Hey Everyone, Enjoy the New chapter by me, the next one will be done by Bugdevil!
Disclaimer: THe content are not own by me, they are owned by Monty Oum, the other references in this chapter are owned by heir Respective Creators.
Arc 1: The shining Beacon. Chapter 3: Initiation part 2
Emerald Forest - Near Old Temple January 27th, AW 675
Lucy, Juge, Riza and Akashi ran though the dense bushes, with the man in blue and the Fox a few meters ahead of them, while Akashi and Lucy ran at their pace, both fast to keep up yet easy to run without losing stamina.
"...So I'm guessing no one has seen the temple or the relics yet?" Mayhiro shouted at them, Riza turned around giving Akashi a sad glance.
"No, none of us have." she sighed "We- I caused a bit of a mishap, we lost our way before you showed up."
"Oh?" the hammer wielder responded "Oh! You mean that Kurma? You were attacking that?!" Akashi shouted, the whip wielder sighed.
"Of course, but it is nothing to be proud of, we could have lost without teamwork, weren't it for Lucy, Riza-"
"No, it's my fault for charging head first, into its mouth..." Riza said rather hoarsely, "I should have been more cautious."
"Let's not bring the mood down~" Lucy chimed her word in, Riza screamed as she saw Lucy running beside her, leaving Akashi to himself "Hello~"
"Lucy! Don't do that! Especially after we barely escaped with our lives intact!" Riza clutched her chest to calm her breathing.
"Sorry, I thought I would cheer you up, but you sure are pretty jumpy after that~" Lucy smiled at her "Don't worry, everything is going to be OK!" her carefree smiled made the faunus girl loosen up a slight bit, knowing that she had comrades around her.
"So... with that out of the way, has anyone been able to find a clue... no wait does anyone have any idea wherever we're going?" Juge notice that Akashi was running beside him "Anyone?"
"...Nope." Lucy stopped. "Ah, I'm tired... Aka carry me~" holding her arm out like a child Lucy waited for her partner to carry her.
The Hammer user looked at her before looking back at Riza and Juge. "Is she... serious?" looking at Lucy once again, who was pouting like a lost child.
"Unfortunately she isn't kidding..." Riza rubbed her fox ears to calm herself "Lucy, you need to exercise more seriousness, we're in the middle of exams!"
"Aw... but my legs are tired... Aka please~?" putting her best pouting face she looked at Akashi. Juge rolled his eyes in disappointment and turned away.
"Riza, your friend has found a partner, it's best if we part ways now." dusting himself off, he grabbed his partners hand having made up his mind, Riza on the other hand tried to pry herself from his grip.
"Hey, let go!" the faunas yelled "We can go together, it'll be better! Not to mention safer!"
"Indeed, However: we are a team." Juge answered "They are a team as well." sighing he looked into the eye of his Faunus teammate "Lucy has proven now that she can take care of herself, she doesn't need anyone to hold her hand."
"But!" Riza tried to find an answer to counter back his argument, but she couldn't "I understand."
Juge nodded as he let go of her hand, rubbing her to sooth the slight pain she looked back at Lucy with a guilty look. "Lucy... I'll be going..."
"Ah, don't cry Riza~" Lucy smiled at her with a caring expression "I know you'll be okay, it was nice meeting you!"
"Don't say it as if this is final!" Riza said that a bit loud getting a surprised looks from all three "I mean... don't say goodbye... think of it as... see you soon!" she perked up flashing her fox-like teeth in a smile "Besides I hate goodbyes. They are too sad."
"Then~ See you soon best friend~!" Akashi looked at her.
"Best friend?" the brown haired boy look amused.
"Yes, Riza is my best buddy" Lucy smiled at him.
"I see."
Riza's eyes widened, surprised at Lucy's remark...
But she was happy... to be called someone's close friend.
…...
"Thank you Lucy." she smiled, a red tint dusted her cheeks "Well... you stay safe okay?!" she pointed her finger at Akashi "If I see so much as a scratch on Lucy, you'll be in a much worse state than you can imagine."
"Wow Fluffy, ease up!" Akashi laughed, her red cheeks turned to red form embarrassment.
"My names is not fluffy!" She screamed causing a few bird to fly away.
"Like I said: ease up, I'll take care of Lucy" giving Riza the thumbs up "A Mayhiro never goes back on his word!"
She stared at him a little doubtfully but then nodded. "...thanks Akashi. See you guys." Riza bowed slightly before running towards Juge, who stayed silent nodded at Akashi the two heading into the forest.
"Ah~ I miss her already~" Lucy pouted as her blue eye stared to the ground "I'm sad~"
"Hey-hey, it's alright, we'll see them again... well not Juge. But Riza definitively we'll see again: You two are best friends right?" Raising an eyebrow as a faint but visible red appeared on Lucy's cheeks.
"Yeah. We're friends~" Lucy smiled at him. Nodding at her answer he jerked his thumb backwards.
"Come one, I think I know here these relics are, I saw two girls with another group talking below me... I would have gotten the relic, but I need a partner." Grinning he raised his fist towards her "You wanna become the best with me?"
"Sure." Lucy smiled again. Akashi's face faltered.
His heart skipped a beat.
"But you've gotta carry me~!" Akashi yelped as Lucy latched onto his back grinning widely.
"Fine... let's go." sighing, he gave into the demand of his new found partner... the partner he would be with for the rest of his life in beacon.
"Name's Akashi Mayhiro, nice to meet you."
"Lucy Stripes... nice to meet you too~ Wanna pocky?"
"Sure... it's chocolate right? I hate strawberry!"
"Yes, it's chocolate." Lucy handed him a few sticks, the boy accepting them.
Unknown to both of them, two black globs slowly ran down a nearby tree, following them into the darkness.
Emerald Forest - Near the relics January 27th, AW 675
"...Located." The Turquoise haired boy muttered, looking though his sniper rifle. Standing up as he picked up his weapon he looked over towards Jasna who was cleaning her face from the blood. They fought a while ago.
"Huh? You say something Pipsqueak?" her violet eyes glared straight through him. Gulping he nodded.
"Located." he pointed towards beyond the cliffs, grunting, the girl pushing him out of the way, squinting her eyes to get a better overview she spotted a run down building with podiums inside, forming a circle she notice several golden sparkles and the same amount of black pieces there.
"That's the place? Kinda tacky if you ask me..." the orange brawler paused as she spotted a familiar figure. "Anto!?"
"Drink." the blue haired boy cupped his hand as the water dipped into his hands before bringing it towards his mouth.
"No time for that pipsqueak!" his blue eye widened as Jasna grabbed the back off his shirt, dragging him towards the cliffs once again "You can drink later for all I care, all I need to know is if that's Anto!" channeling her aura into her right arm she hurled the boy in the direction of the figure.
"GO FIND OUT FOR ME!"
"Help..." was his only reply as sailed thought the air.
"With a lightweight body like that, he'll be fine... or broken in half... I don't really care." the brawler smirked as she was skidding down the cliff, occasionally avoiding the boulders that were in her way. As she softly landed on the ground, she ran towards her flying partner and the people in the distance.
"Anto!"
Emerald Forest – Relics Sanctuary January 27th, AW 675
Antonio smirked as a familiar scream reached his ears.
Alexandra rolled her eyes as she watched her partner's friend coming closer to them.
"Catch him!" Jasna yelled again as she pointed into the sky.
"Huh? What's she on about?" The girl with a bow in her hair (known as Blake) raised a brow at her, however her blonde haired friend (and partner) nudged her "Oh."
The blue haired boy made a bee-line towards them, Jasna's aim was dead on.
"Don't worry I've got this..." her voice deepened as Alexandra aura swirled around her, "Uh... you alright?"
"That's the pervert." taking her guns out she aimed at him.
"Hey what are you doing, that's no Grimm!" she shouted at her, but the black haired girl wouldn't listen.
