Hello! Welcome to the eighth chapter of Bloodbound! Enjoy!

Crimson was fine. Really. Even though Ruby kept casting him looks that he didn't necessarily like (There was far too much pity and questions in them, and that was a dangerous combination.), Crimson was perfectly fine.

He was even making good on a promise! He was taking use of the student kitchen and making eclairs to Nora Valkyrie-though she called them chocolate pastries-and humming while he did so! Granted, it was a song by Grimm Sex Devil, but that didn't matter; humming equaled being fine in Crimson's book.

Ruby, however, had different opinions.

"Sooooo…Crimson." Ruby said from next to him, hands clasped behind her back, as Crimson used a pastry bag to lay out lengths of dough on a pan. "Making pastries?"

"Yep." He glanced at his leader and noticed she wasn't paying attention to his work, but solely on him. "Nora did threaten to hunt me down if I didn't."

"True. But you're up really early, I thought you viewed mornings as something evil." Ruby gestured with a hand towards the oven clock, which was just past six. Crimson shrugged, ignoring how tense his muscle still were.

It must be from bending over the kitchen counter. He decided, he was fine, after all.

"I wasn't very tired and eclairs take a while to make," He put aside the pastry back and turned to look fully at Ruby. "And you don't care about making small talk, what's up?"

Ruby scratched the back of her head self-consciously. "Well, um, how are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"But, I mean, what happened last night…"

"Still fine."

"I really don't think you are." Ruby seemed to take a deep breath as if steeling herself for something. "Because I heard-"

"Ruby, listen to me," Crimson snapped, his tone sharp and cold. "I. Am. Fine! There is nothing wrong with me! Last night hurt like the Hells, but it's over and I'm fine now!"

He turned back to his baking, seemingly intent on ignoring Ruby until she left him alone again. And without any other ideas on how to get him to admit that he was definitely not fine, she cast him one last concerned look and exited the kitchen, leaving the room and Crimson with his thoughts.

He looked at the pan of dough before him, frowning as if it was all wrong, that all his hard work was for nothing, before shaking his head and getting back at it. Nora would be sad if I didn't get these done.

"That monstrosity is seventy-percent chocolate, I thought you said these things were pastries?"

"They are pastries! I just took a creative and unhealthy license with them. And they're all the better for it! Right, Nora?"

"Mm-hmm!"

"See, Nora agrees."

Neo rolled her eyes and turned away from the sight of her partner and Nora Valkyrie and stuffing their faces with the eclairs Crimson made earlier in the morning. The buzz of chatter washed over her ears as golden sunlight flowed through the window, illuminating the table she shared with her team and Teams JNPR and EWBY (Apparently, they were making friends with JNPR while RSNC was trying to find ways to stab Belladonna in the face.).

But that assignment was in the past, and no longer important to Neo. What was important was that Nora's much quieter friend, Lie Ren, was flickering his gaze from RSNC member to RSNC member with a thoughtful look in his eyes. A look that made the more paranoid side of Neo boil and rage that he was onto them and they either needed to run or take him out.

Thankfully, Ruby noticed Ren's looks as well and what they were doing to Neo's mindset, and she placed a comforting hand over the much smaller one of her tri-colored companion. Thought no words passed between them, Neo felt her tense muscles relax and the bloodlust in her veins slowly fade out.

I both love and hate the fact that she can do this to me. Before Neo had a chance to do anything else (Like stare down Ren in a battle for dominance), Jaune Arc, leader of Team JNPR and the legendary Flirt-Tastic, asked a question that made Neo want to simultaneously face-palm and make a break for it through a window.

"Hey, Blake, how goes the search for the assassin?"

Neo felt herself stiffen, in fact, she thought she could feel her entire team stiffen at the question that really made her wonder if the Arc had any sort of social grace at all. At least, we'll see if anyone is on to us.

Blake Belladonna, who up till the question had just been sitting quietly at the end of the table reading, looked up at Jaune and shook her head, all the other conversations between the teams dying off in favor of the talk of that night.

"No," Blake set her book down on the smooth surface of the wooden table. "Beacon and even the VPD have been looking for them, but it's like he vanished into thin air." She bit down on the last part of her sentence. Like all White Fang assassins are trained to do.

