And here's the next chapter! Sorry I wasn't able to pump out 2 chapters in a week, this fight scene was harder to do than I imagined it would be. (The Re: Zero ost is great stuff to listen to while writing fight scenes). Anyway, hope you all enjoy it!
Nora stretched her arms, grinning at her opponents. Nebula was a pretty woman with short indigo hair, dressed in formfitting gray clothes and a blue long coat. She had a crossbow slung across her back. She smiled back at her. Dew was leaning against her spear, a bored expression on her face, her dirty blonde hair covering a part of her face. She wore a green sleeveless dress over her golden scale armor. They were both quite tan.
"I don't think it would be ludicrous to say that this match has been hotly anticipated; two fan favorites battling it out." Port boomed.
"Agreed Peter; Team NDGO was a favorite back at Vacuo, and after their crushing defeat of Team SLVR in the first round, they have cemented their place with this crowd. And it goes without saying how excited everyone is to see Pyrrha Nikos fight again." Oobleck added.
Nora unslung her hammer, the screens around the arena spinning through the biomes. She heard a ping, and the ground shook as the biomes rose into place. A desert rose behind Nebula and Dew, an artificial sun forming above the desert, nearly blinding her with its brightness. A multitude of rectangular gun metal blue panels rose up, shifting and moving around, Black Dust crystals embedded in them. Anti-gravity panels. Nora smirked. She craned her head and saw an ice field and a swamp rise up behind them. She looked back and saw Nebula and Dew looking back at the desert. Nebula threw up a fist in excitement.
"Home field advantage again, wooh!" Nebula said, unslinging her crossbow.
"Don't think it's gonna help you in this fight," Nora said. Nebula and Dew looked back at them, Dew yanking her spear out of the arena floor.
"We'll see about that," Dew said.
"Three, two, one! Begin!"
Nora charged forward, Pyrrha running behind her. She leapt towards Nebula, swinging her hammer down with a laugh. She saw a gold blur and grunted as her hammer hit Dew's spear. Dew was scowling, standing between her and Nebula. Nebula gave her a smile as her crossbow turned into a sword. Dew spun her spear, wrenching her hammer from her hands. Nora stepped back, Dew smirked.
Pyrrha shot past her, leaping over Dew and landing next to Nebula. Nebula's eyes shot open, throwing up her sword just in time to catch Pyrrha's spear.
"Nebula!" Dew turned away for a moment, and Nora sprinted over to her hammer, scooping it up, and turning to Dew. She grunted as her spear came crashing into her hammer. Dew shoved forward with her spear, the tip aimed at her face. Nora grit her teeth, trying to raise her hammer. Dew grinned, the white gem in her spear head starting to glow. Nora's eyes widened.
"Oh crap!"
A shot of air sprang from the spear head, hitting her in the face, launching her into the air. Wind Dust. She hit the ground with pained groan, coughing as she struggled to her feet. She glowered at Dew, and gasped as Dew stabbed her spear into the ground, a twister springing forth, aimed at her. She ran from the twister, leaping into the muck filled waters of the swamp.
Nebula ducked under her spear, stabbing at her with her sword. Pyrrha knocked the blow aside with her shield, shoving forward. Nebula stepped back, holding her sword in front of her. Her eyes darted away for a second, and Pyrrha lunged.
Nebula leapt out of the way, making a break for the anti-gravity panels. Her crossbow sprang into place and she turned and fired a shot as she was launched into the air. Pyrrha raised her shield, her arm kicking back as the bolt struck her shield. She lowered it and saw Nebula standing on a panel, upside down. Nebula grinned at her, taking aim again.
Pyrrha sprinted, darting around her bolts as she fired at her. She leapt into the anti-gravity field, smirking as a gray shimmer surrounded her.
"Is-?"
"Why indeed she is! Ms. Nikos is using her semblance to negate the effects of the panels!"
Pyrrha's smug smirk grew as she landed on the panel beneath Nebula.
Muck and water splashed into the air as she landed, soaking into her clothes. She stepped back from the tree line, tightening her grip on her hammer. Dew came crashing through the trees, yelling as she jumped from a small twister. Nora jumped out of the way as Dew slammed her spear into the muck. Dew's body spun, her hands on the spear, her legs shooting out and hitting Nora in the face. Nora fell back, sputtering, and sneered as Dew landed in the water, yanking her spear out of the muck.