"Die pervert!"
And she shot.
The marksmen noticed the flash from her guns. "Retaliate." joining his two gun together he fired from his hip with a moment's notice. The two bullets clashed, created a mini explosion. With force of the bullet, the boy slowed down, rolling forwards to shift his momentum off him, as he aimed at Alexandra.
"You." he only spoke in a small voice.
"You!" Alexandra seethed as she aimed her eagle at him. "If you don't hand over the picture right now: Grimm or not, you're going to pay!"
"...No." getting up he still had his hand on the trigger "Art."
"Don't make me repeat myself pervert!" she snarled as the grip on her gun tightened, making the boy copy her move.
"Negative."
"Time out!" the blonde bombshell, got between the two hunters. "Let's not kill anyone for whatever reason now, okay?"
"Back away Yang Xiao Long, you have no idea who this scum is." Alex grunted, still keeping her guns up. "He took pictures."
"Okay... kinda weird... but there's no harm in taking snaps." the girl called Yang tried to diffuse the situation.
"You shouldn't jump to conclusions Yang, he took photos... of our... of underwear."
Emerald Forest – Somewhere, January 27th, AW 675
For some reason Akashi felt like exploding from laughter, but he chose to keep it quite.
"Hehehe..."
Emerald Forest – Relic Sanctuary January 27th, AW 675
That one sentence from Alexandra had Yang and her partner glaring daggers at the blue haired boy.
"...not good."
"Come again... it seem like you said 'he's taken photos of our panties'?" Yang tried to keep calm hoping that Alex was joking. Belladona's amber eyes glared deep into the boy's blue eyes.
"What I said was true: this scum took pictures of my... panties as you put it..." Alex peered over Yang shoulders.
"Where did he go?" Yang spun around to see the the outline of the pervert boy that had been standing there a moment ago.
"What the-?"
"Captured." the boy grabbed one of the chess pieces.
"Well well well, looks like you've gotten yourself into a pinch." turning his head the boy watched Antonio strolled towards him. "My name is Antonio Chessa, I have to admit, that you are quite the marksman, not just anyone is able to hit a bullet with another."
The boy nodded "And what's your name? You do seem to be... the quiet type."
"...Kirk." The boy finally known as Kirk nodded.
"Kirk? A nice na-"
"Hey, who gave you permission to talk to Anto!?" Antonio side stepped as Kirk's head was driven into the cold ground, rock came tumbling out the line. Jasna, who had her hand on the back of Kirk's head moved a couple of meters forwards before stopping.
"Dear, Jasna?"
"Anto!" Jasna evil expression turned to a happy smile, getting off the boy she ran towards him at blinding speed before delivered a hard right fist into his gut, making Antonio wince in pain. "YOU BIG HEAD DUMBASS, WHY DIDN'T YOU COME AND FIND ME!?"
"Jasna. Please stop." the usually composed man was being shaken to death "I had complete and utter faith in you, hence why I didn't come and fetch you and it seems that you've found yourself a partner. Who looks like he's bleeding out..."
"Oh this twerp?" Jasna spat "He's just some pervert that took a photo of my panties."
"...I see... but nevertheless he's still your partner dear." Antonio sighed before patting her shoulder "He did retrieve a chess piece for you."
"Chess pieces?" her face scrunched up before seeing Kirk's hand holding the relic "What the heck?"
"From my understanding, it's what Professor Ozpin asked to collect for our test: These are the relics. They're chess pieces." Antonio explained as he held his piece. "Me and Alexandra are already a team. I suggest you do the same."
"But Anto!"
"No buts Jasna." her friend scolded her, biting her lower lip she gave a frustrated sigh before walking towards the Kirk boy, only to find out that he had disappeared again. "Huh?"
"Located: Nevermore." as the group bunched up they found that Kirk was couched on top of a pillar with his sniper rifle fixed again. They followed the gun barrel towards a Nevermore that was flying above them.
"Caution: Unknown object falling form nevermore." Kirk quickly changed his scope to a more bigger one "Correction: Falling Huntress."
"...When did he get up there?" the orange fighter glared at Kirk. Alexandra stared before aiming her gun at him, but decided not to shoot.
"Tch... next time."
"Kirk can you tell us anything else?" Antonio called out.
"Cape."
"Cape?" the umbrella armed man repeated.
"Red cape."
"That's!" Yang shouted out.
"...hhhhhhhhead up!" sure enough the blonde brawler's suspicions were correct. Ruby was falling from the Nevermore at a dangerous pace. But before anyone could do something about it a blur of blonde that came from out of nowhere hit the scythe wielder, changing the course and flying into a tree.
"Crisis averted." Kirk muttered before he zoomed in again "Nevermore: Coming in hot-" he raised an eyebrow as he focused on a unfamiliar figure hanging on the talons of the Nevermore.
"..."
"What else is there Kirk?" Antonio shouted to him.
"...Unknown." jumping off the pillar in a safe motion he met up with the rest of the group (who was mostly still giving him the death look). Before anyone would say anything again, a loud roar echoed through the forest, turning to their right they saw a Ursa on it's hind legs as it crashed though the forest, as everyone took their stance, a pink bolt of dust erupted from the Grimm back, followed by a girl trying to be a cowgirl.
The Ursa slumped forwards as it stopped moving. Everyone watched as young girl with orange hair (a bit lighter than Jasna's) assessed her work.
"Aw... it's broken!" she whined.
Or at least they thought was assessing.
"Nora... please" from behind the dead Ursa emerged a male teen with eastern style clothing "Don't ever do that again." looking up to get confirmation that she heard he looked up.
Only to find that she wasn't there anymore.
"Nora?"
"Ohhhhhh!" The girl named Nora looked at the gold chess piece before picking it up, she began to dance with it.
"NORA!" the boy in green yelled at her.
"Oops! Sorry Ren!" she giggled before seeing Kirk "Hey!" she pointed at him "You're the guy who took photos of my panties!"
"Correct." Kirk replied, Alex and the other girls jaws dropped.
"Damn pervert!" Alex screamed "Just wait until I get my hands around your neck. I'll-"
A loud and monstrous sound interrupted her speech as the gang watched as a girl with red hair ran from the Forest, being closely followed by a death-stalker, in large claw trying to cut the girl in half as she narrowly escaped its clutches.
"Jaune!" she cried.
"Phyrra!?" the blonde blur know as Jaune shouted back, as Ruby finally regained her balance.
"Whoa!" getting to her feet she jumped off the tree trunk, as she sprinted towards her older sister leaving the poor boy hanging there.
"Don't leave me!"
"Ruby!?" Ruby smiled as her older sister opened her arm wide.
"Yang!"
Before they could embrace, a familiar orange haired girl popped out from no where.
"Nora!" she yelled throwing her name into the mix.
Belladonna, who was still glaring at Kirk sighed before turning to her blonde partner "So you're telling me that Nora- rode all the way here on a Ursa?" she glance at Phyrra who was still being chased by the death stalker. "And she ran all the way here with a death stalker on her tail.
Yang had enough commotions for 5 minutes, her aura flared as her lilac eye turned burning red, the aura turned into flames that danced around her "Can everyone CHILL OUT for just a goddamn minute!? I have it up to here with crazy!" she spun around and pointed at Kirk.
"And you, if I ever see you taking photos of girl's panties again, I'll break your camera and then your face got it!?"
"...acknowledged." Kirk paled.
"And you!" she pointed at Nora "Stop being everywhere for one second and stay in one place, you're going to give me an heart attack!"
"Okey dokey!" Nora grinned as she saluted. Yang grunted as she looked at Phyrra.
"And you, stop being chased already and deal with the Deathstalker!"
"I'm sorry!" she cried back as she barrel rolled from a ram attack.
