Sorry for the delay, but I was not happy with my first draft of this as I was getting into issues with too many direct real world analogies to safely navigate.
Leslie Corkran hoped that he had done the right thing by doing nothing. Luckily, Anne has already discussed her past notoriety with the team. She had spoken to Leslie first as team leader and he had encouraged her to speak to Brede and Lydia. Lydia had heard the outline of the story from her Great Aunt Dahlia and had simply given the Pig Faunus a big hug. Brede was angry about what had happened to her. He belonged to the liberal wing of his family and so was not surprised about some of the attitudes in Mistral. They accepted that the full story was almost certainly going to come out at the time of the Vytal Festival if they qualified for it. Ozpin, Oobleck and Goodwitch had agreed that they would work on an agreed statement which would declare that Beacon had known about her background and pointing out that she had not been convicted of any criminal charges and had acted in self defence. The aim was to make it clear that Beacon stood behind Anne without being too condemnatory of the Mistral authorities.
What only Leslie, Velvet, Oobleck, Ozpin and Goodwitch knew was that the man who Anne had killed was Sky's uncle. Anne did not know as the name was different and she had come to terms with her past by acknowledging it had happened but not dwelling on the detail. In addition, as at the time she had not been equipped with ADA and so her reading problems had meant she had not read the Mistral press and seen the photographs of the man's wider family. In any event, the Mistral detention centre she had been imprisoned in had not allowed prisoners access to newspapers although she had seen some of the TV coverage of her case and in particular the court hearing. Velvet and Leslie had drawn the issue to Professor Goodwitch's attention and had accepted her request not to mention this to Anne or Sky or indeed anyone else.
It had been unfortunate to say the least that one of the huntsmen who Lydia's Great Aunt had employed to train the two teams had been called away on urgent business and the substitute huntsman had been the one who had both pursued and protected Anne in Mistral. Garnet had uncovered evidence which suggested that Anne's story was true and had arrived on the scene just after the attacker had been dealt with by her and just in time to ensure that the Argus PD did not send in a SWAT team to deal with the situation. Garnet had clearly not recognised Anne. Anne had changed her clothing, accent, and general demeanour so that she was virtually unrecognisable, and Garnet had clearly not recognised her or had dismissed the possibility out of hand. However, he had noticed Sky, but it appeared that he had decided that it must be a coincidence. However, he carried on at glancing at Sky and shaking his head. Sky clearly was dreading the huntsman putting it together.
If Sky had been Corkran's teammate it would have been a no brainer to tell Garnet who Sky was and ask him to please stop staring at him. He would have explained that he was waiting for Sky to be ready to tell the rest of the team his story and then deal with it from there. He would have left it up to Garnet whether to tell Sky that he had recognised him but would not say anything to anyone else or just stop staring at the young man. However, his teammate was Anne and Leslie could see that him volunteering Sky's identity would risk the huntsman starting to wonder why the issue had been raised by the wrong team leader.
He had talked to Anne and suggested that she take extra care when around Garnet not to lapse into the slang which would risk triggering his memory. She had nodded and accepted the advice. She had pointed out that they had only spent a few hours in each other's company and that quite a bit of that had been spent with him negotiating with the Mistral authorities to ensure they both left the trailer park alive. She also said that while he had seen the aftermath, he had not actually seen her use her semblance and so her inclination was to let sleeping dogs lie. Still how many Pig Faunus who were not obviously Faunus and came from the lower east side of Vale with a telekinesis semblance could there be. He hated doing nothing. He far preferred taking action, but it was not his choice to make.
He was pleasantly surprised by how well the team gelled considering that they consisted of two privileged humans and two Faunus who had decidedly mixed pasts. The trouble was that there were some things about his team which he knew would come to a head at some stage. Brede was clearly becoming interested in Anne and she seemed to be oblivious to it. Considering the reaction of his family to Brede's suggestion he was attracted to Lydia, the realisation that he was attracted to a Faunus from the slums would not be pretty to see. That was even before they got to the accusation of attempted murder and the reality of the prison break. He had felt slightly guilty about having warned Brede off, but he had pointed out that it was not a good idea to have a relationship within the team. He had said that unless Brede was absolutely certain about his feelings for her then it would not be the act of a gentleman to lead Anne on. As it was if photographs emerged of him holding her tightly it could be presented as the commendable concern of one teammate for another who was covered in blood. He had also pointed out that Anne had not shown any clear signs of being attracted to Brede and said it would not be fair on Anne to be pressured within her team to have a relationship and pointed to the behaviour of Jaune and Dove.
