A Cosmic Journey
A/N: Hello again! I hope everyone had a good week, especially any readers who experienced Hurricane Dorian. My town was unaffected, but I hope anyone within Dorian's path is safe and remains so in the aftermath.
Writing this chapter while dealing with classes was something else. Whatever your opinions may be on Coeur Al'Aran's writing, the man is a machine for busting out over 25K words weekly while working full-time. Settling into a routine and getting back into the writing groove should help though, because damnit I have ideas that I wanna write. Anyways, without further ado, the first chapter of the Countdown Arc! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY, all rights are owned by Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum, R.I.P.
Chapter 3: Journey of A Thousand Miles
Chapter Date: 09/09/19
Agony.
The sensation was an old conversation partner at this point, another cry jolting through my system as I slammed into the dirt. "Oooooohhhhhhh…"
'No wait, that's just me again.' I scrambled off the ground as Ren closed in on me, sliding as he chambered a kick. Throwing my left arm up over my side, I channeled Aura to guard. Skidding slightly from the impact, I used the momentum to spin and throw what looked like a jab with my right hand as a bastardized uppercut to his ribs. Backing up to reset the distance, I jerked forward as Ren caught my right arm and yanked. His own right hand streaked towards my face, knocking me off my feet back onto the ground. I blinked wearily as my vision swam back into focus, glimpsing a thin arm extending a hand to help me up.
"Ah, that stings...thanks Ren." The boy smiled and nodded, as we both turned to where Nora sat on a tree stump, eyes having eagerly caught every moment of our admittedly brief combat.
"That…was…AWESOME! You lasted nearly two full minutes this time!" Nora called out, somehow missing the fact that I was covered in bruises, sweat and grass stains. My expression must've looked more dejected than I expected, as Ren patted my shoulder while Nora's grin became a little sheepish.
"Don't fret over your perceived weakness. Both Nora and I have years of conditioning and experience to rely on during fights. A foundation that you will come to possess given time." Ren was always good at logicing an explanation to help people feel better.
It'd already been around six months since my time on Remnant had begun. I liked to think of myself as quite flexible to new circumstances, but life on Remnant wasn't just a singular new fact, it was a whole encyclopedia set of new information.
Life in the orphanage was actually the easier part of my transition. Conditions of a frontier orphanage on Remnant were far better than I imagined. The beds were more than passably comfortable, food was aplenty thanks to the fertile soil of Anima, and there were enough bathrooms and showers to only require some planning of schedules. Most of this was thanks to Ms. Fujiko however, as the lavender-haired matron was a force of order, on top of issues before most people involved even knew there would be issues. Such a quality meant that Ren was one of her favorite wards, and that Nora was…Nora. Thankfully, I think I managed to stay in the background as "that one foolish boy who follows those two Huntsmen hopefuls." My 'amnesia', however, put me in the crosshairs of Ms. Fujiko and a few doctors, but reading up on the condition beforehand let me fake my way through. I did follow one of their suggestions though, by keeping two journals. One listed all information from RWBY that I remembered before I could forget anything. The other contained everything about my life on Earth, in case I began forgetting anything about that life. It was a terrifying, but also a realistic thought. Both journals remained stuffed inside the pockets of my black cargo pants at all times, next to my phone. It made training a little cumbersome, but the continued secrecy was infinitely worth it.
That led right into the much harder aspect of daily life. My former athlete's training regimen was only similar to that of an aspiring huntsman or huntress in the barest sense. Physical conditioning was done with similar exercises in cardio, body weight movements and weightlifting, but Aura's healing and strengthening properties made generating far greater levels of force for far longer periods of time the norm. Building denser and stronger muscles progressed exponentially quicker. Unfortunately, Aura's protective nature mainly applied to external forces, meaning that pain was unmitigated from the near-constant strain of muscles over time. Still, results were results, and my strength, speed and endurance had already caught up to those of my collegiate athlete days. It was that jump in fitness that saved me during the other part of huntsman training: sparring.
An almost-daily rotation of individual fights between Nora, Ren and I fostered experience against multiple fighting styles, something that Nora and Ren admitted to lacking when it was just the two of them. As I was invariably the weakest among the three of us, the rotation typically scheduled Ren and I, Nora and Ren, and then Nora and I to allow me the most recovery time. Not that it aided me whatsoever, as I held a perfect loss streak against both of them. I was chipping away at the gap though, little by little, clawing to last just a few seconds longer each successive time.
