"You really think Tristan will be able to get the truth out of him?" Nickole asked once Amber hung up.
"If he can get through Justin's thick skull he can get through anyone's." Amber laughed
"Thank you." Nickole sighed
"You're really worried about him huh?" Amber asked her.
"No I'm only terrified that my first ever boyfriend is having night terrors, pain from memories returning and the stress of knowing what happened to him." Nickole said sarcastically "Oh, and that he isn't telling me anything. Did I mention the part where I don't think he's telling me?"
"Ooookay, and how are you handling all this?" Amber asked
"How do you think?" Nickole asked sliding down off her chair "I'm freaking out, I'm surprised I've been keeping Kobalt from noticing."
"Oh come on your not that bad, if everything's as bad as you say then I think you're holding up pretty well." Amber told her "Besides, you've got enough on your plate, he's your first boyfriend."
"I like him, a lot. I just wish he was a little more normal sometimes," Nickole admitted "I mean come on, child soldier? I don't know how to handle that as his friend, let alone his girlfriend. This is nuts we only just started dating before we all found that out."
"You just need to be there for him, Dust knows he needs your help more than anyone else's." Amber added "Tristan will be good for dealing with the baggage and the darker side of what he must be going through. You need to be there to make him feel like a normal person."
"Used to be Tristan was the one helping him feel normal and I was helping with the baggage." Nickole sighed "Damn winds."
"Yea but right now, he's not going to want to talk with you about all this crazy stuff. Not until he's got his head on straight." Amber added "You're someone he wants to keep separate from that so he feels relaxed when he's with you."
"How do you even know all this?" Nickole asked
"Tristan and I have been dating for years, you think nothing crazy has happened in that time?" Amber asked "Trust me, there are things a guy doesn't want to talk about with his girlfriend. Tristan has never, not even once, told me about all the trouble he goes through with other girls. He doesn't want to talk about that and a thousand other things with me."
"Your boyfriend hasn't spent eleven years with-"
"Gonna stop you right there." Amber cut her off "Relax, I know he doesn't seem like it but Tristan can handle whatever going on in Kobalt's head, he's got a knack for it really. Now I need to help you deal with all this."
"And how on Remnant are you going to do that?" Nickole asked
"Simple, were going to have some girl time." Amber smiled
"Never use that phrase again." Nickole told her darkly. Her mind was already flashing back to last month when JADE used that as part of their ploy to get her and Kobalt together.
"Would you shut up and come on." Amber said standing up "You do know we need something to wear to the dance right? I don't know about you but I don't have anything nice enough."
"Alright fine let's go," Nickole caved, at least Amber wasn't like JADE. "Let me just grab my, damnit."
"What?"
"I left my wallet back at Kobalt's home." Nickole realized as she grabbed her jacket. "It's not far, just a small detour. Across town."
"Wait, wallet? Do you not own a purse?" Amber asked
"No. Why, should I?"
"Other than the obvious benefits of not needing to stuff things in your pocket, it's so much easier for carrying said stuff around." Amber said pulling half a dozen different things out of a bright red purse "Plus it's actually socially acceptable for girls to carry purses everywhere. Tristan used to complain so much whenever he had leave his backpack somewhere but me and my little purse could go right on through."
"Okay, I've done fine without a purse all these years." Nickole told her confused why this was such a big deal.
"How many of those years were spent at your estate?" Amber asked "I guarantee a single day living like you're not rich will make you wish you had one."
"Can we just go get my wallet now?"
Seraphina was in the middle of grading exams in the kitchen when she heard a knock on the door. She opened it to see Nickole standing there with another girl with short brown hair.
"Hi Mrs. Ward, just came to pick up my wallet." Nickole said "I must've dropped it out of my pocket when I got up this morning."
"Oh its fine come right on in." Sera said opening the door all the way for the two girls. "I think I saw it by the couch actually."
"Thanks, can't believe I forgot it I'm usually so much better about that." Nickole said heading for the den.
