Chapter 11 - ...Without Purpose
Why did I ask for another fight? Cardin wondered, as Yang jumped straight into the ring.
"Ms. Xiaolong! Next time, use the stairs like every student!" There was no 'please' in Glynda's warning, the sign that if the blonde girl were to repeat this feat, she would be in serious trouble.
"Sorry professor!" With that excited tone of hers, there was no way of telling if Yang took the lecture seriously.
"You both know the rules. Are you ready?" The headmistress wasted no time preparing the upcoming match.
The two students nodded, Cardin after a bit of silent grumbling and cursing on his decision. He aknwoledged the coutdown however, and focused on his opponent. A natural reaction for someone who doesn't want to lose... Without too much pain.
If one thing was sure, it was that she would come straight at him. Not that she had no way to fire projectiles, but just the fact that she likes to punch things up-close. Him included.
He picked his first move accordingly, all that was left was the sorceress to start the fight...
"Begin!"
In a litteral bang, the blonde brawler used two rounds of Ember Celica to propel herself toward her target. She shifted stance in mid air, one fist forward, ready to knock Cardin out, superman-style!
The latter was glad he guessed right, and hurled Pious Rogus into a full-power vertical strike. But again, he forgot an important point...
All the way during her flight, Yang had kept one gauntlet ready to alter her trajectory. She and her sister were quite adept in the aerial movement departement. In a mixture of adrenaline and disrespect, she fired another time to stray on her left, but only slightly. The flail only grazed her, but her extended hook still managed to land on the orange haired knight's shoulder.
"Fuck...!" This wasn't that painful, but for him, it still announced the color. How am I going to hit her?! Think!
Time he had not, as the brawler landed on the arena wall, only to bounce back toward him. He reflexively tried a circular attack to catch any horizontal movement, but that was something the battle-hardened Yang already saw billions of time. The counter was now natural for her: Fire a round to go up, and hit the head with all you got.
Urgh...! Flail is no good...! He concluded, while recovering rather quickly from the blow. He saw her come again from behind, and faked a flail swing. Be fooled...! Be fooled...! He repeated, until he saw a muzzle flash from the corner of his eyes. Yes! She's going left! And with that he attempted a sobat kick to catch the stinging bee.
But he took yet another hit. Cardin missed the following second because of the heavy punches his skull just sustained twice in a row. Even after trapping her, she exceeded his speed and went for a second change of direction, resulting in CRDL's leader current state. It was really bad, he had no way to defend, except... Fuck the finetoning... It's now or never!
For Yang, the path to victory was already lit. She could repeat her charge attack another 15 times at least, and her opponent was far too clumsy. Every strike left havok in its wake, but there was no way it could graze her. "Pfft... I expected better!" She whispered, visibly annoyed, before she lauched herself again.
The yellow missile had its target locked. Gonna finish this quick... Hmmm? She noticed something off about Cardin's current swing. Can't he even aim properly now? I'm not going that wa...! And then the flail started howling through the air, spinning around the handle, and effectively covering the boy's entire frame. She fired reflexively to dodge, but the attempt was rendered useless by the aspiration from Pious Rogus. In mere seconds, her opponent managed to accelerate the mouvement until the black metal could only be seen as a low growling blur. She was sucked toward the violent vortex! She braced herself. This is gonna hurt!
It worked! Cardin wasted no time and used his weapon's momentum to strike the girl. He saw her crash on the ground the same way Jaune did in the previous round. "Eh...! Not so tough huh?" he taunted, now that he had found the perfect counter.
"You wish." whispered Yang. The pain was still coursing through her left arm. But it wasn't enough to stop her. Not now, as she started to heat up.
For CRDL's leader, seeing someone rise after what could be considered one of his strongest moves like nothing happened was... Shocking. So much that he actually voiced it: "Are you fucking kidding me?! How?!"
Staring down at first, she finally looked up to meet his eyes with her own crimsons. A huge smirck appeared on her face. "'Cause I'm fuckin' burnin'!" Was the answer. The last word had been said in Cardin's face, as Yang moved like a golden flash, too fast for him to even see, and the she started relentlessly pummeling his torso.
