No, I don't consider this chapter late because it didn't have a deadline. The only chapters in this story that had deadlines I set were the first and previous chapters which I missed. The only deadline I met was the completion of Castlevania season 1 by December 1 of last year. Uploads are fast or slow. Consistent or not consistent.
Irrelevant Notes: Had some job interviews and studying for an upcoming exam.
Recently watched Kakegurui (Compulsive Gambler) since I heard the season 2 launched earlier this month. Never knew that you could sexualize gambling, but how come I haven't seen it crossed over with Kaiji which is another gambling anime? Teach those students about real consequences. I can also see it done with other shows that could have gambling associated with it in some way like No Game No Life or Phi Brain.
Getting Travis Strikes again to support a possible NMH3. Which leads me to another thing with Suda 51. No decent Killer 7 fics on the sites I checked, not that I blame people. It was a lesser known game that people had difficulty trying to figure out. I'm one of those people. been in my house since it release, but never played it until 12 years later on my backwards compatible Wii.
Patch Update 1.1: Due to my MS Office account from my college days expiring after about a year and a half since graduation, I chose not to pay for it again. After looking for new software to write with I settled with LibreOffice.
Patch Update 1.11: Poll has been updated with a new description and two new options. I thank the one person who voted not to include anyone from Alrest. Thank you for sparing me.
About three minutes has passed since the viewers saw Newt's rather revealing appearance. During that time, Luck thought if there truly was any Blade that has a similar appearance to Newt. The only one that came to mind was Zenobia. He doubted anyone would see her.
"If everyone is ready then proceed with the reading." Luck said.
Training and Approaching Doom
Only 'doom' Weiss could think of would be her sister's reaction to her Blade in person.
Weiss always knew when she has people's attention. Something she learned from a young age, when people gave her empty compliments. However, this is the first time she felt people were staring at her for the same reason they star at Yang's chest… or rear. Anyway, the fact that those gazes weren't directed at Weiss herself didn't help at all.
"They can see and get distracted, but they can't touch." Yang said with a smirk. Flaunting her assets is a strategy to distract male male and female opponents. The latter may cause mistakes due to jealousy. At one point, Yang thought that Pyrrha was unintentionally doing the same thing with her amazon champion attire. "It's a shame that you can't do the same Weiss."
"I'd rather not be gazed upon in such a way." Weiss denied. She rather not deal with the perverted gazes of others, but at the same time she was annoyed that people were staring in her general direction at her Blade rather than herself.
"I didn't know the Schnee had a thing for busty faunus." Neither did the pathetic excuses of whispers. "Seriously, those things are huge!" Okay, that was a blatant shout.
Which is also why Weiss felt like crawling under a rock now.
Weiss frowned."Apparently being discreet about their thoughts is not a thing with other students." It would have been slightly better if they kept the thought to their selves. However, that still made her self concious about her body type.
"Weiss, are you okay?" Ruby asked carefully as team RWBY. Along with the two Blades were walking to the history class.
"I'm fine Ruby." Weiss responded through gritted teeth.
"Then why are you gritting your teeth?" Roze asked, causing Yang to cover her mouth to hide her snickering while Blake winced at the possible response from Weiss.
"Shut up, Roze." Weiss growled, quickening her pace.
"Your not helping your case Weiss." Jaune said.
"...I know." Weiss responded.
Dahlia looked at her Driver in worry. "...Let's wait for her to cool down a little, okay everyone." The ice bunny said, afraid that her Driver was reaching a boiling point.
"You mean until she's Weiss cold again." Yang punned in an attempt to lift the mood.
"Wouldn't want her to melt away." Yang said.
"Yang, do you know why your puns don't work aside from them being bad? You actually try." Ruby told her truth to her sister.
"People lay the ground work for me. How could I not?" Yang defended.
"Your puns aren't needed." Nora told Yang. "I can be a better entertainer than you without needing puns."
"How so?"
"Just living life my way." Nora answered.
That believable for Nora due to her eccentric personality.
"Yang, this is serious." Blake said in annoyance at more than just the pun. Dahlia also looked highly unimpressed.
"Also isn't it ice cold?" Roze asked, causing Blake to face palm this time. His ignorance wasn't funny anymore. At least to Blake.
"It would have eventually happened." Blake said.
"I still like it when Roze disrespects authority like Professor Goodwitch." Nora said. Some of the students, whether they thought so or not, did not show any indication of agreeing.
But Ruby is a different story. Or she would be, if the situation wasn't so serious. "I think Dahlia has a point." the red reaper said, still refusing to look at the Blade in question directly.
"Yeah." Blake said while pinching Yang's arm.
"OW! What was that for?" Yang complained while rubbing the spot.
"To stop you from commenting." Blake replied.
That made Yang look offended. "I wasn't gonna say anything."
"There's no proof that I would have said something." Yang complained.
"There's no proof that you wouldn't say something." Blake countered Yang.
All the while Dahlia looked at the quarrel. "...Are they really friends?" the ice bunny asked Roze who had been around longer than her.
"...Sometimes I wonder." Roze admitted with a shrug. "Still, I do wonder, why are these people obsessing over you?" The rose reaper then asked, referring to the people commenting on Dahlia.
Everyone except Penny had a drop of sweat run down their heads. Yeah, Ruby is starting to become a bit more… aware of female body attraction because of Winter's Blade which also leads to Dahlia.
The said Blade had an incredulous look at Roze's words. "...Do you prefer men or women?" Dahlia asked blunty, but still somehow sounding carefully.
"...I don't understand the question." Roze replied with a confused look and a tilted head.
"He's… unfortunately not joking." Weiss said.
"He really is like Ruby." Yang said.
"Hey!" Ruby cried out.
"Don't deny it. If I asked you the same question, you would reply with "weapons". I won't be surprised if you did date a weapon." Yang laid out the scenario.
"True I do like weapons, but I would date one." Ruby defended herself. "I like guys." She muttered the last part.
"What was that?"
"She said she likes guys." Blake and Penny said together.
"WHY!" Ruby cried out.
