Hey everyone, I'm back for chapter two of "Remnants of a Friend". I'm excited and a little nervous to tell that you're going to be able to see Davian in a bit of action today. Just take into account that this my first time writing a fight scene and that it's not suppose to be a big fight. More like a test to see how I do. So don't forget to let me know how I do in the review section along with another comments about my story, good or bad. Let's have at it...
The following morning, my eyes shoot open and quickly took in my surroundings just like I had done previous nights. I slightly turned my head and saw it was only three in the morning. I sighed as I wondered what I'm going to do for the day while I wait to go see Ruby and Yang after they get out of Signal. "Hm, Signal. Haven't seen it for a while. Yang and I would always meet at her house then walk to school every morning." I think about that for a few more seconds before deciding on my course of action. I sat up and stretched, causing my back to pop and rolled my neck to work out any kinks I had. Sighing again, I got up and dressed in an outfit I bought the other day. It consists of jeans, a plain gray t-shirt worn under a long sleeved white button up with a dark blue plaid style that would cover the scars on my arms as well. Leaving a note on the counter about where I was going, I grabbed an apple, laced up my boots and I set out for Yang's home. At the leisurely pace I was taking, my walk took me about an hour and a half through bits of forest and Vale. I enjoyed the quiet solitude that was so different from what I had been subjugated to for the past three years. Before even realizing it, I found myself walking across the lawn heading for the front porch of Yang's house just as the sun started peaking over the horizon.
I glance on my watch finding it to be about fifteen minutes before six. Deciding it was to early, I sat on the front steps. "Wonder if Yang and Ruby still walk to Signal or if Tiayang takes them now? Or I guess Yang could take Bumblebee while Ruby uses her semblance to keep up, seems like something they'd do." I think to myself. Hearing an alarm go off, I know it's 6:00 A.M. if Yang hasn't changed her scheduled. Knowing they'll be setting out in about two hours, I just sit and wonder what my class mates at Signal had fared these last couple of years. Most I didn't even interact with or didn't care, but some like Velvet Scarlatina, a rabbit faunus a year ahead of Yang and I was nice. Maybe a little shy as a result of bullying, but a good person at heart. On the other hand, I could go without seeing Winchester again, racist asshole.
Hearing the door open, I turn to find Yang and Ruby standing there, "Davian, what are you doing here?"
Standing up, I say "Thought I'd walk with you to Signal for old times sake," that made her and Ruby smile because I remembered something like that. "Plus" I said, "I'd like to look around Signal again, and if its ok with you guys, maybe even sit in with you for a class or two."
Ruby jumped with excitement clapping her hands while Yang smiled widely, "Sounds great," then her smile fell, "but I don't think you'll be able sit in. Remember they don't let people stay while they teach."
We began the twenty minute walk as I responded, "You two forgot what today is didn't you? It's Visitation day at Signal. As some students take a look at the school, any family or family friends are allowed to sit in with their representative and ask the teacher questions." The girls eyes went wide, apparently having forgotten what day of the month it was. Quickly agreeing, Yang launched into a detailed description of what they were doing in school currently. The more I listened, the more I realized how much work I had to do. But there were also several things I was certain I'd excel at, like combat and strategies. Everything else I could pick up later down the road. We talked the entire way to Signal about random topics to school subjects. Pretty soon, Signal came into view. Time to face the music, lets see how far behind I am.
-][-
We walked in the front doors of the school and I found everything to be exactly how it was before I left. Underclassmen rushing about either trying to get to class on time or trying to find whoever came to watch them today. Whereas the upperclassmen are calmly going to and fro. Following Yang and Ruby to their first class, we walk in, and I find that it's their combat theory class. Basically strategy and how to apply it while in combat. I take a seat with the other visitors while the girls go take their seats. Everyone just talks for a few minutes until a young man of about twenty two walks in and greets the class as well as everyone else in the room.
Not seeming to be bothered by the extra bodies in his class, he launches into the strategies the kids have been learning about in history as well as the few he has learned for himself. After this, he turned to the visiting crowd and explained that he was going to pose scenarios and have groups of four come up with a strategy on how to get out with minimal damage and/or casualties.
Deciding this would be a good opportunity to find how I do against the other students, I formed my own in my head while the groups work together. I listen closely as the teacher proposed the first scenario, "All right, lets start with a simple one. You are stranded out in a forest you know is inhabited by Grimm with no supplies except for your weapon and the clothes on your back. How do you survive until morning where you'll be picked up. Go."