Yang panted as she regained her breath. Kirk and Ruby looked at the sky once again before seeing the figure dangling form the Nevermore's talons.
"How could you leave me like this!?" the figure cried out.
"I SAID JUMP WEISS!" ruby screamed for her to hear. Unfortunately the wind was strong and swallowed her sentence, the only thing she heard was:
"JUMP!" closing her eyes Weiss let go.
"She's falling." Ren had reached the group as the watched the heiress fall. Kirk on the other hand had unloaded the clip from his gun and pulled out a arrow with a silver tip, the back of his gun flipped open as he loaded the arrow in the chamber, zooming in on her he tried to spot a lose flap anywhere, to change the direction.
Meanwhile, Jaune had untangled himself from the tree and emerged form the branch, panted he saw Weiss falling to her demise, running and leaping of the branch he timed in perfectly catching Weiss bridle style.
"Dropping in?" Jaune couldn't help but to picture Lucy laughed for his joke and Riza scolding him for it. Weiss looked at him before looking at the ground. Jaune followed suit.
Oh yeah, Riza would have scolded him for this.
Both wide eyed the Weiss clung on to him and Jaune whimpered.
He could hear the scolding already.
"Oh god!"
Jaune screamed as the two fell, him landing belly first into the ground and Weiss landed on him.
"My hero." she deadpanned.
"My back..."
Phyrra was send flying towards the group in a heap and Yang sighed.
"Great now the gang's all here, now we can die together!" Yang announced happily.
"Not everyone is here, Riza and Lucy aren't." Ruby reminded her "Besides, no one is going to die on my watch!"
Facing opposite her, she fired crescent rose as she turned into a blur, coming straight at the scorpion Grimm, however the scorpion like beast batted her away, causing her to fall hard. Yang cried out to her, but the dark haired girl assured that she was okay. That is until the land Grimm chased after her, wasting no time she placed her weapon back behind her and made a run for it, Yang sprinting towards her.
Kirk watched at the Nevermore came flying behind her, knowing its eye was directed at Ruby, he shook his head and ran in front of the pack, placing his ammo back into the gun he loaded the chamber.
"Support." taking fire at the Nevermore he fired bullet after bullet with precise aim, the bullets went through it like butter, it flailed for a bit before shaking it off.
"Curses." Antonio clicked his tongue as he also aimed at the nevermore, the sliver tip of his umbrella opened "Jasna go with Ms. Yang and support her."
"Roger!" the gauntlet wearing girl ran after Yang, her eyes blazed with helping her female friend.
"Kirk, see if you can knock off the Nevermore before it goes for another attack!" Antonio barked at Kirk. The blue haired boy nodded.
"Copy, switching ammo." the magazine dropped as Kirk reached into his bag and pulled another magazine in red. Clipping it in he aimed again. "Dust fire bullets." shooting the gun fire like a red aura traveled to and straight passed the Nevermore's carpus giving a squawk of pain it fired it's black feathers at Ruby in anger.
"Crap!" Antonio cursed, which was unusual for him. 'That's not good, she has to survive!'
Yang and Jasna ran as the black rain of feathers blocked their path. "Don't get in my way!" the blades on Jasna's gauntlets extended as she sliced the feathers like butter, the Nevermore continued his attack, marking the two as well as ruby. One of them snagged Ruby's red cape causing her to fall to the ground.
"Ruby!" Yang cried again as she followed Jasna's path, but there was too many feathers to cut. "Get out of there!"
"I'm trying to!" Ruby tugged at her cape trying to free herself, but her eye traveled towards death stalker, it's stinger ready to kill its target.
"Damn! It's no use!" Jasna spat out, Yang reached out her hand to Ruby.
"Ruby NO!"
3 blurred figure rushed past her making her close her her eyes to shield herself from the dust.
Ruby closed her eyes hoping that it would end quickly.
Her vision closed she heard a sickening crunch that surrounded her, followed by the air being sliced and someone taking the weight of the cape and jumped away with her.
Ruby slowly opened her eye to see Riza looking at her with worried eyes "Ruby are you okay?!"
"Riza..." Ruby smiled as she hugged her quickly "I'm okay, thanks... who saved me?"
"Those two." the faunus girl pointed to Weiss, alongside Juge created a large wall of ice to stopped the death stalker sting.
"Whoa..."
"You are so childish!" Ruby turned her head toward Weiss with a less then amused face. "You're dimwitted, overly hyperactive... did I mention childish?" she huffed, "And let's not even talk about her fighting style." looking at Ruby who had her head down she sighed "And... I suppose... that I... may be... difficult to be with..." Weiss slowly extended her hand to Ruby, the silver eyed huntress looked at her "But if we're going to make it out of this alive then we're going to have to do this as a team, so if you would quit showing off, I'll be... nicer."
"You have a nice side?" Riza raised an eyebrow, making Weiss glare and her "Kidding."
Ruby giggled before taking her hand. "I wasn't trying to show off. I was trying to prove that I can do this."
"You're fine." Weiss sighed, Ruby sighed in relief "Normal knees..."
"Ruby is already normal. She just has a certain uniqueness to her." Riza smiled but it soon turned into a frown "But don't you ever play hero again you hear?!"
"Yes mum!" she dragged as Riza's eye twitched.
"Come on..." Riza sighed.
Juge ran his hand through his brown hair as he watched the stalker trying to break free "...Akashi would have been done with this more quickly."
"Juge, come on we're grouping up!" Nodding at his partner's words and jogged towards them.
Running towards the group he saw the Nevermore circling around them.
"Guys, that thing is coming for us... what are we going to do?" It was Weiss's turn to speak.
"There's no sense in twiddling our thumbs, our objective is to grab the artifacts and head back to the cliffs."
"Right!" Ruby agreed "There's no point to try to fight these Grimm."
"Wait a second." Yang interjected before turning to Juge "You can finish off the Nevermore right... everyone saw you kill five like it was nothing."
"True, but in my current status that's impossible." Juge admitted "Me, Riza and Lucy had just fought a Kurma with barely escaped with our lives, also my head is still not quite over the concussion it seems."
"Right. That sucks." Yang chewed the insides of her cheek. Riza coughed into her hand.
"But that's why we have teammates right? To have them cover our weaknesses and in turn cover their weaknesses."
"So what's the plan?" Blake asked.
"Run and live, we can't do much against those." Jaune replied
Everyone nodded as Juge, Jaune, Ruby and Riza grabbed their chess pieces.
The death stalker was beginning to free itself form i's ice prison. Ren noticed it.
"It's high time we left."
"Right." Ruby smirked as she led the pack "Let's go."
Yang watched as Ruby ran towards the hill point smiling with pleasure. "Something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing..."
Riza looked back hoping to see her friend running behind them. "Riza, they'll be fine... we need to focus on passing and getting out of this situation."
Riza bit her lip and nodded. "Right... Akashi.. Lucy. Please be safe."
Emerald Forest – Nowhere Near the Relics, January 27th, AW 675
"We're lost." Akashi sighed in defeat, Lucy munched on her pocky "Could have sworn it was around here."
"Maybe we should have followed that girl that rode the Ursa~" Lucy sang, as Akashi nodded.
"Trust me and my brain to follow my instincts." looking at the blue sky turning orange he kicked the ground "Come on let's back track a bit."
"Sure." Lucy got up and followed the hammer user and the trekked the lush green forest. "Maybe Riza and Jugey have got there artifact already~?"
"Maybe. That's why we need to find it before we throw in the towel." Akashi reminded her as they ducked under the overgrown tree root.
"..."
"Lucy?"
"I'm sensing someone." Lucy's carefree manner of lessened a bit as they heard rustling in the bush, Akashi grunted as he brought his hammer out. Lucy unsheathed her katanas before she fell into position.
"Come out now. Let's not do anything stupid okay?" Akashi commanded as he flared his aura.
