{Author Notes}

... What? What? Around 30+ favorites and almost 90 follows in the first week? Where did you guys come from? I'm... actually humbled with how much I got with just one chapter. I can only hope for your continued support.

In a past event that came from the future, the ten year old boy held the blindfold with confusion before looking back towards the adult in front of him. "Mama? Do I really have to use a blindfold?"

"Yes, now put it on." Despite how stoic his mama usually was, she seemed a bit more excited than usual. The way she handled that wooden stick looked especially sinister.

Still he obeyed her and did as instructed, making sure the cloth blocked any form of sight for him. "Now wha Ow!?"

He instinctively rubbed his thigh from the pain he felt of something smacking—oh.

"You aren't like your younger siblings who can see in the dark. Still, you have senses, so instead you're going to learn how to sharpen them, starting with your hearing." Unfortunately for the ten year old, despite hearing his own mom's voice, there was the glaring fact that it was the only thing she was allowing him to hear. Her footsteps were hidden, her breathing softened, and her voice was thrown out in such a way it came from all around him, not a single direction.

It seemed as if his mama was using her best abilities to not get detected at all. Yet the young boy quickly paled for a different reason. "Mama, this isn't going to be like that one time you thought I was asleep and also had papa wear a blindfold? It sounded really painful in your room that night."

For some reason, the young boy learned how to hear someone be both physically and mentally silent at that moment, but it did nothing from making the training he received far worse than it needed to be.

As for his mom, she knew she should have sound-proofed their room.

Back in the current time within the past, the trio made their way to the auditorium. Ruby seemingly spotted someone she knew and made a quick goodbye to the two guys.

"W-Wait!" Jaune tried to call out too late. "Aww man. Where else am I going to find a nice quirky girl to talk to?"

"You know I was joking about the archnemesis thing, but since I'm being treated like chopped liver, I now officially swear to make your life miserable, Jaune." Jared stated flatly.

"Oh you know what I mean. We're guys! We like… punch our feelings out… don't we?"

"Jaune, if was to punch my feeling into you, the only feelings you would get is disappointment and pain." Jared dryly retorted before walking ahead.

"O-Oh yeah? W-Well if I punched you, you'd be feeling pain and disappointment!"

"Congratulations, you've got the wit of a slow three year old."

"Hey!"

"Apologizes, that was an insult to all slow three year olds in the world."

Jaune seemed to struggle with words for a moment before he sighed and gave up. "Oh Brothers, this is going to be a long day."

While the two were having their little back and forth, they didn't notice another red haired girl staring at Jaune specifically with interest. They also didn't notice someone staring daggers into Jared's back.

As the announcement finally started, Jared looked up to see one of the most famous hunters in history, Ozpin. He always wondered how he was really like.

The speech was fairly short, but he didn't quite understand it. Yet… was he looking over towards Jared's direction?

"Man… that was something, wasn't it?" Jared's father motioned to him.

"No, Juane, that was a speech, not a something." Jared admitted before realizing something. He wasn't officially logged in to the school, was he? He literally appeared here out of thin air. He doubted something like that would just—

It was at this point that Jared's pocket started to ring, both boys looked over as Jared picked up his scroll that currently had a voice only option locked in.

"I gotta take this, see ya later, Jaune!" The young man from the future quickly left his father as he answered the call and made his way towards an empty hallway.

"Whoo… oh… oh man… remind me again, to never make a phone call in the middle of a fire fight. J-Jared, you're still alive right?"

"While death may explain this strange pseudo-purgatory I find myself in, I still find myself unable to phase through walls and poses people to do silly dances, so yes. I am alive." Despite defaulting into his sass mode, Jared noticed something off with the guy. Was he… panting? He sounded exhausted. "Hey? Are you alright?"

"Aww, behind all that rubbish is a heart of gold!" Okay never mind. That was the last time he showed concern.

"We-We should probably warn him what he's getting into since our goal kind of completely depends on him!" Another voice shouted out, a female voice.

"Look, I'm not the most clever of people—well yet anyway—but I am not neglectful. Anyway, Jay, I'm just calling to tell you properly that you should go meet with Ozpin. He's got an office that should be accessible riigghhttt abboouttt now. He'll fill you in on some things since we're sort of busy in this end."

"Hey look up here! I'm ridding this large creature with no hands!"

Jared blinked. Another voice popped out that sounded different from the female voice. He kind of sounded like he was having fun. Oh, and then he moved the scroll away from him after hearing an ear splitting screech.

"Oh snap! Okay dude, we'll have to call you back soon-ish. We're kind of getting things done on our end!" And then the call was dropped abruptly for the second time. From the sound of things, the guy who supposedly stranded him here seemed busy as well. Though, this just completely piled on the questions he had for himself when he first got here.

The young boy sighed before looking towards the largest tower on the school grounds.

He took a step forward—and turned on his heel into a fighting stance.

As he looked around, he saw no one around him, but he swore he once more felt another presence coming his way.

His eyes narrowed as he took one more glance around. He threw his hands out. "Look universe, I'm already having a confusing day as it is, so quit it whatever else you're planning!"

Come to think of it, wasn't he asked if he was still alive? Brothers, what did he get himself into?