"Your physical conditioning's progressing really well though. Your speed's almost equal to Ren's and your strength's just slightly below his; unless you do that thing with your Aura that I've seen a couple of times." Nora's eyes sparkled, and I started to back away before acknowledging that she'd catch me in a heartbeat. "What exactly is that?"
"It's an Aura technique that I use when my guard's already up or I've already got a strike in motion. I just channel both the strengthening and healing parts of Aura and temporarily amplify whatever limbs I concentrate on. It takes a bit of focus though, and I run the risk of straining my muscles if I hold it for too long, so I usually just use it for an instant. And I think physical conditioning just comes easier to me from whatever I was doing before I lost my memories."
'I can't exactly tell them that most of my conditioning is based on nearly a decade of triathlon training, lest they think I was indoctrinated as a toddler. Actually, that sounds exactly like the kind of idea Ozpin or Ironwood might consider given proper motivation. Geez.'
"OOH OOH, that sounds uh-ma-zing!" Nora gushed. "Do you have a name for it?"
"A name? Uhhh, it's called…Burst." I mentally grasped at thin air, and came away with something that sounded catchy enough.
"A creative technique, one that has allowed you to somewhat bridge the gap in physical attributes in our spars." Ren added his two cents; though I was unsure whether or not it was because he was just somewhat miffed I was catching up to him in terms of physical specs. "What was your inspiration for the technique?"
'If I say My Hero Academia, I'm not sure they'll continue to find me sane.' Instead, I replied, "I just tried using both the strengthening and healing applications of Aura at the same time, and this just resulted."
"Looks like our resident bookworm's getting results from keeping his nose buried in books so often," Nora joked, trying to playfully elbow Ren. Try being the operative word, as Ren firmly kept his palm between her elbow and his ribs, with pink glimmers of Ren's Aura showing the force behind Nora's elbows.
"So long as Kouzai can finally generate an Aura barrier, I will acknowledge that his Aura control has progressed well during his time here." Ren wasn't one to fall behind on humorous jokes either.
"Hey, guy with huge hole in his memory here. Forgive me for wanting to fill those gaps with worthwhile information. And Aura control is hard," I shot back.
Therein laid probably the hardest part of my time on Remnant so far; learning about an entirely new world!
I spent most days outside of training and any orphanage events inside Yozakura's library, reading up on as much of Remnant as I could. 'Thank the Brothers I managed to score high on math, and Remnant's universal language that's identical to English, otherwise I'd be strong-armed by Ms. Fujiko into classes daily. She's already on my case to use my knowledge for "safer pursuits."'
History. Science and Dust. Anything to do with the Grimm. And the hardest of all? Slang. Finding out what new phrases of turn meant and where and how they originated was its own history and language lesson. It was also extremely fortunate that Remnant had a universal language to communicate with, or at least one prevalent in Vale and Anima at large.
"So what's on the dreaded reading list today?" Nora questioned, as we trekked back to the orphanage, where Ms. Fujiko would likely be waiting to passive-aggressively suggest attending classes.
"I think I'll be focusing on Dust again today," I replied. 'An energy source nearly completely different from Earth science? Yeah, that'd be difficult to learn even if I was actually good at science in the first place.'
"Ugh, bor-ring. Make sure not to burn your brain out, mister! We've still got our spar later, and the rotation has us using weapons today! Get ready to use those sticks of yours!" I nearly froze in place, my expression akin to trying to swallow a particularly large lemon.
'Nora with her sledgehammer? Ye gods, I hate the rotation.'
"Nora, they're parts of a bamboo stalk, plenty capable of being weapons. And their names are Protector and Conqueror." Protector in the left for what my Earth name meant, and Conqueror in the right for what my brother's name was-is. My parents were firm believers in the whole "name influences personality" argument. As for my weapons being bamboo sticks, I'd had very limited escrima training with a friend in years past, so the style came to me quicker than any other thus far.
"Well, whatever they're called, I hope they're ready for Motlyn and I," Nora called over her shoulder, sledgehammer slung across her back as her eyes gained a fearsome glint. Shaking legs indicated the answer being a resounding 'No'.
… … …
"Guys, I'm not sure this is in any way, shape or form a good idea," I cautioned to Nora and Ren, hefting Protector and Conqueror in my hands. I spent a moment observing the snarling pack of seven Beowolves around us. Most were doing their best bloodhound impressions, zeroing in on my well-deserved display of nerves.
