AN: hey guys…. This is what two weeks late now? Yeah sorry to those who decided to stick around for this shit show, I got slammed with school work, an offer for an internship at an I.T. firm(YAY!) and the bullshit that is home coming. Um this chapter is close to double the normal length for your extended pain. We got a funeral and a few short fights and to finish it off Weiss embarrasses herself in front of the school! To all you who voted in the poll thanks, and that will be up till next week when i collect the results, so far it looks a bit crispy. This chapter will probably be updated to add a bit here and there for detail embellishment. Oh Laptop should get a new chapter staring Bloodborne soon. Uh yeah thats it on my end, read it and tell me where i fucked it over so i can fix it somewhat.
Bold=Russian
Italics=Itailan
underline=German
Any other tounges will be call out close by.
The men went their separate ways, Ozpin to his tower, and Airborne back to their barracks to get some need sleep.
It was the following day before anything was decided. Krauss had informed Ozpin of how the tower attack should happen. The night of the dance was about a week away at this point. Honestly, poor Cinder was in for a nasty surprise. The disturbing amount of ideas Krauss had memorized for dangerous objects meant anything from Pulse Jets to 200 watt lasers(that would be 33 million times brighter than the sun.) where a possibility. The Wilhelm had an amazing sense of human nature, able to tell who would walk there, pick up that can, read that book, they were all child's play. Adam's Previous job as a contractor had shown him many, many ways to get a project done. Jonathan had an so far unparalleled ability to hide anything, he could make a machine gun look like a rock even after it started firing. Pull these skills together, and you get a incredible variety of devices that would be very bad to trigger. Anything from air raid sirens to teller mines loaded with mustard gas had been produced. Krauss had even asked permission to drag the flammenwerfer out of storage, something about dramatic irony. Of course Adam, the sane man he is, he denied his request.
It was the three days to the dance Airborne held the funeral for the four Russians and the rest of the soldiers in the forest. In the gathering dusk, they had placed flags of each person's homeland over each casket. Krauss had once again dug out his dress blues, and held M1 and sat a trumpet next to him Jonathan and Wilhelm followed suit. Adam acted as the MC. Ozpin had also attended, he once again held a lit torch. Krauss had managed to decipher a good deal of the notes from the BTR, and it was depressing as hell. He really felt bad for those poor people, at least they could rest now. The honor guard had formed themselves up properly now Adam and Ozpin at the top of the caskets, and Wilhelm, Jonathan, and Krauss at the left.
"PRESENT ARMS!" Three Rifles went to shoulders and pointed skyward in precise unison. Ozpin gently placed the torch in the small trail of oil that would light the pyres.
"Fire!" the rifles barked as the flames spread.
"Fire!" The rifles barked again, the flames licked at caskets now as the fabric of the flags burned
"Fire!" The rifles barked their last as the bodies were consumed in the inferno.
"Shoulder arms!"
Krauss placed his rifle down and lifted the trumpet. Taking a large breath he began to mournfully play Taps. The men saluted as the last note faded into the forest below. They stood
"May God have mercy on your souls." Stated Adam.
Krauss said "May you find rest at the Emperor's side." The High gothic was as brutal sounding as it's origins.
"May your spirit find rest in the halls of your forefathers." Muttered Wilhelm his normally harsh sounding German was smooth and flowing.
"May you find your place in Oum's great hunt." Intoned Ozpin, the ancient Valean was thick with unspoken emotions.
"Find your rest brothers, it is well earned." Said Jonathan, the usually light Italian was heavy with the man's thoughts.
They stood watch at the flames for close to an hour before returning to a separate section of tunnels they sat and drank a few. The room was a hollowed out section below the cliff, They even had a small window looking out over the forest and the stars. They sat around a small fire, a bottle of… Something Krauss had cooked up from they hydraulics of the BTR (forgot if it was the M-60 or the T-72s you could do that with.) and the Remnant equivalent of Jack Daniels was passed around. The older group shared stories about the squads they had been with, Krauss shared what he had learned from the BTR's notes. They were definitely not from the Earth he knew, the vast quantity of mutants and just plain weird shit they made note of made that abundantly clear. This brought up some very, very, bad possibilities. As they sat and drank, they watched the stars pass through the window. At 2230 Ozpin took his leave. By 2300 only Adam was left. Placing the bottle of whiskey back in its crate he looked out side one last time. "Find your peace."