"Yes! Now I know a bit of your preference." Yang said excitingly while pumping her fist into the air. "Sorry if she is not into you Weiss."
"What?! There is no way that Ruby likes me like that!" Weiss shouted while blushing.
"You didn't deny that you like her." Yang teased the ice queen and her sister by extension.
Ruby and Weiss didn't want this conversation to continue. Regardless if continuing or abandoning the conversation, the end result goes in Yang's favor.
"Dahlia stared at Roze's confused white eyes for a few seconds before laughing lightly. "You're just precious aren't you." The bunny Blade commented in mirth.
"Similar to Ruby." Yang commented.
This only made Roze more confused, but that would have to wait because the gang had reached the classroom… at this point it should probably be noted that the Blades were also considered students in the sense that they didn't know about Remnant. So they were taking classes alongside their Drivers… with the exception of Adenine, who has studied enough history to be Oobleck's assistant.
"Somewhat reasonable positions. However, the Blades may or will gain unwanted attention from the class." Ozpin said.
After another impossible task of following Ooblecks overly rapid teaching, the class was dismissed. Or… it would've been overly rapid, if Adenine hadn't been there to slow her Driver down. Surprisingly, Oobleck did as his Blade told him and slowed down somewhat. Something that all students were grateful about.
"YES! THANK YOU ADENINE!" The Beacon students shouted out. While a few of them were able to keep up with Oobleck's speedy teaching, but they all wished for him to slow down. To them, Oobleck acted like he had 25 minutes to teach a class that is nearly an hour long.
"Perhaps you should lay off your 'special coffee.' to help slow down. You may maintain the attention of the students longer." Ozpin said to Oobleck.
Oobleck would consider it.
"Miss Adenine is the best." Ruby said in relief as she and her team exited the classroom.
"I know, right." Yang said, even though history still isn't her favorite class.
Blake was about to add her lien into this, but was interrupted by a shrill shriek that made the team, as well as any nearby person to turn to the culprit.
"I think I got an idea to what might have happened." Weiss said.
Turns out it was Dahlia who had frozen stiff in her place with a horrified expression. "Y-you." Dahlia said to one of the male students who didn't acknowledge her and moved on with a cocky smirk. The team was still confused on what was going on until the ice Blade brought one of her bestial hands over her rear protectively.
"That pervert." Weiss seethed, just as she thought nothing would make her day worse.
"How dare he do that to any woman." Weiss seethed. How do men have the audacity to do such a thing in public and in front of her other.
Ozpin frowned. He had received complaints from of female students who had been harassed by male students who happened to be on the same team as each other. While team issue do get resolved over time, there was still the occasional sexual harassment of female students every now and then. The offenders do get caught and punished to varying degrees.
"Off with the offenders hand." Nora said the violent punishment that had nothing to do with broken legs.
"Too far Nora." Ren said. He would rather deal with disfigurement caused by Nora than dismemberment.
"That guy probably only did it because he can't get any." Yang savagely said with a smirk.
"...I'm a bit inclined to believe that." Weiss said.
"...No one does that to me or any other woman and gets away with it." Dahlia said in a tranquil tone before raising one of her hands. A ball of what looked like a compressed blizzard appeared on the palm before a set of saw blades appeared around the said ball in a cross shape.
"A… bladed elemental ball." Weiss said with uncertainty. She can picture a ball of any kind to be a useful weapon.
"A rather odd weapon type to be given." Ozpin and Oobleck said together.
"It does have a bit of lethality to it." Penny said.
"I don't know how effective a ball would be." Pyrrha was curious on how a ball could be a weapon.
"I guess using it would be like playing extreme dodge ball, but it must suck to go and pick up the ball." Jaune said.
"Unless you know how to rebound the ball off your target and into your hands." Luck said.
"What is that?" Ruby asked in worry. The girl would've been excited about the sight of a new weapon, if the said weapon wielder wasn't angry.
"It's a bitball." Roze replied as he observed Dahlia taking a throwing stance.
Everyone DOWN!" Dahlia shouted as she threw the bitball. Thankfully most of the student population had their attention on the situation, so they were able to duck or dodge out of the projectile's path. All except the culprit who got hit by it on the back… With enough force to send him flying to the other end of the hallway, screaming all the way. *CRASH* Until he hit the wall. During this, the bitball had bounced back into Dahlia's palm. Before the Blade dismissed it with a huff. "What in the world made him believe that he could get away with that kind of behavior." Dahlia said feeling violated.
The rest of the team was impressed by both her aim and power behind the throw.
"She has awesome ball control and impressive power." Yang could admire that.
"I think that may be just enough for that offense, but I do think she could have done a bit more." Weiss said.
That is until Weiss realized something." Dahlia… am I supposed to use that oversized snowball-" "Bitball." Roze interrupted, earning a light growl of annoyance from Weiss. "-bitball in a fight?" Weiss reluctantly corrected.
"Yeah, I don't think Weiss has the physical power or skill to use the bitball like Dahlia." Ruby said.
Weiss reluctantly agreed, but she feels that its something she could rectify by adjusting her training methods.
Dahlia gave her Driver a pitying look. "I take it you never used one before." the snowy bunny said in a sympathetic tone.
In any other situation, Weiss would've taken that as an insult. But Dahlia wasn't looking down on her in any way, so… "...Yes." Weiss sighed in dismay.
Dahlia smiled at her Driver kindly. "Then you'll just have to practice. Assuming you want me to assist in a fight." The last part was said with just a hint of worry.
"...I don't know." Weiss said, refusing to look Dahlia in the eye. "The only weapon I've ever used is Myrtenaster and it took me years to do that."
"Assistance would be appreciated." Weiss said.
At that moment Ruby would decide to cut in."Come on Weiss, you have a cool new weapon to use. Can't you at least try it?" the red caped team leader was clearly more excited about this than Weiss is.
"I bet she has plenty of cool abilities with that ball. I wonder what other types of weapons Blades use." Ruby said.
"There are 30 known possible weapon types a Blade could have." Luck informed Ruby. "In the reality we are viewing I believe that Roze has a completely new weapon type."
