Chapter 10: Long Day
"Shouldn't we help them?" Neo asks me.
My eyes scan the entire place, taking in the damages already caused before we got here. There are a multitude of grunts scattered here and there. Most are knocked unconscious, and the ones that aren't are limping with some fellow coworkers' arms over their shoulders as they try to evacuate the scene. Hei is currently laying incapacitated in a pile of glass. Judging from the way the glass is scattered, he probably flew from the direction of the bar... which is currently a mess as a grunt had crashed into the wall, causing a bunch of the expensive liquor to fall onto the floor.
I wince. Poor guy. He's going to get so much heat when he wakes up.
There is also a giant crater in the middle of the dance floor that I assume is Yang's handiwork. The once impressive environment is now a mess. The previous impression I had is now shattered like the glass fragments Hei now sleeps on.
"We could use this as an opportunity to gauge how skilled our new friends and the soon-to-be teammate of mine are…" I mutter before sighing.
"Ha… Hei is going to have to shut down the club for repairs, isn't he? Setting up an alibi will be harder if they don't receive customers. That means we will need to make alterations to our plans. We aren't even on the same team yet, but Yang already managed to cause me problems."
I rub my temple as my mind races in formulating a solution. How can we salvage this?
"...Change of plans. I'm taking on Yang in the twins' place." I whisper.
I pass a sleeping potion to Neo.
"Sepia, you and the twins invade Hei's backroom and steal copies of the blueprints. Make sure not to take the originals if you can. Split your duties between taking the objective and guarding the door in case Hei gets up. In fact, feed this to him so that he doesn't get up anytime soon. Don't let anyone catch you. If possible, remove all camera footage, but treat this as a secondary objective."
Neo nods her head as she commits my following orders to memory. She slinks down the steps quietly towards Hei under the disguise of her semblance. With her off completing her tasks, I begin to do mine. I equip my perk page for Offense Fighter before strengthening myself with some preliminary buffs.
[Empower – STR]
[Empower – DEX]
Perk Page - Offense Fighter:
Current Mastery Bonus(es): Haste Mastery
Spellcaster - (Next Mastery Bonus: 4/20)
(Offense)
Dual-Casting
Total PP Used: 4
Fighter - (Next Mastery Bonus: 32/40)
(Offense)
Strong Blows (STR Up) - Rank 1, Initiative, Evasive Maneuvers (DEX Up) - Rank 1, Titan's Grip, Strong Blows (STR Up) - Rank 2
Total PP Used: 2+2+4+4+8 = 20
(Defense)
Preparation, Steel Skin - Rank 2
Total PP Used: 4+8 = 12
Haste Mastery.
Much like when I use a Glyph of Haste, the Haste Mastery gives a bonus that speeds up my thought processes and reaction time while reducing cast time for skills. A single Glyph of Haste boosts my movement and reaction times by approximately 200%; The Haste Mastery does the same but for only about 20%. The good thing is that it comes without the flaw of my semblance in that the glyph is temporary. This meant that so long as I had this perk page equipped, I permanently keep the Haste Mastery bonus. It also stacks with my glyphs, so altogether my body can perform at 240% for a short time.
I've spent a long time getting used to having faster thought processes, and I find myself liking it quite a lot. Time essentially passes slower to me, meaning I get to think more and use my time even more efficiently. The reason why there is no discernable change in my surroundings when I equip this perk page is because my Standard perk page also gives me a Haste Mastery bonus. At this point, I almost always live with it on.
My eyes follow the twins' dance with Yang. The clashing of blades, heels, and gauntlets are occasionally overshadowed by the explosions from Yang's shotgun shells. The twins are obviously very familiar with each other's fighting styles, and Yang is being pushed back onto her back foot due to their exploitation of their semblances.
[Status Changer] (Semblance)
Successful strikes against targets have a chance of inflicting random, valid status-effects. Some effects are more common than others. Current possible effect(s): Bleeding, Poison, Burn, Freeze, Paralysis, Stat-Up, Weaken, Regeneration, No-Effect.
[Ignore] (Semblance)
All attempts to change your status with effects from skills, semblances, blessings, and items can be selectively disregarded.
The former is Miltia's while the latter belongs to Melanie. They are faring really well against Yang, considering their level disparity. Then again, levels aren't everything. I am living proof of that. Commentator's curse is proven real as one of Miltia's strikes did something really unfortunate.
[Status Changer: No-Effect]
Yang, who was previously moving sluggish from being under the effects of Paralysis, suddenly could move again.
Ah, I see. No-Effect had the function of cleansing you of your status effects, probably both the good and the bad. That makes more sense than a random chance to do nothing which was my original guess. I make a mental note to train restraint for the twins. She got greedy trying to apply more than one debuff.
Yang grins as she begins her retaliation.
[Intimidating Shout]
Yang lets out a war cry that freezes Miltia in her steps. Melanie steps forward to cover her sister during her moment of weakness. Yang uses this opportunity to aim backwards.
Bang!
[Raging Blow]
She uses the shotgun blasts to accelerate her forward to deliver a blow far too fast for Melanie to block. A powerful punch sends Melanie into the sky. I stop casting my skills in order to jump into the air and catch her mid-flight.
"Ugh! Oh!" Melanie groans at me in pain and shock, not expecting my interference.
Yang throws a quick jab at Miltia who guards against it with both of her metal claws. Her body is still paralyzed, so Miltia couldn't move out of the way. The follow-up explosion from Yang's shotgun shells sends her slightly airborne. Yang begins to juggle Miltia higher and higher with a few more punches before reeling her arm back for the final blow.
I push off one of the few still standing glass pillars with a foot. Yang, recognizing that someone was heading towards her direction, raises both arms to guard instead of dealing the finishing blow. I kick her away from Miltia while holding Melanie in a princess carry.
Yang skids to a stop before looking at me in curiosity. I keep the blonde in my sights as I set Melanie down. I whisper instructions into Melanie's ear at the same time.
