Notes: Happy Holidays everyone! Unless your reading this in the future and in that case happy days... Anyway this is a very special chapter I have for all of you. This is a lost chapter. If you recall all the way back in Pendragon part 1 a sparing match between Cail and Pyrrha was talked about but never appeared in this work. Well her it is!. Also as a special bonus this chapter is completely from Cail's point of view which has not been done before. Let me know what you think of this chapter and if you like it maybe there will be more in the future.
Nikos and the Snail
Cail POV
I'm sorry you guys must all be very confused right about now. After all this is something that happened to me quite awhile back and the writer ether didn't both to share it with you or maybe the writer just was thinking it would be too boring. I know crazy right? Or perhaps the write just didn't think there would have been enough time. What ever the reason, I simply can't stand for it. If my story is going to be told it's going to be done right. And if I have to break the fourth wall in order to make sure my story is told properly then that is what I will do!
You see it all happened a few days back when my team and I were sitting in on one of Glynda's usual boring combat classes. Robin had just wiped the floor with some no name first year student and wouldn't stop bragging about it. Mind you I'm glad she's enjoying herself and all but the girl has the ability to phase through solid objects and her opponent was a weapons expert of all things. He had very little magical or hand to hand combat expertise at all. That fight was decided before it even began.
"Attention Students, we have time for one more round." Glynda told us as she cleaned up the ring for the next bout. "Do we have any volunteers?"
"I will do it Professor!" I heard a girl say. The voice sounded familiar so I glanced over to see a first year student who if memory served was named Pyrrha Nikos. From what I had gathered about her, she is a strong fighter who was always eager to test herself in combat. Maybe if it's her, she will make the next fight worth paying attention to I thought.
"Excellent Miss Nikos, come on up and I will find you an opponent!" I heard Glynda say happily, gees I've never seen Glynda get so excited during class like that. Come to think of it, I heard Cardin and his team got quite the beat down from Pyrrha a few weeks ago. Glynda must use her to teach her more problematic students a lesson. Talk about a teachers pet. "Oh I know, how about you Miss Cail?"
"Come again?" I say as I jump up in my seat.
"You haven't had a single sparring match since your injury during your last mission correct? Now is as good of a chance as any don't you agree Miss Cail. Why don't you come down and show the class just what a second year student is capable of?"
I knew she just wanted to watch me flail against Pyrrha but I wasn't going to have it. "Sorry teach my foot's still a bit sore, maybe next time." I told her hoping it would be enough to get her to drop it. Looking back now it was wistful thinking at best.
"Please Miss Cail, you had your cast off some time ago and I have spoken with the Academy's nurse and she has informed me that you are in fighting condition. Now I know it can be difficult to get over a bad experience in the field but, you must get back on the horse as they say." She said with a slightly snarky tone.
"Well it doesn't matter anyway. I forgot to bring my weapon." I retorted.
"What are you talking about Cail, your weapon is in your bag right?" Robin needlessly responds as she holds up my favorite shell shaped backpack causing me to almost leap out of my seat and strangle her but I resist that urge. After all I know she means well.
"Oh so it is! I totally forgot I put it in there!" I said while trying to put on a good face that I doubt Glynda believed for a second.
"Good now that out of the way, why don't you come on down and join us Miss Cail." Glynda said to me before she gave me this grin that I could have swore she stole from me while waving me down.
I glanced over to see Pyrrha looking at me with a look of honest excitement. I guessed since I am a second year she must have been expecting a good fight and for some reason I didn't want to disappoint so I just said screw it. I reached into my bag and pulled Dragon's Claw Mark Two. A crimson red claw gauntlet I had Sophia design for me. It's able to release a high voltage electrical discharge from its palm and acts as a nice defensive tool in combat but. The reason I had it made is so I could properly wield my favorite weapon. I reached deeper into the bag and rap my hands around the handle of Dragon's Tail. A crimson metal Whip at can extend up to nearly ten feet. And with a single crack of the whip I rapped it around my claw covered arm before making my way to the arena.
"Let's have a good match." Pyrrha said to me as we took our positions.
"Sure." I replied.
"You may begin." Glynda announced.
