As he asked her the question point blank she was relieved that Aurelia stepped in and taunted him. Between the first set of battles starting, Aurelia recognizing Chrys' existence, and some other Faunus that she recognized as the quirky girl with perfect recall began commenting Chrys was more than happy to talk about anything not related to her intentions.

"Oh, I know they briefed the leaders but I assumed they told everyone else: the divisions were set up such that teammates wouldn't be placed in the same division to prevent old allies from teaming up unfairly against other members of the division battles." Chrys was very matter-of-fact about the whole affair, "Or to prevent them from unfairly exploiting their allies' weaknesses that only they would know, I suppose," she continued. She rubbed one of her ankles against the other as thought to scratch an itch but cutely reminding Nero of the location of the burn dust she had woven into her clothes - laced into her socks.

Chagrin spread across Nero's face as Aurelia joined him in invading division C's waiting area. He had admitted to himself a year or so previously that he had a thing for her, but it would never go anywhere. Her lifestyle was just too volatile and he could already envision how they would eventually break, and then that awkwardness that would follow it anytime they were in a room together. Though she could probably play it off pretty easily, he couldn't do that so easily.

"You know my opinion is not going to change what you do. Though it would make all our lives easier if you just went and passed out in the bleachers, really don't want to be nearby when what you've been drinking finally catches up to you." Or when she got anywhere near serious and demolishes the arena. He felt she had two attitudes in battle, lazy and hangover, or hit something with all her strength until you couldn't identify what it was to begin with.  

"No point in making bets until the final twenty four are shown. I know who I would bet on, if she was sober, or if they actually cared about this tournament." He liked his team, they had accomplished allot during their short years of learning. But they all seemed so unreliable in their own way. He felt he was the only normal one of the group.

Chrys then made a movements that brought attention to her socks, he could see the red dust woven in.

"I wonder if it is luck or skill that you have never lit your own feet on fire. That would be, unfortunate." In the back of his mind, he wondered if she would ever take a true interest in somebody that wasn't a Grimm.

Indigo bounced around a little as she talked, her body jamming to a beat in the back of her mind. She was feeling energetic and wanted desperately to climb on something. Usually that nervous energy made her less likely to bring in her focus which was always hard to do. She needed to tame herself to prepare for the fight, because it was always hard for her to go all-in during skirmishes. The absence of a need to escape death and save people demands less energy which she summons from a longer arc connecting her to just that through success in this tournament.

Indigo hummed a little for a moment before plopping down with her legs crossed in the middle of everyone, suddenly and really finally not being able to help molesting them with her mind and all she knew about their fighting styles. Constantly reviewing profiles made her feel like an incredibly judgmental person, but she couldn’t help that everything was deduced to calculations. It’s just if she loops the information around fast enough it starts to create an energy of meaning that she can certainly feel.

The phrase “I wonder” forced Indigo into an immediate desire to satiate Nero’s curiosity. She always knew the answer and she was compelled to offer it, especially in such a case as something wondrous – meanwhile wondering if she would marry both a boy and a girl. “It is quite in fact skill that Miss Verdance does not ignite herself. Crafting dust into clothing is not a simple endeavor and considering her consistent nature to study, I highly doubt that it is also in her nature to take such chances,” she delivered with an accent as to make jokes about robotic assistants.

"See, now I have to make it to the top twenty four so I can show you that even drunk, I can still kick your ass."  The blonde ruffled his pristine spiked hair before pushing off him.  "They had a leaders meeting for this?  Seems like an unnecessary step."  Though she could see some people having an issue with going all out with someone they had bled with for the last several years.  She doubted she would even activate her gauntlets for the fight to come unless she needed them to defend against the long range.

When she heard Nero reference what she could only assume was her since not many in their year drank on a regular basis, a crooked smile spread across her face.  "You  think I could win this entire thing?  That's so cute I could almost kiss you."  Though the most she did was ruffle his hair again before he pushed her away this time.  She noticed though the 'they' part, glancing over at Chrys, she doubted either of them would make it much further than each other.  Not unless something came along to motivate either of them.

Looking over at the newcomer, Aurelia ran her hand through her hair, not sure how to respond or interact with her.  She didn't contribute much to the conversation, and what she did made her feel like Nero's comment went way over her head.  "I see sarcasm is lost on you. . . .you."  It dawned on her that she had forgotten the individuals name, if she had ever known it in the first place.  Her way of talking was also super formal, giving her the impression that she seriously needed to get laid.

Nervousness in the forms of excitement and fear could be felt emanating from the many present combatants matching for each of them both downtrodden frowns and uplifting smiles. An unnecessary spectacle made the the inducted and drafted youths, insult to injury that the risks ahead of them needed such a showy tournament as the prerequisite to an already sparsely sought out job.

