Part of me feels slightly bad Touma isn't getting a lot of screen time, but then I remember he gets way too much screen time in other stories. It's time for Accelerator to have fun, and by fun I mean annoyed. A bunch of girls who seem to stick their noses into everything that doesn't concern them is sure to change his outlook on life. Or cause mass deaths, one of those. Who knows, maybe Yang will push him over the edge and he will get back at her by dating her mom. Seriously, everyone seems to be so excited about Accelerator X Raven. I really enjoyed the ship name, but everyone else seems to want the actually ship to happen. I know Raven likes strong guys, but I can't really see it happening if everyone remains in character. But what do I know? Stranger things have happened. I'm going to make an omake about it at least because it will be hilarious. Already have it planned out. Anyways, let's move onto comments.
TheCasualReader: The author of the LN wanted the series to be a battle manga. It was actually his publisher than encouraged him to add a few more romantic scenes. A big difference between the RWBY universe and the Index universe characters is the RWBY cast is a little more forward in the romance department, especially Yang. Since this isn't a LN focused purely on battle, it could be possible for Touma to develop a relationship with someone. The biggest factor in preventing this is the fact it's another world and he is still going to try to get back, so he would be hesitant to do anything with anyone here, knowing it would be a temporary thing.
LL: Nine Lives was made because Blake's a cat and Touma seems to have multiple lives. Every LN he picks up a couple roe to replace the ones he lost. Yeah, if Touma gets the opportunity to save someone, he will. It's just how he is. Can't be too early though, or some of the later events won't occur. If Touma could get a picture of Blake in a catgirl maid outfit, his friends' heads would explode. Touma got a goddess to fall for him, I'm sure a Grimm Queen would be doable.
Artyom-Dreizehn: I try, but it's difficult. Sometimes they will act a little OOC because I'm not a professional and these aren't characters I developed. Jaune is going to be the important link to bring people together.
GuestStar: Dust itself is not magic, right. It's a substance mined from the earth. Magic is created when Aura, the spiritual energy of people on Remnant, is combined with dust. Like when Cinder used it against Ruby to make shards of ice. True magic does not require dust, which is what the Maiden, and probably the relics, have. Accelerator figured out flame dust after one to two hits, but I'm assuming different types of dust fused with Aura will have slightly different calculations. Of course I know their plans won't work, but they don't know that. They are developing plans other have come up with, so it's only natural some of them have already occurred.
Spartastic 4: Worst would be great to bring in. At least Yang would learn why Accelerator is immune to all her teasing. Mikoto and Othinus would be the two to visit Touma, if I brought more people. They would be hilarious, with Othinus trying to convince the others she's a goddess.
The Rupture: Accelerator is pretty smart, I'm sure he could learn about it with time. He doesn't have his iPod to listen to music, so maybe he can pass time reading when he's not sleeping. Invulnerability seems like a good back up, but a friend suggested giving Jaune reflection. It would explain why Cardin hurt his hand when he punched Jaune and how Jaune could survive a lot of encounters. He would subconsciously reflect some of the power. Accelerator would love that.
HikariNiwa: Can't take credit for that name, but I really love it.
dickythamrin077: Slowly moving toward combat now. Using this chapter to practice writing in the RWBY universe before the big event.
Prof. Pancakes: Yes, he has. I've left some small clues about the time period scattered throughout the chapters.
YeTianshi: Heh, someone that doesn't care about Touma shipping. Raven would appreciate Accelerator's power, even if he is kind of scrawny. The look of horror on Yang's face when Accelerator is found in bed with her mom. It would be a stretch to get Pyrrha and Accelerator together.
Guest: 1) Limiting the number of names to around three, so I keep the ones I like the most. 2) I would not doubt that at all. I like the Coco X Touma one. Yang's Worst Nightmare would actually be Accelerator x Ruby X Raven. Her poor younger sister being corrupted.
Darkblacke: Thanks for the compliment.
TheRealSquibbyJ: I have a rough outline to a certain point, then it's going to go off on a tangent.
SpiderhunterXXX: Touma's IB would just come back if he lost his hand. The dragon in Remnant will be fun though.
Rekyuu: The focus of this story isn't romance, but shipping is fun.
Croniklerx: Now I have to go through all the names and decide which ones I really like. I refuse to put Cardin and Accelerator together like that. Ewww. Sadly, Touma does not play a big part right now, he will later one, but it's primarily on Accelerator and his new friends. You can chat with me whenever, but I do enjoy reading your posts. I had some experience with Last Order and Accelerator, so writing them as complete opposites is pretty easy, though you have to add a little scheming in there. I'm hiding this in your response, but people don't know the final ships are the ones with the best name. Don't let the others know. I thought of a new Penny X Touma name when I read your comment. Spoiler, the dragon was planned to come out sometime there. I want to save Accelerator's white wings for a big scene, when his normal powers won't quite be enough. We have one scene with Jaune's semblance, and Cardin only hurt his hand. Could easily be some type of reflection to piss off Accelerator into realizing he's not unique.
TheLastSterling: I have one Omake planned for the near future. Not sure what kind of other omakes I could do, but maybe have some more Index characters meet the RWBY characters. Yang and Worst wouldn't be a couple, but they would definitely cause Accelerator nightmares with their antics.
Salishious: Hmm, nah, there has to be better names for Touma X Raven.
Shadow: Thanks
Nyx: I won't ship Last Order with people because of the age difference.
WiliamZ0: Touma is going to lead the Faunus to victory, at least the female ones. She's not going to be as cheerful. That's one way I can see Touma attracting Ruby. Get her addicted to his amazing cookies. Mt. Glenn is going to learn that Accelerator is the unstoppable force. Pretty sure Adam stabs her when they meet again. Do you want that?! Cornered animals are the most dangerous. If Touma trapped one and approached it, I bet it would lash out. The thing is, Touma thinks negatively a lot, so they are attracted to those emotions, but then the IB keeps them away. It's a paradox for the Grimm.
Wiliamsusanto: For pairings to happen, they have to have that first flag. You can't just put two people in the same room and suddenly they are a couple.
RPGPersona: Accelerator and Touma are obviously bros like Jaune and Ren. Accelerator doesn't know how injured Touma always ends up. He only knows that Touma saves people against all odds and everything works out. (Hacks) Nora keeps all her shipping material under her bed. Yang's goal right now is to defeat Accelerator by embarrassing him. She's not having much luck. Worst is much better than she is. Why would Nora trying anything else besides hitting harder? It worked for Goku. Weiss would be so pissed if she found out Yang managed to get a credit card out in her name. Would be funny to watch though. Jaune will be the only one on Accelerator's scroll when he gets one. Maybe Weiss, or Yang if she steals it. What on earth will Roman due with the information? Will he tell Touma?
Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or RWBY.
"Are we heading back to your dorm now? MISAKA asks, as MISAKA doesn't know what the plan is." The group arrived back at Beacon and had just gotten off the Bullhead.
"We have to drop off all of our stuff," Weiss replied. "Then we can head to the cafeteria for dinner."
"Yay, food!" Nora cheered. "I'm starving."
"You all go ahead," Pyrrha said. "Jaune and I will be up in a few minutes." The others turned to see Jaune retching over a trashcan.
"I can't believe he gets sick that badly," Accelerator scoffed. "How old is he, five?"
"Motion sickness is a lot more common than you would think!" Jaune protested and then quickly doubled over the can again. Pyrrha stood nearby, but she didn't approach him.
"Let P-money handle him," Yang laughed. "I want to put these clothes away before anything happens to them." She had managed to find several casual outfits during their excursion.
"Our rooms are right across the hall from each other," Ren informed Accelerator, since Last Order had already been there.
"Ruby and Weiss have bunkbeds! MISAKA adds. MISAKA thinks we should get bunkbeds when we return home MISAKA says, as MISAKA expresses her desire."
"They are awesome," Ruby added proudly.
"No," Accelerator answered immediately.
"Ouch, that was cold," Yang pointed out.
"Why not?" Weiss asked. "You didn't even consider it."