Jared made his way towards the office, unaware of something small floating just behind him.

"Poyo…"

Ozpin drank a sip of coffee as soon as the elevator door opened up. A young boy wearing a purple long coat stepped out quickly.

"Uh hello, sir! I… didn't press all the buttons because they had a cool sound?" As the boy said this, the elevator closed itself and they could both hear the noise of the cables stopping on the floor right beneath them even with all the clockwork around them.

"Ah… Mr. Axel was it? I've been expecting you." He turned from the swivel chair towards the boy. Then he made mental note of his action. Hmm. Perhaps those movies influenced him a bit more than he thought they would.

Mr. Axel blinked. It was almost as if he was shocked to hear that name. "Y-You have?"

"Yes, someone named Temporas said he would be sending you to this school. We had seen your scores and application and we were very impressed."

Again the boy blinked in confusion as if he never knew he even applied here. "I… I never applied here, sir."

Without missing a beat, Ozpin nodded. "I know. He told me they were fake."

To the boy's credit, he seemed too confused to react to that sentence. "Three weeks ago, a young man who looked not too much older than yourself came in front of me and declared himself a time traveler."

Ozpin watched as the boy simply dropped his mouth. That did not look like the face of someone who didn't believe him. "Despite such an audacious claim, he sounded confident and calm. He didn't quite mind if he truly believed him or not, but he asked a favor in return for doing something for me. He asked that I take care of a young boy who would feel isolated and alone… being stuck in the past."

Hmm, the boy still seemed to be in shock. Perhaps he must have been overwhelmed with such a sudden shift in well let's just say reality.

"Mr. Axel?" Ozpin drank a sip of his coffee. "Do close your mouth, you may catch a fly."

The young man did as he was told and then shook his head. "So… what did he tell you?"

Ozpin took a second to gather up his thoughts. "Much. He told us much. I do say that he was rather… trustworthy with a lot of information he shared with us. But what he has not told us was your real name and where you came from."

"Oh. But you know I'm from the future right?" The boy asked slowly. "And who is this guy who made all of this work?"

Ozpin nodded. "As for whom this man truly is, he told us that in the grand scheme of things, his true identity was not worth mentioning. But he told me enough that you must stay here in Beacon for a period of time. As to why, he asked that we not prod him further on the reason for he doesn't quite understand himself."

Jared raised his brow. "How does he not understand himself?"

"He said that it was his partner that understood how it worked and his partner was rather… unique to say the least."

"Partner?"

"That is all that needs to be said. Temporas has not fully earned our trust, but he has done enough for us to allow him to allow you to be here."

"But… I don't want to be here."

Ozpin seemingly frowned. There was something genuine in his eyes like empathy. "If it is any constellation, he apologizes deeply. Once you learn more about your semblance, he says that you can leave and go back."

Jared mentally scoffed, he didn't sound like it on the phone. But it looked like he really was trapped here in the past.

"However, while you are here, we are planning to help you train your semblance. In order to do that properly, you must go through initiation like all the other students." Ozpin spoke up.

Jared tilted his head. "Initiation? You mean how you just throw students into the wild and hope for the best?"

Ozpin made the slightest twitch on his lips in an effort to stop a frown. "That is one way of looking at it, yes." He was hoping it would be a surprise. "I suppose there is some knowledge that we couldn't hide from you."

Jared tilted his head as he noticed something about this conversation. "Sir, you're being very calm about all this."

"That is simply because we already made our reactions when Temporas first appeared. We had time to settle and while the tale does seem unlikely, it's not impossible given our circumstances. It would be rather hypocritical of us to not believe your chaperone."

Jared sighed, someone knew his situation but at the same time, there was nothing he could do about it? Go figure. Still this did mean something else completely. "So I have to take a test like my—I mean everyone here?" The displaced wanderer asked.

"Yes. Temporas says that you are adequately trained just like anyone of the applicants here." It was at this moment that Ozpin recalled the other fake documents that applied into this school, but he chose to continue his conversation. "Should you fail, I do believe something could be arranged. Other than that, I suggest you check your locker, it's a little early, but it was stuffed with items you might appreciate." Professor Ozpin finished.

"… Thanks…" Jared sighed as he walked towards the elevator. It was then he noticed that it was already opening with a young woman not too much older than him walking in with her brown hair styled in such a way that it covered a good majority of her right side. The two looked at each other before they passed by each other.

Ozpin and the woman waited until Jared left. Afterward, the principal turned to the woman. "How are you feeling, Amber?"

The woman didn't really seem to know how to answer that herself. "It feels like someone ripped apart something from me and I just feel… incomplete."

"Temporas warned us that your restoration would only be physical. Your emotional, mental, even aura state would be somewhat unstable."

"Well I mean I still am grateful he healed me, but why do I have to be a teacher here? I didn't even own a house, let alone stay in one place long enough to get a proper education."

A smirk appeared across his face. "Not entirely true. I have always found that there are some things that a school cannot teach you."

Jared sighed as he walked under the moon. He stopped for a second before he looked up and started talking to it.

"Seventeen years of normalcy and poof all gone within a moment. Dad, what do you think I should do?"

"Poyo."

Jared blinked and turned around to scan his surroundings. Something was wrong if he was really starting to hear things.

