Alex took his seat alongside RWBY and Koan preparing for the anticipated match between JNPR and BRNZ, while the girls were cheering Alex turned to his longtime friend "So think they'll pull it off?" He asked
"Why? You having doubts?" Koan asked
"With JNPR, Nah I'm more worried about the other guy's," Alex said Koan chucking at the remark
"Think we should be worried" Koan asked
"No," Alex said "They've got this"
/
The arena floor began to shift, the chosen biomes rising around the two teams a stormy mountain terrain at JNPR's back and thick woodlands behind Team BRNZ the sniper of the team smirking slightly. Both hunter teams readied themselves for the fight
"3...2...1" Port announced through the cheers of the audience.
Jaune raised his sword "Come on guys!" he cried.
"Begin!" Port called out.
All four members of team JNPR charged forward, but only three of BRNZ met them head on the fourth. Their Bennie wearing sniper May Zedong rushed back towards the forest pulling back the bolt on her weapon. Brawnz Ni delivered a knee kick to Pyrrha's shield sending her skidding back, rushing forward he attempted to slash Pyrrha who blocked with Milo. Jerking her sword forward she forced the young man to leap back, at the treeline May used the axe head on the stock of her rifle to swing up into the branches.
Ren readied storm flower facing off against Nolan who narrowly avoided being blindsided by Nora, ducking under Magnhild and attempts to hit her with his baton. Within the tree's May lines up her shot focusing on the green Ninja of JNPR, firing off two round's Ren dodged to the side the dust rounds destroying the rocks behind him. Jaune raised his shield blocking the twin Buzz saw blades of Roy Stallion, the blond knight turned towards the treeline the glint from May's scope catching his eye as more shot came their way
"Retreat!" Jaune yelled
Ren glanced back at his leader as a shot impacted next to his foot. He and Nora began to sprint back towards the mountains alongside Pyrrha and Jaune who covered their escape blocking the shot's with their shields before taking cover behind the rock formation.
/
Within the crowd, a group of what appeared to be four teens watched the match in some amusement. "Look at them run." 'Yasmin' said a Cheshire smirk forming on her face.
"If this is the best this place has to offer" 'Peter' rested his feet against the stone railing in front of him " I'm starting to think this might just be too easy."
"Please try and take this seriously." 'Oliver' said some annoyance in this tone.
"I agree with Psyc- ahem 'Oliver', take this seriously." Carol said as she glanced at the few students sitting alongside them, she could spy Emerald, Mercury and Cinder a few seats away, although Neo was nowhere in sight.
"Fine" Peter grumbled he glanced across the arena focusing his gaze on one Ruby Rose, a dangerous smirk formed on his lips as crimson energy danced between the fingers hidden in his jacket pocket 'Once I'm done with you I'll carve those pretty eye's out of your head.'
/
"What do we do?" Pyrrha asked
Jaune peeked over their cover watching team BRNZ melee fighters closing in on them "Spread to keep moving."
nodding the members of JNPR began to spread out, Brawnz leaped forward landing a punch on Jaun's shield.
May moved even higher into the tree canopy and smiled as she looked down at the fight below, Brawnz and Pyrrha continued their duel while Nolan slowly begins to advance on Ren. Nolan glanced back to the treeline nodding to May who began to shoot at Ren's feet again making him jump around trying to dodge them. Just as he landed Nolan struck him upside the head, dodging Ren's kick dealing a strike to Ren's knee and finally his chest with the tip of his baton, Electricity shot through his body before he collapsed to the ground alongside his childhood friend.
"Ren!" Nora said turning to face Nolan scowling at the boy, she takes a swing at Nolan who promptly dodges it, thrusting his weapon forward with the same attack as he treated her partner too, but with a very different result.
"Oh-ho looks like one of my favorite, Nora Valkyrie, is charging up to use her semblance" Port announced over the intercom, Causing Nolan to panic
"What!?" Nolan said his head snapping towards the announcer.
"Yes, Ms. Valkyrie's semblance let her produce, as well as channel, electrical energy straight to her muscles" Oobleck explained " This allows her to jump explosively into the air, wield her mighty hammer, or in this case absorb Nolan's attack and send the young man flying!"