"Go with Sepia. I need you two to do something for me… Also, give Sepia your contact info. I forgot to ask for them earlier."
Melanie nods as she rubs her jaw. She and her sister back off, leaving me standing with a girl six levels above me. Yang was dressed in leather gear of similar quality of my normal gear. The key differences being that hers are tanned brown and yellow while mine are white and blue. There's also the fact that mine covered all of my skin, but Yang's shows off her midriff and developed legs. Yang smiles cockily.
"Well, well. Now, I get to fight the final boss? Finally. I was getting bored between the goons and the sidekicks."
I ignore her and read up on her details instead.
[Vulcan's Fury] (Epic)
Strong enough heat can temper a blade, turn mountains into ashes, or even warm a body during a cruel winter. Yours is no different.
Rank 1 (Unlocked): 75% reduced received damage from fire-based attacks.
Rank 2 (Unlocked): Can temporarily increase STR by 50%. All fire-based skills have 50% increased effectiveness while active. Current Maximum Duration: [10 sec(s)]. Cooldown Duration: [1 day(s)].
Rank 3 (Locked): ? (Lvl 40 required, Action required, Item required)
[Enrage] (Semblance)
Passively increases your STR stat. The lower your percentage of aura is, the larger the bonus STR. Current Bonus Maximum of [23%]. When your aura percentage is 25% or lower, you become empowered with [Raging Spirit].
[Raging Spirit: All fire-based attacks deal 10% less damage to you. All skills you cast are now fire-based. You are now cloaked in an aura of flames.
I sigh for the fifth time tonight.
On one hand, my stats are definitely above hers – with the exception of STR maybe. It wouldn't make sense otherwise since my own stats trump even Mercury's except for his DEX stat which I assume is due to his blessing.
On the other hand, Yang has crossed the level 20 threshold, meaning she has access to many Rank 2 version of her skills. This is under the assumption that she has been keeping up with clearing her skills' requirements of course. Then again, I come from a rather rich background. Between the runner up prize of the Mistral Regional Tournament and the various birthdays I had for the past 12 years, I've gathered a hefty amount of Upgrade Crystals.
Hm… we would probably be tied on that front if I decide to consume all of the Upgrade Crystals I have at this very moment. I'm going to refrain from doing that though. I want to rank them up normally since their conditions aren't difficult nor unknown.
That's not the only factor of concern. I cannot use my semblance as Lilac Luminary. Myrtenaster is also off-limits. I could use another rapier with different structures, but the point is to not give away my identity. Anyone with half a brain would put two and two together immediately. I will need to use my dagger as a medium for casting mage-related skills. If I were to fight her, I will most likely have to engage in close-combat which I assume is Yang's specialty. Luckily, I have my perk pages to help me out.
Will her brute strength triumph, or will my cunning intellect prevail? I suppose we will find out.
"Having second thoughts? You can run, you know? I won't hold it against you. I'd be afraid too if I had to fight someone as strong and gorgeous as me."
I look at her, examining her attitude and posture. She's silly enough to start bantering mid-fight when she should be trying to finish this as soon as possible before the authorities/back-up arrive. She isn't even using the conversation as a distraction to cast skills. She's honestly just asking that half out of good will while the other half is to get a rise out of me. I imagine she's leaning more towards the latter going by her tone.
How disappointing. I expected more from someone who trained under Qrow. He, at the very least, was very observant of his surroundings. I couldn't say anything without him catching onto what I was going for.
"I'm not part of the staff." I finally reply. "I'm just another one of the patrons here."
"Oh?" Yang puts a hand on her hips. "So why are you still here?"
I mimic her motion, giving her a look of disdain.
"Right now? I'm just standing here wondering how someone could be stupid enough as to damage private property yet not be in a hurry to leave the scene as soon as possible. Like honestly, what is the reasoning behind your confidence? I'm curious."
Yang scoffs.
"This place is under suspicion for drug-trafficking and prostitution anyway. I'll probably get off with a light punishment if they bother to catch me."
Her eyes darts to the side.
"Besides, I doubt Junior will call the cops. He'll most likely keep things on the down low for the sake of his rep."
I clench my teeth in annoyance. There is no guarantee that will be the case. Not only was that admittance lacking in confidence, she obviously only thought of that just now because I asked her. Otherwise, she would have start off saying that first. In other words, if I hadn't been prudent enough to send Neo and the twins after the blueprints, everything could have been confiscated by tomorrow morning. And if I had decided to arrive even a single day later, my decision to ambush Cinder would have been all for naught. Yang literally has no idea just how much trouble she almost caused me with her temper tantrum.
I roll my shoulders. I originally wanted to settle this matter peacefully and only resort to a confrontation if nothing else worked, but Yang obviously just wants a fight to relieve her frustrations, whatever they are.
Fine. Have it your way.
I need to fight in the twins' place in order to justify their sudden absence anyhow. The fact I suddenly find myself feeling a bit vindictive is just the cherry on top.
"Wait, you seriously want to throw down?" Yang asks in disbelief. "Girl, you're obviously dressed to party, not to fight. Besides, my level is way higher than yours. I would beat you just as easily I beat the twins."
I squat down. Once. Twice. Ready.
"Didn't you mother ever teach you not to judge people based on their level?"
Yang scowls at me. I mockingly give her a once over.
"Then again, you are a Branwen."
[Enrage]
She explodes into golden flames. My words working her up just as I intended. I silently observe her red eyes glaring at me. I don't usually fight with words, but I'll make an exception this time around.
Based on my understanding of Yang's personality, class, and gear, defeating her is definitely possible but troublesome if done carelessly. The Berserker class has high damage output but lack speed. They classified under the category of off-tanks with high STR and VIT usually. They have a passive skill where the lower their aura reserves, the more powerful they become. They also utilize the Rage skill which gains stacks the longer a fight goes on. The more stacks, the stronger they become, making their attacking power high enough to rival Assassin classes. If I add on the fact that Yang's semblance and blessing enhances that strength even more, she probably stands uncontested as one of the most powerful opponents I have met.
