What up y'all, I'm back.
Before I forget, I addressed this in one of my review responses, but some one-liners or quotes from League characters are actually voice lines from the game, which can be found on each character's wiki page.
HalfmoonSilver80: Can't tell you right now, but you'll find out in a couple chapters!
RyuuundyingSoul: Thanks for the kind words! As for who I plan on including from League (and there will be more than just one or two more characters), hopefully this chapter provides some insight.
Yuuji Akira: Don't worry, there will be more ear scratching shenanigans to come, haha. And I agree, I think Sett is more of a laid back person. But when the situation calls for it, he can be serious (ie. the talk with Weiss, and the eavesdropping you mentioned). Oh, and Golden Punch doesn't sound half bad, but we'll see what happens. As for combat class and other characters… Well, voila!
Freddielebron: Sett's pretty cool, but everyone loves Braum. 10/10 wholesome character right there. Sett's W is kinda busted, very true. It's pretty fun nuking people with it. And I'm happy you mentioned the voicelines! I enjoyed incorporating them where I could. Anyways, thanks for the support man!
HoloBestWaifu: Oh my goodness, a thesis!? Dear lord, that's a lot of writing. Props to you for working on that. But anyways, glad to see you're still here!
I think that's everything review-wise, so I won't keep y'all any longer. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: League of Legends belongs to Riot Games, RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth. I'm still kinda sad they ruined RvB :/
He'd lost… again.
At this point, he wasn't even surprised. Frustrated, of course, but not shocked at the outcome. After a few weeks of straight losses, what was there to be surprised at?
Trudging off the stage with his head held low, Jaune was forced to stomach the taste of defeat once again. It was bad enough that Cardin absolutely destroyed him, but the lecture from Professor Goodwitch made it even worse. Granted, she was only trying to help him improve, but did she really have to do it in front of the entire class? He could just feel the pitiful looks he got, which only made him feel worse than he already did.
Walking back to his team, he dropped down onto his seat, demoralized. At least since he was off stage, no one was really paying attention to him. What he failed to realize, is that there were people still watching closely.
Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to look at green eyes. "It was a good effort, Jaune. Cardin is a skilled opponent, so that was by no means an easy fight. You just need some more practice, that's all." Giving an encouraging smile, Pyrrha did her best to reassure her partner that he was doing fine. But alas, Jaune knew deep down that was not the case, much as he hated to admit it.
Still, it was nice to know that someone believed in him. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." Jaune said, forcing a smile on his face. Even if he thought it was misplaced, he appreciated it nonetheless. Nodding, she somewhat shakily patted his shoulder, something Jaune didn't notice.
Now, as this was going on, the combat professor was still addressing the students. After examining her scroll, she cleared her throat, looking up to scan the crowd. "It appears we have time for one more match. Would anyone like to volunteer? Anyone that chooses to do so may select their dueling partner." It didn't take long for a hand to be raised.
Almost instantly, a student volunteered. "Me, teach." A single voice rang out, generating murmurs when people realized who it was (and a glare from Glynda, but that was ignored).
"Isn't that the fifth member of team RWBYS?"
"Yea, that's him."
"Lucky guy, being on a team with four pretty girls-"
Ignoring the whispers, Sett stood up, earning a nod of acknowledgement from his professor. After fiddling with her scroll, she looked at the boy. "And do you have a preferred sparring partner?"
Cracking his knuckles, he first looked at Pyrrha, mouth opening to say her name. But what stopped him was the worried look she was giving Jaune when the blonde wasn't looking. The pit champ had no idea what that was about, but it was clear that the red head wasn't focused on class.
Sett frowned slightly, disappointed. If she was distracted, he didn't want to take her on. The pit champ wanted to go toe-to-toe with the famed champion from Mistral when she was at her best.
Thus, he looked around for another contender. Fortunately for him, it didn't take long to find a person who could (hopefully) give him a run for his money. Grinning, he pointed to a mane of yellow hair, singling out his opponent.
"Yang."
The other heavy hitter of team RWBYS blinked, before realizing she had been picked. Quickly recovering, she rose from her seat, matching Sett's excited grin with her own. Honestly, ever since teams were formed, she'd been wondering who was the harder hitter between the two. 'Guess today's the day we find out.'