"This wouldn't have happened if you owned a purse." The other girl teased
"I'm sorry I don't think we've been introduced." Sera said turning to the new girl "I'm Seraphina Ward, are you a friend of Nickole's?"
"Yeah my names Amber, I'm also Tristan's girlfriend but I think that title's a bit worn out at this point." She laughed
"Tristan, he was the one with the lighter hair right?" Sera asked, she had only met the rest of Kobalt's friends once. Nickole was the only one to stop by the house so far. "Kind of-"
"A ham, thinks he funny?" Amber asked, Sera nodded "Yup that's him, the things our men think of themselves."
"Don't even get me started." Sera sighed thinking back to Marek when he was young.
"But Kobalt seems nice," Amber added "I've only really met him twice, but despite the whole amnesia thing he seems like a great guy."
"Well he's getting past the amnesia now, so hopefully he'll get even better." Nickole said coming back as she slipped her wallet into her pocket.
"All set?" Amber asked
"Yup, let's go."
"Where are you two heading?" Sera asked
"We're heading out to pick out dresses for the dance." Nickole said "Actually would you care to join us? I don't know about Amber but I don't really know where any good stores are around here."
"I'd love to, just let me grab my purse." Sera said heading for her room
"Told you." Amber hummed
"Oh shut up." Nickole quipped
"Come on," Sera said opening the door "I know just the place."
Fifteen minutes later Sera was leading the two girls into a small store at the edge of the commercial district. The second she walked through the doors memories of being here over twenty years ago flooded her mind. This was where she bought the dress she wore to her own dance. It felt like so much longer ago than it really was, looking back so much had changed since her first year at Haven.
"Mrs. Ward, you okay?" Nickole asked, "You're zoning out on us."
"Hm? Oh yes I'm fine, just thinking back to when I was your age." She smiled "I still remember going to the dance with Marek all those years ago."
"If you don't mind me asking, what's he like?" Nickole asked "Kobalt doesn't even remotely want to talk about him."
"What's Marek like?" Sera hummed, how to answer that question? "When I met him I guess he was a little like Kobalt is now, kind, smart, caring. But unlike his son he took his time growing up over the years, I think Haven did a number for that."
"How'd you two meet? It sounds like you knew him before Haven." Amber noted
"I told I was from Atlas right?" Sera asked "Well I met him when I was fourteen, Marek came to see my father."
"Why did he need to see your father?"
"My maiden name is Grace, you should recognize it Nickole." Sera hinted
"Grace? As in Sterling Grace?" Nickole asked
"Who?" Amber asked a confused look on her face
"My father is the premier weapons expert in Atlas, and head of Graceful Engineering." Sera explained "His great grandfather made a deal with Marek's ages ago to help make every Ward a weapon. It was only a matter of time before Marek came to us. But enough about me, were here for you two. Let's find you some dresses."
It didn't take long for Amber to find a dress for herself, ten minutes after they started searching she came out of the fitting room with a sky blue strapless dress on. She didn't even wait for Sera or Nickole's opinion before walking to the counter and purchasing it. Nickole on the other hand was taking much longer, Sera could tell she had no experience buying clothes whatsoever. In her frustration the young Huntress in training practically collapsed on a chair after changing out of the last dress she had tried on.
"Why don't you let me find something?" Sera suggested, giving the girl a moment to relax. Sera wandered around the store until a single dress caught her eye, her gut practically screamed at her to grab the dress. She walked back over to Nickole with it in hand and nudged her into the dressing room. A few short minutes later Nickole walked out wearing a beautiful light grey evening gown with gold embroidering around the chest. With her hair down she looked even more amazing.
"Wow, Kobalt isn't going to know what hit him." Amber laughed
"Really, it looks that good?" Nickole asked looking at herself in the mirror.
"Really," Sera said, glad to have been here to see it. "In fact I'd say it's perfect."
"And I thought I would be turning heads at the dance." Amber chuckled, Sera was about to say she still would went she heard her scroll go off. She pulled it out of her purse to see a message from Leandros titled 'Problem'.