He walked back out to join his men in the barracks.
The next day was uneventful with only a slight hangover from the night. Well until breakfast That is.
"I'm telling you there is a reason why every nation give sabers to officers and NCOs."
"That's simply because it takes less training, anyone can wildly flail a blade about, a skilled fencer could kill you with ease."
Jaune found this the perfect time to open his mouth and put his foot in it. "Or I could simply snap your blade. Both your swords are too flimsy."
Krauss pointed out a very good fact. "Oh so you think you can break my blade kiddo, good luck. While it's nice to stab something, it is also fun to slash them open. A saber is designed with both in mind."
This argument went on for close to ten minutes before Yang butted in.
"Monty! Would you shut up already. If you think you've got a better sword than beat the other in a fight."
And with that comment, Weiss almost immediately challenged the two men to a duel. Now after Cardin's incident, Airborne was still forbidden from sparring with students but since they had forgone the use of firearms, Port let it slide, when he agreed to referee the match.
The terms were simple, the losers had to take either KP duty for the twelve for a week, or they would have to help Krauss in his ongoing translation of the research notes from the BTR. And of course they would have to scream to the entire school at lunch which blade was better.
Krauss had emptied all his MOLLE pouches and detached them from his armor, leaving only his pistol holster on his thigh and a trench knife on his chest.
"Mr. Arc, Sergeant Krauss, the first to land a disabling blow is the winner, Are ye ready?"
Nora stood from her seat in the balcony and yelled down."Kick his ass Jaune!"
"Yeah go get him Jaune." Shouted Ruby, Behind her JNPR and RWBY ,with the exceptions of Jaune and Weiss, were waving little pendants with Jaune's badge on them.
"Don't you fuck up Sergent." Encouraged Wilhelm. "You know how much these kids eat." In true Airborne fashion, Jonathan had produced a full sized American flag and was waving it about while blasting The Star Spangled Banner over a set of speakers to the annoyance of more than a few. Port was completely oblivious.
Krauss drew his sword and held it straight out while placing his free hand over his heart, lightly gripping the knife' sheath. Jaune followed suit with his sword, gripping it tightly in both hands, and letting his shield stay at his side.
"Begain!"
Krauss began a slow circle around Jaune looking for an exploitable hole in his defense. With a surprisingly quick lunge for someone of his size, Krauss stabbed with his saber near Jaune's gut. Jaune parried the blow with a desperate vertical slash. Krauss swore internally. this had pushed his blade past Jaune, but left him well inside his reach and with his sword in a good slashing position. Doing the one thing you're not supposed to do he dropped and rolled to the right, Croa Mors flew an inch above him. Regaining his distance the circling began again. Krauss tried again this time with a double horizontal slash. The first cut went up at a 20 degree angle and nearly caught Jaune in the shoulder the follow up slammed into Jaune's other arm, right into the pauldron.
"Non Lethal!" Called out Port.
Now it was Jaune's turn. While he didn't have the reach or knowledge that Krauss had, he was faster, and a smaller target. Ducking inside Krauss's guard, he aimed a swipe at the Sergeant's legs. Krauss jumped back, but it was slightly late. Croa's tip scraped across his leg armor. Jaune continued the attack, swinging wildly while too close for Krauss to even bring his longer saber to bear, let alone to commit any attacks that would be fatal. Unexpectedly Krauss lashed out with a solid kick catching Jaune in his knee. While his aura stopped it from breaking, it did nothing to dull intense pain from nearly becoming double jointed.
As he fell backwards onto his back, Krauss took aim and went for the kill. A quick slash to his gut and Jaune was out.
"Sergeant Krauss wins! Impressive fighting both of you. You nearly had him Mr. Arc, if the good Sergeant wasn't so adept in his footwork, you would have surely would have won."
The two looked at the scoreboard. Predictable, Krauss's was at zero Aura, but to the surprise of most, Jaune was down by ten percent. To think that a kick and pair of slashes had been enough to take away 10% from Jaune "Aura battery" Arc was a little off putting.
