Author's Note:
Hello everyone, happy belated Thanksgiving for the canucks, and I hope you are all safe and well.
I just wanted to explain quickly my change to Cinder's team name, which is now "CLME" (Calamine). It was difficult to come up with a name that worked, and this was the best that I could come up with. This was a recent change, as the name I had mostly settled on, just didn't work the more I thought on it. Nevertheless, CLME at least could be turned into a colour, if a bit of a stretch to do so, and is much better than the official name, which is CMEN...
With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter V: Let the Games Begins
The sun was high in the sky as hundreds of people began to pour into the Coliseum. The first day of the Vytal Festival Tournament was finally underway, and both the spectators and the combatants were on the edge of their seats. There were still thirty minutes to go before the opening ceremony, which all the students scrambling to get everything they needed in time, knew painfully well. Even if they would not be scheduled to fight today, they were nonetheless making sure they were prepared, for they knew full well they were going to be on television for the world to see.
The Coliseum, as it was called by the locals, was an arena built decades ago for the very purpose of the Vytal Tournament. Mistral already had such arenas, leaving Vale and Atlas to build their own, and with Vacuo to make due. Of course these arenas were used for events other than just the annual tournament, though they needed to give the Vytal Festival a full month to prepare. Below the Coliseum were four large locker-rooms, specifically made for Huntsmen-in-training and other participants to change and wait for their time to enter the arena. In the north locker were the Beacon students, with Teams RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, and CRDL, all waiting eagerly for the start of the tournament. Team CRDL was obviously keeping a wide birth, staying in the back corner of the waiting area, as they were not at all on good terms with the other teams. The only person missing was Jaune, who said he had to leave early in the morning to collect his new armour from the school forge, but had yet to return. Pyrrha had texted him several times, which he did reply to, and assured her that he would be on time. With thirty minutes to go, she was starting to get worried.
"He will be here" said Ren calmly, causing Pyrrha to look up from her Scroll.
"I know...I just wish he would tell me what's taking him so long" she said with a concerned frown.
"Think he got cold feet?" asked Yang, which earned her a glare from the redhead.
"I would be genuinely shocked" admitted Weiss, which surprised the others, as her tone was endearing, and not sarcastic. "He seemed to be far too dedicated to suddenly cower at the last minute."
"I agree, but that was rather nice of you" added Blake.
"Yeah, weird how you're being nicer to him after he stopped chasing after you for Pyrrha" said Yang coyly, never letting a chance to bait her friends go to waste. Weiss merely fired back with one of her signature piercing frigid glares.
"I can see what you are implying, and that is so absurd, it is not even worth labeling it as such."
"Oh I know, I just went with that on the fly, cuz I wasn't able to workshop the pun I wanted to use" confessed the blonde. "I was gonna say 'That's not very Weiss of you', which it wasn't, but it was a nice thing to say. See how it doesn't work properly?"
"It's all horrible" the heiress stated coldly, folding her arms. "And you of all people are in no position to condemn me on my past indifference to Jaune. I wasn't interested in him, I knew Pyrrha was, and I'm interested in Neptune. That is the end of it. You on the other hand, specifically tease him."
"He makes it too easy" Yang smirked, "but I'll give him credit for finally firing back. It's gonna get real fun."
"I'll stop going easy on you then" came a voice from behind. The others turned to see Jaune, not wearing his armour and gloves, and carrying a large pack on his back.
"Jaune!" cheered Nora, throwing her arms in the air.
"Where have you bee–" began Ruby, but started to laugh when she noticed the Pumpkin Pete logo on his hoodie. "That's what's been under your armour all this time?"
"Nice" added Yang with a smirk.
"I think it's cute" defended Pyrrha.
"Oh, you're his girlfriend; your opinion doesn't count" Yang said, shooing the redhead away with her left hand.
"Actually, her opinion matters the most" commented Jaune, causing Pyrrha to blush, not only from him openly saying how much he valued her thoughts, but also not contesting that she was his girlfriend. "Anyways, I think this old thing has worn out its welcome, given the new armour."
"You got it in time? Were there any problems?" asked Ren.
"Yeah, I got it all, and it turned out great...I think. You'll all tell me after I put it on" he replied. "And no, there weren't any issues. I'll explain why I was late later. I'll be right back."
"Do you need any help?" asked Pyrrha as the blond swordsman headed to the men's changing room.
"Thanks but I'll be fine. You just sit there and wait to laugh with everyone if the modifications I requested don't look as good as I think they do" he assured before disappearing into the locker-room.
"Jeez" commented Yang as she folded her arms. "You can't keep your hands off of him for a second, can ya?"
Pyrrha's cheeks instantly flushed from the blonde woman's comment.
"Th-That's not why I was offering! Full armour is difficult to equip without help!" she defended, which was of course true. "And it does not require removing clothes, you pervert."
Yang didn't reply, but merely laughed to herself, very much pleased with the reaction she got.
"That didn't seem like an entirely inappropriate question" reasoned Coco.
"Yang gets a kick out of teasing us all" explained Blake.
"It's very fun" added Nora with a grin.
"Oh I don't doubt it" smirked the well dressed upperclassman. "Been having fun, Nikos?"
Pyrrha's blush deepened, unable to find the words to express how uncomfortable she was from being asked such personal questions.
"If she won't share with me, she won't share with you" sighed Nora. "We'll just have to wait for her to open up."
The Mistralese champion starred down at her boots, doing her best to calm herself.
'They're your friends, they're just teasing you because they care' she told herself, though she was once again wishing that she could have at least enjoyed the pleasure of making out with Jaune. That way she could weather the storm of playful ribbing with greater ease. Unfortunately, that didn't look like it was going to happen until after the tournament, so she instead prayed for help.
As if her prayers were heard, the distinct sound of armour came into earshot, causing the others to look at the entrance of the men's locker-room, as Jaune finally emerged.
The blond was armoured in pieces of well crafted steel, painted a brilliant white that was rather eye-catching. The cuirass, plackart, pauldrons, rerebraces, couters, vambraces, gauntlets, poleyns, and greaves, were all trimmed with gold, which not only accented the white well, but Jaune's own golden locks and blue eyes. Jaune had been telling the truth about his hoodie, which was now replaced with a jet-black gambeson, though it stopped at the waist. His sword belt had also been replaced with one made of better quality leather, with a golden belt buckle made in the shape of a lion's head, and the tail of the belt looped and knotted in a traditional manner. At last, his shoes had been replaced with proper leather boots, allowing his greaves to rest correctly on top of his foot, and were a good palette to build future sabatons onto.
However, what caught the eye of all present was the large sigil on the cuirass and plackart. Part of the sigil was immediately identified as the same painted onto Jaune's shield: the golden double crescents. It was the rest of the sigil that sat below the crescents, which was far more elaborate, that caught everyone's eye. Just beneath them was an armoured Knight wielding a lance while on horseback, with the stallion rearing on its hind legs. Below the Knight was a helm, a Barbuta with a closed visor and an axe cut into the visible left cheek, as it was facing leftward, and a metal wreath crown on its brow. A mantling of red maple leaves rested beneath the helm, and was draping over a shield in the centre of the chest armour. It was a heater shield, very much like the one Jaune carried, though instead of two arcs, it bore the Arms of the Kingdom of Vale; a pair of axes encircled by a laurel wreath. Encompassing the shield was a red and gold ribbon with the words "Desiderantes Meliorem Regnum", which none of them understood what it meant, or even what language it was. On either side of the heater shield were two animals. One was a golden lion standing on its hind legs in side profile, one paw resting on the left point of the shield and the other above the centre point. It was looking into the eyes of the other creature, a white stallion with golden mane and tail, mimicking the lion's pose and pressing its hoof against the lion's outstretched paw. Beneath them was a red and gold ribbon with the words "Ad Rex, Ad Regnum, Ad Fastus", two words per segment of the ribbon. Finally, at the base of this intricate design, was a chain of flowers: yellow saffron, star thistle, and golden thistle, tying the entire sigil together.
