And would you look at that. This story, which I just want to reiterate, was only supposed to be a one-shot, has nearly reached the 100 followers club! Wow. You guys have really eclipsed my subscribers on Youtube. By a lot.
I'm slowing down, unfortunately, but I'm trying to stick to a chapter once every three days, because, well, even though I just had exams, the guys up at uni aren't done with me yet, it seems. Holy crud. Still, as long as I can keep this up, I will.
Without further ado, let's just get going!
Mercury followed Cinder as she led him through Vale. Not bothering to take in where they were going.
Doing everything he could to look 'normal'.
Still thinking about his childhood friend.
Em. The pet name he'd never said to her face, for fear of losing it. And that moment where he'd lost her.
She'd never come back after she'd gone to get something. That night. No sign of her in the morning, then Cinder found... that picture.
It was slipped under the door, and had the message 'Found you' with a heart next to it, in red ink. Too similar to blood. Cinder had picked it up, then looked at the image on the other side, then refused to show it to him, saying that Emerald was dead, and that they needed to be even more cautious than before. Even after he'd demanded to see it, Cinder had refused, instead engulfing it in flames and tossing the ashes out of the window.
She'd refused to say anything afterwards, but had instead promised him that he 'would get his time with the one that did it'.
Who was it? And where were they headed?
Cinder reached her destination, and beckoned Mercury closer to her. He glanced up at the shop's name, but couldn't make it out as it reflected the searing sunlight into his eyes.
"So how is he?" Vade asked.
"Still asleep, even... though his bonds... are now broken." came the soft reply.
Vade stood at the end of a black and white covered bed, whose legs perfectly matched the black, glass-like flooring. It was another featureless room, save two torches emanating white flames from the walls. And a door behind him. In the bed laid Aya, and the golden suited figure from the other room, still armoured, its head cradled by the tiny girl. Aya was watching it with a troubled expression, sniffling occasionally.
"Master's breathing... has changed." Aya continued, looking up at her father with wide eyes, giving another sniff that indicated a blocked nose. "He was... fidgeting just before... you came in, too. It... isn't long now, is it... Father? Until he... wakes up?"
"No. No it isn't." Vade confirmed. "Soon, we will-"
He was interrupted by a red flash on his gold band, and stared at it.
"I'll be right back." Vade assured, before he winked, and vanished.
Aya sighed softly, and laid back on the pillow next to her master, and quietly drifted off.
Ruby decided to walk to the training arena, where she'd agreed to meet the rest of her team.
As soon as she stepped inside, she was greeted by a sight that transfixed her.
Yang and Weiss were dueling.
And oh boy, did Weiss look beautiful in combat. She'd never really liked the rapier called Myrtenaster (a toothpick compared to her beloved), but here she saw it arching through the air, transitioning gracefully from one attack to the next, the flow between guard and counter a tapestry only she could truly see.
It was amazing.
Really amazing.
And she thought Yang looked good in combat. She was the toughest one of her team, and it reflected in the way she saw Yang punch and punch and punch, occasionally deflecting a blow with the flat of her gauntlets. The flames that flickered as she threw attack after attack showcased just how hardcore her sis could be. It was showing in the aura indicators too.
The last sliver was deducted from Weiss' aura, and she immediately backed up, both combatants panting hard. Upon seeing her, Yang gave a thumbs up, which Ruby returned, before wandering over to her real target. Giving her no time to react, she grasped the heiress from behind and swept her off her feet, not caring about the sweat dripping from her body or the surprised little screech she gave when caught off guard.
"Hey Weiss." Ruby whispered as she saw Yang slip into a fit of laughter, and colour flared in the heiress' cheeks.
"Put me down, dolt." Weiss muttered, embarrassed. "I'm all sweaty." Did that matter?
"I've held you when you were sweatier than this, right?" Ruby replied. For some reason, Weiss struggled all the harder, her blush deepening, but Ruby held on with an iron grip. "What's wrong?" she asked, worriedly.
"Never mind." Weiss said with a defeated tone. Ruby lowered her to the ground dejectedly. Was that really so bad? Weiss turned around and saw her sheepish look, planting one of her trademark kisses on her cheek in response. "I'm happy to see you, too. Your sister's been getting up a winning streak."
"Ten-nothing!" Yang yelled out, punching the air. "I might have to resort to the duel app eventually!"
Duel app, huh? That gave Ruby an idea. Taking Weiss by the hand, she moved closer to her sister, with a smile on her face.
"Say, Yang, mind doing me a favor?" Ruby asked sweetly, pulling out her scroll.
"Yeah? What's up?" Yang inquired, still full of energy even after that tough fight.
"There's someone on here that's really tough. Like, reeaaally tough. Think you can fight him?" Ruby asked, thinking of Vade. He was tough, and would be the perfect opponent for Yang, to really make sure she was ready. The books he used were also like Penny's swords, so Yang would be able to practice against floating weapons too.
"Bring it on!" Yang replied, pulling out her own scroll. "What's his name?"
"Vade... uh... I don't actually know his second name." Ruby replied.
"You mean like Darth?" Yang quipped, as she thumbed the name into the app.
"No, just V-A-D-E." Weiss said, sharing a look with Ruby that meant she was on the same wavelength as Ruby. Yang rolled her eyes at them with a joking expression on her face.
"Weissy, I'm sorry, but I can S-P-E-L-L." Yang joked, looking at the profile page. "Damn. Red question mark for a rank huh? Isn't this the same guy you told me about, Rubes?"
"Yup." Ruby replied.
"I'll send a request." Yang said, hitting the button.
"No... need." came a soft voice behind Ruby. She wheeled around, and yet there was nothing there. What?
"Who are you?" Weiss asked.
Ruby turned and looked at her girlfriend, who was looking down, and followed her eyes to see a familiar silver haired child standing before them.