"Aww, don't worry Kouzai, you've been training forever-" "Eight months" "for this, it's time you got some payback! Besides, you only have to take one. Ren and I'll take the rest!" Nora's eyes twinkled, likely from the opportunity to use her grenades again. I gave a suffering look towards Ren.
"Just take it as a sign that Nora and I believe that you are ready to take this step." Ren then glanced at Nora, still visibly twinkling, and sweatdropped. "Just…try to finish it quickly, for all our sakes."
With that, Ren reached down to his hip and hurled a throwing knife at one Beowolf with a flourish, the blade embedding itself in its eye with a soft squelch. All parties present took that as the signal, and the rest of the pack rushed in while Nora whooped and pulled out a grenade.
"I stand corrected; I'm now sure this is a bad idea!" I shouted, twirling my weapons as I reinforced them with Aura. With a howl, the Beowolf closest to me bounded off the ground and clawed towards my torso. In a repeat of my first encounter, I jumped sideways but this time with Aura-strengthened legs aiding my balance.
"REMATCH TIME, UGLY!" I roared, using Burst on both arms and slamming my weapons down onto the Beowolf's right arm.
CRACK
This time, Aura-reinforced sticks pounded right through the Beowolf's wall of muscle, fracturing the Grimm's right arm at an inhuman angle. I jumped back as the Beowolf roared in pain, falling to all fours to test the nonexistent weight that arm could now support. Adrenaline rushed through my veins and my breath came in heady gasps, but from excitement instead of fear.
I could do this. I can do this. "Alright, I'm here to kick ass and read books, and I'm all out of books."
"Except for the journals in your cargo pants!" Nora called out, a wall of heat, wind and sound coming from her direction.
"NORA! I had an awesome line going there! And I wrote my journals, so I've already read them!" I shouted back, glancing sideways to see her crush a Beowolf's skull with Motlyn. 'I can never take a headshot from her so long as I live…'
Redirecting my attention back to the lethal matter at hand, I watched as 'my' Beowolf rushed forward again on three legs, swiping outward with its uninjured arm. Cursing under my breath, I exhaled and used Burst on my arms, using one of the few escrima forms I knew as the Beowolf and I started our little dance of death.
"Down, out, cross, down, out, cross, downoutcross downoutcross…" I muttered, arms repeatedly whirling through the form. Focusing on the Beowolf's arms and head, I accelerated my strikes in time with its attacks to bat them away at the outset.
Smash skull. Deflect left arm. Block right arm. Crush teeth. Fracture right arm. Parry left.
"Writing information does not prevent rereading it," Ren interjected casually somewhere behind me.
"For Brothers' sake, Ren! KINDA BUSY HERE!" I screamed, whipping the Beowolf across the face with both weapons and jumping back to glare at the boy. Ren, lacking any enemies, merely smiled and strolled along the perimeter of the clearing. 'My' Beowolf, on the other hand, despite missing multiple teeth and having its right arm reduced to a jagged mess, still focused on me with a murderous intensity. Opening its maw, its roar shook the trees before dashing towards me once again, as we met in the middle of our proverbial ring. True to habit, it swiped with its singular intact arm, one that I deflected with both Protector and Conqueror. Spinning around, I used the momentum to strike its face as it came in for a bite, further cracking its mask and knocking out more teeth. As the creature staggered and sagged, I exhaled, then quickly hissed as its ruined arm came streaking for my body, crashing into my chest as I went flying back again.
On the other hand, eight months of grueling physical conditioning, sparring and aura training let me use Burst on my legs and right my posture, legs leaving furrows in the ground as I lowered my right hand to stabilize myself until my momentum stopped.
On a third hand, having Aura only negated the majority of the blunt force…meaning that all the pain I'd suffered last time was filtering through again, just with the benefit of no bone fractures this time.
On the fourth hand, I was pissed.
"DAMNIT," I seethed, clenching both weapons as the Beowolf gave some imitation of a lopsided grin. "Get over here so I can STAB YOU!"
The Grimm seemed to desire similar things of me, if its flared claws were anything to go by. Snarling, it mounted one last charge over to my position.
"Uhh, Kouzai? You're kind of holding blunted sticks," Nora pointed out. "Not very sharp or good for stabbing."