Seeing both students eager for the match, Goodwitch wasted no time in setting it up, displaying each student's picture on the big screen. "Very well. Take positions on opposite sides of the stage. We shall begin when you are ready."
Without any further prompting, the two did just that, making their way through the amphitheater.
As they walked, Yang looked back at the brunette behind her. "Just so you know, if you hold back for whatever reason… I'm kicking your ass." Just because they were teammates and friends, didn't mean she was gonna pull any punches. Yang expected the same mindset from her fellow fist-fighter.
Sett smiled at that. "Ha! After this, you're gonna wish I did hold back." Good, they were on the same page then.
Satisfied with his answer, Yang smirked. "That's what I like to hear."
As soon as they were out of earshot, the rest of their team began conversing amongst themselves, curious to see how this would play out. "Who do you guys think is gonna win?" Asked Ruby, internally conflicted on who she should cheer for.
Weiss hummed in thought. "Well, they have similar fighting styles, so it's hard to say." That was true: both used their fists almost exclusively in combat.
"Yang's definitely the more agile of the two." Blake said, chewing her lip in thought. "But Sett might pack a bigger punch. I mean, we all saw what he did at initiation."
Ruby nodded rapidly, recalling that fight. "Yea! That was soooo cool! He picked up the Beowolf and went BAM, and-" Ruby gushed, remembering how awesome it was to see someone lift a Grimm like a stuffed animal. Weiss rolled her eyes, although she didn't disagree with her partner.
Eventually, the heiress had to interrupt her though. "Hush! They're about to start." Immediately quieting down, all eyes looked towards the arena, as no one wanted to miss a thing.
Standing at opposite sides of the ring, the two students had taken positions, ready to begin as soon as they were allowed. With his left shoulder facing Yang, Sett faced his opponent at an angle. Knees slightly bent, he held his straightened left arm at his side, his right arm held back in an L-shape (1). Similarly, Yang was a bit hunched, her knees and overall posture bent a bit forward. Holding her hands in front of her face, she was just as ready as the half-breed.
Looking between the two brawlers, Glynda adjusted the lighting of the room, silencing any lingering voices. "Are both combatants ready?" Receiving two nods of affirmation, she continued. "Very well. Begin!"
Given the all clear to fight, Yang took the first step forward.
.
.
.
.
"Oh? You're approaching me? Instead of running away, you're coming right to me?"
"I can't beat the shit out of you without getting closer."
"Oh ho! Then come as close as you'd like. (2)"
"S-Sorry!" Someone cried out, unable to silence his scroll. Why couldn't he turn down the volume? Why wasn't the device turning off!?
Glaring at the panicking student, Glynda made a mental note to give the child detention later. Recreational scroll usage in her class was not tolerated, after all. For now, she'd watch the current match closely. Given the destructive capabilities of each combatant, close supervision was a necessity.
The two were a dozen feet apart now, still staring each other down. Then, without warning, Yang sprang into action, accelerating off of one foot. Closing the distance in the blink of an eye, her left fist raced towards Sett's chest. Inches away from her target, the firing mechanism of Ember Celica began to activate, the pellets moments away from being launched.
BLAM!
'... No way.'
Rather than try to evade or block the hit, the pit fighter merely stood in place, taking the entirety of the blow. To her disbelief, instead of being blown away, the larger student only leaned back, taking a step back to steady himself.
Now, it went without saying that Yang knew how to throw a punch: her undefeated record and reputation at Signal spoke for itself. Combined with her close-range shot gauntlets, anyone who got hit by both simultaneously should've been staggered, at the very least.
With her fist still pressed against his chest, Yang could only gape at how unaffected Sett appeared to be. There wasn't even a mark where she'd slugged him!
Grunting from the powerful attack, Sett was impressed with the force she exerted in just one strike. The pit champ expected no less from someone who could forcefully hold open a Nevermore's beak with one hand, so it went without saying that her strength was nothing to scoff at. Were it not for his enhanced durability, he was sure that his chest would've been caved in. But that was exactly why he wanted this fight: to test how much of a beating he could take with his amplified constitution.
Sett smirked at the stunned girl. "Weren't expecting that, huh?" Well, to be fair, no one knew about his hardened skin, so how could she? Snatching her scarf, he yanked the blonde closer, slamming his forehead into her face. Letting go, she stumbled back, a bit dazed from the hit. Even so, she recovered in time to comfortably dodge a slow left jab, before leaping back to avoid getting clocked by a much faster right cross.
