Beta: Jefardi

Cover Art: Natzo

Flower

Minotaur (Part III)

Time slowed to a crawl.

That wasn't meant in a metaphorical sense, such as when a surge of adrenaline allows one's brain to function and react faster than ordinarily possible. No, time itself actually bent to Violet's will and allowed her to see and move in a state of hyper-speed. Or rather, it bent to her sword's will.

The ability had several limitations. For starters, it only worked if Violet was in the act of drawing Ostrum Tempus from its sheath. If she stopped drawing the blade or unsheathed it completely, her perception of time would return to normal.

So even with time on your side, it still felt like an incredibly short span that the ability lasted and she could only reactivate it again after the blade had been completely returned to its sheath. If she had to do that, it would be too late to save her partner.

The minotaur was still charging, one hoofed foot slamming into the ground, the other still in the air. In slow-motion, the creature's movements looked robotic. The blood that flew from its mangled fist arced in the air and almost appeared to hang suspended. The horns on its head were bent and pointed to skewer the dog faunus, who was ducked in a defensive crouch.

Violet took all this in as she sprinted past her partner and across the gap between herself and the Minotaur. Just before reaching it, she jumped in the air and finished drawing the katana. While she couldn't jump as high as Lily, thanks to its charge, the Grimm was ducked low enough for her to reach its neck.

Time reverted to normal.

It was too late for the Minotaur to react, not even knowing she was there. Ostrum Tempus carved into its neck with sickening efficiency. She and the Grimm passed by one another. Tucking into a ball, she hit the ground in a roll that ended in a poised crouch.

She didn't even bother to turn around, knowing she had bested the creature with that one attack when it hit the ground with powerful thud. Flicking her wrist, she splashed the blood off her katana and then returned it to the sheath.

The Minotaur let out a choked gurgle, lungs filling with its own blood. Its arms and legs spasmed helplessly, almost looking like it was trying to reach out to them for help, or maybe even just one last ditch attempt to take them with it. Only after it ceased all movement did it begin to disintegrate, as all slain Grimm did.

"Not bad, not bad!" Lily grinned brightly as she walked around the side of the vanishing creature. The fear previously on her face was gone without a trace, but Violet could still clearly remember it. "I would say you and I make a pretty good team, wouldn't you?"

"Don't get ahead of yourself. That was just one battle." Violet didn't return Lily's smile until after she had walked past her. It was only then that she gave a satisfied smirk. And how could she not? This test which had once seemed impossible, was now more than halfway done.

"Yeah, yeah. But I mean, that was a pretty neat trick you pulled off there. Some kind of time altering Dust?" Lily skipped around to the side so Violet had to quickly wipe the smirk from her face, replacing it with an annoyed frown.

"Something like that." She glanced to where Lily's weapon had landed and nodded to it. "What about your weapon? You said your fighting style was unique, but that wasn't anything like what I was expecting."

"Nifty, huh?" Lily hunched over the orb and began bouncing it around with her knees and elbows. "Called Fetch. Loaded with fire dust that explodes when it strikes something, provided you know how to properly handle it." Which explained at least some of how Lily was able to strike it without blowing herself up.

Even ignoring that, Lily had demonstrating some amazing talent. Speaking in physical attributes alone, Violet could never hope to match her partner in any of them. Then her ability to anticipate and move to where the orb would go next must have taken years to perfect, at least a decade.

"I underestimated you. I apologize." Violet inclined her head slightly. She regret saying anything almost immediately because when she looked back up Lily had a huge, shit-eating grin on her face.

"What was that, partner? I didn't quite catch that." She caught Fetch and placed it in the nook of her elbow and armpit before leaning forward and flipping up one of her floppy dog ears.

"Nothing. Let's just go already." She quickly began to stroll away, trying to put as much distance between them as possible.

"Aww… don't be that way!" Lily skipped after, but Violet was already focusing on their next task.

This test may have been close to over, but there was still plenty of time to fail.

Chapter End