"Yes!" Ruby pumped her fist knowing that her Blade has an original Blade weapon even though it was based off Crescent Rose.
"Well..." Weiss trailed off as she looked at Dahlia who had slightly dejected demeanor. "...I suppose I can try at least."
"Yay!" Ruby cheered. "We could have a sparring match, Driver versus Driver." the 15 year old girl seemed a little too eager for Weiss comfort.
"A spar would be the fastest way to learn. Besides, I'm sure Weiss would learn in no time." Roze added his opinion, making Weiss feel a lot better. "She's not stupid after all." And now the heoress wanted nothing more than to smash Roze's face in with Dahlia's bitball.
"Just another reason for a spar." Weiss said. Roze's last statement was an unnecessary trigger for her.
"...Yes, gladly. Once we've gone through professor Peach's class." Weiss said with a very evil look, already picturing the rose themed Blade as a bloody mess on the floor.
"Whether you able to or not, you should try to conceal your intent a lot better. Doing so will help you in combat and when dealing with people in you daily life or social events." Luck told Weiss.
"I already know that." Weiss retorted.
"You sure? It seems like you were scheming to get on the same team as Pyrrha before initiation." Jaune said as he thought back on the moment when he tried to recruit Weiss.
"We were pretty much next to you at the time. You weren't exactly…-" "Discreet." Ozpin added to whatever Yang would say. "-discreet about your intention." Yang said about her and Ruby's perspective.
Weiss frowned at that, but she did admit to herself that she may have been obvious.
"Aww… Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." Ruby thought in her head.
The tone of this conversation wasn't lost on Dahlia. "Poor Ruby" The ice Blade thought. "All because Roze can't seem to understand the concept of tact."
"Yes, that may be a bit of a problem." Ozpin commented.
The tone wasn't lost on Blake or Yang either. "Should we be worried about this?" Blake whispered to Yang out of Ruby's and Weiss' hearing range.
"I'm sure it's fine." Yang whispered cheekily as the gang moved onto Peach's class.
"Most of the time nothing serious happens in prologues. Things should be fine." Nora said
"Ruby was the exception." Ren said.
After the said professor's class, Ruby and Weiss were now in the arena for the sparing match. Of course, team JNPR had to come and watch.
And Dahlia's appearance… still gave the expected reactions, despite this not being the first time they've seen her. Jaune was covering his eyes with an enormous blush. Pyrrha hid her faces with her hands. Ren turned his head away. Nora… she had already gotten used to Dahlia. Though the first time the orange haired hammerer saw Dahlia, she went on a tangent of questions of what the Blade eats to get a bust that big.
"Nora?" The rest of team JNPR said the hammer girl's name with a questioning look. Other than that, they and everyone else is more acclimated to looking at Dahlia because of Newt.
"What? It's a good question." Nora said.
"It is, but we already know that she was awakened from a crystal. Her bust may as well be natural for her." Yang said with a hint of jealousy in the Blade made her feel a bit small.
But enough about past events. Right now, Dahlia was teaching Weiss the basics of wielding a bitball. The heiress… was convinced that the bitball was mocking her, by not bouncing when it was supposed to. Unfortunately, Dahlia explained that Weiss simply lacked the muscle power to wield a bitball effectively.
Using Myrtenaster required precision and speed, meaning that during the her training with the said rapier, Weiss had almost completely foregone strength building.
"Are you that physically weak Weiss?" Nora asked in a way that could possibly be taken as her mocking Weiss.
"Sorry if my choice of weapon requires more refined fighting style over the use of physical strength." Weiss scoffed.
"I can't do this." Weiss said, sounding like she was on the verge of tears. Just attempting to throw the bitball was tiresome, never mind not being able to match Dahlia's surprising throwing strength. "This is impossible!"
"Don't give up Weiss. I'm sure you'll be awesome if you learn that weapon." Ruby encouraged Weiss. "Uncle Qrow recommended me to learn a secondary weapon outside of Crescent Rose. Using a sword was completely foreign to me at first for over a month while I had an easier time with Crescent Rose. I couldn't shift my weight with a sword unlike my usual weapon so I needed extra time to learn." She explained.
"The only difference is that you had a choice to learn a new weapon while my other has to learn a particular Blade's weapon." Weiss replied.
"Did you master Myrtenaster in one day?" Dahlia said sternly.
"That's not the same and you know it." Weiss retorted angrily. "I'm not meant to wield something like this! I-" *SLAP*
Everyone got caught off guard by Dahlia's slap.
"Slap the frustration out of her." Yang said.
"Excuse me!" Weiss did not like how Yang supported the scene of her getting slapped.
"That quitter talk and you don't need it." Nora said.
"Aside from this moment, there is another moment I'm sure both you or I could think of where you deserved to be slapped." Yang said.
Weiss rather not be slapped, ever. However, she can think of the particular moment or scene Yang was referring to, the search for Blake.
Everyone looked on in shock at the sound of Dahlia's palm impacting Weiss' face. "I'm sorry Weiss." Dahlia said, clearly not happy about her action. "But whining about what you can or can't do isn't going to help. We just have to build your strength to use bitball properly."
Weiss could forgive Dahlia since she didn't like the idea of slapping her.
It was a valid argument, but Weiss wasn't able to think rationally right now. "What if it's simply not possible for me?" The white haired girl said in depression.
That earned a sigh out of Dahlia, maybe they should save the sparring for another time. "Well, can you at least tell me about your glyphs?" Dahlia decided to ask in an attempt to change the subject. The literal bunny lady had been curious about Weiss' semblance ever since she heard it being mentioned offhandedly by her team.
"Perhaps a bit of counseling from you Blade could offer an idea." Oobleck suggested.
Weiss thought on that. It's possible. At the same time, she felt like she already knew the answer, yet it's not coming to her. That's an embarrassment to herself.
As Weiss started explaining her glyphs, Ruby looked very distressed about Weiss' inability to wield a bitball. Roze had to wrap her into a one armed hug to prevent her from actually crying.
