THE STEL STORIES Part 1: Origins

Part 9 - New Friends and Rivals

Team STEL thats who they were. Or who we were meant to be.
Obviously, the first few days together were as chaotic as I thought they would be.
Scarlet became a huge thorn in Trillium's side, finding every excuse to annoy or harass him where he could. It was like he had found a challenge or opponent that was worthy of his attention.
Trillium however countered every jab with his own. Being raised in a wealthy home and now living with three orphans who had different experiences being raised was a reality check for him.
"Scarlet, you need to plan our meals and schedule training alongside our classes" he had once ordered Scarlet who had just looked at him and laughed.
"Plan it? Mate the class times are set not for your benefit and I eat at least 5 meals a day, 6 if I'm in a good mood!"
"Oorah" Eclipse had said while Trillium stood fuming.
"Well, your our leader!" Spluttered Trillium "You need to have some organization!"
"Oh don't you worry Snowball" Scarlet said with a grin "I have training planned for dawn and dusk, and then we just follow our given time sheets for classes, food comes whenever the urge kicks in"
"Thats outrageous!" Trillium had replied stunned.
"You will get used to it," I told him after Scarlet had left to get said food "He's our leader not cause of his skills but because of who he is, Ozpin knew Scarlet is the one who will use words to ease issues and his hands if we need defending, he's a loyal one, trust me I know"
Trillium stopped complaining the next day.

Classes were tougher than expected.
Learning the finer aspects of being a huntsman involved learning the rules and laws of the hunt.
How you can use your powers in public, when its allowed, punishments for abandoning your duties. These lessons also taught survival skills, weapons handling, combat training and of course Team management.
Being a team made of misfits and rivalries we tended to clash with each other.
Scarlet was trying to learn the strengths and weaknesses of our two new team members so he could adjust his own style. Trillium was used to being a solo fighter and had to learn he could rely on us to cover him or vice versa. I had to get use to controlling my semblance without losing it and accidentally attacking our two new members. Eclipse just wanted to attack and never defend, often charging in alone.
Many arguments took place, usually involving one person having an affect on our miscollaboration over another.
If we kept being like this then we would never work in sync. However all it took was an encounter with another two teams at the academy to rival and encourage us to push through.

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Scarlet had decided he hated the pink hair guy.
Pinkus Damanus , leader of Team PINK was an absolute tool. Trillium had been nicer and more respectful when they had first met compared to this guy!
Scarlet had noticed Pinkus and his team from day one. Part of the second wave group they had started with, Pinkus had made it clear he was going to be a menace to Scarlet and his team.
Cocky glares and mock laughs everytime Team STEL did their exercises in front of the class.
He was an arrogant bastard.
Pinkus team was composed of; India Black, a Tall lanky girl with dark skin and white hair in a pony tail, Navajo Ceasar, Dark blue and black hair guy who always wore a singlet top and shorts no matter what, and Kale Orlando, Green short haired lad who wore a kilt instead of pants and spoke in a weird manner.
They were all as bad as one another.
Pinkus was tall with his Short wavy neon pink hair, Blue and grey sweater made of kevler and black cargo pants. He had a large gold and pink mace strapped to his back, which Scarlet knew could become a dust powered Tommy Gun.
Whilst arrogant and annoying they did work well together, fighting in sync and following Pinkus' orders instantly.
Unlike his team Scarlet had thought.
Lumen and him were fine, Trillium hesitated or questioned his commands and Eclipse either made his own ones or ignored his ideas, too keen to charge in.
They had made progress but not fast enough, their black ops mission was in two months time and they still werent functional together.
He was currently in the library alone, reading books on war and combat stratergies when Pinkus and his team walked in.
"Well well well, if it isnt Pyro head from Team STEL" mocked Pinkus approaching his table.
"Oh hey didnt see you there, which is surprising since most can see that high vis hair from Atlas" prodded Scarlet chucking a fake smile at him.
"They would also see my perfect team along my side ready to fight" Pinkus jabbed "unlike the failure of a team like yours"
Pinkus snatched up the book Scarlet was reading, his teammates gathering behind to look. "Most people would ask to borrow a book before just taking it" Scarlet said letting some of his annoyance show in his voice.
Pinkus laughed and tossed the book down "Really? War Strats? Why bother not like your team will listen when you plan them" Team PINK all laughed while Scarlet glowered at them.
Pinkus just leaned forward, shoved a pile of Scarlets reading books on the floor and said "Have fun reading and failing hot head" before strolling out with his team.
Scarlet sighed, taking a moment to collect his books, and slowly made his way back to the dorm.

