Chapter 6: Vacuoan Pride

Rainier lashed out with a vicious kick, cracking it against the boy's jaw, sending him hurtling away, tumbling against the floorboards. He tried desperately to scramble to his feet, only for a whir of silver to appear next to him, Wolf's Claws brutally kicking his arm out from under him, face planting back into the ground.

The faunus smirked, cartwheeling smoothly over his opponent before striking out with another kick to the boy's abdomen, lifting him into the air and, with one wicked side kick, buried his claws into the side of the student's head, a cannon shot sending him hurtling away wildly, crashing down into the floor below with a hard thud, skidding even meters further. Rainier's gaze turned upwards to the screen above, taking in his opponent's dark orange bar, as well as his untouched green. He let out a surprised, and amused, huff, idly leaping up, feet making contact with the wall behind him, and, with another shot, took off like a bullet of his own towards the still recovering boy.

"Mr. Platina, that is enough!" Goodwitch called out sternly.

Rainier flipped in the air, his feet returning to the floorboards below, screeching to a halt, tearing deep gouges into the wood as he went- and barely came to a stop before the boy, the other huntsman reflexively flinching away. The room went quiet as the Vacuoan stared down at his still cowering opponent, vicious, tilted grin still painted across his face.

Slowly, his smile warmed, and he extended a hand to the boy. The huntsman hesitantly looked up to the outstretched limb, taking it against what seemed to be his better judgment. Rainier hefted him back to his feet, idly brushing the dust off of his shoulders, looking him over. "Well fought, my friend!" The faunus complimented, bowing lowly.

"Uh… yeah…" The boy muttered, slowly marching towards the stairs leading off to the stands beyond, wincing in pain as he went.

Rainier gave a quick, flourishing bow to the students watching, beginning his own, light-hearted trot back towards his own team, smiling as he went.

"Mr. Platina, I would ask you to show restraint next time, particularly against an unarmed opponent. Mr. Thesia, it's been several classes now; if you continue to insist on allowing yourself to be unarmed, then you must be willing to improve your hand-to-hand capabilities."

Rainier wasn't listening, though, continuing to climb the stairs towards his teammates waiting in the wings.

His eyes met Shinai's, the two huntsmen staring off for what felt like eternity, rapidly darkening yellow meeting detached purple. Then the faunus was gone, continuing his ascent to sit silently with the rest of DRGN, an air of satisfaction following him.

Oracle leaned over the back of her chair, frowning as she watched him take his seat. She turned back towards her leader; an eyebrow cocked unsurely. "…Hey, Captain Broody- what the hell was that about?"

Shinai's gaze turned back forwards, not giving the faunus a second glance. "It's not our problem."

"I… huh," She looked back and forth between the two huntsmen, before shrugging with a shake of her head, turning to look back down at Glynda on the stage below. "I can't help but feel like it is, but… go off, I guess."

Lance craned his neck from side to side, stretching languidly, greeted by a series of satisfying pops. He rolled his shoulders out as he stared across at his opponent, the duo beginning to circle one another. "I don't think we've met."

The girl gave him a smirk, form utterly relaxed as they continued to prowl around each other, dressed in chic black and gold, outfit consummately fashionable, her hair a warm brown, streaked with gold, a black beret perched on her head. "I think I'd remember if we did, sugar."

"Lance Zaffre." He offered with a cocked eyebrow, returning her grin.

"Coco Adel. You can call me Miss Coco, though."

The swordsman let out an impressed puff of air, expression nearly jubilant. "I almost just want to surrender."

"And lose the chance to roll around?"

"On second thought, I think I'll stick around."

"If you two are quite done," Goodwitch called out over the stage, voice filled with irritation. "I said begin."

Coco shrugged. "You heard the lady."