"WHAT!" Nolan yelled now looking up at his opponent in fear.
Nora flexed her arms as pink energy courses through her body. Nolan lifts his hands up as a sign of surrender pink energy surged around Nora as she rushed at him. Nora's hammer hit's Nolan head on launching the unlucky soul across the field crashing through a bolder.
Jaune looked back to the mountaintop as a large thunderstorm began to form overhead, looking over to his energies teammate he called out.
"Nora! Get to the mountain!" Jaune called out.
Nora saluted back "You got it." She said before sprinting towards the mountain leaping onto the cliff face she began to scale towards the peek
"Ren try to distract the sniper!" Jaune called out the green ninja nodded
Ren dodged another shot narrowly missing his head, looking to his leader and slouches "Sure. Why not?" he muttered sarcastically
The remaining three members of JNPR charged forward towards there foe as Nora continued to rapidly ascend up the mountain. Roy launched his twin saw blades into Jaune's shield the one being deflected with ease while the second caused the shield to slam into its owners face before the two blades returned back to their owner. Pyrrha move in to intercept the brawler blocking three strikes from his saw blade with Akouo, Jaune shook his head Jaune regained his senses and charges into battle.
/
"Whooo! go get them, Jaune!" Ruby cheered
"Well he's certainly improved" Weiss noted
Yang pumped her fist and said "Yeah! But he ain't got nothing on Pyrrha"
"Hey, maybe he'll surprise us" Alex said
/
Yang's statement was proven accurate as Pyrrha took on both Brawnz and Roy simultaneously delivering a swift kick to one while swiftly dodging one of the saw blades sent her way by Roy using her shield to deflect the other, throwing her javelin to distract the latter she somersaulted back using both feet to land a blow on Brawnz.
May attempted to land a hit on Ren who quickly began to close in on her position, leaping out of the way of her shots and the saw blade's her teammate sent his way, before sliding under Pyrrha, he sprints at Nolan suppressing him with storm flower until he was close enough to strike out with his blades. Nolan swung his baton for a quick strike at Ren's side, who dodged or deflected each swing form Nolan's Baton, catching the weapon between Storm flowers blades double kicking Nolan giving Ren the chance to grab Nolan's weapon forcing it behind his head using him as a shield, may switch targets from Ren to Nora.
"Nora!" Ren yelled out in warning while keeping the struggling Nolan in his place
Jaune caught Brawnz claws with Crocea mors, glancing up to Nora who continued up the mountain he calls out "Pyrrha, up!"
His partner sprinted towards him dodging under a saw blade, bounding over Brawnz and finally leaping onto Jaune's shield. Jaune launched Pyrrha into the air using her own shield to block the shot that would have struck a vulnerable Nora. Giving the redhead enough time to reach the summit unfolding her hammer she thrust the weapon skywards a bolt of lightning striking the tip.
shifting her hammer back to it's launcher form she fired six grenades, each giving off a pink smoke trail taking the form of a massive heart sailing towards the sniper of team BRNZ, May had only a moment to gawk before leaping over to a neighboring tree just as the other and a more like it went up in pink flames. Black smoke billowed through the air blocking the coughing snipers view on the battlefield, leaping down from the branches she moved to join her team the three looked skyward as Nora came down with the force of a falling meteor obliterating the terrain with her hammer sending the three brawlers of BRNZ skidding to a halt at the feet of their disorientated sniper.
"This is it, guys let's finish 'em with team attacks!" Jaune exclaimed "Ren! Nora! Flower power!"
"Wait, what?" Nora said.
/
"Team attacks?" Ruby said in confusion
"Oh, please god no." Alex said holding his head in his hands.
"We told him but did he listen noooooooo~," Koan said shaking his head in dismay
"What are you guy's talking about?" Blake asked
"Watch and see." Alex said.
/
Jaune lowered his blade as he looked back at his confused teammates "F-Flower power" he repeated only for his team to shrug "That's your team attack name!"