Everyone pairs up into groups of four and start discussing different ways to survive the night. All the while, I'm currently figuring through it myself. "Alone in a Grimm infested forest with no supplies except for my blade. Assuming I'm not to terribly injured, I look for the tallest tree I can find and camp out until morning. The only thing that might give me away would be my scent. While it alone won't alert the Grimm to my presence, they'll be on the alert while passing through the area. Yeah, camp out in a tall tree and remain silent. Now, if I am injured and theirs blood, I would need to spread a bit of it in the surrounding area before stopping the bleeding, that way the Grimm won't be able to pinpoint me by the bloods scent alone."
By now, the kids are done strategizing and begin offering their idea to the class. Unsurprisingly, since it was an easy scenario, most of the answers were similar to mine. The teacher gives two slightly more difficult scenarios. For the most part, I'm keeping up with the head of the pack when it comes to strategies.
At the half-way mark of the class, the teacher throws his students and curve ball. "You and your team are being chased by enemies, take your pick of who they are, one of you is seriously wounded and is slowing you down enough that you will be caught within the hour. What do you do?"
I start the process I did with the other three, I analyzed what I knew. You and your team are being chased by any enemy I choose. I furrow my brows, why leave that up to interpretation, it's a vital piece of information? One of you team mates is heavily wounded, so bad that you will be caught in minutes. You can't split up, the enemy will split up as well if their great in numbers, and if their few, or even one, that means that they're better then you team. He or it will just hunt you down individually. Same with pairs, but if you stick together like you are, you'll be caught." Not realizing the teacher had been keeping an eye on me for the whole class, I continue my inner monologue. "The only way to get away alive would be...bait." Looking up at the teacher, I realize what he's trying to teach us. Sacrifice.
Nodding his head as if he knows what I'm thinking, he lets me know I reached the correct conclusion. I lean back and contemplate that choice. Sacrifice, it's a ugly answer to a difficult situation. Even if the person willingly does it, the others must live their life knowing that their alive and that persons not. It's not pleasant, never is and never will be. I look over to Yang and Ruby's group and see that they can't seem to find a way to get everyone out alive. A sacrifice not even coming to their minds. Looking around, I find the whole class is in a similar predicament. Every one of them refuses to even think about leaving someone behind.
Hearing footsteps coming towards me from my right, I look over to find the teacher standing there, "You look like you're taking the class, not watching like the other visitors."
Standing up to shake his hand, "Yeah, I use to go here but I've been away for a while. So I just come with some friends to see how well I can still keep up with them."
Looking at me straight in the eyes, "I'd say you're doing fine, if not better then them. Precious few understand the situation or refuse to understand it when I present the scenario. I know it's not a pretty picture, but-"
Interrupting him I say, "They have to know what they're getting into. The life of a hunter or huntress my seem exciting or romantic, and while it may be at times, most of the time life is going to show you that it likes to kick you in the teeth."
Giving me a good look, taking in the scar on my face and the understanding of the situation, he asks, "How long ago did you go here, you don't look any older than this years class of seniors."
First looking over to Yang and Ruby, still trying to figure out the situation, I look back at him answering "I went here about three and a half years ago before I left. Not my choice to leave, but I had to." Nodding his head, he bows his head a bit thanking me for the conversation. He then goes up to the front of the class, telling everyone to think about the scenario over the day and to bring an answer tomorrow. Everyone left silently or still discussing the topic. The girls threw possibilities back and fourth all the way to their next class and throughout the day up until the last class where they decided to come back to it after getting home.
Walking into their final class which was combat class, I was intrigued to see how Yang and Ruby were coming along. Ruby bounces up to me really excited, "Now I can show you Crescent Rose! You're going to think she's SOOOOOO cool!" Rushing off before I can answer, Yang just sighs with a smile on her face and excuses herself to go get Ember Celica. Taking a seat in the stands, I wait for everything to start. After a few minutes, a battle scared man walks out into the center of the arena and introduces himself as Mr. Clancy.
"Welcome ladies and gentleman, I've had the opportunity to hone your children and friends combat skills for the years I've had them" he said with a booming voice that had a slight Nordic accent. I look across the arena and saw the students sitting on the opposite side of the room, probably so they could get down to the arena as fast as possible. Quickly finding Yang and Ruby by Yang's main of yellow hair, I see them waving at me with smiles on their faces. Waving back at them, I turn my attention back to the instructor as he called up someone who's name I didn't catch and Ruby. Before I can look back up at the girls, Ruby appears in a swirl of rose petals, as happy as can be. Another boy whose weapon I couldn't see yet came down and nodded to Ruby with a smirk on his face.
