APOTHEOSIS: 2.0

[Agent Rina]

Sorrel was speeding along when all of a sudden the floor open up beneath her. She didn't panic and instead found it quite cool. "Awesome!" She immediately used her semblance to float in the air and find a nice place to land. She looked around searching, still not successfully finding them for a bit. She frowned. "Man I should find them soon, after all it's not really fun to do things by yourself..."
She then seared a bit more until she had spotted Talvon and Rafe in a moment of sheer luck for her, and more likely unlucky for them."Wow, they look so cool together. Definitely one of a kind kinda friends!" She admired them for a second before she then decided to make her way over to them, and eventually slid up behind them in excitement of finding them. As they say, seek and yee shall find, and as she added, slide up and introduce enthusiastically!
"HEEELLLLOOOOO BESTIES! I found you guys! I kinda got lost a little earlier.... "

[IejirKothar]

Oz looked down at the prospects grinning as they tried to get a sense of their new predicament. The pit they had fallen into was custom built as an arena, designed so that climbing out was physically impossible. She thought that those who could use their semblances for a passable imitation of flight might be able to escape but those who would attempt that would have no place in her school, the same as those who only cowered behind their protectors. "I hope you are all warmed up now, cause the real fight is about to start" She announced through a wireless mic allowing her voice to carry over several speakers.

Talvon grit his teeth in his mouth readying his weapon besides Rafe just before Sorrell snuck up behind the two giving them a start. "Why in the world are you down here?" Rafe asked shifting his position so he was out of Sorrells way in case she needed to fight too. "If I could fly I wouldn't be down here in this pit."
As if they heard him or at least to prove his point several other student candidates had begun scaling the walls using their weapons their semblances or even creative uses of dust.

[Nitestrike776]

Luxas struggled against unseen bonds, his muscles straining. He couldn’t see much detail of whatever dark place he was in, or remember how he got there. All he knew was he needed to get free, needed to escape. There was something… something important he had to do. A hand appeared in front of him, made of pure blackness, only visible because it was darker than the surrounding room. It moved, almost lazily, toward him, reaching for his chest. It was a few meters away… half a meter… a few centimeters… a beeping alarm caused him to wake with a start. He was entangled in sheets, sweat drenching his body in the dark of his room. He closed his eyes again, just for a few moments, slowing his racing heart and evening out his breathing. A little early to panic he mused silently, untangling himself and shutting off the alarm on his scroll.

It was the day he’d waited for since graduating from Signal, and he wasn’t going to let himself approach it in ill spirits. He rose, and opened the curtains to let in some of the early morning light, then made his way about the empty house, washing up, making some breakfast, checking and rechecking his packed bags, inspecting his equipment, and then checking his bags again before realizing he was stalling, waiting for his scroll to chime with the promised message from his brother and sister. They were supposed to message him before he left, since they had a lengthy job and weren’t going to be able to see him off. Luxas sighed, a little disappointed, but not surprised. They were busy, after all, and he could take care of himself. All the same, it’d be nice to hear from them before I leave home for the foreseeable future. Not even a “Good luck Lux!”? He consoled himself by dipping into his sister Cele’s secret snack stash she thought she had hidden well in the back of one of the cupboards out of playful spite. He grabbed his bags, hoisted them up onto his shoulders, then headed out the door, locking up behind him.

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The Patch transport station was already picking up in traffic as he arrived, bustling even in the earlier portion of the morning. Luxas pulled his scroll out and found his ticket, showing it to the attendant before boarding hurriedly. He took a seat against a window near the back, trying to avoid being near the bulk of the early travelers. Even without his semblance active, he was generally uncomfortable in crowds. He popped his headphones into his ears and played some music, resting his head against the cool glass. The trip to the city of Vale passed uneventfully, and he almost dozed before the airship began its descent. With his bags in tow, he made his way toward the impressive structure of Beacon Academy, feeling, for all the times he had been to Vale with Cele and Abso, like the city had grown since his last visit. Eventually he found himself making his way along the path, alongside other students. Luxas followed the general flow, hearing the chatter and occasional shouts of other students. He gave a wry smile, shaking his head slightly as he took in more of the sights. He was going to need to get used to large groups and socializing more with his peers, if he planned on succeeding in getting the most from his education here at Beacon. I just hope I don’t meet anyone TOO over-the-top…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luxas forced himself to breathe evenly as he stood in the crowded amphitheater. The murmur around him was audible, though not decipherable aside from a few words exchanged nearby. He watched as the headmistress took center stage, launching into what felt like a lengthy speech. Suddenly she and the rest of the staff were rising on a platform, and the hairs on Lux’s neck began to stand up. Something felt off… Walls began to slide away, revealing hidden cavities. Someone at the nearest gate screamed, and an answering roar emerged. Grimm? In the School? On the FIRST DAY? Luxas felt his body tense, then relax, just as always before he engaged in battle. They really don’t waste any time here do they?