'-which do you send in first: the flag bearer, or the scouts?' recalled Ozpins simple riddle. The means to an ends in the decided victors of this competition, one that James so firmly opposed with every fiber of his being from where he stood, off the side of the enclosed space. Retaking of lost lands bore no advantage to the flag wielder lest they accept-heartedly the tenants of the Grimm that now claimed such a vast area behind the walls of their former border lines. Thus the need of the Scouts who would be for the soul purpose of gauging; Gauging of the likes of Grimm in both number and ferocity, say nothing else for their wit in years.

"A waste," James resonated with the soft grumble of his voice having escaped him despite his effort to think only inwardly. His eyes still shut, tuning out as much of the world around him as he could. Still disappointment oozed from the very language of his body. As poor as the scouts had been so far and androids having failed to measure either of the important risks of the Grimm, James still thought a better use of their time, his agreement came at the firm understanding of the tournaments true value.

Emotion, excitement felt in the listless minds of the inhabitants of the building or those that would watch from the distinctly limited range of their archaic broadcasting systems. It would deter recurring waves of Grimm from gathering in numbers outside their walls, in effect improving the success chances of the excursionary forces in their endeavor to begin the task of retaking old lands.

As two of her previous teammates began to quarrel Chrys couldn't help but emit something between exasperation and humor. As their comments continued to escalate into Aurelia ruffling Nero's hair while he tried to push her off she was once again reminded that her entire team seemed so extreme in their own ways. She felt confident in saying that she was perhaps the only sane one in the group.

As Nero wrestled Aurelia off he turned his attention to Chrys again and made light of where she kept her burn dust hidden. She wasn't sure what annoyed her more: that he was clearly provoking her when he was well aware of her academic background or the fact that he had just broadcasted her hidden burn dust. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could the eccentric of the group pointed out that dust weaving was indeed a trained skill and that Chrysanthemum was the type to take things of that nature very seriously.

As Aurelia berated her for not noticing the sarcasm Chrys retorted with praise, "Thank you... Indigo," she said as she realized she didn't remember the Faunus' surname, "At least someone realizes the benefits of applied academia." With that, she turned to her two teammates and stomped towards them with one of her flustered "tempest in a teacup" looks and looked at both of them with a look of disapproval that was hard to take seriously in the slightest. Frazzled, she just gave them a small "hmph".

Ashe grudgingly walked towards the arena, she would of volunteered for this and didn't understand why the need to raise her weapon against fellow huntsman. She had arrived right after the first division had started fighting most going at it with all their might but some looked as if they were trying to get knocked out. She continued onto her seat in Division U with a long sigh, looked like it would be awhile before this was over.

As she approached her division she noticed a distinct turquoise jacket one division over and decided to head there instead. "Hey there," she waved as she approached the turquoise wearing faunus. "You always have the most unique outfit choices," she said as she noticed his shoes. Well at least she wouldn't have to wait alone, and it seemed she didn't have to fight any of her friends yet.

"Division A, please report to the arena" a voice echoed around the courtyard. He spotted a group of 10 headed through an unmarked door off to the left. Not spotting a familiar face in the group he remained on the stone seat. It was really starting to get uncomfortable. Would've thought they could have spared actual chairs for this Between worrying over his tarnished pants and his uncomfortable rear he didn't spot her until after she had spoke. "...most unique outfit choices" Failing to catch the first part of her greeting, Skye turned too see a familiar face. He could feel the upswing in mood upon seeing someone he knew past the typical shift changes.

Hey, don't hate on the outfit and these shoes are perfect for combat, they absorb shock as I land, are great for running, have a ridged bottom to help for footing on precarious surfaces AND they're Velcro. He lifts his left foot up to show her, pointing to each feature.

"Besides your clothes are as leblos as ever, you should really let me help you out with your outfit some time" He made an attempt to show-off by replacing dead with the German usage. Another score for Skye "So, are you nervous? I mean, not saying that you should be, these guys have nothing on you." With a playful shove Skye touches Ashe's dust-laced jacket...

A small laugh escaped as she listened to the faunus defend his shoes. "Well if it works it works." Ashe let the comment about her attire slide by, it was monotone but functional. When it came to grimm outfits don't really matter as much, they find you one way or another and if she ever saw fit to change her outfit she certainly wouldn't let him decide on it.

She looked over at her division and pondered the question, though she wasn't really nervous she just hoped she didn't have to go all out on anyone. "More apprehensive than nervous, when it comes down to actual fighting I probably won't even need my semblance." Ashe responded, countering the shove with a small flick on Skye's ear. "What about you Skye, how do you think you will do?" She inquired, both hoping he would succeed so they could continue working together but also dreading it because the chance of having to fight her friend later. She sat down next to him and removed her unusually full quiver and checking her weapons to make sure everything is ready for combat.