She dashed forwards, throwing out a flurry of punches and kicks, Lance's eyes widening at the sudden onslaught, quickly put on the backfoot as he tried desperately to bring his hands up and block what strikes he could, dodging others, and simply letting others land, heavily put on the defensive as she continued to push him back

Finally, the huntress lashed out with a high kick, the attack smoothly caught in the crook of Lance's elbow, the swordsman sending her head over heel, giving himself the slightest moment or reprieve, watching as she extended the flip to land onto one knee, warm gaze turning back towards him challengingly. He wasted no time lunging forwards, striking out with a quick, brutal right, missing as she shot back to her feet, leaning just out of the way, his fist whirring just in front of her nose.

The huntsman went on the offensive, quickly closing the distance, hands held in front of him in a boxer's stance, hands firing out in rapid fire, swiveling from side to side, a flurry of punches peppering across her midsection and face, Coco's arms and legs working over time to defend as many of the blows as she could, a backfist of her own striking out, this time Lance leaning free of the blow, before retaliating with a blow of his own, her arm just barely absorbing the impact.

The combatants went back and forth, exchanging blow for blow- a punch or kick from Coco blocked or outright dodged as Lance bobbed and swayed; a machine-gun fire of well-placed boxing-style strikes from Lance comparably dodged by the significantly swifter huntress, neither student giving the other an inch of ground.

Finally, he threw a high punch, missing as she shifted to the side, then leapt with the direction of his strike, legs reaching up to wrap around his shoulders, using his own momentum to flip both of them head over heels, rolling across the ground, his back finally slamming into the floorboards.

He'd barely settled before his hands unclenched. "I yield."

Coco stared down at him from her perch on his chest, legs wrapped around the upper half of his torso, his arm still outstretched, held masterfully in her own limb, his elbow hyper-extending. She give him a smirk. "What was that?"

A grin of his own spread across his face as he gave a small wave placatingly. "I said I yield. I'm totally outmatched here. No point in it, huh?"

She let off a small, amused scoff, leaning down into his face. "…Next time- you better finish, Zaffre," She muttered quietly. "…Most girls don't like it when their dance partners give up too quickly." She squeezed her legs tighter for a split moment, before rolling off of him, popping back to her feet smoothly. Coco gave him one last look over her shoulder, offering a short wink and a click before disappearing down the steps.

He watched her go, turned halfway, a bemused grin playing on his face before climbing to his feet, marching back towards his teammates.

"Mr. Zaffre, Miss Adel, next time I would ask you to leave flirting off of my stage," Goodwitch called after them sternly. "I will not give you second warnings. That will be all for today, class."

Oracle rolled her eyes as she and Shinai reached the swordsman. "You are just a shameless dog, aren't you, Zaffre?"

"Maybe," He said with a nod. "But I've gotten luckier than you so far this year, eh?" He elbowed her in the rib, giving her a wink and click of his own.

The gunslinger pushed him away with a scowl. "One of these days-"

"-That's what you keep saying, hasn't happened yet, has it?"

"I hate you, Zaffre."

"I don't even know your name."

Shinai tuned out of the conversation as the duo began to derail into ceaseless bickering, leaning towards each other angrily as they continued to make their way from the classroom. He lagged behind, though, slightly turning over his shoulder towards the stands and the students still climbing down, chattering amongst themselves.

His gaze met Rainier's, the samurai's face scrunching up, eyes narrowing in suspicion. The faunus gave him a sour, empty smirk, a small head nod and a huff the only acknowledgment for Shinai. The lupine like eyes quickly turned away towards the irritated face of Daria, the Vacuoan quickly sliding back into smug nonchalance with ease, his form relaxing from its previously tense stance, hands folding behind his head.

Shinai stared for a moment longer before turning to follow after his team, troubled expression fading back into its trademark stoniness, chin held high.

Gail slunk into the blissfully quiet library with a small smile, the tension draining from her as she looked about the sprawling, warmly lit room.

The librarian leaned forwards as she passed the main desk, giving her a smile as he closed his own book. "Welcome back, Miss Cerulean."

