"Huh, Those kids weren't half bad!"
"Ehh. My ribs are acting up again." Ruben mumbled as he held his bruised side, barring his teeth as he rotated his shoulder back. He could feel the pain ricocheting up his side like a bolt of lightning just hit him. Ruben could already hear her now. She could be dragging him by the ear to the closest medical tent and getting him whatever he needed so he could just not be in pain for the next five minutes. "Come on, man..."
For all her lectures and her good advice, Ruben still didn't have the will to actually listen to her. Not out of disrespect. But out of pride. To deciding to skimp out on a simple exercise could cost him the chance to fight in the doubles. Yin wouldn't let his baby brother break like a twig due to a past injury. Considering that simple bout damn near blew out his arm.
"You said you would take the physical therapy! You promised me! You and I both know that it would help you!" Ruben's pains fluctuated between a minor annoyance that he shook off to being bedridden most days during their break. Ruben recalled Blair reading to him an entire book over the course of a couple days when he had to rest. Lest he be rushed to a hospital for permanent limb damage.
But for now, Ruben was at the festival. Their walk through the festival's stands wasn't exactly dampening the pain ever so slightly. If anything, it served as a catalyst for Ruben to experience even more pain.
The festival brought all manor of food and culture to the school of Beacon. Bringing delicacies from all around the world to be shared with and celebrated during one of the most momentous parts of the year. Celebrating all the diversity that was to be had in Beacon.
From the good times to be had off the area floor with the other school's students. From trading local and exotic items to pickup games of soccer or basketball.
Yin and Nora had been playing pickup games of dodgeball with various children. By 'pickup' it was pretty much indiscriminate smashing rubber balls against peoples' faces. It was hilarious...for them. At least.
The counselors didn't appreciate it.
Nor did the students who didn't want to partake of their pick up games. He could still hear the very same guards who carried Yin off for such activities to approaching him after the first match to congratulate and take pictures with him. Proud of Yin for such an entertaining match.
Blair spent of his time, when not with Ruben or Winter and not playing games with Yin, off on the outskirts of the festivities. Reading another one of his manga books while munching on a handful of tall grass. Ignoring all the crowds and distracting noise.
Winter was basically soaking in the whole thing. He wanted to try out a different food booth every day. He wanted to watch every match. He wanted to listen to every band perform. He wanted it all.
Ruben, for lack of a better term, wanted to simply enjoy the event. He recalled one afternoon not too long ago he spent before the tournament when he came to the food court to eat some food with Velvet. He recalled her poking the edges of deep fried calamari with her chopstick. Watching it sort of wiggle underneath the layer of deep fried battered grease.
Ruben ate an elk burger. With some cheese and a fried potato. It was good. Very good. B+
With this in mind, RWBY had very, very, very different reactions.
R had no real bewilderment to be had at this beautiful event. As he was in a great deal of pain.
W was still enjoying the festival. Was also, in fact, going to explore a bit during the next match.
B didn't care. As he was still peeling off dead skin and grinding his teeth over the still sensitive skin.
Y was-
"We did it!~ We did it!~" Yin's elbows flew up, thumbs pressed as against his chest as he leaned back like a rooster. Jolting his hips from side to side. He felt his hands coil into tight fists, his feet pitter pattering against the woodland floor as he tried to cap his excitement. "Onto Doubles! Two v Two! Manos a Manos! Day vs night!"
"Doubles, right." Ruben pulled himself towards a nearby bench, sitting down and catching his breath. Yin glanced over at his younger brother, dropping his arms and sitting besides Ruben. A hand running over Ruben's rib and hissing slightly. "Goodness."
"No doubles, Ruby." Yin mumbled, feeling Ruben's hand against his shoulder and attempting to push him away. Yin was nudged, hearing Ruben's muffled groans as his ribs flared up. "You are not up to form."
"You're not up to form." Ruben grumbled, rolling his eyes as he rubbed his bruised side. "But yeah...I'm out."
"I vote Yin." Blair chipped in, raising a finger and nodding his head.
"Yin's the man." Winter stated, crossing his arms and sending a smirk Yin's way. The way Yin's lips curled were followed by a quick glance away and a rise of blood in the cheeks. He could feel the confidence in his person rise. He was their first pick. He was their ace in the hole. He was the one they all wanted to represent RWBY.
"Then who am I fighting with?" Yin clapped his hands, before tossing an arm around his brother and pulling him in for a hug. Ruben's eyes shutting as he leaned against Yin's shoulder. "Ruby can't fight like this."