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Scarlet had told me what happened at the library.
I knew Pinkus was an arrogant bastard, but I also knew he had potential to be a great huntsman. Shame he was such a dick.
We were sitting on the edge of one of the classroom towers, feet dangling in the air.
It was both a getaway and training for me, to help overcome my fear of heights.
"Pay him no attention Scar, they're just tryna get in you head" I said to my brother.
Scarlet nodded but replied "Yeah I know, but its true, our team is still struggling to work well amongst each other and we have such short time left".
We sat in silence both thinking what we could do to fix this issue.
"Oh sorry, I didnt think anyone would be out here"
We turned to see...
"YOU" Scarlet said nearly falling off the roof in surprise, my quick reflex grabbing him and pulling him back.
It was the red-haired girl.
"Oh hiya, I remember you from Signal" she said smiling at him "What was your name again"
Scarlet stood there gaping, spulttering for words, so I elbowed him to snap sense into him.
She stood there smiling at him, in her black and red dress, a large red rifle attached to her back belt, her short red hair allowing her silver eyes to glow bright.
"Oh sorry, Uh its Scarlet, Scarlet Fenix" he said offering his hand.
She smiled kindly "Ruby Rose at your service" she replied cheerfully, "Its nice to know more people from Signal are here"
"Yeah we came here second wave" I said shaking her hand next "Lumen Shadow"
"Oh i heard of you" Ruby said kindly "Im sorry for your loss"
"Its fine and thank you" I replied evenly, "So wait how come your here, I thought you were a year younger"
"YEA THATS WHAT I WAS THINKING"
"Stop shouting Scarlet shes right in front of us"
"Oh right"
Ruby giggled "Its a long story but I got in through special circumstances and now I'm leader of the amazing Team RWBY!"
"Wow a leader as well! I'm Team STELs leader" Scarlet replied grinning, before remembering what they had just discussed "Not that i deserve to be.."
"Why not?" Ruby asked softly.
Scarlet sighed and started telling her what had been happening lately with our team.
Ruby to her credit nodded and said "I can understand that, we had our own issues to"
"Really" Scarlet asked surprised.
"Yep our teams are similar, We have a heirass of a large company, a mystery girl who doesnt talk much, my hotheaded sister and little o'l me, the fearless leader" Ruby said with a smile.
"So how did you sort yourselves into working perfectly together?" I asked curiously.
" We didnt, we learnt that we each have our own ways of doing our stuff, so we learnt to accept that and use each others skills to our advantage and work as one" Ruby said with a shrug.
"THATS IT"
"You're doing it again"
"Sorry"
Scarlet smiled broadly "Maybe that's exactly what we need to do as well!"
He turned to Ruby "Thank you so much, your amazing!"
Ruby blushed and smiled "Aw shucks, I did nothing, but I cant wait to see what you guys end up doing!" Scarlet grinned "Well come watch us do our prac test in two days time! You will see the new and improved Team STEL at its finest!"
Ruby and Scarlet both laughed, joy in their eyes as they chatted more bout classes and weapons when a tall gold haired girl came out "hey sis we need to go or we're gonna be late for class!"
"Ok coming Yang" Ruby replied before turning back to us "I will catch you guys later, and Scarlet, best of luck" and with that the two sisters left.
"You still like her" I teased
"No I don't" Scarlet replied giving me a small jab, but on his face he was grinning like an idiot.