Suddenly the tape that had been playing the star spangled banner switched over to something a bit less appropriate
"AMERICA! FUCK YEAH, COMING TO SAVE THE" *click* Jonathan tried to sink away from the stereo, his face beet red.
"Private, why the hell is merica fuck yeah on that tape?"
"Reasons"
"Don't ever play that unless we're under attack by Fascists or Commies."
"Yes sir."
"Hey uh try track five, should be a bit less…. Explicit. Jaune good fight, if I didn't fight against Trenton so often you probably would have won." (Trenton just keeps swinging, it is very hard not to get backed into a corner and stabbed. Or shot with a poorly padded arrow.) The Sergeant extended a hand down. Jaune clasped it firmly and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet by the bigger man.
Port started preparations for the next "Would Miss Schee come down here."
Weiss stood up and walked down to the area floor.
Weiss smirked "So Sergeant I hope you're good at cleaning dishes."
Krauss raised an eyebrow. "Taunts now ice queen, I never thought you'd sink so low."
"Why does everyone call me that."
Jaune sarcastically said. "Don't worry snow angel, i'll never call you such a cruel name."
Weiss's face grew red with rage, she snarled. "After I'm done with him, I'm going to beat you to a pulp." Jaune promptly hid behind Phyrra.
"Ms. Schee Sergeant remember no semblance or dust use, first to, land a solid killing blow wins. If you would." Port gestured towards the arena.
Weiss stood twenty feet from her opponent. Krauss did the same pointing gesture as before. She took a small bow in response. Then a quickly as she could she tried to rush in and close the gap between them and catch Krauss off guard. Like Jaune, she was much smaller and faster, but she was most likely a better swordsman than Krauss. But there was one problem.
While Myrtenaster was a rapier, and would normally have a long blade, she had shortened it twice. Once because of her merger height. (Rapiers should reach from the ground to the bottom of your sternum, and Weiss is one of the shortest in the show.) and the second time after a particularly annoying fight with a knight droid at home had cut 4 inches off the top. While not good for the blade, it had improved the effects of her dust by a notable margin and she had elected to simply have the break filed into a new tip. This left Krauss with an enormous range advantage. But likely, as demonstrated with Jaune, he was not very capable in extreme close range, relying almost solely on jumping backwards to escape.
To say Krauss was a bit crazy was an understatement. As track five started to play, he began to dance and sing along. Say what you will, Cossack's song made surprisingly good fighting music. As soon as Weiss started her charge, Krauss met it with one of his own. At the last second he dropped below her aim and came thundering up shoulder checked her square in the chest. A wet crack was heard as Weiss was flung back a good meter, and Krauss grabbed his right shoulder. Letting loose a torrent of curses in Russian, he switched his grip and held his saber in his left hand. He left his right to hang limply at his side in a form eerily similar to a certain consumed knight. (A friend of mine did dislocate his shoulder playing hockey from a particularly nasty check into a open door. Aura probably wouldn't do much to cushion the blows for the attacker )
The gasps from the ring side were many and loud.
"Sergeant you appear to be injured would you like to call the."
His reply was a dismissive wave of his arm
Krauss started running at Weiss. Slightly shocked that Krauss would willingly continue to fight Was a bit concerning. The fact that he was imitating Artorias did not help. When she heard the rest of that story OH SHIT. Krauss had launched himself a good seven feet in the air and was thundering down at her, saber poised. Weiss barely jumped out of the way of Krauss's downward strike. Since when could any of Airborne jump like that! She had to roll away from the follow up cut which would have cleaved her legs off.
'Ah… so they got a hold of it. Hopefully they hadn't seen anything too telling, unless of course they had a similar legend here.' Krauss went for a punch and slammed the two sword guards together. The force of the impact knocked her sword arm out to the side. Krauss followed up with a cut that hit right at her elbow. "Non Lethal!" Hollowed Port.
Weiss jumped back and shook her arm to lessen the pain, Krauss could hit quite hard. Deciding she was done with with dealing with the annoyingly unpredictable sergeant, Charging him, she Successfully ducked under his guard, And stabbed upwards. Krauss was definitely fucked at this point. His desperate parry was too late and instead of clearing him it guided the rapier's point into a joint of his armor where it pierced through. The blade went about an inch deep into the man's flesh before it stopped.