In the corner of his eyes, he noticed something slipping away past a corner, and he quickly made chase. However, when he dashed past the corner, he slid to a stop as he spotted his dad just looking up at the moon.

The slide caused Jaune to look back at the cause of the sound. "J-Jared? Dude, you scared me!"

"O-Oh. Sorry. I thought I saw… never mind," The boy shook his head. "What are you doing out here?"

"Well it's not because I got lost!" Jaune gave out a rather forced laugh afterward. "I-I was just enjoying the view!"

The son blinked before looking out the balcony. "Huh, wow. I haven't seen the sea at night in a while."

Jaune looked towards the direction. "Huh? Sea?"

The purple themed boy pointed in the direction of Vale to its right where they could see the water. "Just beyond the docks, nothing but sea as far as the eye could see. Huh, a rhyme."

"Oh wow I didn't notice that! … I've never seen the sea before."

Jared blinked. "You haven't?" Odd, he thought his dad had traveled a lot around his age.

"Nope. I came from a small village nearby Vale's borders. I never really moved from there until here."

"Traveling is actually dangerous." Jared looked back towards the sea. He then started laughing.

"What's so funny?" The knight asked the wanderer.

The black haired, red-eyed boy just shook his head. "It's just… I remember the first time I saw the sea. I actually hated staying in one place for too long, so a lot of people had trouble keeping me in one spot when I was young." Jared trailed a hand towards his head as a blur of memories flashed in his mind of different people he could look at long enough to try and identify. Still he fought through it and kept talking. "One day, I snuck out of the house and hid myself behind my dad's vehicle as he drove to his post. Eventually, after hours of being cramped, I was found out by my dad. As he was pulling me, ready to yell my ear out, I looked out to where I was and I saw the sea."

Jared motioned to his ear. "It was as blue and as endless as the sky. After my dad promised to ground me for an entire year, we had a campfire with him and his team on the beach. Honestly, it was worth it."

"You sure talk about your dad a lot." The young knight muttered.

Jared ended up coughing and moving his head away to hide the blush on his face. "I... I looked up to him."

Jaune looked down. "I know how that feels." He exhaled deeply as that sentence left his mouth.

The son blinked in surprise and looked to Jaune. "Really?" Come to think of it, he never really knew much about his father's past before he met his mom.

The blonde boy nervously shifted around. "Y-Yeah my oldest sister, Clara. I looked up to her a lot."

Auntie Clara? Oh right, she was badass. It would make sense that his dad looked up to her.

It was then that silence fell on the two boys. Secretly, they both wished Ruby was here—but then they both realized that she would also probably say nothing else in this situation and they already showed their weapons.

"I'm going to go… prepare for the night now. See ya around, Jared." Jaune spoke up before not waiting for his new friend to answer.

Jared just stood there as his father left him and then he just placed his arms on a rail nearby and buried his hands on his face. "Oh Brothers, this is going to be so awkward."

"Poyo!"

"And who keeps doing that!?" Jared looked around again, but to no avail, he saw nothing. "Ugh, I… sleep. Sleep sounds really good right now." He gave up as a yawn came out of him.

Jared did not sleep at all last night. He was groggy, cranky, his breakfast sucked, he couldn't spot his dad or anyone he recognized, and he was horribly homesick.

"Stupid, jerks. Stupid life. Stupid Semblance." The boy muttered bitterly as he and a bunch of other students were led towards the initiation area.

Jared was half listening to Ozpin saying how they had to find a chess piece somewhere hidden and scattered all across the forest, how the first person they make eye contact with becomes their partner, how they are all given keys in order to—wait, what was that last one?

"Any questions?"

Jared quickly raised his hand. "Could you please repeat that part about these keys?" He asked as he pointed to the small copper key that was floating right in front of him due to Ms. Goodwitch's semblance.

"If there are no other questions, good luck." Well, a simple no would have been nice.

Jared felt a shift beneath him and quickly grabbed the floating key mere seconds before he found himself flung into the air first. Despite that, he was rather calm as he looked into the sky. "Oh, so this was why my first hunter training was being thrown a large distance and finding a landing strategy."

He quickly tapped both of his feet as roller blade wheels popped up from the sole of his shoes. Jared spun before jumping off a nearby tree and skating along the ground to a stop.

"Great, I was so out of it that I missed what that third rule for the initiation was." The red eyed boy rolled his eyes.

Wait a second. He didn't recall his dad's initiation having anything to do with keys. Did he just forget or was it just some detail that wasn't important enough to mention? … Maybe it was the later; still he should just probably ask his future partner. He just hoped it wasn't going to be his dad or else things would get even more awkward and complex for him to stay here.

Come to think of it, how would he approach his dad now that he was here? Should he avoid or be a part of his life? Again, he really couldn't tell how this type of time travel would affect him. Should he risk it or not?

The young man glanced on to the key he was holding. It looked very simple and cheap, but it still seemed good enough to do its job.

Jared exhaled in mental exhaustion for the umpteenth time in the last forty hours and threw the key into the air and catching it with his other hand. "Well it's a key, and keys open something. So it only makes sense that they placed something worth opening around here. They shouldn't be too hard to…"

Jared was distracted when he saw a rather peculiar sight: there was a bush nearby that was sparkling. Yes, sparkling like some of those animated shows that appeals to growing females.