I gritted my teeth. "I. DON'T. CARE." As the monster finally closed in, a particularly lethal swipe hummed through the air. Ducking around its paw, I flipped my grip on Conqueror, used Burst on my arms, then slammed Protector down onto its neck before ramming Conqueror into its right eye socket.
CRACK! SNAP!
Both sounds rang out as the Beowolf's momentum carried it forward, body hitting the ground as its neck and head flopped around before laying still. A slow but gradual trail of black ash-like substance floated off its form as I exhaled in relief.
'It's over…I did it. I finally-'
"YOU DID IT!" Nora tackled me nearly sideways with Motlyn along her back. As I started to sag under our combined weight, a supporting hand slowly raised me back up while gently prying Nora off.
"Yeah, no thanks to you two cutting in every five seconds," I replied, still irritated by the various distractions.
Nora looked surprisingly self-conscious, while Ren was as ever unreadable. "Forgive us for drawing away your focus at such a vital time, but we contend that your performance merely proves that which Nora and I attempted to convince you of."
"Uhhh, what?" I questioned. 'What exactly did I prove?'
"He means that even while trying to distract you, you fought a Beowolf while talking to Ren and I, and didn't even take a single hit past your Aura!" I lifted my black shirt to show where the Beowolf's pulped arm had pushed past my Aura to leave a smattering of bruises. "Err, besides those. Still nearly untouched though."
I forwent responding with words, still shocked. "So…you both distracted me…so I could prove that I'm capable of fighting a Grimm singlehandedly…while unfocused?"
A nod from Ren and two thumbs up from Nora. I sighed and ran a hand through my short locks. "Ok, still annoyed, but understandable now. Any other surprises you two would like to drop on me?"
"Nope." Nora popped the 'p' just as Ruby would. "Just that you spent an extra month worrying if you'd be able to kill a single Grimm over nothing!"
"Yeah, it's reassuring to know that I won't automatically die to the next Grimm I see," I agreed. "So, what's next?"
Because that was really the question, wasn't it? 'I honestly don't know jack about what Nora and Ren's lives were like after Kuroyuri until Beacon, besides whatever I learned in the last eight months! I could've already changed their futures from canon! No no, can't think like that, canon was screwed the moment you were dropped into Remnant. All you can do now is try and guide them to Beacon. So the big question is, did they go through a combat school like Sanctum or remain in the frontier to take Beacon's practical qualification exam?'
"-zai? Kouzai!" I jolted as Nora waved her hand in my face. "There you are! I guess we should be glad you don't go drifting off while fighting!"
"Another memory for your journals?" Ren questioned as we travelled back to the orphanage.
"Something to maybe check in them," I corrected. 'I need to read up on if there were any hints to their backstories later. There has to be something!'
"Before we lose you to your thoughts once more, I wish to discuss what the next step in our training should be," Ren continued. "Having given the matter some reflection I've come to the conclusion that we require…proper weapons, befitting potential huntsmen and huntresses."
Ignoring Nora's excited gasp off to the side, I nodded mechanically. 'It's true, regardless of which path they took to get to Beacon, they had to get weapons somehow. We can focus on getting those first, then worry about the decision later. This'll difficult enough by itself.'
"Do you have any idea where we'd be able to buy huntsman-quality weapons or commission them? Especially with our stores of lien, or lack thereof?" I asked Ren. The lien left by Ren's family was respectable, but nowhere near infinite. Years of aiding the orphanage had made a dent, and acquiring proper huntsmen gear would drain even more.
"I might have a possible location; Wind Path. It's where I ordered Nora's grenades, and I'm certain the city will have adequate weapons to purchase, either legally or…less than legally." We both ignored Nora's second gasp, and subsequent imitation of a dying cat. It was Nora after all.
"Wind Path? The city known for its…less-than-stellar reputation and clientele?" Instead of sweating from life-or-death exertion, I was now sweating from potential future-life-or-death exertion. 'If Qrow of all people mentions how shady Kuchinashi and Wind Path are, what exactly are we walking into here?'
"I admit that navigating Wind Path's underground market can be…treacherous, but its selection of goods and services is nearly unrivaled anywhere else on Remnant, save for Mistral…itself…" Ren trailed off as I continued walking. Slowly realizing that Nora and Ren were no longer by my sides, I flinched as I bumped into something soft. Looking up, I gazed into the chestnut-brown eyes of one fearsomely scowling Ms. Fujiko.