"Pot calling kettle?" Blake muttered, but loud enough for Weiss to hear. "What was your original response when Ruby wanted bunkbeds?"
"That was completely different," Weiss rebuffed and stomped her foot. "I at least considered it and then agreed."
"It was three against one," Ruby recalled.
"And you complained for a week about it," Blake added.
"That was before I knew it was secure," Weiss replied, defending herself. She actually enjoyed bunkbeds, it was just the death contraption Ruby made infuriated her for a while.
"Why can't we? MISAKA asks, as MISAKA tugs on your shirt." Accelerator looked down at her and sighed, slightly annoyed he had to explain himself.
"You know exactly what would happen," he answered. "Worst would make it her life's goal to collapse it on someone." The others looked confused at who Worst was. It wasn't a real name on Remnant, but they could hardly comment about other worlds.
"True, MISAKA admits. The Evil One would only cause destruction."
"Who's Worst?" Nora asked curiously.
"Her sister," Accelerator answered, but didn't go into details. Everything suddenly made sense, including Last Order's description of Worst.
"She sounds like a riot," Yang laughed. Accelerator rolled his eyes and Last Order shook her head violently. They reached the team's room and once Ruby unlocked the door, Last Order virtually dragged Accelerator in. It only took one quick glance to see several design issues.
"Why have those abominations of engineering not fallen yet?" he asked, indicating the lopsided bed hanging by ropes and the other bed being propped up on books over the other.
"Fort Ruby will never fall," Ruby cried and she and Last Order disappeared into the one hanging by ropes and covered by a sheet. They both stuck there heads out from behind a small wall of pillows.
"Ours is fine, too," Yang answered and hopped onto the top bunk of her bed. The bed wobbled slightly, but did not collapse. Accelerator raised an eyebrow at Blake and Weiss.
"I trust my reflexes will save me," Blake told him, aware of his disbelief.
"There is not a single night I don't fear for my life," Weiss sighed. "But it does give us a lot more room. When we first arrived and unpacked, we could barely move."
"If you want to risk your lives," Accelerator said, uncaring. "No skin off my back." He turned to Last Order. "You're not sleeping there tonight, brat."
"Aww, MISAKA complains, as MISAKA likes the floating fort."
"It's actually pretty stable," Blake pointed out.
"Come on!" Ruby whined. "Last Order got to spend last night with Team JNPR. Let her stay with us tonight!"
"Can MISAKA sleep with you once accommodations are made? MISAKA asks, as MISAKA misses staying in the same room as you." Accelerator flinched at the sight of Yang's grin.
"Oh?" Yang asked, highly amused. "Does our resident Ice King have a soft spot for younger girls? Maybe even sleeping together?" Blake and Weiss tensed up, knowing what she was implying and expecting a fight. Ruby tilted her head in confusion.
"Yang!" Weiss snapped. "Quit being so vulgar! That's disgusting."
"But," Ruby interjected. "Me and Yang slept together all the time when we were younger."
"That's different, Ruby," Yang dismissed.
"MISAKA has her own room, MISAKA informs everyone. However, MISAKA likes to sneak into Accelerator's room at night and sleep there, MISAKA adds. He usually lets MISAKA." Yang's grin grew and Blake quickly threw a hand over her mouth to prevent the situation from escalating.
"There's nothing wrong with Accelerator being nice to Last Order," Weiss told Yang seriously. "She's only a kid." From Last Order's descriptions, she could occasionally catch a glimpse of the softer side of Accelerator. He put up a cold front, but he actually was a genuinely nice guy. She kind of understood his position, as she had been there when they first arrived at Beacon. It took another person telling her she should focus on being the best person she could be, that she began to open up.
"I'm leaving," Accelerator huffed. "You all annoy me more than the others." He turned to leave and, right before he shut the door. "Bye, Snow Angel."
Maybe Weiss was mistaken.
Team RUBY, JNPR, Accelerator, and Last Order were sitting at their usual table. Everyone's moods were varying wildly. Ruby was the most depressed, as Weiss and Yang both reminded her she was not allowed to have any cookies. She grabbed a piece of cake from the cafeteria, but it wasn't the same. Weiss and Last Order were talking to each other and Last Order must have been saying something funny, because Weiss was smiling, an unusual occurrence. Pyrrha and Jaune were talking to Ren, though it was mostly Jaune doing the talking. Yang was talking to Blake, who was trying to read. Yang was planning something and Blake was humoring her with one or two word answers. Nora had taken it upon herself to talk to Accelerator and tell him some stories about Team JNPR's adventures. While the stories may have been exaggerated, Nora always had a knack with storytelling. Accelerator found himself listening to them, even if he would rather eat soap than admit it.
"Do you have it?" Yang suddenly asked Ren, who nodded.
"Have what…? Oh, crap." Jaune realized what she was referring too when Ren pulled out a green smoothie.
"You didn't think we would forget, Arc?" Weiss sneered. This was partial revenge for all the times he annoyed her and the fact he almost made a comeback during their sparing match.
"If I have to go without cookies," Ruby added. "You can drink a single shake!"
"Ruby!" Jaune gasped. "I thought we were friends."
"Lack of cookies makes her irritable," Blake informed him and looked up from her book.
"It's best to just get it over with," Pyrrha told Jaune. She was sympathetic of his plight, but Jaune did make a promise. There wasn't much he wouldn't do, but breaking a promise was not something he would even consider. Jaune slowly reached forward and grabbed the glass.
"Gulp it down as fast as possible," Nora recommended. "It's really bitter, but it takes a few moments to actually kick in." She dug into her own food, chewed for a moment, and shivered. "I remember the first time I tried it. So bad. I can't understand why he drinks those things."
"They are healthy," Ren informed her, for what could easily be the hundredth time. "It's a blend of herbs and fruit designed to optimize nutritional intake. Adding sugar, or syrup, would only dilute it."
"I got this," Jaune said a lot more confidently then he felt and raised the glass of algae-like substance to his lips. He took a deep breath and began to drink it as fast as possible.
"Chug, chug, chug!" Ruby, Yang, Last Order, and Nora chanted. In only a few seconds, the drink disappeared and Jaune slammed the glass back down on the table. He blinked and then the taste hit him.
"Why does it burn!?" Jaune yelled and grabbed his soda. He started to chug it down too and Nora passed over a glass of water, which he gulped down desperately too. His face was turning slightly green and everyone around him scooted away slightly. He wobbled in his seat and then fell forward. A loud crash followed, as his head hit the table. "My insides…" Jaune moaned. "I'm dying…. Pyrrha, I leave all my comics to you and Nora."
"Don't die on us, Jaune!" Ruby cried out, as she stood up in panic.
"Big brother! MISAKA cries, as MISAKA identifies the face of one about to leave us." Last Order really took the role of Jaune's sister seriously, or she just really enjoyed acting. No one was quite sure, but a vein throbbed in Accelerator's head every time she called Jaune a brother.
"Last Order!" Jaune gasped. "I can only leave you advice…. Always keep your word… gak." His eyes closed and he fell silent. Pyrrha gasped and started to shake him and yell out his name. At first, she thought he was just being melodramatic.
"What is in this?" Yang asked, holding up the glass and sniffing it. She flinched.
"Keep it away," Blake coughed and held a hand to her nose. Her sense of smell was much greater than the others, being a Faunus and all. Yang handed it over to Weiss, who took it gingerly.
"What did Ren make?" she muttered to herself. "Arc may not be as strong as us, but Aura should prevent most poisons. His constitution is at least adequate."
"Ren's drinks are not for normal human consumption," Nora explained. "Last time I drank one, I was bedridden for a week." Weiss quickly sat the glass down.
"So Ren drinks poison?" Yang asked.
"It is not poison," Ren stated firmly, a slight scowl on his face. "While I admit it's not very sweet, there is nothing poisonous there. Everything in it is organic and filled with vitamins and nutrients. Jaune is just not used to eating that healthy and his body is reacting to the sudden change in diet."
"Drama queen," Accelerator muttered, but pushed the glass out of Last Order's reach. She obviously wanted to try it, regardless of the warnings. Jaune finally seemed to pull himself together and sat up, but his appetite vanished and he pushed his plate away. Nora happily finished it off.
