Asher, Donut, Simmons and Grif run through the forest. Grif is barely keeping up. Howls echo behind them as a large pack of Beowolves follow them.

"Damn it, Grif!" Asher yells as he jumps on a fallen branch and front flips off it.

"How is this my fault?!" Grif struggles over the branch and keeps on running.

"Because I needed someone to blame and your the easiest!" 

"The fuck?!"

Simmons looks back at Grif. "He's not wrong."

Grif narrows his eyes at Simmons as his dog ears flatten. "Your supposed to me on my side."

"Uh, I have to agree with Simmons on this one." Donut states.

Grif frowns. "Shut up, Donut."

Donut gives a high pitched chuckle. "Sorry~"

Asher sees a light ahead and he points. "That must be a clearing, let's go!"

"Now I won't get hit in the face by a stick." Grif then gets his in the face by a large branch. "FUCK!"

The four get out of the forest and into the clearing. Up ahead is Blake, Nora, Yang and Ruby at some ruins. 

"Did your brother run here with a pack of Beolweves behind him?" Black asks Yang.

Asher and the other three run up to them.

"Ruby! Yang!" Asher says in relief and he hugs the two.

"Asher!" Ruby and Yang hug him back.

Suddenly Pyrrha runs out of a forest with a Deathstalker right behind her. Yang starts to shake in anger. Grif hunches over and he takes deep breathes.

"Dude, we ran for like five minutes, how are you out of breath?" Simmons asks.

"Come, Grif, it wasn't that bad." Donut says.

"Fuck... you... bolth." Grif gives them a middle finger.

"Bolth?" Simmons questions.

"Did she just run all the way here with a Deathstalker on her tail?" Blake questions about the Pyrrha situation.

Yang growls, then explodes as her eyes turn red. "I can't take it anymore!" She yells in anger. "Could everyone just chill out for two seconds before something crazy happens again?!"

Ren approaches the group as a ticking sounds are heard. Simmons plays on his scroll, Grif falls to the ground, Donut fixes his hair and Asher puts some shells into his shotgun.

Then a ding goes off.

Ruby stares up to the sky as she pats Yang on the arm. Then she points up. "Um... Yang?"

Everyone looks up to see Weiss hanging on the claw of a Nevermore. 

"What..." Simmons starts.

"...the..." Grif breaths out.

"Fuck?" Asher finishes.

"Swear." Ruby calls out.

"I like her color palette." Donut nods to himself.

Then Weiss screams. "How could you leave me?!"

The Nevermore screeches. 

"I said 'jump'..." Ruby shouts.

Blake crosses her arms. "She's gonna fall."

"She'll be fine."

"She's falling." Ren informs.

"Like a snowflake!" Donut says.

"I got it!" Asher zooms forward with his Semblance and into the air.

Asher undoes his semblance and catches Weiss mid-air. 

"You're already falling for me?" Asher asks as he safely lands on the ground.

Weiss deadpans as she climbs out of Asher's arms. "As if, Flyboy."

Asher then pumps a fist. "Score!"

Jaune falls out of the tree behind Asher, and lands on his back. "My back!"

"Well... this is an interesting group." Grif comments.

"I feel like this isn't gonna be a normal school year." Simmons sighs.

"What gave that away?" Grif asks with sarcasm. 

Pyrrha is thrown onto the ground next to the group, as Asher approaches.

"Great the gang's all here." Yang starts. "Now we can die together!"

"Oh, no!" Donut cries out. "I still haven't read the most recent Valery Secret magazine!" 

Grif, Asher and Simmons give Donut a weird look. 

"Not if I can help it!" Ruby smiles.

Ruby gives a battle cry and charges towards the deathstalker.

"Ruby, wait!" Asher shouts.

Ruby, still screaming, fires Crescent Rose and charges at the oncoming Death Stalker. When the two meet, the Grimm swipes Ruby away and she is knocked back.

Ruby gets up slowly. "D-Do-Don't worry! Totally fine!"

Ruby turns back to the monster and shoots it in the skull, running away from it and sheathing her scythe as the Death Stalker now goes after her.

Yang and Asher run forward. "Ruby!"

Ruby rushes towards the two, but the Nevermore caws above them, flapping its wings and releasing lines of sharpened feathers with points that catch onto Ruby's cape. 

Several surround Yang, stopping her. A feather catches onto the back of Asher's cape, throwing him back and making him choke. 

"Ruby, get out of there!" Yang yells, Asher coughs as he struggles to stand up.

Ruby is forcefully trying to get her cape unstuck. "I'm trying!"

The Deathstalker looms above Ruby as it brings its golden stinger up. Then it brings it down onto her.

"Ruby!" Yang holds a hand out in vain.