"So…" The word was more akin to a hiss than language. "I happened to hear some explosions and unearthly howls earlier, along with clouds of pink rising above the trees. Is there anything that my three dear wards would like to tell me?"
I tried edging back, but her hand gripped my wrist almost tight enough to drain my Aura. I desperately looked back, where Nora hid behind Ren while giving me a shy two thumbs up. Ren, on the other hand, looked me right in the eyes and put his hands together in prayer.
'You sonofagrimm…'
… … …
After many, many, debates, near-endless lectures from Ms. Fujiko (Nora counted six hundred and two), and assurances from us that we would return before the annual flower viewing, we were ready to set out about a month later. Despite triple-checking our bags and quintuple-checking Nora's, Ms. Fujiko still saw it fit to warn us of the potential dangers of swindlers and strangers, to which we had the safeguards of haggling, persuasion, and threats of broken legs.
Now the four of us stood outside of the orphanage. "Hah…this is really happening isn't it? Brothers know that I tried dissuading you two for years, and all three of you for the last nine months. Every child when they're young wants to be a huntsman or huntress, and protect Remnant from the scary Grimm. None in my care have a happy childhood, but despite that, the three of you have stuck fast to your goals, and at some point, I have to respect that. So…"
Turning to Ren, she hugged his lithe figure. "Keep them wise, little lotus."
Slowly letting go, she turned to Nora and swept her up in a hug as well. "Keep them guessing, you crazy little genius. Keep them all guessing."
Finally, she turned to me, and we eyed each other, less of a matron and her ward, and momentarily as equals. Surprised that she did so, she enveloped me in a soft but firm hug. "Keep them safe."
"Always," I firmly replied. 'After all, I don't know if Remnant has a future if half of JNPR isn't there at the Fall of Beacon, Haven and Argus.'
Separating, I turned to Nora, who tried to blink back excess moisture, and Ren, who looked far stiffer than his normal relaxed posture. I myself was not unaffected, and cleared my throat. "Alright, fellow fools, march!"
Turning around, the three of us began treading towards the village outskirts, making sure to keep our heads held high. And if any of us looked back, no one mentioned it.
… … …
It took the better part of two weeks, but it was bright in the day as Nora, Ren and I came into the city limits, the entrance a large gate manned by four guards. Waving us through without a fuss, we headed for the commercial district.
"Wow, that was easy." I sighed in relief, right before Nora smacked my head. "Ahh! The heck was that for?"
"You just jinxed us," grumbled Nora, as I scoffed. 'No way something that insignificant counts as a jinx.'
Hours later, I was ready to eat dirt at my words. "How can you be short on weapons? You're a weapons shop! It's literally your business!"
The shopkeeper, an apologetic giant of a man, rubbed his neck. "I don't know what to tell you kid. If you'd been here a few months ago, maybe even last month, there would've been a lot more stock for you to browse. But a fair number of folks across Anima and Remnant as a whole are pretty nervous lately, and being nervous about your safety usually means arming yourself around these parts."
It made sense, but it begged the question. "What has people so nervous recently?"
The shopkeeper's face turned dark. "The White Fang."
My breath caught in my throat. 'Ohhhhh boyyyy…"
The man must've taken my shocked expression as acknowledgement. "That's the face most people are wearing nowadays. Used to be the Fang did peaceful protests and events, but that new leader of theirs has made some changes that have turned the whole organization, and Remnant, on its head."
I was too busy mentally smacking myself to pay attention. 'Crap, the White Fang! How could I have been so stupid? Blake mentioned in Volume 1 that Ghira stepped down about five years before canon, and the new leader, re Sienna, enacted more violent strategies. I'm living smack in the middle of that period right now.'
"Perhaps asking may be considered poor form, but can you recommend any alternatives for finding weapons? This is important to my village, doubly so with such troubling news," Ren explained.
"It's no trouble at all. Having a shortage means business is booming, and business for other smiths means a better reputation for Wind Path, something sorely needed. If you're looking for alternatives, I have to tell you a lot of my competitors are experiencing shortages like myself. It's mainly the businesses specializing in mass basic equipment, for defense of families and towns. If you're looking for more exotic gear, and I remember your grenade order, you'll have better luck commissioning an Academy-certified smith in the city. I'd recommend staying out the underground market, especially here in Wind Path, as sad as that is." Thanking the shopkeeper, we left the armory and languished in the streets.
