Shield and Sword
Hell of a time to realise you love someone.
[Author's note: This story follows the story Bedtime Stories, which in turn follows The Smoochie Was a Giveaway; and takes place within Episode 11 of Volume 3.]
Weiss Schnee stared in amazement. "Fuck ... me," she whispered.
With the Battle of Beacon going on around them, she was watching Velvet Scarlatina smash into two renegade Paladin machines. Velvet morphed from one weapon to another: Ruby's scythe, Coco's gun, Yang's gauntlets, Nora's hammer, even Penny's swords.
"Told you," said Coco, beside Weiss.
But the Paladins were strong. Even damaged, they kept coming, kept swinging. One of them struggled to its feet and struck out, catching Velvet. She was sent flying, and her photo-pack was knocked away. The Paladin, slowed down but still powerful, started for her.
"Give it everything!" shouted Coco, and then all of the students were firing.
The Paladin shuddered under the onslaught but did not stop. It seemed determined to finish the one who had hurt it so badly.
Before she could think about it, Weiss found herself moving, running, creating a pathway of glyphs to get past the Paladin and reach Velvet. She knew where she had to be, whatever the risk. And then she was there, standing between Velvet and the massive machine. It lifted its mechanical fist. Weiss raised her blade.
My darling, I will be your shield and sword, she thought suddenly.
Shield and sword ...
From a large glyph the huge sword of the armoured knight, a vanquished opponent, appeared. It slashed out ... and the Paladin was cleaved in two. It fell, in a shower of sparks and smashed metal. Weiss, almost exhausted from creating so many glyphs, slumped to her knees.
The other students raced over to them. Yatuhashi helped both Velvet and Weiss up. Then he gave them a push ... so they fell into each others' arms. "I believe that now a kiss is appropriate," he said.
"Yatu, you big softie," said Coco.
"But he's right," said Neptune. "Because all that was ... pretty impressive."
Weiss and Velvet looked at each other. They smiled. Then they kissed. It was a hard, passionate, sparky kiss.
They parted. "Just a moment," said Velvet. She snapped a photo of Weiss. "Not for a weapon copy," she said. "Because ... you're you. And you're beautiful."
Another Paladin was charging at the group of students. Then, as the Atlas flagship crashed and exploded, the Paladin toppled, fell, and ground to a halt.
"Huh, that went better than expected," said Sun. Everyone groaned at him.
Yang came running up. Weiss, still recovering, told her where Blake had gone, and Yang ran off to find her.
Weiss looked at the Beacon tower. The Grimm dragon was circling, and there were Gryphons and Nevermores across the night sky. Grimm beasts were rampaging everywhere. The battle was not yet lost, but it was just a question of time.
"Velvet," she said. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. Link up with Ruby and the others. Do what I can, what we can. Whatever is happening here, tonight, it's much bigger than you and I. Compared to all this, what two little people might want doesn't add up to much."
Velvet nodded sadly. "I know," she said. "But we'll meet up again, right?"
Weiss kissed her again. "Count on it," she said. Then she was off, searching for Yang and Blake and Ruby.
END