*Just to let you readers know, this is an alternate continuation to "Decisions" -A Sice/Queen one-shot. Why say Alternate? Because in here, Rem has just transferred in, but in "Decisions", she's already a part of Class Zero.
Why is this fact important? Because there are various moments where the Sice/Queen kiss is mentioned but isn't shown in here. (The kiss is only seen in "Decisions")
You don't need to read "Decisions" to understand what's going on; except how the kiss between Sice and Queen had happened; as well as how Sice began to call Queen 'princess'.
She's almost certain this is the right class.
So then, why isn't anybody here?
She can't help but wonder, scanning the empty classroom for any sign of students. She isn't sure if this is really it, but it has to be, because her room number corresponds with the one labelled on the entrance. She ponders then if there was any class going on at the moment. Was it time for lunch? Were there in-between break sessions? No one told her anything, so she wasn't sure if she should stick around. Maybe someone will come along?
"What are you doing here?"
Rem couldn't help but jump at the tone of voice; raw and hoarse, with edge and command. She turns quickly to find a woman with silver hair, tied up into a pony-tail, her eyes narrow as she peers at Rem with undivided scrutiny. Rem doesn't know what to say when she sees the woman wield a large scythe casually over her shoulder. The color red catches Rem's attention, her hazel eyes flicking over to the woman's rigid face; blood slipping from a cut cheek. Her hands twitch, fingers flexing unconsciously at the sudden nerve to heal it.
Rem can only hold her urge to use magic for so long.
"May I?" She asks, briefly ignoring the woman's raised brow as she motions towards her; reaching out as her hand begins to glow. The woman seems to take it the wrong way, flinching back, her weapon raised. Rem shakes her head, not removing her auburn pools as she tries to convince the woman to let her. "I'm just going to heal that cut you have.." It takes several minutes before the woman finally relaxes, allowing Rem to inch slightly closer so she can reach.
"Like I said," light blue eyes meet Rem's hazels in a fierce lock; questioning. "what are you doing here?"
Rem only gives a small smile as she backs away, happy with her work. No cut or blood in sight. She dispels her glowing hand, fingers slightly tingling from the sensation as she responds shyly.
"This is my designated home room. Class Zero."
Rem watches with tinges of amusement as the woman crinkles her nose, obviously scrutinizing her with the way her sapphire pools look over her. Rem is fascinated by the sparks and light her weapon left, disappearing into thin air as the woman slumps lazily against a table. Rem assumes that desk belongs to her.
"Well then, welcome aboard."
Rem wasn't able to respond when several more voices and numerous chatters echo through the halls. Her auburn eyes shift frantically, should she go up to the front? She's feeling nervous as the door to the room finally creak open, revealing a group of students adorned with the same uniform. For a moment nothing happens, obviously still in their own little world, until they finally look her way, evidently not expecting a new face.
At least I'm in the right classroom, she thinks, not knowing exactly how to react being at the end of countless gazes piercing through her. Curiosity, excitement, bewilderment, surprise, all these were etched on the faces of her soon-to-be classmates. She fidgets, playing with the hem of her skirt as she tries to avoid making eye contact with any one of the Zero members. She isn't used to being the subject of everyone's undivided scrutiny; it was frightening, even nerve-wrecking.
"Your name?"
Her auburn eyes flicker to meet light lavenders behind thin-framed glasses; the woman's long dark hair briefly catching her attention. Rem feels curiosity bubble in the pit of her stomach when she hears the cobalt-haired woman beside her laugh lightly. When the ebony-haired student responds with a scoff and a roll of her eyes, Rem presumes they must be close friends.
"R-Rem," she says, not being able to keep her voice from quivering under the raven-haired individual. Rem isn't sure if the several audible gasps and hushed whispers floating around the room was a good or bad thing. The woman before her seems irritated as she motions for a handshake.
"I'm Queen."
Her voice was firm, laced with a quiet strength underneath cold indifference and Rem could only return the gesture; noticing the woman's surprisingly soft hands. Rem allows a hesitant smile to take her lips, her expression only growing wider when she sees Queen try a small smile of her own. Rem couldn't keep a giggle from escaping her throat when all she finds is the corner of Queen's mouth twitching uncharacteristically. She doesn't seem to be used to doing such gesture.
