Chapter 45 - Team CRST
[Zorah's POV]
Another class with Professor Ozpin. His teachings were always something to admire if I'm honest. He is similar in teaching to Doctor Oobleck, only with control of his caffeine intake. His lesson is one of our shortest classes but again, I admire them because it studies the folklore of Remnant.
"You always really like this one, eh, Whitey?" Myst was the only one present from our team, Azure had a free period until lunch so she was spending time with Shiri, teaching her more about her Aura and Semblance. Eros was in Professor Port's class with Ruby, God help them I guess, both require myself and Weiss to keep them focused.
Leaning on my propped up palm I muttered. "Mom read me alot of fairy tales..." I never openly mention my Mom unless the topic was swayed in that direction, like with Ryuko's arrival yesterday.
Myst's heterochromia eyes turned to me with a sympathetic smile. "You... don't like bringing her up often, and hell, Red, and Firecracker barely mention her."
I shrugged, looking down at my notes. "...my Mom was taken away from us by the same bastard that took your sister," Myst couldn't hide her flinch. "My Mom was many things... but Summer Rose was a Huntress, and made a choice to protect us, and... I guess it didn't pay off the way she intended,"
Her hand brushed against my shoulder, "Hey, atleast you got this-" Her finger tapped my forehead. "-to help you remember her."
"And me." Hm, thanks Echo. "Anytime."
"Thanks," Leaning back, both of us kept our ears to the floor for Ozpin's last tale before the class ultimately concluded. He looked away from his book which was more like a tome, adjusting his glasses.
"Now, the tale I wish for you to study upon goes as followed-" Clearing his throat, Ozpin painted the scene.
Long ago, a wise King sought to aid his people under the condition that they must obey what he says if he gives them any advice, a trade of wisdom for loyalty. On this day, he is presented with the audience of a poor Widow who had lost her family to Grimm.
The King sat among his radiant throne, looking down on a woman who knelt before him, a dark cloud of sorrow and despair shrouding her form, the cloud housing dark red eyes and the distant howls of Beowolves.
Feeling pity for the grieving woman, the King offers advice to the Widow, that she must keep living. With this decree, he offers her the castle as a home until she feels she no longer requires the King's guidance forward.
He now knelt before her, a hand offered to the woman lost in grief, his other welcoming her to his home.
Months later, the King is gifted a magical crown by an admirer. When placing the crown in his head, the King's vision is pulled, a canvass of the future etched into view of a decision he must make, one without any favorable outcomes. Consumed with indecision, the King struggles to aid his people and becomes morbidly paranoid, threatening his servants with death over the decision he couldn't make. Out of paranoia, the King locks himself away, isolated from those he trusted.
The King takes the ornate golden crown with red jewels embedded in it. Upon dawning his world becomes shrouded in blue, and afterward, he now remained grey and blurred by paranoia, unable to face anyone, isolated in a struggle, hands on his head in pain.
The Widow, having never left the castle, grew concerned. She visited the King who attempted to force his guards to ward her away, having forgotten about her. With careful words, she convinced the King to grace her with his presence, she asks if she can give the King advice instead of the other way around.
The Widow, no longer shrouded in despair sits with the King on the floor, hands on his own while her new-found light wards away the darkness clouding his mind briefly.
Reluctantly, the King retells of what he saw, leaving him burdened by a problem he wasn't ready to tackle. Realizing this strife, the Widow smiled and repeated the same words he offered her the first time they met. The Widow tells him he must keep living despite not knowing what to do.
She places a hand on his heart, and the lasting shadow fades from the King's shoulders, the crown falling to the ground, its dangerous power freeing his mind of what was to come.
Relieved by what she said, the King relinquished the crown. Interested, the Widow places the crown on her head, overjoyed by the sight of the King eventually proposing to her. Mentally accepting the future proposal, she advises the King to lock the crown away and be free of the burdens of the future. In time, the King begins to remember who the Widow is.
The crown on her head, the Widow's hands cover her mouth, seeing the future ahead, keeping what she saw a secret as they pair held each other's hand, the crown now locked away deep under the castle, the ruby fixed to the crown glimmering in the dark, reflecting the future events yet to unfold.
As the story concluded, Ozpin grabbed his cane, pointing it around the room. "Now, while not as important as most of your assignments I do hope you take this class as diligently as any other, alot can be learned from the stories passed down in Remnant's time," Ozpin tapped his desk. "I'd like a small essay on your opinion on what the lesson The Indecisive King was meant to teach, have it ready for our next class and we can begin to evaluate arguments based upon a collective viewpoint."
