Disclaimer: RWBY is owned by RoosterTeeth. Not this smuck on a computer
For first years at Beacon Academy, weeks followed a regular schedule.
Mondays were Prof. Port and his bombastic tall tales about his youth in the mornings, followed by Dr. Oobleck's quick and sometimes hard to understand history class.
Today was not a Monday thankfully, or perhaps not.
The members of team RWBY would have probably preferred it to be Monday after the thrilling night they had before of battling giant robots piloted by crimelord and general bad guy, Roman Torchwick.
After such a night an easy morning to catch up on their sleep during Port's ramblings sounded like heaven to the four girls, but alas as said before it was not Monday.
In fact it was Thursday and they were sitting in normally their favorite class, combat class.
Currently they were sitting around the arena watching their friend Pyrrha beat the tar out of team CRDL.
Well two of them were watching.
The cute red speedster ruby and her sister yang were leaning against each other having given up the fight against sleep.
Now usually ruby's partner wouldn't allow this since ruby had enough trouble keeping up with her classes. But two things prevented the Schee heiress's ranting at her younger partner. The first is that as this was a combat based class ruby was among the top students, the other and most importantly is that Weiss herself looked half asleep.
While her perfect posture told anyone that looked that she was paying attention, but the bags under her eyes and the slight glazed look said otherwise.
The final member, Blake, honestly just looked bored with her head resting on her hand and eyes half lidded.
With the fight that was currently going no one could really blame the girls for being inattentive. The whole school knew that pyrrha was one of the top students of the first year students, if not the school, and Cardin and his team where closer to the bottom. Why else would Prof Goodwitch allow a 1-on-4 match? The outcome was already guaranteed.
With a crash, the match ended with cardin being slammed into the ground right in front of Goodwitch.
"And that is the end of the match" the blonde teacher said as she stepped around the downed boy.
Cardin struggled to raise his head, "Lucky Shot." said the defeated red head before dropping back to the floor.
Goodwitch sent a questioning look at the boy, then turned her attention to the greek girl standing there like she hadn't just beat a full team of huntsman-in-training," well Miss Nikos, I would say you are more than prepared for the Vytal Festival Tournament." She then addressed the rest of the class," Remember, the Festival is at the end of the semester, but students from the other Academies will be arriving within the next few weeks."
"Now then I think we have time for one more match for today. Who should we have?" Goodwitch asked as she consulted her scroll.
In the back of the class a silver haired boy raised his hand and was about volunteer when there was a loud clearing of someone's throat that drew everyone's attention to the door of the class.
Standing in the doorway was a tall young man. He was deeply tanned with black hair, but at the tips of his hair was bright gold. He was wearing dark green cargo pants, beige hiking boots and a bright orange vest crossed with two straps that lead to 2 sheaths on his back.
"Excuse me," the boy said," is this Mrs. Goodwitch's class?"
"It is. Can I help you with something?" the blonde teacher asked.
The boy walked down and presented her with a paper and said," Yeah, I'm one of the visiting students you were just talking about. Prof. Ozpin told me to come here since I'm to join the class."
Glynda took the paper and read it quickly," You're from Shade Academy? They're not supposed to be here for another month." She frowned at the boy.
He scratched the back of his head sheepishly," heh, about that. I kind of got the dates mixed up so…"
Sighing glynda handed back the paper," very well, since we only have time for one more match, would you care to show us some of the training from Shade Academy?"
"Sure why not?" the boy grinned.
Looking down at her scroll again glynda began looking through student profiles," let's see who will be your opponent."
"Actually Mrs. Goodwitch, I'd like to fight Pyrrha here." The boy turned to the slightly shocked redhead," If it's alright with you?"
Glynda frowned at the proposition," Ms. Nikos has just finished a match, so I suggest you choose someone else."
"No. I'm more than happy to oblige." Pyrrha spoke up with a smile.
Pyrrha and the strange boy stood across from each other.
"Thanks for agreeing to this fight Ms. Nikos." The boy said as he settled into a fighting stance.
Pyrrha readied herself," you have me at a disadvantage sir, you obviously know me, but I don't even know your name."
The boy lowered his guard just a bit as a surprised look crossed his face before it was replace with an embarrassed one," Opps. Sorry forgot to introduce myself, name's Marcus. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
Glynda dimmed the lights except those above the fight area, "Ready?"
At this Marcus flung out his right arm and one of the sheaths on his back seemed to slide down his arm before coming to a stop on his forearm. It then began to unfold into the shape of a triangular kite shield that was nearly 2/3 Marcus's height. The black metal was rimmed by dark red border with ridges etched into the edge.