Shaking away the last of her disorientation, Yang refocused herself. So, 'So, Sett can take a hit. Guess that means I gotta ramp things up!' Sprinting forwards, Yang ducked under a wide swing, before connecting a fist to his chin, snapping his head back. Not giving him a chance to retaliate, she quickly followed up with a punch to Sett's side, then a cheap shot to his gut. Side stepping an overhead strike, she dipped to his side, giving his lower back a quick one-two combo.
The Y of RWBYS wasn't the best tactician, but it didn't take one to realize she should use her speed to her advantage. Having seen him fight before, Yang knew Sett could withstand a tremendous amount of punishment. His comparably-sluggish reaction time, however, was easily exploitable. So as long as she avoided his reach, she should be able to wear him down over time.
With a crooked smile, she taunted her teammate. "Try to keep up." Taking a gamble, Yang leaped into the air, firing her weapons into the ground, propelling herself above the brunette. Flipping above Sett, she landed as he spun around in the wrong direction. With his back once again exposed, Yang wasted no time slamming fist after fist into his skin.
Though none of these blows were as powerful as her opening attack, the punches she was laying on him should've been more than enough to stagger the pit fighter. Should've, being the key word.
With a sudden quickness, Sett whirled around, backhanding the blonde's face with a balled-up, aura-infused fist. Now on the offensive, he continued to swing at Yang, his attacks increasing in ferocity with every swipe. Although easy to evade at first, the swings began picking up in speed as well, so much so to the point where Yang was unable to penetrate the flurry of fists. To make matters worse, the blonde brawler couldn't dodge the entire assault, even with her superior agility. When she had no other choice, Yang raised her forearms to intercept strikes, teeth shaking every time she was forced to block.
Not one to be outdone, she forcibly shoved him away after intercepting a hit, rapidly firing her weapon at him. 'If getting close and personal won't work, maybe a bit of distance will!' Blasting away, the pit champ raised his own gauntlets to act as a shield, mitigating some of the even though the occasional shot bypassed the makeshift protection, Sett shrugged off the explosive rounds, advancing on her as if he hadn't been hit at all.
So far, it seemed every hit she landed had at most a minor impact, as her teammate had little trouble keeping up endurance wise. Though, with the slight grimaces Yang saw every few hits, it appeared her attacks were having at least some impact.
Still, she was a bit miffed to note how little damage she had done. Normally by now, her opponents were at the very least struggling or beginning to lose composure. Sett wasn't even out of breath! Grunting in annoyance, Yang stepped back to avoid another short swing. 'There!' As Sett was still in motion, his form overextended, she cocked a fist back, preparing to unleash another barrage.
Unfortunately for Yang, her own stance wasn't flawless either.
As she stepped into her punch, a much larger hand lashed out, catching her clearly-telegraphed move easily. Stuck in an iron grip, she tried swinging with another fist, which was also caught and made immobile. Stuck in a deadlock, she could only stare and struggle as Sett looked right back at her.
With a wild look in his eyes, he tensed. "Let's, throw down!" With a snarl, he pulled Yang over his head, carrying her through the air, before slamming her straight into the ground, cracking the foundation. Bouncing into the air from the impact, spittle flew from the blonde's mouth, before a powerful right hook sent her careening through the air.
Flying for a dozen feet, she eventually rolled to a stop on the other side of the stage. Struggling to move, Yang grunted, wincing as she moved her back. It felt like she got run over by an Ursa! As she took a moment to get to her feet, Yang noted Sett's somewhat nonchalant posture in shock (and growing frustration). She'd landed far more hits throughout the fight, and yet compared to her, the half-breed seemed no worse for wear. 'By the brothers, how much aura does he have?' She incredulously thought, panting as she caught her breath.
Speaking of aura, the blonde brawler could tell that a good amount of her own had been depleted already. The battle had been going on for only a few minutes, but the beating she took within that time had been brutal, to say the least. Then again, anyone who could catch her punches head-on was definitely strong enough to do just that. Beginning to feel the strain of battle, exhaustion started to settle in the girl's muscles. Sett, on the other hand…
"C'mon Yang, that all you got? I'm not even warmed up yet!" Seeing the cocky smile on his face, lilac eyes flickered red.