While wary of the unexpected shrubbery, the young man walked towards it. As he came closer, there was a low sound that was slowly sounding like… groaning?

It was then that someone shot up from the bushes. He looked peculiar in that he was wearing a dark gray suit with a white polo and red tie. He had orange colored eyes that looked like sunsets and had shinning silver hair. He looked very handsome before he placed a hand on his hair and smiled at Jared which would have made shy girls flush red.

(Is he still sparkling?) The boy thought as the stylish man continued smiling at him.

"It seems that we are partners. I would have liked to partner with a beautiful woman, but none the less congratulations! You get to be partners with moi! Uripedes Narcissi! I bet you must be honored!" As he said this, he posed in an overly elaborate fashion as he was still somehow sparkling in front of him.

"Umm okay? My name is Jared Axel, it's a pleasure?"

"I bet it is, meeting me for the first time!" Again, Uripedes then stepped on a rock with one foot and leaned dramatically on his knee as he stared wistfully in a random direction. "Now partner, we must find our chess piece and a box for both of our keys to open!" As he said this, he swiped one arm out in a needlessly dramatic fashion to show his key, which looked dramatically more elaborate, with gold plating and… were those jewel incrusted symbols!?

"What the heck, how is your key like that!?" That is what Jared wanted to say, but instead he suppressed his inner straight man and asked, "W-What are the boxes for again?"

"Oh you poor simpleton. Do you want me, the great Uripedes Narcissi, to tell it for you? Yes, you do! It's only natural to think of more reasons to hear the sound of my voice!" Again he posed with the sparkles that accentuated his constant state of posing.

(Well… this guy is full of himself, but he doesn't seem like that bad of a guy. I mean, he at least doesn't seem to be putting me down to make himself better. … I think?)

"You see, Jake," And Jared was starting to have second thoughts when Uripedes went on even with the correction of his name. "After finding your first partner, not only must we find a chess piece, but we must also find a box that can be only opened by two keys. This is optional, since there are only three boxes scattered through the forest, but picking them up will be beneficial for beyond the initiation due to whatever mysterious content lay in the container."

Well, at least he was honest about what else they needed to get. "Okay then, let's go at least try to find a chess piece."

"A great idea, Jamaica, but I have a better one! We must postpone finding the box in favor of what is necessary! Thus, we must search for a chess piece before we find the box!" Again, the boy was posing again, but this time, he had a hand on his face as he explained the same exact thing Jared just said.

(Let it go, Jared. Let it go.) This was going to be a long day, he could tell. "Alright, let's get…"

"Grrrr…"

Jared felt the air turn sour and cold. He quickly spun on his heel to notice a large group of Beowolves surrounding them. He wondered how so many could sneak up on either of them without him notice—… He wasn't paying attention because he was distracted by his new partner, wasn't he? And the only reason why they all came here was because of Uripedes' 'dramatic projections' every time he spoke, wasn't it?

"Aha Grimm! Stand back, Jeremy, I will blow them away with the power of my semblance!" Jared was honestly curious as to what kind of semblance his new partner had that made him so confident to walk in front of a pack of Beowolves without even brandishing his weapon. (He hoped to whatever being up there that he actually did have a weapon and that he was at least half as good as his boasts proclaimed.)

The stylish teen walked up towards the front of the pack and stared at the closest Beowolf in front of him.

… Then he posed once more.

However, before Jared could face palm, something happened. His sparkles were actually increasing in quantity and volume in a rapid pace—holy crap! Those sparkles were actually his Semblance!? What is it!?

These thoughts quickly passed his mind as the sparkles all combined together and a great flash of light exploded from Uripedes' form.

"AAAHH! Dang it! I can't see!" Jared whined as he was too late to shield his eyes from the sudden flash of light. "Warn me next time you do that, Uripedes!"

"GRRRRR!" "GROWL!" "AWWOOOO!"

Jared paused as he continued to rub his eyes. Unfortunately, as he tried to open his eyes, all he saw was white, but his hearing could still detect the Grimm were still there, only angrier.

"What the heck did you do!?" Jared cried out as he felt the presence of several other Beowolves closing in towards them.

"Ha! Don't worry, Kelly," That was a girl's name and nowhere near the original name Jared gave him. "I used my semblance! My ability is to look beautiful! I can harness it so much, that I can blind not only others, but myself as well with my dazzling beauty!"

Jared actually stopped thinking as soon as his ears caught that prideful boast. "Are you telling me that your semblance is just making yourself look good, and THAT YOU JUST BLINDED BOTH OF US WHILE A BUNCH OF GRIMM WERE RIGHT IN FRONT OF US!?"

"I am so beautiful even my own eyes can't withstand my beauty!" Even though blind, Jared could tell his new stupid partner was posing.

"GRR!" Jared heard a Grimm tackle down Uripedes.

"AAhh!~ Aaahhh!~" Was that really how he sounded while being attacked?

(As much as I would like him to die right now, I probably should save his life in case his death screws up my future somehow.) The real reason why he had to save his new partner was because his moans were making him increasingly uncomfortable.