"Aya? What are you doing here?" Ruby asked as the petite child gave her a small, soft smile.
"You know her?" Weiss asked.
"Aww, you're cute." Yang said from behind both.
"She's Vade's little girl." Ruby replied. "The one with the x-ray eye semblance. But wait, weren't you supposed to be sick with a cold?" She remembered what Vade had said, about her being asleep and ill.
"Well, I was... stuffed up in the... morning, but then... after a nap... I was fine." Aya answered, breathing a little harder than normal. "Did Father... tell you that?"
"He did." Ruby replied, bending down, hands on her knees, so that she was at the same level as the little, navy eyed girl. He heard Yang gasp a little as she noticed the girl's eyes, and Ruby wouldn't blame her. Purely navy, except for two black dots where her pupils were.
"He worries about... me too... much." Aya said softly. "But he... gave me a message... to give to... you all. He said he... knows about... your intent to... challenge him... at some point. He wants... to know... do you want... him to fight... at full strength... or at half?"
"Full." Yang said, immediately, before Ruby could even warn her that what she'd gotten when she faced Vade hadn't been his true power. Aya took a step back from Ruby, eyes now fixed on Yang.
"Then... you won't mind... having two opponents." the small girl replied. "You know... Ruby," she locked eyes with Ruby's own, deep, navy windows to the child's soul, "I watched... your fight with... Father." She closed her eyes.
"No! These books suck!" the girl in red yelled as she ducked under her father's books.
Aya watched from the stands, hidden from view by the chairs. She was impressed, the girl had survived against her father for longer than she'd expected.
She rolled out of the way of another attack, causing the books to collide with each other, before becoming practically translucent and zipping forwards! Her father winked, and teleported behind her at the last moment, causing the red one to stop and spin around. Two more books had appeared from behind her father's back now.
Four.
End.
So it was time?
"You know, you've impressed me, Ruby." Vade said, as Aya peeked her head up, getting herself into a good position, and watching. Ruby? That was her name? "With how hard you fight... I definitely wouldn't have taken you for a student." her father continued.
There was a pause, then-
"Ah. So that's your secret. That's cute. Very cute. Don't worry, I won't tell." the man in black said. What secret was this? Ruby was blushing now. "Welp," Vade cracked his knuckles, a signal for Aya, "it's time for this song and dance to end. Even if you're unusually strong for a student, what you face is beyond you."
Aya crossed her index and middle fingers, before raising her thumb in a gun shape. She aimed at the girl, who had raised her scythe, thinking that her father would be the one to strike.
"No..." she whispered to herself. "You're... mine... now."
She felt the familiar sensation of her hand and arm getting tired, and the aura building up.
"You know, there's a reason why my rank is a question mark." Vade said, clearly distracting the girl, giving Aya time to really make this one count. She responded by charging... more... more... more! "Rank means nothing to me. I transcended that system long ago. They recognized that."
He jumped up, hovering about ten feet off the ground, his legs crossed, and Aya knew it was almost time to release.
"Don't believe me? Then how about I show you?"
He pointed at Ruby, and snapped his fingers.
Aya waited for another second, and then released.
An invisible bolt flew straight at the girl, behind her by about five meters. Then-
BOOM!
"Remember... what he... said?" Aya continued, opening her eyes again.
"It wasn't his true power?" Ruby asked, sure that wasn't what Aya was getting at. But, the girl gave her a smile, a smile that let Ruby know that she was right. But then, that would mean-
"I'm the... second half... of his true... power." she replied.
"Something that you may have found had you been paying attention." another familiar voice sounded out, this one from behind Yang. They all turned to see Vade, who had literally just appeared behind them. He was holding a scroll up, a scroll that displayed Yang's portrait on the screen alongside her rank of 37. It was printed in yellow for him.
"You're Vade, right?" Yang asked. Vade nodded, as Aya circled around them, returning to her father's side.
"Yup." Vade replied, his smile not sinister like when he and Ruby had first met, more of a thoughtful smile. "Ready for the final rounds tomorrow?"
"Yeah." Yang replied, Ruby locking eyes with Weiss, whose eyes flashed a question. She nodded, and they both backed up.
"Good luck!" Ruby called out. Yang looked back and responded with a smile and a wink.
As Yang watched her sister and partner retreat to the stands, she sized up her competition. Vade was a red number, whatever he was, so he had to be tough. He was taller than her, so he would be vulnerable down low. Aya was small, and looked weak, but she had a feeling that she was strong in her own way.
"Shall we do this then?" Yang asked.
"Certainly." Vade replied, as the aura indicators started up again. Two bars now opposed her, and both were full. As bad as it was, Yang was watching Aya. She would likely be the weakest of the two, in fact, why was Vade letting her fight at all? She was so... frail, and she mentioned as much. While Vade remained silent, the little girl giggled, unafraid of her in the slightest.
"Looks aren't... everything, Yang." Aya responded quietly, before she climbed onto Vade's back, situating herself so that she was attached to her father's back, peeking her head out from beside her fathers. Both gave a devilish grin, two eyes glowed, and they entered a combat stance, Aya's arms underneath her father's, making it look as if Vade had four arms and two heads.
How would they even fight?
Two black books were floating beside the pair, and as Yang watched, two larger-than-life pens joined them, each the size of a walking stick, the ballpoint of each sharpened into a point like a spear. The four apparitions circled their masters, the tomes swirling gracefully through the air as the styluses danced threateningly, points aimed directly at her.
"At your ready, Yang." Vade said, his crimson aura flaring around the two.
"Prepare to... face the touch... of destiny." Aya added, her small smile reminiscent of her father's cruel grin.
Yang felt a shiver shoot down her back, a cold sweat braking out.
This was going to be tough.