Chapter 1 – The Day Before the Contest
A/N I know I already did a chapter 1, but to be frank I hated it, so I have started again, if you want the original contact me, and I will email, or use DocX to send it to your fan-fic account (sorry anons) I will do this for any of my stories, just ask me, and I will send the document. Next item on my list, a note on background, Sari is not a techno-organic, but is a mix raced, Cat Faunus mother, human father, her weapons were invented by her, and her father, along with most of the upgrades, they have been made as in world tech, or part of her weapons, all Autobots involved will be humanised.
Sari hit the training mat hard, she had been disarmed, and knocked over by her tutor once again, "come on Sari, you will never win the tournament finals at this rate, and they're tomorrow," Jazz shouts. He is a tall man, over six foot, he is not Faunus, but is agile as any Faunus. He has black dreadlocks that extend down to his waist, and a Rasta cap on top, he has a goatee beard he is wearing basic white training armour, with blue, and red stripes on his top half, with loose light brown trousers, and dark glasses, he is barefoot.
"You are improving Sari, but you rely too heavily on strength still, when your true strength is speed, and agility, you will not be able to overpower your opponent tomorrow, he is much stronger than you, so remember hard but fast."
"Yes Sensei."
"Once again," he raises his collapsible staff, an exact copy of her opponent's weapon, Sari raises her own weapons, the twin Primus Swords today (as they will be in the tournament finals, the long range mode has been deactivated, and the swords are set to stun), and activates her skate to provide her with the extra speed. Jazz lunges, and swings down, Sari jumps to the side, and speeds around to behind him. He does a wide sweeping arc, which Sari jumps over, and tries to stab at his chest with her left sword, he activates a button on the staff, which folds it around her sword trapping it , but whilst Jazz focuses on this Sari swings the other sword upwards, hitting Jazz in the chest-plate, a win, for that bout.
"Well done Sari, I think it's time to stop now, it's almost lunchtime, and you've got a date to keep."
"It's not a date, it's me, and a couple of friends going to lunch at Vale Burgers."
Jazz chuckles, "you're just like you were when you were a little kid, when Prowl was still here."
Prowl had died a year earlier, he had been Sari's previous Sensei, he had been killed by some Beowulfs whilst in a 'safe' zone, he had taken most of them down with him, but the last one got him, he had been a famous huntsman in his youth, it had been a tragedy when he died.
"Great, I really needed to be reminded about his death," she runs out the room to the showers.
"Sorry," Jazz mutters to himself.
"Hey here's our little champ in training," Bumblebee shouts as Sari walks into the Vale Burgers restaurant, "I was worried you weren't going to show," he says as they embrace in a friendly hug. Bumblebee is shorter than most people, but still taller than Sari, most people are, he is human, with blue eyes, and black curly hair, he always wears all yellow, yellow jacket, yellow shirt, yellow jeans (how do you get yellow jeans?), yellow shoes and a yellow cap.
"Sorry, me, and Jazz were training, where's Bulky?"
"He's late as always, only because he wouldn't let me give him a lift."
"That's because your driving is terrifying, it's a wonder you don't get stopped, or haven't killed yourself, heck how you passed is beyond me."
"Jeez, you sound like my Mum, besides in a world like ours any day you wake up you may die."
"Sorry I'm late guys," Bulky yells as he runs in, upsetting a table, and dropping his hammer, "oops, sorry there," he sits down at the table heavily, dropping his hammer again, " the bus broke down, and the damn strap is busted."
"Again," chorus Bumblebee, and Sari.
"That's only the second time this month."
"Yeah, but Bulky, it's the sixth, you've gone through two straps in six days," Bumblebee teases.
Bulky is the opposite of Bumblebee, he is massive, taller even than Jazz, and just about as wide from all the work he used to do at the family farm, before he moved to combat school to be a huntsman. He has long orange hair that constantly gets in his eyes, brown eyes, a green hooded jacket over a white shirt, black trousers, and white trainers.
"I know, but the damn things keep breaking."
"Do you have them too tight, or are they the wrong kind for your weapon, I mean the Wrecker is a big hammer, that thing ways a ton, and then some."
"Oh, maybe I have the wrong kind."
"Let me see Bulky," Sari says.
"Here," he hands her the strap that he had just pulled off.
"Bulky, this is for a weight class one weapon, like Bumblebee's stingers," she points at the pair of electric guns on the table next to Bumblebee.
"Oh, I thought, because one is usually the highest class, that one would be the highest strength," Sari face palms.
"Were you not paying attention in Weapons management again?"
"Cool your jets Sari, not everyone has an eidetic memory like you," Bumblebee says.
"But we were given a sheet that told us."
"I think I was ill for that," Bulky says.
A waitress walks over, "sorry for the slow service, it's rather busy today, now what will it be?"
"One medium cheeseburger, one medium fries, one strawberry milkshake," says Bumblebee, "usual?" He asks the other two, who nod, "okay, make that two of what I just ordered, one extra-large hamburger, one extra-large fries, and one extra-large soda."
"Coming right up."