"So" he asked, holding his arms open, "what do you think?"
His friends were honestly a bit shocked. Jaune unfortunately appeared rather shabby in his former combat gear, causing others to see him as pitiful. Of course, unbeknownst to them, the clothes and armour he had worn were actually all the belongings that he owned, as he had to quickly leave his home to come to Beacon. All he had were the clothes on his back, his pyjamas, some money, and Crocea Mors. Even his armour, which was actually training armour and not meant for combat, was hastily grabbed. He had thankfully been provided a uniform, but other than that, he didn't even have a set of casual wear, which meant that everyone mostly saw him in his poorly put together combat attire. Seeing him in his new armour however, was an entirely different story.
Jaune's new armour gave him a completely new ambience; a more put together aura that radiated confidence. And while the others saw this a transformation, Pyrrha saw it altogether differently. While training with him alone, she had begun to see the real Jaune that was beneath the timid shell. The warrior he was meant to be was being forged, and the Knight she had seen a glimpse of when he had defended her honour at the fairgrounds, was manifesting. It now was emerging at last, and stood proud for their friends and the world to see; proving once again she had been right about the boy she loved.
"You look great!~" cheered Nora, giving her captain two thumbs up.
"A significant improvement" added Ren with an approving smile.
"Definitely" agreed Blake with Weiss nodding, who paying close attention to the sigil, her eyes slowly examining it.
"But there's no hood anymore..." grumbled Ruby, being clear about her own priorities.
"Oh there is" confirmed Jaune, pulling a detachable hood from the pack he had used to carry the armour. "I'm more of a fan of capes and cloaks, but it came with the gambeson."
"Yes!" she cheered, holding her hand out, which Jaune clapped with a humorous grin on his face.
"What's with the lion motif?" asked Yang.
"Lions have always been a symbol of my family" the taller blond explained. "There's been lion art and designs around my house for as long as I can remember, and every warrior in my family weaves them in some way into their gear. And since I learned they'll all be watching the tournament when I spoke to them yesterday, if I don't go in looking like an Arc, there will certainly be Hell to pay."
"But what's with the rest? I thought the golden arcs were your family crest or something. This is way more elaborate than an emblem or crest."
"That's because it isn't a mere emblem or crest" said Pyrrha at last, her eyes scanning the design with great intrigue. "It's a proper full heraldic achievement. I've seen many in Mistral at historical re-enactments; some from actual history, and others created by the re-enactors themselves to make them look more authentic. Usually the centre part, the escutcheon, contains sigils of their own called charges or devices, though here it bares the Vale Kingdom Arms. I adore their symbolism and personality, which is what inspired me to create my own."
She touched the bronze plate on her belt that bore her famous spear and shield charge, which had always been connected to Pyrrha throughout her tournament career. The others had simply assumed it was something put together by a manager for promotional purposes, and were now intrigued to learn it served a more personal purpose. Ren and Nora's interest were peaked by this revelation, and the ginger's eyes rested on the gold-trimmed magenta lotus sigil that sat in the centre of the back of Ren's green tailcoat.
"Despite some changes, it is a full achievement, complete with supporters, crest, Order, and motto. So few have true armorial achievements in the modern age, as most were lost during the transitional periods when the monarchies of Remnant were replaced by the Councils. This is really your family's achievement, Jaune?"
"Yeah, it is" he confirmed, and instinctively stood a tad straighter. "It's been flown on banners at home, appeared in family paintings, and even in books going back to the time of King Alexandre's reign. Like I said, my family is going to be watching, so I have to look the part and represent them." He gazed at her for a moment, his smile turning slightly sheepish as he cleared his throat. "So what do you think, Pyrrha? The armour overall and how I look in it, I mean."
The redhead said nothing for a moment, looking at him from head to toe.
"I told you before; I much prefer you in a suit" she replied, unveiling the bright and warm smile that Jaune couldn't get enough of. "I'm very glad you took my advice."
"And I told you before, your opinion matters the most" he answered, smiling back in relief.
They stared at one another warmly, but the moment was ruined by their biggest critic.
"Just get a rooooom already!" groaned Yang, throwing her head back, causing Nora to laugh, and Blake to smirk.
The couple blushed, both mentally kicking themselves for forgetting that every time they did that in the presence of their friends, they were opening themselves up to their comments.
"They haven't already? Colour me shocked" remarked Coco.
"H-How much time do we have until the opening ceremony?" asked Jaune, quickly changing topics.
"Twenty minutes or so" replied Weiss.
"Alright, uh Nora, can I have a word with you, privately?" he asked.
The ginger blinked at her captain, unsure of the reason why he was making such a request, but complied without protest.
"Uh...sure" she said, and followed him out of the waiting room.
Coco pulled down her sunglasses and watched Jaune leave.
"He cleans up surprising well, doesn't he?" she remarked, instantly getting a glare from Pyrrha that every woman present understood, and caused the captain to raise her hands defensively. "Easy there, champ, I'm not trying to steal your man; just window shopping."
"The shop is closed" the redhead replied stonily.
Yang laughed again. "Please forgive her, Coco, she's very protective of him."
"I can't blame her. Tall, blond, and blue-eyed is a deadly combination. The white armour just takes it to a new level; though some of us like them practically shirtless, right, Belladonna?"
The Cat Faunus blushed. "Wh-What?" she squeaked, not expecting to be dragged into the conversation.
"Oh don't play dumb. Everyone's aware of you and Sun, just like everyone knows about Weiss and Neptune."
"Sun's very popular with both Faunus and Human girls, so well done and good luck" added Velvet with a smile.
Blake didn't answer, allowing Yang to wrap an arm around her shoulder.
"This will be a fun tournament" she said, looking at the exit of the waiting room that led into the arena. "My friends will fight for love, the rest of you will fight for glory, and I'll be fighting for that sweet sweet prize money. I've been in desperate need of an upgrade kit for my bike for months."
"My sister, ladies and gentlemen" commented Ruby, gesturing to the older Xiao Long with her left hand. "Always keeping her priorities in order."
"If I can't ride a man, I'll ride my bike" Yang stated shamelessly, causing the others to both blush and laugh.
λΛλ
Jaune led Nora down the hall, making sure that they were alone and out of earshot. Satisfied with their location he turned to face her, clearing his throat, which echoed slightly against the bare subterranean walls.
"So what's up?" she asked. "Is something wrong?"
"Well no, not exactly" started the blond, scratching his chin. "But there is something that I've been meaning to talk to you about. What do you think of me, Nora? As a person."
The ginger blinked again at the blond, confused by the question, but answered honestly.
"I don't get why you're asking but, I think you're a really good person. You're kind, and honest, and resourceful, and loyal. You're a great leader, and a great friend; and the way Pyrrha talks about you, a great boyfriend too."
Jaune blushed at her final piece of praise, but he focused on her calling him honest.
"What if I said I wasn't as honest as you think I am? Would you think less of me?" he asked.
Nora examined him curiously with her big turquoise eyes.
"If you mean you lied about something, it depends on what it was, right? It's nothing serious, is it?" Her tone was cautious, as she was having trouble believing that he would lie about something important. However, to pull her aside like this made her a bit worried.
"That depends on you" he replied honestly, taking a breath. "I forged my transcript to get into Beacon. I never went to a primary Huntsman academy, which is why I know so little about Aura and Dust. I've been a failure my entire life, so I wanted to strike it out on my own and try to make something of myself. It's been my greatest shame, since I feel as if I've stolen a spot from a more talented student. It's what's been driving me to do better and be better; not just to self-improve, but for Pyrrha, Ren, and you. You've been so loyal, never questioning a command, and I honestly feel so undeserving of that from you. I told Pyrrha when I couldn't accept the praise she gave me, I told Ren when we spoke privately after the Dance, and now I'm telling you, because you have every right to know, and because it's wrong to keep it from you. So, now you know. Am I still as great as you think I am?"
