Chapter 5: Multi-tasking
With the way I've been writing these chapters, in MLTI VRSE anyway, and the fact RWBY hasn't gotten a new episode yet (I think, have to check later), expect a couple filler chapters. If that's not your cup of tea… I don't know what to tell you. Here you go.
Inside Duncan's room, laid a quickly thrown together workbench. He was in there, as was Ruby. And Crescent Rose laid on that workbench getting a 'wee' bit more anti-anything.
"What kinda caliber does it use?" I asked the red hooded girl.
".308."
"Not good enough. First, we'll have to replace the barrel with something a little wider in diameter. I'm hoping it'll still be easy for you to get your hand around it."
"What kind of rounds should we use now then?"
"I'm thinking 50mm, should do the trick. I know you're strong enough to handle the recoil this baby will have."
"… 50mm will make any Grimm I use it against explode, with little to no resistance. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS?"
"That in mind, I recommend never using it as a firearm against people. Monsters, robots, vehicles and the like are free game. But try to avoid using it on actual thinking beings."
"I try to avoid that anyway."
"Yeah, I know." I started to say. "But you have a tendency to fire it while it's a scythe to make you even faster or to add extra kinetic damage when you hit people. With the strength it's going to have, it's an anti-tank rifle. Like I said, that would be just cruel to use on people."
"Sure thing. Now I'll go get the metal to forge the new barrel! This is gonna be sweet!" Then she left to do that.
'I can be something of a gun nut now… But she scares me sometimes.' "Gun Nut" was pushing it. What I really knew about actual firearms came from my life as The Lone Wonderer in the Capital Wasteland and as The Courier in New Vegas, especially Vegas. Thankfully that knowledge seem to work out just fine here.
'But damn is it going to hurt for Grimm when they die. She seems happy though. And besides…'
Chicks dig Cannons.
In the sparring room of Beacon, Weiss Schnee stood prepping herself for what might have been a mistake on her part.
"WELCOME TO DRILL SEARGENT VERSER'S BOOTCAMP OF PAIN!"
Yep. Definitely a mistake.
"Do you have to yell like that?"
"Yes! And each time you back talk, things WILL get worse."
That wasn't a cheerful thought.
"Now! I've noticed your tendency to charge blade first when a battle begins. The stance itself is well-done, if a slight bit rushed at times, but it has to be."
Weiss knew it was, she took pride in how she fought.
"The problem is you try and strike first too often!"
There was no room for pride here.
"When you attack first, you give your enemy a better idea of how you fight. Even if you switch styles, trying to throw him or her off will get harder as each new stance is seen in action. Striking hard, fast, and as often as possible to keep your enemy on their toes is good and all. But you tire yourself out pretty quickly doing that, and I can tell your stamina isn't that massive." I told her.
"Well, what do you suggest?"
"…Get into your stance." She did so.
Giving a mental command to Bright Shadow, the blade morphed to look more like a fencing sword. I took a position ten feet away.
"I'm going to attack first. When I do that, don't attack back. Keep yourself on the defensive for now. Try and get me to wear myself out, and if you can find a weak spot in my movements, use it. Until that happens, don't do anything else."
Two hours later and Weiss did manage to knick me a couple of times. She still lost, but I could see an improvement in her stance and style already. She had a while to go still for now, but I had faith in her.
'Besides, a little 'boot camp' to help make her a better fighter and hopefully respect others faster should do her some good.'
At nice, quiet, mostly secluded area in Beacon, sat Blake. She was reading, mostly to try and get her mind off what she suspected of her team's only male member.
She wasn't going to confront him on this, or even let him know that she knew for now. She was betting that he would open up eventually. She didn't feel she could really judge.
She wasn't exactly proud of everything she'd done in the past, the biggest thing Duncan helped her escape from.
"This seat taken?"
She looked up to find that he was standing right there.
"I don't think so. Suit yourself."
"Ninjas of Love, huh."
"Shut up."
"Sorry. Couldn't resist." He said, smirking as he sat down.
"So what's new with you?"
"Nothing much. I try to avoid anything really extravagant most of the time."
"So did I, if you can believe it. And look at me now."
"I'm shaking just trying to keep my gaze off you."
"You know, you can be mean Blake. See this spot here?" He said, tapping his chest. "It hurts right there."
"You'll be fine."
"So, hear about those dueling sessions we have for class in a bit?"
"Yeah. Yang's looking forward to that. I think she wants to fight you at least once."
"I'll bet. Should be fun."
It was a nice, comfortable silence for a little while after that. Then I had to tell her…
"You know, you're going to have to tell them at some point? That bow won't be able to hide them forever."
"…I know."
"A good eye can still notice if they twitch."
"I know."
"Blake?"
"Yeah?"
