Chapter 2

In the Emerald forest, howling echoed through the dead of night. A twig on the ground snapped as running feet squished into the soft moist ground, the sound of panting could be heard as well as angry growls.

Cardin Winchester was running for his life, however he seemed lost in the Emerald Forest. It was dark out, something or someone was chasing him through the night. Each step he took, his feet nearly sank into the wet dewy moss that was on the ground. "S-Stay back! I'm warning you!"

A pair of glowing eyes stalked Cardin through the forest, as a twisted yet psychotic laughter could be heard. The figure was slowly walking behind Cardin, the moon shined on a something giving off a eerie feeling.

The howling died down, as Cardin tripped over a root that was sticking up from the ground. He ended up face planting on the wet moss as the figure got closer and closer to him, He groans as rolled over onto his back. His ankle was twisted and the make matters worse, the figure was standing over him snickering.

Cardin's eyes widen seeing them, as he braced himself for an attack. The moon light shined more as the figure was in the light of the moon, Ruby was standing over Cardin as she was laughing. Her eyes looking different, almost Faunus like. She raised Crescent Rose up over her head as she laughed insanely.

"Have mercy!" Cardin yelled.

Ruby swung her scythe down, cutting Cardin's arms off, as the sharp tip of Crescent Rose sliced Cardin's head as it slowly split opened. Ruby yanked her scythe out of Cardin's head as blood dripped from the tip, she walked away from the motionless body of the bully as she dragged Crescent Rose on the ground.

---------- Nightmare in the Forest ----------

The orientation was about to begin as everyone was present, Oyashiro was also there as well, but was Pyrrha. Which had Blake wondering what Oyashiro's goal was, she was going to get to the bottom of it all but focused on what was going on.

"I'll make this quick.." Ozpin said. "Some of you are new here, while some of you are transfers from other academies. As you all know, I am the headmaster of this academy. For those of you who don't know, I am Ozpin." He glances at every student. "You will be tested however...launched into the Emerald forest, to find chess pieces. But, whoever you lock eyes with will be your partner for your team."

"Wait launched?" Jaune asked. "You have to be joking right?"

"No, I'm not joking." Ozpin said. "Right now, you all will need to prepare for the test...you all will be spending the night in here."

"Wait, what about dorms?" Nora asked.

Ozpin glanced over to Nora. "Dorm rooms will be given after you are a team." He turned around and walked off.

"For now, you all will be getting acquainted with everyone." Glynda spoke up. "Each of you will have to find a spot to set up sleeping bags. You may use the locker room for changing and using the bathroom.."

~~~

Blake noticed Oyashrio as she walked over to her, keeping a low profile not wanting to attract any attention to her or Oyashrio.

"Hello Blake." Oyashiro said putting on a fake smile. "How can I help you?"

Blake glanced around as she grabbed her by the arm and dragged her outside of the academy, away from peering eyes. "Cut the crap, what's your goal?"

"My goal?" Oyashiro asked as she tilts her head. "Oh I get it now, you're wondering why I'm playing the big role of Ms Pyrrha Nikos isn't it?" She turned around as she hid a smirk on her face. "Isn't it obvious? The real one is far too busy being a celebrity. She doesn't have the time for an academy like this, why else would I be here? This flow of time has been altered. Don't you find it odd how Ozpin mentioned the relics for teams now instead of tomorrow?"

Blake blinked as she scoffs. "You have a point, and what do you mean the real Pyrrha doesn't have the time to be here? She would never put this academy down."

Oyashiro smirked, as her back was still turned to Blake. "I'm surprised you didn't catch on." She turned around to look at Blake now. "The Pyrrha in this timeline died way before her actual death."

Blake's eyes widen, as she clinched her fist. "Liar...."

"Oh?" Oyashrio asked as she pulled up the news feed on it. "It's being a cover up...she died after she was put on the cover of Pumpkin Pete's Cereal."

Blake went pale as a ghost as she took glances at it. "Impossible..."

"Why do you think it's not being talked about hmm? It's a cover up, they think it's fake since I'm here as Pyrrha now." Oyashrio said. "Well, those who do know the truth will turn on those who seek the truth of it all...my curse has already sunk into Ruby and the others. Sure you could kill yourself now, but you'll just wake up in another timeline with no Pyrrha."

Blake was about to say something else, as Ruby came outside. She walked over to the two not hearing their conversation. "There you two are."

"Hello Ruby." Oyashiro said in Pyrrha's tone and voice.

Ruby was taken by surprise. "THE Pyrrha Nikos knows my name? Awesome!"

Blake looked at Ruby, wondering if she knew the whole truth or was being played for a fool for Oyahsiro's lies on being Pyrrha. "What do you need Ruby?"

"Oh right, um...if we happen to bump into each other in the Emerald forest, can we be a team?" Ruby asked. "I asked Yang and Weiss, but they didn't really say anything about it."

Blake would lightly nod. "Sure, but...try not to get lost in the Emerald forest, I heard you could get lost in the forest."

"L-Lost?" Ruby asked as she gulps. "Ehehe...."