"Well that's a Beringel in the plan," sighed Nora. At my questioning look, she added, "There's a monkey wrench in the plan, then the monkey itself in the plan. I upgraded it."
I couldn't help but agree. 'We have enough lien to buy three huntsmen-quality weapons in stock. Barring that, we have enough to commission one weapon, maybe scrape by for a second, but not three. Wait, is that why Nora has Magnhild in all its mecha-shift glory, while Ren uses Stormflower? No, I'm sure it's partially because of their fighting styles. Still though…'
"What do we do? Commissioning weapons for all three of us, either with a proper smith or an underground one, is impossible with what we have now," Nora remarked, turning to Ren and I.
"I am unsure. We could use more of the funds left-" Ren cut off that thought as Nora and I glared at him. There was no way we were draining what was left of his family's savings just for weapons. "Never mind. Alternatively, we could find work and build up a sufficient pool dedicated to commissioning weapons."
'Between huntsmen training, learning, and attending classes at slipper-point by Ms. Fujiko, there's nearly zero time and opportunity to build up savings towards something as pricy as a commission. But how else can we scrap together enough to make the difference?' I ruffled both hands through my hair and twirled in circles before something caught my eye. Slowing, I stared down the street through the window of some tavern. Specifically, at a display of televisions by the counter facing towards the outside, advertising a very specific event.
Grabbing one of my journals and rifling through it, my eyes blazed across the pages for that specific jot of information. Under the character profiles, I finally found it.
'Holy…could this?...This could work…'
I gripped both Ren and Nora's shoulders. "I have an idea. Make sure you have all the lien safely secured, and get ready to look intimidating."
Ren's eyes narrowed, as Nora's widened by a corresponding amount. "What exactly are you planning?"
I grinned lopsidedly, one eye crinkling in a smirk as both eyes shined. "We're going gambling."
Two sets of eyes, one teal and one pink, blinked.
… … …
After some bouncing around the city, and some heart-stopping threats involving Motlyn, we found the location that we needed. A popular restaurant and tavern named the Wanderer's Reprieve. Compared to other, more reputable stores in Wind Path, this building was scarce on the windows and what panes did exist displayed only glimpses of business inside.
"Hokay, okay. Alright guys, last chance. If we do this, we go all in. Ren, this is your family's lien, so this is all up to you. Are you willing to risk this?" I gripped his shoulders, looking as serious as a teenage boy could. He looked back at me, pink eyes unblinking and unflinching.
"Be honest. Do you truly believe this is the safest venture? I know enough about you to say that when you commit to a course of action, you commit your blood, sweat and tears. If you believe this is the best option to reach our goals, I will aid and support you." Ren gripped my arm, his knuckles white and his teeth clenched.
'He's fighting the fear with his whole being. Do I really have the stones to literally bet his family's lien on this?' My mind whirled though variables, finally settling on an answer. "Yes. Stick with me, with this, and I guarantee we'll get the lien we need."
Ren closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Meanwhile, Nora hugged his side, looking the most worried that I'd seen her during my time on Remnant. Slowly, his other hand reached around and hugged her back as he opened his eyes, steady and true.
"Ok. Let's do this."
Nodding, I took the lead and walked inside. The building's interior had circular tables spread across the spacious floor. Raucous laughter rose around the room, as families ate only slightly nervously alongside rough-looking men and women. My eyes scanned for the description we were given, and eventually found it. Weaving our way around, we closed in on one particular table, absolutely packed with some of the toughest looking gentlemen in the establishment.
One particular gentlemen sat dressed in a monochrome three-piece suit, contrasting with his mahogany-shaded skin and vibrant blonde hair that gave him a passing resemblance to Arslan Altan. If his state of dress wasn't indication of his status over the rest of the table, then it was definitely the sycophantic looks those seated kept throwing his way.
"Are you Preto Reyes?"
Talk around the table stopped, as the man turned to regard Nora, Ren and I as if he only now just registered our presence. "Are you children lost? Or perhaps looking for an autograph from any of these fine boys around me?"
Laughter rang out around the table, but I made sure to keep my face impassive and my voice even. "We're here to place a bet." Said laughter died off quickly.
A gaze of scrutiny travelled up and down my body, then Ren's, then Nora's. "You don't seem like the gambling type, or even the type to step off the straight and narrow."