*Riiing!*
"And with that, Ozpin forever times these things far too perfectly," I sighed, grabbing my things with Myst chuckling beside me.
"Like you're one to talk, 'Best Swordsman in Beacon'," She cooed in an awful copy of my voice, even moving her bangs to copy my shrouded left eye while I deadpanned.
"That's an awful impression."
"But not inaccurate." Why are you even here? "Eh, I'm bored, plus, I like sitting in your head, it's comfy."
"And it's 'Second Best'." Reminding Myst while I shoved notes into my book, seeing her mouth the words with a perplexed face.
Once packed, a few students started to shuffle past in a hurry for the door. Behind us, I spotted Sun who looked equally excited while I clotheslined his chest to keep him from moving ahead. Myst answered ahead of me, tugging her bag onto one shoulder. "Yo, Banana-Man, what's with the horde?"
Sun went to speak until a blue-haired boy held up his finger over his shoulder. "The last team for the Vytal Festival is arriving, they're pretty good." Neptune stated matter-of-factly, Sun shoving him out from behind his back using his tail.
"Why do you always do that?" Sun frowned, Neptune just smiling away.
"You were just going to ramble,"
"I do not."
"Do to."
Their bickering went back and forth between mine and Myst's eyes until I put my hands on their foreheads, separating the fire between them. "Okay, much as I would love to do literally anything else - what's the big deal? I mean, my sister's team is here, so what?"
"Gotta agree with Whitey here, doesn't seem all that crazy, I mean, you guys showed up, and not much happened," Myst motioned to the boys as they joined our walk down the hall, keeping away from those rushing by.
Sun put his hands behind his head, looking up at the ceiling. "Team CRST are these like real-good first years from Haven, heard they've taken on hunting missions set for second years to boot," Sun then waved one hand low to emphasize the seriousness of the gossip. "Best there is from Haven."
"How skilled?" I quickly asked, curiosity somewhat piqued, he leaned closer to grin sharply.
"Heard they took down a team of late-second-years like it was nothing." Sun then poked Neptune. "Hey, dude, what's the title they had again? Something Huntsmen?"
Neptune crossed his arms, rubbing his chin in contemplation. "Think it was... Original?"
"Nah..." Sun waved, then clicked his fingers with Neptune, the two pointing at one another.
"Origin Huntsmen!" I and Myst shared a look, herself shrugging with Echo's shadow behind me.
"Yeah, heard they were like classic Huntsmen. The Shield. The Sword. The Spear. The Bow." Neptune elaborated, though I think I knew what he meant by that, like the fairy tale of the first-ever Huntsmen team, a group of siblings.
"Ooooh, so they might actually have some skill," This was a tempting offer. Ryuko's really good on her own but three more of her level might prove a challenge in the Festival. "Say, Boss, what's the chances of us stumbling upon them before lunchtime - you know, just a lil ol' chat?"
Myst blinked, then shared my smile alongside Sun, Neptune trying to raise his hand. "Um, guys, maybe not stalking them is a good idea?" We ignored his foolishness.
"Hehehe, I like the way you think, boys," Myst brushed off her sleeves to her blazer. "Checking out the competition could be a good use of our time."
"Alright, then let's go!" Sun tugged us along, Neptune sighing and just calmly following after us, hands in his pockets.
"This can't end well..." He muttered on Death's ears.
You may wonder how one sociopath, two buddy-cops, and one questionable ex-thief stumble upon the new talk of the school. It's easy, just follow the lemons. They were outside in one of the gardens among the buildings to keep things colorful. Students of both Beacon and other schools were gathered to see this famous team, I didn't need emotions to tell me that much. Echo was gone too, not wanting to miss the early rush to lunch. For a Nightmare, she sure is a glutton.
"Found 'em, by the oak tree." Sun pointed with his tail, the four of us approaching the said tree, looking from an angle by a bench to spot those chatting in the middle. The first thing I saw was my sister sitting atop the lowest tree branch, attempting to distance herself from the mob, she didn't like hogging crowds that much.
Then I saw them. The first was a guy roughly my size, maybe an inch or two taller with dark black, jagged hair. His right eye was covered with a white bandage, leaving on his left exposed, a piercing ember hue. He had two red horns poking out from his head too, and a thin, black, demon tail.