'Guess it's on.' With the blonde charging in once again, this time Sett ran to meet her in the middle, itching for a good scrap. Reacting to a straight jab, Sett threw one of his own, fist connecting with fist. Another punch came his way, and was rebuffed in the same manner. Then another, and another, another, another, and-
"ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA-!"
"-MUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDAMUDA-!"
"Sh-Shit!" What in the world was wrong with his scroll? It was playing a video like it had a mind of its own! To the student's dismay, the device refused to deactivate, no matter what he did.
Fortunately for him, no one was paying attention, as everyone was watching the storm of punches with rapt attention. With each collision sounding like thunder, both combatants were throwing punches at blinding speeds, either to attack or block the other. If one looked closely, they'd see Yang had a grimace on her face, brow furrowed in growing anger, while Sett was grinning madly, relishing this chance to put his strength to the test.
The majority of hits were blocked, but there were a few that managed to land: in an instance, Sett's face was clobbered, while Yang's shoulder was nearly dislocated. But even with how forceful each successful hit was, neither side let up, refusing to be the first to give in. However, judging by the displayed aura meters, it wouldn't be long before this onslaught was over.
With a roar, Yang threw a mighty haymaker, sending Sett skidding back several feet. Breathing haggardly, Yang remained hunched over slightly, winded for a moment. "How's it hangin' Yangy? Sure you don't want me to go easy on ya?" Sett called out, punching a hand into a fist. The pit champ would've been disappointed if she tapped out now. Things were just starting to get good!
At that moment, Yang wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug look off his face. And she intended to do just that.
"rrrrRRRAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Straightening up, her hair began to glow, her eyes burning blood red, teeth bared in rage. Grinning in anticipation, Sett was pleased to note his goading had been successful in unearthing Yang's second wind. "Now we're talking!" He shouted, ready for another round. Sett took a step forward, looking forward to continuing the brawl.
FWMPPPH!
'... Ow.'
Only to get slugged for his troubles. But unlike the past hits, this one was much stronger, not to mention faster. No problem though, he just had to pick it up too-
FWMPPPH!-POOOW!-BOOOM!-THUD!-BAAAM!
Without a moment to retaliate, fists began connecting with his body, each impact feeling worse than the last. Even his armor was beginning to crack! Clearly on the defensive now, Sett was getting man handled, faltering under the overwhelming assault. Raising his arms, his blocks were easily batted aside, proving ineffective. Within seconds, he coughed out a spattering of saliva, splashing a little on his now-ruthless opponent.
That was enough to get Yang to relent for a moment, who was momentarily blinded by the flung spittle. Although unintentional, the pit champ had no problem fighting dirty, so he wasn't going to complain. Seizing the opportunity, he kneed his opponent hard in the gut, driving her back a few feet.
Wiping her eyes, the rampaging blonde gave her opponent just enough breathing room to pull himself together. Feeling the familiar sensation of energy flowing through his body, he pulled back his right fist, ready to finish this fight. He wasn't sure how much longer Yang could go berserk for, but it didn't matter: the pit champ was now ready to return the favor.
Eager to resume her relentless beating, Yang rushed back towards her opponent, ready to pound Sett into the ground. The blonde knew she was nearly running on fumes, but she didn't care: just a little bit longer and Sett would be down for the count. After all, seeing him painfully react to the usage of her semblance was proof that he was struggling, and that's all the motivation she needed.
If Yang hadn't been seeing red at that moment, she would've noted Sett had a red hue, his hair fluttering in nonexistent wind. That, and his eyes were glowing a bright red, much like her own.
With a final ferocious roar, Yang's glowing form shot towards Sett, coming in for the knockout. The brunette in question was leaning back, balled up hand ready to unleash a powerful charged-up strike.
And then, two fists touched.
KAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
A ball of fire engulfed Sett, hiding him from sight.
An explosion instantly created a cloud, obscuring anyone's view of Yang.
"..."
For a moment, all was silent. Nobody moved.
Every single student watched closely, waiting for any signs of movement.
Any sign of a victor.
.
.
.
They wouldn't have to wait for long, as the view of the stage slowly began to clear up…
Yang stood slouched, gasping for air, her arms slack at her sides. Having taken the worst of the blast, the girl's outfit was singed, and even torn in some places. It was only through sheer willpower that she was able to stay standing after absorbing that last attack. The blazing fire in her eyes had dimmed down to an ember, irises colored their normal purple once more.