"I've been wondering," Weiss spoke up and turned to Accelerator. "Last Order was given permission to join our classes while you were here. I assume you are going to accompany her. What I am surprised about was why Professor Ozpin was okay with it. Hunters and Huntresses have to go through a rigorous exam process to participate. You are strong, we saw that against Team CRDL, but how did the headmaster learn that?"
"He had that old woman put me through a couple tests," Accelerator yawned. Everyone else flinched.
"You really shouldn't call Goodwitch old," Ruby warned. "She can get pretty scary."
"What kind of tests?" Pyrrha asked. "Ours involved facing Grimm."
"Really big ones," Nora reminisced, as her eyes glazed over at the memory.
"They tried a few robots," Accelerator explained, but his boredom was evident. "But garbage like that couldn't tell them anything, so they brought in a group of students." A dark smile creeped onto his face. "It's how I learned a bit about what kind of punishment Aura can take."
"You lost, right?" Yang asked hopefully.
"You wish," Accelerator laughed. "Three of them couldn't do anything, but the forth one used the stuff you called dust. Have to say, that fight was rather interesting."
"How so?" Blake asked.
"The magic you guys perform by combining dust with Aura reacts differently with my power," Accelerator replied. "Took a few moments to figure it out. Once I did, the fight turned boring."
"Fighting an individual that can reflect any attack would be tough," Pyrrha pointed out. "Even if you knew about it. Do you know which team you fought? None of us heard about a first year team fighting, so it was probably a second year-…"
"Third," Accelerator interrupted.
"Excuse me?"
"I heard them say they were a third year team," Accelerator corrected her, as he dug into his food. The rest of the group stared at him as he finished his coffee. He stared at his empty cup for a second, stood up, and headed back to get a refill.
"A third year team?" Jaune mouthed. "Dang, I knew he was tough, but to face an entire team?"
"I want to face him more than ever," Nora stated excitedly.
"I want to see him fight again too," Ruby added. "Then we can decide what kind of weapon he needs. Do you think he will participate in combat class tomorrow?"
"I doubt it," Weiss admitted. "He doesn't seem like the type to volunteer and we have no idea if Professor Goodwitch is going to ask him to."
"Okay," Yang said and slammed her hand on the table. "He actually seemed interested in dust, so we have to get him to want to face Weiss Queen here. She's the best one out of us with the stuff."
"I don't really want to face him," Weiss muttered.
"Because you have a crush on him," Yang mocked and Weiss glared at her.
"No, I saw what he did to Cardin's team and I'm not interested in being on the receiving end of that." However, Weiss's cheeks flushed ever so slightly, and it was notable on her pale skin. Yang's grin widened.
"I'll ask to face him," Nora volunteered.
"Hitting him harder is not going to work," Ren reminded her again.
"Pyrrha," Weiss suddenly said. "Didn't you mention you were interested in facing him?"
"I did," Pyrrha confirmed with a nod.
"So why not ask to challenge him?" Weiss continued.
"Hmm," Pyrrha mulled it over for a second. "Do you think he would accept?"
"No," Yang answered instead. "He wouldn't want to do anything like that. We have to trick him into wanting to. Which is why Weiss should face him with dust, but she doesn't want to accidently piss him off."
"That's not what I said," Weiss protested.
"But it's what you really meant." Before Weiss could refute Yang, Jaune spoke up.
"It should be easy enough," Jaune said and everyone stared at him. Ruby asked the important question.
"How?"
Jaune smiled and turned to Last Order. "Do you think you could ask him to face Pyrrha in our combat class?"
"MISAKA could, MISAKA admits, but he will most likely want to sleep through class." Jaune frowned in thought and Last Order continued. "MISAKA might be able to beg to see him face Pyrrha, MISAKA considers, as MISAKA begins to plan how to manipulate him. He won't go all out though."
"That's more than enough," Jaune reassured her.
"You are the greatest," Yang said and reached over to give Last Order a hug.
"It's up to you to bring fame to Team JNPR," Nora said to Pyrrha.
"I'll do my best," she replied.
"Hey, Blake," Weiss said and turned to their silent teammate. "You seem to be less talkative than usual." Blake's eyes darted over at Weiss, but Yang spoke up before she could.
"She's right. What's up Blakey? Steamy part in your story?"
"No," Blake answered and her eyes flickered back to where they were serving food. "I noticed the fact that Accelerator didn't go to the coffee area, but went into the back of the kitchen. Look, he's coming out now." They turned and saw Accelerator leaving the kitchen, sipping a full cup of coffee. He sat down and everyone stared at him.
"What?!" he snapped.
"You do know there's coffee over there?" Jaune asked and pointed. "You don't have to ask for it from the kitchen."
"That instant crap?" Accelerator asked. "Screw that. I'm picky about my coffee." He drank deeply. "It's the only way I'm going to be able to deal with all of you. I had to acquire some real stuff."
"They have non-instant coffee?" Weiss asked in shock and stared down at her own cup. Blake's bow twitched and she leaned forward slightly. Out of everyone in the group, those two loved coffee the most. Blake drank tea, sure, but she still enjoyed coffee. Instant was an affront to anyone who truly enjoyed coffee. "Why didn't they tell us?"
"Let me rephrase myself," Accelerator elaborated, almost mockingly. "I have access to real coffee, Snow Angel." Weiss flinched at the name, but held her tongue. "As part of the deal for me to help out against the Grimm, while Ozpin finds a way to return us home, I get to enjoy the coffee your teachers drink."
Weiss's and Blake's mouth fell open.
"Can MISAKA have some? MISAKA asks."
"No." Last Order was hyper enough without the caffeine from the nectar of the gods. A cough from behind them caused everyone to turn to see Glynda standing there.
"Mr. Accelerator," Glynda said. "I have come to inform you about your sleeping arrangements. Many of our extra rooms are in the process of being cleaned and repaired due to the Vytal Festival being held in Vale this year, while extra furniture is limited due to the storage room being burn by Miss Valkyrie." Nora blushed, but seemed quite pleased with herself. "We did, however, find a spare cot available for immediate use."
"Whatever," Accelerator said and then pointed at Last Order. "What about the brat?"
"She can stay with us!" Ruby and Weiss volunteered.
"That depends on what her guardian decides," Glynda told those two, her gaze stern. They grew silent. "Mr, Arc?"
"Y-yes?"
"Would it be possible for Mr. Accelerator to room with your team?" Glynda asked. "He knows Team JNPR and RWBY the most out of anyone here, but your team is also coed."
"I don't have a problem with that," Jaune replied and then glanced at his team. "You guys cool with it?" One thing Jaune didn't like to do was volunteer their team without consent. Pyrrha and Ren nodded, while Nora gave a thumbs up. She actually looked happy about it.
"Excellent," Glynda replied and made a note on her clipboard. "Another cot will be prepared for Miss Order to use as she wishes." She glanced at the others. "Do take care and get some rest tonight, everyone. I plan to test you all thoroughly during class." Jaune groaned and Pyrrha patted his back. Glynda then slid two scrolls onto the table to Accelerator and Last Order. "These are your scrolls to be used during your stay. They will allow you two to communicate, since your own devices will not work in our world."
"Thank you, MISAKA says politely and gratefully."
"Good," Accelerator said and began to check it out. "I needed this."
"If you have any questions on how to operate your scrolls," Glynda continued. "You may ask any faculty member, but I'm sure the others will be able to assist you." Her eyes fell on the two teams. "Do you have any questions?"
"Nope! MISAKA replies, as MISAKA begins to acquire her new friends' numbers." Weiss was already showing her how to add her number and then Last Order moved to Ruby. Accelerator gave a short nod, but didn't say anything. Glynda understood his nonverbal signal and bid them farewell. After she was gone, Blake frowned and turned to the rest of them.
"Is it my imagination," Blake asked the others. "But did she seem to be sizing us up when she looked at us?"
"You're imagining things, Blakey," Yang laughed.
