Once the bullhead finally touched down on its designated landing spot on the outskirts of the Forever Fall, Glynda immediately switched to teacher mode. She ordered the students to disembark in an orderly line, which was easier said than done considering half of them were still buzzing about Pyrrha's "announcement."
She herself escorted the line down the ramp, calm and professional as always, while Tsutsumi floated beside her in yet another telekinetic bubble like some kind of misbehaving balloon.
After Yang had been launched out earlier, Glynda had barely saved her with a quick snap of her Semblance. If she hadn't reacted fast enough, they really would've had to turn the bullhead around to retrieve one traumatized blond projectile. Thankfully, Yang only suffered some wounded pride and a few twigs in her hair.
Once everyone was off and accounted for, Glynda did one more roll call just to be safe. No missing students, no stragglers, no one mysteriously eaten by Nevermores mid-flight. Satisfied, she finally let Tsutsumi down from his bubble prison and motioned for the class to follow her into the forest.
The Forever Fall was exactly as the name suggested: a sea of scarlet leaves stretching as far as the eye could see. Every step sent little red flakes drifting around them. Most of the students whispered in awe.
Tsutsumi lifted his camera and took a quick picture, not because he was moved by the scenery, but simply because it looked decent enough.
"The Forever Fall is indeed beautiful," Glynda said without slowing her pace. "But we are not here to sightsee."
She guided the class deeper in, everyone walking behind her, well, except Tsutsumi, who she made walk in front of her like a particularly suspicious child she refused to let out of her sight. Any time he so much as looked at a side path, she narrowed her eyes like she was mentally daring him to try something.
"Professor Peach has assigned all of you to collect sap samples from the trees deeper inside the forest," Glynda explained, speaking to the students behind her while simultaneously watching Tsutsumi like a hawk. "I am here to make sure none of you manage to get yourselves killed in the process."
She stopped, turning fully to the students while tapping her riding crop lightly against her heel.
"Each of you is to gather at least one jar of red sap. However, this forest is full of Grimm, so stay close to your teammates. And do not wander off alone." She glanced at Tsutsumi for emphasis, then continued.
"Return to this location by four o'clock. Have fun."
Her tone did not match the words "have fun" at all, but the students didn't question it. The moment she dismissed them, everyone spread out into the trees in small groups, chatting and comparing jars.
Tsutsumi walked through the Forever Fall forest with Pyrrha calmly keeping pace beside him, while Ren and Nora trailed just a few steps behind like an overly curious pair of ducklings.
"So…" Nora leaned forward with a grin that practically squeaked. "How did you two become a thing?"
"It's nothing special. We talked, cleared the air, and hugged it out," Pyrrha answered with a warm smile.
"She wrestled me to the floor and refused to let go," Tsutsumi added, flicking a red leaf off his shoulder and catching another as it floated by.
"Awwww, that's so romantic," Nora said, sounding genuinely touched before immediately turning toward Ren. "Ren! Let's do that too!"
Ren visibly stiffened. His walking pace slowed by exactly half a step per word.
Tsutsumi dropped the leaf he'd been playing with, already bored. He reached into his coat, pulled out a familiar card, and use it.
Attack Ride: Fox Spirit!
His human ears vanished, replaced by two fluffy fox ears on top of his head. His eyes shifted into a glowing magenta that let him see vague outlines of spiritual life across the forest.
"Hmm… just as I thought," he muttered, scanning their surroundings.
Miyabi's Quirk was good for seeing souls, lingering ghosts, basically anything with an actual soul. Grimm, unfortunately, were soulless and thus invisible through this sense.
The fox ears flicked once before disappearing, his regular ears returning.
He could summon something obnoxiously dangerous, like the Ark-One Progrisekey, to attract every Grimm within the forest toward his location… but that would also come with consequences.
And while he could handle it, many of Beacon's students and even staff absolutely could not.
He yawned and helped his teammates gather sap into jars.
"So," he said casually, watching Nora try to balance ten jars at once, "Have you guys picked which mission you wanted to take?"
Pyrrha answered. "We were actually planning on letting you decide."
Ren, meanwhile, was catching falling jars like his life depended on it.
"I'm good with anything," Tsutsumi said, lazily catching one jar with his foot and nudging it back upright. "You guys need this experience more than I do."
Pyrrha smiled and shook her head. "You don't have to worry so much. This is still a team mission."
"You still don't get it," he said, not looking up from another jar he was filling. "I'm good at everything. Except taking pictures."
Pyrrha laughed softly. "Oh? Confident, are we? Then you won't mind proving it by taking me on that date you promised."
Tsutsumi: "…"
"That has nothing to do with confidence," he replied flatly.
"Ohh? So are you saying you're not good at taking a girl out on a date?" she teased, leaning in just a bit.
"If I said I was good at that. It makes me sound like a playboy," he muttered.
"Well, you did charm three girls already," Pyrrha said, overly innocent as she delivered the jab.
He sighed. "Why is it that out of everyone here, you latch onto the cursed one?"
Pyrrha stepped ahead, turning lightly on her heel with her hands behind her back, her hair and skirt catching a bit of the breeze. She looked over her shoulder at him, smiling.
"Maybe… but at least I'm following my heart. And going after what I want."
For a split second, even Tsutsumi had to admit the scene looked annoyingly picturesque. Before he could think twice, he lifted his camera and snapped a photo.
