Chapter 6

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Cardin hissed as he clutched his hand in pain. He growled angrily but his smile returned when he saw Sky kick the straggly boy to the ground. Jaune looked up at him as he and his teammates surrounded him.

"Let's see how much of a man you really are."

All of them jumped in their spot as large growl cut through the forest. They all turned to see a very big Ursa Major. It was huge! The bone spikes on its back were as big as any sword and just as sharp. Cardin stood there in fear, even as his team ran for their lives, he was paralyzed. His legs refused to work until the Ursa swiped him aside. As the demon stalked toward him he finally regained control of his legs. He ran away from the creature as fast as he could be it was for naught as the beast landed in front of him and knocked him down again. He pulled out his mace only to have it knocked aside. The Ursa raised its claws to strike again. Cardin closed his eyes and raised his right arm attempting to shield himself from the blow he knew was coming. His arm erupted in pain as he landed from being sent flying. The bear's claws had struck him hard and he had no doubt his arm was broken. Wait . . . he didn't remember getting a broken arm.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

Before he could think further, a tight pain surrounded his ankle and he was tossed through the air again. His back collided with a tree making his whole body numb and blurring his vision. He blinked his eyes trying to clear his sight. When everything came into focus he saw two things. The Ursa slowly walked towards him to finish him . . . and Jaune standing a few yards behind it. Cardin couldn't move but he hoped his eyes showed how desperate he was.

"Jaune," he croaked weakly. "Help me."

Jaune just stood there, staring down the one who tortured him every day, who tortured every student weaker than him every day. Eventually he did move, but he only turned his back on him making Cardin's eyes widen and his stomach drop. He was leaving him there. He was abandoning him to his fate. A growl brought the boy's attention back to the Ursa who was close enough that Cardin could count its teeth. He closed his eyes. He couldn't move, he couldn't escape, and any who would help him were long gone, not that there was anyone who would help him. He was going to die, and as the Grimm's teeth began reach his body a single thought entered his mind.

"I would never leave a fellow hunter behind."

-0-

Another Beowolf fell as Cardin's mace came down its head, caving in the demon's bone mask. He was tired; tired of the nightmares, tired of walking with a broken leg, tired of these God damn Grimm! There was no end to them! He swung his mace again, knocking aside the Beowolf that charged him. He glanced briefly at his circumstantial traveling companion. Velvet danced around the Grimm like they were nothing but slow moving stones rather than the speed demons they were. She kicked, punched, and leapt all over the place, not a single Beowolf able to even scratch her. Cardin growled again as he blocked a Grimm's attack. Velvet was certainly not helping him stay calm. Everything just frustrated him! The dreams, her, he couldn't stand it! The Beowolf that attacked him received more than just a blow to its head. Cardin needed something to take out his frustrations and the poor beast is what he used. He struck with his mace again and again and again and again.

"Cardin stop! I think you got it!"

He breathed heavily as he looked down at the evaporating corpse of the Grimm. Without looking at the huntress next to him he limped off in the direction they were walking. Velvet looked at him with worry. He was getting more and more aggressive as they went. She knew something was bothering him but she didn't know how to address it without angering him. She wasn't exactly one for subtlety. Not that she was completely blunt but she was just too shy to successfully try anything tact. Not that that kept her from trying mind you.

"Hey . . . Cardin?" she called softly. The boy made no indication that he even heard her, he just kept walking.

"Are . . . are you okay?" even she flinched at how meek she sounded. Cardin continued walking, only responding with a curt "No."

"It's okay if something's wrong," she said gaining a little more confidence as she went. "You can always talk to me if you-"

"Nothing's wrong."

Velvets ears drooped. He really wasn't making this easy for her.

"Clearly that's not the case; you're much more hostile than usual." Velvet's eyes widened the moment she stopped talking. Why the hell did she say that?! Damn it mouth!

"Hostile?"

She squeaked when Cardin turned to face her. He was angry again to state the obvious. His brows were furrowed and his teeth were clenched.

"Don't even get me started, you haven't seen hostile."