I remained unblinking. "I'm told I have one of those faces. That, or I'm a really good actor." We stared at each other for a good thirty seconds.
Then he burst out laughing. "HA HA HAHAHA! Oh, the looks on your faces! You lot look like you haven't dipped a toe in morally grey waters in your lives! And the pair on this one in particular!"
Regaining control of himself, he cracked his neck. "Alright then, business it is. What kind of bet are we talking here?"
'Showtime.' "Something on the up and up. The Mistral Regional Tournament."
'4-time winner of the Mistral Regional Tournament.' "I want to put it all down for one Pyrrha Nikos as the winner."
Eyebrows raised at the statement, including Nora and Ren's. "A complete newbie as the winner, huh? There something you know that others don't?"
'Keep it together.' I smirked crookedly. "If I do, it's so secret that not even the girl in question knows."
He nodded. "Far be it for me to turn down a fool's bet, that's my bread and butter. Even if your ages combined likely don't even equal mine. Let's have it here."
A singular hand extended, but before Ren could twitch I asked, "Before I lock it in, what guarantees are there that all payouts will be honored?"
The air around us went dead silent. "Are you questioning my credibility and honor?"
My eyes could've cut stone. "I came to the most reputable bookie, of Wind Path. I'd be remiss to not get the full rundown."
Another staredown, only I think he was serious this time. Oh well, it was a good life. I could ordinarily hold a stare for ten minutes, but this wasn't even in the same hemisphere as ordinary. Just as I was about to look away, he nodded again.
"A decent head on you. If it wasn't clear how lily-white your two friends are, I'd have you pegged as a routine player. Regardless, I'll leave you this. The laws of the other side value honor in business. You don't have to trust me, but trust that. Also, think of the reputation I'd lose if I scammed the savings of a few kids. There's scum, and then there's needlessly cruel. I'm neither of those."
I nodded in return, and this time Ren's bag of lien came forward to rest in his hands. "Once the tournament's over, how will any payouts reach us? I can't imagine you'd want everyone who placed a bet to show up here."
A smile with perfect teeth flashed. "You are correct. Cops in Wind Path are crooked, but they're not blind or stupid. We'll find you."
Nodding one last time, I reached out with my hand. Blinking for a moment, he realized what I wanted and extended his in return as we shook, eliciting a chuckle from him.
I flashed him my own smile, imperfect as it was. "Pleasure doing business."
Letting go, he sat back down at the table while Nora, Ren, and I made our way out. Once outside, it was clear in their expressions that Nora and Ren wanted to see if I was okay. Wordlessly, we walked for three solid minutes before reaching a small park clustered in the middle of the city. Strolling over to a towering tree, I let a hand rest against the bark. Taking a deep breath, I leaned back and head-butted the tree.
"HO-LY DUST!" I exhaled explosively. "That. Was. Terrifying. Brothers almighty, never again. Hah…" Arms wrapped around my waist and a hand laid upon my shoulder. Slowly, I stopped nearly hyperventilating and remembered the plan. I had very little faith in my intelligence at the moment.
I had a lot in the Invincible Girl, though.
"You did well, Kouzai." Ren was a pillar I currently needed. "You remained calm and collected, and presented no weaknesses. I also believe this particular group, if not the individuals themselves, are trustworthy when it comes to payment. Wins will be remain as wins, and losses will stand as losses."
"We'll be finnnnne," Nora breezed. "I mean, I've never seen this Pyrrha girl fight, and you bet all our lien on her being the winner, and we placed a bet with shady people, but other than that, we're set!"
I laughed shakily. "Yupyupyup, totally fine. Totally fine. All part of the plan. No surprises from here on-"
"Could you guys keep it down? Trying to sleep here."
"AAAAHHHH!" As one, all three of us jumped back as a voice came from the tree. Drawing our weapons at a safe distance, branches rustled and we looked up as a shape descended from above.
"Hey, nice weapons! You three thinking of becoming Huntsmen?" Blonde hair hung from an upside-down body, showcasing ocean-blue eyes.
'No…'
"I am too, ya know! I'm pretty good at hand to hand, but I've got a real flair with a staff." A tattered and threadbare white shirt hung openly, displaying an already impressive set of abs.
'NO…'
"I even came all the way from Vacuo to attend a Mistralian academy for the better weather and prospects! Though I'm pretty broke, so getting a weapon in time for the academy…" Both hands crossed across his bare chest, and he swung back and forth slightly from his tail, wrapped around the branch.