Jared inhaled then exhaled as he slowly relaxed his muscles into a fighting stance. He recalled the teachings of his Mama Blake when it came to the shadows.

The best of us can become one with the darkness.

Jared slid under a Beowolf and quickly stuck a palm underneath its neck and followed through with the attack. The palm was filled with Aura and the energy exploded on impact of the creature, dislocating the bones in its neck.

We are invisible to the eye, deaf to the ears, unnoticeable by the path we walk upon.

The white and purple clad boy jumped and round house kicked the Beowolf that was attempting to maul his partner before landing on one foot and hopping on it.

If you are fighting a battle where one of your own senses is rendered useless, don't rely on them. Quickly calm yourself and use which ever sense that hasn't been impaired.

"GGRR—!" A Beowolf's skull was axe kicked into the ground before Jared jumped over him and performed a rising uppercut on another unsuspecting Grimm and kicking him into several other ones from the air.

Don't forget: in order for them to get to you they still have to move, they still have breathe, and they also have to see you. Your father used that to his advantage.

Another Grimm tried rushing for him. Jared made a step back—but found his footing imbalanced when he realized he stepped on a root.

Try to visualize and memorize the area around you and remember where certain obstacles are. You might be led to a trap without noticing.

Jared fell to his butt as he sensed the Grimm try and pounce on him.

"Fear not partner for I will save you as intended!" Jared heard the sound of the Grimm yelping as something metallic sounding made contact with the creature of darkness.

Slowly, his sight was returning and he saw Uripedes with a round shield mirror… while he was still posing and sparkling like crazy.

"Did my semblance amaze you in ways you could not imagine?"

"It amazed me on how that was the worst semblance I've ever seen."

"I know. It's amazing; there's no need to shower it with relentless praise."

Jared's left eye lid twitched upward. "L-Let's just find the dang chess piece." He sighed as he placed his hand into his face and turned around from his partner.

The unlikely duo made their way across the forest running in to more Grimm due to them detecting Jared increasing doubts and annoyance. Unfortunately for the temporal displaced boy, his partner was doing more harm than good, relentlessly posing and sometimes using the blinding part of his semblance in an attempt to blind the Grimm that don't actually rely on seeing.

He couldn't exactly hate the guy, sure he was basically a narcissist, but there were times where he tried to show care for him… in his own…

"Jam, you look positively dirty! This will not do! Why not pose with me? My semblance will automatically make you a fraction of how handsome I am!"

… unique way.

After fighting off a few more Grimm for who knows how long, Jared was surprised. His hunter gear was smudged and he was noticeably feeling fatigue from the constant attacks. However, Uripedes still looked pristine and untouched. It finally occurred to Jared that this was the same person that was mauled on not too long ago by his own fault, yet he looked as pristine and sharp as someone in a model agency.

"Actually, you never really explained your semblance. What do you mean it makes you beautiful?"

Jared did his best to ignore how his partner was leaning on a tree in a seductive manner as he explained his semblance. "It's only natural lesser people wouldn't know how the best semblance in existence works. Don't feel too bad, Sara—"

"You're not even trying to remember my name anymore, are you?"

"You see! No matter what happens, not matter what I do, I shall always be beautiful! Walking across the hall? I'm the most beautiful person doing so. Going on the toilet? A tragedy that no one sees me, but none the less, I am the most beautiful person to do it in the most beautiful way. Posing with a friend? Why, I'm so beautiful, I make them look a million times better than they ever look!"

So basically, his semblance makes everything he does beautiful? Does that mean that even his wounds would get erased since they look ugly on him? Is that why he still looks so pristine? That's like some kind of pseudo invulnerability right there. Maybe his semblance was actually better than he first gave it credit for.

It was then Jared realized… he actually was posing with Uripedes.

"What the heck!?" The boy stood back up straight and took a step back from his partner. "Did you just make me pose?"

"No need to thank me!"

"Thank you?!" Jared froze as he realized something. The dirt and grime on his clothes had vanished and his gear looked as clean and pristine when he first received them. Not only that, his fatigue was gone. However, he noticed a small scratch that a Grimm gave on his cheek was still there.

"Your semblance… it made me… beautiful?" Jared slowly started to think. Uripedes Semblance could do this? "But what about this scratch?"

"Aren't battle scars absolutely beautiful? How they amplify the warrior spirit of us hunters?" Jared wasn't entirely sure why he was bending so far back he looked like an upside-down U as he said this, but it seemed like his partner's semblance seems to center around Uripedes' specific ideal of beauty. He heals what he thinks is ugly, and keeps what he thinks is cool. That… that's kind of dangerous but his semblance is a lot more powerful than first glance. … If only it's user was a little more… no… Jared assumed this semblance only worked for this type of guy.

"I guess? Anyway, we've been traveling a while…" Jared looked up and groaned at how the sun was starting to move downward and checked his scroll. "We've been wandering around for three hours!?"

"It is only right to be fashionably late, like all amazing people like me must do! But now! We must take our chess piece!"

Jared raised his brow and turned back, only to have his eyes widen as Uripedes was posing fashionably in front of a piece of ruins that had all the chess pieces.