The weapon is a lie. That is Ruby's version of the 'cake is a lie' meme. Her favorite weapon type would be a scythe with a sniper rifle as a close second. If she was forever unable to use Crescent Rose or both separate weapon types, she would be constantly frustrated and cry herself to sleep since that curse would be laid upon her.
In the seats, JNPR and BY of team RWBY had varying levels of worry for Weiss.
"...I never thought you could get a Blade who's weapon you can't use. Blake said in sympathy, while also wondering if she herself would get a Blade who's weapon she can't wield.
"It took time for you all to become adept or master your weapons. Learning to use Blade weapons is no different, but I will admit that the bitball is a bit tricky to use." Luck told the Remnant viewers.
"Yeah, I hear you." Yang added in, although she can't imagine herself not being able to wield any weapon. At least… anything that requires raw strength.
Nora had an eager grin at a certain thought. "Hey, can Blades have hammers?"
"Nora." Ren butted in. "If Roze had a variation of Ruby's scythe then I wouldn't be surprised if they have hammers." Ren says that, but he was extremely afraid of the possibility of Nora getting a hammer Blade. Worse yet, what if said hammer Blade is more destructive and hyper than Nora. The black haired gunner trembled at the thought.
Ren didn't show any indiction, but he did shiver in fear at the thought. Very frightening indeed. "There is no guarantee that you will get a hammer Blade because of the randomization, assuming your could awaken a Blade which I'm sure you could. Weiss didn't get a Blade that uses a rapier." Ren explained.
"Not that one exist yet." Luck added in.
"I'm sure the odds are in my favor. Otherwise, there will be judgement." Nora said with a savage grin.
Pyrrha… she had mixed feelings about Blades in general. While the idea of having a powerful weapon is appealing, she doesn't see a point in having a… person coming with them. Still… if that person became a good friend, then it would be nice.
"I can appreciate that thought." Luck said.
Pyrrha just gave him a smile.
Jaune… he didn't even think he could be a Driver. That… and he wasn't sure what he would do if the Blade he somehow got was a girl… or a guy that would make him feel inadequate.
Seeing his friends in action did make Jaune feel inadequate during the first semester. He eventually managed to ask Pyrrha combat help after the incident in Forever Fall. It is helping lessen the feeling of his inadequacy, but he felt like his current progress wasn't enough.
"Saaay." Nora then said with a sing song voice. "Are those two sleeping in the same dorm as you guys?"
It didn't take a genius to figure out what Nora was referring to. "Ozpin gave a dorm for Roze and any other Blade that we might get." Yang said, slightly relieved that there is no chance for Roze to share a bed with Ruby. Even if neither of them understand the implication of doing so.
"Good." Yang muttered. While she is accepting of Roze, she won't approve of him or any other guy sleeping with Ruby.
"The student dorms are meant to house at most four students, a full team. It would be a problem for the students if more than four people were to reside in each dorm. Offering an unused dorm is a solution." Ozpin said.
"It would be problematic if we had to rearrange our room again to accommodate our Blades. "Weiss said.
"Oohhh… What if they get busy in there?" Nora said with a devilish grin.
"Like you guys do?" Blake retorted with a smirk at the blushes that came from Nora, Pyrrha and Jaune. Ren only face palmed.
"Two guys and two girls. Are you sure you guys don't do anything in your room?" Yang said with a playful grin earning the blushes from most of their neighbor team. Ren was the exception.
"NO!" Jaune and Pyrrha instantly denied.
"Of course not. We're better than that." Ren said.
"At least you students are controlling your urges." Ozpin said.
"This happened before?" Weiss asked in a surprising tone.
"There has been… a few incidents in Beacon's history." Oobleck cautiously said. "I can't speak for other academies. I can at least say that none were done as deviant acts." the eccentric professor clarified.
That did cause Weiss to relax. She was glad that she was part of an all girl team.
"THAT'S IT!" was the shout that snapped the one and a half team to attention. Only to get a shocked of a lifetime as they saw Weiss hugging Dahlia. "I love you so much right now." The heiress said, weirding out everyone who knew the girl.
"Sure your not into girls Weiss?" Yang asked to tease Weiss more.
"I'm not and I'm sure that is not in context of what my other is doing."
"Don't thank me yet." Dahlia said while lightly stoking Weiss hair. "We still need to put that theory to the test.
While that was happening, Yang decided to ask the question that was weighing down all of them. "Since when did the ice queen hug people?"
Neither Blake or JNPR had any idea what to answer to that.
"I do hug people. I hug my sister and… my mother." Weiss hesitated on her mother. It has been years since she last hugged her. Her mother's current state was because of her father. While she didn't hate her mother, she did wish that played more of a role in her life.
"Anyone else?" Ruby asked.
"Particularly not related to you." Yang added in.
"There is my butler Klein." Weiss answered.
Okay then, I guess hugging is not a normal occurrence for you." Yang said.
But none were more shocked than Ruby. "...What just happened?" Ruby wondered in slight jealousy. She was trying to get Weiss to warm, and now Dahlia does it seeming without effort.
Ruby was jealous. She tried for a whole semester to get Weiss to warm up to the entire team and their group of friends. She had a bit of success during the time, but Dahlia appears and she got more of a reaction from Weiss in less than a day of her awakening.
"It looks like they came up with something." Roze said, wondering what the two were planning. Especially now that Weiss was holding the bitball a lot more confidently.
"Ruby, lets have a sparring match now." Weiss said with her usual confidence.
Something that Ruby didn't share. "Are you sure… I mean you were struggling with-" "Now." Weiss' stern tone that did not leave room for argument.
"O-okay." Ruby said meekly said. As she unfolded Roze's scythe, with the Blade himself preparing for battle.
Sometimes Ruby felt that her presence as a team leader was being taken by Weiss, but she didn't mind at times.
"Ruby, be careful Weiss might be new to this, but if they are confident in this then they must have thought of something." Roze warned his Driver.
"I know, okay." Ruby said weakly. Though at this point, our red reaper was more worried about Weiss possibly yelling at her.
"You ready for this Ruby?" Weiss asked as she reaied a certain app on her scroll.