The following day, Last Order and Accelerator experienced their first day as Beacon students.
Unfortunately, Professor Peter Port's class was first.
After a brief welcome from the portly gentleman, Accelerator wanted to blow his brains out within five minutes. He had no idea how someone could make slaying monsters sound so boring. Judging from everyone's reactions, this seems to be a usual occurrence. Red is drawing, the idiot, whore, and crazy girl are sleeping, princess, ninja, and Spartan are taking notes, of course they are, and the bookworm is reading, Most of the rest of the class isn't paying attention either, and I can't blame them. Who cares if he can use household items to kill Grimm? The only thing Accelerator paid attention to were the drawings of a couple Grimm and the slides. He recognized the Beowolves and Ursai he fought before and now he knew their names. There was one unusual occurrence in the class and it annoyed Accelerator, because everyone turned to look at the one person who actually seemed to be enthralled by the lecture.
Last Order kept raising her hand and asking questions.
Somehow, she not only was able to listen to the man putting an entire class of monster hunters to sleep, but she actually seemed to enjoy the stories. People were actually more interested in her than the teacher. Her interest was never seen as a bother though, because Peter was more than happy to go off on a tangent and into even greater detail. Accelerator's head hit the desk and he purposely didn't reflect it in order to actually use the pain to keep himself awake. If he fell asleep, his ability wouldn't be able to protect him and his thoughts turned to Yang. She had been periodically flicking paper balls at him to see if his guard had been let down, when she wasn't sleeping. He sent them back right at her but, he hated to admit it, her reflexes were far greater than normal people and she caught them. At last, the bell rang and everyone jolted up in their seats.
"…and then I took the nail clippers and tennis racket-…" Peter ended abruptly. "We can pick up next time. For homework, compare the weak points of Alphas vs their normal counterpart." Last Order drooped and looked incredibly disappointed. Accelerator grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the door, preventing her from rushing to Peter's side for more stories. He must have caught her expression, because he chuckled loudly. "Do not fret, Miss Order. Should you ever find yourself lacking direction, feel free to visit me at my office. I will be more than happy to share more stories with such a bright young girl."
"Thank you! MISAKA calls back, as MISAKA waves goodbye, before being forcefully dragged out of class."
"Do not encourage him," Accelerator told her. "How you can enjoy that windbag is beyond me."
"His stories are amazing! MISAKA protests, as MISAKA waves her free arm wildly in agitation. Being able to use a tub of grease to slide down the throat of a King Taijitu and save a boy before-…"
"No," Accelerator interrupted and shushed her. "We are not going to talk about that old fat man greasing himself up, ever again."
"Please don't," Weiss agreed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "It's going to take a week before I forget that." Pyrrha and Blake nodded, both looking slightly sick. Yang had been too busy trying to antagonize Accelerator, Ruby had been drawing, and Nora had been sleeping for them to be traumatized by the story. Blake had accidently heard it due to her keen senses. Jaune and Ren were the least affected by it, even though only one had been paying attention.
"Next class is combat," Jaune informed Last Order and Accelerator. "Goodwitch is the instructor there and we spar against each other."
"And Jauney boy always loses!" Cardin called out, as his team passed them.
"Shut it, Cardin," Yang called out. "Or I'll kick your entire team's butt as bad as Accelerator did yesterday!" Their faces paled slightly and they quickly moved further away from the others. "Hah, bunch of cowards, all of them."
"Don't worry, Jaune," Ruby reassured him. "You will beat him one day and then you can have the last laugh."
"You get him under fifty percent now," Pyrrha added, snapping back to the present. "When you first fought, you could barely touch him."
"I just wish I could improve faster and get him to stop bullying people," Jaune sighed. "He's been better, but he's still acting like a…" He trailed off.
"A jerk?" Blake filled in. "You have to accept life is full of those kinds of people. Don't let them get to you."
"One day you will show him why you are our Fearless Leader," Nora said and smacked Jaune in the back without enough force to knock him down. "Oops! Sorry, Jaune-Jaune."
"It's fine, Nora," Jaune sighed and pushed himself back up.
"What Nora is trying to say," Ren translated. "Is that you have many redeeming qualities Cardin has not been able to see."
"Because he has a rock for a brain," Yang pointed out.
"Thanks, guys," Jaune said to the others.
"You are having trouble with someone like him?" Accelerator asked incredulously. "He's just a muscle head. Charges straightforward without thinking." He yawned. "Reminds me of someone," his eyes fell on Yang.
"Who could that be?" Yang asked and narrowed her eyes.
"No idea, probably someone unimportant." Accelerator grinned, as a vein twitched in her head and he turned back to Jaune. "Just watch out for that fire explosion and a toddler could beat him."
"It's a fire dust crystal in his mace," Weiss informed Accelerator. "Should only be a onetime use attack, due to his lack of control. It's barbaric and an insult to dust users everywhere."
"You are a dust user, right? MISAKA asks."
"Yes," Weiss confirmed. "My weapon is designed to fuse dust into my attacks and I can create glyphs using dust too." Her eyes traveled to Accelerator. "If you are lucky, you might get to observe me fight." Accelerator rolled his eyes.
"It takes a lot to impress me, Snow Angel."
"Will you knock that off!?"
"Didn't think that nickname would spread," Jaune muttered to his team. Ren and Nora looked at each other, but Pyrrha looked slightly hopeful.
If Weiss and Accelerator get together, Jaune might forget about chasing after her. Pyrrha knew this was selfish, and she didn't like this small part of herself, but she didn't know what Jaune saw in Weiss. She was mean to him and insulted him constantly. Weiss had many good points, including willing to help others with their problems if asked. She might complain, but there was an icy exterior you had to get through to know the real Weiss. Pyrrha just wished Jaune would turn his affections to her.
"Arc!" Weiss snapped. "If you call me that name again, I will freeze everything between your legs off." Jaune squeaked and turned away, protecting his family jewels. Accelerator chuckled under his breath. It amused him how easy the largest among them cowers at any girl who glared at him. They reached their next class and he sat down next to Last Order, who had immediately grabbed a seat next to Weiss. Jaune and Pyrrha were behind him, while Ruby and Yang sat in front of him. His eyes fell onto Glynda, who was standing in front of the room with her arms crossed, waiting for everyone to file in.
Great, Accelerator sighed. She's so annoying. Strict and will probably try to reprimand me for using 'fowl' language or 'clearing trash' like the fucker, Cardin. He put his elbow on the table in front of him and propped up his head to watch the other students kick the crap out of each other. At least she's straightforward, unlike that bastard Ozpin. He is just like those scientists back in Academy City, says one thing but plans to do another. I bet these scrolls allow him to spy on us… speak of the devil. His eyes narrowed as Ozpin stepped in, sipping his coffee. The students began to discuss this occurrence in hushed whispers, so Accelerator knew Ozpin didn't regularly attend classes. He's watching me, isn't he?
"Settle down," Glynda ordered and everyone instantly grew silent. She didn't even have to shout. "Today's combat class will be slightly different, per the Headmaster's suggestion." She gestured to Ozpin, who stepped forward.
"Hunters and Huntresses are expected to perform a wide variety of tasks," Ozpin explained and his eyes traveled over each student. "Sometimes your briefings will encompass everything you will encounter, and sometimes you will be required to think on your feat. We, at Beacon, strive to stress the importance of experiencing new things, and as such we give you all a certain degree of freedom. While a significant portion of your lives after Beacon will be fighting Grimm, there may be times when you are also required to face off against human opponents." There was some more muttering. "That is one of the reasons we have you spar against each other. It also gives you a chance to practice and for us to monitor your progress. However, sparing against the same opponents will only breed familiarity. Familiarity breeds complacency, and the one thing Hunters can't be is complacent. When we become complacent, we stop growing and become susceptible to surprises. As such, I proposed a new method to your sparring, which will start to take place randomly throughout the rest of the year. Glynda." He nodded toward her.