Velvet's own brows furrowed. She's seen plenty of Cardin's hostility. He's bullied her for months. Since the first time he saw her he's taunted her, disrespected her, abused her and she has done nothing to him. She doesn't even fight back but she, and every other Faunus or anyone else who's weaker, were victims of his bullying. She only had so much patience and it was quickly running thin.

"Oh and I suppose hostile means pulling my ears, humiliating me, belittling my species?"

Cardin didn't answer, he just clenched his fists.

"What, nothing to say? You had no trouble insulting me before."

"Stop."

"Or what, we both know you're too much of a coward to try anything."

She yelped when he grabbed her wrist. His grip was like iron and it made her wince, but she got this far, she won't stop now.

"Why do you do this Cardin?" she asked as he continued to tighten his grip.

"Shut up." She wouldn't.

"You torture others to make yourself feel bigger but why?"

"Shut up!"

"Why do you hate me Cardin? Why do you hate Faunus?"

"Because you took her from me!"

The grip on velvet's wrist disappeared as Cardin hung his head. The Faunus stared at him in shock. She tried getting answers from him but she didn't expect to actually get any. She stopped caring about that when she saw a tear fall from Cardin's cheek.

"Cardin," she said softly. He shook his head. "Cardin . . . what happened?" He took a shaky breath but remained silent. Velvet was about to ask again when he suddenly spoke.

"It was when I was thirteen. I had just gotten accepted into Signal."

He paused to breathe again. Velvet waited silently for him to continue.

"Mom never wanted me to be a hunter that was always Dad's dream. For me to carry on the Winchester tradition of hunters. But she was proud of me any way. She had brought me out to eat at my favorite restaurant. On our way back . . ."

Cardin's fists clenched tightly into fists to the point where Velvet thought it would draw blood.

"We were stopped at gunpoint. They were White Fang thugs wanting to stem the Winchester line."

Velvet clenched her teeth when she heard that. The White Fang may have been peaceful a few years ago but there were still those few extremists. Now the extremists were in charge of the group and wanted to make the humans fear them. As far as she was concerned they were just as bad as the humans who subjected them. All of her teammates were human and she had no problems with them. She focused on Cardin when he began to speak again.

"She told me to run. I ran and they-"Cardin choked out a sob. Velvet couldn't help but pity him. She had never seen Cardin like this. So hurt, so vulnerable, so . . . human.

Cardin froze. The arms that locked around his body tightened. He looked down to see a pair of long, brown ears. Velvet was . . . hugging him?

"There's nothing I can say or do about the White Fang. I'm not a part of them, I never was. But at least there is one thing I can do. It probably won't help but . . . I'm sorry."

Cardin didn't say anything which immediately made Velvet nervous. Should she pull back, just stand there? She flinched slightly when she felt his hand on her back.

"What's he doing? Did I make him mad? I-"

His arms closed around her and brought her closer to his chest. He was . . . hugging back?

"Thank you."

Velvet relaxed into the embrace.

"No problem. Glad I could help."

They stood there for who knows how long before they finally stepped back from each other. Velvet wore a small smile on her face; one Cardin couldn't help but return. That is until they heard the tapping of metal on metal.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me."

An explosion between them sent them flying in opposite directions. Cardin gritted his teeth when pain shot along his hurt leg. Velvet slid across the ground for a few feet before coming to a stop. They both looked up to see the same Grimm from the cave.

It was the biggest they had ever seen! It hovered in the air above them, its serpentine body swiveling back and forth slowly. The sales on its head back and tail were all a deep red color. Its wings and body were a pure black color as were most Grimm. Small flurries of wind were made every time it flapped its wings. The claws on its two arms were the very definition of sharp. Smoke billowed from its mouth, its white bone mask bearing an assortment of scars and burns. The Grimm opened its jaws slowly before letting a mighty roar that, if their ears weren't ringing from the explosion, would have made the two hunters cover them. When it stopped it looked down at Cardin and growled menacingly.

"Cardin?"

"Velvet RUN!"

The demon lunged faster than either of them could react. Cardin was tossed aside, the air knocked from his lungs.

"This seems eerily familiar."