Sett was breathing hard as well, his chest heaving as he stood hunched forward. His form had returned to its regular color, revealing the extent of the damage he sustained. Although his apparel was similarly cracked and banged up, he was still in noticeably better shape than his teammate. But that didn't mean Yang was done just yet.
With a glint in her eye, she began to move forward, raising her arms in a fighting stance.
That unyielding will struck a chord in Sett, who was no stranger to pure determination. Respecting his teammate's stalwart resolve, he began to match her movement.
"Enough!"
Only to be stopped at the authoritative command of Goodwitch.
Reminding the combatants of her presence, the professor took a step towards the two. "Now, as much as you two are inclined to continue, I am ending the spar immediately." Indicating to something above her, both students followed the combat professor's gaze. Upon viewing their recorded status, lilac eyes widened.
Sett's aura was chunked, but still abundant.
Yang's was in the red.
"Due to the staunch difference in aura levels, the match goes to Mr. Sett."
.
.
.
.
.
Damn. Just like that, huh?
With the spar concluded, adrenaline was drained from Yang's system, as if a switch had been flipped. Still breathing heavily, the fatigued girl began to totter, her legs slowly turning into jelly. She would've fallen, were she not caught as she started to fall to the ground. In a flash, the blonde felt firm hands grasp her, holding her steady by the upper arms.
Tilting her head up, her gaze was met with red eyes exuding mixed emotions. "You good?" Sett asked, a bit concerned for his worn out friend. The boy deeply respected her fighting spirit, but maybe he should've held back after all…
Nodding her head, Yang took a second to respond. "...Yea. Yea, I'm fine." That being said, she made no effort to stand on her own, her body having reached its limit.
"Normally, I would discuss my critiques of the spar with you two… but that can be done another time." Glynda made sure that the two students were paying attention before she continued. "If you would, Mr. Sett, please assist Ms. Xiao Long to the infirmary. Be sure to ensure proper care is received for both of you. You are both dismissed." With the subtle message for both of them to get some rest, the two proceeded to slowly walk off stage.
Head hung low, one student in particular wished he could be just as strong…
With an arm slung over his shoulder, the pit champ guided his charge down the steps. "Ya know, this would be a whole lot easier if you let me carry ya." He said, struggling to maintain his balance while walking downwards. With his eyes on the stair steps, Sett failed to see a startled expression quickly transform into a teasing one.
"Well, now that you're offering-"
"Yang!"
Zipping towards them was their fearless leader, followed closely by the rest of their team. Ruby visibly winced upon getting a closer look at her teammates. "Oh jeez, you guys look awful!" She muttered, a hand tentatively reaching out.
"That's putting it lightly." Weiss added, frowning at the state of the two brawlers. How could she not, when it looked like they'd gone to war and back. "Still, do you want any help getting to the infirmary? I think we can all agree that we wouldn't mind if you do." Blake nodded in affirmation, no less concerned than the others.
RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNG!
Oh yea. They still had more classes today.
Using his free hand, Sett waved off his teammates' concern. "Thanks, but we'll be fine. You guys get to class. We'll catch up when we can." With Yang giving a thumbs up, the trio looked amongst themselves. They didn't like the idea of not helping, but Yang and Sett didn't seem to be seriously injured. And they did have to get to class…
After hesitating for a moment, Ruby conceded to his request. "Alright… call us if anything comes up." Once he assured he would do just that, red white and black departed, trusting the sparring partners to rest and recuperate on their own.
Readjusting his grip, the pit champ lightly tugged the arm on his shoulder. "C'mon Yang, let's get a move on." Grumbling in response, the duo resumed their trek to Beacon's medical center.
Easing himself onto a bed, the pit fighter let out an audible sigh, more than happy to lie down for a bit. Sett would be lying if he said he wasn't tired, so he didn't really mind missing class. And given how quick Yang had checked out a few beds over, she probably felt the same. 'I'll just spend more time in the library. Nothin' serious.' If he was lucky, Weiss or Ren would help him get caught up with missed lessons. With that minor issue taken care of, the boy's thoughts drifted to his spar with Yang, contemplating what he'd learned.