He wore a black jacket with red highlights down the hem, the collar kept folded and sleeves rolled up. A pair of fingerless, black gloves with red knuckles. A grey shirt underneath with a white, jagged 'X' across the chest. A pair of padded cargo pants, the shins wrapped with bandages, and combat boots tied with white laces and white soles. A collapsed pole attached to his belt. Must be The Spear.
Next to him was probably the shortest of them all, maybe Ruby's height? He held onto a light yellow, metal bow. The body was shaped like a '3' with the river continuing past the black ends to connect to a black cord fed down and between the river, the grip wrapped in black cloth. The arrows kept on a quiver behind his waist.
He has short brown curly hair and dull golden eyes. He appears to be dressed like a hunter. Sporting a sleeveless tunic with light clothing underneath. Additionally, he wears thin leather gloves, leather boots, and a yellow hood-like cape attached around his neck, only reaching below his shoulder blades. The accents of his barding yellow too. The Bow.
My sister was obviously The Sword, but the one I noticed last was the one chatting with most of the students. The Shield. He had a handsome face, judging by how many girls ogled him. Ocean blue eyes and short messy, whitish-blue hair with matching wolf ears and a tail to boot, another Faunus.
He was a classic 'knight in shining armor', wearing a chestplate, gauntlets for his forearms, shin-guards, and boots all silver plated. His waist wrapped with a blue fabric reaching down to his knees, lined with fur. His shirt was primarily black underneath say for his pants that were a pale blue, same for the fabric of his boots under the armor. He wore gloves with the same pale tint.
The 'Shield' part of his title was attached to his right forearm. A simple, buckler grave-shield. Silver too with a sapphire fixed to the center, and from the line, across the face and around the edges of the shield it was clearly capable of transforming, possibly depending on the Dust crystal inserted.
"Oh thank God!" From above a shadow loomed, and I held out my arms for Ryuko to land in bridal style, herself flopping in my arms. "Those guys were like a bunch of lemons..."
"Tell me about it," I sat her down, resting my chin on her shoulder with Sun, Neptune, and Myst all poking their heads out behind me. "So, this is your team - crowd pleasers, aren't they?" I doubt she missed my cynical pitch.
Pushing me off her shoulder Ryuko put on hand on her hip. "Yeah, Sen - the guy who's afraid to come anywhere near you in black, he's alright - it's those two idiots that let the fame get to their heads at times - really surprised we've lived this long."
"What's their names?" Myst inquired. Ryuko drew her finger over the crowd.
"Sen's the one with the patch, he's my partner, cool guy," Ryuko quickly cleared her throat but I certainly didn't miss that feeling washing over her. "Next's is our leader, guy with the shield, Cobalt - he's... weird at times." Brushing him off, Ryuko pointed to the last one. "Shorty over there is-"
"Oi, who the hell just called me short!?" He fumed, jumping high into the air, swinging his arms frantically. Ryuko just smirked.
"-Yeah, that's Theron, a bit of a 'short-temper'" Ryuko snickered as the yellow blur shot through the startled crowd to face us.
"Don't call me short - yah!" His face was quickly compressed to my hand, keeping him from getting close to Ryuko while she chuckled as his body flopped to the floor.
"Geez, you'd get along with Pixie, both of you are quick to rage." Neo's a pain but atleast she's mute, and this guy's volume button was ripped out.
"What's that?" He growled, picking himself up then pointing to Ryuko. "Who's this guy?" Oh, I'm a ghost now it seems.
Ryuko shrugged, patting my shoulder. "Dude, relax already," As she said this, the others moved through the crowd, leaving us a little more crowded than usual. "Done gossiping with every girl you see?"
Her leader, Cobalt put on a nervous smile, scratching his head. "Just greeting other students, not my fault we're infamous." Is this guy... for real? Even Sun and Neptune looked to me expecting I'd say something, which I did.
"You... do realize the context of 'infamous' means your reputation is only credible in a darker light, bit ironic for someone in shiny armor," I drawled, Sen looked relieved by this.
"He's been odd lately, I believe he may be unwell." That's putting it lightly, then he quickly put his hand out. "Ah, yes, sorry, you're Zorah, right? Pleasure."
"Sup," I shook his hand, noting how nervous he was, even Ryuko eyed me skeptically. What? It's not like I was going to punch the guy. Pointing to my right I added. "Here's my boss, Myst-"
"Hello~" She waved.
