Chapter Nine: Preparation
"Can we please do something other than practice today?" I said, holding my sparring sword in both hands as I stared down my sister.
"No can do. The beacon entrance exam is in one month, and you need to be in fighting shape by the time it arrives," Katie replied.
"I'm a sniper dammit…" I said, laying my sword across my left arm, while I held it with my right hand.
"You're more than welcome to explain that to the grimm when they arrive during our test," Katie said, rushing forward. Steel clashed against steel as she attacked. It had been six weeks since Ozpin had invited us to stay at beacon. Katie had requested that he fudge the rules to make us fall under one team, but she had only gotten a 'I'll see what I can do.' In that time, Shadow and Fire had been taken to a local blacksmith for upgrading, and Katie had insisted I get more experience with two-handed swords. Every week consisted of us preparing for beacon. If she wasn't making me work out and train, she was having me study dust and the grimm. Torchwick had upped his crime-spree after we left. Cinder was working in the shadows, letting Torchwick take all the heat, while the White Fang did their dirty work.
Dust. Why on remnant are they stealing dust?
"You're distracted," Katie said, knocking me to the ground.
"Sorry. I was just thinking about Roman. I kinda wish Neo had gotten captured with us," I replied.
"Yeah, I'm not sure how going straight is going to work out for us, but the more familiar people on the ride, the better," Katie said, offering a hand.
"Don't say I'm going straight, I've never done anything straight in my life," I replied, earning a look of confusion. Realization dawned on Katie,
"I legit thought you were going back to our old ways for a second there."
"Nope, just making jokes," I said, picking up my sparring sword and moving into a shoulder switch.
"Well, Neo?" Torchwick said, lighting his cigar. Neo sighed, pulling out her scroll and texting him.
Ozpin lets them roam around the city, but they don't. It seems like they've legit decided to take up his offer.
"You know what happens to traitors Neo," Torchwick replied, taking a long drag of his cigar.
They've already given away our stronghold and plans, Neo texted, they'll see us before we even get close.
"We can't run the risk of them recognizing Cinder during the Vytal Festival!" Cinder entered, placing her hand on Torchwick's shoulder.
"Not to worry Roman, I know just the man for this encounter. A stranger they don't know, with a history of well-made kills," Adam Taurus stepped out of the shadows,
"Who am I putting to the sword?"
"Okay, what's the type of grimm that looks like a giant, black, bird," Katie said, holding up the flashcard. We had retreated to our room after Katie had depleted my aura and given me a few new bruises.
"Oh, I know this one! It's a Gryphon!" I shouted. Katie sighed,
"No, it's a Nevermore."
"Ahh why do these Grimm have to have weird names? Why can't they just call them what they look like!"
"It's based off a poem doofus!"
"Psh, I haven't read since we were with our parent's." A silence spread across the room. "Bad memories?"
"Nah," Katie replied, "just wondering what happened to them."
"We lived in vacuo. Something to do with the gangs or the SDC probably," I responded.
"Yeah, anyways, you're going to have to do a lot more reading this year," Katie said, getting up. "I think I'll go pick up some textbooks we should have read by now, you can spend the rest of the day lazily."
"I think I'll go shopping for casual clothes. Maybe pick up a hoodie or two," and with that, we took a bulkhead into town. We split up on main street. Hmm. Do I want a Gray Wardens of Ferelden hoodie? Or a Flux Buddies hoodie? Oh well, we never split the cash from the last job among the crew. I'll get both. I walked up to the register and pulled out my lien to pay. In the end, while I was buying my longtail black t-shirts, my two hoodies, black skinny jeans, new underwear and mismatched socks, I didn't even notice Neo pull my scroll out of my pocket, quickly jot down two numbers, and slip it back before she walked away. The Wolfs' scrolls buzzed.
Go find your sister – Neo
Go find your brother – Neo
This is a trap, Katie thought as she made her way down an alley. I have to get back to beacon and make sure I'm not followed. If I can just get back to Beacon, I'll be safe. Katie came out of her alley into a crowded street and began sprinting. Jacob is smart. He'll do the same.