With the blow of a buzzer, Ruby disappears in a swirl of petals again, reappeared behind the boy swing her scythe in a upwards swing only to be blocked by a double headed spear. Raising an eyebrow at the odd weapon the boy carried, I try to figure out how the double head gives him an advantage over a normal spear. The boy's swings are similar to Ruby with her scythe, just adjusting for the fact his blade is not curved. I realize, with a smirk, that there is a friendly rivalry between the two. They now each others style and how to counter it. This is going to be a lengthy fight, coming down to who has the most stamina. Ruby dashes around haphazardly, attacking on one side only reappear on a different one. Somehow the boy is able to keep up with her and I haven't seen him use a semblance yet. So either he's just really good, or his semblance is something we can't see, but allows him to see Ruby even at her great speed.
After about fifteen minutes, both combatants are slowing. Ruby was breathing heavy from aura exhaustion and the boy from keeping up with her. I glance up at their aura meters and see that they are both barely above red. One solid hit will end this, or the match will end in a draw just from using to much of their aura. Ruby and the boy pull away from each-other and set themselves up for a final attack. Three seconds pass and they charge, but halfway between them the boy suddenly separates his double spear into two small spears in each hand. Ruby, not missing step continues onward. Right before they reach other, Ruby disappears only to reappear in the same spot, throwing the boy off earning him a solid hit in the side with her scythe, earning Ruby the victory.
The buzzer sounds and Mr. Clancy walks out to congratulate the two before calling a girl named Alex and Yang down to the ring. This fight didn't last even close to as long as Ruby's. While Alex seemed like a VERY good fighter, she may of um...accidentally cut Yang's hair. Something I have done on a few occasion during our training. Lets just say Mr. Clancy had to pry Alex out the the wall and get Yang to carry her to the infirmary. The rest of the class passes by with another thirteen fights before something happens that I'm not sure whether I'm glad of happening or not. Thinking back, I realized that I had accidentally sat in the visiting student section and that Mr. Clancy had been keeping an eye on me like the girls combat theory teacher.
At the end of the thirteenth fight, Mr. Clancy walks out to announce something. "Since we have an odd number of students this class, I'm going to ask someone in the audience to come fight the last student. Of course you may decline if you so wish." Pretending to search the crowd of students who were visiting the school, his eyes settle on me. "You their with the gray hair, care for a duel?" I sit their for a few moments thinking about my options. I could refuse and watch the last fight, or I could find how my combat skills are compared to the last student. Deciding, I nod my head and walk down to the locker room to enter the arena.
Before I can walk in, I find Yang and Ruby standing in my way with worried faces. Yang, speaking up first walks up to me. "Davian, what are you doing, you don't have to fight! You don't even have your weapon!" Ruby nods her head in agreement, not understanding why I wanted to fight.
Sighing, I look at Yang in the eyes, "Yang, I want to see where I am compared to someone who's been here longer than me. I can't find that out just by watching you guys fight. As for my weapon, come one Yang," I say lifting my hands, "you of all people should know how dangerous these can be. We did train together for years." They both look at me for a few seconds before nodding their heads and quickly give me a hug before rushing back to their seats. I continue out into the arena and apologized to my opponent and the teacher for keeping them waiting.
Waving his hand dismissively in the air, Mr. Clancy exclaimed, "It's alright lad," then looking at me a little harder, he asks "do I know you from somewhere. I swear you face look familiar?" My opponent looks over to me with narrowing eyes and I realize I'm fighting one of the racist bullies that messed with me when I went to signal, Tom Anderson.
Ignoring Anderson, I look back to Mr. Clancy and say, "It's been a few years since I've attended Signal, you taught me when I was here." At that, Mr. Clancy's and Anderson's eyes widen in realization.
Looking me up and down, Mr. Clancy face morphs into one of shock and sadness. "Davian Kadar...I'm sorry for asking this of you lad, if you wish, I'd be fine with you going back to your seat. You don't have to fight if you don't wish to."
Shaking my head, "No, it's ok sir, I want to see how I do after these years." Looking back at Anderson to see a sneer on his face, "Try to keep the commits to yourself Anderson, they only got you in trouble if I remember correctly." Turning around to take my starting place, I hear him mutter something along the lines of "faunus dog", well he hasn't' changed at all. Mr. Clancy puts some information into his scroll and puts Anderson's and my name up on the screen. As our names and pictures appear, I hear the murmuring increase as many people recognize my name. Turning to face Anderson, I close my eyes and breath, forming a plan in my head. "If his hasn't mentality hasn't changed, chances are his fighting style hasn't either. He'll hang back and make me come to him while he fires dust rounds at me with his assault rifle that can turn into a single bladed war ax. I, on the other hand, have become much more proficient at fighting since he last saw me."