"Looks like I have to go," Sera sighed as she stood up and made for the exit "It was nice meeting you Amber, enjoy the rest of the day girls."
"Thanks for coming." Nickole said turning back to the dressing room, "And, thanks for helping me out."
"Now we just need to buy you a purse." Amber teased
"Oh for the love of the wind if it will shut you up then fine!" Nickole shouted from the dressing room.
Sera laughed as she left for Haven, and she had to admit it was nice to get to know Nickole. But whatever Leandros wanted couldn't be good, the headmaster was rarely called her in on her free time. If something was making him message her on a Friday afternoon, it must be big.
Nickole let Amber drag her between a few different stores to look at purses, in the end she convinced Nickole to buy a small white purse and that was the end of it. With that out of the way they had nothing left to do in town. Their dresses were being sent to the Gareth compound where Amber was staying, and they both had everything they needed until then so they wound up just wandering around Mistral for an hour or so. Nickole was just about to suggest heading to Haven to see the guys when she felt someone staring at her.
"Well if it isn't Ms. Gareth." a girl's voice called out behind her. Nickole turned to see the girl she'd met at Haven with Kobalt the other day, Luna something?
"Luna right, what are you out for?" Nickole asked cautiously, this girl had seriously rubbed her the wrong way when they'd met. And even now she could feel the tension in the air between them.
"Oh just taking a stroll, picking up some supplies and whatnot," Luna said "And you? Wasting your money on useless junk like that purse?"
"Hey that purse is nice and goes well with her." Amber said coming to her defense.
"No point playing nice then," Nickole muttered "Look let's just go Amber, no point staying here with her."
"I must say I can't see what Kobalt is doing with someone like you." Luna sneered as they turned around to leave "So rude to leave without saying goodbye, perhaps I shouldn't be so surprised given your family."
"Excuse me?" Nickole questioned turning on her heels, the remark about her family was not what she had been expecting. Nickole had a feeling this was bound to happen after Tristan's new trouble with girls, but she didn't imagine any girl after Kobalt would insult her family as well.
"You heard me," Luna said calmly "He deserves so much better than some spoiled brat playing at being a Huntress. Is that what you high class people do when you're bored? Pretend to help the world."
"Look I don't know who you think you are, but you had better watch what you say about my family." Nickole said getting up in her face, "So instead of insulting someone you don't know, why don't you save your opinions for someone who gives a damn?"
"Woah Nickole, take it easy." Amber said grabbing her shoulder "This isn't worth starting a fight over."
"What would you even know about it?" Nickole asked shaking Amber off, "Do you even know what my family does? What makes you think you're better than us?"
"Because unlike you my family wasn't born rich and famous." Luna nearly spat, "I had to work for everything my family has now. We had nothing before I started entering tournaments to provide for them."
"Langlias, I thought I heard your name before." Nickole realized "You think winning all those tournaments makes you better than everyone else don't you?"
"Not everyone, just you." Luna glared
"Wanna bet, why don't we settle this the way my family does." Nickole said "Unless you're afraid to fight a first year Beacon student."
"Nickole I really don't think this is a good idea," Amber tried to reason "Let's just go."
"What do you say? I bet the arena at Haven is empty right now, no one around to see you get your pretentious ass handed to you." Nickole challenged.
"Perhaps you should've listened to your friend there." Luna said, a smug look on her face.
"I really don't think this is a good idea." Amber said as Nickole changed into her armor.
"Too late," Nickole shrugged "That bitch has some nerve saying all that."
"So what, it's not like Kobalt would even consider going around with someone like that right?" Amber asked
"That's not the point, though I'd be lying if I didn't think she was after something along those lines." Nickole muttered
"Hey I've been dealing with this longer than you have, let it go."
"Amber did Tristan tell you about what he's been dealing with lately?" Nickole asked
"No, what's been going on?"
"Apparently all the girls here were asking Tristan about Kobalt after he fought the headmaster and won." Nickole told her "They were more interested in him than Tristan, what does that tell you."