Dew lunged, and Nora hit her spear head away from her chest, swinging her hammer and striking Dew across the face with the staff. Nora yelled, swinging at Dew. Dew sidestepped her, ducking low beneath her swings. She jabbed at her, slicing her with her spear. Nora grit her teeth, her grenade launcher springing into place. Fear shot through Dew's face as Nora fired at her with a laugh. Dew spun her spear, blowing a cyclone at the grenades. Dew twirled her spear, shooting the grenades out of the swamp.
Nora charged, bringing her hammer out, swinging with a yell. Dew caught her blow, snarling as she struggled against Nora's strength. Dew's eyes darted down for a moment, and she grinned at her, pushing forward. Nora snarled, and screamed as she felt herself suddenly pulled down. She gasped, losing her grip on her hammer, water and slime splashing into her eyes. A force in the water was sucking her down. She fell into the water, and started swimming as hard as she could. She broke the surface, gasping for air. She got to her feet, her body soaked and grimy, and spun to face Dew. Dew pulled her spear out of the water, the whirlpool she had formed dissipating.
Dew tossed her spear into her other hand as Nora raised her fists. Dew stretched her neck, walking towards, tossing her spear from hand to hand.
"Let's have some fun," Dew said. Nora shifted her legs, taking the stance Yang had shown her. Dew caught her spear, stabbing it into the water behind her. Dew launched herself at her, water spraying into the air as she sped forward. Nora stood her ground, throwing a hook. Dew dodged out the way, sliding between Nora's legs and springing up behind her. Nora spun around, punching at her. Dew dodged her punches, and stabbed at her with her spear. Nora grabbed the spear shaft, yanking forward and slamming her head into Dew's. Dew grunted in pain, grasping her head as Nora kicked her in the gut, knocking her into the water. Dew glared up at her, leaning against her spear as she stood. Nora smirked, cracking her knuckles. Dew narrowed her eyes.
Dew twirled her spear, the Dust crystal glowing. A vortex sprang from her spear, knocking Nora off her feet, and hurling her into a tree. The winds buffeted against her face, and she strained to open her eyes. Dew snarled at her, and swung her spear at another tree, the vortex mimicking her. Nora screamed as she was slammed into another tree, hearing it crack as she hit it. It was hard to breathe, the winds beating against her, ripping and tugging at her. Dew jerked the spear skyward, and Nora was thrown into the air, soaring above the trees. Her stomach flipped, her arms flailing, yelling as she fell towards the water. Dew was a green and gold flash as she slammed her spear into her, launching her into a tree, crashing through it.
Nebula stared at her in shock before shaking her head, her sword springing into place. Nebula swung at her and Pyrrha jumped up, spinning in the air to land on the panel Nebula was on. Nebula spun to face her, grunting as she blocked Pyrrha's spear thrust in the nick of time. Nebula slashed at her, and Pyrrha ducked under the blade, sliding against the panel. She slammed the staff of her spear into the back of Nebula's knees. She fell onto her knees, grunting in pain.
Pyrrha's head whipped over at the sound of explosions; several grenades going off outside the tree line of the swamp. Pyrrha frowned, and yelped as Nebula's hilt struck her in the face. She staggered back, raising her spear, deflecting Nebula's slashes. She jumped above Nebula's swing, landing on the platform below them, spinning and thrusting upward. Nebula hissed in pain as the spear hit her shoulder.
Nebula ran, leaping toward a moving panel near her. Her sword transformed into a crossbow as she turned in the air, firing at Pyrrha. Pyrrha reached out, a gray shimmer enveloping the bolt as it was hurled back at Nebula. Her eyes widened, rolling out of the way as she landed, the bolt embedding itself into the metal.
Pyrrha ran to the edge of the platform, tossing her shield into the air and leaping onto it, spring boarding towards Nebula with a yell. Nebula 'eeped', firing another bolt at her. Pyrrha caught it with her hand, landing and hurling it at her. She slammed her spear shaft into Nebula's face, knocking her off of the platform. Nebula screamed, before grunting.
Pyrrha peeked around the edge, surprised to see Nebula being suspended in the air by a twister. She looked over to see Dew sprinting towards them, her spear aimed at Nebula. Pyrrha glanced over at the scoreboard, narrowing her eyes; Nora's picture was grayed out. She held her hand out, feeling her shield slide back into place. She took a stance as Nebula was raised onto the platform, a confident smirk on her face. She heard Dew land behind her.
Nebula and Dew charged her at the same time. She sidestepped Dew's spear, parrying Nebula's sword wither her spear and slamming her shield into Nebula's face. Nebula grunted, swing at her face as Dew stabbed at her stomach. Pyrrha spun out of the way of the blades, turning her body and stabbing at Dew while kicking away Nebula's sword.