However, that doesn't imply she has no weaknesses. Rage is a skill that affects your mentality. The more stacks it has, the more susceptible one is on becoming angered by even the smallest failure. Blinded by anger, you can make rash decisions. Decisions that I can exploit. By already making her unnecessarily angry, Yang already has one foot in the grave. That is not the only weakness either. A Berserker – Yang especially – shines brilliantly at their lowest point. However, that point is the most dangerous. With low aura reserves, you limit yourself in skills you can use, the trade-off being you gain overwhelming power.
All I have to do is hit her with blows strong enough to make her unable to reap the benefits of her skills or wait until she exhausts what little aura reserves she has left when it gets to that point. She can't use Rage forever, and once that is out of the picture, all she will have left is her semblance.
Berserker is powerful class, but it is nothing more than a double-edged sword, and I've already made her cut herself with it.
My mind refocuses on the present. The planning phase is complete. Now, all that's left is the execution.
Yang glares at me with clenched fists.
"You know my mom." A statement more than it was a question.
I smiled wryly at her as I withdraw my knife from my boot. She interprets it as a confirmation. Yang dashes toward me with great speed, signifying the end of the conversation. Our bodies light up in yellow and white glows.
[Aura Boost]x2
[Raging Blow]
Her right fist rushes my face. The golden outer glow turns a red sheen as the skill takes place. I toss my knife into the air. Yang's eyes dart up and follow it briefly before looking back at me, only to find I have disappeared from her sight. She widens her eyes in shock before coughing all the air out from her lungs as my right fist drives into her solar plexus. My blow causes her body to fly backwards, all the way back to her starting position.
Equip: Initiate.
Perk Page - Initiate:
Current Mastery Bonus(es): Magic Skin
Spellcaster - (Next Mastery Bonus: 20/40)
(Offense)
Elemental Damage Up – Rank 1, Spell Expert (INT Up) – Rank 1, Arcane Sickness, Dual Casting, Elemental Damage Up – Rank 2
Total PP Used: 2+2+4+4+8 = 20
(Defense)
Fighter - (Next Mastery Bonus: 16/20)
(Offense)
Strong Blows (STR Up) – Rank 1, Initiative, Evasive Maneuvers (DEX Up) – Rank 1
Total PP Used: 2+2+4 = 8
(Defense)
Stone Skin – Rank 1, Tank Expert (VIT Up) – Rank 1, Preparation
Total PP Used: 2+2+4= 8
Yang quickly stands back up, wheezing slightly but otherwise fine. That's okay. Losing track of an opponent quicker than you is but one of your mistakes. It's too bad for you. That single mistake will cost you the fight. My left hand points my recaught dagger at her now that my skill casting is finished.
[Ice Spear], [Snowstorm]
Yang jumps to the side to dodge the sharp spear of ice hurtling towards her. She shivers as the world around her turns white like the storms in Atlas. She fires a projectile at my last known location, hoping to interrupt my casting. It collides with the floor as I have already changed locations under the cover of the snow. Yang rushes forth in an attempt to catch me while I'm on the move, but she only finds herself surrounded by the roar of wind and ice. She turns left and right, confused by how I was able to cast two skills so quickly.
Meanwhile, I continue casting behind a wall of ice I have erected as cover.
[Preparation: Elemental Explosion]
A concentrated ball of ice about the size of a human's head floats in front of me before disappearing out of existence. Excellent.
I don't worry about the snowstorm blinding my own sight as I can sense Yang's location due to Observe. Her consistent use of Aura Boost, Rage, and various other passive skills acts as a beacon for me.
"STOP HIDING AND FIGHT ME, COWARD!"
The fact she's yelling makes it even easier. I point my knife at the ground, erecting a large spear of ice connected to the floor.
[Ice Spear]
Then, I point my knife at her location.
[Ice Spear]x2
I leave towards a new location without waiting for the results of my two other spears rushing at her. Yang roars in frustration when she is attacked from behind. She rushes at the direction of the source and narrowly avoids colliding head-on with the spear of ice attached to the ground. The snowstorm masks the presence of the spears, making this less of a fight and more like a one-sided hunt.
Yang isn't one to take a beating laying down though. She displays quick reflexes by guarding and deflecting the next couple of spears I aim at her. It's too bad she cannot avoid all of them as her vision is impaired by the snow.
"Argh!"
Yang is hit by another spear of ice. As effective as this tactic is, Snowstorm alone drains a large portion of my reserves. Although, the effect is definitely worth using with ice dust supplementing its power. The storm has effectively shut Yang down. All I need to do is constantly recover my aura through potions, and I'll be golden. Unfortunately…
My eyes dart to our surroundings.
There are too many bystanders here. As the caster, the chill doesn't affect me, but the same cannot be said for the rest of them. I will have to stop using it any longer than this for the sake of their health, else I might cause some of them to die.
What a shame. I could've easily won like this.
The storm subsides as I cancel my skill. Yang's visage focuses on mine, as she can finally see her foe once more. Her clothes are clear of any ice. I figure it's because the flames from her hair kept her body warm. Her face has been a perpetual glare ever since this match started. I don't blame her. I can imagine the amount of loathing she must feel towards me as I casually drink this aura potion in front of her.
I toss the empty flask to the side, my mid-fight snack finished. Yang's body trembles with fury before once more propelling towards me using the momentum of her shotgun gauntlets. At this point, I am actually amazed by her actions. She has decided through some herculean leap of logic that something that doesn't work once nor twice still has the chance of working if she tried it a third time.
I back off as my hand readies my knife in front of me.
[Power Rush]
Huh. Never mind. It might work this time. Maybe.
Equip: Offense Fighter.