"Yup" she said without hesitation, which took Jaune by surprise.
"Wait, really?" he asked.
"Yup."
"It doesn't bother you at all?"
"Nope."
"Really?"
"If it doesn't bother Pyrrha and Ren, why should it bother me?" she asked with a shrug, which was a sound rationalization, all things considered.
"Well, Pyrrha walked away in shock, and only after I dealt with Cardin did she forgive me, and Ren at least looked surprised. I'm just baffled that you're taking it so well. Pyrrha's reaction made sense, though I'm still blown away she still wants to date me, so...I'm sorry, I'm just having trouble understanding why you can just accept it like it's nothing. I have to ask why."
To add to the blond's shock, Nora looked away, and began to appear a little shy.
"W-Well..." she began, pushing the tips of her index fingers together, "it would be, what's the word?, hypocritical for me to be angry with you faking your transcript since...Ren and I did it too. We're orphans so we didn't go to any school, and we had to learn about Aura and our Semblances on our own. Our weapons took a long time to build, as we had to work off what we owed the smiths. But when we began to apply to Beacon, we realized we had to provide all that paperwork. We've wanted to be Huntsmen since we were kids, and we couldn't give up after making it this far, so we lied. Do you think less us for that?"
Jaune stared at her with his mouth agape, never expecting that to be the answer she would give him. Then again, Ren had told him that he and Nora were orphaned due to a Grimm attack, so it made complete sense that they couldn't have attended a primary Hunting academy. However, he had assumed that because they were able to prove they could use Aura, had Semblances, and possessed arms, they were accepted into Beacon despite being orphans. Since all he had was Crocea Mors, he made sure to cover all his bases and claim he attended Signal, thus not needing to prove his experience with Aura. He immediately tried to process the information, but a voice emerged to the forefront of his mind.
"My dear boy, if you think that you are the first individual to try and get into this school with falsified documents, then you are more naive than you appear."
'You did this on purpose, didn't you, Professor?' Jaune thought, realizing that the rabbit hole went even further than he had assumed whilst talking with the Huntmaster. That registration caused him to laugh, and before Nora could ask what was so funny, he embraced her in a tight hug. "You're amazing, you know that?" he said in joyful relief.
Given that Nora was a foot shorter than her captain, her cheek was squashed against the centre of Jaune's cuirass. This didn't hurt her of course, and the tone of his voice caused her to close her eyes and smile. The comfort her words had brought him was very clear to the hammeress, and she graciously returned the hug.
"Thanks, you too" she said. "We good?"
"Yeah" laughed Jaune, pulling away. "Thanks for making me feel even more foolishly. I definitely deserve it."
"Glad I could help" the ginger replied genuinely, placing her hands on her hips with pride.
"You really think I'm a good leader?"
"Absolutely. You've gotten so much better since we first met, and with your cool new armour, you look like such a badass warrior! I'm super proud to have you as my captain" Nora praised smiling.
Jaune's cheeks burned, and he looked away, rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, Pyrrha deserves a lot of the credit for that" he admitted.
"Sure, but so do you. We've talked a lot about you, and she's told me what she sees in you. And ya know what? I see it too."
"Really? What's that?"
Nora grinned cheekily and pressed her right index finger to her lips.
"Sorry, that's between just us girls."
The swordsman smirked at his teammate, and folded his arms, up to the task of goading her back.
"Alright then, keep your secrets. Speaking of seeing things, did you notice Ren checking you out as we left the room?" he asked saucily.
This took away Nora's grin, and replaced it with wide-eyed shock, her cheeks igniting into a bright pink.
"H-He was?" she squeaked.
"Yes" replied the blond, nodding. "Pyrrha asked me to keep an eye out for that, since she mentioned you've been trying to get his attention with that skirt. And don't start with the whole 'we're not together-together' thing cuz I knew that was bogus the moment you said it. We all know you like him, so you don't have to pretend with me of all people. Anyways, Pyrrha asked me to keep an eye on him since he'd probably be more relaxed around me when we're alone, and be willing to talk about that sort of thing. That's pretty much right, since he and I have talked about you before."
"R-Really?" she asked, her heart racing and her blush spreading. "W-What did he say about m-me?"
For a moment, Jaune actually considered telling her the truth. He was honestly surprised by her behaviour, as he had never seen this side of her before. What it did do was confirm his well-grounded suspicions that she was deeply in love with Ren. He also knew and understood Ren's feelings, making him want to, on a gut level, run back to the room where the others were, drag the quiet young man back to Nora, and get them together. However, by his own admittance, he completely understood Ren's feelings, and for now, had to restrain himself. He'd make use of this new information in time, but until then, he would be patient.
He smiled as he walked to Nora's left and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, but that's between us boys" he stated with a wink. "But I'm rooting for you two. Good luck" he added and gave her a thumbs up, before continuing down the hall back to where their friends were waiting for them.
Unfortunately for Jaune, he had just forgotten one of the most important rules of warfare: never turn your back to your enemy. Of course Nora wasn't his enemy, but by teasing her in such a vulnerable state, the ginger felt as if she had been slapped with a fish. After a few moments of being stunned, she registered what her captain had just done. While it was admittedly quite funny, her being so close to hearing what the man she loved thought of her, and then for it to be yanked away, was crossing the line. Without a moment more, she wheeled around and sprinted right at the unsuspecting young man, and jumped onto his back.
"Gahh! Nora?!" he shouted in shock.
"You jerk!" she shouted back, trying to get him into a rear naked choke.
"Hey! Let go!" Jaune tried to shake her off, but she had already locked her legs around his torso, and she was not going anywhere without significant force, which he was not willing to use. Then again, Nora was considerably stronger than he was, thus it was very much doubtful he would be successful in his attempts to remove her.
"Not till you tell me what Ren said!"
The commotion they were making was far from quiet, as their shouting was combining with the clanging of the blond's armour. This caught the attention of the others in the waiting room, who were equally curious as to why Jaune wanted to speak to Nora privately, and now was taken aback by the din.
"Is everything all–" asked Pyrrha, beginning to walk towards the doorway that led into the hall, but stopped when her captain staggered into the room hunching over with a very angry ginger on his back. "What's going on?"
"Pyrrha!" whined Nora, looking up at her friend pouting. "Jaune is being a jerk!"
"Is he now?" she asked, folding her arms and smirking at them in amusement. "Jaune, what did you do?"
"She teased me so I teased her back!" the blond defended, trying to straighten up. Once he was able to look at her, and noticed that she was obscuring the view of the others, he mouthed "It was about Ren."
The redhead's smirk grew. "I think what's fair is fair, Nora" she said, siding with Jaune.
"What?!" she shouted, tightening her grip around her captain's throat.
"She's right. You've been rather merciless the past few weeks, so it was about time you got a taste of your own medicine" added Ren, appearing beside Pyrrha. "Now stop trying to choke him."
Nora couldn't stop her cheeks from turning pink, as seeing Ren so soon after trying to learn what he thought about her as a woman, was shifting gears too suddenly for her to handle. She immediately calmed down and let go, sliding off Jaune's back, and rejoined her friends with her team.
"So what was that all about?" asked Yang, grinning at the antics of her friends.
"Nothing" mumbled Nora as she folded her arms.
"Is the ceremony about to start?" asked Jaune, straightening out his armour.
"Soon" answered Weiss, once again eyeing Jaune's achievement. "We saw some people move into the arena; bannermen for the schools and Kingdoms I believe."
"That means Huntmaster Ozpin will be speaking shortly" confirmed Pyrrha. "Is everyone ready?"
The rest of her team nodded excitedly, joined by Teams RWBY and CFVY, just as a horn blast echoed across the Coliseum, causing the crowd to roar in excitement.
"Show time" grinned Yang cracking her knuckles.