She parried another stab at her with her shield, hissing as Nebula's sword raked over her arm. She kicked Nebula away before leaping onto the platform to their left, landing gracefully. She collapsed her spear and shield, sheathing them. She grit her teeth, feeling a bead of sweat forming on her brow as a gray shimmer enveloped one of the smaller platforms. She saw Nebula and Dew look at her in confusion, and the confusion turn to fear as Pyrrha swung the platform with a yell.
They screamed as they were sent flying out of the biome, Nebula slamming into a rocky outcropping in the desert biome, her aura crackling around her as she collapsed into the sand. Dew frantically twirled her spear while in the air, a cyclone forming around her.
Pyrrha drew her spear and shield, leaping from platform to platform, and tossing her shield into the air with her semblance. She jumped from it, colliding with Dew, knocking her out of her cyclone. They struggled against each with their spears as they fell, Dew struggling against her.
They hit the sand, hard, Dew groaning in pain. Pyrrha shoved forward with her spear, trying to choke Dew with the staff. She cried out in pain as she felt something kick in the back, and Dew tossed her off, struggling to her feet. Pyrrha rose up, frowning, her body slick with sweat. Dew smirked, and stabbed her spear into the sand; a dust devil springing forth. Pyrrha gasped as she was thrown into the air, swirling with the vortex. She turned her spear into a rifle, ignoring the droning voice of Oobleck and Port as she neared the arena edge. She squeezed one eye shut as she aimed, and fired.
Dew screamed, a bright flash surrounding her spear as the Dust crystal exploded. The dust devil died instantly and Pyrrha landed into the sand with a grunt, looking up at Dew as she was busy staring at her spear head in disbelief.
She charged forward with a yell, and Dew looked away from her spear in time to catch her blow. They swung at each, stabbing, jabbing, parrying, their spears interlocking. Pyrrha shoved forward, knocking Dew off balance, and she fell into the sand. Pyrrha spun her spear, slamming the base of it into Dew's face. Her blue's eyes widened as her aura broke, crackling green around her.
Pyrrha exhaled, stabbing her spear into the ground as the crowd erupted in applause.
"And in a stunning turnaround, Pyrrha Nikos wins the round for Team JNPR!" Port exclaimed.
Pyrrha held out her hand to Dew, smiling. Dew looked at her hand warily before gingerly taking it. Pyrrha pulled her up, clasping her on the shoulder.
"You fought well. I honestly thought I wasn't going to win." Pyrrha said. Dew smiled back at her.
"It was an honor to get to compete against you." She looked over at her spear, at the shattered Dust crystal. She bit her lip. "I wish you hadn't done that to my weapon though." Pyrrha's smile fell and she squeezed Dew's shoulder.
"I know someone who might be able to replace that crystal. It's the least that I can do." She said. Dew's face lit up, and Pyrrha let go of her shoulder. With a sigh she let the old camera smile appear on her face as she turned to the camera's, waving.
She took a drag from her cigarette as she sat on the rooftop. The air was cold, the smoke warm in her lungs. She exhaled, blowing a ring with the smoke.
"Coco?" She looked back and saw Velvet standing near the roof door. Her ears were drooping, and she had her hands behind her back.
"Hey Velv. Didn't hear ya come up." She pulled the pack out of her pocket and held it out to Velvet as she sat down next to her. Velvet motioned no with her hand and Coco frowned, but pocketed it. Velvet let one of her legs dangle off the side, resting her arm on her knee as she stared at the horizon. Coco took another drag as she watched her. Velvet looked over at her.
"How are you feeling, Coco?"
Coco flexed her bad leg; it was still sore from the hit it took in the match the other day but it didn't feel too terrible. Velvet rested her hand on her leg, rubbing her knee.
"I've been worried about you, Coco. That mission Ozpin had us do really got to you." Coco frowned, and Velvet retracted her hand at the look Coco gave her. "You've been drinking and smoking more. You seem more tired, like you aren't sleeping. And now with that fight in the tournament, I'm really starting to worry." Coco's brow furrowed. "You said you saw Yatsuhashi in the forest with you, right?" Coco spat out the butt of her cigarette, pulling out the pack and grabbing a new one.
"Yeah, I did." She said, lighting the cigarette. She took a drag. "I'm not crazy, Velv. I did see him; I heard him walk up behind me too."
"I believe you when you say that you saw him, but that's what worries me. He wasn't really there, Coco." Velvet played with her hands for a moment, hesitant. "Maybe it's time to give Doctor Duerf a visit?" she said quietly.
"So I'm fucking crazy is what you're trying to tell me?" Coco spat. Velvet's gaze fell.