Pyrrha blinked. "You took a picture?"
"Force of habit, I do this all the time." he said, lowering the camera and pretending it was purely for documentation purposes.
Behind them, Nora gasped. "Wait, did he just!? Ren, did you see that!? He took a picture! That means he likes her!"
Ren simply sighed and caught another falling jar.
On the way back, the group ran into a few Ursas… and an Alpha Ursa… and then about twenty more Ursas behind them.
Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha tensed up immediately.
Tsutsumi just stared at the pack like someone had handed him a grocery list.
"…This is kinda small," he muttered.
Ren carefully set down his jars of red sap and pulled out his StormFlower. Nora followed his example, except she knocked one jar off and shattered it while swinging Magnhild off her back.
Pyrrha drew Milo and Akoúo̱, settling into a calm battle stance. Tsutsumi yawned before flicking his hand and summoning the Faiz Edge, activating it, and the crimson photon energy blade lit up.
Both sides stared each other down.
Then, naturally, Nora yelled and charged first.
She launched herself high into the air like a manic pink missile and slammed Magnhild down in the middle of the pack. The ground cracked, as leaves flew, and one Ursa physically bounced.
Using the chaos Nora caused, Pyrrha charged in after her, slicing through smaller Ursas with clean precision. Ren followed a different rhythm, darting in, striking at their weak spots, and slipping out before the Grimm could retaliate.
The Alpha Ursa roared furiously at seeing its pack getting pulverized. It lunged at Pyrrha, claws tearing into the dirt as she rolled aside.
The Alpha Ursa skidded to a halt, wanting to tear Pyrrha to pieces for killing so many of its kin.
Then its crimson eyes locked onto Tsutsumi. Who was casually walking toward it. In this smug, arrogant walk that basically dares someone to hit him.
Just the way he walked looked already enough to infuriate others into hitting him; there is no need to wonder if he is Decade or not.
The Alpha Ursa, feeling insulted just seeing Tsutsumi, let out a furious roar before charging directly toward him.
Final Attack Ride: Fa-Fa-Fa-Faiz!
Tsutsumi dragged the blade along the ground, sending a wave of crimson photon energy that struck the Alpha and lifted it into the air. He closed the distance, swung once, and the massive creature split in two. Blue flames ignited along its form before the Grimm finally burst into dust.
The remaining Grimms just stare, unable to process what has just happened. In the end, they let out another roar and charged toward team TNPR. Their lack of intelligence is what caused them all to be killed, unable to recognize the real danger before them.
It took a few minutes before the last one dissolved.
With the area cleared, team TNPR resumed walking back toward the meeting spot. Pyrrha rejoined them calmly, Ren dusted off his clothes, and Nora skipped ahead like she hadn't just caused mini-earthquakes for fun.
Soon, other teams returned carrying their jars of sap.
They meet up with team RWBY, while the four girls seem fine seeing Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren, their reaction toward Tsutsumi is a bit odd.
Ruby ignored and avoided him, for some reason.
Weiss keeps giving him the stink eye, wondering what kind of love charm he placed on Pyrrha.
Blake is normal since she never bothered talking much with him to begin with. And the two never actually have a full conversation.
Yang is pretty obvious on why she avoids him, the ground is nice here, perfect to hide a body.
Tsutsumi didn't care. Being avoided was practically a skill he had mastered by age ten.
As they boarded the bullhead, he noticed something obvious.
"That window's broken," he said, pointing at the shattered panel with a calmness that could be mistaken for concern. "You aren't gonna get that fixed?"
The pilot's eyelid twitched.
It was you who broke it! Yet you are asking me like I neglected my own bullhead!?
The pilot really wanted to shout at him, but seeing how he could casually throw someone off a flying bullhead without hesitation, the pilot wisely chose to keep his mouth shut.
He wasn't risking being the next person to be thrown off the bullhead while flying.
Seeing that the pilot also ignored him. Tsutsumi sighed. Another failed attempt at "socializing," so he gave up instantly.
Once the bullhead took off, almost everyone naturally avoided him like the plague.
With his team being the only exception to this.
"So," Tsutsumi asked, "have you guys thought about what mission you want to take?"
Ren opened one eye, responding calmly, "We were waiting for you. Whatever you pick, we'll follow."
Tsutsumi shook his head. "No. You guys need to think for yourselves too. If I decide everything, you guys won't be able to do anything when I'm not around."
Ren paused, thought about it seriously, then nodded. "…You're right."
"Let's pick a mission where we can smash Grimm and beat up bad guys!" Nora cheered.
"I'm fine with whatever you choose. A challenge sounds fun," Pyrrha added, casually moving her hand toward Tsutsumi's… only for him to pull away at the last second.
She pouted.
"Ahhh! I'm so jealous of you guys!" Ruby said, bouncing in her seat.
"Yeah? Well things aren't gonna stay like this forever!" Yang replied, suddenly competitive again. "Team RWBY is gonna complete way more missions than you guys!"
"Oh yeah!?" Nora shot back. "Then team TNPR will DOUBLE our missions! You guys won't catch up!"
"Even if you have Pyrrha and… him," Weiss added, unable to avoid glaring at Tsutsumi again, "our team won't lose."
"Save that for when you win," Pyrrha said sweetly.
That one line alone nearly knocked out team RWBY's morale.
And with that, the rivalry officially began.