"Ready when you are." Ruby said, taking a stance.
As this happened, their remaining teammates have taken out their scrolls to watch Weiss' and Ruby's aura levels. They would've used the arena's big screen, but only the teachers have access to it.
"As spectators, it kind of sucks that we got to divide out attention between the incoming fight and our scrolls." Jaune said.
"Fights are one thing, but it inconvenient for us since we don't have teacher access to the big screen." Nora complained.
However, just as Dahlia gave one last glance at her Driver, the signal that Weiss had prepared rang and the fight started.
Battle Start!" Nora announced.
(Play XC2: Driver VS)
"I don't think that we took the time to actually listen to the music being played because because of what we've been reading." Penny said.
"Yeah, the music is good but we don't even know the names of the tracks." Ruby said.
There may be some tracks listed in the story, but the one I'm playing aren't there." Luck informed them. "Would anyone like a music list?" Luck asked everyone.
Jaune, Nora, Yang, Ruby, and Penny requested the music list and Luck sent them the data. "Listen to it on your own time. We got a spar to watch." Luck said.
Ruby started by dashing at Weiss who put her and Dahlia's plan in action. The heiress made a launching glyph in front of her before throwing Dahlia's bitball through it. Ruby barely ducked out of the way of the projectile that hit the wall with a crash. However, the red reaper only registered that Weiss didn't have a weapon anymore so she kept going.
"BALL COMING!" Except, Roze's shout made the girl turn around just in time to see the said projectile hitting her in the face on a return trip. Thankfull Ruby's aura protected her, but it still flopped her on her back.
"That's should make up for my lack of physical strength."
"Back attack?! No fair!" Ruby whined.
"That's the neat trick of the bitball. When it hits its target or a surface the ball will always go back to its user." Luck informed them. "That why I said that the bitball is a tricky weapon."
"Is that so? I thought it was suspicious for Weiss to handle a ball like that." Yang said.
Weiss rolled her eyes at that.
All the while the projectile returned to Weiss's hand. "I take it all back, this is fun." Weiss told her Blade as she prepared to throw the ball though another launch glyph at downed Ruby.
Thankfully, the red reaper got back up fast. But not before Weiss launched the ball again. "Not this time!" Except Roze blocked the attack this time.
"Thanks friend." Ruby cheered as she switched to range tactics. However, Weiss created a series of glyphs to launch herself to so that Ruby wouldn't be able to aim.
Meanwhile, the audience was taking this all in. "Using her glyphs to give the ball the needed momentum that she herself can't provide."
Pyrrha commented on Weiss using her glyph launching trick. "Pretty smart."
"Thank you Pyrrha." Weiss commented.
"And cheap." Nora grumbled. Contrary to popular belief, the orange haired hammerer wasn't born with the strength she uses to wield the hammer Magnhild. It took years for her to build up the strength that allowed her to wield the hammer easily without her semblance.
"Agreed." Yang said. "Plus Weiss attacked from behind. That's cowardly."
"Coming from us 'brutes', that's saying something." Yang said.
"We can fix that with my training program. I'll build up your strength." Nora said enthusiastically with a bit of a sadistic tone.
Weiss see Ren shaking his head. "I respectively decline. Besides, I just covered two attacking options in one move. A front attack and a back attack. All it took were my glyphs and simple geometry.
"There some people that don't realize that covering multiple options increases the chances of victory." Penny said.
"No, it's smart." Blake retorted as she watched when Ruby finally gotten to close quarters combat. However, Weiss was smart enough to keep Myrtenaster with her in case she didn't figure out how to use the bitball, which she used in conjunction with her dust mastery. To keep Ruby at bay.
"At least I have Blake's support." Weiss said. She also wondered what types of dust she could use with the bitball despite it already having an affinity with ice.
"Can Weiss keep up that kind of multitasking?" Ren asked aloud as Weiss managed to get some distance between herself and Ruby before firing the bitball again.
"Weiss is smart, I'm sure she can do that." Jaune said with confidence, even though he had no idea what he was talking about.
Pyrrha frowned at this. "Jaune, Weiss is wielding a new weapon. And she is trying to incorporate it into her usual fighting style, you don't just do that on a whim." As if to prove Pyrrha's point, Weiss fored an energy shot from Myrtenaster in midair, right as the bitball returned to her, which she was too preoccupied to catch. So the heiress got hit by the ball and into the ground. To add insult to injury, Roze had activated Thorn Barrier which took Weiss' otherwise flawless shot giving the heiress' aura a small hit.
Jaune sighed. "Point proven."
That comment was a bit careless, but I suppose I could thank you for the vote of confidence." Weiss said.
The only saving grace for Weiss was that she landed on her feet. And Dahlia caught the ball. "Weiss, do you mind if I take the lead for the moment?" The ice bunny asked the ice queen, as Ruby had stopped for a moment of worry.
"Sure, if you can." Weiss said in annoyance, while glaring at the innocent ball of deadly blizzard with equally deadly blades around it.
"Miss Schnee, I sure Dahlia has the innate mastery of the bitball since it is her predetermined weapon. I'm sure that she could make better use of it than you at the moment." Ozpin said.
Weiss knew where headmaster Ozpin was going. Roze has the innate mastery of his weapon. Plus his weapon was very similar to Ruby's so her team leader had an easier time using a Blade weapon.
"Now we can see Dahlia use her weapon." Ruby said excitedly, even if she might be on the receiving end.
Satisfied with the answer, Dahlia raised one foot high as she prepared to throw. Which made Ruby quickly use her speed semblance to make sure Dahlia wouldn't hit her. Unfortunately, that didn't stop Dahlia from throwing the ball in the area she guessed Ruby would go to. And it looks like her guess was right. However, Roze managed to get in and blocked it with a barrier… or he was trying to, but the barrier only held the attack for an instant before breaking. Which made the ball hit him, and by proxy, Ruby in an explosion of ice and snow.
"WHAT!?" Ruby shouted when the saw the universal Blade shield fail.
"I sure we'll get an explanation from the story Miss Rose. If not then our guide will inform us." Oobleck said.