After duking it out with one of Beacon's hardest hitters, Sett was confident that there was no one who could outlast him in a straight up fight. Yes, aura made people here tougher than those back home, there was no doubt about that. Having learned about his teammates' respective semblances, he couldn't deny the possibilities of aura were pretty impressive (the whole concept seemed awfully similar to sorcery, if anything). But with experience to back him up, the pit champ could safely say his dragon blessing gave him quite an edge against nearly everything on Remnant: Grimm or people, aura or not.
He chuckled. 'I guess the power of the dragons are, "sacred and unparalleled in value," after all.'
"With the dragons' blessings, we will be victorious!"
"Lee, there's only a dozen of these guys. Pretty sure we can win regardless."
"ARE YOU QUESTIONING THE MIGHT OF THE DRAGONS!?"
"What? No, where did you get that fro-"
"CEASE YOUR RAMBLING, YOU DESPICABLE FEIND! YOU'RE BLASPHEMOUS WORDS WILL NOT SWAY ME!"
"Whatever man, let's just kick some ass already."
He wondered how that bastard Lee Sin was doing.
Fondly recalling good times, it wasn't long before the beast boy bastard fell asleep.
"So! There we were, in the middle of the night…"
"It was day."
"We were surrounded by Ursai…"
"They were Beowolves."
"Dozens of them!"
"Two of 'em."
"But they were no match... And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!"
"..."
"A boatload of lien, huh? I could definitely use that." Humming thoughtfully, the S of RWBYS contemplated all the things he could buy with that much money (maybe a fine pair of silk pants). He wondered how valuable Ionian coin would be on Remnant…
Yang was staring off into space as well, imagining the possibilities. "Ditto. I could buy sooo much- wait, aren't you already loaded?" With a curious tone, she swiveled her head towards her male teammate. "You know, with you being an ex-exhibition fighter and all." From what she'd learned about the brunette, he had been in that profession for a while. And judging by his pricey-looking equipment, he must've made quite a lot from his matches.
"Well… not exactly." Sett replied, taking a bite of his lunch. "Most of the earnings I got, I gave to my ma. And when I left home to come here, I left almost everything with her." Before getting dragged into this world, the half-breed was pretty sure he even dropped that day's earnings on the ground. Still, even with all he'd done for her, the boy couldn't help but worry for his momma.
Though, he doubted there was anything that could really change that. "We lived dirt poor for a while, so I want to make enough c-lien so that never happens again." And if he had to crack some skulls along the way? He wouldn't lose any sleep. Everyone who participated in the fighting pits knew what they were getting into.
"Oh! Well, that's nice… I was thinking about using the lien for shopping…" Yang muttered, letting out an embarrassed chuckle.
"I think that's a noble thing to do." Pyrrha said, earning her an appreciative nod from Sett. "What do you think, Jaune?"
"..."
"Jaune?"
"Wha- Oh, yea. It's, uh, pretty cool." Failing to realize he had been singled out by his partner. When his absentminded statement was met with silence, he glanced up from his meal. "... Um. Why are you guys looking at me like that?" Blinking, he looked between purple, red, and green eyes, with varying levels of concern in each.
"Jaune… are you alright?" Pyrrha asked, being the most worried for the blonde out of all their friends.
"What? Yea! Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" Jaune shakily said, a little too quickly to fool anyone. The fact that he visibly flinched when he spotted something in the cafeteria didn't help his case either.
Following his gaze, it became very clear to everyone paying attention what was bothering the team leader. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Cardin, right?" Pyrrha asked, her tone growing more upset.
Realization shone in the knight's eyes, before he feigned ignorance."Who?"
Pyrrha sighed, seeing right through her partner. "Cardin Winchester. You know, the guy who beat you in Goodwitch's class last week."
"No! I mean, why would it?"
"Jaune… he's been bullying you since the first week of school! Just the other day, he stuffed you in a locker and launched you across the academy. It's a miracle that you didn't land in Emerald Forest. Or the ocean." To his dismay, more pairs of eyes began to point in his direction upon hearing that detail.
"Wait, hold up!" Sett shouted, drawing all eyes on him. "Cardin did all that to you? Why the hell didn't you say anything?" Seriously, how the hell was he just learning about this now!?
Jaune sweatdropped upon seeing Sett tightly grip the table. "Well, yea… but it's not like he singles me out or anything! He's just a jerk to everyone."