But a white blur flies past Yang as Ruby closes her eyes. Ice forms around the Deathstalker, freezing its tail in place.

"You are so childish." Weiss berates Ruby.

Ruby opens her eyes and sees the stinger, stuck in ice, mere feet away from her face. "Weiss?" She looks to the side and sees Weiss with Myrtenaster stabbed into the ground.

"And dimwitted, and hyperactive." Weiss takes Myrtenaster out of the ground and turns to Ruby. "And don't even get me started on your fighting style. And I suppose, I can be a bit... difficult. But if we're going to do this we're going to have to do this together. So if you quit trying to show off, I'll be... nicer."

"I'm not trying to show off. I want you to know I can do this."

"You're fine." Weiss walks past her. "I just hope your brother isn't like you."

Ruby then whispers to herself. "Normal knees..." She then moves around the ice and sees the Deathstalker trying to get out of the ice. "Whoa...."

Asher gets himself unstuck and kneels on the ground as he coughs. He takes deep breaths and rubs his throat. "Oh Oum, that sucked!"

Asher stands up and looks to the side and sees Yang hugging Ruby. Then he looks up to the Nevermore circling around above him.

Everyone regroups.

"Guys, that thing's circling back." Jaune informs as he points to the Nevermore. "What are we gonna do?"

Howls echo through the forest. 

"And it sounds like our Beowolf friends brought backup." Grif calls out as his dog ears perk up.

Asher sighs. "Aww crap on a biscuit." 

Weiss speaks up. "Look, there's no sense in dilly-dallying. Our objective is right in front of us."

Everyone looks to the chess pieces in the ruins.

"She's right." Ruby nod.

Asher nods as well. "Yeah, our mission is to grab an artifact and make it back to the cliffs."

Weiss smiles at the twins.

Ruby continues. "There's no point in fighting these things."

"Run and live." Jaune nods with that. "That is an idea I can get behind."

"Ugh, more running!" Grif whines.

Donut and Simmons go over to the ruins and grab golden pawn pieces. 

"Good work, Donut!" Asher gives him a thumbs up as he takes the pawn.

Donut rubs his head in embarrassment. "Oh, it was nothing, sir."

The Deathstalker loudly growls and starts to break free from the ice holding it.

"Time we left." Ren calls out.

Ruby and Asher nod to each other. "Right!" They look to everyone behind them. "Let's go!"

Everyone takes off running, with Grif whining. Yang watches the twins with a smile and Blake stops next to her.

"What is it?" Blake asks.

Ruby and Asher hop onto a rock and stand side-by-side. A breeze blows their capes behind them

Yang stares at the two with a proud face. "Nothing..."

Everyone keeps running through the forest and Asher looks back to see the pack slowly catching up.

Asher comes to a stop, alongside Donut. Simmons notices and grabs Grif as he stops.

Asher cracks his neck and he takes his shotgun off his back, and turns to the approaching army of Grimm.

Everyone looks back to the four.

"Go, we got this." Asher calls out as he glances back.

Everyone keeps running, but Ruby slows down and grows a worried look. Asher gives her a smirk and nods. Ruby then smirks and nods back, she follows after everyone.

Grif, Simmons and Donut ready their weapons.

"Oh, Oum, we're going to die!" Grif shouts.

Asher smiles as his eyes shine. "Oh, come on. Overwhelming odds, with little to no chance of success. How could we resist."

Simmons grows worried. "Sir, are we sure about this?"

Asher aims his shotgun behind him. "For our ancestors' ancestors! ATTACK!"

Asher fires his shotgun and it sends him forward. Several blue grenades fly past him and stick to a few grimm at the front. The grenades blow up, killing the grimm and kicking up dust.

Asher flies through the dust and lands on the face of a Beowolf.

"Eat lead!" Asher yells as he fires his shotgun into the Beowolf's face, blowing it up.

A grimm lunges at Asher, Simmons shoots it down with his DMR. He swiftly changes it into a sword and ducks back as a Beowolf claws at him, then he cuts it in half.

Donut runs forward as he fires his SMG, then he slides under a Beowolf as he riddles it with bullets. He swiftly reloads his gun and changes it into a knife and parries a set of claws, before sticking the Grimm with a grenade.

Donut jumps back as the grenade blows up.

"Oh gods!" Grif panics as two Beowolves from either side, approach him.

Grif yells in panic as the two grimm lunge at him and he ducks down. The grimms collide with each other and collapse onto the ground next to Grif. 

"Huh?" Grif notices he fines and he notices the two downed grimms next to him. "HA!"

Grif fires onto the Beowolves, killing them. Then his ears shoot up and he swiftly changes his assault rifle into a curved short and cuts a grimm in half behind him.