(OST end)
As Ruby and Roze both shivered with cold, Dahlia had a perplexed look. "Did Roze seriously think that a regular block was enough against my Crystal Blizzard?"
"That is a Blade Special?" Weiss asked a bit confused.
"It is." Luck answered.
"Aside from the icy explosion, the special is pretty much a pitcher throw." Jaune said. He was a bit unimpressed like a few other students.
"Think of it like this: the flashier the move, the stronger it is." Luck said.
"I can agree with that." Yang said. She was one for flashy and stylish moves. "By that logic Dahlia's Special would be level 1. Nowhere close of a level 2."
"RUBY!" Yang cried out in worry as she jumped down to the arena and dashed to Ruby's side. Ruby's aura had only dropped to 40 percent, but it looked like the cold had gotten to her.
"Y-Yang! I-I'm ok-k-k-k-kay." Ruby tried to say through chattering teeth. "Wh-why is it so cold?" Ruby whined, wrapping her cape around herself for extra warmth.
"What is the coldest region in your world?" Luck asked the Remnans. "The answer should give you an idea."
"The continent Solitas, especially areas outside of Atlas with outdated technology or no technology." Weiss answered getting a nod of agreement from Penny.
"How can people live in such cold whether?" Ruby asked.
"You get used to it."
"Wind Blades like me are weak against ice." Roze said as he slowly got up, recovering from the direct hit. "I should've saved Thorn Barrier." Although, Roze wasn't even sure if that art could block an attack that strong. There is a limit after all.
Great, elemental weaknesses.
"But why is Ruby shivering then?" Yang demanded accusingly as she pressed Ruby against her, wincing at the cold she felt from her baby sister.
"Blades share their weakness with their Drivers." Roze explained as he glared at a guilty looking Dahlia. "But it's my fault for trying to block a Special Art. That's what it was, right?" Roze said, directing the last one to Dahlia.
The said Blade nodded in confirmation. "Yes. Crystal Blizzard is my level 1 special."
"Special confirmed, but it kinda sucks that has to feel the same thing as Roze and his shield can't hold up against it.." Yang said.
"The concept is similar to the CCT towers. If one goes down, then the other will go down. Its a bit poetic." Ozpin said.
That information got Team RWBY to widen their eyes. "WHAT!?" They still remembered how Roze took down Russel with a level 3 special and that did about the same damage as Dahlia's level 1 special. So unless Russel had much more aura than Ruby, which he didn't, this shouldn't be possible.
"Are you telling me that your stronger than Roze?" Weiss piped up. Glancing between the busty bunny lady and the rose themed reaper in disbelief. Weiss knew by now, that she shouldn't judge by appearance, but this was still a little weird thought.
"NO!" Roze shouted a bit more forcefully than anyone than anyone was used to. "I may be weak to ice, but Dahlia is also weak against me.." Roze said defensively.
"Yang gave the male Blade a mock pitying look. "I didn't take you for a sexist."
"WHAT!?"
"Ignoring that claim, it is true that both Blades can directly hit each others weakness. Given their weapon types and roles, Roze is more likely to win in a one-on-one fight. That's not assuming whether or not they are at full potential. Generally speaking, bitball users aren't strong. There is one oulier and if I were to make a top 10 list based on combat effectiveness, the outlier would at least be happy to see that she is close to the top 10. Most of that top 10 consist of female Blades." Luck explained.
"I see." Everyone said.
"Really? Getting worked up over losing to a girl." Nora snickered from the stands. "At least make up something believable."
"Makes him seem weak, but at least he is several steps up from Cardin." Nora said while snickering.
"He's telling the truth." Dahlia said, before Roze or anyone else said something to make this worse. "Ice and wind are weak against each other, but they also complement each other." The ice Blade explained as the others gave her a disbelieving look. "in other words, if Weiss had taken a level 1 attack from Roze, the result would've probably been the same." Dahlia finished which gave everyone, especially Weiss a very terrifying thought.
"Y-you mean," Blake stammered, "if Roze used his level 3 special, Weiss could've died." And now Weiss was very afraid.
That put some fear into the students.
"Perhaps we should reconsider attaining Blades once they become known and available. As well as some safety measures regarding student combat." Ozpin said.
"...I don't know about dying but her aura would've taken a lot more damage than Ruby's did." Dahlia said, realizing what she had unintentionally caused.
"...I wouldn't have gone too far." Roze said a lot calmer now, but sadly that didn't pacify anyone. Least of all Weiss, who thought Roze sounded like he would've wanted the opposite.
"Unintentional and unnecessary fuel to the fire." Blake commented.
"Roze." Dahlia said sternly. "Don't take one loss so seriously."
"I'm not." Roze grumbled sounding a lot more childish than he probably intended.
"Umm… Yes you are." Ruby said weakly, already feeling a lot warmer thanks to Yang.
"...Ruby...please." Roze pleaded his Driver. "I just… don't want to think about it right now."
"… Sorry." Ruby said, now thinking this was her fault.
"Is he seriously hurt by that loss?" Weiss questioned the Blades behavior.
"… I don't know." Ruby said. "It could be something else."
Roze fixed the red caped girl with a worried glance. "You? I'm the one who should be ashamed."
The last remark earned a curious look. Which switched to a sigh from Yang. "Look, Roze. I get that you don't like losing, but you just have to learn from your-" "There's no chance for that in real combat!" With those words, Roze stormed away.
"First of all, Yang trying to give advice to some is such a strange sight." Weiss said.
"I'm good at giving advice." Yang defended herself.
"But do you listen to advice given to you?" Weiss asked to trap Yang.
"...Yes."
"But you ignore some of the advice Professor Goodwitch gives to improve your combat skills."
"My strategy works just fine."
"Your predictable." Weiss said in a flat tone. "Only reason you win most of your spars is only because your presence puts some amount of fear into people." Weiss explained. "Secondly, it seems the reason why Roze is taking this loss seriously is because he treating the spar as a true combat situation."
"There is no need for that given the participants and location there is no need for him to worry. Had this been an actual combat situation, Miss Rose could have suffered a fatal injury or worse." Ozpin completed thought which was a mistake since it put fear into his youngest student.