~~~

It was time for the test, everyone was ready and on the launch pads. However, something seemed a bit off. It was mid afternoon, which was rather strange. Blake recalled the test happening during the day and not the afternoon.

"Good luck out there...you'll need it." Ozpin said as he watched everyone be launched off towards the Emerald forest. "Be weary of Grimm."

"Sir, by the time they make it out it would be pitch black out. Are you sure this was a wise idea?" Glynda asked.

Ozpin took a sip from his mug as he was silent as he looked down at his scroll. He watched on how everyone had a landing strategy.

Ruby landed as she glances around for a bit. "Okay, time to find Yang...or Weiss, or maybe Blake...gotta make it out of here before I get lost." She ran through the forest breaking twigs under her feet.

Oyashrio had landed on a tree branch as she watched. She jumped down and landed on her feet on the ground, she scanned around. "Good, it looks like I'm not being watched.." She waved her hand around a bit as she was stirring up something bad. "Rise and shine creatures of darkness."

The whole forest soon fell silent as the Grimm woke up, snarling and growling. Yang stopped half way as she glances around. "Ruby is that you?"

A Ursa stood on it's back legs towering over Yang, it roared loudly drawing some attention to it. Jaune and the others were able to hear it as Blake jumped from tree to tree.

"This isn't good, the Grimm are already waking up...damn it Oyashrio, what are you doing?" Blake asked as she dropped down behind Yang. "Looks like you could use some help...didn't think the Grimm would wake up so soon."

Yang cracked her knuckles as she smirks. "Who the hell cares? I get to punch something now."

The Ursa swipes its massive claws at the two huntresses as Blake jumped up and onto the Grimm's arm, running along it and swung her blade at it's head. Yang was punching the Ursa in the gut as it wasn't given any room to attack the two, eventually with one final blow. It died as it collapsed backwards.

~~~

"It's going to get dark soon...I can tell." Ren said as he looked at Nora. "We should hurry and gather the relic. We might run into Jaune or Pyrrha."

Nora stops. "Pyrrha? But isn't she?"

Ren cocks an eyebrow up. "Isn't she what?"

Nora was silent for a small moment. "Oh it's nothing....I must've been thinking of something else." She put her arms behind her back and started to walk off. "You're right though, we should get going."

Ren would nod bit was a bit confused on what Nora had said before changing the subject. "Alright."

Jaune raced through the forest as glances around. "Gotta find a way out..." He ended up tripping over a root as he nearly fell, but got his balance back. "Close one...now then let's see."

The sounds of the Grimm had died down, as the sun was slowly setting. Blake scanned around as her eyes allowed her to see during this, she glances towards Yang who was trying to start a fire on a stick to make a torch. "Come on, work."

Blake let out a sigh. "Yang was it? Try scarping rocks together to get a spark, and a fire will start. Then you can use the stick for light. But you might need something strong so it wouldn't burn the stick completely."

"I knew that." Yang said as she nervously rubs the back of her head. "Hey, wait a minute...why aren't you looking for a light source?"

Blake was about to say she was a Faunus, but recalls that she had it hidden from her friends until the silence was broken about it. "I'm a Faunus..our eyes let us see in the dark. It's night vision for us basically."

"Wait, really?" Yang asked. "Huh, didn't know that.."

"Go ahead, laugh." Blake said. "I know you want to."

Yang was shocked and surprised. "Laugh? Why the hell would I do that? Faunus are people too."

Blake hid a small smirk knowing Yang would say that, it seemed like Blake was the only one out of her team who had the memory of the previous timeline. She turned around as she grabbed a branch off a tree. "This tree has breakable branches..it's likely dying, we should go find Weiss and Ruby. I have a feeling those two might need our help."

Oyashrio watched them for a moment as she walked away, bumping into Jaune. Who was currently searching in the dark. "Oh my, are you okay?"

Jaune felt around for a bit as he nods. "Yeah, I'm fine. It got dark fast....wait, you're Pyrrha right? I can't really see you, wish the moon would shine some light down here.."

"Yes, I'm Pyrrha." Oyashrio said as she grabs Jaune's arm. "I know the way out of here, there might be a opened field with the moonlight shining down." She quickly ran off while holding Jaune's arm, dragging him with her.

Ruby stood in the middle of the forest, glancing down at the ground for a small moment. Mumbling something as she looked up. She started to walk through the forest as she started to scratch at her neck, maggots started to come falling out of her neck as she scratched at her neck still. She dragged her scythe on the ground as it was covered in blood.

A few feet behind where she was standing, arms were sticking up on the ground as blood was sprayed on the trees and ground. Ruby laughed as she disappeared into the night of the Emerald forest, stalking her next victim.