Brede no doubt had his own reasons for choosing Beacon over Atlas. While Leslie thought he could guess what they were, they did not affect the team and he and Brede had agreed on a formula designed to give no offence to anyone. With Lydia it was just easiest to say that what you see is what you get. Clearly she had been close to her brother and honouring his memory seemed as good a reason as any to go to Beacon and learn to kill Grimm. Still there was a sense of determination and controlled anger which suggested that there could be something more lurking beneath the surface.
His own past was also one which would surely come out at some stage. His team knew he had worked with the Atlas military and that he held the rank of captain. So as far as he was concerned it was obvious that as a Vacuoan resident Faunus it was unlikely he had been promoted for his work in the catering corps. Still the full extent of his activities was not something he wanted to talk about or burden the others.
Anyway, there would be a team dinner tonight with four of the huntsmen and huntresses in the summer house. Garnet would not be there so there was no need to worry about him spotting something. He was looking forward to hearing suggestions for how the team could improve. The trainers were pretty certain that Brede had a marksman semblance and that he would be extremely valuable in the team rounds. The problem was that the difference between talent and a semblance was not entirely clear cut, but one of the trainers had said that Brede appeared to be able to change the direction of the bullet in flight so as to follow his target. He had decided to suggest that Brede negotiate with Velvet next term to buy some enhanced bullets for Brede. Brede could afford it and the way the seedings were likely to work, it was very unlikely that there would be a problem with agreeing that Brede would not use the bullets against Team CFVY.
He would take advantage of having the huntsmen around to understand the thought processes which went into team attacks and tournament fighting. His own preference was for ambushes and making opponents defeat themselves, but Amity Arena seemed rather large and the habitats too unpredictable for that to be a strategy he could rely on.
/-/
Russel had dressed for dinner. He had got used to wearing a dinner jacket although the hair still seemed incongruous with it. He and Cardin had had a useful afternoon. One of the huntsmen had practised fighting two on one with them and had shown that how to coordinate their attacks better. Clearly the most devastating tactic was to use Russel's speed to take an opponent out of position so that Cardin could use the full power of The Executioner. However, Russel's weapons were not to be sneezed at and anyone engaged in defending themselves against the mace was vulnerable to attacks from the side or from behind.
Cardin had a meeting with Lapis stone before dinner and Russel waited for him. Therefore, they found Dove and Sky waiting for then with Vermillion, Garnet, Spruce and Marine holding glasses of sparkling wine. Dove and Sky were looking excited. During the first course Cardin described his and Russel's afternoon. They had discussed the rifle option. Initially Russel was inclined to reject it if only because he was the obvious person to carry it and it would adversely affect his speed and mobility. However, when they mentioned the possibility of a fold up rifle, he decided that it may be worth trialling. There was one in Cardin's Great Aunt's armoury, and it was decided that it was worth seeing if it was a possible goer. It was agreed that it would be more of a back-up and to be used where a sniper role was needed to deal with a particular team.
Spruce said, "It may be a good sucker strategy early on in the tournament. One of the traditional ways of dealing with snipers is to have the most agile team member rush them. A little risky but if the habitat involves structures or trees and the rusher has a strong aura, it is often successful or at least keeps the sniper occupied looking for a sneak attack. In your case you just drop the rifle and use your knives and agility to take him out."
Russel said, "Thanks, I will think about it. Could we practice me rushing a sniper as I think that might be useful for us in a fight?"
"Of course."
As the main course was served, Sky nodded to Dove who then said "Cardin, Russel, we think we may have found Sky's semblance today and it seems to be a useful one."
He then described the afternoon's events and that when using his halberd to propel himself that when firing both the halberd and the pistol, Sky had been unexpectedly accurate and had always landed on his feet.
Vermillion said, "I am inclined to think that it is your semblance. There was a slight drain on your aura while doing this which was more than I would have expected it this was simply a natural skill. More tests will be needed to see whether it more of an aiming or a balance semblance. The more I think about it, the more useful I think it will be in team attacks. First, it allows to fire at an opponent who may not be expecting it. Second, with both Cardin and Dove fighters are likely to concentrate their aura against the frontal assault and their auras may be weaker against attacks from above, the side or behind. The first time it is a surprise and in later matches it is the sort of attack which makes other teams more cautious about trying things themselves."
Cardin said to Sky, "Is it worth looking at whether we can do a variant of what Pyrrha and Nora do with Pyrrha's shield?"
After they had explained how Team JNPR had dealt with the Deathstalker, Vermillion said, "No harm in trying, and it will be useful to see whether the aiming advantage works for longer shots. Certainly, as a possible surprise attack a halberd hitting aura from above with a side order of dust bullets has something to be said for it."
Cardin was clearly pleased and thanked Vermillion for spotting the potential for the semblance, congratulated Sky on the discovery and praised Dove for running with considering the potential for team attacks. In retrospect, perhaps it had been unwise to start drinking toasts at that stage of the evening, but psychologically it seemed right at the time. The team had been through some hard times last term and now it looked like the hard work was paying off. Hugo was acting as wine waiter tonight and a glass did not stay empty for long.