"And Team SSSN's leader, Sun and his bud, Neptune," Sun waved happily and Neptune winked with a flick of his hand in an informal greeting. "Oh, and me and Myst? Part of the best team in Beacon, ain't that right?"
"Yeah!" She then held her hand out as she did with Ruby yesterday, and with pride, I smugly mimicked my sister's motions, slapping my hand with my leader's.
"Best you say?" The lofty voice belonged to Cobalt, himself looking us up and down, then his aura shimmered with a dawning of intelligence. "Ah, yes, the Devil of the Sword, right?"
My smile curled. "Nice to know my reputation reaches to another school, what fun - I expect this was your doing?" Poking my finger against Ryuko's cheek, the bluette nodded along dumbly, looking at her Scroll. "Figures,"
"You two seem to know each other well?" I think my brain might have had a relapse from starvation.
"Nooo, I'm just so irresistible I draw enough girls in around me to start a harem - she's my sister you idiot," My body swiveled on my heel to Ryuko, looking completely exasperated with this guy's lack of anything comparable to common sense. "Is this guy for real?"
"As Sen said, dude's been acting weird lately," Ryuko looked just as fed up as me, glaring over my shoulder at Cobalt. "Cobalt, lay off trying to intimidate my brother, alright, not that it'll ever work."
"Oh boy..." Sun whistled, stepping back with Neptune and Myst, herself facepalming.
"You did that on purpose, didntcha?"
I couldn't help but laugh, turning to Cobalt again with an attempt to stifle my laughter. "I-I sorry, 'intimidate me'? You're as threatening as a pup chasing his own tail - not a slur at Faunus, save that scorn for Numbnuts." That atleast kept any verbal replies from the crowd becoming an issue. Though my jab struck Cobalt and Theron in particular.
"You want to say that again?" Was this curly-haired idiot serious? I'm the last person anyone wanted to spar with, just ask Master Yin how many were reluctant to fight the same guy that put Yang in the ground, nearly killed Ruby, and... wow I am an asshole. God, what was I thinking back then?
Putting my hands out, I lightly patted the boy's shoulders, swaying with as much flair and sarcasm I could muster in my tone. "No-no-no, where are my manners, you're here for the Tournament-" My leer was laced in venom. "I'd rather kick your boss' shiny metal ass in front of the world, thanks, I'll use you as a footstool if I'm feeling lethargic."
"Alright, that's it!" He withdrew his bow, startling the crowd to give us space. Ryuko and Sen froze up in shock as I barely even flinched at the tingling sensation of lightning at the tip of my nose to the arrowhead drawn to it. "We're the best, got it, greenie! We've fought tons of Grimm, some that'll make half of Beacon's first years feint!"
"Did you seriously take lessons about the art of intimidation from Numbnuts, honestly..." Shaking my head, I pinched the tip of the arrow, feeling it almost react to the touch as I forced the arrowhead down. "Little advice, unlike most people I tend to look the other way if someone threatens me, consider that an act of kindness on my behalf.
"Idiot!" Ryuko punched the back of Theron's head, face boiling with rage. "Are you trying to get us kicked from the Festival already!?"
"Hey, he's the one playing the bad guy here - how the hell are you even related to-!" Another hand placed itself on his shoulder, belonging to Cobalt who smiled at his partner. "B-but, Col-"
"It's fine, Ryuko is right, settling this here won't do any good," Finally, someone's found his ability to lea- "However-" Here we go. "-I feel some justice is in order, why not, Devil?"
"What, wanna fight for real?" I dared, waving my hands out while the students awed and gasped, Sun quickly texting something into his Scroll with Neptune's help. "Sure, I don't mind, a bit of a test-run before things go public."
"Hmph, so it is true," My eye locked to Cobalt's stupid face. "You're a person who sees himself as an indomitable foe, you all think you're someone to be feared or who holds the right to claim they're the best without needing to display it."
Oooh, scathing, "That's where the line's drawn, Shining, I can back it, it's you who clearly is compensating with that glorified chandelier you're wearing," I mocked, tapping my finger off the breastplate. "What? Silver? Maybe Titanium cause that makes you big and strong?" He bore his teeth.
"If it weren't for the rules, you would know." I laughed at that.
"Hahaha, finally some bite to the dog's bark!"
"O-okay, come on now, guys," Myst stuck her hands between us, parting our growing tension warily. "Whitey, let's just let this go - come on, this isn't the time to get heated."