"Since when?" Ren asked in confusion
"Guy's we've been over this" Jaune said as he gestured to the rest of his team, all the while the members of team BRNZ got up ready to continue the fight " Flower power is Ren and Nora Ren brings the flower, Nora bring the power.
Ren just rubs the back of his head in confusion "How do I bring a flower?" He said
"No, silly not a flower! Flour, like baking." Nora attempted to correct her friend
"Why would I bring that" Ren questioned
"I- uh- No, it's your symbol!" Jaune yelled
"Sooo, what are we?" Pyrrha ask's out of curiosity
"Pyrrha!" Jaune yelled as if accusing her of something
"Sorry, I just want to make sure it's clearly defined." Pyrrha said although her voice held some nervousness
A few feet away BRNZ stared at their opponents glancing to one another in confusion "Pyrrha, you and I are Arkos. It's that thing, where we take our shields? Remember?" Jaune continued
"Arkos?" Pyrrha said in confusion
Jaune started to lose his patience " Yeah,! It's our names put together!"
"Right, no, I get it..." Pyrrha says.
"What, you don't like it?" Jaune panicked
"No, no! It's...good." Pyrrha said
"Hmmm, I sense hesitation." Nora said
"Hey"
"Huh?"The members of team JNPR turn to BRNZ who stood only a few meters away, the leader looking rather confused and annoyed.
"What do you think you're doing?" Brawnz called out
"Trying to have a team meeting, thank you very little." Jaune said turning back to the others
"Yeah team ears only" Nora growled
Brawnz looked to his teammates who merely shrugged, just as confused as he and most likely the rest of the stadium were "Were in the middle of a fight!" Brawnz yelled in annoyance
"And were int he middle of a conversation! What don't you get about that!?" Jaune snapped back losing his patience entirely
"Um, Jaune" Pyrrha spoke up.
"Yes, Pyrrha" Jaune sighed
"I think he means that were ALL in the middle of a fight." Only now did Jaune remember his surrounding as he took a moment to glance around the Coliseum before sighing
"Nora, just... hit em with the hammer." Jaune said.
"Got it." Nora said with a dangerous smirk
"Wait...what, " Brawnz said in alarm he and his team backing up as Nora leaped forward raising Magnhild and sending team BRNZ out of the arena crashing into the wall securing JNPR's victory
Port's voice came over the intercom "And with that, it appears Team JNPR wins by knockout. Literally, can someone go make sure they're ok?"
/
At the appropriately named Crow bar, a grey-haired man in a tattered red cloak sat at the bar counter a large selection of empty glasses beside him while he brings another to his lips as he looks up at the screen, displaying the victors of the recent tournament match the caption read " Team JNPR defeats Team BRNZ."
"Those kids weren't half bad." The bartender said as he wiped out one of the glasses
The grey-haired man glanced up at the screen before returning to his glass grunting in response.
/
The crowd roared as the next two team made their way onto the field Port's voice once again came over the intercom " Team NDGO of shade is certainly a crowd favorite, but these lovely ladies are going against some of the toughest, testosterone-filled teammates so far! I'm of course I'm talking about Team SNNN!"
Female spectators squealed in delight three holding up and image of Sage, Neptune, Sun's abbes and the final banner held up by one male student each decorated with hearts the teams fangirls cheering with all there might, NDGO, on the other hand, were less than impressed
Sun Wukong and his team are certainly a force to be reckoned with. And although he'll be representing the Mistral academy of haven, I'm sure his friends and family back in Vacuo will be cheering him along
/
Weiss leaned forward cupping her hands around her mouth as she called out to the Blue haired member of SSSN "Good luck, Neptune!"
SSSN walked into the center of the arena giving a few final waves to their fan's Neptune stops as soon as he laid eye's on the beauties before him, adopting a confident smirk as he dressed them "Ladies" He said
In the crowd a certain heiress seethed at the sight growling she jumped out of her seat pointing into the center of the arena "Brake his stupid face, NDGO!" She cried out in rage.
"Easy Weiss, calm down" Koan attempted to calm down the furious Schnee
"Calm down, calm down! That that grhhhhhh!" Weiss growled grinding her teeth together.
