Crimson VI: On Display
"Finally; the last class before the weekend," Ragna muttered as he and the rest of his team piled into the lecture hall. "The only gripe I have is why did it have to be Goodwitch's class?"
"You still think she's got it out for you, don't you?" Kagura said before considering the professor. "But with those slim glasses, her bright hair all done up, and that form fitting uniform; that's one glare I wouldn't mind being on the receiving end of."
"Dude... you're talking about our teacher here," Ragna reminded, his face steadily paling... though given his regular complexion it was somewhat hard to tell.
"And?" Kagura retorted. The Reaper had to fight the urge to gag.
"Just don't do anything that would get yourself in trouble," Jin told his teammate before glancing at his brother and smirking. "God forbid you actually manage get a worse reputation around the administration than one certain student."
"Shut your trap..." Ragna growled under his breath, leaving Tsubaki Yayoi to glare at him. "At least I'm trying to make friends."
"Hey Ragna! Over here!" Turning his head, the Reaper saw Ruby waving to him while Weiss and Blake sat behind her in their seats. The spots around them looked like they'd provide enough room for him and his team along with (unfortunately) Team JACK.
"And you're succeeding to some degree," Amane noted. "Congratulations."
"I'm not asking for a medal," Ragna muttered as he headed to his apparent seat. "...But thanks I guess." He didn't notice the dancer's mischievous smirk from behind him.
"TGIF! (Thank God It's Friday!)" Ruby greeted as Ragna sat beside her. Jin may have had a problem with said arrangement, but quickly managed to swoop in a grab the other seat beside his brother.
"Happy Friday," Ragna greeted in turn, trying to keep any attention away from Jin. "So where's Yang?"
"Ozpin's office," Blake informed. "She was called in at the end of the last class."
"Really? That sucks," the Reaper muttered. "What'd she do?"
"I doubt that they'd announce that she's in trouble so close to the weekend," Weiss said to him. "And she hasn't done anything different than what she's normally done... even if you include yesterday's card match."
"Don't remind me about that," Ragna muttered. "Over fifty deaths..."
"74 deaths brother; 30 of which we cause by your own bad luck and 29 of which I caused," Jin said. Ragna just stared at his younger sibling with a blank expression while Tsubaki looked upon 'her' Jin with a sense of awe and appreciation. "I kept track."
"'Course you would," Ragna muttered. "Guess we'll just have to ask her about it when we get out of class."
"I guess we'll have to," Ruby agreed. "Oh hey, there's Team JNPR."
"Right, that's the team that Jaune kid's leading," Azrael noted.
"Even though it should be Pyrrha in charge," Kagura told him
"I can see where your bias is coming from," Jin said, seeing Kagura's ways.
"What? You all know what she's capable of!" the Black Gale defended.
"I dunno, Jaune's probably pretty strong in his own way... though Kagura does have a point," Celica agreed as Ragna looked over the team.
"Right, so is Pyrrha the girl with orange or red hair?" Everyone in the group the turned to stare at Ragna. "...What? I don't know who I haven't met, alright?"
"Pyrrha's a celebrity huntress-in-training though!" Tsubaki scolded him. "There isn't anyone out there that doesn't know her name!"
"Well... Has Ragna ever eaten any of her cereal?" Ruby asked.
"I cook my own food," Ragna explained. "And I spent most of my earlier days out in the wilderness, so..."
"You have your answer," Weiss said. "And I have a new question, you can cook?"
"Well yeah, couldn't let my teacher make everything for me after all..." he smirked. "You should try my cooking some time, I make a killer s-"
"Salmon?" Everyone then glanced Blake, who once more had spoken out of turn to something fish related.
"...I was going to say steak, but how do you take your salmon?" Ragna asked the disguised cat Faunus with a cringing smile. 'Seriously, how has no one else found her out yet?'
As Jaune's team took their seats on the other end of the seats. Between them, Ragna saw that there was one other team here that he recognized, but sadly it was Team CRDL. Ragna saw that the team was looking at him with a clear stink eye, it was apparent that none of them had forgiven him for showing them up the day prior... though the giant welt on Cardin's jaw nearly put a smile upon the Reaper's face. Soon later, Goodwitch came into the classroom.