He smiled fiercely, circling around the nearest gate, watching as a few students rushed in immediately to face the already emerging beowolves. One bounded over the ranks, landing on the floor and sliding a bit, shifting its weight in order to orient on a small group nearby. It didn’t get the chance. Just as it made ready to bound forward, Luxas put it on the ground with a solid sprinting punch. The group of students recovered from the near attack and readied their weapons, a few putting shots into the fallen grimm before it could get up. “About time…” Luxas muttered, as he took off with a loping stride, looking for anyone who hadn’t gotten their head on straight and started fighting yet.

He interceded for another student who was taking on a pair of grimm herself, and not faring well. After a few controlled bursts of fire he finished one and wounded the other, allowing her to finish it off. He began to make his way to an opening, near which a defensive line of a few students had formed, when the floor began to tremble as it moved, opening a generous drop into a sort of pit. He rolled as he landed, then reoriented himself and made his way toward the group he had spotted earlier, noting with interest as a girl floated gracefully to the ground and made her way to the same group excitedly. He made his way to join them, pausing every so often as a student went by, either getting their bearings, or making their way to the walls with so many others attempting to escape. If this is the test we all need to pass, maybe actively working together will improve our results. Either way, I’m assuming escape isn’t our goal, but if the grimm home in on the fear of the escaping students there may be some serious injuries or even fatalities among them if these beasts are allowed to catch them.

He scanned around cautiously for any grimm that had fallen nearby as he closed the remaining distance to the group of students who were already engaged in conversation of all things, in the middle of this clearly designed battlefield.

[Agent Rina]

Sorrel tilted her head at the thought of escaping, which never even occurred to her. She let out a laugh and in a pleased manner and nonchalantly holding her weapon in her left hand while using the other to make hand gestures, she began to explain.
"Well you see," she began proudly, "I voluntarily came down here, but I mean if you want I can totally lift all of us outta here, but that wouldn't be fun. After all, it's just a game, and as the lady said it's just starting. Who wants to play a game by themselves, let alone end it before it starts? Like no. one. ever.!!! It's always more fun with friends! AND LUCKILY I FOUND YALL! Oh man, I started to miss you guys a bit for a second, but then seeing as how cool you guys do together, oh man!"

She then put her right hand on her cheek. "It's just so cool ya know! Yall really are the bestest of best brothers. So in sync, Oh yall could be twins! You guys do so well its almost as if you guys are twins! I have older brothers! and they're twins too! Oh man! This is like G-R-E-A-T~~~!"

She then gave thumbs up. "We'll play this game together! It'll be fun! I'm glad I found you guys again! What a lucky day besties!!!"

[IejirKothar]

Rafe and Talvon scoffed at the girls gushing, Talvon could almost call it fangirling if it wasn't for the fact that he doubted the girl could have such thoughts, or perhaps its just another mask she wears. Her family was after all almost as famous as his own.
"We've hounded eachother every step of the way through our training, it only makes sense that we know eachothers moves without even talking." Rafe told her cutting down another beowolf that ran too close. But his bravado couldn't distract him or anyone from the nature of the fight they were in, all around them more students were being pushed back huddling behind the fighters still able to defend themselves. "We're losing ground." Talvon said shouldering his sword in a ready stance. "Sorrell, this isn't a game." He said flatly. "These grimm are the real thing and we're losing able bodied hunters fast. I'm sure the headmistress isnt' going to let us die here, But I'll be damned if I allow her to save us from her own trap."

[Nitestrike776]

Luxas approached in a measured gait, watching in fascination as the conversation carried on. As he continued forward a beowolf bounded near to the group, only to be cut down by one of the young men standing there before Luxas could even give a cry of warning, all while they continued talking. They appeared to be taking measure of the chaos as they spoke. Certainly not fools then, merely confident in their ability to protect themselves while holding counsel. Interesting place for it though...

Luxas decided a direct approach would be best. He steeled himself, realizing, with a tone of wry humor, that making contact verbally with these other students seemed more taxing than making physical contact with the grimm he had combated. He mentally shook the stray thought from his head.