Neo, meanwhile, had to bite down on a derisive snort. They brought the cops into it? No wonder they can't find anything!

"What was a White Fang operative doing in Beacon anyways?" Ruby sounded perfectly innocent and confused as she asked the question, glancing up and down the table as if searching for the answer. She got it from an unexpected source.

"He was after me," Weiss Schnee's lip curled ever so slightly. "Those monsters have been after my company and my family for years, they must be getting desperate if they are coming here."

Neo caught the look that Blake give her teammate, the hint of ugliness in her eyes. Man, with Schnee insulting her partner yesterday and now THIS, the heiress certainly isn't making any friends.

Neo was not the only one to catch Blake's look, however, Yang caught the hardness of her partner's eyes and quickly moved on from the "White Fang" topic.

"Whatever the reason, we fought him off." She said proudly, slinging an arm around Ebon's shoulders and casting a look at Blake. "Which reminds me, how did you know the guy was there? Because I was fast asleep until I heard the fighting."

Neo leaned forward, just slightly, but enough to betray her burning curiosity at the question to anyone who was watching. Blake furrowed her brows and actually looked puzzled as she answered.

"I smelled something," Blake said slowly as if recalling her memories of that night. "It was faint, but it was enough to save my life."

"What was it?" Ruby asked, sounding as curious as Neo felt. Blake shrugged.

"Hairspray." She said simply.

xXx

"I'm going to kill him," Skyler said thoughtfully as they walked to their second class of the day, combat lead by Glynda Goodwitch. Team RSNC had spent the first period in a glaring silence as they all processed the information Belladonna had revealed. Admittedly, the majority of that silence could be credited to all of them (Sans Crimson) digesting the fact that Crimson Shard, previously known as a professional killer, had been undone by his hair.

Well, it explains why he keeps having bad luck with Faunus…as weird as smelling his hairspray is. Ruby thought to herself as she cast a quick glance at Crimson who was walking beside Skyler with a very offended look on his face, his hair still loose and product free.

"No, you aren't going to kill him." Neo seethed, finally allowing her true emotions to shine through as they were the only ones in the hallway. "He's my partner, so I'M going to kill him!"

"I am right here, you know." Crimson crossed his arms across his chest. "So, the least you can do is acknowledge my existence while you're debating who gets to kill me."

Neo stopped dead in her tracks before whirling around to level a burning glare towards Crimson. "Ruby, Skyler, you two go on ahead. I'm going to ACKNOWLEDGE my partner's existence."

"I leave him in her capable hands, Ms. Neo." Skyler gave a cheerful wave before walking down the hallway and turning a corner, disappearing from view. Ruby lingered for a moment, casting a concerned look between Neo and Crimson before falling her partner's path, leaving a parting comment as she went.

"Be nice, Neo."

Neo didn't take her eyes off Crimson as she answered. "Relatively to what has BEEN happening, I'm about to be the sweetest thing he has ever laid eyes on."

Once the hallway as silent except for the sounds of hushed breathing, Neo stepped closer to Crimson and looked up into his face. Her eyes burrowing into his. Finally, Crimson decided to break the figurative bone-chilling ice.

"So…you're mad. I get that."

WHACK

Neo replied in a way that articulated her point in a very direct and brunt kind of way. She hit him in the head with Deadly Elegance.

"MAD does not even BEGIN to cover what I'm feeling right now!" Neo eyes became a storming sea of flashing color as her fury grew. "Everything that happened, Cinder and everything she did, was all caused your own stupidity! You failed because of your ridiculous vanity!"

"First of all, lay off my hair, it has feelings too and its feeling very down at the moment." He smiled faintly as Neo's eye narrowed. "But being serious now, I realized I made a mistake and I think we can all agree that I paid for it. However, I'm trying to fix it." He pointed to his hair. "No products until things die down a bit and now that the shameful secret of my Faunus issue is out, there's no point in me making the same mistake again. Happy?"

Neo's eyes were silts at this point but she slowly backed up and gestured for them to continue their way to class. After several moments of silence, the shortest partner looked back up at her much taller counterpart.