"Y-yes... please don't hurt me!" Akashi was surprised when a female voice replied back. From the bushes came a girl with long brown hair, but what caught both Lucy and Akashi's attention were her long bunny ears.
"..." the Girl looked scared a bit timid and her body shook, her hazelnut brown eyes looking down on the ground.
"Hello~" Lucy smiled at her, taking a step towards her She quaked before stepping back.
"Please... I mean no harm. I got lost from my teammate, so I followed you guys..." she whispered. Lucy smiled bigger as she pulled her into a warm hug. "EEEK!"
"Bunny ears? That's cool. What's your name Ms...?"
"Scarlet... Velvet Scarlatina." Velvet spoke "...um mm"
"Oh yeah, what happened? Wheres your weapon or armor?" Akashi asked nicely "It would be kinda stupid to do an exam without a weapon."
"My weapon..." Velvet grabbing her sack from behind her and unwrapped it, revealing shards of metal and Armour. "My Armour was destroyed when I had my guard down for a second... a Beowulf attacked me and my partners from the back... now I don't know where she is..." she said sadly.
"Awww that's too bad~" Lucy hugged her again "You can come with us, we're lost to~"
"Really!? Can I?" She asked with a bright look on her face "I won't be much help to you without my weapon though."
"It's fine! Besides, we all have to stick together right?" Akashi winked at her, as he gave the thumbs up. "Come on, let's roll!"
…..15 minutes later...
Emerald Forest - Near the relics January 27th, AW 675
"Akashi, Lucy!" Velvet cried "I think I found the place!" the two ran towards Velvet with speed as they looked over a cliff, there what could be seen was a run down building.
"Might be, let's go." Lucy said as she slid down and touched the ground, Akashi was about to jump when he saw Velvet looking down.
"What's the matter, afraid of heights?" Velvet bit her lip and nodded slightly.
"A bit..." Akashi sighed before picking her up, getting a loud scream from her. "Hold on tight!"
Akashi laughed as he leapt off the the edge, the air ruffling his clothes as Velvet clung onto him for dear life, with a loud thug he barrel rolled, shifting the force of him before running to Lucy.
"You can stop holding on to me now Velvet." Akashi chuckled watched the faunus shaking in fear.
"Don't do that to me ever again... please..." Velvet gently found her grounding and walked to Lucy, Akashi shrugged before he jogged towards the relics, most pieces were gone, only a few gold chess pieces remained.
"Ah... Are these the relics the headmaster was talking about?" Velvet assesed them before taking one "It's next to nothing left... everyone got theirs already?"
"Yep." Akashi spun a pawn piece on his finger, the object stayed in place, Lucy smiled as she picked it from his hand.
"Come on, the sun's almost setting... we're already going to have a bad grade because of this."
(Insert music: Flying By Wire By Trocadero)
In an instant the three shuddered, a cold chill washed over them like a plague, whispering met their ears as it echoed around them.
"Wh-what is that?" Velvet felt like falling to her knees, the pressure that surrounded them was immense. Akashi pulled out his hammer and spun around, pocketing the chess piece. A black mist was behind them, a bit far away, as it floated a large pair of red eyes stared at them. Before giving a mad like grin, it's white large teeth scared velvet and stunned Lucy before shaking it off.
"PlAy WiTH mE... AkAsHi... LuCy!" it spoke.
"I-it can speak!?" Velvet was shaking now, it gave a loud laugh.
"PlAy WiTH mE!" it repeated.
"Doppelganger..." Lucy said with a seriousness in her voice. "A rare Grimm. It almost never shows itself... unless... it followed us."
As responding to her voice the mist screamed before diving into the ground making a black void, a moment later the human like figure emerged from the ground, her face was partly covered a white mask with red markings, her hair was white and her eyes blue. But apart from that, her clothes and and hair was similar to.
Doppelganger Grimm were not truly intelligent or able to speak. They imitated human words. They replicated their prey's appearance to confuse it. But the copy was on the same level in every way as the original.
"Lucy... it's copied you." the Hammer user grunted, Lucy stared in awe as it pulled two katana from inside itself, both of them white.
"Lucy, take Velvet and get out of here. If I knew any better its main target is you... and it will kill you without hesitation." looking away he stepped forward. "The point is I'm going to fight this. Get to safety now!"
"Aka. I can't go anywhere... look to your right." Akashi turned his head and gasped.
There was an 'Akashi' walking towards them, with a white hammer in hand, an evil grin on its face and was staring at Akashi with black eyes. "I'll protect you form this Grimm, you do the same."
'Roger~!" Lucy unsheathed her swords a jumped to Akashi, her back touched his. "Velvet, Please find a safe spot, it's way too dangerous to be here anymore... Take your piece and run, we'll finish this soon.
"But..." the two Grimm laughed as the ran towards the hunters "Okay, but please be safe!" Velvet forced the tears away as she ran back to the cliff ' I'm so weak and useless... why!? '
Emerald Forest – Forest mist (Near the Cliffs), January 27th, AW 675
"Great! Just Great!" Jaune whined next to Phyrra "When you think two giant Grimm couldn't be worse, you get another Nevermore!"
Sure enough, and a new Nevermore had joined the fray, following besides its fellow Grimm that flew in safe distance of the group, the death stalker was hot on their trail.
"Does anyone know where we are going?" Ruby yelled over the roars of the airborne beasts, the girl in the red cape looked over her shoulder to see the land Grimm crawling fast behind them. "Anyone!?"
"If I'm correct, there should be an abandoned building... though I wouldn't call it a building... a pillar maybe?" Phyrra answered her teammate as the fog thickened around them. Having no choice they ran blindly through the fog while avoiding the sudden tree that appeared in their path of in some cases, slicing the tree to attempt to slow down the stalker.
It didn't work.
Riza panted as she and everyone else emerged from the blanket of fog coming face to a run down area with a old looking area.
"A ruin..." Juge cursed, his eye trailed upwards towards a big cliff. Other than that there was nothing.
"It's a dead end!" He shouted as the continued to run with the group. Antonio nodded as he saw the nevermore fly ahead while the other hanged back, its red eyes lining up preparing an attack.
"Then we have no choice, we'll have to take them down!" the umbrella user admitted. As they all hid behind a pillaging from the Nevermore behind them. "Alright. Who's got a plan?" Yang shouted over them.
"..."
"Then we'll think of one on the fly!" Phyrra emerged from behind the pillar and ran to the center, Jaune and the other followed close to her. Ren cocked his Storm-flower and ran after them "Nora distract that Grimm we'll take care of the other one!"
"Copy that Ren!" the cherry girl shouted as she blitzed right into the Grimm's view, without hesitation the bird shot multiple feathers at her, all of them missing as she weaved herself around them, Nora smirked at it before hoisting her gun up and aimed at it, firing multiple pink grenades, one of them had a direct hit on the Never more's face making it retreat for the time being.
"Juge, Riza, Jasna!" Antonio shouted at them "You'll handle the other Nevermore with me!?"
"Yeah Anto!"
"Sure."
"Let's kill this!" Riza smirked, no one saw the cruel and sadistic grin that spread across her face as they group ran towards the the walkways in the middle.
"We'll take care of the other Nevermore then!" Ruby shouted at them, as the diverted off with Blake and Yang.
"Then leave the Deathstalker to us then!" Phyrra shouted.
Kirk had lost the attention of is comrades, finding a high place in the midst of the battle he pulled out big shot and attacked a big pod underneath it. "Support: Comrades" as he aimed down on the approaching Deathstalker. Seeing Phyrra, Jaune, Ren, Nora and Alex. He quick loaded a new clip of normal bullets, taking shots at the big Grimm, attempting to slow it down. However it had little effect on it as it zeroed in on a unsuspecting Nora.