Shrugging I lost my grin for a neutral resting face. "I'm not heated, short stack here is, I'm merely making a point of competition, right, Shining Armor?" Again, I took pleasure in drawing out his anger, to melt down that stupid facade that he's some benevolent leader. It's a front, and Jaune could do far better, even Numbnuts could rally his team and that's saying something."
"Sen," Theron huffed, eyeing his stoic companion. "You want in on this? I mean, since this guy thinks he some kind of hot-shot, bet that means he could take the two of us on, right?" Actually, I could handle their whole team, bet Ryuko would be the last one standing.
"Theron, shut up, Zorah, don't," Ryuko yanked me back but I wasn't budging, giving her a small smile to her worry. "Zorah, this isn't a good idea, I'm being serious."
"I know," I nodded, but stood my ground, ruffling my sister's hair while passing a whisper along. "It'll be a quick match, I promise - Okay, I'll go grab my Master, shouldn't be too long."
"Fine by me," Theron grinned, shaking my hand with Sen rubbing his temples.
"This cannot end well." He didn't look like he wanted to fight at all but was willing to back up his teammate, honorable atleast. "I will stand with Theron then."
"Whitey..." Myst looked far too stressed to even remotely pull me back. "Just... don't overdo it."
"Relax, I can hold back - haven't killed anyone yet which I like to believe takes a margin of concentration, let's... just leave this between us and Eros, don't want to sour the girls' day," With that, I pushed aside the crowd, wanting to get the old man in on this, and to gulp down a handful of meds to calm my agitated nerves. "Idiots..."
"There's no talking you out of this, is there?" Myst slumped up on the stands above me, looking disappointed in my actions while I held Night Sky in my left. "You got a serious mean streak, you know that?" Her smile formed again, albeit with that lingering pensiveness.
"Look, I really don't care for any of them, I'm not jealous, nor am I trying to make some gloried message that I'm better, I just want to see what they can do," It was my honest intention, facing the two that readied themselves on the opposite side. "Antagonizing them drew their leader to bite back, now I get the chance to test their strengths and weaknesses, what they'll do, how they'll react, it's all toward gaining as much info I can first-hand."
"Oh..." Myst blinked while I slowly drew my head around to see her grin with confidence. "Haha, you're really a devil, Whitey, I'll concede."
"That's Zorah in a nutshell," Eros joined us, giving me an air fist and wink. "Show 'em what Team MAZE can do, bud!"
"Always do," Then I smiled. "Oh, and make sure you stick close to Shining Armor, I wanna hear how the steam flew from his ears."
"There it is." The two of them sighed and left to sit with my sisters, leaving only me and Night Sky once more. Echo wasn't here to lecture or distract me so I had ample time to fully encapsulate how these two act. Sen seemed very modest but probably holds back until necessary, and Theron's quick to anger but cares for his team, an honest quality. Bow and Spear.
"Okay, the official match between Team CRST's Sen and Theron versus Team MAZE's Zorah will now commence!" Master held his arm high to keep the crowd at a standstill, myself placing both hands on the butt of my sword still in its scabbard, waiting with taut muscles. Emotions were high, the crowd waited, anticipating the bout, my opponents were the same, itching to move, "Once one sides Auras enter the red, the match is over, am I clear!?"
With a silence, Master lowered his hand. "Begin!"
Sen moved in first, only for Theron to shove him back. "I'm calling first dibs on this punk!" Spinning his bow around, I noted that the arrow locked in the river was actually a barrel, the tip parting like a flower to reveal the muzzle within. With a toothy smile, his eyes burned with a fire he hadn't displayed before. "Here's for the boss-man, asshole!"
"*Yawn* Whatever..." Motioning for him to show me his stuff he growled and pulled the strings back, the wire turning ice-blue until a rifle's gunshot resounded, and my sword rose, deflecting the shot as it created a small formation of ice crystals against the wall. I still kept my blade sheaved, motioning lazily with my right hand. "Um, that it, really?"
"Grrrah!" He tugged the string back several times while stepping closer, each blue bullet either deflecting with a single stroke or I just swayed my shoulder to evade the bullet fire. A bolt-action-bow, interesting. "Sen!"
My ear twitched and I quickly bowed, drawing Night Sky to block the spear's downward thrust. The silver polearm had extended, a ruby embroiled in the golden head with two angular C-shaped silver prongs, the spearheads ablaze. A single-change weapon? Rare to see those... must be the spearhead's golden accent, might change depending on what kind of dust is inserted by the slit by his left hand.