"When we get to Goodwitch's class, we are going to spar." Neo raised her parasol and rested it on her shoulder. "Depending on how many bones I break; I might forgive you."

Crimson sighed dramatically. "Oh, if that's the case, then I'm never going to have your forgiveness!"

Neo gazed Crimson with steady eyes as he grinned back from across the ring, Goodwitch stood off to the side and watched them impassively.

"Began!"

Crimson rocketed forward, cleavers in hand and already whirling like bladed mirrors, the individual sounds of his footfalls blurring together as Neo met him halfway and Dust-infused fabric met steel blades with a clash like sharp thunder.

And the shattering of glass filled the arena as the image of Neo shattered into a thousand pieces.

"That's not very sportsman-like!" Crimson called into thin air, his excited smile betraying his words. "Why don't you come out and give the nice people sitting in the stands a show?"

Neo spun back into view almost before he was done speaking and lashed out with dozens of lighting-flash blows all aimed at his knees and stomach. Crimson matched each strike with one of his own, spinning both cleavers as he blocked the parasol from bludgeoning away his aura.

This fight has gone on for ten seconds too long. Crimson leaned back to avoid a partially vicious swung from Neo. Time to end this before someone other than me gets the upper hand.

Disengaging from the melee, Crimson leaped away from Neo and, for a brief moment, a gold light seemed to shine from his veins. Neo felt a strange feeling come over her, a feeling like a freezing breeze on a winter day.

Shaking off the feeling, Neo narrowed her eyes at the sight of Crimson gesturing with a single finger to come and get him. Growling, she charged forward…

…only to fall as the heel of her boot snapped in half and stumbling forward into the edge of a cleaver. Only Neo wasn't some idiot hunter-in-training, she learned to fight in the streets and the darkness of Vale, it would take more than a broken heel to put her out of the fight. All this did was corner her and that was Crimson's first mistake.

The second mistake was being so much taller than Neo, so it was hardly her fault when she snapped out her parasol spike and stabbed it into Crimson groin just as his cleaver made contact with her neck.

The noises that were made were not manly noises, but who was Neo to judge? If she was actually physically able to make noises that did not sound like she was gargling gravel, she would be groaning dismally in pain. Crimson was not one to hold back.

"Ms. Sorbet, Mr. Shard…" Goodwitch looked out over her two students. One was sitting outside the ring, clutching her neck in pain while the other was in a fetal position with his face pressed against the stone of the sparring ring. "Would you like to call the match a draw?"

"I can still fight." Neo jumped to her feet…before clutching her neck as if someone had driven a red-hot-needle into it. "Not well, admittedly, but Squeaky over there is not going to be much of a challenge."

Crimson made a noise that only did justice to his new nickname. Goodwitch took it to mean that, yes, he would like to call the match a draw. The instructor sighed.

"The match is a draw. Ms. Sorbet, please help your partner to either his seat or the infirmary, whichever he needs." Ignoring the girl's annoyed huff, Goodwitch turned to the rest of her class.

"Remember, students, your aura will only protect you from attack you are prepared for, as is shown perfectly with the unfortunate case of Mr. Shard. You must stay vigilant." She adjusted her glasses. "Now, for our next match, will Mr. Winchester and Mr. Arc come to the ring."

As the two current fighters made their way into the sparring ring, Winchester with a swagger and Jaune looking determined yet resigned, as if he already knew the outcome of the match's outcome, Neo and Crimson made their way towards where the rest of their team were sitting.

Before they took their places, however, Neo paused and looked up at Crimson whose waist she had a small arm wrapped. Crimson looked back at her, eyebrow raised and face still wincing in pain at every slight motion.

"I forgive you, Zombie Boy." She said finally. Her partner rolled his eyes, even though a small smile formed on his lips. When he spoke, his voice held actual words instead of defeated sounds of pain.

"Oh, thank the Gods. It only took my castration to earn it."

Neo snorted, an answering smile on her lips. "Come on, Ruby is going to explode if she doesn't give us a recreation of our match and Skyler looks like he is going to be sick."