"You know, they will accept you, regardless of what you used to do. Your hope for equality, and accidentally winding up with the wrong crowd, didn't make you a bad person. They'll see that. And if they don't at first… They will soon after. Because you're a good person Blake."
She paused at that, letting it sink in. Then she answered.
"I know. Thanks, Duncan."
And they sat there and waited for their next class.
Yang has won every fight she has ever fought. This is something that has always been a source of immense pride for her. That and her hair.
And no one stayed in one piece for long when they messed with her hair.
"The next match will be between Yang Xiao Long, and Duncan Verser." Came the voice of Glynda Goodwitch.
Now everyone had heard of Yang and her skills in close-quarter combat. To say she was good was a serious understatement. Her only problem was her temper.
That wasn't to say she was someone to always walk softly around. She was actually quite mellow. But if she ever got angry, her flaming aura always came out and her fists hurt even more. And messing with her hair always caused that.
I could tell she was looking forward to this. Ever since she found out I was the guy that helped her out in Junior's club, she was itching to test herself against me. I was actually quite fond of that idea.
'Thankfully, she won't be able to flirt with me. She HAS to keep her thoughts on just fighting me.'
We were both up on stage. I decided not to use my sword or pistol. This was gonna be fought hand-to-hand. Much more fun that way.
"You ready for this, Hot-shot?" She asked me.
"Like you wouldn't believe."
"Begin!" Glynda shouted.
She ran at me first, Ember Celica already primed to try and cause me pain. Every blow she made, I parried. We kept ourselves moving all across the stage, just trying to score one actual hit on one another. She WAS good.
I decided to push things quite a bit.
Once again, she ran at me, her smirk clearly shown. As soon as she got near me, I spun myself around her.
Shinct
I still had my hidden blades, even if I didn't have my sword.
At that sound, Yang instantly turned around. I was at the far end of the stage, something was in my hand.
It looked like a large chunk of blonde hair.
"…you…"
She was speechless as I just smirked.
"…You…"
She closed her eyes.
"YOU BASTARD!"
And opened them, showing them to be crimson instead of lavender. She may have had a thing for me, but right now? She just wanted me dead.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
Yep. Real dead.
The flames spread around her, like hell just came out of her. And she used her aura to launch herself at me.
Before her fist could make contact with my face, I grabbed it.
All rage aside, that shocked her. No one could ever do that.
After that, she kept trying to take me down, her aura making her all the more dangerous. But, she seemed to be in control of herself right now. She was still beyond pissed, and it showed. But she wasn't yelling or anything. Just trying to KO me.
I decided it was time to end this. Knocking her back one more time, I activated my own 'semblance.'
I looked like one of the background people in the show. Just a silhouette. Only, my eyes could still be seen, and it was more like I myself was cut out of the Star-Lit night sky, like my wings look.
We charged at each other.
Our fists met.
Again, and again, and again we did that. Finally, Yang did it one last time, putting all her strength into the punch and then some. I charged as well.
When our fists connected, the heat could be felt throughout the entire building. There was a huge blinding light. When it faded, everyone saw us locked in position. Fists still connected.
A few seconds passed.
Then Yang fell down, exhausted.
"The winner is, Duncan Verser. Do try to avoid damaging the arena this much again you two." Glynda told us. I looked around. We really totaled the stage.
I moved to help Yang up, my true form fading away, but she just batted my hand away. She got herself up and started to walk away.
"Hey, Yang." I called out.
She turned around, probably to curse at me. Before she could, she quickly caught what I had thrown at her. She quickly looked at it, and found herself disbelieving.
It was the hair that was in my hand. And it was just fake clip-on hair. She looked back at me, eyes wide, anger replaced with shock.
"You mean you didn't…?" She started to ask.
"Nope. I'm just a serious troll."
After a couple seconds, she closed her eyes, sighed, smirked and said.
"Good one. You really got me. But don't do that again."
I'd done my part. And now I knew that she could have a better hold on her little berserker mode. I'd have to help her with that later.
Later, we were in the locker room. Ms. Goodwitch explaining how our rocket propelled lockers worked. I was sticking close to Jaune, not really listening, as I still had no need of a locker.
Even one with rockets on it.
As she was explaining how six-digit codes helped give destinations for a locker, Cardin used that knowledge. At least, he tried to.
He grabbed Jaune, and stuffed him into his own locker (cliché) and stared punching in a random code. Before it could fire off, I stepped over and put my hand on top of the container, keeping it inside the school. Then I reached over and pressed abort. And Jaune got out.
"Ugh, thanks Duncan."
"No prob, bro."
Cardin wasn't pleased at his fun getting ruined, and tried to look intimidating to me. In response, gave myself this look. In this look, I gave the impression that I was a serial killer waiting to happen. All that I'd need was for one little thing to set me off. He backed down, thoughts of vengeance in his head.