Yang's body glows as her body speeds toward me with her limbs surrounded by a glow. A flurry of rapid punches follows. Each one is deadly and will probably inflict significant damage should I let any connect. My body swerves to-and-fro as my hand and knife deflect them as best as I can. Thankfully, I expected this outcome earlier, so I made the snowstorm subside after securing a large amount of space behind me. Because of that I am able to continuously back up without running into something.
What I didn't expect was for her blows to be so numbing. I suppose I did expect it to some extent given how I read the details about her semblance as well as her class. However, I spar with Pyrrha all the time, and this is usually what occurs farther into our clashes. This is the only first one I had with Yang. Is her STR stat really that high already?
I catch a glimpse of markings on her gauntlets as they pass by mere centimeters from my face.
Runes? Probably ones that cause paralysis. I don't give Yang enough credit. That's rather sly of her. Not only are her blows strong, she makes it easier for her to break her opponents guard by contacting them continuously. That really suits her.
My fears are brought to fruition as one of Yang's blows finally loosens my grip on my knife. Recognizing the opportunity, Yang delivers a solid blow to send it flying out of my grasp. She then shifts her gauntlets into projectile mode and delivers a powerful shot that destroys my knife in mid-air. Without a medium, the casting of my mage-related skills slows significantly. This action interrupts her Power Rush skill, but now she doesn't have to deal with my Mage-related skills… or so she thinks.
Yang smiles triumphantly as she looks back at me. She ducks my hook that I send while she is distracted.
Good reactions, but my swing was a feint.
I close the distance between us and hold her head in a clinch. Ignoring the damaging flames, I raise my right knee, and I drive it into her face. It connects.
I do it once more, but Yang blocks this time using her hands. I find myself lifted off the ground before Yang slams me onto the floor. I feel my breath leave me as my body forms a crater in the ground.
Yang winds back her fist, but mine is faster. I jab her in the throat, taking away her breath once more. She holds her windpipe, gasping for air. I take this opportunity to kick her midsection. Her body flies upward. I push against the ground using my hands while my legs extend. I use this momentum to quickly stand again. As our abilities are superhuman, Yang is still freefalling by the time I finish standing. I made sure only to use just enough strength so that she isn't able to kick off the ceiling to propel her. My eyes watch as the glow around her body turns from yellow to red.
[Reckless Charge]
The skill Yang activates suddenly increases the speed of her descent despite not having anything to push off of.
Fool.
I sidestep the meteor crashing downwards while grabbing a handful of the debris laying around us. Yang trembles, not from anger this time but from the backlash of using that skill. It is faster than normal charge moves, and it increases the power of your next attack. The problem is that you suffer muscle aches for a few seconds afterward. The upside is that skill's speed beats nearly every other movement speed skill.
Unfortunately for her, she used it against me. Not only does my Skill HUD gives me a warning to react, but I also fight against Pyrrha's Heroic Charge skill which is both faster and has no such drawback. Against an opponent who is quicker than you, to use such a skill is equivalent to suicide. Such recklessness. It is obvious she isn't of a perfect state of mind.
Yang turns to me, but I toss shards of glass and snow at her face. She tries to move her hands to block, but the muscle pain prevents her from making it in time. Yang closes her eyes on reflex, completely forgetting that her aura would protect them. I swing my glowing fist into her face.
[Crushing Blow]x2
As her body begins to fly, I swing my other empowered fist into her face. My other fist glows white as I hit Yang a second time. Her body soars twenty-something meters over before crashing into one of the club's remaining glass pillars. I take this moment of reprieve to refresh some buffs on myself.
[Empower - STR]
[Empower – DEX]
[Cold Touch]
My eyes squint at where the blonde rests. Why isn't she…
[Vulcan's Fury]
An explosion of flames sends debris flying. I slice down the middle of the wave of fire with my fingers. My hand splits it as it goes past me without harming me. The same could not be said for our surroundings. If the club was a mess before, it is a warzone now. The wave of flames destroyed all the remaining decorations and furniture that wasn't already ruined. All of the ice spears I made to stick out of the ground shatters from the wave's impact. The club hall is filled with noise as the fire alarms go off. If it was a question whether the authorities will show up before, it is basically guaranteed now.
Yang stands before me engulfed in even brighter flames than before. Before, the flames only surrounded her hair. Now, I can only see her burning red eyes past the golden flames that surrounds her body. Like a primordial being of fire, she rises and expands as if she was taking a breath. I suck in air into my lungs in response.
[Intimidating Roar]
[Battle Cry]
Our voices boom in the large room. Yang's crimson eyes squint as I make out an expression of frustration on her face. Intimidating Roar can stun your opponents, and its effects are stronger against weaker foes. Yang's first miscalculation lies in her assumption that her numbers are bigger than mine. That means it would be less effective even if I did let it take effect, not that I would ever allow that. The second is that she didn't think I would know that Intimidating Roar wouldn't work on those who were casting war-cry type skills and consequently exploit that fact. Now, my stats are boosted even further while she just wasted more aura.
Yang howls in irritation before dashing for me. I pump aura into my body to the maximum before doing the same. Our steps crack the floor with each one. Every step of hers creates char marks on the floor along the way while mine creates frost. Yang swings her right fist into my left hand while I did the same with my right into hers. Fire and ice collide in a moment of intense fight for dominance. Crimson eyes lock onto magenta. I discern a hint of excitement lurking beneath her anger. I resist the urge to roll my eyes at the battle maniac.
Instead, I cash out on my skill that I casted earlier.
[Preparation: Elemental Explosion]
Preparation is a perk that allows me to instantly cast a single skill in battle. The prerequisite is that I finish the cast time sometime before. That time when the skill disappeared wasn't because I had failed in casting but due to Preparation storing it for later use.
The ball of ice manifests behind Yang before exploding. The ice collides with her back and a sudden chill fills the room.