"Wow, I wonder why." Crimson shifted his hips and could barely hide his grimace. "Ow. First, my aura doesn't block the attack and now it's taking forever to heal. This week has not been kind."

Neo had to agree there. The last couple of days had seemed to have a bone to pick with the assassin. "Look on the bright side, at least, we'll get to sit back and watch what some actual huntsmen-in-training can do!"

Actual huntsmen-in-training were overrated. Team RSNC had come to that conclusion in watching the long, boring, and very one-sided spar between Cardin and Jaune.

It was like watching a noodle with arms trying to hit a large, slow rock with a budding sadistic streak. Ruby had even started calling out advice until Goodwitch paused the match to tell her to stop this instant or she would find herself with more detention than she already had. Ruby had decided to stop talking after that in favor of critiquing the entire match in her head. A critique she shared with her teammates as soon as combat class as over.

"…and why wasn't Jaune using his mobility! Winchester is heavily armored, nearly twice as big, and wields a mace that is probably heavier than Jaune!" The team leader threw up her arms in disbelief over the match, Neo just patted her sympathetically on the shoulder. "Thanks, Neo."

"Anytime." Neo looked around the dining hall where they had arrived in search of lunch. Crimson had fully healed from what he dubbed the 'Surprise Erotic Acupuncture Incident' much to everyone's displeasure and Skyler no longer looked like he was going to vomit in second-hand pain. Neo sighed. And the day is not even half-over, please let the rest of it be normal!

Of course, when Neo saw that Ruby was leading them to where Teams EWBY and JNPR had claimed a table, she knew her plea had been in vain. Nothing normal happens around those people, I've only been here for four days, and I already know that nothing normal happens around those people. It's like an instinct.

Instinct or not, when Ruby took a seat across from Yang Xiao Long, Neo had no choice but to follow her lead. Crimson and Skyler taking spots further down the table. Beside her, Nora was spinning a tale of her and Ren's glorious exploits with Ren correcting her after every sentence.

"But they were no match... And in the end, Ren and I took them down and made a boatload of Lien selling Ursa skin rugs!"

Neo cocked her head. And the correction for that sentence would be…

"She's been having this recurring dream for nearly a month now." Came Ren's tired sigh.

Neo snorted. Yeah, that sounded about right. Well, at least, the quiet youth was watching her team with that thoughtful look in his eyes anymore. Suddenly, a cold feeling went down Neo's back. Of course, that could just mean he has already got all the information he needed and now we're all screwed and-

Once again, the comforting feeling of Ruby's hand on her leg tied her back down to reality and shoved away the anxiety-riddled thoughts. The two shared a smile before a sudden question caused the two to look back towards the others.

"Jaune…" Pyrrha Nikos asked, looking concerned, who Ruby finally recognize thanks to her weapon and Skyler's fangirling when he thought no one was watching (Of course, the entire team saw the display, but they were not going to tell him that). "Are you okay?"

Jaune, who up till then had been digging through his food like trying to find the meaning of life, snapped his head up. "Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?"

He sounded like he knew exactly why.

"Well, VB…" Ebon looked uncomfortable as she said the next part of her sentence. "It's just Cardin knocked your books out of your hands, trapped you in a doorway with your own shield, and shoved you inside a rocket locker and launched it into the mountains…and that was just yesterday."

Jaune rolled his eyes. "Cardin's a jerk, what can I say?" Seeing no one was convinced, he plastered own a painfully fake smile and tried again. "Guys, I'm fine. Seriously! Look!" He held a thumbs up in his face like it would make anyone feel better.

However, before anyone could say "Stop denying the obvious truth, Jaune.", a commotion broke through their conversation and the three teams turned to see Team CRDL in the process of mocking a Faunus student, the girl's rabbit ears wilting at their words and jeers.

Skyler suddenly became very still and an ugly look flashed before his eyes as everyone else turned back to their own conversation. Pyrrha reached out to lay her hand on top of Jaune's.

"Jaune, you know, if you ever need help, all you need to do is ask."

"OH! I know!" Nora hopped up onto the table with a wide grin. "We'll break his legs!"