"That you really need to go out there a knock this one around for a while." Amber sighed "And here I was worried you weren't thinking this out."
"Honestly that's not even why I'm doing this. I don't give a damn if she's after Kobalt or not." Nickole said "No one talks about my family like that. And for the record I think everything out."
"Well that's not true." Amber scoffed "Remember how you were telling me about how Kobalt stopped you from going after Black Knight?"
"Shut up, are you my friend or not?" Nickole asked
"The only one of em with any sense." Amber nodded as she turned around to go back to the benches "I hope you know what you're doing."
You and me both, Nickole thought once she was gone.
When she walked out into the arena, the first thing Nickole noticed Luna was still wearing the same dress as before. The only difference now was that she was holding what looked like a baton in her hand. Nickole had to remind herself that armor wasn't what most other Huntress' wore, and not to underestimate her without it. The second thing she noticed, was that for some reason the stands were filling in with students. How had word spread that this was happening? Doesn't matter, Nickole told herself, just more people to watch me kick her ass.
"It's not too late to walk away." Luna taunted from across the arena
"Fat chance." Nickole said as she raised Damocles in rifle from, she fired off a quick burst as a test. Sure enough Luna reacted in an instant, the baton she was carrying suddenly grew a blade of energy and a trio of small silver orbs formed around her. One of the orbs expanded and blocked the shots.
"How uncivilized," Luna laughed "Is that how Gareths say hello?"
"Are insults are you have, or is there actually a Huntress buried somewhere in there?" Nickole asked as she boosted herself forward, switching Damocles into its sword form. She raked her sword across Luna's chest, but another orb came up and bounced the blade away. Nickole threw an impact rune on her shield and bashed Luna with everything she had. In response Luna brought her own blade up and took the hit without so much as a step back. Nickole switched to getting up close with her sword, hopefully she'd be too close for any of those orbs to stop her. He slashed at Luna from the side, but a bright light flashed and Nickole watched as her sword was parried away effortlessly like it was a toy. Every time Nickole tried to hit Luna her blade twirled seemingly out of nowhere and knocked it away. And each time Luna would repay her with a quick swipe of her blade wherever Nickole had lowered her guard. This was insufferable, there was no way this girl had better training than her. She spent years learning from her father and brother, but against this girl she couldn't even land a hit. She was being toyed with, and it was painfully obvious to anyone watching.
As she watched Luna spin the blade in her hand as though it was weightless, Nickole admitted it was going to take far more than frontal attacks to beat this girl. She leapt back to give herself a moment to think, her runes were her best bet without a doubt, but which ones to use and how?
"Don't tell me you're getting scared now." Luna teased, Nickole ignored her and focused on her plan. She charged in, hacking with her blade knowing it wouldn't do anything. But as she was distracting Luna with a wild series of attacks, she tapped her foot to the ground and planted a explosive rune on the ground. Twelve seconds, she noted as she set the timer on that rune, she spun around circling Luna and placing another rune to her left. Ten seconds, spun to the right, eight, flipped around her, six. Just as she placed the last rune she charged at Luna and used one of her orbs to jump over her and land a solid twenty feet away. While she was in the air she sheathed her sword and shield and raised her hands, creating her lockdown rune right on top of Luna.
"Is this the best you've got, holding me still?" Luna laughed as she realized she was unable to move her body. Zero. The four runes Nickole placed around Luna detonated simultaneously in a single massive blast. Most of what she faced hadn't withstood a single large variant of that rune going off, but Nickole wasn't taking a chance against this self-righteous, stuck up…
"I must say you almost had me there," Luna's voice rang out as the smoke from the blast began to clear. "Perhaps if you had been a trifle faster that might have hurt."