The sudden strike from behind takes Yang by surprise. Her side gives out as they fail to stop my fist from colliding into her face. The result is obvious as she flies off once more towards the VIP stairs. The resulting crash creates yet another pile of debris that Hei will be paying for.
I stand victorious but breathing heavily all the same. I watch as the flames around Yang die out as she has been knocked unconscious. I shake my left hand which has gone numb from the impact. I have Steel Skin, Titan's Grip and 46 regular VIT stats4.6 VIT stats (from Tank Expert) yet I still had to struggle when stopping Yang's blow. My saving grace was that Yang was forced to let go of my hand first else I would've lost that power struggle and be forced to take that hit.
I still have much room for improvement, that's for sure.
I look to the side, seeing nobody else around. My eyes wander toward where I knew Hei laid unconscious. As much as I didn't like his greediness, I didn't want him to burn to death. He wasn't there. The grunts must have saved him. As I see nobody else in my surroundings, I decide to trot over to Yang and reach to pick up her body with both of my arms.
[Portal]
I swing the back of my fist behind me as I pivot in place. It touches nothing but air. My eyes scan my surroundings. I find nothing but flames and debris. I squint my eyes in suspicion. Where did that bloodlust come from? Was I mistaken? I glance at my Skill HUD. I instantly understand.
Hmph. So, she only felt like being a mother now of all times huh?
I hold one hand out to Yang. It shimmers a soft white color.
[Heal]
The bloodlust disappears, as if it never existed in the first place. With my newest 'friend' pacified, I finally pick up Yang in my arms. When I leave the building, I find the fire department had just arrived. To one side, I could see Hei among his various grunts. He is rubbing his head, most likely trying to recall what had just occurred. On the other side of the street stood Neo and the twins. I approach them, only to find a red blur skid to a stop in front of me. Neo pulls out her knife in preparation for a battle, but I stop her with a look.
Ruby Rose (Lvl 20) [Reaper]
The Weapon Enthusiast/Little Red Reaper
"Oh my gosh! Yang! Are you alright?!" she cries out in shock.
"Calm down." I say to the girl on the verge of shedding tears.
Ruby looks up at me.
"She'll be okay. She was just knocked unconscious. She'll need something to replenish her aura reserves though. I imagine hers is quite low at the moment."
Ruby quickly withdraws an elixir potion from one of her pockets. She gently tips the potion into her sister's mouth. Yang's aura comes back to life, and we watch together as her body subconsciously begins shielding itself once more. Ruby sighs in relief. I point my finger at Yang.
Equip: First-Aid.
[Heal]
My skill heals the fractured jaw Yang suffered from my blows. As a Battle Mage, its potency is nowhere near as effective as a Heal casted by healing classes. Thankfully, I can supplement its power with my perk. After I finish healing Yang's broken ribs and nose, I begin to treat my own burns. Ruby gives me a thankful look.
"Thank you… uh…" she looks up above my head. "Lilac! Thanks for saving my sister."
'Save' is subjective here, considering she is in this condition because of me.
"Normally, it is polite to ask for a person's name first before saying it without their permission." I muse aloud.
Ruby meeps. I raise an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to be rude like that. I swear Dad taught us better than that! I mean, I do know better. It's just – Yang was hurt, and I was so worried and…"
My ears rattle as the girl goes on and on about her apology. I can't tell whether it's from the explosion or from Ruby. Either way, I want it to stop immediately.
"Stop, I'm just teasing you."
Ruby shushes.
"Since you're here now, I'll give your sister to you. Do you think you can make it back home with just the two of you?"
"Uh… I think so?"
Ruby chuckles awkwardly while rubbing the back of her head. No, I suppose not. Her weapon requires both hands, and her fighting style would make it difficult for her to fight while carrying Yang. I sigh for yet another time tonight.
"Can you wait down the street for a second? I need to do something really quick, and then I'll escort you and your sister home."
Ruby waves her hands in front of her in denial.
"No! You don't have to do that…"
"It's not a matter to needing to but wanting to. Besides, it's the least I can do."
Ruby reluctantly nods in acceptance.
"Okay. I'll go book a Bullhead then. Shout whenever you're ready!"
She disappears in a flurry of petals. I shake my head with a smile on my face at her energy despite the rather late time. I look downward at my arms which still held Yang.
…I should've given Yang over to her. Now I have to carry her over here. I finally complete my odyssey to Neo and the twins. Before we can speak, Ruby shows up once more in a burst of petals while laughing nervously.
"Sorry! I should've taken Yang with me. I'll take her off your hands now."
I pass her elder sister over to her. I watch the younger girl lug Yang in a princess carry down the street. When she was out of earshot, I whisper to my maids.
"Did everything go as planned?"
They nod.
"No evidence was left of our snooping." Neo reports.
"We even got some cash Hei stashed away." Melanie adds.
I frown.
"We only need the blueprints. There's no need to turn the man into a homeless person."
The twins shake their heads.
"Hei has more than one stash. This isn't enough to put him out of business."
I look at them skeptically. Could they be lying and using this as an excuse to get back at Hei somehow? I don't know them well enough to make a conclusion. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now.
"Well, Sepia. We need to escort sleeping beauty over there back home, so we won't be heading back to the hotel until later."
Neo nods in understanding.
I turn to the twins.
"I really appreciate your cooperation tonight. I'll contact you two when to meet up sometime tomorrow. We'll be in touch."
They nod before we go our separate ways. Neo hands me a shirt from her dimension chip.
"What's this for?"
"Your shirt is ruined, Lilac…" Neo leans in toward me to whisper. "And your necklace is showing."
I look downward, finding her words to be truthful. Fighting with Yang has ruined my outfit completely. There were rips and char marks everywhere.
"How's my hair?"
My implied question is not lost on Neo.
"It's fine. Your makeup, though…"
"Of course it is… It must be thanks to the sauna I was just in, no doubt. I assume you've been using your semblance to mask our presence here this entire time?"