Most of Team RSNC nodded (Skyler was as still as ice), they approved of that idea. Jaune, being probably –most definitely- more moral than them, just held out his hands in an effort to calm his friends.

"Guys, it's okay. Really, it's fine. Besides, it's like I said before, Cardin's not just a jerk to me, he's a jerk to everyone!"

As if to prove his point without a shadow of the doubt, a sudden cry of pain revealed Cardin was pulling harshly on the Faunus girl's ears, jeering at her alongside his team.

"See, I told you they were real."

"What a freak."

"Please stop!" The girl cried out. "That hurts!"

"Absolutely atrocious," Pyrrha muttered, a heavy glare on her face. "I can't stand people like him!"

"Well, obviously…" Skyler slammed his palms on the table as he stood up, surprising everyone with the pure fury in his voice. "You can't hate him that much as you are currently sitting here doing nothing!"

And with that, he marched off, right toward CRDL and their victim. His hands unlooping Timelash from her place across his vest.

"Excuse me, brutish troglodyte?" He inquired as stood behind Cardin whose hand was still clamped around the other student's ears. As soon as the taller student laid eyes on Skyler, his face turned purple in rage and he spat out a word coated with hatred.

"You!"

"Yes, me. Surprise." Skyler rolled his eyes. "And did you literally answer to brutish troglodyte? No, wait, don't answer that." He slammed his hand upwards and smashed the watch end of Timelash into the bully's chin. "I have better things to do anyway."

In one deft motion, Timelash's chain had reached hungrily out Team CRDL, their aura lighting up in streaks as the hundreds of linked blades carved across their body. Then Crimson tackled them, ignoring the razor chain that whipped across his body.

"I was prepared this time! He shouted triumphantly as he brought the three lesser members of Team CRDL to the floor in a mess of limbs and pained shouts. Skyler rolled his eyes again at his teammate's sudden appearance and turned his attention back to the main bully himself.

Cardin Winchester, his aura healing a black bruise under his chin and rage on his face. The thief stared back impassively.

"You'll pay for-" Cardin's angry sputtering were cut off as Skyler slapped him across the face with Tmelash once again, sending the hunter-in-training back down to the floor once again.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure I will pay dearly." Skyler sent one last dirty look at Cardin's sprawled form before turning to the bully's victim, offering a small bow as he did so.

"My name is Skyler Snow, my deepest apologies for the barbaric actions of my fellow humans." He gestured to where Crimson appeared to be doing some sort of violent Riverdance on the bodies of Team CRDL. "That's Crimson Shard, my teammate. He's…weird. I apologize for his actions too."

The girl tore her gaze away from Crimson (Skyler could relate) and looked back at him with wide, brown eyes.

"Why?" She asked, her voice soaked in honest confusion. "Why did you help me? You don't even know me."

Skyler shrugged. "Why shouldn't I have helped you? You needed it and that's the only reason I care about."

The girl stared at him for a moment, before shaking her head as if to clear it and stammering out an apology.

"I-I'm sorry, I should've have introduced myself. I'm Velvet Scarlatina, member of Team CVFY." She held out her hand and Skyler took it with a faint smile.

"Nice to meet you, Ms-"

"What happened here?!" Goodwitch's shout reverberated off the walls and all other talking in the dining hall ceased, Skyler screwed his eyes shut.

"Forgot I was in a school." He muttered. "Crimson, get ready to run. I am not getting stuck with more detention."

Crimson, who was trying to look like an innocent angel while standing on top of CRDL's bruised bodies, merely nodded, too busy whistling to give a verbal answer. When Goodwitch's furious footsteps become loud enough to make Skyler's heart quake, he turned to look up at the angriest human being he had ever seen in his life.

"Ah, professor, fancy meeting you here!" He gave a toothy smile. "Lovely day, no?"

"Mr. Snow." Goodwitch grounded out between gritted teeth. "Please, explain to me why Team CRDL is once again lying unconscious at your feet?"

Skyler was about to launch into a perfectly responsible story when Velvet stepped forward to face Goodwitch.