She sat next to him, fully voiding the concept of sectioned-off Divisions. "how do you think you will do?"Fully aware of his nervousness when a girl happens to be in close proximity to him outside of a battle situation he attempts a carefree shrug. "Oh i'll be fine don't worry, I'm as quick as they come you know and that's without the use of my semblance" Skye looks at the ground out of embarrassment, debating on whether or not to say the rest of what's on his mind.

Mulling it over for a moment he looks back to Ashe, his ears twitch and he can feel a slight fluster in his cheeks. "I'm... glad we're not in the same Divison. It wouldn't be any fun to have to beat you in the opening round" He rushes out that last part in an attempt to cover adding a smirk in the hopes she believe that to be his true reasoning. Now is not the time to be worrying about other people, even if they were friends.

A horn sounds off in the distance, turning, he notices the scoreboard is flashing something. Upon closer inspection he sees that a winner has been declared from Division A. Strange, he'd never seen that fighter before. He may have be relatively new compared to some of the veterans, but in passing or at dinner, he would've thought to at least recognize the face, but nothing came to mind. Hey Ashe, you recognize that person?" He points at the scoreboard, a look of confusion on his face.

With Division A's fight completed, Division B was called up to the stage as the winner was announced and they started filing back to their own division to watch the next fight.  A loud crunch echoed as Tepes bit into her sucker, grinding the hard candy into dust as she got up and headed to the stage, the white hardpaper stick falling from her mouth as she did so.  She was first on stage, bumping her shoulder into the Division A winner as she climbed the steps.  He said something rude under his breath, but she just smiled as she walked to the center stage.  

The referee was a big man, he was at least a foot taller Tepes which was saying something, she usually towered over most people.  he was for some reason shirtless and had white tattooing over his nearly tar colored skin.  She didn't like to have to look up at people, so she didn't, she stood off to his side and watched as the rest of her division joined the circle at the moment.

"Same as usual, I want a clean fight. When your aura is depleted, you are considered KO'd.  if you are knocked out of the arena, you are considered KO'd.  When I make a call, there will be no arguing, you will leave the stage and that's that.  Understood?"  His voice was very beep and boomed all around the arena.  There was a bunch of half hearted agreements which he seemed displeased with.  "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you!"  Not wanting to have to say it a third time, they all spoke up louder.

"Better, now to your corners."  He waved as they all started to spread out.  The arena was a decagon so they each got a own edge of the arena to stand at.  Tepes could feel a target painted on her as everyone glared at her.  She had been expecting this to a point, she wasn't exactly popular amongst her peers.  Detaching a sword from her back, she go in a crouched position, her legs tensed up.  "And Begin!"

As the two closest fighters charged her, Tepes launched herself high into the air, doing a flip midway before her feet collided with the dust powered barrier on the roof.  A high pitched whine could be heard in its protest before she launched herself off of it aided by gravity as she rocketed towards the arena floor.  Her attacked barely missing it's intended target as they dodged backwards from the nearly two foot spearhead she completely buried into the arena floor.  Continuing the momentum she gained, Tepes landed feet first onto the shaft of the spear, spring boarding off it as she shoulder charged into her into her previous intended prey, sending him plummeting off stage.  

Hearing the heavy footfalls behind her, Tepes did a leaping back flip, landing back into her original position next to her spear which she yanked free from the floor.  Shortening it back into a sword, Tepes immediately had to go onto the defensive as gun fire rained down on her, bullets being deflected left and right as two others joined into her fray.

Aurelia didn’t know Indigo’s name, but she certainly knew hers, she giggled to herself in her head. Academics tended to favor Indigo more, though few usually appreciated her methods of delivering what she knew and sometimes too much.

Suddenly from a distance away Indigo could hear "A waste," from a good ol’ James Cine. She really wanted to see him in action, but she knew he wouldn’t even want to come over there. The only time he’d ever enjoyed himself around Indigo was when they were alone. He didn’t talk with her dad much but their short exchanges seemed to say enough.

Of course Indigo was always more enjoyable one-on-one. Conversing with multiple people at a time felt at times like juggling to her. She wanted to expend a certain amount of energy toward keeping an awareness of her environment in the case of danger. At times in the field Indigo will often be known to tune out of a conversation for periods at time to listen to everything around them. In the stadium, it was quite the opposite, where it was better to focus in on a conversation instead of all the dozens of conversations people were having within her grand earshot.

As people started to go into the arena, Indigo was torn between continuing or going to watch. However, she was confident in her predictions that these would be several of the more dangerous opponents in the final rounds. She knew now about Crys’s special socks, something she hadn’t picked up in their conversations prior. It may be important to listen in to what Aurelia is drinking. "You treat outside wounds with rubbing alcohol. You treat inside wounds by drinking alcohol."