"Of course not, Coco. But Beacon's training is taxing; physically and mentally. I just think you might benefit from some type of counseling." Velvet hesitated before reaching her hand out, slipping it into Coco's. Coco looked away. "I love you, Coco. I just want what's best for you." Coco flicked the cigarette away, and sighed.
"If I get sent to a looney bin, I'm dumping you." Velvet giggled.
They stayed like that for a while; her smoking and Velvet holding her hand. Coco flicked the butt of her cigarette away, and sighed.
"Sucks we lost." She said.
"At least we still have JNPR to root for." Coco looked over at her, cocking her head to the side.
"What about RWBY?" she asked. Velvet looked away, kicking her foot in the air. Coco's eyebrow's rose, her mouth parting as she looked at Velvet. "Do you not like them?"
"Ruby and Yang are nice." Coco blinked.
"And Weiss and Blake?" Velvet was quiet.
"Let's talk about something else." She finally said.
"Um, okay. Sure."
They sat in silence.
Penny sniffed the black rose she had picked up. She smiled at the floral scent and held it out to Ruby.
"What do you think of this one, Ruby?"
Ruby looked up from the yellow hydrangeas' she had been looking at. She smiled.
"I love black roses; they're a super rare Vacuon flower."
"Would you like to purchase it?" Ruby considered it for a moment, chewing on her lip, before shaking her head.
"Nah. I had to lend some money to Weiss, so I can't buy much right now." Penny cocked her head to the side.
"Weiss is a part of the Schnee family; they are the richest family on Remnant, why does she need to borrow money from you, Ruby?" Ruby shrugged.
"Her dad cut her off or something like that. She didn't really explain it all that well." She picked up a white rose. "But she's my team mate, and we look out for each other." She set the rose down, and turned to look at her. "Wanna go check out that weapon's stall we passed? I think they had some cool stuff down there." Penny nodded, setting the black rose back down on the counter.
It was crowded as they made their way to the stall, people crowded around the various booths, laughing and talking, playing with whatever was for sale or dining on the various foods for sale. Penny held onto Ruby's hand as they made their way there. She saw a balloon stand, the Faunus running the stand had a painted face, and slowed down, her hand slipping from Ruby's. She grasped her head, gasping in pain, squeezing her eyes shut.
Which balloon would you like, Penny?
The red one, Papa!
A gentle laugh, the most reassuring sound.
The red one it is.
She opened her eyes, lowering her hands, breathing hard. She swallowed, her breathing slowing. She looked over at Ruby, who was watching her, concerned.
"You okay?" Penny looked at her hands, opening and closing them. She nodded.
"I think so. I... I am not sure what came over me, Ruby." She looked up at her and smiled. "But I am feeling okay now. Let us continue on our way!" Ruby looked her over before holding her hand out. Penny took it, and the continued to the stall.
Ruby's eyes seemed to sparkle as she looked at the various weapons, oooing and awwwing at the various knives, swords, and spears. She picked up a dagger, placing her finger against the edge.
"Ow!" she exclaimed, dropping the blade, shaking her finger. Penny saw blood start to run down before Ruby pressed her finger against her dress. A maroon light flickered around Ruby for a moment, and she held her finger in front of her. The bleeding had stopped, and a small pink scar was where the cut had been. Penny cocked her head to the side, looking at her hands; her hands had completely healed from when that truck grill had ripped her hands up. She looked back at Ruby as she rubbed her finger, grimacing. Lines crisscrossed her palms, small white scars on her fingers, and calluses at the base of her fingers. Penny blinked and looked back at her hands; they were completely smooth, no lines, no scars, not even finger prints. She flexed her fingers, her mind drifting to Weiss.
Her arm's had been covered in scars; large, thick scars that went from one end to the other, and a multitude of small scars crisscrossing from her wrist to her elbow. A number of tiny ones covered her hands. Penny frowned, and looked over at Ruby.
"Ruby? Those scars on your hands, what are they from?" Ruby looked at her, confused, before glancing down.
"Oh. Crescent Rose is really sharp and sometimes I wouldn't pay attention while sharpening it, or would test the edge to make sure it was sharp enough. Nothing to worry about." Penny cocked her head to the side.
"I see. And the scars on Weiss' arms…. those were not from accidents, right?" Ruby's face fell, and she kicked at nothing.
"Yeah. Those weren't done on accident. I uh… I can't really say why Weiss would do that to herself, other than she must have been in a lot of pain."
"She wanted to self-terminate, that is what those types of scars mean, right?" Ruby sighed.
"Yeah, she's talked about wanting to do that before." Penny played with her hands, unsure of how to ask it politely.