He wondered whether Vermillion and Spruce had set up one part of the conversation in advance, but if so he thought it was a good way of encouraging the team to be positive. Perhaps they had merely discussed what they do when the issue was raised and played it out from there.
Sky had asked, "I know how the seedings are done is designed to ensure that the best teams from each Academy avoid each other in the first round and that ideally two teams from each Academy go through into the second round. They also keep the first and second years in different grouping until the third round. How realistic is it to think that the third and fourth teams from beacon can both make it into the second round?"
Vermillion said, "Home advantage helps. It does appear that the cheers of the crowd can lift the performance of the home teams. However, there are some factors which you should bear in mind. First, for whatever reason you have what should have been the best Haven team at Beacon. We will leave it to the Mistral press to discuss how that happened, but it does mean that third and fourth teams from Beacon this year can regard themselves as being a little higher up the pecking order than the seedings apply. Similarly, for Haven their third and fourth seeded teams are likely to be a little weaker than would be expected. The first-year teams from Shade generally are a collection of individuals rather than a team. By the time it gets to the third- and fourth-year teams they have coalesced together and are threats to anyone. However, their training focuses on individuality rather than teams."
Russel said, "That's broadly true. It is also true that in Vacuo the focus is more on fighting Grimm. The combat school system is less organised than in the other kingdoms. Our population is less concentrated, and training is more likely to happen at tribe level. It is one of the reasons why I wanted to train outside the kingdom." There were others, but there was no need to bring these up here.
Sky said, "A disadvantage of the system in Mistral is that 85% of the students are citizens of Mistral and have come up through the combat school system. They have fought each other since they were fourteen and know each other too well to surprise each other. They also tend to choose their own teams. Obviously, this has some advantages in that they are used to each other, but again it encourages complacency. The Mistral regional tournament also encourages people to be singles fighters. I know that there is a doubles tournament for the combat schools, but the best competitors prefer to concentrate on the singles. Bear in mind as well this year most people from Haven are used to losing to Pyrrha Nikos."
Vermillion asked, "What has been the effect of being on a team with people you never met before and fighting people who you did not know?"
"I am definitely a better fighter and have had to adjust my style. I am still used to losing to Pyrrha Nikos, but watching people give her a good fight means that I am less in awe of her then I was previously."
Garnet asked, "What happens in Vale? I know that Dove, Cardin, and Lydia have all fought each other for four years? Aren't you used to each other?"
Cardin said, "True, but only in front of each other and the teachers. Even though I had heard that there were some good fighters at Signal I actually had never fought Yang until Beacon. It helps that at Beacon that there are a lot of hunters in training from outside Vale. I think the percentages are at least double that in any of the other academies."
Vermillion said, "Yes, that probably helps. You have all had to get used to fighting people who you had not fought previously and are less likely to find it a shock to encounter new people at the tournament."
Spruce added "Remember you only have to finish second in your first-round group to qualify for the second round."
Russel thought about this and thought to himself actually from what Sky has said I do not think that there is any team from Mistral that we do not have a good chance of defeating and he can brief Cardin on the strengths and weaknesses of our likely opponents. While I only really encountered the Vacuoan students on open days and summer camps at Shade, I do know enough about them to prepare Cardin more than they can be prepared to face us.
The conversation reverted to discovering semblances and ones of limited utility. Spruce told of a friend who was now barred from every casino in Mistral and who could no longer play games of chance. He had a semblance which helped in games of chance, but only if the odds were high.
"He spent two months arguing that he should be allowed to play roulette provided he only place boring bets. His semblance did not help when he merely bet on back or red but did help when he placed on one number only. The casinos responded by saying that semblances tended to develop over time and that there was nothing to stop him having a side bet with a friend which could impact on a spin of the wheel on which a friend had placed money. It's not even useful in fighting Grimm as it seems to class that as a game of skill rather than luck."
Vermillion said, "My elder brother has a semblance which allow shim to cook perfect pancakes and omelettes. While useful at home, we have yet to find a use for it in fighting Grimm."
As the evening wore on, he realised that dove had drunk just a little too much and was moving into territory which risking being embarrassing. What made it worse was that he thought that he was being subtle and merely supporting Cardin.
He was asking the huntsmen about how many Faunus had been at Beacon with them and what they thought about them.
Vermillion said, "Things were different then. For a start, Faunus who lived in Vale were gently discouraged from unlocking their aura and if they had they tended to hide the fact that it had happened. There were still raw memories from the Faunus war and there was a strand of opinion which wanted to encourage Faunus to go to Menagerie, Certainly, it was common for Faunus convicted of crimes to be offered leniency if they migrated. I took it as normal when I was growing up, but I prefer the balance now. For me, the first two years of Grimm hunting taught me that the Grimm treat human, Faunus and half breeds the same and when you are fighting for your life you want the best fighters by your side regardless of their background. There was an awful lot of wasted potential back then."