She simply smiled brightly at him as she continue to stroll onwards, heading straight towards the massive section labelled 'fiction', losing herself among the aisles, well-trained eye scanning up and down for the specific author she had come there for. It only took her a moment to find her quarry, carefully resting it free from the quite-full shelf, humming a quiet song to herself as she looked its cover over, a satisfied smile claiming her face. She turned lightly on her heel as she marched back into the wider open areas of the library, turning not towards the front desk, but towards the rows of unoccupied tables, almost a skip in her step as she claimed the closest one, sitting down and opening her book with one lightning fast, smooth motion.

And in moments, she was engrossed, lost in the words and the near unmatched quiet the library offered.

Her smile turned content, one arm propping her head up on the desk, beginning to blaze through the book with not inconsiderable speed, a quiet, happy sigh escaping her lips.

"You're from DRGN." A deep voice rumbled to her, making her jump in shock, her reverie shattered.

Blinking owlishly, she slowly peered around the computer monitor in front of her- and locked eyes with Ulysses, jolting. "Oh!" She whispered loudly, even that level of noise drawing her to peer around cautiously. "Uh… Ul- Mr. Ebony."

"Don't call me that." He grunted lowly, eyes turning back down to the notebook and unfinished drawing before him, pencil in hand, both ears plugged with headphones, heavy metal quietly blaring out into the air, a half-finished tray of food beside him.

"How did I not notice you?" Gail whispered to herself, blinking at him.

"Dunno." He grunted back, not looking up, drawing yet another surprised jump from the archer.

The duo sat quietly for a long moment, before she slowly began to draw back into herself, gaze awkwardly finding its way back down to the pages below her.

"You're quiet, you know that," He mumbled, getting her to snap back to him- he was looking up at her flatly, one earbud pulled out. "Didn't even hear you walk up."

"O-oh, I'm- I'm sorry-"

"Don't. Pretty sure you're the only one I can tolerate."

Her face slowly filled with a dark blush. "O-oh… th… thank you?"

He snorted as he turned back down to his notebook and pencil, beginning to sketch away again, earbud returned to his ear. She watched him for a moment longer, before letting out a small sigh, returning to her book, relaxing again as the duo lapsed back into- relative- comfortable silence, neither moving for what felt like mere minutes.

Finally, Gail's Scroll buzzed, making her flinch in surprise- and drawing Ulysses' ever-flat gaze back towards her, as she hurriedly hushed the alarm. She closed her book, gathering herself up, rising to her feet. She stalled for a moment, though, biting her lip nervously, her eyes falling to her silent companion.

"Um…" She began, flinching at unfortunate start to the sentence. "…I'm- I'm going to… go get lunch with- with our teams- DRGN and SOUL, I mean. Are… do you want to come?"

He wordlessly raised his tray without looking up to her, though a scowl slowly began to manifest onto his face.

She swallowed hard, still standing awkwardly. "…A-are you sure? I- I mean, I don't want to be pushy, it's- it is your team-"

"I want nothing to do with them," He growled out, flat, deep tone slowly twisting with irritation. "Don't. Push it. I don't like you that much."

Gail nodded quickly, immediately turning on her heel to scurry away, face burning with an embarrassed blush as she reached the desk. The librarian frowned as he looked from her to Ulysses, but didn't pry, scanning her book as she offered it. He didn't even get the opportunity to open his mouth to speak before she hurried from the library, her book clutched tightly to her chest.

Ulysses watched her go, disinterested gaze turning back silently to his drawing as if she'd never been there.

Loud chatter echoed over the cafeteria, a mismatched motley of students of all years peppered throughout the hall, enjoying an early afternoon meal, talking amongst themselves.

Nash nodded attentively; eyes wide as he stared towards Lance. "So, when a girl comes up to you like that, what do you say?"

"…You're very pretty!"

"Yeah, okay, not a bad start. She calls you cute- what then?"

The boy's face slowly reddened, looking away abashedly. "…Than' you."