"Do you ever want to harm yourself, Ruby? To self-terminate?" Ruby looked at her, shock on her face.
"What? No, I don't want to die, Penny. Where is this coming from?"
"You said you are not good at expressing your feelings, and you were really troubled after the Breach. I never noticed the scars on your hands before now. Weiss seemed to resort to that out of a lack of having someone to talk to about her issues. I wanted to make sure that you were feeling okay." Ruby's lips parted for a moment, before she smiled at Penny. She reached for her hand, holding it.
"I'm doing okay, Penny. Thank you. If I ever do start to get bad thoughts like that, I'll talk it out with you."
"Promise?" Ruby giggled, and leaned in. Her lips were soft, and tasted like strawberries. Ruby broke the kiss, pulling back. Love was in her silver eyes.
"Promise." She said. Penny smiled.
Jaune followed after Weiss, Pyrrha at his side, Ren and Nora behind him. The delicious smell of various foods wafted through the air as Weiss led them to the restaurant she had in mind.
"Thanks again for doing this for us, Weiss." Nora said. Weiss looked back at them and smiled.
"I said I would treat you guys as thanks for paying for our meal. And a Schnee never breaks her promise." Weiss looked at Jaune. "And I believe you were in the middle of talking about your siblings." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Where was I again?"
"The part where your little sister cut off your hair for you. You said you used to keep it in a ponytail."
"I prefer wolftail. Sounds more masculine." Weiss laughed.
"You're the spitting model of masculinity, Jaune."
He looked away as they laughed, his expression falling. Aurélie's voice's replayed in his mind.
"You're sure you want to do this, Joan?"
"Y-yeah."
Jaune shook his head, clearing his thoughts. Weiss had a hand on her lips, smiling.
"So what happened after you cut this mighty wolf's tail?" He rubbed the back of his head.
Crocea Mors sat in its glass case, hanging above his great great grandfather's armor. His breathing was unsteady, his hand's shaking as he opened the case. He swallowed as he pulled the sword down, nearly dropping it in his unsteady grip. It was a lot heavier than he imagined it would be. He buckled it around his waist. He took a deep breath, held it, and exhaled as he pulled out his grandfather's nicked and dented armor. It was snug against his chest as he strapped it on. He closed the case, catching his reflection in the glass. He hated the girl looking back at him.
"Remnant to Jaune." He looked up to see Weiss looking at him, her eyebrow arched. "Did you not hear me?" she asked.
"Hm? Oh. No. I heard you. I uh, I came to Beacon after that." He stuffed his hands in his hoodie's pockets. "What restaurant are you taking us to?" he asked. She flashed him a smile.
"The best restaurant at a fairground with a one hundred lien budget." She said.
"Only a hundred?" Nora exclaimed.
"Nora, hush. Be glad Weiss is feeding us." Ren said.
Music started to play, and Pyrrha stopped, pulling her scroll out from her pouch. Jaune saw a flicker of annoyance in her eyes before she looked up at them, smiling sweetly.
"Do you all mind if I take this? I'll catch up with you at the restaurant." Jaune nodded, and Pyrrha began to walk away. "Thank you. I won't be long."
She ducked behind a booth, putting her scroll to her ear.
"Hello, mother," she said. She pulled her scroll back at her mother's loud, shrewish voice.
"Why haven't you called me, Pyrrha? Why didn't you let me know that you were competing again?" Her mother demanded. Pyrrha put her scroll back to her ear, her brow knitted in annoyance.
"I missed you too, mother."
"Don't get sassy with me, Pyrrha. You run off to that hick Kingdom and don't even call me to let me know when you've arrived there, or let me know how you are doing, and I find out you're fighting in Tournaments again without letting me be there."
I mean it's not like you have my number, you could have called me any time you wanted.
"I've been busy, mother. I'm part of a team now, I-"
"Yes, yes, I saw. Jupiter or something like that."
"Juniper." Pyrrha corrected.
"Right." Her mother snorted. "You've gotten very sloppy since you left; you took so many hits in that fight, Pyrrha, and the one before? Ugh, just a disgrace." Pyrrha frowned. "Have you been following the exercise routines I had you doing when you were in Mistral?"
"No, mother."
"No wonder you had such a hard time in those matches." Pyrrha closed her eyes, sighing in exasperation.
"Did you need something?"
"Yes. I need you to win. To let the people back home know that you are still the best." Pyrrha sighed, and held her scroll in front of her, her thumb resting above the 'end call'. "Did you hear me, Pyrrha?"
"I did, mother." She hit the button, ending the call.
She rested her head against the wood railing of the stall, shutting her eyes.
And that's it!