Nickole looked in awe as she saw a large orb fade away revealing Luna unscathed. Somehow the tiny orbs she was using before expanded into a massive one to shield her from the explosion. Before she could even respond one of those very orbs flew out of the smoke and impacted on her chest. The sheer force of the impact left her gasping for air, but the small explosion that followed knocked her off her feet. She was still in the air when the second orb hit, sending her flying into the wall. She left her Aura behind as she bounced off it and landed on her chest on the far side of the arena. She looked up to see Luna shaking her head at her.
"I don't know why I expected any more from you, you're nothing more than third rate trash." Luna spat as she raised her hand. She flicked her wrist and the last orb rushed towards Nickole too fast for her to track. She closed her eyes to brace for the impact when she felt someone standing in front of her. She opened them to see Kobalt kneeling in front of her, he hand up and a shield of black fire spiraling out from it. She didn't even have to look at his face, she could feel the menace radiating off of him. She had known him for months now, and she had only felt something like this once. It was terrifying, even laying behind him and his shield she was afraid of what might happen.
"Try that again, I dare you." Kobalt spat as he stood back up.
"Kobalt?" Luna stammered "What are you doing here?"
"What the hell is going on?" he asked Luna angrily
"Just a friendly match between two respective students." Luna smiled "It was actually Nickole's-"
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Kobalt raged, "If that was a friendly match then why did you keep attacking. With Nickole's Aura gone if I hadn't stopped you that could have seriously hurt her!"
"Oh come now Kobalt I'd never hurt her, she's-"
Kobalt cut her off with a short burst of fire towards the side of her head. It blasted past her and burned a hole in the wall.
"You felt that right?" Kobalt asked lowering his hand "Lie to me again, and I won't just graze you."
"Oh Kobalt I'm not lying." Luna said still smiling, Nickole didn't even see him move. One second he was standing over her, the next he was in front of Luna well within striking range. He slammed his fist into her gut and sent her flying to the far end of the arena. After that he calmly walked back over and picked Nickole up, if she didn't know better she'd have sworn his eyes were darker than usual.
"I don't know who you think you are, and I don't care if you are one of my mother's favorite students." Kobalt warned as he started carrying Nickole away "Hurt my girlfriend again and I will break you in half."
"You dare?" Luna asked summoning a half a dozen orbs around her, her face twisted in rage. "I will show you just who I am."
"Careful Luna, haven't you heard about him." A voice warned from the audience. Nickole looked up to see the white haired guy from before, the one they were sure was Midori's kid.
"Furi? This is none of your business." Luna spat
"I know you weren't here to see it, but this is the guy that took on Leandros for attacking Professor Ward, what do you think he'll do if you keep pressing this." The boy continued "As much as I would enjoy watching him show you what he can do, how do you think it would turn out?"
Luna huffed for a moment and turned away, heading to the opposite exit.
"You alright?" Kobalt asked Nickole once they were out of the arena. "How do you feel, you look pale."
"I'm fine," she choked out
"Nickole." Kobalt pressed as he carried her back to the dorm room.
"I might need to lie down." She admitted, hoping that would be enough to keep him from worrying. Something was wrong, she could feel it, Kobalt felt like he was further away than ever before.
A/N
Well that was fun, it's always a good time writing your favorite character get her ass handed to her on a silver platter. For the record, yes Nickole is my favorite member of KNGT not Kobalt. He's a close second though.
Also for the record, she didn't stand a chance in that duel for multiple reasons. Foremost of which is her lack of information on her opponent and the way she rushed in not really thinking despite that fact. But Luna does also have years of experience on Nickole especially when it comes to one on one duels. Oh and that little bit with the purse? I wrote it solely to show how petty Luna is, that's the only reason it came up at all. Could that have been done better and in a less stereotypical way? Probably. Could I think of one? No.
So Kobalt's getting a little over protective there huh? Yeah he's not doing well, poor guy. Dance my puppet dance!
And don't worry, actual plot and important stuff will be coming soon. Right now is just a bit of additional character development now that Kobalt's memories are coming back and we see how he handles it.
As always; comment, critique, tear my work apart and point out all the glaring flaws if you feel like. Just let me know so I can make this better going on.