"Don't smile princess," Rem watches the scythe-wielder as she crosses her arms, sapphire pools glistening with triumph, "you look better with a frown."
Scratch that, they can't possibly be close friends.
"Hello!" Rem turns away from the seemingly two enemies, hazel eyes landing on a soft looking brunette. Rem feels this student is someone she can truly get along with as she returns the girl's sweet smile with one of her own. Rem takes her offered hand, noticing another silver-haired woman walking over to her. "My name's Deuce, pleasure to meet you!" Rem only nods as she takes brief glances over to the more solemn looking student.
"The name's Seven." Contrary to her outer appearance, her voice was much more gentler than Rem imagined as she takes the cobalt-haired's hand.
"Rem," and when Seven sends her a hesitant smile, Rem finds herself wanting to befriend the two.
"Don't let your guard down."
Rem only nods as Sice draws her hand, releasing her weapon with a simple snap of her fingers. Rem makes sure she doesn't let her jaw drop out of awe, materializing her own twin daggers into the palm of her hands with a fierce glow. She feels its cool, carved handle beneath her smaller digits, grasping her dual wields with firm grips. She twirls one expertly between her fingers, memorizing its light weight before crouching for her battle formation. She watches Sice from her peripheral as her partner spins her large scythe coolly over her shoulder, and Rem wonders then, was the weapon as easy to carry like she makes it so?
"Tch, figures I'd fight against you." Hazel eyes flicker over towards the ebony-haired woman; eyeing her as Queen tilts her glasses slightly upright with her left hand, her right smoothly unsheathing her long sword with a flicker of her wrist. It materializes from gleaming sparks as her lavender pools stare pointedly at Sice. She merely responds with an indifferent shrug. "..All over again."
Rem hears her partner chuckle quietly, bemused as she returns her gaze towards Queen with equal fervor. "Why not? I'm not that bad." Queen responds with a slight frown as she rolls her eyes. "Besides, I wouldn't mind kissing you again."
Rem's eyes widen from the sudden revelation and she cringes when Queen's eyes flash dangerously. But the fire beneath her depths of lavender were easy to disregard considering the pink tints that stain her cheeks.
T-they kissed? Since when?
"Stay close Deuce," Rem quickly turns her head towards the left, having slightly forgotten an additional two. Hazel eyes visibly widen at the flute the lighter brunette was carrying; brows crinkling in concentration.
Is that her weapon?
"Alright," she watches Deuce purse her lips, expression mixed with nervousness and excitement. "just don't stray too far then, okay?"
Rem feels a smile begin to tug at the corners of her lips when Deuce reaches to squeeze the silver-haired woman's hand out of reassurance, before letting go. Rem catches Seven nod cutely, obviously embarrassed before turning her amethyst eyes to meet hazels. Rem grins, making herself known to Seven that she had seen it all.
"Y-You ready?" Seven's voice visibly cracks, proving she doesn't appear to do well under affectionate attention. Rem chooses not to tease the poor girl any further, nodding before looking over to her own partner.
"Sice?" She waits until the scythe-wielder acknowledges her, catching the woman nod approvingly before setting off.
This was a battle royale set up by Kurasame himself. He reasoned that more opponents secured in a battlefield was inevitable - which Rem couldn't argue, and to prepare themselves for raids and ambushes, they should conduct mock trials. More enemies meant heightening cognitive processes, and that was exactly what he wanted class zero to polish on. He claimed that there were too many students who either weren't prepared mentally, underestimated their opponents, or merely didn't think before deciding on a particular course of action.
Speeding swiftly, Rem doesn't waste time making her way towards Queen; daggers tightly gripped on each hand. She maneuvers so to avoid a wild swing by Queen's partner; Cinque, narrowly missing her mace's deadly spikes. She can hear Sice grunt from behind as the clashes of steel disturb the tense air and hurries to make a cut at Queen.
The only rules was to draw blood and the session would be over.
"Watch it!" And Rem feels air get knocked out of her lungs as she tumbles harshly to the side; her line of attack shifting to miss Queen's left sleeve. Rem's left hip continues to burn painfully as she struggles to sit up.
What hit me?
"He never said we couldn't use spells."
And her eyes turn to face Seven and Deuce; the latter smiling sheepishly as she grips her flute against her chest. A silent apology dances in Deuce's eyes and Rem returns it with a reassuring curve of her lips.