"So? How's training?" Bumblebee asks.
"Well, I think I'm getting better, but Prime says I look like a disaster zone in motion, apparently my forms wrong," Bulky says.
"Err, I was talking about champ-to-be," Bumblebee says, "we only talked about your training this morning."
"Oh yeah," Bulky looks rather downtrodden at this.
"I didn't hear that before, but at least you don't look like Ground Zero as he put it before."
"So, I'm improving," Bulky starts smiling again.
"Here are your drinks," the waitress says giving them their drinks.
"What about you?" Bumblebee asks.
"Well, I finally got a hit in on Jazz, but he was using my opponent's moves, and weapons, rather than his own, so yeah, but I think I have a chance tomorrow."
"Of course you're the best," Bumblebee says.
"Thanks bee."
"Yeah Sari, you'll beat him, you're top of the class, heck you're better than most of the guys at Beacon."
"If I win I'll get into Beacon for sure."
"We have no chance though," Bumblebee says grumpily.
"Don't worry Bee I'm sure you will be fine at Vale Academy, it'll be fine, you'll know loads of people, I won't know anyone."
"Yeah, but the Three Amigos won't be together, we can still meet up at the weekends, right?"
"Of course Bee."
"So, let's help Sari for tomorrow, what do we know about this guy? We can use battle tactic class here," Sari pulls a high-tech tablet out her bag.
"Well, his name is Olver Lukoje1, he has a collapsible staff, called the Ded Moroz* he likes to us as a bat, he always starts the match with a jab at the midsection, which he then swings down to hit anyone who ducks."
"Why does he do that? It is not strategically sound?" Bumblebee says scratching his head.
"I don't know, but it works for him, it takes people by surprise."
"Oh, but we're always told to never to hit first, it gives away the advantage."
"Here you go," the cheerful waitress says giving them Bumblebee, and Sari their food, before walking off, and coming back with Bulky's food, the rest of lunch is given over to lighter topics like gossip, and taking the micky out of teachers.
"and then Professor Plumb turned around, and his blackboard was missing," Sari finishes as the others collapse into laughter, "he was still angry about it in the last week of school, this like three years later."
"Oh that is amazing Sari, I was there, and still don't know where you got a Boarbatusk head, a basket of figs, and a mouse2 from I mean there aren't any figs in the grounds, and we aren't exactly allowed off the grounds." Sari shrugs
"Did you hear what happened to Mrs White on the last week of school?" Bumblebee asks.
"I think the woman was born in Forever Fall in a thunderstorm. She probably told the thunder to be quiet. It probably did," Bulky says.
"True that," Bumblebee says, "anyway, she was walking back to her class room…" He is cut off by Sari's phone.
"Sorry," she answers it, "Hello Jazz, what's up?"
"Sari, I thought we agreed you'd be back by 2:30 for more training."
"Is it that time already?"
"Sari, it's three already."
"Damn, I'll be right there."
"Good," Jazz ends the call.
"I gotta go, I'm late for training," she gets up, and picks up her bag.
"Wait," Bulky says, "group hug," he pulls them both into a big group hug, "see you at the tournament tomorrow Sari."
"See you Bulky, bye Bee," she runs out to her scooter, activating the backpack jetpack mode which is reserved for emergencies, "well this is an emergency" she thinks.
"Sari you have not gotten any better at this timekeeping lark have you?"
"No," she fidgets, hating to disappoint Jazz.
"I should be used to it now, anyway there's something I've gotta tell you, I've been asked to help teach combat at Beacon."
"Really," Sari says, "yay we can go together," she jumps up, and down clapping, before realising something, "if I win."
"You'll be fine Sari, you always are, I expect Ozpin will give you a place even if you lose, you're getting very good, you're a natural, as I've said many times."
"Thanks Jazz, you're the best."
"Yes I am, now, come on we've got training to do."
Jazz gets out the collapsible staff, Sari gets out one of the Primus Swords, and the Skyboom Shield.
"Ah, Hoplite style, sort of, we need to get you a spear for it to be complete. Begin."
Jazz lunges at Sari who jumps backwards, then lunges at Jazz, who jumps backwards, this followed by Sari pushing her shield forward attempting to take Jazz by surprise, but he is ready, and hooks the shield with the collapsible part of the staff, pulling it out her grip.
"Too slow Sari, you need to be faster," he lunges at Sari, then a number of swift jabs, and swipes causing Sari to fall back as she barely deflects or blocks them, she jabs a Jazz when he misses a swing, he blocks her, and swipes at her mid-section causing her to have to quickly block. They return to a pattern of swipes, and jabs from Jazz as Sari retreats step by step, until she sees an opportunity, Jazz swipes wide by a bit allowing Sari to use the staff as a pivot to jump over Jazz, and jab him in the back.
"Well done Sari, that's two today, I'll have to start actually trying soon.
1 Ole Lukoje is the name given by Hans Christian Anderson for the Sandman, and Ded Moroz is a Russian name for Father Winter, or in the English speaking world Jack Frost.
2 The last two are a reference to Wheel of Time – Fires of Heaven.