"Starting today, your matches will be slightly different," Glynda announced to the class. "You won't be fighting one on one. You will either be fighting in pairs, or against multiple opponents." Muttering began to start again and she silenced them with a single sentence. "The pairs will not consist of your partners." The room grew quiet, but Jaune was the most shocked. His mouth fell open and Pyrrha tried to give him an encouraging smile. Glynda looked down at her clipboard. "First match will be, Miss Belladonna and Mr. Ren versus, Miss Valkyrie and Miss Xiao-Long." Blake and Ren had just stood up when her announcement caused them to freeze. They turned to each other, a look of horror on their faces. The other group was the complete opposite.
"Woo!" Nora cheered and high fived Yang as they stood up. "Best team up ever!"
"You said it!" Yang replied, equally as ecstatic. She turned to her partner. "Sorry, Blakey. You hold the number one partner in my heart, but this is Nora. We are going to smash everything!"
"I'll survive," Blake replied dryly, more worried about the two of them going a little too far.
"I'll try not to break your legs, Ren!" Nora promised. "But accidents happen. Don't worry though, Nurse Nora will take care of everything if they do." She looked slightly guilty at fighting her best friend and partner with another person.
"I appreciate the concern," Ren reassured her. A half dozen escape plans swam through his mind on how to avoid Nurse Nora. The last time she tried to nurse him, he was bedridden two weeks longer than he should have.
"Good luck, man," Jaune whispered as Ren passed by. He gave a short nod to let Jaune know he heard. The four chosen left the room to get changed into their combat gear.
"Who do you think is going to win?" Ruby asked the others excitedly. "I have to root for Yang, but what do you guys think?"
"I think it will be Yang and Nora," Weiss declared. "Ren doesn't have the stamina for a prolonged fight and both Yang and Nora can take a hit. Blake will be able to last for a while, but one good hit will probably restrict her movements."
"I think so too," Pyrrha agreed. "Yang and Nora just have to outlast. Ren and Blake will be forced to double team one of them and then that leaves the last person to strike them."
"MISAKA hopes they all do well, MISAKA says, as MISAKA tries to wait patiently for the match, but is too eager to sit still."
"I don't think it will be that easy," Jaune said and everyone turned to him.
"This will be good," Weiss scoffed. "Why, pray tell, do you think that?"
"I feel there's more to this than Goodwitch and Ozpin are letting on," Jaune whispered. "Besides, team battles are always more complicated than individual ones. Teamwork can play a big factor." Weiss raised an eyebrow at him and Ruby frowned.
"Huh," Pyrrha mulled his words over for a moment. She had mainly fought in one on one tournament, so teams were a new concept to her until she entered Beacon. The few group fights her team had done did teach her there was a difference between fighting together and fighting as a team. "You bring up a good point, Jaune," Pyrrha said impressed. "Ren and Blake might be able to develop a strategy while fighting. Yang and Nora will most likely just try to attack hard and fast." They didn't notice, but Ozpin smiled slightly from his position.
"I can't wait," Ruby squealed. "This will be great." When their friends finally emerged from the locker rooms, she waved at them. "Good luck, all of you!" She turned to Accelerator. "Got any ideas on who will win?"
"It's not like I know their abilities," he answered with a yawn. "I already know what Aura is capable of, so wake me when it's time to leave." He was about to fall asleep, when Last Order shook his arm.
"Please watch MISAKA's friends practice, MISAKA pleads, as MISAKA develops tears in her eyes." Accelerator glared at her for a moment, sighed, and sat up a little bit straighter. Last Order turned around and winked at Ruby, who grinned back, even if she was jealous of the power of Last Order's sad face.
"Ready?" Glynda asked, and turned toward both teams. Yang and Nora gave a thumbs up, while Blake and Ren stopped talking in hushed whispers before they nodded. "Alright, you may begin."
Predictably, Yang and Nora charged forward. Nora wielded her large two handed hammer, Magnhild, while Yang's golden gauntlets, Ember Celica, cocked into place. Nora charged straight at Ren and Yang rushed at Blake. Ren and Blake jumped backwards pulled out their guns, and unleashed a barrage of gunfire. Yang merely raised her gauntlets to shield her face and continued forward. Nora slowed down slightly, because of the time to adjust her hammer to block some of the bullets, but then swung her weapon downwards. Blake and Ren were forced to retreat to the sides to avoid being squashed and Yang took the opportunity to deliver a punch at Blake. Her fist made contact for a second, and then caused the clone to vanish. Yang turned to see Blake putting room between them, when she felt a hail of gunfire on her back.
"Ow!" Yang turned to see Ren lowering his guns. He had a free second during the time Nora was pulling her hammer out of the ground. "Nora!" Yang shouted. "Don't give Ren an opening while I grab Blake!"
"On it!" Nora shouted back and charged at Ren, as she swung her hammer. Ren was forced to duck and weave, while keeping a safe distance from her. Logic dictated he should close in to prevent her wide swings and strike with his blades, but experience told him otherwise. Nora was actually really skilled in close combat. Removing the distance would end up with the handle of her hammer in his head. Instead, while dodging, he was slowly moving toward Blake. Yang kept firing shotgun blasts from her gauntlets at Blake, but missing. Blake was far too nimble to get hit at that range. Yang had to close in and she knew it. Frustrated, she rushed forward and kept trying to hit Blake. Her partner kept dodging by a hair's breadth and, to make matters worse, she wasn't trying to strike back. Yang's attack slowly became wilder to try to get a hit in. Blake noticed Ren closing in out of the corner of her eye and she made a very subtle hand motion.
Ren caught it and stepped to the right, away from Nora, but within range of a large swing. Nora did not fail to notice and lifted her hammer over her shoulder. She then proceeded to swing it in a horizontal arc at Ren. For a brief moment, his life flashed before his eyes, as he was fully aware of the power Nora wielded, even with her small body. He ducked, and felt the hammer graze his hair. Everything moved in slow motion at that point. Ren rolled out of the way, as Blake leaped high into the air, above Nora's hammer. Yang's eyes widen in shock, as her demise became imminent. Blake had led her into the path of Nora's hammer. Because of the wild and reckless attacks, Yang had not been paying attention. Her momentum from the last punch carried her forward and she had no opportunity to dodge. Nora's eyes widen when she felt the contact.
Nora's hammer crashed directly into Yang's stomach.
"Oomph!" Yang gasped, as the force of the swing lifted her up into the air and sent her flying. She flew out of the ring and smashed into a wall, leaving a significant hole.
"Sorry, Yang!" Nora cried out. "I swear I didn't mean to!"
"Miss Xiao-Long has been knocked out of the arena," Glynda announced.
"Did anyone catch the license plate of the truck that hit me?" Yang asked groggily.
"It's Sloth!" Nora answered and turned, to see a black ribbon moving in front of her. Before she could react, the ribbon wrapped around her legs. Ren and Blake pulled on each end and the ribbon tightened, snapping Nora's legs together. The sudden change caused her to wobble and fall forward. She hit the ground and let go of her hammer. In an instant, Blake and Ren were on top of her to unleash a barrage of blows from their blades, until the buzzer went off, signaling Nora's aura had been depleted.
"Miss Valkyrie's aura has hit the red," Glynda announced. "The winners are Miss Belladonna and Mr. Ren." Ren sheathed his weapons and helped Nora out of Blake's weapon's ribbon. Blake had gone to check on Yang. Glynda checked to make sure everyone was okay and then turned to the class. "Now, as you can see, raw power does not equate to victory. Mrs. Belladonna and Mr. Ren magnificently used their opponents' strength against each other."
"Did they know about this ahead of time?" Yang asked. "They were working way to well together for a random pairing."
"Ren!" Nora cried, tears flowing from her eyes. "Have you been searching for a new partner when my back was turned?"
"We created a few simple hand signs before the fight started," Blake explained to Yang. "So we knew when to move."
"I could never replace you, Nora," Ren said. "No one has your unique presence."
"Aww, Ren!" Nora cried and hugged him, crushing his ribs with her absurd strength. Yang got the idea and started walking toward her partner.
"Come here, Blakey," Yang said slowly. "Let's make up, too."
"I'm good," Blake replied and kept backing up.