"I realize that this is the last class before the weekend, so with your cooperation and a little luck we'll be able to get the material covered quickly and I can send you off rather early today." This was rare stroke of luck for the students, seeing as how normally Goodwitch was the most uptight person at the Academy. "Now you've all been instructed about semblances in other classes, but it's time those abilities were put to the test. Starting next week, students will have the opportunity to participate in mock battles with one another."
'And I've already got a wait list with people that have a bone to pick with me,' Ragna thought to himself before glancing back at his waist. '...Maybe I should start remembering to bring my sword with me.'
"That being said, discussing semblances in theory and showing them off are two completely different subjects..." Goodwitch thought as she looked at the list in front of her. "Miss Rose then... your semblance is a good place to start. If you would?"
"Yep!" Ruby said, happy to show off as she quickly zoomed through the room and was standing right beside the instructor in next to no time at all.
"As you can see, she's been giving what's called a Speed semblance," Goodwitch explained. "Now, the name of the ability may speak for itself, but it's how you're able to utilize said ability than can make the difference."
"Yep, I'm pretty good at mixing things up," the youngest member of the academy declared proudly.
"All the same though, a semblance should be used with great caution," Goodwitch told the student. "What happens when you overuse your speed semblance then?"
"I... I get really tired," Ruby admitted. "Like, almost enough to pass out from exhaustion."
'That's worrying,' Ragna thought to himself darkly. 'And knowing Ruby's hyper attitude, she's more likely than not to push herself too far without realizing it. I'll need to keep a closer eye on her if I'm going to... Well, more on that when it comes up.'
"You can take your seat now," Goodwitch instructed and Ruby flew over with her amazing speed in the blink of an eye.
"What took you so long?" Ragna asked with light snark, earning him a solid punch on the arm from Ruby. "Kidding, kidding..."
"The strengths and weaknesses like what you were shown is a large reason for why we create teams, whether its so teammates can cover for their allies or they combine their semblances in order to create much stronger combinations." Noticing that Tsubaki Yayoi was raising her hand to ask a question, Goodwitch nodded.
"I've heard about the mock battles, but most of my questioned to our upperclassmen has only yielded stories on one-on-one duels. Is this actually a group exercise?"
"When we begin next week it will be a mix of both," the professor said as she looked over the schedule. "One Mondays and Fridays we'll be having single duels along with team matches on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thursdays will be our random draw day of the week; where different students of different teams will be made into teams of two or four to help test their adaptability."
'Random draw day," Ragna thought to himself with a scowl. 'Knowing my luck I'll be put on a team with Jin, Tsubaki, and Cardin; all of the people that want me dead… while Kagura hangs out with the girls... Dammit.'
"That should actually be it for now," Goodwitch admitted. "There's not much of a point in covering essential information that you'll have to be taught again come Monday... So for now we'll cover a few different types of semblances in order to get a general understanding of them. Any volunteers?"
"Over here!" called the orange haired student from Team JNPR said as she rose. "My name's Nora Valkyrie and my Semblance lets me take lightning and turn it into a huge power booster! One bolt and I'm good to go!"
"An interesting ability, and how would you put that to use as a teammate?" the instructor asked, leading Weiss to raise her hand. "Miss Schnee?"
"I'd use lightning dust on her if that's what it would take to boost her power," the heir said proudly.
'Well it's straight forward,' Ragna thought from in front of Weiss while Ruby took notes beside him.
"Good, anyone else?"
"I have a useful semblance too!" Celica declared. "My ability is pretty simple, but I can use it to heal my teammates back to full health and I naturally boost their own semblances just by being around."
"Her combat is nonexistent though," Jin admitted, leaving Celica to sweat nervously.
"Welllllll, that's not exactly untrue..." the redhead admitted.
"...Moving on," Goodwitch began before noticing a slender hand raised above. "...Mister Nishiki?"
"My ability is something to behold indeed, quite," the violet haired dancer said with a smile as he leaped from his seat and landed beside a somewhat annoyed instructor. "Though... I do think it's better that I explain it with a proper demonstration."
"I suppose if you must," Goodwitch said, granting Amane permission.
"Excellent," he said with a smile. "First, I'll need a volunteer!"