As if to prove his point, the boy in question began to tug on the bunny girl's ears, laughing at her discomfort. "That hurts! Please, stop…" the poor girl whimpered.
Completely ignoring her pleas, the brute turned to his team. "See? I told you they were real!" All of CRDL continued to laugh and jeer at the uncomfortable student.
"What a freak!"
Pyrrha glared daggers at the boys. "Atrocious. I can't stand people like him." The whole of JNPR and RWBYS each expressed their own feelings of disapproval.
"He's not the only one." Blake spat out, so fixated on the scene that she failed to notice her bow twitching.
"Makes you wonder how people like that got into a place like Beacon, right?" Yang murmured, lighty elbowing her fellow brawler.
But the boy did not respond.
For he was in a world of his own, for a brief moment…
"See? I told you they were real!"
'Look at his ears! He's a dirty animal!'
"What a freak!"
'What a freak!'
"What a freak!"
CRACK!
The table's occupants jumped, startled as the half-breed subconsciously crushed his side of the table.
Snarling, the boy relaxed his hands, letting chunks of wood clatter to the ground. The half-vastayan quickly stood and left his seat, only one thought occupying his focused mind.
"Sett? Hey, where are you going? Sett?" His friends called out to him, shocked at his violent outburst. But their words fell on deaf ears, as the giant of a freshman either didn't notice, or didn't care, for what they were saying. Looking amongst themselves, the gang turned their attention to the brunette, who quickly paced across the cafeteria.
"Hey, do you guys think faunus have animal instincts?"
"Ha! They're probably just as dirty too!"
"P-Please, let go. You're hurting me!"
"Shut up! I'll let go when I want to-AH!"
Something clenched the back of Cardin's scalp, firmly pulling on his head. Wincing at the sudden discomfort, the boy quickly let go of the faunus, hands latching onto whatever was still tugging at him.
"Not so fun now, huh?" A voice snapped, directly behind the team leader. Not caring for a response, Sett roughly yanked the brat out of his seat, holding him in the air by his hair. "Don't know about you, but I'm enjoying this."
Struggling as he was held up, Cardin glared at his cronies, who were staring with wide eyes "Don't just stand there, do something!" Snapping out of their shock, the rest of the boys scrambled out of their seats, intent on coming to their leader's aid.
Seeing this in his peripheral, the pit champ turned his piercing scowl at them. "Yea. Do something." He clenched his free hand. "Give me a reason to put all of you into the ground." He growled out, halting the three boys in their tracks, uncertainty and nervousness filling their expressions.
After a few seconds of strained silence, Sett finally relented, throwing Cardin at his teammates' feet. Rushing to get up, the lead bully fumed at how he was treated. "Who the fuck do you think you are? You think you can just mess with us, huh?"
Sett merely laughed at his attempt to be intimidating, further infuriating the boy. "Pal, I don't think I can mess with you." Sett drawled out, cracking his knuckles by closing his fists. "I know I can mess with you. And you won't do a damn thing about it."
"Oh yea? Think you're so tough, huh?" Cardin heatedly said, a malicious grin spreading across his face. "Why don't we take it to the arena then: us, against you. Unless you're too scared."
To his surprise, the brunette grinned back. "Ok. Let's go."
"Huh?"
"You heard me. Let's go right now. Unless you're too scared?" He replied, throwing Cardin's words back at his face.
A bit unnerved by the response, Cardin was quick to dismiss the feeling, unwilling to back down. "Got a death wish huh? Fine by me." Signaling to the rest of his team, the four of them exited the cafeteria. The pit champ looked at their trailing forms, pleased that his instigation had worked.
As much as he would've liked to beat those bastards down right here, Sett knew someone like Goodwitch would get on his ass for unsanctioned fights. Not that he really cared for the lectures and detention. It was just that by taking the fight to the ring, he had more freedom to crush punks like Cardin. And that was the best way to put people like him in their place.
It was only after they left that Sett directed his attention to the bunny girl, who had gotten to a safe distance once freed. "Hey. You alright?" He softly asked, noting how she clutched at her ears.
"I-I'm fine. Nothing a bit of aura can't fix." She timidly said, too shy to meet Sett's gaze. "Thank you for helping me like that." Anyone could tell that the girl was sincere. No one (save her teammates) had stood up for her like that at Beacon, so she was truly grateful that a stranger had intervened.