"Not on my watch! Ren!" the teen in green nodded as they rushed towards it blocking its claws before they could cut Nora in half. Weiss grab her rapier and summoned a glyph underneath her, launching her away from the fight. Seeing that the attack was done little to no damage, Alex and Ren retreated back with Phyrra and Jaune as they ran towards the gray walkway. The amazon with red hair whirred around as she transformed Milo into a rifle, joining Kirk in slowing down the scorpion monster. Soon Ren and Alex joined the fray and met up with the main group.
The two Nevermore saw a chance to finish the fight with a co-ordinated dive in.
"They're coming from both sides!" Riza cursed. But before the bird could finish them off an explosion erupted on their faces as the Nevermore flew off to escape the danger while the other crashed into the walkway cutting them off from the forest. Alex, along with Phyrra and Ren were unlucky to be separated from the main group and they recovered from the slight shell shock they received.
The desert eagle wielder looked to see Kirk covering from above "Not entirely useless, are you?"
"Alex! Focus!" Ren caught her attention as she spun around and resumed firing at the stalker.
"Right! Sorry!" she quickly apologies "Bad Alex!"
Jaune watched at the three fought off the Grimm "They need help!"
Nora only looked at him and smirked "Let's do this!" holding out her grenade launcher it shifted into a sliver Hammer, quickly looking at Kirk she smiled. "Little guy, keep Ren and everyone safe okay?"
"Acknowledged."it was his only response, Nora giggled as she her hammer, causing them to fly right over the large gap. Kirk smirked as he aimed for the pincher, firing her caused them to move away from the Grimm's main body.
"Hoooooooow's THAT?" Nora slammed her weapon into the Deathstalker causing it to roar in pain, in retaliation it shot the stinger at her, but this time the hammer user was ready, pulling the trigger and cloud of pink dust enveloped as she came skidding out, but in the after effects: she bumped into Alex causing her to drop into the abyss.
"Fall." Kirk's heart increasing in beating as he seamlessly switched his ammo with an arrow, tied to a long rope at the end. Pulling on another attachment as quickly placed the arrow in and fired it towards Alex. "Grab."
"Ghg... to be saved by him..." Alex dug her gun deep into the stone wall that was reaching into the gray beyond, she saw that the arrow was embedded. Focusing her aura to her legs, she climbed the wall to the rope before testing it's strength. "Well... it's uphill both ways..."
"Hold tight." Kirk shouted. Alex bit her tongue and nodded.
"Three times." the blue haired teen pressed a button on the attachment, causing the rope to retract back to him. The Black haired girl held on as she used one gun to fire at the Nevermore Ruby's group was fighting before landing safely next to Kirk.
"Alright?" the blue hunter asked quite causally. Sighing in defeat, the red eye huntress nodded.
"I'll forgive you... for now... because of what you did." Kirk gave a small laugh before something hard contact with the back of is head.
"But don't you ever take photo was a woman's underwear!" She shouted before jumped of to Antonio's group. Kirk gave a wry smile before switching to his game face.
He had 3 targets to choose from.
"They didn't call me 'stalker' back at Lighthouse Academy just because I took pictures." he whispered.
(Main Theme: RWBY: red like roses part 2)
As the two Nevermore circled around Ruby's and Antonio's group, their teammates readied themselves.
"Anto, let's show them our teamwork!"
"Right. Riza, Juge, can I count on you to support me?"
"Yeah, I won't let anyone down on my watch... beside I'm ready to kill." Again she gave off a worrying expression. Riza's spear turned into a shot gun and she pumped out the old shells, loading new ones. The Young Velmón unattached his whip and struck the ground.
"Dust Change: Fire!" his weapon quickly ignited on fire as he stared at the Nevermore coming in hot. "Now!" as the bird crashed into the building they where standing on Juge quickly jumped on its back he watched with slight concern as Riza and Jasna quickly jumped from boulder to boulder and landed on safe ground.
"Well: It looks like we had the same idea Velmón." the whip user looked upwards as he saw Antonio a few feet away from him. "Also our blonde friend, Yang also thought of it." the two watched as Yang fired shot after shot into the Nevermore open mouth before leaping out. "Well... shall we begin? Antonio gave a light smile as the metal tip on his umbrella open up a 20 cm blade rose from it.
The young Velmón couldn't help but to smirk at him. "Interesting..."
Riza panted as she glared at the Nevermore "Why won't you just die already?!" A warm hand was placed on her shoulder as she saw Jasna with a cocky grin on her face.
"I feel the same about men, but this isn't the time to lose your cool" Riza nodded and exhaled.
"Right!"
"Then Follow me, I have a plan!" the orange wearing girl yelled as she took off to the pile of rocks, the fox faunus following right behind her.
Emerald Forest – Cliffs Edge (Deathstaker area), January 27th, AW 675
"Kirk! Assist!" Antonio yelled over the bird. The 'Stalker' nodded as he loaded Ice infused dust into Bigshot. "Aiming." a small Glyph appeared inside the scope as it pointed out several points on the Nevermore.
"Fire!" Kirk's eyes widened as he unleashed all bullets in one shot splitting apart that all hit the Nevermore, mostly on the joint of its wings as two bullets hit is straight in the eye, ice forming instantly over it. The Nevermore screamed loudly as it started to lose it's balance. Kirk nodded as he unclipped the box form his weapon.
"One down. Two left."
"Whoa! Where did that come from!?" Juge was not easily surpirsed, but in this case, he was.
"That, Mr. Velmón, was the work of 'the stalker'." Antonio smirked as he ran towards the ice covered area and started slicing, blood spurted from the affected wounds. "He was also called the Phantom Shot of Lighthouse Academy."
For some reason... This made Juge uneasy. 'How does he know all this?'
"Right, let's finish this up, it's seem like our partners have a plan." Juge saw Jasna and Riza running towards the pile of rocks. Tricking his whip and start striking the bird to weaken it, thanks to Kirks damage, the attacks where showing effect, the bird had lost its sense of direction and then struggled towards the large cliff, the crash imminent.
Alex Jumped down form Kirk's position as landed near Riza and Jasna position. "Need a hand?"
"Always from a cutie!" The short haired girl winked at her as they made their way from the fresh pile of Rocks "Right! What's your name ebony?"
"Ebony?" Alex frowned "It's Alexandra." Was she referring to her hair?
"Right, Whatever!" Jasna laughed " You have anything that can hurl these at that dumb bird?"
"Yeah... I have compressed air bullets-"
"Perfect! Riza make that pile of rubble exploded and leave the rest to us!" Jasna smiled at her Fox friend. "With that we can blow a few holes in that ugly bird!"
"I see, but we got to keep form moving!" Jasna giggled.
"He's got that covered!" she looked at "Anto!"
Emerald Forest – Cliffs Edge (On the Nevermore), January 27th, AW 675
"Oh, she is expecting me to finish up here, but I sadly can't." Antonio chuckled "That girl expects too much."
"Then leave it to me!" Juge yelled as he covered his fire whip into ice "Get the bird to crash into the cliff!"
"Easier said than done!" the umbrella wielder ran to the back to the nevermore before jumping off, twirling his body around he faced the nevermore in mid air, the blade inside retraced before showing a hollow point. "Aura charge: Shot!"
A large burst of light shot form his weapon pushing the attacked back to where Riza and the others where. The partial charge shot into the Nevermore, making the speed to the bird fast and out of control. Juge had to grab onto the feathers, "Wait for it..."
"Now!" he jumped off the bird and it crashed into the cliff beak and head first, nearly burying its whole body into the rock. As he extended his rope to strike the bird one last time, ice formed over it and joined the two together. As he landed on the ground safely he smirked and admired his work before narrowly dodging the second Nevermore feet. "Hey, not cool! i almost forgot about you."
"Then forget it."
In a blur of white, the figure stabbed their sword into the ground, encased the Nevermore's tail in it before it had a chance to take of, the white figure turned out to be Weiss, who had a less then amused look on her face.