"Tch," Ragna grunted. "Wonder what kind of idiot's going to have to play guinea pig for-" His thoughts were cut off as strange ribbons from Amane's own clothes came undone and reached toward Ragna like tendrils wrapping around his limbs and torso to grab him. "...Why do I even bother?" Ragna questioned before he was pulled off and forced to the front of the class before the ribbons let go of him. "Can't I opt out?"
"Not if you want the credit for today," Goodwitch told him.
"Dammit," Ragna groaned. He then noticed Amane examining him rather closely. "...Please tell me you don't think I'm a good example and that you need someone else."
"Not quite; just that I think I'll need another volunteer," Amane said before looking back to the stands and eyeing the young Miss Rose. "Only fair that I get a second person," Amane said as his ribbons shot out for yet another student. "Now my Semblance's abilities permit me to-"
"Y-y-you have the wrong person!" a very un-Ruby voice shouted. Turning his head to his ribbons, Amane saw that he'd instead grabbed a crimson faced Weiss Shnee. "P-P-Put me down this instant!"
Looking back at the chairs, the dancer saw a terrified and shaking Ruby clinging to Blake like it was for dear life. Amane then considered that Weiss had been sitting behind her and Ruby's speed semblance could have allowed her to dodge the offhanded grab. Amane then looked back to Weiss who was tied up and continuing to scowl at him.
"...You'll do," the dancer finally said before placing the sputtering Weiss on the ground. "I suppose this is but a minor change from what I had planned anyways. So about my semblance; it has an odd quirk to it where I can't properly apply unless my opponent is weaker than me or completely at ease... Ragna at the moment is neither of these."
"Then why the hell did you grab me!?" Ragna shouted in annoyance.
"Well, I guess I could try to force you to relax," Amane threatened, though still in a very flowery manner.
"You and what army, punk?" the Reaper retorted with a scowl as the two glared at one another.
"Nora, try getting in between those two," Jaune suggested nervously. "...With the sparks they're sending with their glares they'll probably give a new height of a power boost."
"I'm pretty sure it doesn't work that way," Nora told him with a sweatdrop.
"Well..." Amane began before smirking wickedly. "The other day Jin was showing me some rather... odd foota-"
"Okay, okay! I'll relax... damn, you're evil." While the students glanced at each other in concern at what the dancer had been about the threaten him with, the Reaper then let out a breath of air and tried to stand at complete ease. "Will that do?"
"It's as close as I can expect you to get," Amane agreed before a ribbon from his clothes shot out. Before Ragna could protest, it turned into a point and stabbed him in the back of the neck.
"What the- What the hell!?" he shouted, though no blood emerged from the wound. The ribbon then retracted, though Ragna didn't feel any different.
"And... perfect," Amane said with a smile before grabbing his scroll out and tapping a few buttons. "Now... let the demonstration... BEGIN!"
(Cue Voices Of Spring Waltz By Johann Strauss Jr.)
"This... music," Weiss thought aloud to herself. "Is this a waltz?" She then noticed Ragna making his way towards her. "What are you-?" The Reaper then grabbed and raised her left hand with his right hand while putting his left hand on her hip. "R-Ragna!" a once more crimson faced Weiss shouted as Ragna started to guide her in the dance. "L-LET GO OF ME!"
"I'M NOT DOING THIS DAMMIT!" Ragna shouted as the dance continued on. "You think I know how to Waltz!?"
"What do you mean you're not doing this!?" Wiess shouted.
"This... IS MY SEMBLANCE'S POWER!" Amane shouted with much flair. "At the sound of music, the target has no choice but to dance in rhythm." Amane then closed his eyes and smiled sweetly to the students in their seats. "It's a unique ability, is it not?"
Every student was clinging to the wall farthest from Amane completely terrified, trying to get as much distance from the strange man as they could... well Azrael was still sitting in his place, but hey he's Azrael.
"Hey..." Ragna asked from where he was still guiding Weiss in the steps of the dance. "...How long does this last?"
"Hmmm, about fifteen to twenty minutes," Amane told him.
"FIFTEEN TO TWENTY!?" Ragna and Weiss shouted in unison.
"...Class dismissed," Goodwitch said with annoyance as she headed for the door. "If anyone else wishes to leave, feel free. Otherwise, you can stay and watch the chaos unfold."
"Help us darn it!" Ragna shouted, but the teacher merely left the room. With a sigh he looked at his apparent dance partner. "...Looks like the two of us are here for the long haul."