"Cyka Blyat!" Weiss hurriedly pulled her sword free, then panicked at the sight of the Crimson tip. Krauss collapsed onto a knee and held a hand over the wound. "Could you get the Private over here, I really don't feel like, walking." Krauss stumbled over to the wall and slumped against it. Jonathan jumped over the railing. Krauss fumbled around for the vest quick release.
"Dammit man, how do you always do this." Jonathan removed Krauss's hands, flipped up the rank tab, and pulled the quick release causing Krauss's vest to fall apart with a series of clunks as the pieces hit the floor.(Yes that is a thing. The US IOTV includes a quick release to separate the pieces of the vest incase of an unexpected swim or medical emergency, you can easily put the pieces back together.) He inspected the wound. Deciding that it was minor enough that he could move him, he said.
"Fuck it I'm taking you to the infirmary. No use wasting medical supplies when you do something stupid."
Jonathan hauled the larger man up and aligned him perpendicular to his body and grasped his injured shoulder in both hands. "I'm going to fix your shoulder, so get." Jonathan Squeezed and popped Krauss's shoulder back into his socket with an audible pop. Everyone around winced in sympathy.
"You son of bitch!"
Jonathan ducked under the wild haymaker.
"Hey it said in the manual you're supposed surprise them hurts less or some shit. Now hold this to and press down on the stab." Jonathan placed a pad of gauze over Krauss's wound which Krauss himself took and pressed down on.
"Alright let's get you moving." Jonathan slung Krauss's good arm behind his neck to help him walk. The two walked out with Krauss cursing everything under the sun.
"Well after that fantastic event, we still have one match left." Port gestured for for Weiss and Jaune to enter the arena.
"Well I think we know how this will end Arc."
"Don't be too get egotistical Ice Queen." Snarked Jaune.
"Oh five syllables, you're improving."
"That's it!"
Goaded into attacking Jaune charged with surprisingly speed his sword ready for a horizontal slash at chest height. Weiss smirked and moved to party the predictable strike. Only she had grossly underestimated the force Jaune had but behind the strike. The impact forced her rapier into her torso and she pushed back a good inch. The left hook that followed the punishing blow was completely unexpected and hit her square in the side. She doubled over from the sudden force and just barely managed to drop out of the way from the cut that would have ended the match. Jaune was very differently, using a mix of his and Krauss's styles, it made him beyond frustrating to counter. She had no shield she could relentlessly pummel to tire him, and she couldn't close inside his guard like with Krauss.
Jaune pressed his attack similar to when he had faced Krauss, leaving little opportunity for Weiss to strike out. The Broadsword flashed and nearly took Weiss's head off. She kept backing away in an attempt to break free from the knight's assault. She was getting slightly worried. Jaune was normally very defensive, and on the rare chance he did go on the offensive, it was always disabling strike, as if he was afraid to hurt you. Now If one of blizzard of strikes were to land and she didn't have Aura, it would be undoubtedly painful and lethal.
Jaune kept his face neutral, not wanting Weiss to see just how nervous he was or more importantly, how close he was to his goal, of getting her against a wall. A final slash had pushed her against the arena wall.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. With a slight jump she pushed off the wall and flung herself with a bit of reckless at Jaune, Rapier poised to spear him through the chest. Just where Jaune wanted her. As she flew towards him, she no longer had the option to change direction. Jaune dropped to a knee and trust upwards with the tip of Croa Mora. The old relic punched up and hit Weiss just below the neck, which was thankfully blocked by her aura.
"Arc Wins."
The room went silent.
Weiss was too shocked to land on her feet and instead tumbled and rolled to a stop on the floor. She sat up, her face an expressionless mask. She really could not understand it, she had beaten Krauss, the better of the two, how had she lost to the Jaune! The weakest of them all.
"Weiss. Are you ok?" she shook her head to clear the fog. Looking up Jaune was holding a hand out. With a slight sigh, she decided not to be petty and took the help. Jaune hauled her up.