"Celebrate once this is over Velmón, this isn't the time to Daydream you know."
"Apologies mademoiselle Schnee, I'll exercise more caution next time." Juge nodded "In the mean time, could you assist me getting back up?"
Rolling her eyes she grabbed his wrist as a white glyph appeared under her, jumping inhuman heights they landed back that their perspective groups.
"Thank you Miss Schnee."
"It's fine, Velmón."
"Everyone ready?!" Jasna called to her female teammates.
"Weiss! Ruby needs your help with something!" Yang called out to the Heiress. She nodded and made her way towards Ruby.
"Right, let me handle this!" Riza turned her gun back into a spear, she aimed carefully and threw Ryuyari.
"TAKE THIS!"
the Spear traveled at an incredible pace before exploding on contact with the pile, thank to Riza aim the rock flew towards Alex and Jasna in a perfect speed.
"Right let's hit them with everything we've got!" Jasna fist glowed Gold before she raised her fist as the first rock, as she hit it, the stone rocketed towards the Nevermore, hitting right in the chest.
"Direct hit! And there's more where that came from!" Alex shouted with a smirk on her face as she fired an air bullet in the falling debris and everything was catapulted back at the Nevermore.
Ruby watched while waiting for a perfect time to launch her plan into action. "Almost..."
Emerald Forest – Cliffs Edge (Deathstaker area), January 27th, AW 675
Phyrra noticed a small glint form behind her, turning around she saw Kirk signaling them to duck.
"Right!" with her spear she threw in straggling into the eye of the death stalker making screech in agony "Kirk! Now!"
"Fire!"
With accurate aim he hit the beast's other eye multiplying its pain and blinding it for good.
Jaune acknowledged him before looking at Nora" Now Nora!"
"Right!" pulling the trigger on her hammer she shot herself into the air. "Phyrra!"
"On it!" using her shield as a platform for Nora, she buckled underneath it using the last of her energy she pushed Nora upwards with the added power of her hammer.
"Weeee..."
As she came into a hard landing her used her force to smash the Death stalker, the force of the impact flipped Phyrra and Jaune over head as the ground below them crumbled into nothing.
Emerald Forest – Cliffs Edge, January 27th, AW 675
"Two down. One left." Kirk mumbled as he effortlessly unloaded the empty round and started loading ice bullets into his gun ready to fire anytime.
"Now!" Kirk heard Ruby voice as he saw red flying towards the Nevermore. The head in cased bird had broken free but was to late to avoid Ruby's blade, as she grabbed a hold on it Weiss summons multiple glyphs traveling upwards towards the top, using all her might to run up as the blade dug deep into the giant bird's throat. As she reached the top the Grimm's head were cleaved off as their body dropped to the ground.
"Mission complete."
"I'll admit." Jasna sighed "Even with the pigs and everyone else... that was some nice teamwork."
"Agreed." Alex nodded as she holstered her guns.
(End music.)
Everyone watched as Ruby stood alone on top of the cliffs.
"That was something." Yang and the rest of Ruby's teammates met with Antonio's team.
"Indeed... she is amazing." Riza smile towards the red figure.
"Sure, and if we're done here... with some luck we can make it back to Beacon Cliff before nightfall."
"Yes, I agree with Velmón." Weiss crossed her arms "Let's head back."
…...
"Is anyone going to help me?" Ruby moaned. "Guess not." she jumped off and rolled safely towards the the team.
Emerald Forest – Relic Sanctuary January 27th, AW 675
(Insert music: Towa no Quon OST - Mamoru tame no Tatakai)
"Whoa!" the Hammer user barreled rolled before dodging another stab and strike of Grimm Lucy's blades, swinging his hammer he pushed the Grimm girl away, but she only flipped back and few feet and lunched herself at him again.
"Lucy! Is this how you fight!?"
"When I'm serious! Otherwise I don't care for fighting... I could say a lot about your fighting technique, how the heck can you use that hammer like it's nothing?!"
"Years of Practice!" Akashi bend backwards before digging his hammer into the ground. Quickly he performed a leg sweeper on the girl, knocking her into midair and hitting her head with his gravity Hammer, sending flying into the Forest. "And that is a home run!"
No it wasn't.
The sound of wood cracking was heard and the boy looked to where Grimm Lucy had been standing, a pile of completely crushed trees and grass began to shiver and shake before it was sent rocketing everywhere as Grimm Lucy emerged from the Forest. She cracked his neck and back before chuckling.
"AkAsHi...ThAt HuRT!" a sadistic smirked appeared on her pale lips "Do YoU LiKe HuRtInG My BoDy?"
"…" Akashi brown eyes flickered with the determination and hatred to make the Grimm before him, fall. The Doppelganger chuckled once more.
"AkAsHI... PLAY WITH MY BODY SOME MORE!"
Akashi face paled as he nearly dropped his hammer.
Fighting the unnecessary blush he had as said Grimm continued to speak, "Why... wouldn't you let me have you? Let me devour your body!" Grimm Lucy played with her bone swords, "Will you let me Akashi?"
Akashi chuckled beneath his breath, said chuckling growing louder in volume until it became full blown laughter. The Doppelganger's eyes narrowed as she looked at the laughing boy. The Hammer user wiped away an imaginary tear that had formed from his intense laughter before becoming serious.
"Sorry... I can't afford that, Grimm." The Hunter replied "I Still need to become the best student in Beacon!" Akashi slammed his hammer down as the ground trembled lightly.
"The best?" Grimm Lucy questioned.
"Damn straight. I may not have the best aura in Beacon, but I'm willing to show anyone and everyone that a Mayhiro never backs down from a fight!" Akashi smirked as he pointed his hammer at her.
"If I remember, rare Doppelganger Grimm have the ability to eat human souls if their target is defeated." Akashi spun his hammer around his body expertly as he bent forward and placed his prized weapon behind his back. "Like I care if you're a Doppelganger: I will show you why you shouldn't mess with a Mayhiro!" The Hammer user suddenly vanished in a blur, Grimm Lucy smirked as she raised her Sword and blocked the impact to the side of her skull, withstanding the force.
"MoRe...FuN!"
"Hn? That's pretty good…..for a Grimm." The teen replied as he suddenly vanished once more, appearing above Grimm Lucy and sent the back blade of his gravity hammer towards his opponent. The Grimm Blocked the attack and nullified the blade only for the Hunter's to use the remaining momentum to perform an Axe kick to drive itself towards her. The white haired Grimm raised her swords, crossing them as to block the kick while she felt the impact hard, a small crater forming as the powerful kick had enough force to make the Grimm's arms feel slightly sore.
"SuCh pOweR!" she exclaimed as she placed the bone swords back into her body and grabbed Akashi's leg. Fake Lucy pulled the boy down and slammed him into the ground before throwing him away. The boy back flipped as he was thrown, easily stabilizing himself before skidding backwards as friction came into play. He came to a stop before snarling at his white haired opponent.
The Doppelganger glared back at Akashi before making a flicking motion with his hand. The black haired boy merely smirked and vanished.
"That's just a small speed up!" He vanished into the area around him and Grimm Lucy's eyes widened as she frantically began to look around for the boy. The wind shifted to her left and she turned, quickly leaning back, but her feet remained planted in their spot as she avoided the hard kick all around her body. As Akashi blitzed past her guard to strike her from behind. He was quickly pushed back by Grimm Lucy's kick to his Chest. Mayhiro grunted as he shook off the impact. Sweat trickled down his face as he flared is aura and he vanished again.
"InterESTting." Grimm Lucy snickered, surprised at the feat. However, she didn't have time to remain surprised as the brown haired boy suddenly reappeared on top of her. The Grimm raised her swords once again and blocked the double kick to her chest. She was gritting her teeth as her feet dug into the ground once more so that the impact would be redirected, then she felt Akashi suddenly push off before charging aura to his Weapon.