'NO!'
"Anyways, the name's Sun! Sun Wuko-!"
"DAMNIT! I SAID NO SUPRISES!"
A/N: My God, that was a long one. A bunch of exposition for sure, but I think it sets the stage for all that comes after. As for canon information, I wrestled for a while on how to move forward with Nora and Ren. No decision is final yet, but I hope that following along with my logic thus far isn't a tough pill to swallow. As for the little jaunt up to Wind Path, I envision that Nora and Ren, being of more limited means than someone like Pyrrha, would have a correspondingly different method of obtaining their weapons. Operating under the assumption that Ren's parents believed in banking and that Grimm and bandit attacks are as common as Volume 4 makes them out to be, some sort of failsafe must exist for surviving members of families to access accumulated wealth in the event of any attacks.
Now, I mentioned before I had ideas for how to write this whole story, and write them I have. I give you…the Bonus!...ok fine, I'll use the Japanese term. I give you…the Omake!
OMAKE:
"Are you alright, Kouzai?" Upon receiving a thumbs-up while I hunched over, Glynda continued. "I apologize for potentially going overboard in my attack. I attempted to hold back, but perhaps I was still overzealous."
"It's alright," I wheezed out. 'Potentially? That was the same technique used in the first episode to take down a bullhead, just watered down.'
"Nevertheless, it appears you came up with your own solution, albeit an inefficient use of Aura. You called it Barrier, I believe?" At my nod, Glynda flashed another rare smile. "Creating an omnidirectional Aura shield is an imaginative technique. I'm sure there are potential combat applications beyond self-shielding."
I sighed. 'Her intellectual side is flaring up again, isn't it? The Hell I pay for.'
"I think I could do it one more time if you'd like to test it." I managed to get that sentence out evenly, as Glynda looked concerned.
"Truly, Kouzai? You appear quite winded." I made a show of bending down to touch my toes, then straightening to stretch my arms and back.
"Never better, Ms. Goodwitch. It's like exercising a muscle, a little exertion is expected. I need real experience if I want to get better at Aura control." I kept as straight a face as I could to assuage her concerns, but as she turned away to take her former position I mentally hissed. 'I'm so glad I've got the rest of the day without combat training. I'm really gonna need it.'
Across the practice arena again, Glynda waved her crop, and out came over a half-dozen streams of lavender Aura, homing in on my body. I cracked my neck and let out a small whimper, as I swear I saw butterflies signaling the omen of my death.
'There is no one on Remnant who possibly-
… … …
"-HAS IT ANY HARDER THAN ME RIGHT NOW!" I screamed, trying with my very soul to dodge an endless barrage of lethal parasol thrusts. Its wielder smirked amusedly as I attempted to survive the veritable storm of strikes. Seeing an opening for a literal instant, I took the chance and slashed downward at Neo with one of the practice swords.
Luckily, I also knew from painful experience that it was a trap for her to set up a counter. 'Let's not keep the lady waiting then. Time to play a little Two for Flinching.' Neo twirled around the strike and into a high kick, while her smirk faded slightly as she saw her expression mirrored.
This time the pain of a boot to the face was blunted, as my eyes stayed open while I swung towards Neo's face. A hasty interspersing of her parasol blocked the strike as she back-flipped to bleed off the momentum, her heterochromatic eyes shouting confusion.
'Neo Politan, 21. Kouzai something-or-other, .01.' "It's a little technique I made up, just for you since you avoid lethal strikes while playing with your food. Focusing Aura on the impact site to cushion the blow and quick-heal the damage lets me ride past the pain. A counter to another counter."
Neo tapped her chin thoughtfully, then tapping her parasol against one hand as her expression became suspiciously neutral.
TSING
'Oh hell.' I paled as Neo's smirk returned in force, leveling the parasol with a blade now protruding from its tip. No words were spoken as Neo stabbed directly at my crotch, but a scream of incredibly manly proportions was heard as I leapt away.
'Scratch that. Hell is empty, and the devil is here.'
A/N: Told ya it wouldn't be last you see of these other choices. But oh man, Kouzai is really a glutton for punishment no matter where he goes, isn't he? It's like his survival instinct is nearly…oh yeah, self-insert. Never mind. Hope you enjoyed that; there'll be more to come. Until next week then!
-SE
Next Chapter Date: 09/16/19