"Ever since you walked outside."
I nod.
"Just continue for a bit longer, Sepia. I would hate to give you a headache."
Neo shakes her head.
"No worries, Lilac. I can handle this much just fine."
"If you say so… Let's head over to Ruby, who apparently has red eyes."
We approach said girl under Neo's illusion. Ruby waves her hand in the air when we let her see us approaching.
"Hey! We were lucky! I managed to book one really quickly! We can head over to the loading docks right now!"
"I see. Then let us go." I respond.
I look at the parking lot before looking back at Ruby.
"Do you have a dimension chip?" I ask her.
She shakes her head in response.
"No, my dad says he'll give me one after I graduate from Signal. Why?"
"We can use our car to transport us to the loading docks. Since you don't have one with a big enough space, I'll bring your sister's vehicle for you then."
Ruby gaps at me.
"Oh my gosh, I totally forgot! Wait, aren't the big ones really expensive? Can you fit it in yours?"
"Don't worry about it."
The four of us load into my vehicle after I store Yang's vehicle away. Neo takes the wheel, and we arrive swiftly at the loading docks nearby. As Neo covered our departure, we were able to avoid delaying the trip due to dealing with the authorities. Ruby, in her constant worry about her sister, completely forgot about that fact. I silently observe her in the Bullhead. Ruby's outfit was a carbon-copy of the one from the show which is surprising to me since Yang's is slightly different despite having the same color-scheme.
[Silver-Eyed Warrior] (Legendary)
Rank 1 (Unlocked): 50% increased damage against creatures of Grimm.
Rank 2 (Unlocked): 50% skill cost refunded when used against creatures of Grimm.
Rank 3 (Locked): ? (Lvl 40 required, Action required, Item required)
Rank 4 (Locked): ? (Lvl 60 required, Actions required, Item required)
A Silver-Eyed Warrior but with red eyes? Either Ruby's wearing contacts, or she needs to awaken her ability. Regardless, it's unlikely that Ruby's unaware of this blessing considering she has achieved rank 2 already.
I gaze at the blonde the young Reaper was watching with worry. Yang lies unconscious strapped in a bed while the rest of us sat in the seats nearby. She still hasn't woken up yet. I hope there wasn't any serious injury we missed earlier. Was I too arrogant in believing my diagnosis was perfectly accurate? I wipe at my face with a handkerchief, removing the last of my ruined makeup.
Yang groans. We all give a sigh of relief. Thankfully, she seems to be just fine. She shifts in place, but she doesn't rise yet. That was okay with me. At least this way, Yang won't be hounding me for answers.
Eventually, we reach our destination: Ruby's home on Patch. The house is located on an open clearing in the middle of a forest. The building itself has a log exterior. Judging from its height, it should have only two floors and an attic. I take a deep breath, breathing in the clean air of nature. It differs greatly from the polluted air of Atlas. Even the air in Vale had some tint of smoke every block or so. I can feel the serene atmosphere relaxing the tension in my body.
Ruby jogs up to the door and fiddles through her pockets for her keys. I absentmindedly admire the front garden on either side of us. It is filled with sunflowers that reach the height of my knees. My eyes wander back to the entrance as the sound of the door being unlocked is heard by all of us. Ruby wasn't the cause however. Instead, a man with short blonde hair and a thin beard opened the door from within the house.
Taiyang Xiao Long (Lvl 65) [Martial Artist]
The Single Father/Dragon's Elbow
I squint my eyes at him. I didn't even hear him approach. His high level isn't just for show, I see.
Taiyang's eyes glares at his youngest daughter who is sheepishly rubbing the back of her head.
"Ruby! What did I tell you about staying out late during –"
He stops mid-sentence as his attention drifts to the unconscious figure of his eldest daughter in Neo's arms. He steps out of the way and motions us in.
"Ruby! Grab the first-aid kit!"
Ruby rushes off to do as her father commanded of her. Neo gently lays Yang down on their living room couch. I take in the details of the interior. The various family photos, the beautiful scenery of nature from across the globe – most likely taken during his days as an active Huntsman – and the bookcase that lined the back wall. The entire living room was smaller than my own in the mansion, but I did not feel congested in the slightest. Something felt off though, as if there was something missing.
"Woof! Woof!"
I am interrupted from my musing at the sound of a creature's bark. I stare down as an adorable corgi trots up to Yang. He whines as he notices she is unconscious. He then looks at me, his eyes full of curiosity toward the strangers.
Zwei (Lvl 5) [No Class]
The Good Boy/Wonder-Zwei
I feel my eyebrow twitch. Why does a dog have a higher level than most civilians?
"What happened?" Taiyang asks.
I look at Taiyang who is now taking inventory of his daughter's condition. Ruby quickly returns in a flurry of rose petals with medical supplies in hand.
"Your daughter was visiting a place called "The Club". From what I understand, she was dissatisfied with the information they gave her, so she decided to start a fight with the owner. Most of her injuries should have already been healed by my skill though. The blood you see on her clothing should only be from her nosebleed."
Taiyang sighs in relief, his conclusion being the same as my own.
"Her jaw is mostly healed, but that should be fixed with a good night's sleep as well as another Heal skill if we need to. She still has some cracked ribs, but they're already set in place and just needs time to completely heal. There isn't much else."
He looks at me gratefully.
"Thank you for taking care of her."
I wave my hand dismissively.
"Don't be. I'm the one who put her in that condition."
Ruby jaw drops. Taiyang scrunches his eyebrows, confused by my forthcoming about my crime.
"I thought you were a nice person!" Ruby yells indignantly.
"Ruby!" Taiyang admonishes her with a stare. "Your sister is sleeping."
Ruby slaps both of her hands over her mouth while mumbling a muffled 'Sorry, Dad.'