Above the arena was a private sky box with a balcony, which provided a comfortable view of the battle grounds. From the covered section of the box emerged both Ozpin and Ironwood, but the General stopped short to allow the silver-haired Huntmaster to reach a microphone placed near the railing. Resting his cane with his overlapping hands atop the handle, Ozpin began addressing the crowd.
"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen" he began. "My name is Samuel Ozpin, Huntmaster of Beacon Academy, and it gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the 40th Annual Vytal Festival Tournament!"
The crowd roared once again, but quickly calmed down, allowing Ozpin to continue.
"Please, save your applause for the brave and talented young Huntsmen-in-training that will be competing in this tournament. Let us welcome them, beginning with our guests from across the sea."
He began calling the teams from Atlas, who walked from their respective corner of the Coliseum into the arena. Weiss had been correct about the bannermen, as for each corner stood two, fully armoured with spears, one bearing a flag for the Academy and the other with a flag for the Kingdom. The Atlassian banners were the Kingdom's Arms and the Academy's Arms. The former was a flat top heater shield bearing a sea anchor as a main device, with an eagle standing behind it with its wings wide open, a trident in the right talon and an ice axe in the left, and a compartment of the top of an iceberg. The latter was a polar bear and a white wolf standing on their hind legs facing one another below a White-tailed eagle, wings spread, and carrying a boar-hunting spear in its talons. Below the eagle was a blazon bearing a fully drawn golden longbow against a blue field. An arrow was notched and pointed upwards, along with two more arrows crossed behind the bow. Ozpin did the same for the teams of Mistral and Vacuo, the latter Academy Arms being a single palm tree with a Tawny Eagle perched atop it, carrying a wreath of desert flowers. At last, he set about introducing the Valian teams.
"Here we go" said Ruby, fidgeting.
"Any advice for us, champ?" asked Coco.
"Keep your head high, address the crowd when they cheer, and ignore them when they boo" she said matter-of-factly.
"Got it" registered Nora, interlacing her fingers and cracked them by pushing outward.
Jaune took a breath, which caught the attention of his lieutenant.
"Are you alright?" she asked softly.
"Yeah, just a bit nervous" he admitted.
Pyrrha gently took his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"Don't be. Like we said, we are ready for this, and you have come so far. We might not even compete today, if it gives you some comfort."
Jaune shook his head. "No, that's just as bad as running away. You'll be doing the most fighting in the long run, so if I can't dig in my heels and fight, then I'm a coward. The reason I'm nervous isn't even the fighting, it's knowing that my family will be watching."
"You said they would be when you spoke to your mother" she echoed.
"Yeah..." he paused for a moment and scratched his left cheek, blushing slightly. "My mother says you're very pretty by the way, and that she's looking forward to meeting you."
Pyrrha felt her own cheeks warm.
"Tell her I said thank you, and I look forward to meeting her as well" she replied genuinely. She knew there was tension between Jaune and his family, but she could easily tell that he still wished to honour them. "You will make them proud, Jaune. You've changed from when you left home. Show them." Before he could reply, she leaned forward and kissed his left cheek. "Better?"
The swordsman's cheeks burned, but a calming warmth washed over him, and he smiled at her.
"Yeah, thanks" he replied softly, squeezing back.
"Hey! None of that lovey-dovey shit! Save it for after the ceremony" jeered Yang.
"No, give him a big wet one and let no one tell you different, Nikos" defended Coco.
"Hey, I'm trying to help. If you want to give the reporters ammunition, then go out there carrying her bridal style, and stick your tongue down her throat for good measure. Your relationship is none of their business, so don't make it."
This actually caught the couple by surprise, for it was a rare moment of empathy from the brawler blonde, and not secretly a playful jab. Jaune was about to thank her for doing so, when Ozpin's voice boomed across the arena once again.
"From Beacon Academy, Team CRDL!"
Cardin and his team walked past the others, and they glanced at Team JNPR, who gave them a look, along with Team CFVY, that said loud and clear "Keep walking", as nothing had been forgiven. For a brief moment, Jaune and Cardin locked eyes, tension rapidly mounting as they did. They hadn't spoken to one another since the incident in the Forest of Forever Fall, as the bully knew he wouldn't get anything more out of the blond. However, that brought up the lingering question of why hadn't Cardin fed information to the newspapers. Of course it would be his word against the Huntmaster's in the end, for all Jaune had to do was deny the claims, and for Ozpin to provide the officially forged transcripts. Nonetheless, Jaune didn't trust Cardin, and now that he possessed armour easily rivaling that of his former bully, he stood his ground with ire in his eyes. It appeared to be as visible as it was effective, for Team CRDL all swallowed and quickly walked through the doorway towards the arena, acknowledging just how unwelcome they were.
"You know" said Coco folding her arms, "those reporters kept asking who you were, Arc, since you aren't some famous athlete or something, when I want to know how those clowns got into this place."
"Thanks" Jaune said chuckling, "I guess we'll never know."
Of course he did have some idea, given the conversation he had with Ozpin, and he almost wanted to make an inside joke to his team, but he decided against it. Perhaps after he told Team RWBY, for Blake was one of the four who enrolled into the academy using less than legitimate means.
"Team CFVY!"
"Best foot forward, people!" Coco cheered, giving Teams RWBY and JNPR a curt nod, before walking out with Velvet and the others.
"You think we'll fight today?" Ruby asked Weiss.
"Knowing our luck, most likely" she replied.
"We gotta win! Dad will be watching."
"Damn right" added Yang. "And it needs to be solid, or else he'll give us Hell."
"I see we're all in the same boat" remarked Weiss with a small smirk. Blake on the other hand said nothing.
"Team RWBY!"
"Go Team go!" the younger Xiao Long chanted, and walked confidently with her friends through the exit.
"I hope we go today too" Nora wished, rubbing her hands together.
"Time to see our hard work pay off" added Ren, smirking at his partner's never-ending eagerness.
"It will" continued Pyrrha.
"Ad astra per aspera" said Jaune serenely. "Through adversity to the stars. Let's show'em."
The others grinned at him as Ozpin finally called them to forth.
"And last, but certainly not least, Team JNPR!"
Holding their heads high, they marched in unison through the archway, and their eyesight went white as they stood beneath the sun, before quickly becoming clear once more. They walked up the path leading towards the arena where the others stood, the cheers of a very excited crowd crashing upon them. Jaune couldn't stop himself from swallowing, as he saw just how many thousands of people were in the stands. He swore he could feel every single pair of eyes pointed right at him, riddling him as if he were a paper target. He had never been in a place filled with so many people, and it would have been enough to make his knees shake, if he hadn't grown so much in the time he spent with his friends and Pyrrha.
What did shake him slightly, were the chants that rose above the cheers.
Pyrrha! Pyrrha! Pyrrha! Pyrrha!
"Is it always like this?" he asked her, leaning in close so she could hear him.
"Pretty much" she replied, and smiled as she waved to the crowd.
They reached the others, and stood behind Team RWBY, who stood behind CFVY, with CDRL in front. They noticed that all the teams, foreign and domestic, were oriented in the same fashion, standing in Testudo formation with their respective bannermen on either side. Their bannermen stood with one carrying the Beacon Arms of a lighthouse sitting atop a cove emitting beams of light in all directions, and the other with the Arms of the Kingdom. To their left were the Vacuan teams, with Team SSSN leading the group, and Sun and Neptune saluting them. Of course they were aiming for Blake and Weiss specifically, who blushed at the attention. From the Atlassian side, Penny noticed Ruby as she took her place with her team, and waved excitedly to her, which Ruby eagerly returned.
Interestingly enough, there was a great deal of attention being diverted to Jaune, giving credence to his earlier nervousness. Thanks to the busy work of journalists the world over, Jaune had become an overnight celebrity in his own right. People were gossiping about him, wanting to know what his relationship with Pyrrha truly was. There had been some excitement with Team SSSN interacting with Teams RWBY and JNPR, and even more so when Neptune and Weiss were seen dancing together. This led people to speculate who else would get together, particularly which remaining members of SSSN would get with Pyrrha. Many assumed it would be Sun, which would certainly be major news for weeks, but were shocked that he went with Blake, and Pyrrha with Jaune. Both celebrities were with an unknown, which made people speculate on their identities. With Pyrrha being the more famous of the two, there were many more invested in the blond captain than with Blake.