"How'd I miss that?" The boy thought as he walked towards the ruins. Amazingly, the ground in the area looked tattered and ripped apart. It was like there was a battle here some time ago since the scars on the ground seemed to come there today.

"Some of our classmates must have come here, battled some Grimm, and took some chess pieces." The black haired boy stated before he looked back up to see his partner holding a golden king chess piece. "How did you get… right. Semblance makes you look good." And apparently it could turn things beautiful around his vicinity of his own choosing.

"It seems like we have succeeded in our mission, partner! Alas, we couldn't find one of the three boxes, but none the less! It's best if we return to Beacon to ensure our stay here!"

Getting back to Beacon was literally the best idea his new partner had so far. "So where was BeAWW COME ON!?"

"Hmm? Jared, is something the matter?" The sparkling boy asked with beautiful concern.

One: he actually said his name correctly. Two: there was literally a red carpet laid out for Uripedes along with velvet rope that went into the direction of where Beacon was.

Forget everything Jared just thought about Uripedes' semblance, it might be a low level reality bender at this rate!

"I… everything is fine, partner. Let's just get back to Beacon."

On their way back, Jared was both amused and horrified while walking on the red carpet path back. this was because he swore there were camera flashes all around him and his partner, but there was no one for miles.

"… we have Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long forming team RWBY/RUBY led by Ruby Rose." Ozpin stated as he introduced the team to the whole school. He waited for Team RWBY to congratulate themselves before he called up the next group of people.

"Now then, I would like to call up Jared Axel, Uripedes Narcissi, Serma Hollow, and Xavier Adams forming team JUXS/juxtaposition led by Xavier Adams."

Jared and Uripedes walked—correction. Another red carpet was laid before them as they walked to the stage, followed by pyrotechnics and fireworks.

"Would it kill you to at least… lower all of this!?" Jared motioned to how all the screens were now focused on the two of them.

"Don't worry, Butch, I heard that humility is beauty. Therefore, I toned down the elegance of my presence."

Jared face palmed. He was stuck with this guy!? I hoped that his other two new teammates could help him with this guy.

As Jared felt everyone just staring at him and Uripedes, he also took time to look at the other two at the stage.

His paused. Then he rubbed his eyes. Then he rubbed them again. He looked to see if Uripedes had blinded him so bad that he was now seeing things.

Serma Hollow, by the name she was a girl. But she was a girl with one of the palest complexions Jared had ever seen, and her face… she didn't have one. Or at least, her face was fully covered by her long, creepy black hair. W-Why would she style herself like that? All Jared could see her wear was a large white, flowing cloak that hid her entire body like she was some kind of evil spirit. The chilling airs around her almost made Jared want to stand nearby Uripedes and pose again.

And then Xavier Adams… he sounded so normal. So why was he dressed as a Pirate with an eye patch and a stuffed bird sewed to his shoulder? Jared looked closer, Xavier seemed to be a blue haired man wearing a fake brown beard and wearing… was that a plastic toy pirate hat? Where did he get those clothes, the costume store?

"H-Hi? I-I mean… arg mateys?" Xavier sounded like he didn't even know how to be a pirate.

"Hello." Jared waved back before Uripedes stood in front and posed again. Suddenly confetti fell from the skies above them. (Why aren't any of the confetti getting even close to Serma?)

"Mr. Narcissi… please stop using your semblance." Ozpin spoke up in the loudspeakers.

"Hmph!" Uripedes gave a cool smile before he pointed his hand like a gun back at Ozpin, winked and clicked his tongue. "I have no idea how to stop it!" He said that so coolly with the sparkles amplifying his pose.

(Sorry dad, I'm going full Paradox/Renegade on the time line because of this.)

The silence was so deafening among all of Beacon that the only thing that remotely made a sound was Jared slapping his forehead with his hand. However, that simple sound was made to be heard like a siren with how quiet the while place was.

"… Moving on." Bless this man, for he truly is a paragon among us all. "For those that collected one of the three boxes, please open them among your team."

The newly formed Team JUXS went down. Jared looked over to his dad's team, Team JNPR standing beside Team RWBY.

Jared walked ahead before looking at his team and introducing them to the others. "I met some of these guys on my way here. The blonde male is Jaune, and the small red girl is Ruby. But I don't recall meeting you guys." He tried to play it cool as everyone else introduced themselves.

However, before they could go into Team JUXS' introductions, Ozpin's voice rang out again.

"If you have opened these boxes, you will find numbers 1, 2, and 3. These numbers… will represent your ranking among your classmates of this year."

"Ranking?" Jared looked back to everyone else. "Did anyone get a box here?"

Both Team RWBY and JNPR shook their heads. Jared turned to Xavier and Serma, but Xavier just shook his head as well and apologized.

"For the first time in Beacon, there shall be a ranking system. This system is based off grades, participation, and other extracurricular activities you perform here in Beacon along with exterminating the Grimm. More information will be sent to your scrolls, but think basically this: if you are the best in the school, you get the best meals, the best housing, the best seats, higher priority for classes and so on. However, if you are the lowest, you will be subjected to the poorest of conditions in the school."

Ozpin paused as he let people murmur amongst themselves then he continued on. "For the initiation, your combined performances on how long it took one to get back have defined where you will be living for the next four years."