"Because she started an altercation with some of my associates, I had to step in lest they get hurt." I explain. "I will admit, I may have let my own emotions get the better of me. I should have endeavored to request for both sides to fall back, but I instead egged her on. For inflicting unnecessary pain upon your daughter, you have my sincerest apologies."
I bow my head; Neo follows suit. Ruby blinks in shock. Taiyang sighs while rubbing the back of his head. I idly make a side note that Ruby must get that habit from her father.
"Please, raise your head. As angry as I am that you hurt my daughter, I know her better than anyone else. You probably couldn't avoid fighting her even if you wanted to. I can't fault you for sticking up for your friends."
We raise our heads.
"Thank you, sir."
He waves his hand in rejection.
"Don't call me sir. Makes me feel like I'm in the military. Just call me Mr. Tai like my students."
"You're a teacher, Mr. Tai?" Neo asks.
"Just a Signal instructor. Nothing much."
He smiles wryly at us.
"But to think Adelle's little girl bested my own so easily. I guess you do live up to her hype after all. Haha."
Neo blinks. I keep a straight poker face. Ruby and Zwei simultaneously tilt their head in confusion.
"Who?" Ruby asks aloud.
"I'm rather positive my name still says Lilac. How did you find out so easily?" I question him while ignoring Ruby.
He chuckles while wagging a finger from side-to-side.
"I may be a single dad now, but I used to be on a pretty elite team of Huntsmen and Huntresses. I can't see your stats, but I can at least see your true name due to this little thing right here."
He flashes a marble at me. Its luster was of a lesser degree than the ones the twins had, meaning it was of lower quality, but I recognized it easily enough. I inwardly frown. Is there even a point of having a disguise if everyone freaking calls me out on it?
"Besides," he continues, "as out of the loop as I am, I still see your face on television from time to time."
Ruby tugs at her father's sleeve.
"Wait, so is she famous?"
"I guess you could say that…"
He gives me a questioning look, asking me permission to reveal my identity.
"Are there cameras around here?" I ask.
"Only ones under my control." Taiyang admits.
I see… but just in case…
I give Neo a look. She nods in understanding. I turn back to them and take off my wig. My lustrous hair falls freely past my shoulders. Ruby oohs in wonder as my hair reflects the living room light. I curtsy with my head tilted slightly downward.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I am Weiss Schnee, second daughter of Adelle Schnee and aspiring Huntress-in-training. It's a pleasure to meet you."
I gesture to Neo who bows with one arm across her chest.
"Beside me is Neopolitan Seiban, my personal maid who is also an aspiring Huntress-in-training."
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Neo greets.
I replace my wig back onto my head.
"I humbly request that the information that I am here in Vale remains between all of us present. It would be problematic if the public becomes aware of my location." I implore.
"Why would it be a problem?" Ruby asks.
"Because of safety reasons, right?" Taiyang explains.
I nod. Taiyang smiles.
"Don't worry. You have my word that nobody will hear it from us. Right Ruby?"
Ruby nods.
"I don't get it, but sure! Your secret's safe with me!"
Taiyang nods.
"What about you, Yang?"
The figure of the teen blonde tenses on the couch, not expecting her father to call her out like that. She opens her eyes and avoids eye contact with her dad. Ruby dashes to her side.
"Yang! You're awake! Are you okay?"
Yang nods at her sister.
"I'm fine, Rubes."
She winces when she tries to sit up straight.
"Still hurts a bit, but I'll manage."
"And it'll continue to hurt because I forbid you healing it using a Heal skill or potion!" Taiyang tells her. "I want you to heal those injuries naturally. Consider it punishment for causing a commotion and attacking people when they did nothing wrong."
Yang grumbles but accepts his terms without a retort. She does eventually look at me with a hard look in her eyes.
"You've got some answering to do."
Neo growls at her.
"Show her the proper respect, you brute." She snaps at her. "It's bad enough your temper tantrum almost made all our efforts go to waste, but you actually dare to speak like that to her when she took the time and effort to heal and escort you home safely! If I had it my way, I would –"
"Neo!" I give her a glare.
Neo stops. She bows her head in shame, knowing she was out of line.
"There was no need for calling her something like that. Apologize this instant."
Taiyang gives Yang a similar look.
"Same with you, Yang. That's no way to request for someone else's help. I raised you better than that. Say you're sorry."
""Sorry.""
The two of us nod, satisfied with their compliance. Yang tries again, but she speaks with less hostility this time.
"Can you please answer my question?"
"I can try. I give no promises that I will explain everything."
Yang grumbles.
"What do you know about my mom?"
Yang's question draws the attention of Taiyang as he is currently gathering some drinks for everyone in the kitchen. He momentarily freezes but continues pouring drinks for everyone. I have no doubt in my mind he is carefully listening in to my next few words.
"I don't know anything about your mother." I comment.
It was half the truth and half a lie. I don't know anything about this Yang's mother. The Raven Branwen I know is someone else entirely.
"Don't lie to me! You said back there that –"
"I said that 'you are a Branwen.' I never said I know your mother." I clarify.
She stares at me confused.
"Specifically, I know your uncle, Qrow Branwen."
"You know Uncle Qrow?" Ruby questions.
I nod at her in answer.
"B-but when I asked you, you never denied…" Yang stutters.
I raise a delicate eyebrow at her.
"And why would I? All I said was a simple sentence, yet it sparked an immediate reaction from you. Given that the likelihood of our impending confrontation, I saw fit to emotionally compromise you and further my own advantage."
I give a sigh before staring her with disappointed eyes.
"The Qrow Branwen I met was an unkempt alcoholic that couldn't go five minutes without sipping from that flask of his. Despite his terrible image, he understood how to use his looks to his advantage. He was calm, observant, and never let anyone else get the better of him… Well, except for when we teased him."
Neo and I giggle to ourselves. The rest of the room's occupants look at us in confusion, oblivious to our inside joke.