I looked at my phone. Somethings wrong. Someone's after us. If I can just find Katie, I'll be safe. I headed further into Vale. I just have to check all the bookshops on main street. I'll find Katie, and I'll be safe with her. I turned onto main street and headed further in. Unbeknownst to me, completely in the opposite direction Katie went. I gripped my sparring sword's Hilt tightly. I need to get my weapon first. I leaned against a wall and texted my sister, keeping my aura cover up. Where are you? ShadowFire should be done by now. Meet me at the blacksmith? I texted, sending the message through my scroll.
Katie was almost to the bulkhead. Her Scroll buzzed. She pulled up the message as she boarded. Where are you? ShadowFire should be done by now. Meet me at the blacksmith? – Jacob Katie's eyes widened. His first thought had been to get her. Fuck! Of course, he went straight to her! The blacksmith they left ShadowFire at was too far into the city! Katie pushed her way off the bulkhead as she sprinted into Vale.
Thank god neo warned me. I thought as I pushed my way through the crowd. If I don't get ShadowFire soon, I'll be defenseless. I Managed to make my way through the crowd to the blacksmith's shop. It was closed. There was a man out front who was leaning against the front wall, scanning the crowd. The man stood up from where he leaned and started straight towards me. He pushed his red sword out of its sheath with his left thumb and grabbed the hilt with his right hand. I'm fucked.
Jacob's fucked. Katie thought as she pushed people out of the way. He doesn't have a weapon! I seriously doubt that Neo was trying to warn us! She was just setting us up to get caught by whoever's after us.
I'm an Idiot, I thought as I barely parried another blow from my would-be assassin. Neo tried to warn me, but instead I went for my own weapon. I should have just grabbed my sister and ran! My mystery assailant rushed forward in a spinning attack. I ran to my left, the same direction he was spinning, as I barely dodged his blade. At least Katie was smart enough to drill all this swordplay into my head. I feinted an overhead attack. My attacker didn't fall for it, and rushed forward, intent to run me through. I slammed down with my sparring sword, pinning his blade to the ground before I kicked him in the guts, sending him backwards. My mystery assailant regarded me with new interest.
"A shame you weren't born a Faunus. I could have taught you how to use ShadowFire properly," the man said, sheathing his blade. I made a shoulder switch, preparing for an onslaught from the right. I looked down at his weapon. It was a sword, not unlike Fire, sheathed in a shotgun.
"Thanks, but I'm done being other people's pawn," I replied, laying my sparring sword across my forearm.
"No, you're not," he continued, "you've just changed which player moves your piece."
"what-" I started before he pulled the trigger on his gun, launching his sword into my face. FUCK. He rushed forward, grabbing the blade out of midair and slicing it, sending a red slash through the air. I raised my sparring sword to block, only to hear it brake with a chink and cut through the rest of my aura. I slumped against the wall, blood coming from my shoulders. "May I at least have the honor of knowing my assassin's name before I die?" I asked, watching the sun as it dipped in the sky, nearing his head.
"I am Adam Taurus, this is Blush, and this is Wilt," Adam said, touching his gun-sheath first, and raising his sword second.
"Would you like to know your mistake, Adam Taurus?" Adam paused for a moment, legitimate surprise on his face as he scanned me for a second weapon. "You wore a mask instead of sunglasses," I finished as I reflected the sun into his eyes through my broken training sword. Adam brought Blush down, but he couldn't see me dodging left and he missed by a hair's breadth. Luckily for me, he didn't notice the pissed off older sister behind him either. THUD. Katie swung her axe, fully extended into Adam's back, sending him flying over the blacksmith's shop and into another street, blue smoke pouring from her eyes.
"You're hurt!" Katie said, putting her axe away and helping me to my feet.
"How about we don't go into Vale alone from now on?" I replied, putting one arm around her as she picked up my bags of clothes.
"Yeah, let's just finishing practicing in Beacon."