This time, Ozpin was interrupted as everyone started talking louder at how worried they were on their performance.

"For how we graded you for this event, we have determined that those that returned the quickest back to Beacon with their chess piece will get a higher rank just below those who found their box."

No wonder there were only three boxes! Finding one guaranteed you'd be set for the whole four years!

Jared face palmed as he realized Uripedes took his damn time getting back to Beacon, stopping and posing every few seconds!

"Do not lose heart if you are ranked low. As time progress on, you may climb the ranks and upgrade your quarters so your conditions will not remain poor." Well there was some silver lining in all of this. "Now we shall be sending you all the ranking system. Please, feel free to check your standing."

Everyone, except Serma and Uripedes, the latter was just staring a mirror of himself while the former just creepily stood there, looked at their scrolls. Jared paled as he decided to fight the bad feeling in his chest and check the very bottom of the list.

"Dang it." Jared sighed deeply as he looked at Xavier. "Team JUXS got last place." That makes too much sense he supposed.

"WWWHHHHAAAATTT!?" Everyone else backed away from Weiss of all people who looked as red as Ruby. However, not even a raging volcano was a fraction of how the white themed girl felt right now. Everyone stepped away from the white themed girl towards a safe distance and Jared quickly checked his scroll.

Just above Team JUXS was Team JNPR, and just above them was Team RWBY. All three of their teams were in the bottom three.

"N-Now W-Weiss." Ruby probably shouldn't have reminded the heiress she existed at that point. "I-I know you may be thinking that this might be my fault for the Nevermore thing."

"I didn't until now." Jared didn't know who was scarier—wait no. Serma was creepy; Weiss was outright terrifying right now.

Ruby was hiding behind Yang shivering like some poor sap about to be killed brutally in a horror film.

"B-But look on the bright side?" Ruby squeaked in some form of desperation. "We… we… uhh… we aren't dead last?"

"Umm Miss Rose?" Xaiver innocently spoke up. "I'd rather be dead last than you right now. … Sorry was that mean?"

Dang it, Xaiver was right.

Nora pointed at how much redder Weiss got and how the rather elegant girl was shaking quite dangerously. "Look out, she's going to blow!"

Everyone ducked for cover as a blast of ice surrounded the area.

Much later that night, it seemed like Glynda was rounding up the three lowest ranked teams a little out towards the edge of the school grounds.

"Ms. Glynda, at the risk of sounding impatient, but are we almost there?" Xavier asked as he played around with his toy hook hand, swatting away flies that were coming close to him and his stuffed parrot.

"We will be there soon Mr. Adams. Ahh here we are." The three teams reached a clearing where they all just stared in utter shock at what was before them.

"Because your three teams were ranked last, or rather in Teams JNPR and RWBY case, you both were pushed down when it was revealed two of the teams that found a box were slower than the both of you," Glynda fixed her glasses as everyone took another step away from Weiss, especially Ruby. "Your three teams will be sharing this dorm for the next four years. Do keep it tidy."

"Dorms!?" Weiss screamed as she pointed to where they would all be staying. "Ms. Goodwitch, with all due respect that-that is not a dorm! It looks more like-like…"

"A tool shed?" Jaune offered up before Weiss turned her glare towards him and he yelped and hid behind Pyrrha.

The building in front of the three was this old, rackety looking, two story building with holes on the roof and damaged doors and windows. There were two stairs on each opposite side, and both looked unused in ages. The rails on the second floor looked ready to break. It looked like a poor man'sapartment complex than an actual dorm.

"I understand your upset, Ms. Schnee," At this moment, everyone turned back to the shed to see a plank of wood fall from the stairs. "However, as Ozpin said this is not permanent. If you climb the ranks, you can use your new found status to upgrade this as you see fit… with the other teams. And do not worry; we already evicted all the hobos living in here before this."

"Hobos lived here before us? G-Good one, Ms. Goodwtich, and I thought you didn't have a funny bone. Ahaha... haha… why aren't you laughing? Please laugh and say it was a joke. Please?" Ruby asked in desperate hope.

Glynda went back and looked at the rest of them. "If one of them does try and come back, due call us after settling yourselves. Some of them might have a semblance, so do be careful." With that Glynda left all three teams.

No sooner than she did, they all saw Uripedes walking up to the tool shed/dorms.

"No matter how dingy this looks, I, Uripedes Narcissi shall look beautyf—" as soon as he opened the door, a bunch of bats flew out and swarmed him. "Aaahh!~ Aahh!~ I'm being bitten!~ By bats!~ Aahh!~ Aahh!~"

Even among the swarm, everyone could still see him sparkling and posing. A few people wondered if he was even in trouble with how… relaxed(?)… he sounded when being attacked.

"Well…" Jaune started, making everyone look at him. "At least things can't get any worse?"

"Y-Yeah, Mr. Arc has a point!" Xiaver tried to agree with him. "I mean, if we can kill any of those bats, we can have dinner!"

They all looked at the fake pirate while Uripedes was still being attacked by bats.

"W-What? Don't you guys remember that they suspended our meal privileges for the next two days because we're ranked the lowest?" Xavier brought up his scroll. "I-It was in the Ranking Guidelines they sent us."