Thankfully, this time around, people were pleasantly surprised. While nothing had been discovered about Jaune's past, Pyrrha's fans had begun to craft in their minds what kind of person he truly was; selling him far shorter than was fair. They would have been closer to their estimate if he had emerged in his older gear, but seeing him now, showed how badly they had misjudged him. The photos of him in that dress, made them think he was an unserious buffoon. And yet, here he was, standing before them in shining white armour, bright blond locks and equally bright blue eyes, pensive and even-tempered. How could he turn from jester to warrior with such ease? He hardly even looked like the same young man. But there he stood, right beside Pyrrha, and looking like they made a very good pair.
"Now before we begin with the bracket seeding, the Huntmasters will each give a small greeting to the students" explained Ozpin. "Unfortunately, the Huntmasters of Shade Academy and Haven Academy could not join us in person, so they have instead sent a video recording. Without further adieu, please welcome the Huntmaster of Shade, Teodoro Blanco."
The Vacuan students and spectators cheered as the holoscreens that hung above the arena switched from Ozpin to a man sitting behind a desk. He had shoulder length white hair with equally white goatee and eyebrows, which was a bewitching combination with his bright amber eyes. He had a number of white scars on his face that were clearly visible against his tanned skin, without getting lost in the wrinkles caused by his toothy grin. He also had a large number of facial piercings; two for each eyebrow, a nose ring through his right nostril, two through his bottom lip, a labret stud, and a pair of small die earrings. He wore an amber-orange charro coat without a scarf or shirt, revealing his incredibly toned barrel chest. It was rather difficult to judge Blanco's age, but for those who did not know him, guessed he was in his early 50s.
"Hello Vale!" he shouted, grinning like a wild man. "Forgive me for not coming to your Kingdom in person, but Vacuo needs me here to run things smoothly. I'll be keeping an eye on the tournament and cheering on my brats inbetween what needs doing, obviously. I'm especially looking forward to Team SSSN smacking that pussycat's champion down a notch! Well, I guess she isn't his champion anymore. Doesn't matter, they'll whip you all! Show them what you got, boys! And that goes for you ladies too! Show these city brats that we Vacuans are the toughest sons of bitches around! Good luck!"
Team SSSN, along with the other Vacuan teams, raised their fists to the sky and roared, ready and willing to honour their Huntmaster and Kingdom. They were joined by their countrymen in the stands, who shared their enthusiasm, and Blanco's sentiments.
"I do apologize for the vulgarity of my fellow Huntmaster, however, I have known Teodoro for a very long time, and that was him being as reserved as I have ever seen him" admitted Ozpin. "Now, please welcome the Huntmaster of Haven, Leonardo Lionheart."
The screen changed once again to reveal a middle-aged Lion Faunus, with greyish-brown hair, eyebrows, and full beard, along with a pair of slightly rounded lion ears atop his head. He wore a brown greatcoat with matching mantle and a pair of cross emblems on either side, with a white dress shirt under his coat, and a western necktie. He bore a warm smile, which caused his dark brown eyes to nearly disappear into his crow's feet.
"Hello to you all! My name is Leonardo Lionheart, if you did not know, and I would like to thank the Kingdom of Vale for hosting this year's Vytal Festival" he said graciously. "I know that my dear friend Samuel has done everything in his power to make everyone feel right at home, and James has done everything to make everyone feel safe. I do hope that my students are behaving well. Speaking of which, I feel it is necessary to address the Goliath in the room...Miss Pyrrha Nikos."
Immediately the atmosphere in the Coliseum became full of tension, as all present were unsure of what the Huntmaster was going to say next. Pyrrha stiffened next to Jaune, as she of course understood why she was being mentioned by Lionheart. He would have been her Huntmaster if she had gone to Haven, and she would have, but made the last minute decision to attend Beacon. Of course, it only appeared last minute, as it was at the last minute that she announced her decision. She had made up her mind that she wouldn't move onto her secondary education within the Kingdom of Mistral months before, and hadn't changed it since. Many wanted to know why, but the champion had only given the excuse that she wanted to see more of the world, keeping the true reason a secret. Her leaving had robbed Haven of a strong addition, thus giving rise to Pyrrha worrying over what her countryman thought on the matter.
"I admit that I am disappointed that you decided to study abroad, Miss Nikos" Lionheart confessed, sighing. "I think you would have done quite well here. But, I will not hold it against you. There is always a silver lining...and that is Beacon might finally stand a chance this year."
That final comment caused an uproar, a mixture of boos and cheers, which drowned out the Haven Huntmaster's best wishes to all the competitors.
"Well I'll be damned" said Ironwood with a grin. "Never thought he would take a shot at you like that, Sam."
Ozpin chuckled. "Don't take it personally, my fellow Valians. It is all in spirit of the game. Now, please welcome the Huntmaster of Ýdalir Academy, and General of the White Army, James Tiberius Ironwood."
Trading places, Ironwood marched to the microphone, back straight with his left hand resting on the pommel of a Lowland sword, Einherjar, which hung at his left hip from a two-point harness. The scabbard was pure white, safe for the locket and chape, which were both an icy silver. To match them was a series of silver runes running down the body of the scabbard, though none who saw them could comprehend their meaning. The hilt of Einherjar was equally eye catching, for the pommel was the head of a wolfhound, the grip, a long one coloured navy blue with a riser in the middle, and Blue Beryl gemstones set in the crossguard. One final detail lay in the middle of the crossguard; a Tiwaz t-rune, shining visibly within the gemstone it was encased in. The blade exuded authoritativeness, as well as confidence, and its master bore that confidence in the smile that rested on his face. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak to the spectators below.
"Thank you, Sam, and good afternoon everyone. It's wonderful to be back in Vale again after so long. And don't let Leo's words get to you, Miss Nikos, for I also studied at Beacon many years ago. However, I will agree with Huntmaster Ozpin that it's all in the spirit of the tournament. It's about us coming from all four corners of the world, to represent our Kingdoms, and celebrate as one. This tournament was created to remind us all of when brother fought against brother, and that we fought for things that did not matter; that there are greater evils in the world, and we must fight them together. It's that unity that makes us strong. The might of our militaries and our righteous Huntsmen are what keeps the hordes of Grimm at bay, so that we may continue to bask in the Light. We Atlassians have merged those institutions so that all who are ready and willing to defend those who cannot defend themselves, can stand side by side. That is why I brought my army here today; to provide additional protection to your Kingdom; to defend Vale. The last time there were this many White Army boots on Valian soil, was to invade her. This time, we come to defend her. If we cannot stand together against our foes, than we cannot stand at all. With that, we of the Kingdom of Atlas swear to the Gods, wherever and whenever, we shall answer the call of duty, for the Atlassian Eagle brings with her, liberty. We shall serve and protect the people of all Kingdoms, Human and Faunus alike, to the bitter end. Good luck, young Huntsmen. May you too find that conviction to march forward, regardless of the trials that stand in your way, and may the wings of liberty, never lose a feather."
The Coliseum erupted in thunderous applause, as Jaune smirked at the General.
'Spoken like a true military man' he thought.
"And we greatly appreciate your convictions, my friend" thanked Ozpin, retaking the microphone. "Now, I will not delay this tournament any further, as my fellow Huntmasters have wonderfully expressed all that needs to be said. I shall instead wish you all the best of luck, and pass the torch to my colleagues in the commentator's booth, Professor Peter Port, and Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck, and allow them to explain the rules of the tournament."
"Thank you, Ozpin!" boomed Port as the screen flashed to reveal the aforementioned teachers. "Good afternoon to everyone in this glorious arena, and to all of the wonderful people watching at home! Welcome to this year's Vytal Festival Tournament. I'm Professor Peter Port, head of Grimm Studies, and what a beautiful day for tournament, wouldn't you say, Professor?"