"Wow... I didn't expect someone to actually withstand her hits that well..." Blake knew the real power behind her teammate's punches. Her attention, as well as Weiss', were forcefully caught the moment Yang ignited.
"Isn't she taking this a bit too... Seriously though?" Asked a dumbfounded heiress before the blonde's particularly rash behaviour.
"I think so too... Aouch...!" Ruby winced empathically upon seeing her big sister preparing her favorite blazing hook.
"Uryaaah!" The brawler shouted fiercly, while setting her Aura-empowered fist in motion, heading straight to Cardin's jaw. The blast resulting from the impact resonated in the whole room. She grinned. It had been a long time since she last used it, at Junior's club precisely.
It was supposed to be bright right now, with the flames and all. Not all black. And why was her skull hurting? Yang opened her eyes and started focusing again. She saw her opponent still standing, all worn out. One more second to get all her faculties back, and then she also registered him settling down from a previous rotating movement. "Dammit...! That backswing blow again!" she hissed.
"That very same move he used against the previous boy to turn tides..." Cinder observed. "But it won't be enough this time." She eyed the main screen, showing both fighters Aura levels. Cardin's was now red.
"Alright..." Glynda switched the arena's lights on again, and approached the center to announce the obvious result.
What... What is this...? Was wondering the still dizzy orange haired boy. On the flail's head were some... blonde locks?
"You..." A sudden heat came from behind him. He slowly turned to see two red eyes glaring at him. "What did you do...
-Ms. Xiaolong!" Warned the headmistress, who started drawing her crop, knowing too well were this would lead.
"...TO MY HAIR!" Flames erupted from her like from a miniature sun. Two rounds were fired behind her, with a deafening and blinding burst as they were shot powered by her fully-awakened Semblance.
Time then slowed down for the both of them.
For Cardin, there was no time to process.
There was no time to react to this ball of fury hurling toward him.
So there was only instinct left.
His hand strengthening its grip on Pious Rogus' handle.
His arm carrying the huge titanium weapon to meet the threat.
A mysterious white glow coating the black alloy.
The latter starting to pierce air as all that was in its path, even the air, was erased from existence.
It effectively allowed the flail to move at unnatural speed.
And he caught up with his aggressor's attack.
Even if the now berserk Yang was blinded by rage, everything from her body, to her instincts, up to her Aura screamed at her to stop. Her Semblance even seemingly developped a mind of its own, and burned forward like a rocket reactor, in an attempt to slow its wielder.
Yang aknowledged all the signs and reacted accordingly. Following her inner fire's exemple, she aimed in front of her and started firing repetitively, attempting to stop right on the spot.
But it was already to late.
Pious Rogus connected with the defensively held Ember Celica.
There was no resistance. Entire sections of the golden gauntlets were erased, until it created a malfunction in their revolving chambers.
And then Ember Celica exploded.
"YANNNNNNNG!" Ruby's desperate scream called. She rushed to her sister's side, leaving behind a trail of rose petals and tears.
Glynda was already tending to her, kneeling, and taking golden overheated metallic parts off their owner's arms with her telekinesis.
"Yang! Please! No! Wake up!" pleaded the crimson haired girl.
"Ms. ROSE!" The headmistress called, or rather shouted, startling Ruby and freezing her arms in place, which were previously nearing her big sis' shoulders. "Stay calm, and let me finish this! If I don't remove the remains of Ms. Xiaolong's weapon, she may lose her arms! And if you don't handle her carefuly, she may lose more!" It succeded at making her shake less and swallow her tears, but Ruby still couldn't take her eyes off the laying form of Yang.
Two hands patted her shoulders as her teammates arrived seconds later. "She's right, Ruby..." Said a caring Blake.
"Ms. Schnee?
-Yes professor!" Weiss's hand left her leader shoulder. She stood stiffly but ready.
"I need someone experienced in the use of freezing dust. Your teammate's arms and some shrapnels need to be cooled down. Do you think you're up to the task?"
Of course she felt so, but she still gave Ruby an asking sideglance. The latter nodded affirmatively. "I'll do it."