"Screw it then," Jared said as he pounded his fists and walked towards the bats. "Anyone want to help me catch dinner, or would you rather try and eat Uripedes' sparkles?"

Everyone else said nothing, but took out their weapons.

{Author Notes}

Hey guys, it's me, the author of this story!

I introduced some new characters in this story that definitely weren't in the old one.

I hoped you liked the introduction of Uripedes Narcissi and the power of his semblance. I wanted to make someone with the silliest semblance imaginable and this guy came out because of it.

His semblance is designed to be weird, but simple: it makes him beautiful no matter what. It's simple in paper, but it can go a lot deeper than it seems and potentially? It's actually a very powerful semblance under the right circumstances.

(Who knew that just being beautiful could be such a powerful semblance?)

Also, I designed a lot more quirky characters that are going to pop up here and there. I have decided to embrace my weirdness to the maximum effect. If you thought Uri's semblance was bizarre, I've planned out a few more weird semblances from others as well.

I hope you all enjoyed this! I've got more in store for later! I promise! I'll see you all later!

—{Extra: Diamond in the rough.}

(Jared jumps into the rickety living room in an excited manner.)

Jared: Guys! Guys! I've actually got great news!

Wiess: (Still feeling a little sick from the… bat meal) Axel, I appreciate the news, but unless the plumbing is fixed—

Jared: It is!

(Everyone stares at him in utter shock.)

Yang: Are you serious!? Please tell me you're serious! If you aren't, I'm kicking you ass outside for you to sleep the night!

(Jared then grabs a pillow—an actual soft and clean looking pillow before pointing to his partner Uripedes who was posing half naked without a shirt and holding a towel and a tooth brush.)

Jared: Uripedes' semblance! It's the ability to make things beautiful! The non-existent and sorry excuse for an outhouse turned into a five-star restroom with a spa!

Uripedes: Hmmph! It is only natural for beauty to be maintained with the highest of qualities.

Yang: You beautiful bastard! You really are the most beautiful man in the world!

(Almost everyone is excited that with Uripedes' semblance, they could turn this entire place into a luxury house in seconds! As they all start to argue on what Uripedes should change next, Xavier seems confused and raises his hand out.)

Xaiver: That's cool and all, but isn't it a bit too easy to do that? Wouldn't it be more fun to earn those things?

Uripedes: BEAUTIFUL GASP!

(Jared, and everyone else except Serma, have their eyes widened as they look back at the sparkling man.)

Jared: Uripedes… buddy?

Uripedes: (Makes a sad and dramatic pose.) I was a beautiful fool, Resh! A beautiful fool!

Jared: (Calm but worried voice.) Uri, buddy, pal, best person in the world! Whatever train of thought you have, derail it and let it burn in the bottom of a forgetting canyon! Now!

Uripedes: How could I be so beautifully blind! I'm beautifully forcing this poor, beautiful house to be something it's not!

Weiss: No, you are making this… house… what it always has meant to be! Beautiful!

Yang: Y-Yeah! Nothing says beautiful like a hot shower and a spa bath, right? You should totally get in there and forget whatever you're thinking!

Ruby: A-And work on our rooms!

Ren: And the kitchen.

Jaune: Y-You could even make a TV!

Nora: Snacks!

Pyrrha: Fi-Fixing the holes would be appreciated.

Blake: You could even expand this whole place and give us our own rooms!

Serma: …

Uripedes: (Throws his hand out dramatically.) Nay! Plastic Beard is right! To simply change things with my powers is the opposite of beautiful! We must learn to embrace the true beauty this house has to offer us as itself!

Jared: The outhouse was literally just a hole in the ground with shoddy, wooden walls surrounding it, and a gaping roof with an unintentional and irremovable sky light before you changed it!

Uripedes: Through our struggles, we shall become even more beautiful! Like diamonds among the rough! (He snaps his fingers and the pillow Jared is holding turns into a dead rat.)

Yang: (falls to her knees) No… not the spa! At least keep the spa!

Jaune: (Looks outside) Uhh… it's gone.

Uripedes: It is alright, fellow friends of Uripedes. This shall only strength our bond together beautifu— (Yang gets up and punches him.) AAahhh!~ (She then attacks him in a fit of rage with her eyes turning red with some traces of tears.) Aaahh!~ Uhhh!~ Aahh!~~

Yang: Dang! It! I! Can't! Even! Punch! You! Without! Feeling! Weird! (Yang struggles to keep hitting Uripedes since one: it doesn't really seem to be hurting him. And two, he keeps making beautifully uncomfortable sounds whenever he's hit.)

Jared: (turns darkly to his team leader.) Xavier.

(Everyone else except Uripedes and Serma slowly and darkly stare at the blue haired pirate wannabe.)

Jared: As leader, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Like say: thinking before you speak.

Xavier: (shivering like someone being frozen to death) I-uh-um will keep that in mind next time?

Weiss: (unsheathes her weapon.) Don't worry. We'll make sure you remember that next time.

(Everyone else but Serma, Uripedes, and Xavier unsheathe and power up their weapon.)

Xavier: W-Wait stop! AAaiiiiiieeee!

(And the scene fades to black as the people fall upon him.)