A/N
Hey everyone! As I mentioned in my final author's note for Team MARS Part 2, here are the first two oneshots in the collection. Releasing these oneshots is an interesting change of pace and I find writing them to be quite enjoyable.
Those who also read the authors note on Monday will also know that I am planned on posting the answers to my Q&A tomorrow; unfortunately those plans may be cancelled. The reasoning as to why is that there just wasn't enough interest in a Q&A and I have only received a few questions, not nearly enough for me to bother writing an organized response too. That being said, if the Q&A is cancelled and you HAVE sent me a question, I will answer your question personally in DM's.
If anyone is still interested, the timeframe for sending in your questions ends today, you can refer to my authors note at the end of Team MARS Part 2 for clarification.
But lets get away from all that...
Stay Strapped…
Sage raised his hand up to wipe away a bead of sweat forming on his upper brow. He was a little unsuccessful as a small drop flicked off his hand and onto the unfinished paper below, turning a pinprick of the once pristine white paper a darker colour.
Said paper was due in two days… and Sage was freaking out…
Dr. Oobleck's (very jam packed) lectures on history he could handle with ease.
Professor Peach's hands on approach in her botany classes? Piece of absolute cake…
Stealth and concealment class? His time thieving in Mantle saw an A+ in that…
But Professor Port's recently assigned essay on deathstalker anatomy and its weaknesses? Sage was absolutely burned out about what he should write…
He could barely stay awake in that class… and Grimm studies had never been his strong suit. The worst part was that the rest of his team seemingly had no difficulties with the subject. Mauve was seated at the dorm's provided desk and hammering out her own paper with a look of utmost concentration. Her partner was sitting up in his bed, leaning against the headboard with his legs under the covers; Asher had pulled out a laptop and the sounds of his fingers clicking the keys punctuated the still air of the room.
Rust was… wait a moment. Why was Rust standing there?
His partner was standing right in front of him at the end of his bed, a serious look on his face. The strangest thing was that Ruination was leaned up against his shoulder, the blades of the axe gleamed in the sunlight that streamed through the window.
"Sage!" Rust suddenly spoke, jolting Sage away from his observations. "You strapped?"
"What?" Sage blinked, his grip on his pencil loosening. "Strapped?"
"I'll take that as a no," Rust frowned, a genuine look of disappointment on his face. "Foolish boy…"
"What are you talking about?" Sage muttered with an eyebrow raise. "And why do you have your weapon?"
"Gotta stay strapped up," Rust shrugged nonchalantly. "For example… Asher, you strapped?"
The grey eyed boy flicked his gaze away from his paper to stare at his friends. In a deft motion he reached underneath the covers and pulled out his Jackhammer rifle.
"Is that even a question?" Asher chortled and snickered. He turned his head to kiss the barrel of his assault rifle lovingly. "You know I keep it on me at all times…"
"Where did you even pull that from?" Sage gasped in absolute disbelief. He heard a cracking noise and realised in an instant that he had snapped his pencil in two.
"Not your business…" Asher shot back with a flat look. In a deft motion he slipped the rifle back under the covers and was typing out his essay again.
Sage blinked in absolute disbelief.
"Need more proof?" Rust grinned. "Mauve? You strapped up?"
Mauve said nothing, her eyes still glued on her developing essay. She was wearing one of Asher's baggier workout hoodies and lifted up her hand to reach down the hem of the sweatshirt. She moved her neck to the side as she pulled out one of her kukri blades from under the hoodie and then rammed the weapon into the desk hard enough to stick the tip of the knife in place.
"Thank you, team leader," Rust mockingly bowed as Mauve waved him off and concealed her kukri again. He then turned back to Sage, a gleam in his eye. "Sage… why aren't you strapped?"
"Uh…" Sage groaned unintelligibly. "Aren't we supposed to keep our weapons in our lockers?"
"Why, so we can be defenseless during an ambush?" Rust shot back. "Don't be silly Sage… you need to keep something on you at all times. Isn't that right?"
Asher and Mauve supported Rust's point by revealing their weapons again; Asher contributed further by pursing his lips and making machine gun noises.
"You see?" Rust swept his hand towards his teammates. "They agree…"
Sage felt absolutely hollow as his eyes flicked between his scarcely started essay and his insane teammates. "Wha- WHAT!?"