"It's really my fault, professor, I spilled my lunch tray and the resulting mess was catastrophic! Crimson is just lucky he landed on top of the mess, but I think Team CRDL are really hurt and should probably be sent straight to the infirmary."

Velvet's eyes were so wide and so innocent that even Crimson was swayed into believing her for a moment until he remembered he was the one who beat up the team in the first place. How was this girl being bullied again? How could someone even THINK about bullying her?

If Goodwitch had been elsewhere, Crimson would have started stomping on the group of bullies.

The Huntress stared incredulously at Velvet, looked to Crimson who was now clutching his head and looking confused (He always liked acting!), and then reverted her gaze. Taking a deep breath, Goodwitch spoke, her voice holding hints of defeat.

"Very well, Ms. Scarlatina, if there is anything else you like to tell me, I'll be in my office."

And with that, she levitated the four members of Team CRDL (Dumping Crimson to the ground with a yelp), all of whom were groaning feebly, off the ground and out of the cafeteria. Not a word of truth was spoken in the entire room. As soon as Goodwitch was out of sight, the dining hall exploded into chatter.

"How did you manage that?" Skyler actually looked awed as he looked to Velvet who blushed slightly at the sheer wonder in his voice.

"Professor Goodwitch…all the professors, actually, have always liked me. I'm a model student and I'm kinda known for avoiding violent situations with people, so no one expects me to be in the middle of a brawl." Velvet blushed again. "This is the first time I've taken advantage of it."

"Oh, trust me," Crimson popped up beside his teammate like a leather-clad jack-in-the-box. "All that is only part of the reason we just got away with our lives. Velvet," He looked at the huntress-in-training. "You're absolutely adorable and people stand no chance against it, you could become ruler of Vale just with your bunny ears alone."

"I-I mean, that's…thank you?" She managed weakly, her face aflame. She did not handle compliments well, okay! Skyler smacked the back of his teammate's head.

"Don't make Ms. Scarlatina uncomfortable, Zombie Boy." Seeing Velvet's confusion, he clarified on the odd title. "That's his nickname."

"Oh." The student shuffled her feet awkwardly. "Well, I guess I'll be seeing you two around?"

"Of course!" Skyler looked scandalized by the very thought of not seeing her again. "It would be weird if we weren't at least a little friendly after breaking Winchester's jaw."

Velvet couldn't help the small snort of laughter that slipped past her lips. She looked up, mortified, but the two humans just smiled.

"Yeah, you're cool." Crimson grinned. "And remember, if they come back, aim for their testicles. Trust me, it takes a man out."

Skyler closed his eyes briefly and counted to ten before speaking. "Ms. Scarlatina, please ignore him. He's crazy, was raised by wild sewer rats, and speaks his mind which is warped beyond belief."

Crimson snorted. "Rude."

"It's okay." She said quickly. "It's…good advice, to be honest. And please, call me Velvet."

Skyler nodded. "Well then, Velvet, I see you around."

As they turned to walk back to their table (Crimson giving a wide wave), the Faunus stepped forward.

"Skyler? Crimson?" The two turned their heads and Velvet looked back at them steadily. "Thank you, for helping me."

"Don't mention it." Skyler gestured with a gloved hand. "And if you ever need help again, give us a shout and we'll be there."

At Velvet's smile and nod, the RSNC members turned back to their own table. Expecting to return to lunch, maybe answer a few questions on why they sent an entire team to the infirmary (They thought the answer was fairly obvious, but one could never tell with hunters-in-training), and then go off to listen to Oobleck spit off his lectures at nearly the speed of light.

However, what they saw at their table was a bit more…violent than usual.

Blake Belladonna was holding Neo by the collar of her uniform, her amber eyes glaring murder at the shorter girl who was baring her teeth in fury. Both had cutlery knives clutched in their hands and jammed near the other's throat.

Skyler stared for a moment before spluttering. "Why is everyone so violent today? I thought this was a school, not a gladiator arena!"

"Didn't we just beat the-"

"Shut up, Zombie Boy!"

This chapter was supposed to cover the entire Jaundice arc, but things got lengthy, so I decided to chop it up into smaller parts. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this and I'll see you in the next chapter!

Next Update: 2/17/2019