"Doctor" he corrected in annoyance. "And yes Peter, it is a gorgeous day for young men and women to battle for the honour of their schools and Kingdoms. I am Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck, head of Historical Studies, and I am bursting with anticipation for today's bouts!"
"Then let's not delay! Allow us to break down the rules of the tournament!"
"The tournament is divided into three distinctive rounds; Teams, Doubles, and Singles. Age and school year are irrelevant! In this tournament, your only attribute being tested...is skill" explained Oobleck.
"Correct!" agreed Port. "The winners of these battles will elect two of their members to represent them in the Doubles Round, followed by the winners of that round choosing one member to advance once again. The remaining combatants will then fight their way through the final bracket in the hope of achieving victory for their Kingdom!"
"And there is another element to keep the combatants on their toes!" added Oobleck. "Unlike regular tournaments, the seeds will reset with each new round. This way, the combatants will only learn of their opponents once the entire round has completed their bouts, and our digital roulette wheel selects new combatants the day of. You must expect the unexpected when on the Hunt, and this will be a great way to test one's adaptability. Thus these upcoming fights will certainly be some spectacular spectacles on which to spectate on! I don't think anyone tuning in around the world is going to disagree with me on that!"
"But they might on the amount of time we are wasting! Let's reveal the first day tournament seeds!"
The screens flickered to display a sixteen team bracket, before focusing in to show only eight slots.
"There will be four fights today; half of the registered teams" explained Port. "The second half of the first round will be fought tomorrow at eleven am, thus concluding the Teams Round. Let's see who Lady Fortune favours today!"
Two slots in the bottom left of the screen began to pulse, as a pair of digital roulette wheels simultaneously spun on half of the holoscreens. They at last slowed to a standstill, and vanished before revealing Teams RWBY and ABRN; each letter of their team name dropping to reveal their individual portraits.
"And the first bout of the tournament will be Team RWBY of Beacon and Team ABRN of Haven!" shouted Oobleck.
"Yes!" cheered Ruby and Yang, pumping their fists in unison.
"What did I say?" smirked Weiss, waving a hand.
"I wouldn't have it any other way at this point" commented Blake folding her arms, also smirking.
"Now for the second fight!" announced Port, the next pair of slots pulsing before repeating the previous animation. "And it will be between Team JNPR of Beacon and Team BRNZ of Shade!"
"Finally!" cried Nora, jumping for joy.
"Time to test our metal, as they say" said Ren in agreement.
"I'm just glad I got my photo with the new armour submitted in time" Jaune remarked in relief.
"Is that why you were running late?" asked Pyrrha.
"One of several" he admitted. "That's all I'll say for now."
The redhead pursed her lips slightly, but decided to be patient.
"And the third fight will be between Team SSSN of Shade and Team NDGO of Haven!" announced Oobleck, causing Team SSSN to throw their fists in the air, shouting their approval.
"Whoa, are all of us fighting today?" asked Yang.
"And the fourth and final match of the day will be..." began Port, "Team CLME (Calamine) of Haven and Team ICCE of Ýdalir!"
"Guess so" replied Blake, though she squinted at Cinder's team, Mercury in particular. Pyrrha also eyed them curiously, as she was beginning to have some thoughts she hadn't considered until now.
"And that will be the first half of the Teams Round!" declared Oobleck. "Combatants, please exit the arena so it may be prepared for the first match!"
"Fret not viewers, the tournament will start shortly, so don't go anywhere!" added Port.
"Make sure you get some refreshments before the match begins to avoid missing a moment of the action!" advised the history Professor before taking a big swig of "coffee" from his thermos.
The students began to make their way back to the locker-rooms, with the teams now scheduled to fight deciding to wait for their turn.
"You guys ready?" Nora asked Team RWBY.
"More than ever!" grinned Ruby.
"Despite not only fighting on the first day, but the very first match of the entire Vytal Festival Tournament, I believe we are" added Weiss, not shy on pointing the reality of the situation.
"We will be cheering you on" said Pyrrha honestly.
"Not to be rude, but I think we'll do that from the stands" said Jaune. "That way we can get a better look of the match."
"We'll do the same. Good luck!" chimed Coco, with her team joining in before exiting the waiting area.
"Kick butt!" encouraged Nora.
"Yes, fight with everything you got" continued Ren.
"You bet we will" grinned Yang.
With that, Team JNPR left their friends, and began to make their way above ground to the stairs that led to the stands.
"A better look of the match" echoed Pyrrha, eyeing her captain with an amused smirk. "You wouldn't happen to have an ulterior motive by suggesting that, would you?"
Jaune tilted his head to his lieutenant, displaying a smirk of his own.
"Why Pyrrha Nikos, are you suggesting that I would propose that we observe our friends' match for a reason other than to cheer them on, as good friends should?" he monologued in an exaggerated posh accent.
"Am I wrong?"
"No, you're spot on" he replied, returning to his natural voice, and getting a laugh out of her. "I get the 'expecting the unexpected' logic, but I also know the value of recon and intelligence. They won't hold that against us, right?"
"I doubt they would" she guessed. "They will certainly do the same after their match concludes."
"If we are going to spy on our friends" added Ren, "then I suggest we make use of the reserved seating for combatants. They're closest to the action."
"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Nora. She grabbed Ren's hand and pulled him after her, causing him to stumble, but he managed to regain his footing and vanished around the corner of the hall with the eager ginger.
Jaune couldn't help laughing at them. "I have a feeling I'll be seeing that again" he remarked.
"What do you mean?" asked Pyrrha.
"As soon as they together; she's dragging him straight to the bedroom."
"Jaune!" gasped Pyrrha, slapping his arm as she blushed, though secretly agreeing with him.
"What? If you ask me, that's probably the only way he can make it up to her for making her wait so long; if I were in Nora's shoes, I mean" he reasoned.
The redhead paused for moment, and because they were alone, said "Yes she might, but that would take a little more time. Nora is surprisingly shy when it comes to Ren."
"Yeah, I just figured that out when I spoke to her."
"That explains why she tried to strangle you" Pyrrha realized. "What did you tease her about specifically?"
"I didn't really" Jaune defended. "She said you and her talked about me, and what you talked about would be kept secret between you both, so I pointed out Ren was checking her out, and mentioned we'd spoken about her. When she asked to know what we talked about specifically, I said I'd keep it a secret between me and Ren. That's all."
"Ah" Pyrrha said, things finally becoming clear, and causing her to feel a bit more sympathetic to her friend's frustrations. "Well, at least she finally has some confirmation that her plan to attract him is working."
'You have no idea' the blond thought humorously. "And we'll continue to do our part. Anyways, let's get back to the others."
The couple walked the remaining stretch of the hall until they turned the corner, and climbed the stairs to the reserved seating of the Coliseum. When they were once again above ground and beneath the sun filled sky, they saw Ren and Nora sitting side by side with Team SSSN to their left, and Team CFVY to theirs.
"There you are" said Nora as they sat down. "What took you so long?"
"Finally gave him that wet one" commented Coco with a grin.
Jaune blushed slightly, but remained calm. "Is the match about to start?" he asked.
"Shortly" replied Ren.
As if on cue, the screens returned to life, showing the commentator's box once more.
"Hello everyone! Forgive the delay, but we are now ready to begin with the first match of the tournament!" said Port eagerly.
"Before we do, we would like to add some additional information regarding the tournament to the spectators, as well as a reminder to the combatants" said Oobleck, adjusting his glasses. "All Huntsmen-in-training competing will not and cannot use field munitions. All cartridges and explosives must be tournament mandated non-lethal; rubber projectiles and halved Dust loads. Any combatant caught with field loads will be immediately disqualified from the tournament, along with his or her team. We do not want any accidents today or any day of the tournament. In that vein, victory is determined by four outcomes: one, a combatant knocks their opponent unconscious. Two, a combatant knocks their opponent out of the ring, or a combatant falls out of the ring. Three, a combatant gives their opponent an injury that results in a technical knock-out. A proctor will determine if the injuries are severe enough to retire the combatant and/or end the match, along with the medical staff on standby. The fourth and final determinate is simply a team or combatant surrenders, and yields defeat. Now then, Team RWBY and Team ARBN, please enter the arena!"