All the while everyone else had a mixture of confusion and annoyance or worry on their faces. "What in the world is wrong with him?" Weiss questioned, annoyed at the Blade taking a loss so seriously.
"You're one to talk." Blake couldn't help remarking as she joined her teammates in the arena alongside team JNPR.
"What's that supposed to mean." Weiss demanded icily.
"Unless you're a perfectionist, then there is no need and he isn't one." Blake said.
Blake smiled a little at that question. "This reminds me of the first few days as team RWBY."
"Can we please forget that already." Weiss pleaded while covering her face with her hands. Those days still made her feel horrible.
Even Ruby and Jaune were reminded of their horrible start at Beacon.
Jaune in an effort to redirect this conversation spoke up. "...Shouldn't we try and figure out a way to help Roze?"
Ren shook his head at the suggestion. "I think we should leave him alone for now."
"Yes." Dahlia agreed before adopting a sympathetic expression. "After all, we need to get him to understand that training matches are not real combat yet."
Pyrrha was the first to figure out what the female Blade was implying. "You mean… Roze felt like he failed real combat?"
"As Ruby's Blade, he must've felt that he failed. So yes." Dahlia said with a sigh. "It's not his fault though, trying to use a regular barrier against a special art was hopeless to begin with.
"…Well… at least he takes his job seriously." Pyrrha said in an attempt to find a silver lining.
"Too seriously." Yang said, although she had different reasons than what the others were thinking right now.
"It great to know that Roze and potentially any other Blade would take the protection of their Driver seriously." Ozpin said.
"But it seems… suffocating." Blake said.
"Had Roze been my Blade, it be as if I never left home. Bobyguards within my vicinity during social events, concerts, or just a leisure venture outside my home. It was suffocating and restricting." That was just another reason why Weiss chose to attend Beacon Academy over Atlas Academy.
"...Yang." Ruby piped up, still in Yang's embrace. "You can let go now. I'm warm again."
"...Nope." Yang tighten the hug.
"YAAAANG!" And with that little whine, whatever tension anyone had was broken as everyone started laughing at Ruby's misery. Some more than others.
"That hug was more than enough Yang." Ruby said through her embarressment.
"Warming you up is one thing, but it doesn't excuse you from my hugs." Yang proceeded to hug her baby sister who struggled to get free. "Besides, I'm more or less you legal guardian at Beacon when where away from dad. It's my responsibility to look after you as your sister and teammate."
Seeing nothing wrong with whats happening at the moment Weiss continued to read.
Around the same time as Ruby and the company had this little episode. Winter was asked to be seen by the Atlas military general, James Ironwood, about her request to leave.
Atlas time then.
"This crisis you are talking about." Ironwood started with a calculating look towards one of his best subordinates. "You claim it to be important family business, yet you refuse to discloses the details."
"From what we've seen from Dahlia so far, I doubt a crisis will fall upon me. I just have to deal with misunderstandings." Weiss said.
"You should be fine." The rest of her team, team JNPR, and Penny said.
Winter knew that asking for a leave was next to impossible, but she had to try. If only to confirm that some of her more… irrational worries were unfounded. Besides, if she called Weiss, not only would the older Schnee risk doing so during school hours, she was pretty sure Weiss wouldn't talk about it on a scroll. So here she was standing stiff like a proper soldier, hoping to convince the general. "The details of this matter are… personal." Winter explained calmly and professionally. "I'm afraid I cannot divulge any of the details, even if I had all the facts."
Yang let go off Ruby who celebrated her freedom from Yang's embrace. "She does have the right to worry. She is even going out of her way to personally come to you."
"I suppose so." Weiss agreed. She took joy in the fact that Winter would personally see her despite the reason why.
The general sighed at the response. "Very well, but surely you can make a quick visit to the Schnee manor for a few minutes without a leave."
Winter raised an eyebrow at the response. "Sir I'm not asking to leave to visit the manor." The slight change in her tone at the word manor wasn't lost to Ironwood.
For what reason why should Winter visit the manor? She is not a fan of her father, much like Weiss.
"...So you wish to visit Beacon." Ironwood deduced easily, surprising Winter. "Don't look so surprised, it isn't hard to figure out what family crisis you want to deal with that doesn't involve you father." Of course, the general was also aware of the only son of the Schnee family, but from what he understood, Winter doesn't care for him.
"Why not? Aren't they close?" Penny asked about the Schnee family relations.
"Not really. He is a mini version of father. That is why Winter and I hardly associate with him." Weiss answered. "Father is certainly... not a good role model." Weiss tried to not reveal too much information on her father's parentage. "I always had Winter to support me while father had his influence on Whitley."
"I guess you shut your brother out of your little pact with your sister. Was that for the best?" Luck questioned the Schnee. "Maybe shutting him out could be why he is similar to your father, as you say."
"...I like to think it was the right choice." Weiss hesitantly said. "Perhaps… shutting him out led him to be like father." Maybe it was the wrong choice. Maybe it wasn't. All she knows is that her father, as an authoritarian parent, has a hold on Whitley and is molding him in his image.
"...You are correct." Winter admitted. "It has come to my attention that my sister might have a little… problem on her hands, one that I doubt the headmaster can deal with."
"So I have yet to inform James about the Blades at Beacon." Ozpin muttered. This leaves potential on how to explain the existence of Blades on Remnant, but how long will any explanation last? Blades seems to have fixed knowledge on where they come from which may shatter the veil of a lie.
Ironwood shook his head at the explanation of the nature of Winter's plans as well as why she didn't contact the headmaster about. "As I recall, you were schedule to assist some of Vale's huntsmen in a Grimm extermination mission next week. Ironwood said.
This earned a raised eyebrow from Winter. The general gave her that assignment himself, so he should know the answer. "That's correct, sir."
"Yes!. A convenient excuse." Weiss cheered, but she realized that she was in the presence of others. She embarrassed herself. She cleared her throat. "I mean, he has been graced with the opportunity to finish her work early."