Pyrrha quickly went into a defensive stance by remaining low to the ground and keeping her shield out in front of her while she approached. I unwrapped the Dragon's Tail from my arm and gave it a few practice swings a before I charged forward. Pyrrha remained in place and waited form me so I flicked my wrist and began wiping my weapon back and forth striking red haired Amazon from every possible direction but. Each time my whip came close to her, she would ether deflect it with her shield or she would just narrowly avoid contact with it. I figured this situation called for a slight change of tactics so I retracted the Dragon's Tail and had it coil back around my arm.
Pyrrha gave me a curious look before speaking. "Are you not going to attack?" She asked.
"Na, it wouldn't be any fun if it was just me doing everything right? So how about it first year, care to show me what you've got?" I taunted while beckoning her towards me.
Pyrrha seemed to take the bait as she let a smile spread across her face before shifting her stance. She began twirling her spear like weapon around her fingers before throwing it straight up in the air in an attempt to distract me while she hurled her shield at me. I quickly leaned all the way back and cot myself with my hands as the shield past over me. Then I flipped back over onto my feet to see my opponent catch her weapon out of the air and take aim before firing several rounds in my direction. I raised my gauntlet and deflected each shut until she transformed her weapon back into its spear mode and chucked it at me.
I uncoiled my Dragon's Tail and gave it a crack to deflect the spear and spun around to swat the shield away as it bounced off the back wall to strike me from behind. It then went flying into the stands bouncing back and forth several times nearly beheading several spectators before flying back into the arena and being cot by its owner as she lands. "Impressive." Pyrrha said happily as she reached up to catch her spear as it feel back to the floor. "You have such an unusual weapon. I can't wait to see what else it can do."
It was clear that there was no dishonesty in her words but I felt I would press my taunts. "Oh, are you not having fun yet? I do hope I'm not boring you."
"What? Of course your not, I was just…" Pyrrha began before I interrupted.
"I guess if you are not satisfied I will just have to kick it up a notch!" I shout before flipping a switch on the handle of the Dragon's Tail causing it to extend another few feet and to create an opening in which several small crimson red needles extend from. The sharp red needles gleamed menacingly in the light of the arena and gave the whip an almost thorny appearance. Then I used my free hand to turn a dial on the back of my gauntlet causing it emit a surge of electrical energy through my palm and out across the expanse of my weapon. The electricity caused the metallic whip to release a loud hiss while it jerked and jitter wildly in my hand, dancing almost like puppet on strings.
Pyrrha's eyes seemed to widen momentarily before sharpening into a laser focus. "Quite the sadistic looking weapon, even for killing Grimm it seems like it's a bit cruel don't you think?" Pyrrha ask. She wasn't being judgmental but her comment did cause a murmur to run through the audience. I soon heard the disembodied grumbling of our teams as they argued the fairness of my weapon. Of the group Jaune Ark and Sophia Sparks were the most vocal. Jaune seemed worried about his partner while Sophia only seemed interested in defending her work since she designed the Dragon's Claw and helped me modify the Dragon's Tail so they could be used together as one weapon.
"Perhaps you're right. Maybe we are just misunderstanding the Grimm and the real monsters have been us hunters all along." I said with a thick air of sarcasm. "Then again, I doubt it's the Grimm you're really worried about right now, is it? After all you're a smart girl. You know what kind of effects electricity can have on magnetic fields right?" I ask while cracking the electric whip.
Before Pyrrha had a chance to reply to my question I had rushed towards her swinging my weapon in a wide ark. Pyrrha quickly rolled under it and broke into a sprint towards me causing me to flick my wrist to pull my whip back in order to sweep her feet but she leapt over and began firing rounds at me once again. I deflected several with my whip before retracting it completely and coiling it around my arm as Pyrrha closed the distances. "I have you now!" She shouted as transformed her weapon into its sword mode and began swinging at me. Each strike was strong and precise but was ultimately stopped flat by my Dragon's Claw. After about ten strikes I finally manage to grab hold of the blade and she tries to pull the blade free from my claws grip I ramp up the power and a jolt surges through the blade and into Pyrrha's arm causing her aura to flicker and for her to pull her arm back abandoning the blade.