"Hah, gotcha!" Theron grinned, firing another two ice bullets that I immediately deflected by diverting Sen's spear into the ground, using the polearm to vault over the ravenette. Or I did, had a rose-tinted glyph not appeared on my chest. That's... not Weiss'.
"Sorry, but I don't intend to lose either," Sen smiled challengingly, another rose glyph around his left wrist, pulling himself toward me, drawing his spear forward with a blazing torrent that I merely fell on my back to evade, sliding between his legs while breaking the seal on my chest with a flick of my wrist. "What's this!?"
I spun around on my hands, kicking him off to the side while hopping over the angular blade formed on the front of the collapsed river of Theron's bow. Landing behind the brunette I backhanded his blade, flicking him with a sonic blast from my fingertips, chuckling as he slid on his ass, blade carved through the ground while Sen rushed me, having extended his spear with ice dust, using another glyph on his spear and my chest again.
The sudden momentum threw him forward, and he released the glyph, spinning in a wide, frozen arc that I effortlessly hopped over, another glyph appearing had I not shadowed it with my own wrapped around my wrist. "Soul Forge." A pale shimmer of orange wrapped around me, a form of an aura shield that only provides me with offensive increases, pretty handy. "Ta-ta now."
With a wave I vanished into his spear's shadow, striking him under the chin a second later, yanking his tail to swing him over Theron, three bullets planted into the ground in a triangular formation. A second passed and a net of thunder was erected at the hilt of my scabbard, myself balancing on the top of Night Sky, evading the shock trap while inverting my stance to a hand-stand, curving my form to avoid both a large ice spike and more shock bullets.
"How is he doing that!?" Theron roared, turning to his partner while I hopped back, unleashing a small sonic boom to land safely away from the trap.
I curled my fingers toward the pair, keeping up my devilish grin as the crowd ate it up. "It's because of one thing," Drawing back my hand to pat my chest, I felt my soul explode with a raging inferno. "I'm a part of Team MAZE."
"YOU KNOW IT!" Myst roared from afar and I charged the pair head-on, drawing Night Sky, its cracks gleaming bright.
Theron unloaded every shot, Sen charging me with his spearheads rotating, forming a haze of fire while producing a glyph on the ceiling and himself. My scabbard and blade weaved in tangent, sweeping like an oar, displacing the electrified bullets with every step I took.
Through the blue flashes, Sen was gone, and I dived backward, evading his large nova of flames, a glyph yanking me into the lingering embers, grabbing the shaft of the spear to flip over its edge, pressing my boot to his face, using this point to propel Night Sky forward, locking Theron's bow against the ground while performing a helix spin between one last lingering lightning strike of a shock trap and the butt of Sen's spear.
Grabbing Night Sky I swung up in a silver crescent, halving Theron's aura while my scabbard dug deep into his stomach, unequipping him while the force of a sonic-tipped scabbard slammed his back into the far wall, himself flopping headfirst into the floor. His aura had taken a hit but he wasn't out.
"Hyah!" I narrowly avoided Sen's constant determination to hit me, blocking his next horizontal swing with a black chain, wrapping it around his hand and staff, holding him firm, even as a glyph formed on the ceiling again, I grabbed the one on his shirt, shattering it and backhanding him with Night Sky, jabbing his jaw with the scabbard to push him aside, freeing his spear so I could leave a sharp, descending cross of Night Sky through his aura, knocking him back, himself not fairing as well as Theron. "That was... unexpected, you really are... this good?"
"Comes with practice," Looking him dead in the eye, I sheaved Night Sky with a heavy breath. "You rely too much on your glyphs, try to use your interchangeable spear to incorporate a better form of momentum," Turning to the now recovering, and knelt Theron I held a glare. "And you need to control your temper, you're too predictable - like a blondie I know!"
"Like you're one to talk!" Yang's retort made me snort, the hypocrite I am indeed.
While I felt it was right to call the match, Theron was swelling with rage, and his hands were beginning to glow gold. His semblance, time to see what he can do. "You think I don't know that!" He seethed, standing enough to raise both his hands close to his chest. "But what gives you the right to lecture anyone! You're just some punk who thinks he's this hot-shot 'cause he's got a fancy title for his bad attitude - we earned our names!"
"Mr. Pot, kettle called, says you're black." Honestly. How hard is it to understand I just wear the title 'cause it sounds nice? A title or not, I know where I stand, and thanks to my friends I have a better understanding of compassion, which is why I am holding back on the slurs for their sake. "If all you care about is a title, then we're done here, I've gotten my fill of ass-kicking for the day."