Wrath…
For the first time in a long time Rust could confidently state that Asher was angry.
The imposingly tall huntsman in training was sitting in the cafeteria hall with two other members of his four man team, with Team VHLT sitting across from them. Rust casually sipped his juice, the squeaking of the straw in its receptacle being the only other sound in the cafeteria.
For the first time in a long time the entire cafeteria was pin-drop silent.
The kitchens? Not so much…
"YOU ABSOLUTE MORON! HOW THE HELL DO YOU MESS UP CRACKING AN EGG!? ARE YOU AN OGRE!?"
This roar of rage was followed by a chorus of screaming people and the crashing of pots and pans. The entire study body of Beacon sat silent and still, occasionally murmuring into each other's ears.
"OUT! OUT OF MY KITCHEN!" There was silence for a moment. "ALRIGHT FINE! STAY IN THE KITCHEN BUT GET OUT OF THE BAKERY!"
"What's got him so ruffled?" Lavender muttered in Rust's direction, the tiny girl leaning across the table to enunciate her words properly.
Rust set down his juice box and cleared his throat. "Soufflé day…"
"Soufflé?" Teal quirked an eyebrow. "What's the big deal?"
Rust tossed his head back and laughed, doing his best impression of a snooty Atlesian socialite. "What's the big deal? Ridiculous… Sage, get a load of this commoner!"
Sage supported the joke by pinching his nose and letting out a wheezing laugh, using his other other hand to point a judgmental finger in Teal's direction. Honey laughed at his joke, visibly wilting when Teal shot a glare in her direction.
"I SAID BEGONE! HOW DARE YOU QUESTION MY ETHICS AND SKILL AT BAKING! BEGONE I SAY! THIS BAKERY IS MY DOMAIN AND I AM ITS GOD!"
"Uh-oh…" Mauve mumbled through a mouthful of Mistralian noodles. "He's developing a God complex again… not good."
"Again?" Vermillion stuttered, her blue eyes flicking between the three completely nonchalant people in front of her. "What are you three talking about? This has happened before?"
"Sorta," Sage reasoned as he took a bite of his food and swallowed. "Most of the time it's his hobby-"
"Unless it's soufflés," the three members of MARS recited in near-unison before sharing a knowing look between themselves.
"Why soufflés though?" Vermillion cocked an eyebrow.
"Because soufflés transcend mere food," Sage explained, gesturing in the air by twisting his wrist. "It's a matter of faith-"
"LOOK! LOOK IN THE OVEN! LOOK AT WHAT YOU'RE INSISTENCE AND YELLING HAS DONE TO IT-"
"Oh no…" Mauve whispered under her breath. "It's-"
"FLOPPED!" Came a massive roar of rage. "IT'S USELESS! JUST LIKE YOU ARE YOU COMPLETE IMBECILE! YOU HERETIC!"
The cafeteria was dead silent as the pattering of feet and smashing of pans grew louder and louder. Everyone cringed as the doors to the kitchens were bashed open so hard they nearly flew off their hinges. A squat little man with a chef's hat and a terrified look in his eyes scrambled to his feet and ran at full tilt through the rows of seated students, moving as fast as his short legs could carry him.
Asher stomped out after him, his entire form glowing with an aura of pure malevolence. His messy mop of fair brown hair hung like a curtain in front of his eyes, giving him an intimidating appearance. He stopped a few feet after exiting the kitchen, his apron stained with flour and his defined arms flexing so hard that veins were showing.
An insane looking Asher quietly seethed and held up his right hand; clenched in said hand was a lumpy looking mass of undercooked batter.
"STUDENTS OF BEACON ACADEMY!" Asher roared like an indignant cult leader as he twirled in place to show off his possession to the masses. "SEE THE DELICIOUS CONFECTION THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DENIED! SEE WHAT THE WILL OF LESSER MEN HAS WROUGHT!" He punctuated the final word with a snake-like hiss of rage.
With a loud grunt of exertion Asher chucked the lump that was once a soufflé onto the ground. He violently curb stomped the bubbling mess multiple times before retreating back to the kitchens, drawing the twin doors shut with a mighty slam that shook the foundations of the building.
"Yup," Mauve spoke casually as she slurped a noodle into her mouth. "God complex… always a bad sign…"