"I'm fine Jaune. That… That was a good match, Phyrra has trained you well." Admitted Weiss. "Though you will have to face the Sergeant again."
"Oh that is not going to be fun"
"Ha, he is a challenging opponent, I wish you luck."
It was at that moment they heard singing.
"He counted long, he counted loud, he waited for the shock.
He felt the wind, he felt the cold, he felt the awful drop.
The silk from his reserve spilled out and wrapped around his legs.
And he ain't gonna jump no more.
Gory, gory, what a hell of way to die.
Gory, gory, what a hell of way to die.
Gory, gory, what a hell of way to die.
He ain't gonna jump no more."
(Blood Upon The Risers. Little song by the US airborne about when that chute doesn't deploy.)
Everyone in that arena turned their heads to find Krauss and Jonathan back at the entrance.
"What?" Asked Krauss.
"What were you two singing! It sounded like a pig dying." Shouted Weiss.
"Chill ice queen, it's meant to be heard inside a drop plane and sung by 40+ people. It ain't opera. So who won?"
Port, by this point, had walked over to them."The winner of the previous match was Mr. Arc."
Krauss looked at Jaune in surprise. "Well nice job kiddo." Krauss stuck out a hand to shake. "I guess that mean's we need a rematch."
"Well yes you would, after you're healed that is." Explained Port.
"Heh, I'm good here, let's go!" Said Krauss as he went for his sword. Jonathan thankfully stopped him.
"Moron! You can't fight now. You just got stitched up."
"Oh." Krauss deflated slightly. "Well in this case, I will surrender. You win my friend." Krauss took a bow folding his arm and sticking his leg out behind him." Ow." He quickly straightened back up and grasped his side. "Damn Ice Queen you really know how to hurt a man. Anyways I think I have an announcement to make a lunch."
Weiss was well, a little pissed was not quite justice to what she was feeling.
"You're going to give up!" She shrieked. "You're just favoriting him!"
"Kid, I barely beat him the first time, and that was useing a few dirty and deadly tricks. In my opinion he is a better swordsman than I or ,as recently proven, you. Thus I concede the match in his favor."
"But."
Port took charge. "Ms. Schee, The good Sergeant has the opportunity to forfeit the same as you or Mr. Arc." While you couldn't see it behind his mustache, Port was grinning. "Now I believe you have two hours till you embarrass your selves at lunch." He gave a small bow. "Good day Sirs, Ma'ams."
"Wow Jaune you were all like kapow, swish." Ruby mimicked Jaune's strikes with her arms. "Oh and Weiss you were a rocket! Did you cheat and use aura!"
Two hours later as lunch began to pick up, Krauss decided to uphold part one of the duel. Dragging Weiss behind him he stepped up on a table. Weiss had narrowly avoided joining him.
A few eyes wandered from conversions at the man's actions.
"AAAATTENTION BEACAAAN!" Now that got everyone's attention.
"Down in front!" Shouted a student near the back.
"Mne Pohui suka." (R. I don't give a fuck bitch.) Krauss waved his hand dismissively in said students direction before continuing on. "Any way. Due to a stupid series of decisions and a painful duel with Arc and Schee, I am obligated to say the LONGSWORDs are superior to Sabers. Oh Yeah, Vomit boy and Ice Queen are better swordsman-woman than me. Now, with that out of The way i'm gonna get a pizza." Krauss jumped off the table. "Ice queen. You're up."
The mess hall turned to face her. Weiss was red faced in embarrassment and in no small part anger.
Krauss tried to encourage her. "Come on Weiss, it ain't going to kill you.
She stepped up onto the table
"Eh'm. Like Sergeant Krauss said, I must declare that a Longsword is superior to a Rapier. And that I won a duel against the Sergeant, but lost to Jaune Arc."
She quickly dashed back to her team's table as the lunchroom exploded in chatter. Jaune Arc, who could barely hold his own against a beowulf, had beaten not only the terrifying Sergeant from Airborne, but Weiss mother-fucking Schee. One of the best fighters in the whole school too? The rumor mill would be running wild in an hour. Did she throw the match? What was this duel even over? Could Arc have won a date with her over the Sergeant? (oh you bet im going to keep that running.)