"Like hell-!"
"No! THERON, DON'T USE IT ON HIM!" What's got Ryuko so freaked out? I turned sharply to Theron but it was too late, his pale yellow haze struck my head like someone smashed a glass bottle over my head. I felt a little frazzled, flicking the shards away until all was silent but murmurs.
I blinked, quickly patting my hips, arms, chest, face, everything was as it was. What... happened exactly? Is it a status semblance? "Um... sorry, but the title of 'Pixie' already belongs to someone else,"
"-please stop."
My head shot to my right, and gone was the amphitheater and all the students, only darkness and a white light displaying a black and white blur that slowly came into focus, echoes and whispers coming to life. "What the hell...?" I paused, tapping my throat as my voice echoed. Am I in a void? Strange... "Hello...?"
The image focused on a fragment of a... familiar setting. A cold floor, dark walls, and the sensation of pain rushed to my body. This place... was where I was kept when Tex forced my family to... harm me. Looking down at the sight, I was younger, hair noticeably shorter to reveal my teary eyes, blood-stained my face and arms, shivering against the corner of the room.
This wasn't long since they turned on me, the worst days of my life began here. I could recall every kick, punch, and tear those days brought. It was Tai too, this'll be violent. His boot struck my chest, my crown bouncing off the wall, and I looked disorientated as I sobbed. "I-I-I di-didn't d-d-do it! *hic* I-I-i di-didn't-t *hic* - ah!"
"Who said you could talk!?" His foot pressed to my back, ensuring I didn't squirm too much. Now that I could see it, his eyes weren't just red with rage, underneath the manifested pain and hatred, a tiny speck of horror was etched into his irises. He was still there, albeit painfully transparent, Tex was far too strong for them to break, and I paid the price. "It's all your fault, everything that's happened was because you had to be born!"
"M-m-mo-mom...!" Looking down at my begging, my frown remained as impassive as ever, it hurt but I just shut my eyes, turning away.
"Sorry kid, she's not coming home," Don't know why I felt the need to say that, but it didn't matter, the memory was fading. "That all you got? I can still fight, blind or not!"
"...you continue to stand?"
Blood froze in my veins. A new world took over, this time larger, revealing a wasteland. Two figures stood on either end. One to the desert, another with their back to a cliff into darkness I couldn't see an end to. My eyes were wide with horror. Tex stood there, a mesh of his female Host and himself, grinning like some stitched mutant of Nightmare and Human. At the cliff... was my Mom.
Her white and black clothing was torn and stained with blood. Her weapon, White Rose was shattered on the ground, the halberd left snapped at three points, dust clattered to the ground. My Mom's hood was down, revealing her bloodied face, one eye gouged out, the last burning with terror and a will to go on. Her lips were dry and split, yet she stood with one broken piece of her weapon held as a dagger, her right arm limp, the bone sticking out from her elbow. It made me feel sick to watch a nightmare I once had unfold again.
"I... will never stop, I'm alone but deep down, my team, friends, everyone who's helped me even so much as crawl to this point, they're still here," Her hand motioned to her heart, and I felt a pained smile split my lips.
Tex grinned. "That soul of yours is so sweet," He brushed a hand to the sky. "I once heard that if a bond between living beings is strong enough, a tether between them can form, an inseparable bond."
*BAM!*
Thunder pierced my heart and drained the color from my face. His arm pierced my Mom's chest, holding onto her burning, white soul out her back, blood and viscera dripping from Tex's arm, his fingers tugging on her plump soul, enjoying how my Mom's face twisted in agony, a silent gasp escaping her pale lips as he cupped her chin. With a grin, Tex licked his lips, both voices speaking as one.
"I'll visit them real soon, little rose."
Before her soul was crushed, the nightmare faded away, and I was left to stumble back out of fright, shaking my head sharply, attempting to reach for my small supply of meds I kept on me, sadly, my fingers kept fumbling as I attempted to find them. "Stop... get out of my head!" I hissed, swinging Night Sky's form around in the dark. "Let me out already!"
"Ah... ugh..." Death coiled across my spine, stretching my eyelids back for my petrified eyes to pierce into another manifestation. Not a memory or a nightmare, something entirely new, melded, and fused from fears I held inside my soul. Their dark, grotesque forms taking root for my pupils to become pin-sized.