From their respective corners, the teams entered the Coliseum once again to the cheers of the crowd. Team RWBY had taken Pyrrha's advice, and were saluting the audience, bolstering their cheers, which were already near deafening given Weiss' appearance. She gave the Atlassian spectators someone to support, joining in the clamour of the Valian locals. As the arena terrains were being randomized, Pyrrha turned her head to speak to Jaune.
"What do you think will be the outcome?" she asked.
"I have no idea who Team ARBN are, so I can't make a definitive call" the blond admitted, "but I'm pretty sure Team RWBY will win. Obvious bias for our friends is obvious."
Pyrrha gave him a small giggle. "Yes, I feel the same way, though I do believe them when they said they worked tirelessly on improving their coordination. Weiss especially doesn't appear to try and take command as she used to. Team ARBN were obviously my classmates at Sanctum, and while I can say they are an above average team, Team RWBY is more than capable of handling them." Jaune nodded in agreement as the arena began to transform. Pyrrha then titled her head slightly. "So strange..."
The swordsman shifted his gaze to her curiously. "What is it?"
"I have taken part in countless tournaments since I began training to be a Huntress, and have spectated even more since I was a child. And yet..." she explained with a slight frown, "I cannot comprehend how they organized this one. This three category system is baffling, is it not?"
Jaune thought for a moment. "Yeah, now that I think of it. Normally you'd have those separated into their own tournaments, rather than have them all together, wouldn't you?"
"Precisely. That becomes even more confusing, as we Huntsmen are taught and trained in teams of four; why not have us fight as a team throughout the tournament? Furthermore, not separating the teams by school year is equally baffling, for school year is a direct correlation to skill, with seniors being allowed to have field experience. I know of several seniors in Mistral that are incredibly talented, and if they were to participate in this tournament, would demolish the competition. What they should have done was have several tournaments divided by school year. That way, skill would be the true determining factor, and there would be more matches per day. And then there is this reseeding business with every round. I cannot make heads or tails of it."
Jaune sighed as he ran his tongue over his teeth.
"I can't argue with you there. Like I said, I can sort of understand the 'expecting the unexpected' thing, but yeah, it's all weird." He looked back to the arena as the match began. "But it's too late now. We've planned out our strategy with the rules they've set, so we'll do what we can with what we've got. Better we focus on what's in front of us than what's way behind."
"And what are you focusing on exactly?" Pyrrha asked, not taking her eyes off the fight.
"Two things: one, try and figure out who from Team RWBY will be sent to the Doubles and Singles rounds, and two, figure out how they fight" he replied, also without looking away.
"I doubt Ruby would be chosen for the Singles, but she could take part in the Doubles with her sister, given they know each other best" Pyrrha suggested.
The blond nodded. "Sure, but she's also the least experienced next to me" he pointed out, crossing his arms. "Then there's Blake, who seems to be used to fighting alone, so she might still be learning to fight as a team. Weiss is a strong contender though."
"Certainly" agreed the redhead. "Atlas has a strong dueling culture, very similarly to ours in Mistral. Myrtenaster being a rapier is proof of that. If I were to hazard a guess, she would be their candidate for the Singles as well as Doubles. The military culture of Atlas also explains her tactical prowess, making her a very well rounded fighter."
"Except in one category: raw power" pointed out Jaune, steadily tapping his right index finger against his left rerebrace. "I'm with you on Weiss being part of the Doubles round, but not for the Singles. Weiss is a strong warrior because she makes great use of Dust combinations and her Glyphs, maximizing her tools to their full potential with great efficiency. But she's lacking in knockdown power. So if I were to put my money where my mouth is, I'd say it will be Weiss in the Doubles with Yang, as she'll cover what Weiss lacks, and then it will be Yang in the Singles."
"Fire and Ice" Pyrrha remarked with a smirk.
"Nice and poetic. Team RWBY is probably betting on Yang's raw firepower; and given her brawler fighting style and Semblance, she would be the best choice to make it through the entire Single's bracket."
Pyrrha looked at him as she giggled. "Yes, I am sure that is what Yang said."
Jaune looked at her confused, before the realization hit him and his face soured in annoyance.
"Oh right, 'firepower', Gods..." he groaned, rolling his eyes, which caused Pyrrha to giggle again and cover her mouth. "Oh don't start making puns."
"I can appreciate them without making them" she defended, giving him a kittenish smile.
"Fine fine" the captain relented, looking back to the match thinking, 'She's so damn cute'. "But there's something to point out about Yang's fighting style and temperament: she's got a few bad habits we could exploit."
"And those would be?"
"Firstly, her defense" he began to explain. "To put in bluntly, she kinda has a tendency to block attacks with her face. She relies on her Semblance to act as a shield, constantly burning Aura in the process; which is her second bad habit. She has a lot to burn, but a fire that burns twice as bright, burns out twice as fast. If she doesn't get herself knocked out in combat, or burn herself out leading up to her fight with you, then she certainly will burn out when she does; you have way more efficient Aura management after all."
Pyrrha looked at her captain with admiration and pride. His growth regarding swordsmanship was tremendous, but she was beyond proud with how much he had grown as a person, as well as a captain. His focus and confidence had refined to a sharp point, which now matched beautifully with his new armour. While she hadn't fallen for Jaune because of his warrior skill, she couldn't deny it was becoming a wonderful bonus. How far he would grow in time, she could only imagine.
The blond noticed her gaze and turned again to face her. "What?"
"Oh nothing" she dismissed, taking his hand. "I'll tell you later."
Jaune gave her a quizzical look, but knew that if he was keeping a couple of little secrets from her, she could keep a few of her own.
"And that's the match!" shouted Port, drawing the couple's attention back to the arena, where Team RWBY were celebrating and showing their appreciation to the crowd. Sun and Neptune were both whistling loudly, happy to see the girls they liked, along with their friends, do well out the gate. "What an explosive start to this year's tournament, wouldn't you say, Bart?"
"Indeed I would, Peter" agreed Oobleck with a grin. "This tournament is already displaying that this generation is bursting with potential. So let us keep that explosive rolling start rolling! Will Team JNPR of Beacon and Team BRNZ of Shade make their way to their respective waiting stations?"
"It's game time" said Jaune, rising to his feet.
"Finally!" Nora added eagerly, jumping up and for a moment appeared to consider jumping out of the stands to get below faster.
"Good luck, love-birds!" called Coco with a grin.
"Do your best" added Velvet.
"Can't promise that we'll cheer for ya like we did for Team RWBY" stated Sun honestly with an apologetic smirk. "You know how it is."
"We'll win whether ya do or ya don't" Jaune declared soundly, but gave the Monkey Faunus a knowing smirk.
Pyrrha and Ren gave their thanks to the others, and joined the rest of their team as they made their way back to the locker area. As they expected, they ran into Team RWBY who were coming up to the stands to watch the remaining matches.
"We won!" cheered Ruby.
"We saw" laughed Pyrrha. "You've all greatly improved."
"Scared, Nikos?" teased Yang with a cocky grin.
"Nope!" replied Nora, sticking her tongue out at the blonde.
"Let her answer for herself!"
The redhead paused for a moment and looked at her teammate's determined expression, before smirking and looked back at the elder Xiao Long.
"Nope" she said, and also stuck out her tongue. Yang merely laughed at the Mistralese champion's childish response, which Ruby joined in on, and caused Weiss and Blake to smirk.
"Regardless, best of luck to all of you" said the Schnee heiress politely.