Dove said, "If Faunus were as good as humans then about 40% of the students at Beacon should be Faunus. Cardin, I suppose you are right when you say that those that are there are entitled to be there. Also there seem to be a larger percentage who have identified their semblance which usually gives them an advantage."
Cardin was clearly trying to think of something to say to this which would stop Dove talking about this issue in public without snubbing Dove.
Garnet intervened "As a huntsman who did not grow up in Vale, there do seem to be some economic factors. Most of the huntsmen from Vale itself I have met come from comfortably off backgrounds. I wonder whether poor humans and Faunus alike are unlikely to go to combat school and thus to Beacon unless they show outstanding ability."
Vermillion said, "I am afraid that there is some truth in that. That is part of the reason for the mustang scheme at Beacon and the other academies. It gives a career path to people whose auras were unlocked late or who were told as children that being a huntsman was not for the likes of them. In relation to semblances, while I have not investigated it scientifically, the percentage of huntsman, huntresses and unqualified civilians with unlocked semblances seems to be greater in the borderlands where Grimm are a constant threat."
Spruce said, "I think that this may be linked to the reason why more auras are unlocked in Vacuo than in Vale. Circumstances mean that people are more likely to be placed in flight or fight situations where auras and semblances are needed."
Dove looked at him quizzically, but Vermillion nodded and said, "That is my view. In the large cities, huntsmen are around to deal with Grimm and there are sufficiently few Grimm around to make it a rational choice not to unlock your aura and circumstances do not arise where unless a semblance is activated death from Grimm is likely. Indeed, there are good reasons why auras are not unlocked as a matter of course besides the risk of attracting Grimm."
Dove said, "I thought the research showed that humans and half-humans had stronger semblances and auras."
Garnet grimaced, but luckily Dove did not notice.
Garnet said, "I am afraid that this is an area where the research is of dubious value. First, the research from fifty years ago was designed to find that humans were superior, other than in relation to night vision and mostly too place in Mistral. In Mistral, the fact that Faunus with unlocked auras and revealed semblances were almost guaranteed to be convicted under the Sam Raven laws and at best shipped off to Menagerie meant that under reporting of Faunus with auras was guaranteed. There was a theory that the children of human Faunus relationships were more likely to have aura than children with two Faunus parents, but when they did more in-depth interviews it appeared that partly reflected that the human parent did not feel the need to hide the abilities and that being a huntsman, policeman or mercenary was seen as a good career for those who did not quite fit in to society and gave a better chance of having a life outside Mistral. There was also a line of argument that Faunus and mixed species tended to have more cowardly semblances, but the counter argument was that the realities of life meant that fight or flight among peoples who were not permitted to carry weapons and were punished for fighting back tended to encourage the development of semblances which concentrated on unarmed combat and illusion."
Dove said, "It may be the case that the old research was designed to overstate the inferiority of Faunus, but people know what the reality is." He took a sip of wine and Russel saw that Cardin was looking increasingly unhappy. Clearly a monologue was coming up.
Spruce intervened and said, "Garnet is right. He has spent more time in Mistral than the rest of us and has probably met more people using half baked research to justify weird views than we ever have. Who was that eugenicist weirdo you dealt with four years ago who believed in culling illiterate Faunus?"
Sky looked uncomfortable at this and said, "While true up to a point, the crackpots are in a very small minority." Garnet also did not look happy about the direction the conversation was taking.
Spruce coloured himself and said "Sorry Mr Lark. I did not mean to imply otherwise. After all in Vale we have our own crackpots who believe in this W the unknown nonsense."
Russel thought that it might be best to lighten the tone and said, "Well to my tribe it is self-evident that those who are adjudged worthy of wearing the hair are the best pf the best and all humans and Faunus are inferior to us. They do not like us because they are jealous of us. I realise of course that good manners means that we should not flaunt our superiority as after all it is not their fault they are not Mohawks. Mind you I am happy to treat these three as honorary Mohawks and would recommend to my tribe that they be allowed to adopt the style."
Cardin flashed a look of gratitude and laughed louder than the joke deserved as did Vermillion and the other huntsmen. Dove flushed slightly but took the message and a refill of his wine glass. Russel wondered whether it may be for the best for the team to talk through some of the issues by themselves. Perhaps he and Sky should have another talk. If Dove could be encouraged into adopting an attitude which involved humans holding themselves to higher standards without despising Faunus then that might be a stance the team could agree on. Still he knew in his own tribe, he was only half joking about the attitudes to outsiders.