"I'm kinda with Weiss on this one." Alex said "I mean the guy seriously needs a smack upside the head."
"I'll pay you to step on him with a Megazord." Weiss said as she glared at Neptune
"Ok that's going too far" Blake sweatdropped
"Yeah, not happening." Alex said
"Ugh, fine." Weiss said taking her seat,m Ruby placed a hand on her partner's shoulder attempting to calm Weiss down
/
The biomes shifted into place behind them on NDGO's side a vast desert with rocky mountains, with SSSN a vast ocean with a wrecked pirate ship on the shore, Neptune froze at the sight shaking in undisguised fear, oh how cruel fate could be.
As the buzzer rings Neptune zoom's past the members of NDGO skidding up the rock formation behind them.
"Neptune what are you doing!?" Sage yelled at his blue-haired teammate.
Neptune stood on a ledge near the top of the rock formation, Calling out to his friends he said "Uh, you know, just gaining some higher ground"
"On the enemy's side?" Sun asked, annoyed by his friend's actions
"They would never expect it" Neptune called back.
Dew Gayl a member of NDGO shrugged turning to her leader "He's not wrong" She said.
"Open fire!" Nebula called out, NDGO rushed into their own territory Team SSSN hot on their heels, sage with his sword raised over his shoulder Scarlet having ditched his coat. Coming up on Octavia emerging from a nearby archway taking a swing with his cutlass Octavia ducked under the sword sliding past Scarlet and between Dew and Sage, Hefting his great sword overhead, only to be knocked back by Dew's spear. He glanced up in time to see the blond wave her weapon over the sand forming three small cyclones kicking up dust in Sage's face, he could do little but look around as they surrounded him combining into one massive tornado sweeping him into the air his weapon torn from his grasp as he yelled out in panic as the wind knocked him and his weapon out of the arena.
"NDGO gains an advantage" Oobleck announced as Sage's image is crossed out on the board.
Octavia slid in front of Scarlet and Sun the two readied themselves for a fight, Octavia spun her sword swinging the blade in an arc producing a wave of fire kicking up dust in their faces, Sun leaped out of the dust storm "Neptune!" He called out.
Seeing his leader run from the duel, Neptune leapt down from his position cocking his weapon, Octavia attempted to blind Neptune with another fire attack he simply pulled down his goggles and fired an energy bolt at his opponent who blocked it with his sword, Sun leapt out of nowhere delivering a devastating kick to the redheads face.
Some members of the crowd winced as her neck snapped to the side at an unnatural angle, furious Octavia moved and engaged Sun who blocked her attacks with his weapons bow staff form spinning it around his body while simultaneously hitting several parts of hers, finishing the girl of with a jab that knocked her onto her back.
"Oh, and we're down to three on three" Port called out over the intercom.
Sun looked to Neptune who was currently engaging Gwen Darcy as she circled him, all the while Scarlet clashed with Dew who merely summoned another cyclone to lift him into the air, spinning the boy before launching him towards the shipwreck as he flew towards the edge of the arena he reaches out and manages to grab onto part of the mast pulling himself up he almost losing his balance once or twice before finding his balance suddenly Nebula closes in firing an arrow at the mast with her crossbow, using the bolt to vault up onto the mast her crossbow shifting into its sword form as she stands ready to cross swords with her opponent.
Their blades clashed both wielders not giving an inch, Nebula ducked under a slash from Scarlet striking him in the face with the pommel of her sword, Scarlet round houses her pushing her towards the mast spinning around the beam she brought her sword up blocking a downward slash from Scarlet's cutlass, Nebula brought her blade down on Scarlet's cutlass sparks flew as she pushed against him causing him to lean back, thrusting his hand out he grabbed the weapon forcing the blade up, swiping at her legs causing the purple haired leader to lose balance, Scarlet elbowed her knocking off the mast, causing her to fall into the sand below.
From his position Scarlet looked down over the battlefield looking over to Gwen who continued to suppress his leader with her throwing knives, he smiled whipping out his pistol the hilt shone as he fired it out the guard snagging Gwen's ankle hoisting her up the mast as scarlet lowered himself down directly below her, as Gwen attempted to hold up her dress preserving her modesty her knives slipped from their sheaths on her belt raining down on the boy below. In shock, Scarlet adopted a pose that miraculously allowed him to avoid each blade as they land in the sand at his feet sighing in relief.