And it seemed that Sett understood that. "Don't mention it, miss…"
"Scarlatina. Velvet Scarlatina." She answered, blushing at the smile sent her way.
"Well Velvet, it's good to meetcha. I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got some… teaching, to do." Ha. Teaching. "Anyone else gives you trouble, don't hesitate to let me know, you hear?" He usually didn't do this kind of thing, sticking up for strangers. But this time, it was personal. 'Besides, those bastards messed with Jaune too. I won't let that slide.' After seeing Velvet nod in understanding, Sett turned around, his destination clear.
The second year stared at him, watching him go. "B-Be careful!" She called out, earning her a thumbs up from the pit champ. Her eyes never left his hulking form.
Within minutes, five boys found themselves standing in one of many arenas inside the Beacon gym. These designated combat areas, similar to the one in Goodwitch's class, were places for students to spar outside of class. Although these fights were unsupervised by the academy faculty, there were mandates that demanded at least one person watch over, and call, the fight at all times. And with the threat of Goodwitch's wrath, these rules were usually followed.
As for the fights that didn't follow the rules… Well, there were several good reasons why the no-nonsense professor was feared.
Standing one one side of the ring was the entirety of team CRDL, geared up with their weapons and armor. One the other was Sett, stretching as he waited to begin.
Outside of the zone in the stands was the rest of team RWBYS, as well as team JNPR, who had shown up to support their friend.
"Four on one. Not exactly favorable odds." Ren murmured, eyes darting between each combatant.
Yang glanced at the stoic boy, having heard his quiet words. "Trust me. Outnumbered or not, this'll be a walk in the park for the big guy." And didn't she know it. If Sett could beat her in a fight, then taking on these sub-par fighters should be no trouble.
Still, some encouragement would be nice. "Kick their butt's Sett!" Yang shouted, eagerly awaiting for what was sure to be a slaughter.
Blake pulled out their team flag from thin air, waving it around.
"Yea! Represent team RWBYS!"
"GO SETT! BREAK THEIR LEGS!"
Some of the support was a bit… intense, but that was A-Okay in Sett's book.
Having volunteered to oversee this spar, Weiss was standing closer to the zone than the other spectators. "Are both parties ready?" The heiress asked, waiting until everyone gave some form of confirmation. "Then begin."
Wasting no time, the members of team CRDL spread out, circling around the lone opposition.
In response, Sett lifted his hands and…
… unstrapped his armor?
Everyone could only stop and stare at the bizarre act they were witnessing. Sett was currently unclasping and unfastening the straps on his upper body armor. What was he doing?
With a raised eyebrow, an annoyed Cardin couldn't help but ask. "You hit your head or something? Why're you taking off your gear?"
Fully removing his chest piece, the brunette tossed it outside of the ring. "Cause I won't need it for this fight." He said, proceeding to do the same with his gauntlets. "You bums aren't worth the effort it takes to clean 'em."
With only his pants and footwraps covering him, the pit champ's impressive physique was on full display for the world to see. He smirked when he heard someone whistle from the sidelines.
Not everyone was impressed, however. One of the combatants scoffed. "Yea, you're real tough, aren't you? In case you couldn't count, idiot, there's four of us and one of you."
"Good. More skulls to crack for me." He said, slowly walking towards Cardin.
"You really think you stand a chance with those odds?" The team leader seethed, furious that he was still being treated like a joke.
"Funny, I was gonna ask you that."
"You cocky son of a bitch!"
Sett stopped in his tracks.
Stock still.
Silent.
"..."
ゴ
ゴゴ
ゴゴゴ
ゴゴゴゴ
ゴゴゴゴゴ
ゴゴゴゴゴゴ
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
ゴゴゴゴゴゴゴゴ
"What'd you say 'bout my momma?"
May the Brothers help team CRDL, cause no one else can. I think you can guess what happens next.
(1) This is just Sett's idle animation in league. If you wanted a better visual for it, the skin spotlights video for Obsidian Dragon Sett is good.
(2) I had to do it. Sett is literally a JOJO reference, so it would be a crime to not do something with that. Speaking of which, I really liked the anime adaptation (parts one through five, that is), even though I never read the manga. Still haven't watched Stone Ocean, but I know what happens.
Thanks for tuning in y'all! See you guys next chapter