As he neared he called out, "Well you all seem to be able to handle yourselves at least! That's more than can be said for some of those fleeing. The grimm will be drawn to their apprehension and mounting fear. Those of us who are able should see to it that the grimm do not reach their intended victims. I can see you all seem a good deal more than capable, and I am also ready to defend against these monstrosities. I think if we can organize a group defense, we can make sure this situation doesn't escalate to even more dire levels."

As he said the words he almost winced at the formality they rang with, and he silently hoped that they were heard as earnestly as he meant them. Lives could be depending on the ability of groups to work together against the horde of monsters. Whatever happened, he knew they had to act swiftly.

[Dnafein]

Argus stalked the room his knife slashing as he cut down the grimm who charged him. The gunslinger eyed the other students, shaking his head at those who hid behind the others. Why show up at the school if this was how you were going to behave when faced with Grimm. He stepped back as a Beowulf landed before him. Argus kicked the creature in the jaw before slamming his knife between the beasts ribs.

Pulling his weapon free the gunslingers eyes widened as he felt the floor shift. Turning he sprinted towards the wall, leaping as the floor dropped. Argus pulled his blade back above his head as he fell, eyeing the wall. Slamming his weapon forward, the gunslinger plunged it into a crack on the concrete wall. The blade held, and Argus quickly pressed the toes of his boots into poor footholds.

From his precarious perch half way down the wall, Argus studied the bottom of the pit. His eyes quickly adjusting to the darker pit. The gunslinger resisted the urge to drop upon a beowulf stalking below him, he instead scanned the other walls. Something told him that if the test was just the beowulves it should have ended above; That meant something else was coming, and Arguz intended to see it before it saw him.

[Agent Rina]

Sorrel laughed "hahaha, there's NO way she would let real grimm run around in a school, and there's no way she'd throw us all in a pit arena with a bunch of real grimm. haha. That's absurd! I mean come on, everyone has high tech holographs now a days... I mean Just watch..."

She was about to demonstrate the fact that the grimm weren't real when she was interrupted by another potential friend, one she hadn't met yet.He had the strangest way of speaking, and it was too weird. She smiled a bit wryly for a second, before smiling a glittery bright smile as she turned quickly to greet her new friend.

"Hello! Sorrel Rosafarben here!" She grabbed his hand before he could resist and shook vigorously.
"No need to worry cause these, pppfft... it's just a game. Also skip the formalities, we're all going to be besties here! So No Worries! These are my two bestest friends here! This cool guy Rafe and his cool brother Talvon. Ooopps. Right, they don't want people to know they're brothers, so just between you and me, I never said that."
She giggled a bit and then skipped back to Talvon.
"Hey, no need to worry, these totally can't be real.. just watch this."

She gave a wink,and made a two fingered kind of salute which her hand move from her head in a wave, a head nod and then chased after a beowolf which wasn't too far off and sliding her hand into a pocket in the back of her skirt, she pulled out a small glitter grenade, which she slide to roll on the floor and explode under the beowolf, in which a holographic image would be distorted, only to see the grimm just in a pink glittery mess.

"Mmm... some high quality holographics I see. Well, let's just get rid of this then!" Shen then sped at the now angrier glittery grimm and first smacked it with her pole, using the momentum to slide back, split the pole in two halves revealing her modified dust blades in which she shot a nice dust infused bullet, which also reacts with the dust infused glitter to explode the grimm. She stood for a second listening to the sound. It sounded real.WAAYYY too real. But there was just no way. Absolutely no way... but holographs don't make that sound, glitter doesn't infuse with holographs, it doesn't look like that...

She slid back to her besties, Talvon and Rafe. "Tell me now besties, they're not real right?? It's just my imagination that it sounded and looked real???" She looked at Talvon for an answer, considering he seemed to be the one with those kinds of answers at the moment. She thought for a moment. Right! You have to believe whatever he tells you at this moment, even if it doesn't seem like its the right answer, after all he'll be honest. She nodded at her conclusion.

[Nitestrike776]

Lux was taken aback as the girl turned suddenly to greet him, too shocked to react to her insistent handshake and dazzling smile. He smiled bemusedly in return as she enthusiastically rattled on, more pleased that she seemed to take his introduction well and was happy to talk to him. He tried to follow what Sorrel was saying as she spoke, unsure of what she meant by things being a game, and then glanced at the other two young men as she introduced them. Before he could even begin to give a reply, she was off, chasing after one of the grimm.

He watched in growing concern as she threw a grenade at her quarry, and with her comment following the detonation, realization came to him. Oh Gods, she doesn’t believe they’re real… He watched her destroy it with a secondary attack, seeming surprised at the reality of the situation, then looked to the others for some sort of explanation as she returned, at a loss for words for the moment.