Dew leapt across the water to face Sun, the Monkey Faunus glanced to a nearby tree punching it two coconuts fell into his hands smirking he threw the items at his opponent Dew batted them back at him spontaneously catching fire Sun leaned back dodging the first before hopping over the second, but Scarlet was hit in the face the second striking him in the neither's making him squeal in pain his aura level dropping into the red effectively knocking him out of the fight.
"Nut's" Sun muttered seeing his friend taken out of the fight. Looking back to Dew she summoned two small water tornadoes sending them his way "Uh, Neptune!" He called out attempting to dodge around them "Could use help, buddy!" He said as he ran from the three girls
"Uh, you know, uh it would probably be better if you came over here! Yeah, I can guard this...sector were in lockdown mode!"Neptune exclaimed still trying to keep his cool due to being in close proximity to his mortal enemy.
Sun looked around infuriated, while behind him Nebula managed to free Gwen from the cord holding her up "What are you talking about?! Their's nothing to lock down!"
"Lockdown! Got it!" Neptune replied.
Sun jumped to the side as Dew's spear came down where he had once been standing "Dude, I know you're afraid of water, but you gotta-" An energy bolt flew over Sun's head impacting Dew in id strike throwing her back into the water.
"There! I helped! Are you happy now!?... Also, I am also not afraid of water, and I have no idea what you're talking about!" Neptune yelled out.
Dewe managed to get back to her feet nebula and Gwen quickly joining their friend ready to continue the fight with a three on two advantage Sun began to panic even more "Neptune!" he yelled to his partner.
The blue-haired boy huffed "Fine! Just get out of the water!" Neptune replied. His leader leaped out of the water landing on the shore as Neptune came up beside him shifting his weapon into its trident form before quickly tiptoeing towards it, clenching his eyes shut Neptune plunged his weapon into the waves. The effect was almost immediate the energy from his weapon surged through the artificial ocean the remaining three members of NDGO were helpless as they were electrocuted.
Dew Nebula and Gwen fell to their knees as the buzzer sounded signaling their defeat a ports voice came over the intercom" And with that team, SSSN moves on to the double round! You know what I'd call that victory?" Port said turning to his colleague
"Shocking" Oobleck said
" No. " Peter said as he furrowed his brow "Well earned. What you said is stupid."
/
The bartender whistled as the match came to a close "Now that was a match!"
The stranger scoffs "That was a mess" he said a slight slur present in his voice.
"Come on man, you didn't like them, or the Vale kids, or any of the rounds before that? What fight are you here for?" The bartender complained.
The grey-haired stranger glanced back over his shoulder at an incoming aircraft with elegant ribbons flying from its wings " That one" he said standing before downing the last of his drink, slamming the glass down he threw a few Lien cards onto the table"Happy Vytal Festival."
The bartender watches as the man stumbles away, setting down the glass he just finished cleaning, he reaches for another only to knock the first down in the process "Aw, gee darn it" he muttered
/
"Looks like the dorks made it to the next round" Yang commented.
Blake looked down into the arena where Sun and Neptune were occupied with their victory dance, the monkey Faunus looked up into the stands giving her a double gun gesture a small smile crept it's way onto Blakes' face as she shook her head at his antics, the smile slowly vanished as she glanced to Alex sitting next to her, the young man turning his head to meet her gaze a silent message shared between them.
How would she break the news to him?
Her thoughts shifted to the voice coming over the intercom "That concludes the matches for today. Please leave the Coliseum IN A CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION." Oobleck yelled causing some of the students to flinch at the unexpected volume.
"Come on, let's congratulate the guys" The six got up from their seats and began to take their lave just as the same aircraft adorned with ribbons flew overhead catching one heiress's attention causing Weiss to stop and Ruby to bump into her.
"Um, what are you doing?" Ruby asked looking at her partner, her face displaying a mix of joy and anxiety.
"She's here."
(To be continued)