"This is a fine weapon you have Miss Nikos. I like the flexibility it has." I said as I gripped the weapon in my hands. It had been awhile since I held a sword but it felt very natural in my hands. "But, it's not my style." I said as I discarded the weapon and grabbed hold on my Dragon's Tail once again. My weapon crackled as the electricity surged through it once again. Pyrrha's eyes widened and a new expression came over her features. It wasn't a look of fear no, that was far from what I was feeling. It was a look of detonation and excitement. "Your really getting a kick out of this, aren't you? And they call me a masochist." I said jokingly before cracking my weapon once again causing her to raise her shield to block the strike but with another flick of my wrist, my weapon coiled around the Amazonas causing her aura to kick in once more to prevent the barbs from digging into the skin or the electrical current running through it from cooking her alive. "Well if you really enjoy the struggle that much. Why, not indulge you a little!?" I shouted as I ramped up the voltage even more causing her to shriek in pain as she struggled to break free of the hold.
I then noticed her fingers twitching and I glanced behind me to spot her discarded weapon flying towards my head. I move slightly to avoid a direct hit and went over my shoulder and jammed itself directly into my Dragon's Claw's control panel causing it spark wildly before the electricity cut out all together. I quickly reach out with my open hand to pull the blade from my weapon and Pyrrha took the chance to break free of her bonds and charge me. Having little time to react I brace myself for impact as her shield slams into my chest forcing me backward. My aura flickers slightly but I manage to stay on my feet while Pyrrha continues her assault. I leap backward and lash at her with my whip but just like before it would go slightly off course every time it came close to striking her. And she was quickly on top of me once again. I narrowly avoid several swings of her shield and block several kicks with my claw but. One of the kicks knocked Pyrrha's weapon free and she wasted no time snatching it out of the air and nearly slicing my throat open with her first swing. I stepped back to avoid certain doom but she matched me by taking a step forward and extending her sword into a spear and striking me on my open side causing me to fall to one knee. "Not bad Kid. Rather you're very good." I say in between breaths.
Pyrrha's wide smile returned to her face and I could feel that it was an honest one. "Thank you, you're very good as well. You know I have been thinking that you seem familiar. Have we met some place before?" She asked.
I can't remember what expression I showed her at that time but what I do remember is the sudden feeling of wanting to be anywhere else. "What? No that's very unlikely. Anyway let's finish this!"
"Wait, are you sure we didn't…" She began before I charged her with my claw extended towards her throat. She quickly parried my attack and she raised her knee to strike me in the gut. I place my open hand over her knee and push myself off with far more force then is needed propelling myself across the arena and not bothering to break my own fall I face plant on the hard tile bringing my aura into the red and ending the match.
"Well done Miss Nikos on another victory, I'm sure you will do splendid in the up coming tournament!" Glynda said happily, likely satisfied with my thrashing. "Alright class dismissed!"
"Wait I didn't…" Pyrrha tried to argue but was cut off as her teammates rushed over to give her a pat on the back and to make sure she wasn't hurt.
"It feels good to have caring teammates I guess." I said to myself while still laying flat on the floor.
Then out of the corner of my eyes I see a pale hand reach out to me. And a black spiked leather bracelet was rapped around the wrist telling me I wouldn't need special powers to figure out who it was. I glance up to see my teammate slash partner Robin Rangers staring down at me with a smile. "So, are you going to take my hand and get up or are you seriously enjoying making things weird?" Robin asked jokingly.
She was trying to use humor to make me feel better. Not that I felt bad to begin with but it was a nice gesture so I joined her in a light chuckle before expecting her hand. "Yeah, I guess I really do enjoy making things awkward. It's always so interesting to see what kind of reactions others will make."
"And that's why you don't have any friends Cail." Robin said bluntly.
"Well I have you." I corrected.
"Yeah, that's right. You're my weirdo and don't you forget it." She said jokingly.
"Umm, pardon me." We heard Pyrrha say causing us to spin around to see her beside us. "Miss Cail, why did you do that just now?"
"Do what Miss Nikos? I don't recall doing anything." I asked.
"Why did you throw yourself like that? You could have won if you didn't do that you know?" Phyrra asked.
"What is she talking about Cail?" Robin asked.
"She is just confused. I slipped when trying to maneuver out of her attack and took myself out. She must be so use to fighting high level opponents that she thought my mistake was intentional." I explained.
"What, is she for real? Yeah Pyrrha, this girl is an accident waiting to happen. I once saw her get a black eye while trying to open a pickle jar!" Robin said while laughing loudly.
"No that can't be, I am sure…" Pyrrha began.
"Miss Nikos please, it was just an accident. Now then, my team and I must get going to our next class and I suggest you do the same." I stated as I pulled Robin away.