"If you four would vacate the arena," Glynda said sternly with a cough. They jumped and took their seats. Ozpin nodded to them as they sat down. "Next group fighting will be Miss Rose and Mr. Arc, versus Miss Schnee and Mr. Winchester."
"Good luck, sis," Yang said to Ruby. "Vomit Boy, you better not let her down."
"There's no need to worry," Ruby reassured Yang. "Jaune and I got this."
"I would prefer a more civilized partner," Weiss scoffed. "But I'm not planning to lose."
"We got this, yeah," Jaune muttered.
"What's wrong?" Pyrrha asked.
"For a second, I was afraid it was going to be us versus you and Weiss," Jaune admitted. "That scared me to death." Pyrrha looked surprised and then chuckled.
"Going to end up the same way as always, Jauney Boy," Cardin laughed from a couple rows below him, before making his way to the locker room.
"Just ignore him," Nora told Jaune. "Go out, have fun, and maybe break his legs."
"Or just beat him," Ren suggested. "That will hurt his pride more than anything else."
"MISAKA wishes all of you the best, MISAKA says, as MISAKA is torn between rooting for all of her friends."
"It's a spar," Ruby reassured her. "We fight, one of us wins, and then we go back to being friends and eat lunch." Ruby and Jaune left the room and the others turned to each other.
"So," Yang asked. "Bets? Mine's on Ruby."
"Naturally," Blake said and rolled her eyes, as she pulled out a book. "It's going to be close."
"Because Jaune isn't quite up to Weiss and Cardin's level?" Yang asked.
"Jaune's just as good as those two!" Nora snapped. Ren put a hang on her shoulder.
"No one is doubting Jaune's skills." Ren kept his voice calm and passive. "He is working hard and has come a long way. However, Cardin has shown he holds the advantage, even if it is only slightly, and Weiss's dust skills are difficult for him to face. Ruby is fast, but she can get caught in ice with one wrong move."
"What do you think P-money?" Yang asked. "Does Vomit Boy and my sis got this, or what?"
"At first glance," Pyrrha informed them slowly. "I think Weiss and Cardin have the advantage." Yang and Nora opened their mouths, but Pyrrha kept talking. "However, like the last fight taught us, strategy can make up for the difference in raw power. Jaune and Ruby are team leaders and are used to coming up with plans. We will have to see if they can work together that way." She tilted her head slightly. "Do you think the pairings this time were a little, balanced? Unlike the first round." The others pondered her words for a moment, before Blake spoke up.
"Jaune and Cardin are front line fighters and are used to taking blows."
"While Weiss is better with range and control," Ren continued. "And Ruby's used to hit and run tactics. Neither of them are very good at receiving blows."
"Huh," Yang muttered and crossed her arms. "So, what? The victor is going to be determined by how well each team can maximize their strengths?"
"Jaune and Ruby are definitely going to win then," Nora said. "Weiss and Cardin won't get along at all."
"I think so too," Pyrrha agreed. "But the winner isn't settled until the final blow."
"One person has been oddly quiet," Yang spoke up and turned to Accelerator. Everyone turned toward him. "What did you think after seeing our match?"
"I was wondering if you still have a stomach ache," Accelerator replied. Everyone except Yang chuckled.
"Very funny," Yang said sarcastically. "It was a real gut-wrenching blow." Everyone remained silent. "Pssh, you guys just can't stomach a good joke." They booed this time and Accelerator launched a notepad at her. Ozpin sipped at his coffee as he watched the students discuss the matches, now trying to think in greater detail than they had at the start. It wasn't obvious to them, but the matches were not random. Each one had a specific purpose.
Everything is going according to plan. I hope Mr. Arc and Miss Rose will show me what I need to know.
Eventually, Ruby, Jaune, Cardin, and Weiss remerged and made their way into the wing. Cardin was in full armor, his mace slung over his shoulder, and looked confident. Weiss was staying a good distance away from him, her rapier, Myrtenaster, attached to her hip. Ruby held her beloved Crescent Rose in its gun form, halfway concealed by her red cloak. Jaune had dawned his chest plate and spaulders. His armor didn't cover nearly as much as Cardin's, which gave him greater maneuverability, but reduced defense. His sword was still sheathed. The two teams took their places on either side of the arena. Weiss and Ruby pulled out their weapons and held them by their side. Jaune unsheathed his sword and the sheath transformed into a shield. Glynda looked at both teams, waiting for an affirmative they were ready. When everyone nodded, she raised her riding crop.
"You may begin!"
Cardin was the first one to move and charged forward. He delivered an overhead swing with his mace at Jaune, who just managed to get his shield raised up in time. "Oomph," Jaune grunted, as he felt the force of the blow reverberate through his arms. At least he managed to stand his ground, unlike the first time they had ever fought. Pyrrha's training was really coming in handy.
"That all you got, Jauney Boy?" Cardin asked. "At least make this entertaining."
"On your right, Jaune!" Ruby called out, as the red blur zipped past him toward Cardin. Her gun shifted and transformed into a large, intimidating scythe. Last Order cheered in excitement and even Accelerator raised an eyebrow. It wasn't common for a little girl to wield a giant piece of farm equipment. Ruby would get upset if he said that out loud though. The blade of the scythe made its way toward Cardin, but was deflected by a sudden wall of ice. Weiss had used her dust to prevent Ruby from closing in to help Jaune. "Weiss!"
"You should stop broadcasting your attacks," Weiss stated calmly, as a large white glyph appeared behind her. She raised Myrtenaster and then was propelled forward, without having to run. Her glyph allowed her to accelerate, without physical exertion. This was something Accelerator could appreciate, as his power allowed him to do something similar. If the target had not been Ruby, Weiss's speed would have easily allowed her to hit them, but Ruby managed to just avoid it with her own insane speed. Weiss wasn't able to turn after her, since that was the downside to her glyph propulsion. Weiss skidded to a stop and turned around to stare at Ruby.
"Looks like you're all alone," Cardin laughed and swung his mace again. Jaune raised his shield, but deflected the blow to his side, rather than blocking it outright. Seeing a moment of opportunity, Jaune swung his blade at Cardin, but it was deflected with the handle of the mace. Jaune could see Cardin preparing another blow and he leaped backwards to put some space between them. In a contest of pure strength, Cardin would easily overwhelm him. Jaune managed to avoid the mace and kept backing up. After about five feet away, Jaune noticed a grin on Cardin's face and remembered Cardin's fight with Accelerator. The mace slammed on the ground and the top opened, to unleash a torrent of flames. Jaune's experience with the dust crystal in Cardin's weapon saved him, as he dove to the side, skidding on his shield. He scrambled to his feet and made a quick decision.
While the boys were fighting, the two girls began to increase their blows at much faster speeds. Ruby kept disappearing and reappearing in a flutter of rose petals, but she either found herself blocked by a glyph or about to get impaled by the end of Weiss's rapier. While Ruby was faster, she still had one major weakness. She was younger than the others and tended to keep using the same attack patterns, because she was used to them. Weiss had been her partner long enough to know what those patterns entailed, so she could easily read them. Weiss, on the other hand, adapted her precision style blows to meet her opponent. Ruby's scythe hit a glyph fused with gravity dust, so it bounced away and Weiss pulled back her rapier to deliver a barrage of quick and agile blows. Ruby released she was in the air, defenseless. Then out of the corner of Weiss's eye, she saw a slight movement, and then a gleam of metal. Warning alarms went off in her head and she turned.
Weiss barely managed to deflect Jaune's blade from hitting her in the side.
"Cardin!" Weiss yelled. "Get your useless form over here and help!"
"Switch!" Jaune shouted at Ruby, who only hesitated for a fraction of a second, before disappearing and aiming her scythe at the back of Cardin's head. He had just stood up and started to move to help, but he couldn't keep up with Ruby's speed. Jaune may not have been able to defeat Weiss on his own, but his endurance could keep her preoccupied while Ruby handled Cardin. The crowd cheered, booed, and shouted advice, but none of the students fighting were paying attention to them. They were purely focused on their opponents. Jaune swung his sword again, but Weiss parried it mechanically. She jabbed him twice and he winced at the pain, before his Aura began to dull it.