And then the following minute was spent with careful medications from both sorceresses, until the uncouncious Yang had her arms purged of any intrusive metal fragments, and bandaged to lessen te bleeding.
"She isn't endangered anymore." Concluded Glynda after checking the blonde girl's state. She and Weiss let out sighs of relief. "But we need to bring Ms. Xiaolong to the infirmary right away."
"We..." Started both Blake and Ruby.
"I'll do it...!" They were cut by an unexpected person, none other than Cardin.
It took some time for the girls to process what he said, but not too long before Ruby exploded in anger: "How dare you...!" She sniffled, but there was no way it could make the heinous tone fade away. "Stay away from her! You monster!
-I...!
-Shut! Up!" Each of the little leader's breaths were ragged... No. Rather growling with repressed anger. Tiny hysterical bits sometimes tainting the low sound. "Look what you did to her! And to Jaune before!
-But I...!
-We're fighting for people! We're fighting to protect! You...! You only know how to destroy!" There was now only one infuriated string of words left in Ruby's mouth, which she not so long ago swore she would never tell anyone in Beacon. It was the suprem insult for her, she even had nightmares about beeing told that: "You're not... You'll never be a hunter!"
And Cardin stood there, unable to look at her, and unable to retaliate.
Because there was nothing to avenge. Worst, someone had all the rights to exerce vengeance upon him.
"Beside, Mr. Winchester..." Glynda tried to solve the querel as pacifically as possible. "You don't even have the stamina to..." And then she froze, agape. "Yellow...?!" The sorceress whispered to herself, double-checking the aura level. It's impossible for someone to recover this quickly... Even for Mr. Arc! How can it be?
But Cardin was indeed, and suprisingly, in better shape than when the round ended. Physical shape at least, because the young man was clearly in stress, his thoughts racing.
"Fine." The headmistress resumed. "Take her to the infirmary, Mr. Winchester.
-What?!" Ruby's fury was now directed at her professor. "How can you?! He's the one who injured her! I'll never let him...!" Crescent Rose extended.
"Ms. Rose! Your sister was the one who attacked first!" Glynda shouted.
The little but dangerous leader took one step toward the one she held reponsible.
"Ms. ROSE!" The threatening tone made everone's heart skip a beat. There would be no third call. The headmistress' crop was creaking under her iron grip. She would not be late this time. "Let Mr. Winchester do what he must."
Ruby slowly transformed the scythe back to its sheated form, and stood aside, but still with her jaws tightly shut.
Cardin passed before her, catching the muffled "You'll regret this." from the trembling tiny frame.
He kneeled, and with extremely cautious movements that suprised everybody, placed Yang in a comfortable position, akin to a sleeping baby. He even stopped halfway through to take of his armored top and gauntlets to be sure they would not make the unconscious girl uncomfortable. The overall process took less than half a minute, and then he lifted Yang like she was a feather, departing for the infirmary.
"Alone." Glynda said to Blake, who was preparing to follow, and also the rest of CRDL from afar. "She will need you." She gestured toward the faunus' leader, who was now sobbing again on her knees, Weiss already trying to comfort her.
The sorceress cleared her throat loudly, intending to catch the attention of all the students, and then concluded: "Due to special circumtances, this class will now end. I sincerely hope that all of you learned from this particulary unfortunate accident. As hunters and huntresses in training, you're all, without exceptions, wielding great but dangerous powers." she paused, jauging the youngsters' reactions, which were far too silent. "Did I make myself clear?" She deemed necessary to ask.
"Yes... Professor..." The voices were hesitant, but in a good way: this was affecting them a lot, making them think twice about the burden they were already carrying. But inside, the witch still regretted that the lesson took a turn for the worse...
"Children... How long will they be able to play the part?" she whispered. Rembering Ozpin's words after teams RWBY and JNPR's devastating food fight. She could hear reassuring words from two girls of one of said teams, and their 15 years old leader who was still in tears.
"Dangerous, indeed." That pleased comment however, muffled between other whispers of the Haven group, the sorceress couldn't catch.
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God that season 3... Don't know if I should thank or hate the writers.
At least I'm now spoiler-proof.