Child of Grimm Ch. 36

Someone in the comments asked why Derek is so ashamed of what he is. I have no idea how far they are, since they gave examples at the beginning of the story. But it's not him being ashamed. He hates what he is, but he understands that there is no alternative. He didn't get mad at Blake because it would of have served him no purpose. He's main philosophy is practicality.

"How very disappointing you two. We expected so much more."

"Hey, I had to work with these mutts."

"Hey! We got the dust that you wanted. What's the issue?"

"We wanted the children as well."

"Hey, big bad scales absorbed a direct hit from my Candycane. I don't know what else to tell you."

"Do not try to justify yourself Roman. I hope that you can adjust to working with the twins, for I have many plans for them."

"They upheld their end of the deal, I don't see an issue."

"Very good Adam. And Roman?"

"Fine."

"Excellent. Get to work you two. We have much to plan."

Beacon Academy: Sparing Class

"And now it's time for our final fight," Goodwitch called out. "Drake Flame and Velvet Scarlatina." Velvet Scarlatina? Has she fought at any point this year? Derek took the stage and looked at his opponent. He knew very little about Velvet, other then that she was a favorite victim of CRDL until he stepped in.

"Make this one quick D," Nathan called out. "Keep rabbit stew on your mind."

"Nathan!" Gwen said at him.

"What? She hasn't fought at all this year." That confirms one thing. He looked over to his opponent, and saw that she was confident. She's mostly a scholar, which means that she has researched me.

"Begin!" Goodwitch signaled. Derek raised up his weapons, and started to fly forward. Velvet quickly rolled out of the way, and then looked over at him. She raised up her hand, and tree roots started to grow around his feet. He quickly burned them off, and ran at her again. Velvet jumped over him, and threw out a ball of water over his head. Derek started to steam it off, but that took away time. He ran forward at her again, but she stopped him by forming wind all around him. Derek growled in frustration. He blew off a column of flames, but Velvet soaked him again. I can't get to her this way. He started to flap his wings, and Velvet broke concentration for a second. Derek reached to his back, and ripped off some of his spikes. He quickly threw them at her. Velvet brought up a wall of flames and burned them down, but that gave Derek his opportunity. He ran forward, and brought the flat of his sword into her head. Velvet fell over, but then sprung up to her feet. Derek was temporarily caught of guard, and Velvet landed a solid blow to the side of his head. It didn't do much in way of damage, but it did throw him off mentally. That should of knocked her out! Derek quickly regained his senses, and swung around his fist into her head. Now Velvet fell to the ground, and struggled to get up.

"I must admit," Goodwitch said. "That was fairly close. But Ms. Scarlatina's aura is in the red, and class is dismissed." Derek rejoined his team to a lot of skeptical looks.

"How did the tiny rabbit faunus almost beat the big bad Drake?" Nathan asked.

"She didn't," Derek replied. "If you idiots had payed attention to anything other then the length of time it took me to defeat her, you'd realize that she approached me with a defensive strategy. At no point in time, did I suffer physical damage." The rest of his team thought for a moment.

"So that's how we beat you?" Monica asked. "We hose you down?"

"If you choose to look at it that way then yes. Water and fire don't mix, with fire being the loser of the two." They all nodded.

"Still," Gwen said. "Velvet Scarlatina kept it close."

"If you keep this up, you will all know just how hard I can hit." That got his team quiet as they walked to the cafeteria.

"Hey Derek," someone said from the corner. Derek turned in surprise to see Velvet standing right next to him.

"Where did you come from?" He asked in surprise.

"I can move quietly if I want to," she replied. "That was a good fight."

"It was. Better then when I fight these idiots."

"I'm your girlfriend!" Monica cried out.

"Sorry," Derek said. "Better then fighting these idiots, and one." Velvet laughed.

"I was wondering if you could help me," Velvet asked.

"I don't-."

"I just want to know how to fight with a weapon better. I have a good grasp on my other abilities, but I rarely fight with a weapon. I just want to improve my technique so I can stop being defensive." Derek thought for a long time.