Opening my eyes at the buzzer, I find Anderson at the far end of the arena already aiming at me. I quickly role to the side just before a long burst of rounds pepper the ground where I was scant milliseconds before. I jump forward and sprint toward him while dodging and weaving back and fourth to dodge his dust rounds. When I'm within twenty feet of him, he changes the form of his weapon to prepare for my attack. While he may be a racist bully, he's not the worst fighter. If I want to even the playing field, I need to disarm him. When I'm scant feet away, he swings viciously at my head only for me to drop backwards onto my hands and spring kick into his chest, launching him backwards into the wall, knocking the wind out of him. Back on my feet, I rush forward to press the advantage. I grab his neck with one hand and his ax with the other and fling him into the middle of the arena. I throw the ax behind me and rush towards him again. This time he was ready, and I fell for his trap.
Halfway to him I started seeing double, then triple, then quadruple. I mentally kick myself for forgetting to factoring in his semblance. Over time, I'd forgotten how it worked, so I had no idea how to counter it. I stop running and look around to find myself surrounded by ten copies of him, all mirroring each others movements. I lurch forward from getting punched in the back of the head and then I fall on my back from getting kneed in the face. He stomps my stomach savagely and kicks my head, trying to keep me down. Still seeing myself being kick by ten different feet, I surprise everyone when I disappeared in a puff of slow moving gray mist only to appear on the opposite end of the arena. Holding my stomach, I wipe the blood away from my nose and looked up as Anderson laughed. A laugh was what sparked the memory. I smirk, realizing how to counter his semblance. While it copies him, it doesn't make the copy real. If I put a hand on a copy, it would pass right through it. So, if they can't be touched, they can't generate sound either.
With no warning, he charges right at me. I close my eyes and listen for foot steps. Anderson is many things, brutal, crude, and being an asshole just to name a few, but subtle is not one of those before mentioned things. Listening, I hear foot steps coming from my left. Putting two and two together, I figured out he's the third one from the left. I pretend to face the one coming straight at me only for me to grab his fist with my right hand as he swings. He yells in surprise as I pull him right into my left fist, effectively clothes-lining him. Before he can hit the ground, I lift my right knee right into his back as hard as I can. As he rolls of my knee I back away, allowing him the chance to get up. He pulls himself up with a grown, holding his back and looks at me with a fierce anger. He rushes at me in a blind rage, trying to "put me into the ground" I hear him mutter. Right before he reaches me, I glide around him and give him a solid hit in the back of the head with my elbow causing him to face-plant into the wall behind me, effectively knocking him out.
Mr. Clancy comes out to congratulate me and to check on Anderson. As I'm walking out of the arena, I realize that a large portion of the audience is cheering for me with Yang and Ruby whooping above the rest of them. I smile as I walk up to Ruby and Yang, it felt good to fight again.
Ruby and Yang give me bone crushing hugs with Ruby practically yelling in my ear exclaiming, "THAT WAS AWSOME DAVIAN! YOU WERE LIKE HOOOAAA AND WHOOOOSH AND-" she never finished because Yang pull me in front of her to check me over.
Looking me up and down with a critical eye, Yang eventually decides that the beating I took wasn't as bad as it look from the stands. "You sure you're ok? Anderson got several good kicks and stomps in."
I nod my head, "Yang I'm fine, Anderson was never able to hit to hard. Plus I've had much worse..." seeing sadness flash through Yang's eyes made me wish I had reworded that statement. "Sorry, didn't mean to make it sound like that." Looking back towards the class rooms, I say "Come on lets get you two home, I'd like to leave before anyone from our class catches up and starts asking question." We leave the school and start walking back to their house. We just made small talk for most of the way before Yang remembered something I did in the arena.
Looking over at me, "Davian, did you finely discover your semblance? You weren't able to teleport before you disappeared" she asked.
Nodding my head in confirmation, "Yeah, I discovered it when I was in a tight situation a little while before I found my way back here. It's pretty useful. I can only move about twenty feet or so at a time, but it's very versatile. I can reappear in any direction, like I can be running then I teleport and reappear on my hands keeping my momentum. And if I'm tied down, I can teleport out of my bonds if I can see where I want to go. Of course I can teleport based of sound, but I need to be careful so I don't teleport inside of something, it could seriously hurt me."
The girls hmmed as we got back to their place a few minutes after. I said goodbye and headed back home, I had some serious work to do.
Hey guys, well that's the end of chapter two. I would really appreciate it if you guys left a commit telling me how I'm doing and if there is anything I can do to improve my writing. IMPORTANT – I would like you guys and gals to give me your suggestions on how Davian will get into Beacon. I already have an idea, but I'd like to hear from you guys. Well, hope you enjoyed.
See ya next time Archangel Out...