"...You're lucky I know how to waltz," Weiss told him as she now followed Ragna's rhythm instead of simply being dragged along with Ragna.
"That's more like it," Amane said with a smile as he noticed Jin up in the class room seats, absolutely livid. "Oh, is someone jealous?"
"Errr... I'm leaving," the blonde declared as he headed out of the classroom with many of the other students, but not before turning back to his brother. "...Monday then, I'll get what I want."
"That just ain't healthy," Kagura muttered as he watched the two before relaxing in his seat. "Might as well watch, it's not bad of a show." Tsubaki didn't say anything, merely standing and leaving the classroom, most likely to follow after Jin. "Someone's a critic."
As the two danced on Amane was watching them, joyfully instructing the two as they danced. Ragna tried his best to keep his head down, but likely as a result of Amane's semblance he couldn't turn away from Weiss.
"You... you don't have to look at my ugly mug ya know? You can still move," he decided to remind with a small blush on his face.
"It... It's bad manners not to look at your partner while you dance with them," Weiss said before she glanced back to her teammates. "At least Yang isn't here right now. Her commentary would make this nearly impossible for either of us."
"...Ruby's still recording the whole thing to show her later, isn't she?"
"You know her too well to think otherwise."
As the two continued in their dance, Amane was forced to change tracks for them every so often so the dance wouldn't grow stale. This would also change the two's rhythm and performance with each Waltz that was played. The two did this for several songs... which eventually made Ragna grow suspicious.
"Wait, how long have we been doing this?" he finally decided to ask.
"Um..." Ruby said as she finally looked at her scroll's clock. "...Close to half an hour now."
"Half an-!?" Ragna said abruptly stopping the dancing and letting go of Weiss who slowly backed away in shock. Ragna then realized he finally had control over his own body and glared at Amane. "Why the hell didn't you stop us!?"
"Well you two looked like you were having so much fun," the dancer said as he let the music continue. "Though I have to say I'm impressed, I thought you'd have stopped when my semblance's effects on you wore off three minutes in."
"Three minutes!?" Weiss shouted as Ragna's complexion grew dark. "You told us it'd last for fifteen at least!"
"I wanted to see how far your uncovered ability to dance could push you. Also, if you really think about it, didn't I say it was triggered by music? If I'd really wanted to, I could have stopped the dancing any time I wanted," Amane explained as he headed through the doors. "Until next time, my dears."
"Dammit, I was played like a complete fool," Ragna swore at himself angrily.
"We both were," Weiss told him before sighing. "Let's just agree to never talk about this again and move on with our lives, alright?" Ragna didn't answer, so Weiss started heading out the classroom doors.
"Hey..." Ragna finally began, cutting through his silence.
Looking back at her apparent dance partner, Weiss saw that Ragna was nervous, but had a small and sad smile upon his face. It was a smile of someone that was fighting to make the best of a lousy lot he'd been given.
"...Thanks for the dance," he said, attempting to give a formal bow.
"...Your form needs work, but I suppose it wasn't all bad," the nicknamed Ice Queen said in turn as she curtsied with a satisfied smile.
Author's Note
Damn, a lot of comments I've been getting on this story have actually been predicting some of the things I'm setting up for. I won't say which ones, but don't be too surprised if your posted idea turns to a reality. Anyways, the reviews.
DreadGrimReaper: Stray Kitten, not cat.
ENDDRAGON369: Depending on how people react to these and upcoming chapters, he might.
EpicLinkSam: Then I have good news, expect MUCH more of those in the future.
TheUnplanner: I did make a few alterations on the Munchkin rules, but my usual experience isn't that far off from Ragna's... My friends always gang up on me.
Wlyman2009: Yeah, just need to put Ragna in his element.
Star's Keyblade4114: Tsubaki was about to be kicked out of the academy, but Ragna actually made a point to keep her on. As for Jin, this is just what he's like.
Medblare: Apparently more people play Munchkin that I had thought.
Travis Moon: I'm afraid I don't know either of those series... so sorry again.
fernandonoguera99: It's all about finding a balance, something that I've been working on as of late.
Guest42: Thanks for not including explicit spoilers. Try to keep those to a minimum.
Until next time everyone. No February break for me! Ciao!