"But regardless of his faults, he approached topics seriously even if his actions and words may say otherwise. When I learned he had talented nieces, I found myself curious about them. How do they compare to the man that garnered the respect of an Atlas general as well as my mother, I wondered? Imagine my disappointment when I met you."
Yang grits her teeth.
"All it took was one sentence, and you were dancing in the palm of my hands. You're powerful, make no mistake, but what is the point of having all that power if it is never put to any use."
I shake my head.
"I'm rambling now. My apologies, I have no right to lecture you on your flaws even if I wish to help you."
Taiyang hands Neo and me two mugs filled with juice. We give him our thanks.
"I'm surprised you have such a good opinion of that drunk." Taiyang comments, hoping to change the direction of the conversation before his daughter blows another fuse.
"All he ever does here is drink and sleep on the couch."
"Why am I not surprised?" I quickly down the rest of the drink.
"As pleasant it was meeting a member of Team STRQ, it already getting really late out. We really should head back."
"Would you like to stay the night?" Taiyang offers.
"Dad!"
Yang stares at her father incredulously. Ruby's eyes glimmers at the prospect of a sleepover.
"It can be dangerous at night because of the Grimm. We have an extra room for you two to borrow." He explains.
I look at Neo who shrugs her shoulders at me. As the final decision maker, I weigh the pros and cons in my head. I highly doubt the Grimm would be a problem for us, but I imagine staying under the roof of a level 65 Huntsman would be safer than traversing back to our hotel room.
"I would hate to intrude, especially since your daughter isn't exactly on friendly terms with me."
I glance at Yang who is currently livid at the fact that she would have to sleep under the same roof as the girl who beat her up not even a few hours ago. Taiyang waves his hand dismissively.
"It'll be fine. What kind of person would I be if I didn't extend my hospitality toward my friend's kid?"
Stomp. Stomp.
Yang marches upstairs to her room. Annoyed but not rude enough to kick someone out. Ruby looks at the stairs and back at us awkwardly.
"Ehehe… Sorry." Ruby apologizes. "Yang's not normally like this. She's actually really nice once you get to know her."
I put a hand out to stop her from making excuses on her sister's behalf.
"I understand. I'm not her favorite person right now. I would be irritated too if someone who beat me up showed up at my house."
The four of us converse a bit longer before Taiyang decides to shoo us to bed. He escorts Neo and me to an empty room with simple decorations. He offers to bring us another mattress, but we tell him that the two of us were fine sharing a bed. We bid him goodnight as he leaves for his room upstairs.
After we brush our teeth and change into more comfortable clothes, we sink into the soft mattress that was surprisingly comfortable. It wasn't as good as my own, but it certainly beat those of the hotel's we were supposed to stay at. It must be because he drew from his earnings as a Huntsman.
As I slip under the sheets, I realize what was off about the living room. There was a huge empty space on the wall of photos. It was as if there was a set of memories that was taken down and put away. The strange disconnect I felt was that the house gave the impression there was a woman's touch involved, yet there was no mother figure anywhere except for the photos of Summer.
I sigh for the ninth time before looking at my Skill HUD.
[Portal] (Semblance)
By cultivating strong bonds towards people, you can open up two-way portal(s) that connect both of your locations. You decide the size and specific location of the portal(s). Current possible portals(s): Yang Xiao Long (Regret), Taiyang Xiao Long (Shame, Love), Qrow Branwen (Irritation, Love), Ozpin (Hate, Irritation), Umber Nocturne (Camaraderie)
Raven feels regret toward Yang? That's a surprise. Also, who in the world is Umber? She's not someone I recognize off the top of my head. Why does she have a bond of comradery when other people like Glynda aren't even on the list? What makes her so special? Something to look into at another time.
I scan through the rest of my history in the case I missed something important. My eyes are drawn toward something... interesting.
[Man's Best Friend] (Legendary)
People come and go, but mankind can always count on you to be there for them. Number of rank(s) unlocked isn't dependent on your level, but the average level of your allies. Affects all skill(s).
Current Lvl Avg: 47.5
Rank 1 (Unlocked): 50% increased experience gain to all allies. Distance to allies does not affect this skill.
Rank 2 (Unlocked): All stats increased by [47.5%] of (Current Lvl Avg). Current stat increase: [22.6]
Rank 3 (Unlocked): All allies who spend time with you receive a temporary stat boost that lasts 24 hours. Current stat increase: [2.3]
Rank 4 (Locked): ? (Lvl 60 required)
[Adore]
By possessing the [Man's Best Friend] blessing, you've unlocked a new skill. Whenever you are showered with love and care, this skill gains an Adoration stack. Can hold up to [47] (Current Lvl Avg) Adoration stacks. If no love is given within 24 hours, Adoration stacks are cut in half, rounded down.
Current stack count: 47/47
Rank 1 (Unlocked): For every Adoration stack, you have an additional 0.5% chance of appealing to other people.
Rank 2 (Unlocked): For every Adoration stack, you have an additional 0.5% chance of removing debuff(s) from allies by interacting with them.
Rank 3 (Unlocked): For every Adoration stack, you have an additional 0.5% chance of temporarily increasing your ally's WILL stat by interacting with them. Current stat increase: [4.8]
…I have no words.
"Weiss? Why do you look like you don't know whether to laugh or cry?" Neo cuddles against me.
"Because I'm lamenting how a canine was 22 times stronger than me when I was five."
Actually, that number would be higher because Yang's and Ruby's levels were lower then, wouldn't it?
I pull Neo closer to me. This world is so unfair. With a confused look, Neo hugs me back.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. It's just been a long day."
Neo nods. We give each other a chaste kiss before closing our eyes.
Assuming Zwei's 'allies' include Taiyang, Qrow, Ruby, and Yang, that means Qrow's current level must be 81. Jeez. Talk about level disparity.
My body's exhaustion quickly sets in and escorts me into the land of dreams. As I drift to sleep, a fading thought comes into my mind.
…Did I just make a pun? God damn it.