'Idiot doesn't know I can read his mind.'
"Jaune. You need help."
"Why would you say that?"
"That ass-hat just pummeled you in the last match. Therefore, you need help."
"No, I do"- He started to say.
"Mondays and Thursdays, after class."
"O-okay." He conceded.
"And bring Pyrrha."
"Why?"
"She'll be positive reinforcement. I'm tough love."
He gulped once I said that.
"SO! There we were, in the middle of the night…" Began Nora Valkyrie.
"It was day." Lie Ren corrected.
"We were surrounded by Ursi..." She said.
"They were Beowolves." He corrected
"Dozens of them!" She cried.
"Two of them." He sighed.
We were in the cafeteria as Nora described her dream, her longtime friend correcting her. I was thinking up a training regimen for Jaune while everyone else ate. I stopped once Jaune and Cardin became the prime topic.
Said bully was in the back, bullying a young bunny-ear Faunus girl. I think her name's Velvet. My fists clenched, remembering when I got bullied big time as a kid.
"Guys! Really! Its fine! Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me- And why is Duncan getting up?"
I couldn't hear what they said after that. My focus was on Cardin right now.
I was in a Heath Ledger mood right now.
"OW! That hurts!" The girl cried as Cardin pulled her ears. "Please, stop."
"I told you it was real!" "What a freak."
"Ah ha ha ha, oh ha hee hee ha ha, oh ah hee hee ha." The whole room started to quiet down as I mocked laughed. "I thought I was an asshole."
"What do you want Verser?" Cardin asked.
"To kick your ass. But that's beside the point."
He let Velvet go. "Any reason why we shouldn't kick YOUR ass right now?"
"How 'bout a magic trick?"
This was perfect. I pulled out a pencil and slammed it into the table.
"I'm gonna make this pencil, disappear." Dove walked over to remove me. If you've seen the movie, you know what happens.
"TA DA! It's, ahh it's gone." There is no noise. It looked like I just killed him.
"What is wrong with you?" Cardin finally asked after standing up.
"Lots of things. Just you right now."
"You're dead."
"Not yet I'm not." I lunge toward him, grabbing him by the neck and bring my hidden blade to his face. I've already quoted the movie once. Why stop now?
"You wanna know why I'm so messed up?" I ask. "My father was, a drinker, and a fiend. And one night, he goes off crazier than usual. Mom gets the kitchen knife to protect us. He doesn't like that. Not. One. Bit. SO! Me watching, he takes the knife from her, laughing the whole time. He turns to me, heh, and he says 'Why so serious'!?" Cardin is terrified now.
"He comes at me with the knife. 'Why so serious!?' It right in front of my face. "Let's put a smile on that face!' Then…" I look around and see everyone watching, stunned. "Why so serious?"
I instantly retracted the blade and go "Oggitty boggitty!" Right in Cardin's face. He and the other two run off, to hide or report me, it didn't matter. I then walk over to the others. Jaune says first.
"What is wrong with you!? You just killed one of them!"
"Did I though?" I say as I pull out a pencil. Jaune walks over to Dove, turns him over and sees he's only unconscious and has a black eye.
"Oh, thank God." He sighs.
"You didn't have to do that, you know." Blake says. "He might've deserved it, but you could get kicked out for causing a panic. You could have been more cautious."
"Caution's nothing to guys like them. If a man plays the fool, only fools will leave him be. But, appear to be the devil? And all men will submit." Blackbeard is awesome.
"And you'd be the devil?" Weiss asks.
'Oh my God! I can't stop.'
They see that was the wrong thing to say as they saw a look in my eye. I pull out a large feathered black hat with fuses from nowhere and put it on my head.
"…For an audience? Yeah. It's all a gig you see." I walk toward Jaune. "Give men something to fear. Some, HELLISH thing, from a fevered dream. And men will drop to their knees, PLEADING FOR THEIR LORD, BEFORE ALL ELSE!"
"H-help me." He weakly says.
"It's a horrible tactic, but it works." I calmly say as I turn to them.
"Sure seems to with you." Yang says.
"Course it does." I say then take off the hat and put it on Jaune's head.
"Well, I'm off to Ozpin to tell him what happened. Don't worry. I won't get kicked out. I've got a silver tongue."
They all just stare as I leave, still wondering what just happened.
…I quote too many things. Hope I don't get sued or reported. I'm thinking about drawing my Multiverser character as he appears in all the different worlds I put myself in. Probably will put it up on Deviant art first or something. Then make cover images for these stories. If not I'll see if I can get it up some other way. I'll be starting my Dragon Age book soon. The first chapter should be posted within the next two days. Keep reading. You have no idea the effect it has on me. Review while you're at it too, please. Exit, stage away from laptop.