Cardin was sent flying again when its tail struck his back. He was hit by the Dragon's claw, hit by the snout, and then smashed into the ground by the tail. Each time he was hit a loud *CRACK* was heard. Velvet watched in horror. He can't take much more of this and she knew it. She reached out with her hands allowing energy to flow through them. The pain from Cardin's injuries immediately lessened as a warm feeling washed over him. The grass he lay on reached up and attached to his body glowing lightly. The Faunus reached down to her pelt, quickly taking out a small red dust crystal. She made quick gestures with her hands before holding the crystal in front of her towards the Grimm. Another gesture and the crystal erupted into a fireball straight towards the monster's bone mask.

Fire erupted from the Grimm's mouth, swallowing up Velvet's pitiful attack and sending the flames towards her tenfold. She dashed to the side, narrowly missing the ball of heat that scorched the earth she stood on just a moment before. She did not, however, dodge the tail swiping in her direction. It smashed into her like an armored truck throwing her into a nearby tree.

"Oh God that hurts," she thought while blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. She breathed sharply and rose to her feat. The Grimm eyed her for a moment before charging again and again she dashed out of the way. From her belt she pulled out two more crystals, one yellow the other green. She smashed them together and sent a torrent of lightning and debris at the Grimm only for it to bounce harmlessly off the dragon's tough hide.

"Shit," she said as she was once again smashed by the tail. She took out a blue dust crystal.

"Last one, got to make it count."

She jumped out of the way as the Grimm's head smashed into the ground, dust and rock erupting from the ground. Focusing her thoughts, Velvet put every bit of energy she had into the crystal. When the demon looked up at her she unleashed a blizzard of cold and frost right into the monster's face. It screeched as it was assaulted by the ice dust's power. Velvet cheered on the inside when she saw she actually hurt the thing. Or just made it mad.

The rabbit Faunus was thrown back by yet another explosion. She looked up from her spot on the ground at the Grimm hovering over her. A single thought went through her mind.

"I'm going to die."

As fast as her legs could carry her she ran away from the demon only to trip after a few feet.

"Son of a . . .!"

She looked down to see what tripped her and her thoughts silenced. It was her weapon! It was covered in dirt and grime but it was here the whole time! She grabbed it and as fast as she could, she activated the firing mechanism. The Grimm reared its head back preparing to release its flame.

"Velvet!" Cardin shouted out to her as he watched the Grimm prepare to burn her.

Before it could even open its mouth, a thin beam of pale blue light erupted from Velvets box, striking the Grimm's chest, going through it and into the sky. A flash of light blinded them for a moment and when Cardin could see again he was in awe. Hundreds of light beams shot out across the forest and sky, the cries of Grimm could be heard every time a beam disappeared. Several of the beams shot down and struck the dragon, each spot the light hit erupted in blue light as the demon's skin and hide burned away. It thrashed wildly as its body dissolved from the light. It crashed to the ground as its wings were destroyed and it continued to writhe until nothing but its white and red bone mask was the only evidence it even existed.

Velvet panted heavily when her weapon finally stopped firing. She slowly rose to her feet, despite her bodies protest. She walked over to Cardin who was still looking at her in awe.

"Velvet?"

"Hmmm?"

"What the hell was that?" She smiled gently at him.

"That was every Grimm within a 100 mile radius dissolving in blue light."

"That was your weapon?

"Yes."

"Why haven't you used that before?"

"Because it takes half a year just to charge."

"Oh."

She giggled lightly before grabbing his arm and pulling him up. Every part of Cardin's body was broken, sprained, or just in pain so he was very grateful when Velvet let him lean on her for support. They both looked up to the sky when they heard the sound of rotors approaching. A bullhead gunship was hovering above them, both their teams looking down on them.

"You two coming," Coco yelled down to them. "Or are you cool with walking from here?"

Cardin and Velvet both laughed before walking towards the landing ship.

"Come on Cardin," she said to the boy leaning against her. "Let's go home."

Don't worry I am not done with this story, there is still more to come. Oh hey, so far I have heard two names for this pairing: Holy bun and Twitter bun. Being the fool that I am let me know in the review which you prefer along with your opinion on the chapter. Waiver, if you will.

Waiver: Please review!