While she marveled at the odd shield that her opponent had equipped, Pyrrha noticed that he also made no move to draw a weapon of any kind.
"You use just a shield?" she asked.
Marcus grinned," yup, just a shield."
Seeing that both students were done, glynda started the match," Begin."
Pyrrha wasted no time and charged towards marcus, knowing that with an opponent that used only one single handed weapon, the simplest strategy was to knock it away and attack with her off-hand.
So that is exactly what she did slamming her own shield into his. But he meet her head on, when they disengaged, she swung in with milo to either hit or force marcus back.
But instead she herself had to dodge back to avoid the pointed end of the kite shield, which should have been impossible with how the shield was attached to his forearm. Until she looked again.
Before the shield had dropped down towards the floor like a normal shield, but now it ran along Marcus's arm, increasing his reach by almost two feet. As they settle back into ready stances, they started circling each other.
Pyrrha smirked at Marcus," just a shield huh?"
Marcus returned the smirk," of course, just a huntsman's shield." With a tiny movement the shield rotated back to its starting position, " come now Ms. Nikos when was the last time you meet a huntsman who's weapon didn't shift in some form or fashion?"
After that they engaged several more times and each time it was a draw or narrow miss. Pyrrha with her greater speed and sword-shield combo was able to attack and defend at the same time as well as attack from multi angles. But Marcus's shield was constantly rotating from defensive to offensive in seconds and he always seemed to know where she was going to strike from. And again they disengaged.
"Surely this isn't all you have Ms. Nikos. I've heard of the fabled strength of the 'Invincible Girl' but I'm just not seeing it." Marcus said with a slight frown on his face." I was hoping to at least knock the rust off of Vulca, but if this is all you can do…"
Pyrrha's face hardened at this jab. She knew he was goading her into attacking more recklessly, but she still had some surprises left. She dashed this time leading with milo. Just as the sword struck she extended it into its javelin form knocking Marcus off balance. She then slammed her shield into his sending it out away from his body. Finally she flipped and kicked him the chest launching him up and away from her.
While her opponent was still in the air Pyrrha quickly changed her javelin into its rifle mode fired at the flying boy. But Marcus twisted midair putting his shield in front of the bullets before slamming into the ground and gouging a small trench slowing himself. From the slight haze made by the trench there came laughter.
"Much better Pyrrha, that more what I was expecting." The haze cleared at Marcus stood as if he hadn't just been sent 20 feet in the air. Pyrrha didn't like this, he should show some sign of tiring, sweating, breathing heavier, something. Even she was sweating by now, but there was nothing.
"I think one more attack with be the end of it today, what do you say?" Marcus asked.
She merely nodded.
They both readied their weapons and charged.
Pyrrha decided that she'd use just a touch of her semblance to move Marcus's shield just out of position so her strike would hit. The familiar black glow encircle the shield, but it didn't move an inch. In the second she had to be surprised by this Marcus crashed into her.
It felt like she got hit by a razorback boarbatusk. She skidded back almost ten feet before stopping. Her arm felt numb from the impact.
Marcus on the other hand looked like nothing had happened, as if the fight hadn't even started yet. "Alright Mrs. Goodwitch, I forfeit."
"Are you sure?" glynda asked. At Marcus's nod she added," very well Ms. Nikos is the victor yet again. Perhaps next time you'll choose a more appropriate opponent."
Marcus retracted his shield back onto his back," Oh she's better than most of my recent sparring partners but anymore and we might start breaking the stage, can't have that." He then turned to Pyrrha who was looking a little confused, "Thanks for the fight Pyrrha, it's been too long since I had such a rush, see ya around." And with that Marcus walked back up the stair and out the door.
Glynda huffed at the young man walking out before turning to her student in the stands," with that, class is dismissed. Have a good day children."
Up in the stands both Weiss and Blake were wide awake now.
"That was a much better fight than with cardin and his goons." Weiss said.
"Not that it would take much, but have you ever seen someone use only a shield?" Blake asked as she got up and stretched.
Weiss stopped to think for a minute," Not that I can think of, it is a strange practice since it seems to leave you open for attacks, but his rotation design was very interesting."
Nodding Blake turned and looked at her other two teammates. Weiss did the same before angrily signing and stomped up to both of them, "WAKE UP YOU DOLT!"
"Huh…wha…I didn't do it." Ruby stammered as she jumped up looking around before focusing on her fuming partner.
Yang just groaned and started standing up.
Both sister had slept through the whole fight.
A/N: There we go, the first chapter's done. Review and let me know what you thought of it and if it's any good. Thx and see you next time.