Indigo began calculating a casual way to squeeze them for information. Calculating social interactions was like baking on a planet you’ve never been to before. “Well I don’t have any secret bombs or guns here anywhere,” she said popping up to model herself. She did however have some dust to electrify her blades for a quick shock. She would trade her secrets for theirs but she needed more to give up her goods.

Ashe had switched to checking each of her arrows, all blunt tipped to make sure she didn't do any serious damage to anyone. Whether she didn't notice Skye's nervousness or simply didn't acknowledge it was up to debate. "It wouldn't be any fun to have to beat you in the opening round"She let out a small giggle at his comment, "We'd be too worried about hurting each other to even attack, I'm sure we'll both do fine though." Ashe didn't plan to lose, at least not in the opening round. She was going to make sure she was in the vanguard.

She looked up to the scoreboard at Skye's question, taking a moment to think. "I think I've seen the face before but not the name," she shrugged. She usually kept to herself for the most part, not really much for conversations with random people. Looking up again as Division B was called, "Looks like Tepes is up, this should be an interesting match." Ashe commented, she really hoped neither of them had to go against Tepes that would not be a fun matchup.

As soon as the announcer began the match people immediately went for Tepes, Ashe had predicted that would happen she was the biggest threat in this division after all. Ashe knew if anyone could handle that kind of situation it was Tepes so she really wasn't worried all that much. She was intrigued on how exactly her peer planned to get out of the current predicament.

There was a certain irritation you felt when someone lacked the social know how to understand sarcasm. he chose to just ignore her answer since there was more pressing matter, pressing against him that needed to be rebuffed. "Even if you made it to the top twenty four, I doubt you would make it through the rounds after. Any motivation you had by then would be gone." He gave the same look at Chrys, noticing that she never answered his question earlier, thanks to the interruption of people. Lucky her.

"And please don't kiss me, you would probably taste better than an ashtray, but I feel like I would get a contact drunk from it." Drinking could be fun, but not when you did it like you were drinking water. Finally managing to push the blonde away.

"Well I don't have any secret bombs or guns here anywhere." The unusual Faunus stated even though no one really asked. he felt like giving her a very sarcastic response, probably to just get an overly serious response in return.  

"Good for you?" That seemed like the best response to him. Though she doubted she was that unarmed, unlike him. He in the literal sense, had nothing on him but the cloths on his back. "You looking for a cookie or something?"

"Too bad for you that isn't my semblance, imagine if everyone was as intoxicated as me all the time.  Would make for an easier fight on my end."  But she found Chrys small tantrum comical, as though she was going to do anything.  So what did Aurelia do?  Pat her head very condescendingly.  "It's not that I don't see any benefits to it.  But that I haven't encountered a problem that couldn't be solved by smashing it to pieces."  Turning to the other faunus, Aurelia felt she had a few bolts missing somewhere.  She bet if they let her alone, she would carry on a conversation by herself.  

"How did we get on the topic of what you do and don't hide on yourself?  Cause I think that's the kinda of stuff you want to keep to yourself."

Thankfully the wounds were generally mild, an effect of their protective auras. Still the odds and ends of the defeated participants as they made their way back in after their respective divisions category. James abilities were simple and humble but all the more helpful in that instance.

"Try not to move too much." he dolled to the smaller girl. She sat off the side of the room where the other combatants awaited their call, her knee poised forward, itself set aglow by the elderly hunters semblance. Crippled early on in the previous fight by a fellow hunters enthusiastic attack; Her leg mended with the signs of blood quickly dissipating. Sure enough the girl didn't move during the process, James attentions cast away from the simple process and more in detestment of the proceedings. It was unlikely that any lasting or permanent damages would occur under the proctors observations. Non the less it was always that one in some dozens that could well enough be the permanent crippling of a young hunter that he worried for. Worry, a key sum of the very fundamental of his abilities as a hunter.

"Done." he said plainly before leaning back from where he crouched forward. His heft as much a trouble to himself in the gruff sound both his body and breath made while fortifying to stand again.

She offered some simple appreciation weather a "Thanks" or some iteration of that-James wasn't in the moment to acknowledge it however as his attention quickly looked back over the room of similarly prospectant hunters. All his wards as far as he was concerned, primarily his job to see to their wounds, post divisional bout, but soon he would also be tasked with refereeing one of the many aforementioned matches themselves. He, himself had to admit this was a fair task for him, his abilities and size gave him a greater ability then most to observe the matches and act should things get out of hand. With that he made his way back to where he would stand, arms crossed, waiting and watching the next fights knowing that youths would walk the door with hopefully mild wounds. From where he stood, his height as much an advantage he noted several of the more confident combatants

Gold, blues and greens among the vibrant hair colors, attire to match in a symmetry. He surmised the delight that Ozpin would have given their showmanship, intentional or otherwise. From what he had been told at least a few of them were the ones that would be his respective session to referee in.