"That was foolish," Weiss told him, as he blocked another blow.
"What can I say?" Jaune answered with a smile. "I'm just a fool."
"Yes, yes you are," Weiss agreed and a slight smirk formed on her lips, as Jaune heard the dust containers click into place. He dreaded that sound, because it indicated he was about to be frozen or burned. Weiss stepped back to put a little bit of room between them and raised her rapier. Jaune, in panic, did the only thing his body instinctively warned him might work. He stepped forward and shield bashed. Weiss was expecting a sword strike, not for Jaune to lumber forward with his entire weight. His shield smashed into her small body, backed by all of his weight. She stumbled backwards with him virtually on top of her and her Aura accidently ignited the dust in her rapier.
Both of them were engulfed by an explosion.
"Jaune!" Ruby cried. Even Cardin lowered his mace as he turned and looked. Jaune flew out of the cloud of smoke and fire, before landing on the ground and skidding to a stop. His sword and shield had flown out of his hands.
"Ow," he groaned. "That hurt like hell." He blinked and shook the buzzing out of his ears. The smoke cleared and he saw Weiss laying on the ground, struggling to get up. Myrtenaster was on the ground about ten feet away from her. Her Aura was almost in the red, while Jaune's was still solidly in the yellow. Cardin's and Ruby's were still green, though Ruby's was slightly higher. Jaune met Ruby's eyes with his own. "Guess, I'm the one who exploded this time," he chuckled. Ruby had to work to suppress her own laughs.
"Cardin, what are you waiting for!?" Weiss demanded. "Don't stop pressuring them!" She started to make her way toward her weapon and Jaune rushed to his feet. He couldn't make it to Weiss in time and he didn't want to warn her. He needed Ruby to do it on her own. Cardin looked between Jaune and Ruby, and decided to go for the greater threat. This gave Jaune the opportunity he needed, but he prayed Ruby would understand his words.
"Crater Face!" Jaune yelled. "It's time to prove her wrong!" His words caused everyone to turn toward him for a second. Ruby, Weiss, Cardin, and everyone in the stands tried to figure out why he said what he said. That one second delay for the others to reach their weapons was all the time he needed. Jaune ran forward to Cardin, who immediately swung his mace at Ruby. Ruby and Jaune locked eyes for an instant. Right before Cardin's mace hit Ruby, Jaune intercepted the blow. Without a shield or sword, his body took the full force of Cardin's swing. Ruby then disappeared, leaving only a cloud of petals. Weiss, who was one foot away from her weapon, stopped when a foot kicked Myrtenaster away.
"Sorry, Weiss," Ruby apologized and brought Crescent Rose down. The buzzer went off and Ruby glanced at the aura levels.
"Mr. Arc and Miss Schnee have both entered the red," Glynda declared. This only left Ruby and Cardin alone in the arena. Ruby had the slight advantage in Aura, but one hit from Cardin would easily change that. Cardin's team was shouting out encouragements, but Ruby ignored them. She had her own friends cheering for her.
"Get him, sis!" Yang yelled.
"Break his legs!" That was obviously Nora.
"You're weapon is so cool! MISAKA calls out encouragingly." Ruby made a note to share a cookie with Last Order, after she got them back.
"I won't let Jaune's sacrifice be in vain!" Ruby declared.
"I'm still alive, Rubes," Jaune told her from the edge of the arena.
"Shush, you!" Ruby told him. "Quit ruining my moment."
"Get a room," Cardin growled and swung his mace at Ruby. He had already used up his fire dust crystal, so she didn't have to worry about a sudden flame attack. She dodged the blow and used the longer reach of her own weapon to strike Cardin's shoulders. It didn't seem to do much, but his Aura began to tick down. Cardin grew angrier and kept swinging at her, but she kept managing to dodge. This led to the blows becoming wilder and wilder as anger over took him. Ruby finally realized something and disappeared in a flurry of rose petals. Cardin stopped and looked around to locate her. She had appeared on the far side of the ring, her scythe now in gun mode, and she was grinning.
Cardin didn't have a range weapon anymore.
The battle ended a minute later.
Ruby was faster than Cardin and all she had to do was blast him safely from a distance. There was nothing he could do to stop her. Sure, he could block a bullet or two with his mace but, unlike Jaune and his giant shield, there was limits to how well that could work. It wasn't like he could follow the bullet's trajectory, which Ruby believed people like Blake and Ren could easily do. She managed to hit Cardin with around seventy-five percent of the rounds she fired and it eventually took him into the red.
"The match is over," Glynda declared and gestured to the board. "The winners are Miss Rose and Mr. Arc." She turned to Cardin. "Mr. Winchester, you and Miss Schnee had the advantage, but you decided to waste your ammunition on a flashy attack early on, and it cost you. Not only did you allow Mr. Arc to assist Miss Rose, you also left yourself open to Miss Rose's range assault. Learning when and when not to attack is an important lesson for any Hunter." She turned to Weiss. "Miss Schnee, you cooperated with Mr. Winchester early on, but then you two started to fight separately, instead of together." Weiss nodded stiffly. Glynda turned to Ruby and Jaune. "Besides what we have talked about in class regarding your individual performances," Ruby and Jaune hung their heads, "you two fought admirably. Well done." Jaune and Ruby high fived.
"What was with the Crater Face name?" Yang asked Jaune, the moment they took their seats. Jaune glanced at Ruby, who shook her head frantically. He knew why. Ruby didn't want Yang to have any more ammo against her.
"Inside joke," Jaune answered vaguely. "But it let Ruby know she needed to take Weiss down. If she had gotten her weapon, they could have taken me down quickly and then ganged up on Ruby."
"Humph," Weiss scoffed. "You only got me because of dumb luck and my partner was horrible. He just did his own thing."
"Quit being a poor sport," Blake told her. "Just be happy that our friends performed well." Weiss crossed her arms and went silent.
"It was so cool how you jumped and blocked Cardin's blow so Ruby could take down Weiss," Nora said excitedly to Jaune. "That is why you are our Fearless Leader."
"A very brave, but smart move," Ren agreed.
"It was a gamble," Pyrrha pointed out. "What if Ruby didn't know what you meant?"
"I trusted she would," Jaune said with a shrug. "If I told her to go for Weiss outright, Cardin and Weiss would have been prepared."
"True," Pyrrha agreed.
"But didn't it hurt to be hit by that giant mace directly in the chest? MISAKA asks worried, as MISAKA pokes your chest because you seem to be fine." Jaune laughed and patted her head.
"As long as our Aura isn't completely depleted," Jaune explained. "It absorbs most of the impact and then heals the damage that managed to get through. It's why we can spar like this without issue."
"So it's like a force field? MISAKA asks excitedly." Everyone around her, except Accelerator snickered. Pyrrha had to restrain herself from laughing out loud, because she remembered that was exactly how Jaune first described Aura.
"Exactly," Jaune confirmed.
"Oh," Yang said and turned to Accelerator. "What did you think of this match?"
"Only Snow Angel over there did anything remotely interesting," Accelerator said bored. "Those symbols in the air, what were they?'
"My Semblance allows me to create Glyphs," Weiss explained again, torn between irritation at the name and pride that Accelerator, who avoided any kind of compliments, thought her skills were interesting. "Their use only depends on my imagination and the dust available. I can use them to shield, act as platforms, add elements to attacks, limited time dilation, and more."
"Time dilation?" Accelerator asked, and there was the first sign of true interest. "Didn't think Chronon manipulation was possible." Before any of them could ask what Chronons were, Glynda spoke up.
"Next," Glynda said and the class went quiet. "Let's have Miss Nikos against… hmm, this might be problematic." She looked up. "I was planning to have you face off against the remaining members of Team CRDL, but two of them are still not recovered from their training accident yesterday." Team RWBY and JNPR all smiled, while Accelerator just looked smug. "So, Miss Nikos, you can have a pass today."
"Wait!" shouted Yang. "How about she spars against him?" She pointed at Accelerator.