"Blair?" Winter glanced over at the Faunus, who was scraping his nails against his back. His teeth barring as he raked his fingernails across his back. When strands of dead charred skin and red made him cringe. Blair shook his hand, the strips of skin falling into a pile amongst the woodchips and dirt. The faunus clapped his hands, nodding towards Winter in response. Winter shook his finger, biting his lip. "Ok, Me. Winter and Yin. Yin and Winter. Y and W. W and Y."
"Nervous?" Blair asked, crossing his arms as he walked over besides Yin. Leaning against the bench and his eyes staying on the Heir. Winter let out a hard sigh, shaking his head as he glanced over at Yin. Yin, tongue in cheek, nodded his head.
"Come on! You act like I'm gonna, gonna hurt you or something or other." Yin waved off Winter's attempts to stay collected, which were failing.
Winter never imagined that their...fighting styes were compatible. Blair and Ruben jugged offense and defense with range. Pistol and Shotguns worked best as their respective ranges. Ruben had his scythes and Blair had his hatchet. Winter, for all his tricks, has a simple dirk and revolver set up. He balanced out Ruben's bloodlust with well timed shells. He could keep suppression with Blair or offer it in favor of a flank.
Yin used his fists. He's strictly offensive, save for his gauntlet's eventual unravel into a upper chest piece and helmet. Things that work great for Yin, but solely Yin. Winter couldn't take pot shots at Yin if he's in a middle of a combo, and if Winter's attacked, Yin would have to scale a battlefield to save him.
"Not what I'm worried bout." Winter mumbled, catching eye of Emerald as she passed. Her emerald hair framing her face, her egg white X collared top contrasting hard with her dark skin, and her abdomen slim and her figure was slender. Winter's eyes wandered down her hips, before she glanced over at him.
"Winter, glad to have caught your attention." She mumbled, hand planted to her hip as she peered over the young Frost man. Winter smirked, eyes bouncing up to her own as he glanced over at his team.
"I'm sure you would've caught Yin's attention. Looking like yourself and all." Winter retorted, crossing his own arms. He had a certain liking for the girl. Her wits were about her, and she looked nice in a short top.
"I'm sure if I wore what you were wearing, I'd catch the boy's attention." She raised her hand towards Yin, who was waving it profusely as soon as she came into his peripherals.
"Is that an invitation to switch clothes?" Winter chuckled, giving her a once over as he rubbed his chin. Tongue lapping over the fronts of his teeth. "Between you and me, I'd think it'd be a tight fit."
"I'm sure you'd be fine. I'm sure you're not so big." Emerald saw his eyes narrow, before she walked past him and towards Ruben. His eyes meeting her as he slowly rose to his feet. She stood at eye level with the young leader, his goatee trimmed and muttonchops shaved down for the festival. His lengthy coat draped over the backs of his calves and his tunic loose on his chest. "How you holding up, big guy? You look not so great."
"You should see the other guys." Ruben mumbled, smirking a bit as he looked over at Emerald. "How'd you do?"
"We did..." She wanted to tell him about the smackdown they gave. How Neo smashed their leader into the floor and Cinder set the floor a blaze. "Pretty good. Who's going into Doubles?"
"We voted! Me! And Winter!" Yin slammed a thump into his chest, a arm around Winter and pulling him under his bicep. "We are gonna put the competition on ice!"
"Good to hear. I was hoping for you to get back into it, Yin." Emerald smirked, winking at the blonde boy before giggling. Yin fluttered his eyes for a moment, before he started grinning from ear to ear. "I better get back to the gang. I'll see you later."
"Bye Emmy."
"Good bye."
"See you later."
"Uh-Bye!"
RWBY watched her march off, eyes resting on her hips before averting their gaze in various directions. Winter's eyes flew towards the sky, seeing a ship fly over head. The snowflake painted on the side making his smirk turn into a frown.
"Oh...no..." Winter groaned, picking up his feet and running after it. Ruben got up, barring his teeth as he glanced over the other two.
"I'll keep up with him, you guys give the best to Juane and them, ok?" Ruben said, before going off to join Winter. Blair glanced over at Yin, who had a hotdog in one hand and a turkey leg in the other. He turned towards Blair, mouth open and eyes on him.
"Leg or dog?" Yin mumbled, eyes bouncing off the two. Blair rolled his eyes, before smiling a bit.
"Leg. And thanks."