A massive aura from Akashi's hammer shot from the thrusters of his hammer; he cocked both his arms back and swung forward.
"Heavenly Impact!"He then took a step forward and vanished from view once more. However, Grimm Lucy suddenly felt herself being attacked from all sides by an hard invisible force. She stiffened all her muscles as she did her best to avoid the strikes, however her eyes widened as she suddenly felt something warm against his cheek. She raised her hand and looked at the smear of crimson that appeared on her fingers.
She was hit... and she was bleeding.
The boy appeared behind the mage panting his aura was draining from him fast as he collapsed onto one knee and breathed in. "That was fast... even for me..." The Hunter gritted his teeth "But still I need to finish this."
Grimm Lucy broke from her trance and faced the boy once more.
And she screamed, making Akashi and the real Lucy cover their ears.
"I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" Grimm Lucy cried as she raised back out of the ground and shot off into the darkness.
"Watch your back... Akashi..."
...
(Insert music: CeeëX - Facing the dangers)
Lucy leaped towards Grimm Akashi, blades ready to kill.
"Tornado Uppercut!" Lucy declared before spinning sideways upon the Grimm. A large smoke cloud erupted from the point of contact and Lucy grinned.
"MoRe...GIVE ME MORE" Akashi stated madly before kicking Lucy in the back sending the huntress soaring through the air. Grimm Akashi then vanished into his surrounding and appeared in front of the Pocky lover, lifting his Bone Hammer he slammed his Weapon down on Lucy's head however her aura protected her from fatal damage. The red haired teenager was sent to the ground before Grimm Akashi grabbed Lucy by the back of her black sweater and threw her into the side of a Forest as high speed making a few tree break down. Lucy released a cry of pain as she made contact with a more solid tree before standing back up.
"...that hurt~!" Lucy cried as she got back up gingerly, the real Akashi looked in concern.
"Lucy, I'm coming to help you!"
"...It's fine~" Lucy look at him and smiled "I can do this~"
"...How you are able to keep that kind of facade is beyond me." Mayhiro shook his head "But if you can... I'll be waiting here."
"Okay~" Lucy smiled as she wiped the sweat of her face, turning her attention back to the Grimm Doppelganger "Can I ask you one question Mr. Grimm?"
"..."
"What kind of scream do you make?" Lucy gave a sick sweet smile as she sprinted towards her foe.
"HeHe." Grimm Akashi looked down on her as he swung his hammer as she got close, however she ducked, sliding on her knee under the hammer she delivered a large cut to his legs, making him roar in pain, biting back the Grimm retracted his hammer, using the back blade to strike the girl under him.
However the red-head, giggled as she diverted his attack away from her, driving it into the ground, not wasting her time she rose up and kick him hard in the chest, still having momentum she dug her blades into the ground, preforming a handstand before spinning madly as she pulled her katanas out to strike him repeatedly causing him to let go of his bone hammer.
"Can you Scream again? I didn't get to hear it properly" Lucy whined. As she wiped the blood from her swords onto her sweater.
…..
"This girl... is a nut case." Akashi was a bit freaked out. The boy heard growling from behind him as Beowulf circled around him "Ah... a warm down exercise then!"
…...
"The Grimm roared loudly as it raced towards the girl, Lucy braced herself as it rushed at her "Ah~ bad Grimm~" But the Grimm version of Akashi didn't attack her, pushing past her it grabbed its bone hammer, making Lucy tilt her head in confusion.
"Ara~?"
"I'm sorry... I promise a won't hurt you again Gravity Hammer~" the Grimm cooed as is held it hammer. Sighing in relief the Doppelganger Grimm glared at Lucy.
"I won't forgive you..." Lucy gasped as the Grimm took the stance as the real Akashi would have. "Anyone messing with my hammer will be dealt with!"
"...Fine~" Lucy smiled "Let's dance Grimm Aka~" Lucy jumped after the Grimm at high speed ready to cut him in half.
Grimm Akashi easily dodged the straightforward attack by tilting his head, but Lucy suddenly rotated with the attack and went into a spin kick. The Grimm ducked beneath it and grabbed Lucy's legs and threw her into the ground. However, the young Huntress quickly recovered and shot a bicycle kick to Akashi's approaching face, fazing him slightly.
The red-head leaned back and jumped over the sweep kick that followed after before deflecting the fist that the White haired Grimm aimed for Lucy's stomach. Lucy jumped and slammed her white sword towards the Grimm's skull, but the Grimm Doppelganger twisted his body to the side and the ground shook lightly from the impact Lucy made with the earth. Grimm Akashi slammed a straight kick to Lucy's face, but she remained stationary. A fact that caused Grimm Akashi to raise an eyebrow in confusion.
Lucy had caught his attack in her hand, knowing danger was coming the Grimm jumped back and readied himself once again.
"...B-ad Gri-mm~" Lucy smiled as she slowly dragged her words as she twirled her swords around her wrist, the real Akashi was impressed that she wasn't cutting herself.
"Well... it's a good thing that they can't use aura like us~" Lucy sighed "But then again... I don't like fighting~"
"Then... why don't you step aside and let me eat Akashi then?" the Grimm asked slowly, Lucy laughed before shaking her head.
"Sorry~ no can do~" Lucy yawned carelessly "I won't let Aka be eaten~"
"Don't you get it stupid!? I AM AKASHI!" the Grimm roared at her, Lucy only cleaned out her ear with her pinkie before blowing the wax away.
"Wah... bored now~" Lucy yawned, but before she could continue her talk, her instincts kicked in as the Grimm's Hammer made contact with her previous position, which was instantly blown apart.
"Allow me to kill you then!" the Grimm shouted as he swung his Hammer at her legs causing the girl to instantly jump "You fell for it!" facing the hammer upwards he stroke Lucy in the legs, the girl could have sworn that something felt out of place, as the katana user floated in mid air, the Grim spun around and smacked Lucy hard into the ground created another small crater, blood vessels burst form inside Lucy as she hacked up blood, the air inside her was gone as she struggled to breath.
"Do you now understand when I say no one touches my hammer!?" the Grimm version of her friend shouted as he grinded his foot into her stomach, making her groan in pain. "Now you will suffer the consequences..."
"..." Lucy's eyes flew open as she swiped at him making the Grimm jump off her to a safe distance. But his black eyes narrowed as he saw dust from Lucy's... biscuit falling her?
"My Pocky..." Lucy whimpered as her hair covered her eyes as she slowly took something from her back pocket, revealing a crushed small Cardboard box with more specks of dust falling from it. "You wrecked my pocky..."
"So?" the Grimm watched as a spark of blue electricity escaped her eyes. Her once square iris had been replaced by fierce and vibrate blue eyes, the spark of electricity escaped from her eye again.
"I won't forgive you!"
…...
"Whoa!" Akashi killed another Beowulf as he watched Lucy personality shift into a more serious persona. "What did Grimm me do now to piss her off?"
A loud roar met his ears as he watched a large Ursa crashed into the clearing, however this Grimm was bigger than any regular Ursa.
"Wow... didn't expect my ruckus to anger Momma Ursa." the real Akashi grinned as he ran towards the Giant Grimm.
Emerald Forest Near the old ruins January 27th, AW 675
"!?" The main group tensed before looking at each other.
"Ah... what was that?" Jaune said first "Did anyone feel that chill down the back?"
"I did." Weiss said looking around "Let's not forget that there are other hunters and huntresses in the forest."
"But this feeling.." Riza said "I mean... to feel a chill like this... could it be the Kurma we fought?"
"No... it was in a more aggravated state. This seems much less and yet sharper." Phyrra stated.
"Whatever it is, I don't want to get involved, we have a task to complete" Jaune said "We already had enough fighting for one day!"