"Thank you" replied Jaune with a nod. "We hope to join you in the Doubles."
"You better" shot back Yang. "I want that one on one, Pyrrha."
"So do I" the redhead agreed.
They waved and made their way to the lower levels of the Coliseum, and finally reached the waiting area. As they stood by, Team JNPR began making last minute checks of their equipment. Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora all made sure that their firearms cycled correctly, and their magazines were loaded with non-lethal ammunition. Jaune, being the only one without a firearm, made sure that Corcea Mors fit correctly in its scabbard, and the latter transformed correctly into heater shield configuration. When satisfied, he began to double check that his armour was well secured, especially his cuirass, as the last thing he wanted was his family achievement falling in the dirt on live television. Instinctively, his right hand resting on the Arms, and he looked down, staring at it while in thought.
Jaune then noticed that Pyrrha appeared to be doing the same, eyes closed, both her hands held together, hand over fist, and pressed against the centre of her chest.
"You OK?" he asked.
"Mhmm" she answered softly. "Just praying."
This caused Jaune to lean back slightly, and before he could stop himself said "You think we're that screwed?"
Without opening her eyes, she gently slapped his chest armour with the back of her right hand.
"Of course not; I always pray before a match." She then opened her eyes to look at him and asked "Still nervous about your family watching?"
"A little" he admitted, exhaling out of his nose, "but not as much as before."
"Don't worry, Jaune. We will win today" encouraged Ren.
"I don't doubt that for a second" the captain replied. "I have complete and unwavering faith in each and every one of you. I could have never asked for better friends and troops. It's having faith in myself that I need to work on a little more."
Pyrrha took his hand once again and squeezed it, smiling warmly at him.
"And we have unwavering faith in you, Jaune. No matter the challenges, we will stand by your side. What did you say before? Ad astra per aspera?"
Jaune nodded. "Through adversity to the stars" he translated.
"It's a good motto to stand by. Let's aim for the stars, shall we?" Pyrrha then kissed him on the cheek again. "For luck."
The blond blushed, but smiled back, truly grateful for her being there for him.
"Thanks, Pyrrha, but I think you're already all the good luck I need; my good luck charm."
The redhead blushed at his words, and squeezed his hand.
"Am I really?" she asked softly.
"All I could ever need" he repeated, squeezing back and smiling.
The couple gazed at each other lovingly, the world once again beginning to melt away, leaving them in their own little paradise. And as per usual, there was someone or something to pull them back to reality.
"Now kiiiiiiiiissss" teased Nora, grinning from ear to ear.
Jaune and Pyrrha jumped and became incredibly flushed, as if they had been caught in a far more perverse act. Ren looked at them in amusement. He had spoken to Jaune in private as to why the blond hadn't sealed the deal, despite things progressing far more than he had anticipated. He did his best not to let his own feelings cloud his judgement, as he wished he could be further along with Nora, thus he simply told Jaune to not drag things out for too much longer. As hypocritical as that was, he at least understood part of his friend's reasoning, so Ren left him to his own devices. However, he no longer bothered to stop Nora from teasing them, using it as his own form of playful jabbing.
"I'm sure they will when they are ready" Ren said with a small smirk.
"Will it be this century or the next one?" the ginger asked.
"I'll give them the benefit of the doubt as say this century."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ren" shot back Jaune.
"Any time."
"Speaking of good luck charms, aren't you supposed to rub them?" Nora teased.
To everyone's surprise, including Ren, the stealthy Huntsman-in-training began to rub the top of Nora's head.
"Like this?" he asked.
The hammeress' face lit up like a Christmas tree, as she had never expected him to do such a thing, especially out of the blue. Her eyes dropped down to her feet, very unsure of how to act or respond. Jaune and Pyrrha looked at the black-haired young man with excited confusion, as it was a big step for him to show affection like this. Jaune especially was happy to see his friend make some sort of move on Nora, and quickly mouthed "Smooth", which gave Ren his turn to blush.
"Yes Ren, like that" laughed Pyrrha, and began to ruffle Jaune's hair.
"Well, I guess we could all use a bit of luck, whether it be rubbing good luck charms or praying. Whichever helps most" he added, getting an odd sense of enjoyment from Pyrrha playing with his hair.
"The Gods aren't gumball machines, Jaune" corrected the redhead. "I'm not praying for good luck, or for the Gods to simply give me what I want by praying for it."
"Sure...so why do you pray before a fight?" he asked timidly.
"Of course I pray for guidance, but never for my hand to be held. It's for meditation and reflection, to achieve inner peace before honouring the Gods in battle. I have always been close with my faith, given how religious my family is, and when I began training to become a Huntress, I took the lessons my father taught me, and applied them. When I feel closer to the Gods, I feel that I am a better Huntress, thus a better sword to do their holy work by Hunting the Grimm. There are many other reasons of course, but in regards to combat, those are the main motivations. Does that make sense?"
Jaune thought for a moment, her words resonating with him more than he expected, though he did ultimately know why.
"It does. My family is religious as well, doing the praying before battle thing, and my dad would agree with you. Some of the things you said are what he's said to me before" he confessed, being taken back to his youth as she spoke her reasons to prayer.
Pyrrha examined him for a moment, and recognized the tone of his voice as one who had drifted away from observing.
"When was the last time you prayed?" she asked softly.
"Don't know" the blond replied sheepishly, touching the crest of the lancer with his right hand.
Jaune, like most Valians, was a Paladinist; one who believes and worships the Paladin of Light, also known as the Great Lancer. The tale goes that long ago, a Knight left for dead against a horde of Grimm, wielding only a mangled lance, prayed to the Light before making himself ready to die. In his hour of need, lightning came from the Heavens and struck his raised lance, forging it anew. Shining with the brightness of the Sun, the Knight charged on horseback, laying waste to every Grimm; his new lance of Light never failing to hit its mark. He then rode back to his King, taking other scattered cavalrymen with him, and with great strength, rescued the besieged castle, saving Albion from Darkness.
"A few years I think. I've just felt so unlucky and useless that when I prayed for things to get better and they didn't, I stopped finding any solace in it. I did the gumball thing you mentioned."
"What prayers do your family say before battle? I'd like to hear them."
Jaune thought back to his past, and remember the many holy days he had gone to his local temple with his family.
"There's a few I can remember. Tesis sum Lux; I am a witness to the Light, was a common one. In absentia lucis, tenebrae vincunt, sicque portabunt aeternum; In the absence of light, darkness prevails, thus we shall carry the eternal fire; that was another..." Then one came to the forefront of his mind. "There's one we say all the time. It ties into the achievement of our House; In hoc signo vinces; In this sign thou shalt conquer."
"Yeah...I like the sound of that" commented Nora, who had recovered from the shock of Ren's head rub, and had been quietly listening to the conversation. "Let's go and conquer our enemies" she added, punching her right palm with her left fist.
"Will that be before or after we break their legs?" asked Pyrrha, also enjoying her friend's enthusiasm.
"I'm good either way."
"This is a tournament, not a war, Nora" Ren pointed out, but then chuckled when he only got a raspberry blown at him as a response.
"It is time for the second match!" came Professor Port's voice over the Coliseum speakers. "Will Teams JNPR and BRNZ please enter the arena?"
"It's time" said the raven-haired young man.
"Keep your heads held high, and never allow doubt to cloud them" advised Pyrrha.
"In hoc signo vinces!" shouted Nora, utterly butchering the pronunciation, and causing Jaune to laugh.
He grasped the hilt of Crocea Mors with his left hand, and struck his cuirass with his right fist.
"In hoc signo vinces!" he cried passionately, a wide toothy grin on his face; igniting the fire in their souls. With that, Team JNPR marched in unison, ready and determined to achieve glory for the Valian realm, and Beacon Academy.
Sorry this one took longer to come out. Unfortunately, I'll be very busy and out of town once again this weekend, so next week's chapter will be late as well. At least I can work on it with the epub version when I'm free.
Cheers, and see you all next time.