"So transparent." Everyone else said. Weiss ignored their comment.
Ironwood smiled at the response. "Good. In that case, I think I won't need you back here immediately." The general said, which made Winter steel herself to prevent even a spark of hope showing on her face. "I believe… two days should suffice." The general told Winter who couldn't believe her luck. "Although..." And now Winter was worried. "I need you to take Newt with you."
That surprised Winter, she may have planned to take her Blade anyway., but she was still surprised at Ironwood basically ordering her to do that. "Sir?"
"I believe our scientists and recruits deserve a break from her." The general said with a small amused smile.
"They are just relocating their troubles temporarily." Pyrrha said.
"Great, the indecent Blade is coming." The mood for Weiss.
"Aside from the massive floating arms above her, the Blade's figure hardly different from us. She passes for human." Yang said
"It would be a major improvement for her to wear actual clothes." Weiss said with everyone's nod of approval. Hopefully a case of public indecency could be avoided.
Unfortunately, the explanation made all too much sense for Winter. Not only has Newt created an impossible standard for the Atlesian machines, but she was also put in charge of pysically training newer recruits… and… well, while the traniees cam out stronger than usual. Physically, some of them needed to be put into hospitals for overexertion as well as psychiatric wards for a time. Thankfully Ironwood and Winter managed to get the passionate Blade to go easy on their men and women. Or… what constitutes as "easy" for the insanely strong Blade. "...I see. Thank you sir." Winter thanked hesitantly, remembering one time a new recruit bawled his eyes out, begging for Winter or anyone to save him from the "psychotic slave driver". "But how am I going to explain her to the people?" Winter then asked, seeing as the Blades were a secret in Atlas.
"Soon to find out they they are not much of a secret as you might think they are." Jaune said.
"I'll take on her training. My training methods will improve to destroy mechs like she can." Nora said with a devilish smile.
"NORA NO!" Ren shouted out. He took a deep breath before speaking. "You are plenty strong enough and you could do the same thing she can." When translated he said 'You will kill anyone and everyone faster than by doing that and I don't want anyone responsible for it'.
"Mmmm okay." Nora agreed.
Ren had just stopped a tragedy.
"You don't have to." Ironwood replied. "The Blades are common knowledge in Vale. Or at least at Beacon." The distaste at the possible dangerous weaopons being public knowledge was clear in Ironwood voice.
"Well, our power depends on our bond with our respective Driver. Sure, some of use could be dangerous right off the bat, but if you want to see how powerful and dangerous we could possibly be then let each Driver bring out the maximum potential of their Blades." Luck said.
Ruby and Weiss thought on that. Only can develop their Blades to be insanely powerful, but they can also ensure that nothing gets out of hand with them. They could manage that to some degree.
"Is the headmaster insane?" Winter asked, before she could stop herself. At the raised eyebrow of her superior however, the specialist calmed down with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, sir. It's not my place to judge."
"It's fine Winter." Ironwood said, dropping the professionalism for a moment. "I agree with you on that, but according to Ozpin, an incident involving a Blade happened. One which they were unable to cover up."
No one wanted the reminder.
"What kind of incident?" Winter asked, getting interested, before a certain thought occurred to her. "Did one of the students awaken a Blade!?" Ironwood answered with a nod which alarmed Winter. "Was it Weiss?"
"No the student in question, but she did awaken a Blade." Ozpin commented.
"Ozpin didn't say." Ironwood admitted. "But now that you said it, is this the crisis you plan to deal with?"
"I- I." Poor Winter couldn't help stammering. Until now, it didn't even cross her mind that the bizzare well endowed faunus woman could be a Blade. But now… it made so much sense. But it still raised a question, how did Weiss get her hands on a Core Crystal?
"I guess the news of my 'discovery' didn't reach her." Oobleck said.
"It doesn't matter." Ironwood said, cutting Winter's train of thought. "As far as I'm concerned, you and Newt have a two day leave after assisting Vale's huntsmen. Is that clear?"
"Clear as day sir." Winter said, still dumbfounded at her little realization.
"Then you are dismissed." Ironwood said, finding some amusement at Winter's expression. Contrary to popular belief, James Ironwood is a human with thoughts, feelings and a sense of humor. His brain is not a robot brain fueled by a massive ego and an obsession with control… most of the time.
"Qrow would sat otherwise." Ozpin muttered.
Anyway, with those words, Winter excused herself, still thinking about how Weiss could've possibly gotten herself a Blade that looks like something out of a weird faunus fantasy.
Weiss and Blake didn't know what to say to that. They know there is a bit of truth in that description, but it still triggered Blake a bit. However, Blake didn't think that Winter could possibly be racist despite how her thought could be taken.
"How did it go?" Asked an overly anxious Newt, who had been waiting outside Ironwood's office.
"Next week we will be going to Vale and spend two days at Beacon after a mission I've been assigned to." Winter said tiredly.
"Oohhh. That means you get to use my power." Newt said, already picturing a mountain of Grimm corpses left in their wake. Even as she walked to follow Winter who never stopped her stride.
"I doubt Winter would like to cause similar destruction like her with whatever weapon she has, even if its against Grimm." Weiss couldn't picture her sister using whatever barbaric weapon her Blade has.
"If Newt could destroy mechs in about 8 seconds then she could kill Grimm in even less." Nora said. "There gives her more time to visit you."
"Newt, can you please be quiet for a moment?" It took every ounce of Winter's now tired mind not to sound like she was begging.
Thankfully Newt got the hint, doing a zipping motion across her mouth with one of her giant arms mimicking the motion.
For some reason, Winter felt tired. A lot more tired than she should feel. "Maybe I'm stressed." The Schnee woman said as she decided to go to her quarters. Which Winter shared with Newt, much to the specialist's chargin.
No one could imagine what it would be like living with Newt.
"She doesn't have to deal with her hair turning gray from stress. Her hair is already white, but she will have to deal with early facial linings." Yang said.
"I sure my sister could overcome her situation." Weiss said. "Looks like we will have a week time skip next chapter."
I think that after I finish this prologue I would do a chapter for Castlevania or something else.