"N- no, Nash," The swordsman muttered, shaking his head. "You start chatting her up! Make some moves, and when you think she's all buttered up; you ask for her number."

"Wait, whose number?"

"Gods friggin'- Nash!"

Oracle rolled her eyes, giving her teammate a withering side-eye. "Don't you dare corrupt this sweet, innocent boy with your filth."

He looked back to her for a moment in surprise. "…Why do you gotta say it like that?"

"Because it is filth. Don't listen to him, Nash- if you think someone likes you, and you like 'em back, it'll just naturally happen. Ya can't force it- if it's meant to be, it's meant to be. Despite what Zaffre thinks, no girls like to be treated like a piece of meat."

"Yeah, sure, and how's that going for you? Captain Broody bite that particular hook yet?"

Oracle immediately struck out, burying a fist into his side, his eyes widening as he crumpled, breath rushing from him. "Unlike you, I know what boundaries are, ya little slimy rat." She muttered.

He scooted away from her, wincing, rubbing the throbbing wound. "The correct term is 'prettiest dumpster possum,' get it right."

"Wow, a mite of self-awareness, who'd a thought?"

"Zaffre, Carmine," Shinai said calmly from his position at the other end of the table, voice filled with steely warning as he peacefully continued to eat his own meal, chopsticks in hand, not even bothering to look up to his teammates. "Manners."

They instinctively slumped down like chastised children, expressions somewhere between scowls and pouts. The swordsman rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, sorry, Captain Broody."

Nash nodded solemnly in agreement. "Sorry, Mr. Kyani."

The slightest twinge of amusement appeared on the samurai's face, before he quickly schooled it into nonchalance.

Daria leaned forwards towards the gunslinger. "…Was that emotion?" She asked quietly, frowning.

"No." Shinai cut in before his partner had had a chance to answer, hardly stirring from his position, form immaculately proper.

Oracle gave the shorter huntress an affirming cocked eyebrow and head tilt, returning to eating her food. Daria shook her head as she followed suit, beginning to dig into her meal, Gail beside her quietly doing the same.

Rainier was sitting quietly, not even touching his food; simply staring off into the distance, tanned face ever-so-slowly twisting into a scowl, hands beginning to tighten around his tray.

"…Hey," She said, leaning towards him with a shoulder nudge, default annoyed expression fading to concern. "You okay?"

He said nothing, barely giving her a second glance, breathing in evenly, trying to quell a rising tide of anger. He turned half-way in his seat, darkening eyes picking through the crowd, scanning across all of the other students sat amongst the tables scattered around the cafeteria.

His gaze came to a halt, eyes narrowing, slowly pushing his tray away from himself.

Just a short few tables away from the two teams; a tall, stocky boy was standing beside a table, three smaller teens beside him, their faces pulled into near-matching cruel sneers, snickering amongst themselves.

In the leader's hands were a pair of long, brown rabbit ears, clutched tightly; the girl that they were attached to was roughly pulled away from her table, wincing in pain at the rough treatment, talking under her breath pleadingly to the larger huntsman.

He laughed, looking to his teammates. "I told you that they were real!" He called out, hardly caring about any of the other students around them.

"What a freak!" Another laughed, elbowing his friend pointedly, the quartet continuing to harass the girl in cruel enjoyment.

Daria's face twisted in distaste, her gaze returning to Rainier. "Rain…" She trailed off.

For the first time in several days, the faunus' face melted into genuine joy and satisfaction, a smile crossing his face as he turned to stare back forwards.

The grin slowly twisted into a vicious, leering one. In one swift, nonchalant movement, he pushed himself up off of his seat, feet landing onto the edge of the table.

"Oh for-" The leader of DRGN began, shooting to her feet. Before she could finish the thought, his cannon fired, and he disappeared away from his team like a silver bolt.