"Huh?" Accelerator asked irritated. "Why would I do that?"
"It would be fun," Nora explained. "Pyrrha's the best in the year, so the fight should be awesome."
"Again, why would I want to?"
"As Mr. Accelerator is not technically a student," Glynda told them. "He is not obligated to participate-…"
"However," Ozpin interrupted. "If he wishes, I would allow it. New experiences are a necessity for Hunters and Huntresses, so I have no problems with this match in a controlled environment."
"Fine," Glynda sighed and it looked like she was getting a massive migraine. "If Mr. Accelerator is willing, that is." She obviously figured Accelerator wouldn't want to.
"Good, because I don't want to," Accelerator snapped and put his head down on the table.
"Don't be like that, Grumpy," Yang laughed. "Go out there and show us what you are made of."
"Bite me."
"Kinky, maybe later though." Accelerator glared at her.
"You're up," Jaune whispered to Last Order, while Ruby grinned. Last Order nodded and tugged on Accelerator's sleeve.
"MISAKA really wants to see you spar against Pyrrha in a non-life or death situation, MISAKA begs, as MISAKA uses her secret weapon." Her expression grew somber and her eyes widened. Accelerator glanced at her and turned away.
"Answer's still no, brat."
"Pleeeassseee, MISAKA continues to beg, as MISAKA adds a note of desperation in her voice."
"Do you think this will work?" Blake asked Ren quietly.
"Our friends are very persuasive," Ren replied and Blake nodded.
"Come on, Accelerator," Ruby said. "Show us that power you used to smack Cardin's team around." Team CRDL flinched below them and decided to remain quiet.
"Maybe he's scared," Yang suggested and the air suddenly grew colder as Accelerator slowly turned toward her. "He brags about how tough he is, but I bet he believes he can't win."
"What did you say, bitch?" Accelerator hissed. Ruby covered her ears.
"Maybe you aren't so tough," Yang challenged.
"That's enough, Yang," Pyrrha reprimanded. "If he doesn't want to, we can't force him."
"Aww," Nora cried. "I wanted to see the match for the ages. Ren, make him want to fight."
"Nora," Ren sighed. "How am I supposed to do that?"
"Use your weird natural herbs to cloud his mind?" Ren shook his head.
"Please? MISAKA asks again quietly." Accelerator looked at her, turned to Team RWBY and JNPR, and then his eyes traveled over the rest of the class, before he locked onto Ozpin. He was watching intently, with a slight smirk.
He set this up so I would fight? Accelerator realized. Thought he already saw me beat those other losers? Ozpin's plan was a mystery to him, but he would play his game, for now. He sighed, stood up and stretched. "Fine, I'll do it."
"Yes!" Ruby, Last Order, Nora, and Yang cheered. Jaune grinned and high fived Last Order for her assistance.
"After I win," Accelerator added. "I'm throwing the bimbo's bed into the forest." He jabbed a thumb at Yang, while the rest of the class gasped. Yang's eyes flashed red for a moment, before laughing.
"That would be destruction of school property," Glynda informed him. "You would be required to reimburse us for it."
"Good luck in beating P-Money though," Yang retorted. Accelerator scoffed and headed down the stairs.
"Good luck! MISAKA wishes."
"I don't need luck." Accelerator waited in the ring, while Pyrrha changed into her armor and retrieved her weapon.
"You know," Blake said to Yang. "If he wins, your bed is going to disappear."
"Still worth it," Yang dismissed. "Besides, I can always sleep with my partner until I get a new one."
"No," Blake replied.
"What? Blakey?!"
"You dug yourself into a hole," Blake replied calmly. "Get out yourself."
"Humph," Yang pouted and crossed her arms. "Be that way. Ruby will let me sleep with her."
"Nope," Ruby exclaimed, accenting the p.
"Ruby! We're sisters and have shared a bed plenty of times!"
"That's when I learned my lesson!" Ruby cried back. "You kick me out of the bed and even punched me once!"
"I guess that leaves-…" Yang muttered.
"Don't even think about it," Weiss interrupted.
"Traitors, all of you!"
"What do you think the outcome will be?" Jaune asked Ren. "Normally, I would assume Pyrrha would win easily, but Accelerator is rather strong."
"Pyrrha won't use pure physical strength like Nora…," Ren replied.
"I know it will work," Nora protested. "It never let me down yet."
"It won't MISAKA tries to explain, as MISAKA shakes her head frantically. It will only cause you to hurt yourself."
"…and she has a rough idea of what his power can do," Ren continued. "Most likely, she will probe his defenses to figure out a way to bypass them. Shame Pyrrha isn't a dust user. Accelerator did mention that seems to actually be hard for him to counter."
"We know that," Weiss interrupted. "Pyrrha volunteered to test our theory."
"Oh?" Nora asked. "What happened? Tell us!"
"Last night," Weiss explained softly, so Accelerator in the arena wouldn't catch word of it. "I mixed some dust and gave it to Pyrrha. It should give her the advantage, even if Accelerator doesn't use weapons or armor."
"Huh?" Jaune asked. "Is it going to turn his clothes into metal or something?"
"Don't be stupid," Weiss sniffed.
"So," Yang said slyly. "You and Pyrrha are trying to figure out how to beat him without me?"
"I don't believe anyone is invincible," Weiss explained quickly. "I simply wanted to figure out what his weakness was."
"I bet once you find it," Yang continued. "You are going to challenge him to a duel and demand he goes out with you if you win." Yang wagged her finger. "You're such a naughty girl, Weissy."
"W-what…?" spluttered Weiss. "I never… preposterous… mind in gutter!"
"Digging the hole deeper, Yang," Blake muttered and turned back to her book. The protagonist was a young male, who reminded her of the one guy she met a few days ago, and was about to enter the bedroom of a quiet, book loving princess.
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish I ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.
Next chapter: In one corner we have the Goddess of Victory herself, Pyrrha Nikos. On the other, Accelerator, the One Way Road! The duel between Opposites Attract is about to commence. What on earth could Weiss have made to give Pyrrha the advantage? Will it be effective?
Current Ship Names:
Yang and Touma: Fistbump / Punchline/ Imagine Dragon
Weiss and Touma: Cool To The Touch / Princess and the Pauper / Shattered Mirror
Ruby and Touma: Blossoming / Thorny Rose / Speedy Rescue
Blake and Touma: Nine Lives / Bad Luck / Kami-Nyaan
Velvet and Touma: Bunny Couple / Rabbit's Foot
Penny and Touma: Android's Dream / Faulty Electronics
Ren and Touma: Lotus Fist
Jaune and Touma: Better Luck Next Time
Nora and Touma: Glutton for Punishment / Divine Sparks
Pyrrha and Touma: Babe Magnet
Coco and Touma: Black Coffee
Glynda and Touma: Teacher's Pet / Promise Lands
Adam and Touma: Chronic Crusaders
Emerald and Touma: Shattered Illusions / Illusion Breaker / Portmanteau Poverty
Twins and Touma: Triple Threat / Cerberus
Cinder and Touma: Through the Fire and Flame / Fire Demons / Sinner and Savior
Neo and Touma: Uncertain Flavor / Breaking Reality
Salem and Touma: Burning Witch / Light and Shadow / Shattering Darkness
Accelerator and Weiss: Cold and Calculating / Ice Vector / A Frosty Reception
Accelerator and Yang: Road Rage / Short Fuse / Way of the Dragon
Accelerator and Ruby: One-Way Rose / No Brakes / Rose Manipulation
Accelerator and Blake: Twilight Arrow / Chain and Sickly / Chasing Shadows
Accelerator and Nora: Shattered Bones / Broken Dreams / Nerve Impulse
Accelerator and Velvet: White Flash / Hopping Mad
Accelerator and Glynda: Fix and Destroy
Accelerator and Penny: String Theory
Accelerator and Sun: Sunny and Sullen
Accelerator and Adam: Charging Bull
Accelerator and Coco: Fashionable Disaster
Accelerator and Pyrrha: Opposites Attract
Accelerator and Raven: Yang's Nightmare