Yet the leg of the sliced grimm reaches Grif and kicks him in the priavtes.

"AHH, my balls!" Grif kneels onto the ground and grips his crotch as his orange aura covers him.

Asher lands next to Grif, flaming rose petals fall around him, and he fires his shotgun around him. "Get up, Grif! Now's not the time to slack off."

"Fuck... off." Grif stands up and changes his blade into gun form.

Asher laughs as he flies up into the air and changes his shotgun into Scythe form. He then twirls his weapon around as he falls and slices a Beowolf in half.

Donut slices down a Beowolf with his knife.

Simmons stabs his sword into the head of a Beowolf and kicks it away.

Grif grumbles as he fires onto several approaching Beowolves, killing them.

Asher ducks down as a Beowolf racks its claws at him, and he cuts its arms off then blows its head off. He then looks around and notices nothing but dust.

"Good work, men!" Asher falls out as he puts his scythe onto his back.

Simmons takes a few deep breaths as he leans against a tree. Donut stretches out his back and Grif falls to the ground as he clutches his crotch.

"Come on, let's group with the others!" Asher orders as he runs off, everyone follows, with Grif slowly getting off the ground.

They all come to the edge of a cliff side and watch Ruby cut the head off a Nevermore.

"Is that a Scythe?" Simmons questions.

"Sniper Rifle?" Grif questions.

"A Snythle!" Donut shouts.

The other three stare at Donut.

"What?" Donut questions.

.

.

Inside the auditorium, Ozpin is forming the teams over everyone.

"Russle thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces.From this day forward, you will work together as... Team CRDL [Cardinal]. Lead by, Cardin Winchester."

Everyone claps and the four walk off stage as Jaune, Ren, Pyrhha and Nora walk into stage.

"Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieve the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as... Team JNPR [Juniper]. Lead by... Jaune Arc!"

Jaune becomes suprised. "Huh, L-Lead by...?"

"Congratulations young man." Ozpin smiles.

Pyrrha playfully punches Jaune's shoulder, but she does it a little to hard and he falls over. JNPR leave the stage as Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang walk on.

"Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as... Team RWBY. Lead by... Ruby Rose."

Everyone claps as they walk off stage, Asher giving Ruby a thumbs up. Ruby gives Asher an excited look.

"And finally, Dexter Grif, Dick Simmons, Franklin Donut, and Asher 'Sarge?' Rose."

Grif leans over to Simmons, and whispers. "I thought he made the Sarge part up."

Ozpin continues. "The four of you retrieved the white pawn pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as... Team RDDD. [Red]. Lead by... Asher Rose."

Asher turns to his team. "HA! Suck it dirtbags!" Grif groans.

Ozpin takes a sip from his mug. "Looks like things are shaping up to be an... interesting year."

.

.

Team RDDD are in the medical bay and they stand in front of Medical Officer DuFresne.

"Alright, Doc, are we fine?" Asher asks.

"Uh, I'm not really comfortable with that." DuFrense states. "I'm not a doctor, I'm a medic."

"Well, what's the difference?" Grif asks.

"A doctor cures people. A medic just makes them more comfortable while they die."

"How are you even allowed to work here then?"

"It's settled, then." Asher starts. "Your name is now Doc."

"Alright, but I don't think It'll stick." Doc states. "But, you guys are fine, so head to your dorms and get some sleep. You'll need it for your first day tomorrow."

Asher waves his hand. "Yeah, yeah. Let's go ladies!"

.

.

RDDD team walks down the dorm halls.

Asher looks down at his scroll. "It says it should just be right here."

The four stop in front of a door.

"This is it." Asher informs.

The dorm room door next to them opens up, and Ruby pops her head out. She looks around and spots Asher, a large smile forms on her face. "AHH! Asher, I thought I heard you!" She walks over to him. "Is this your dorm?"

Asher nods. "Yup! Looks like were neighbors!" He smiles.

Ruby shakes with excitement. "This is awesome! I have to tell, Yang!" She uses her semblance to get back into her dorm.

"Your sister is uh... interesting." Simmons says.

"Yeah."

Asher opens the door and they enter their dorm. They looks around, only to find that the walls of their dorm is pink.

"Oh awesome!" Donut shouts in excitement.

"What the FUCK!" Asher, Simmons and Grif shout.

Asher looks around and spots Lopez setting up a workbench in a corner. "Lopez! What happened?"

Lopez turns to Asher and shrugs his shoulders.

"Wait, who's this?" Simmons asks.

"Ahh, he's the unofficial fifth member of our team." Asher informs.

"What, how?" Grif asks.

"Hehehe, I pulled some strings!"

"Riiiiight...."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12-30-2023

2376 words