My jaw jittered in hiccups, staring down at the broken cage from Tex's underground pit of experimentation. There, lying in a pool of her own blood and sweat was... Azure. Her eyes were lifeless, sadly she wasn't dead, so it made the sight that much more sickening that I felt bile rise through my throat. Her armor was torn to pieces, the darkness shrouding her frame as she laid there, motionless. Her legs broken, Shooting Star splintered and discarded. If I never made it in time... they would have... they could've... they... they...!
"No... no-no-no-no-no..." Despair, guilt, bloodcurdling rage. I felt nothing else in the dark. "Stop it! Stop it!"
My teeth ground against each other, nails digging into my scalp as I hunched over, falling to my knees as my cries were stifled, tears dripping down my face as the image burned itself into my retinas, and soon, a god-awful scream left my throat, tearing at my vocal cords as I felt something inside me fracture further something... snapped.
I felt my world fade to black, more accurately, the whole sun was shut off like a light, leaving my mind to fill with static and distorted noise of metal scraping.
...
...
...
...
[No POV]
It was a hellish sight that scared and worried so many present. The moment Theron's semblance marked Zorah, he began to move around, yelling at something only he could see until he stopped moving at all, staring down at the ground ahead of him in tears. Then, he finally snapped with a heartbroken scream that suddenly sprung forth dozens of his chains to pierce the walls and ground around him, their forms groaned and snapped, claws protruding from the ends, jagged thorns lining the rings as some even tore into his flesh, yet not a spot of blood was split, Zorah... stopped.
"Wh-what happened to him?" Jaune gaped, looking down over the edge. "We have to help him!"
"Zorah, buddy?" Eros was unable to move, his arms shaking in place with Myst almost falling back onto her seat in silent shock.
"What... was that?" Blake shivered, still rubbing her hidden ears from the screech of metal.
"Z-zorah..." Ruby muttered in terror, Ryuko being the first to leap over the wall only for Sen to shove her aside.
"Ryuko!" He took the sudden strike of one of the chains, having moved the second Ryuko stepped down into the ring. He flung the chain back while she backed away toward the entrance. "Stay back, I don't know what this is but his mentality is extremely unstable!"
Hearing this, Ryuko's eyes blazed a trail in Theron's star-struck direction. If she could, she'd rush over to beat the blood out of his face, "You fucking idiot! I told you not to use your damn semblance on him and you went ahead and did it anyway, Zorah can't handle psychological stress anymore!" He flinched, looking to his friends in fright.
"I-I didn't know... h-he was... I." All eyes in the arena froze in horror, a shadow had moved faster than any could possibly track, even Master Yin was caught by surprise.
The action didn't even register in the brunette's mind before he found his vision firmly fixed into the concrete by Zorah's hand. He lifted him by his hair, slamming the Bow's face into the ground over and over, each strike causing Theron's aura to crackle under the pressure. Zorah lifted him onto his feet with two chains, holding him in place as he fixed his hand against the boy's face, smashing the back of his head into the wall, before grabbing his head with both hands, spinning him around to crash back into the concrete, aura shattered in a violent instant.
The chains bound to him like a puppet on strings, eyes covered by his hair, his right no longer visible, a chain wrapped over the socket while he remained hunched, breathing irregularly while using another chain with a mere flick of his wrist to discard of Theron, tossing the unconscious boy across to where Ryuko and Sen stood, the former dragging him to safety.
Not a soul dared to move say for Sen who kept his composure, spinning his spear around to face Zorah alone, the white-haired student unarmed, staring through Sen's very soul, chilling his bones to the marrow. For a split-glance, he saw through Zorah's bangs, and the single eye, glazed with frenzy with a demonic cross mutating his pupil, his chains bubbling with a dark orange aura of their own.
"Professor Yin, I can handle this," He declared, never once taking his eyes off of Zorah. "I will make up for my partner's mistake."
Master Yin was hesitant for once, hand clasped firmly to his longsword, to allow a student to fight Zorah as he was now... the old man sighed breathlessly. If things turned for the worst, he would save them both, regardless of whatever happened to his life. "Hrm... very well, continue, Hunter."
To Be Continued...
Zorah has finally gone off the deep end, or has he? Sen decided to face the frenzied Host alone, but who will win? I hope you enjoyed, appreciate the support as always, seeya in the next chapter Hunters!
Next Chapter: Partners
Zorah, now lost in a frenzy is to battle with Sen once more, less anyone else suffers from Zorah's blind rage. But is Sen enough to take on one of Beacon's strongest students?