"Are you seriously going to just lie there like some damsel in distress?" Sice, her ever-impatient partner probes as Rem watches her dodge Queen's attempts at striking her. "Because I'm not saving you—" and she successfully avoids Queen's quick slash to the face with a slight shift of her footing; before charging in for a hit.
Getting up, Rem catches Cinque circle Sice's and Queen's battle before sneaking in to attack the white-haired woman from behind. Rem wastes no time casting a spell and aiming it at the mace-wielder; feeling her right hand tingle at the warm sensation of fire. She rushes past Deuce and Seven as Cinque pulls her arms back for a deadly swing; light emitting from the end of her weapon.
"Sice!"
She yells to warn her partner, but Rem didn't expect the swing Cinque prepared was for her instead. Before Rem is able to react to the oncoming hit from the end of a steel mace; she feels something cold wrap around her waist. It helps her maneuver around the wild slash of Cinque's motion; propelling her high into the air with ease as she reels her hand back to throw a spell. Cinque staggers from the sudden leap her opponent makes and it takes time for her to regain her momentum of her wide swing; her steps faltering to do so.
"She's open, Seven!" Rem hears Deuce exclaim.
Feeling the cold metal slip from her waist -It's Seven's whip- she notes inwardly, Rem shifts her body to dodge a fast strike of Seven's deadly swing despite still being in the air; and simultaneously releases her spell at Cinque whom was situated below her. It throws the mace-wielder off a few feet away as Rem lands with ease to regain her footing. She doesn't waste time as Seven closes in; her chain-like whip aimed straight to her face. Rem ducks to avoid it, but the structure of her weapon was flexible and it left no time for Rem to escape.
"Move it!" She hears her partner yell, and Rem watches Sice's weapon intercept the whip's line of attack; the two objects flailing across the stadium and away from their master's grasps.
Knowing Sice is currently unarmed, she hurries to her side; sending a lightning strike between Sice and Queen to keep the latter from closing in. Rem had initially planned to strike the student council president as soon as she got close, but the sound of soft music pierced the tense air.
Pausing, she allows her ears to adjust to the foreign sound. "Deuce..?" Rem murmurs to herself apprehensively.
She had forgotten about the flute-wielder; considering how she had been so preoccupied with the three other aggressive women. The tune itself was gentle, smooth and almost feather-like. It had a certain tone and voice that rang vehemently in Rem's mind; but that was what worried her. The melody was slow and soft, but gusts of wind was forming around the stadium and it was nerve-wrecking.
Turning to the direction of the sound, Rem watched with awe as Deuce played her flute; her eyes remaining closed as her fingers flitted between various notes on her instrument. It takes Sice's demanding tone to snap her back to reality.
"Take her out before she takes us!" And with a harsh shove, Rem stumbles before needing to avoid a sudden series of spells casted towards her.
The image of Sice sprinting towards Deuce registers vaguely in the dual-wielder's mind; occupied with narrowly missing Deuce's hurricane of fire, wind, thunder and ice. When Rem finally escapes the mass of spells, she catches sight of Queen and Cinque also hurrying to subdue the flute-wielder; being stopped by Seven whom remained on guard.
With the howling winds of elemental spells, Rem begins to formulate a strategy to reach the flute-wielder whom was situated right inside the hurricane of overflowing magic.
How do I reach her..?
And before Rem can process an effective plan, the soft, gentle melody changes to a faster and sharper tone. She sees Deuce's fingers flit precisely and with overwhelming grace over the notes of her flute; the tornado surrounding her beginning to distort dangerously. It makes Rem worry.
If a soft melody managed to elicit a hurricane, she can only wonder in apprehension of what a fast-paced tune will bring.
This will be a two-shot. As you can see, there are various points made in this that weren't clear, and if you'd like to shed some light on them —the kiss, 'princess', and the cut on Sice's cheek—refer to "Decisions".
I honestly have no clue where I'm going with this, but it'll be an interesting take on Type-0. Currently working on character study and particular descriptions regarding Type-0, and hopefully this wasn't too bland or boring to read. (If it was, I apologize)
This is centered to be action (with implied romance).
*Note: The spells and magic and stuff stated here are absolutely and positively made up. (AKA: a gust of magic created from Deuce's song) I haven't played the game yet so I'm making things up as I go.