The leader of the four bullies looked up, face still pulled into a cruel sneer, just in time for Rainier to collide with him with incredible force, the momentum carrying both huntsmen away from the confrontation, a table sliding out of their wake, before they finally skid to a stop.

Rainier held the teen's throat tightly in his hand, grinning down at the large huntsman forced onto one knee, leaning towards him. "You must be Cardin Winchester," He hissed quickly, never taking a breath. "It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, you may call me Rainier Platina for the next few moments you are conscious, you sniveling little pila de caquita de la vaquita."

Without giving Cardin a chance to respond, he turned on his heel, hurling the larger huntsman back into the rest of his team, the quartet tumbling down from the impact. He grinned at them twistedly, pulling his jacket off to let it fall onto ground, cracking his knuckles as he began to pick his way back towards them.

The girl was in front of him in a heartbeat, though, holding abating hands up to him. "It's not worth it." She pleaded, voice lilting in a light accent.

He came to a stop, looking her up and down. "Oh, do not worry, my dear. Saving you from them is only a fortunate biproduct, yes? I am doing this, for the fun of it." He dashed around her with ridiculous speed, the other faunus twirling in her spot as he passed.

Rainier reached the recovering Team CRDL in a heartbeat, leaping into the air with a graceful twirl, a cannon shot cracking against one of the huntsman's faces, sending him hurtling over the table and away, tumbling through a mess of food as he came crashing down with a groan. The faunus let himself fall, spinning as he did so, kicking out one of the other members of CRDL's feet, the huntsman crashing down chin first onto the table with a satisfying 'crack', the Vacuoan kipping back up to his feet without a lost moment, a trio of kicks crashing into the boy's chest, before kicking him in the back of the knee, sending him down with a yell.

Rainier brutally brought his Wolf's Claws down onto the back of his head with a rocketing cannon shot, bright, giddy eyes turning to Cardin himself, stepping forwards to grab onto his throat before he could rise fully back to his feet, other hand curling back in preparation for a punch.

He wouldn't get the chance to unload onto the larger huntsman, hands grasping onto his shoulders, a foot kicking his own leg out from under him, sending him hurtling up and backwards over his attacker, landing smoothly onto his feet.

Daria stared down at herself in surprise, before immediately returning back to her expression of anger, storming up into his face. "What do you think you are doing?!"

He tried to side-step around her as Cardin rose to his feet, rubbing his throat with a wince, glaring across at Rainier. "Yeah, you listen to your little girlfriend!"

"You stay out of this, jackass!" She snapped, turning on her heel.

"What did you-" He began furiously- before a hand wrapped around his shoulder. Lance bore down on him, pushing the CRDL leader down to sit on the bench, eyes daring him to make a move.

Cardin simply sat, stewing in indignation as the swordsman patted his arm roughly.

Daria turned back to her teammate. "You cannot just tear up a cafeteria and attack people!"

"Oh, yes, I can. And I did! Now, dearest Daria- step aside so I may shatter his bones into kindling." Rainier spat back still trying to maneuver around her.

Her hands lashed out to grasp his shirt tightly, glaring up at him. "As your leader, frigging- frigging stand down! That's an actual order!"

His face fell in chastisement for a moment, before immediately twisting back into defiance, opening his mouth to speak.

Before he could, the great doors to the cafeteria flew open, wind rushing in dramatically, buffeting across all the students within.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Glynda snapped furiously as she stormed in, her riding crop raised high, burning green gaze scanning around before settling onto the group stood in the center of the hall.

It seemed like every pair of eyes in the cafeteria turned incriminatingly to Rainier, the room falling into untouched, dead silence. His face fell in defeat, a small groan escaping his lips, stumbling past his leader to sit beside Cardin as the stern-faced professor continued to march in.

"Mr. Platina!" Goodwitch barked.

Rainier let out a resigned sigh- and lashed out with a vicious punch, smashing into Cardin's smug face, sending him sprawling onto the bench beside him.

"Twas worth it." He muttered quietly.