"I'll help you," he finally said. "On one condition. If it turns out that my fighting style is too specialized for you, then we stop. Understood?" Velvet nodded eagerly. "Good. We'll meet every afternoon, starting today." Velvet again nodded.

"See you then." Velvet skipped off, and the others looked at him.

"What?" He asked.

"Why'd you say yes to her?" Monica asked. "And deny us?"

"Because she only wants to know how to use a weapon properly," Derek replied simply. "You guys wanted advanced classes, and that doesn't work with my Grimm nature. I can't even help the other Children of Grimm. Speaking of which, where is LOOS?"

"On a mission or something," Nathan replied. "They left earlier today." Great. DRGN walked into the cafeteria, and grabbed a tray of food. They quickly took their seats next to RWBY and JNPR.

"How's it going?" Yang asked them. "Since Derek almost lost to Velvet."

"I didn't almost lose!" Derek said angrily. "She played defensive, and so it took me longer."

"Sure thing," Ruby teased. "I'm sure that's exactly it."

"Take a look at my final aura count!"

"To please the dragon," Blake said. She pulled out her scroll, and then frowned. "His aura was almost full."

"I told you. I do not lose."

"Unless it's to Torchwick," Weiss said, while filing their nails. Derek narrowed his gaze at her. "It's a fair point," she replied, while still not looking up.

"You grow on people Weiss," Derek said. "But you still manage to get under my skin."

"Call it a habit." The lunch continued on with discussions or around the school gossip, which Derek just ignored. Gossip still has yet to interest me. Maybe I need to spend more time with Monica and that'll change.

"Any good rumors among you guys?" Yang asked DRGN. "Like, within the team."

"Well," Derek said impatiently. "Me and Monica are dating, and that's not a rumor. I don't let much get by me."

"It's true," Nathan said. "I tried to sneak out, and he pulled me in. That's not a rumor." Everyone just looked over at Derek cautiously.

"There are a lot of times that I wish LOOS was hear so they can help explain these things. Why are you so curious anyway? Why not wonder about everything going on amongst your team?"

"Because this is more fun," Yang said. Derek let out a long sigh. I truly will never understand these four.

"But is there anything going on amongst your team?" Monica asked eagerly.

"Don't think so." Derek looked down at his plate, and saw that he had one bite left. He quickly finished up, and stood to leave.

"If anyone needs me," he said. "I'll be in my room." They all nodded, and Derek left for his room.

He quickly hopped onto his bed, and popped open a book. He flipped through it, but lost interest. I can do Grimm studies if I never once opened a book. He started to do his assignment, but he heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," he called out. The door opened, and Derek looked over to see a familiar pair of silver eyes. "Hello Ruby. What brings you here?"

"You said if we needed you that you'd be here," Ruby replied. Derek nodded, and walked back to his bed. "You said that she helped you. How did she die?" Derek hesitated for a long time.

"A member of the White Fang shot her, and then a Beowolf caught her in the back. I killed the rest of the Beowolves, but I was too late." Ruby nodded, slightly comforted by the knowledge of how she died.

"Can you do the petals thing again?" Ruby asked. Derek nodded, and filled his hands with flames. When he opened it, there were white petals in it again. "How?"

"You have a similar ability. I guess your mother just left it with me in case we ever crossed paths." Ruby nodded, and she swung around her hand. The rose petals fell to the ground, and disappeared. Derek sat back in his bed, and awaited any more questions from Ruby.

"What do you think of Weiss?" Derek was not expecting that as a question.

"Her and I don't really see eye to eye," Derek said unevenly. "I guess she seems okay, but we don't get along. Why?"

"Just curious. I know what you think of the rest of my team, and-."

"And you think that you're going to take on the younger sister role in my life?" Ruby dead stopped. "Which is probably accurate, but I'm not a fool. What is the real reason that you asked me about Weiss?" Ruby took in a deep breath, and began.

Elsewhere

"What makes you think that she's his weakness?"

"We already know that he has a soft spot for Monica and Blake, but now we have reasons to believe that she's seen as equally valuable to us. I want you to see what you four can do."

"Don't worry, Red will be ours soon. If not, we can get one of the others. She has a weakness for all of the connections."

End: Questions, comments, follows, favorites, and feedback is always appreciated.