"He's right." Juge muttered "Whoever is out there, they can probably handle it themselves."
"Akashi... Lucy..." Riza wondered.
Emerald Forest - Near the relics January 27th, AW 675
"Aww did the little baby lose her favorite food... aww that's so sad!" Grimm Akashi mocked her as Lucy started gritting her teeth "Cry me a river beet-head!"
"First you break my food, then call me a crybaby... but don't ever make fun of my NATURAL HAIR!" Lucy roared as more electricity sparked from her eyes. Crouching low she snarled as she gripped her swords tighter to the point of cutting skin. "Now I really want to hear you scream!"
"Go to hell!" The Grimm slammed his hammer into the ground as it rumbled heavily, swinging his weapon over his shoulder he made a 'come at me' motion with his hand.
"Fine~ Let's play!" Lucy eye flashed with blue sparks once again. Before the Grimm could React, Lucy's feet dug into the ground before taking off in a black and red blur.
"Speed aura enhancement... no!" the Real Akashi gulped.
"This is natural speed!"
A blade drove into his gut before he could protect himself. Grimm Akashi doubled over and a knee to the chin lifted him off the ground, his Black eyes meeting Lucy's vibrant Blue eyes, pulling out her sword by force the Grimm placed pressure on his wound and Jumped back a good distance.
Lucy watched as the Grimm retreated, narrowing her eye she crouched again.
She felt alive.
She Felt Powerful.
She Felt fast.
She Felt light.
She felt like no one could beat her in her current state.
Beacon Cliffs January 27th, AW 675
"Hm…" Ozpin smirked as he watched Lucy's fight through his tablet. "She is an interesting character."
"Ozpin?" the gray haired man turn to see Goodwitch walking towards him "Most of the new students have arrived back at Beacon, shall we start the ceremony?"
"Yes, but take your time…there are still students that are in the forest." The woman with a purple cape raised an eyebrow.
"Anyone still in the forest is sure to get a bad grade." She huffed.
"Yes, but in some cases….special consideration is in order for the unexpected." Smirking once again he took a sip out of his coffee mug and watched the fight. Glynda rolled her eyes and walked out preparing for the final act of the night.
Emerald Forest – Relic Sanctuary January 27th, AW 675
The Grimm flashed off around her.
Eyes flickering in sparks as she tried to read her opponents movements, Lucy readied her defenses. Lashing out, the Grimm watched as Lucy raised a sword in defense with barely a millisecond to spare not even bothering to face him. Flowing from that, the Grimm spun around with a Hammer melee attack. He watched over his shoulder as Lucy ducked beneath the attack. A white blade plunged itself into his body and was subsequently overcome with the sudden coldness . Not giving the Grimm enough time to recover, she lashed out with a another attack.
Raising his bone hammer and leaning into the blow, he stopped the attack easily and grabbed a hold of it. Pinching a bundle of nerves in the knee he increased the pressure on his hands, the Grimm heard a pained scream but didn't stop there. Pulling Lucy in, Grimm Akashi's shoulder charged her and drove his bone into Lucy's stomach and then up. The blow forced all the air from the huntress's lungs and she gasped in pain. Lucy grunted as she shifted his weight of her and performed an embrace roll to avoid the hammer aim at her body.
Pant she knelled down as sweat dripped off her forehead, her black sweater ripped open, it showed her bra, her blue skirt was in no condition to keep going. Her arm were shaking, evident in her sword shaking. Blood was dripping down her face.
The Grimm was in a bad condition too: his body ripped to shreds as blood covered his left eye his left arm was broken and his right arm was near that condition.
"…..…" Lucy felt the pain subside as her aura healed her however it could.
"…Heh." The Grimm suddenly shot itself into the ground, the black void appeared once again.
"Till we meet again…Lucy…"
"WAIT, I'm not….done…" Lucy's blue eyes flickered out of life and the fatigue and pain overcame her, the pain so much that she didn't notice she past out.
"Lucy!" Akashi ran towards the falling girl, catching her in the nick of time before she fell. "Speak to me!"
"Ngh... Aka... please do me one last favor..."
"Anything, but don't die!" Akashi felt tear pricking her eyes and he was unloading his bag, getting her med-kit out.
"Carry me~" Lucy's fierce blue eyes dulled back into her square iris and dark blue eyes. Akashi jaw dropped as her childish personality appeared in front of him "Wah... Where's my pockys~?"
"What the?" Akashi couldn't find the word to describe what just happened. "Lucy... do you know what just happened?"
Beacon Academy January 27th, AW 675
"Well... that was certainly entertaining to watch." Ozpin smiled to himself as he took a quill and ink, quickly writing something he allowed it to cool off before foiling it in half. A small tap on the door caught his attention, giving a small hum of acknowledgment. Seeing Glynda standing emotionless expression he stood up and followed her towards the grand hall.
"So?"
"So?" Ozpin question her, grunting the veteran huntress rolled her eyes.
"So? I haven't seen you with that kind of look for a while... is it about Ms. Rose?"
"No no... she has already proven her worth, I was watching Ms. Stripes and Mr. Mayhiro's fight with a Grimm that is rarely exposed to the human eyes." stopping she turned around and waited for an answer.
"A Doppelganger Grimm."
"I see." Glynda's vacant expression was soon full of surprise as she started walking again. "Are the two alright?"
"Yes... not a lot of Hunters can defend themselves against Grimm hunters." Ozpin sighed "Mr. Mayhiro managed to defend himself against Ms. Stripe's Grimm copy... however for Ms. Stripes..."
"Is she hurt?"
"No. Rather her current self couldn't defeat it." Ozpin took a sip from his coffee. "Glynda... like I said yesterday: It is up to them to take the first step. If Lucy can achieve that, she could become a powerful huntress."
"And what about Mr. Mayhiro?"
"..."
"Headmaster?"
"After this, please get me a video call directly to her... I think it's time." Ozpin marched in front of her as he entered the grand hall. "After all... she is the only one that can do this."
Beacon Academy Main Hall January 27th, AW 675
Riza kept walking back and forth as the teams stood on the main stage, Juge was next to her, but chose to ignore her movements. "Relax... renard."
"Oh no, not that again!" Riza snarled "Lucy and Akashi haven't arrived yet!" she grabbed his blue jumper as she butted foreheads with him "I knew it was a mistake split ways! For all I know they could be badly hurt or worse... dead."
"Riza! What is Beacon?" Juge slapped her hand away with a deep gaze in her eyes.
"Why are you-"
"Answer the question."
"Beacon Academy is the top Institute for top class Hunters and Huntresses, only a special few are selected to enroll here."
"Exactly. What you're doing now is stamping on the pride of Akashi and Lucy. Being enrolled here means that they are more than capable. Headmaster Ozpin wouldn't have send us into the Emerald Forest if he thought we couldn't handle it." Juge placed a hand on her shoulder. "Have faith in your comrades Riza Inari."
"...I'm just so worried about her." Riza couldn't help, but to let a few tears fall down. "She's the first friend I made. Being a faunus and all.."
"If your are really her friend, believe in her until the end." Juge smiled as the fox faunus nodded.
"Russel Trush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark , the four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces, from this day forwards, you will be known as team CRDL" Ozpin stated "Lead by Cardin Winchester."
A round of applause for the new born team echo around the hall as Team CRDL made their way down, another four students walked up to their stage. Riza saw the blonde hair and smiled. It was Jaune's turn.
Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Phyrra Nikos and Nora Valkery" the head master spoke again "The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces, starting today you will work together as Team JNPR" Ozpin smiled at Jaune "Led by Jaune Arc"
"Wha-!?" Jaune was stunned beyond words. Riza felt a sense of happiness as she whistled a bit.
"Jaune, I knew you could do it!" her eye widened as she quickly covered her mouth Juge facepalmed as the audience laughed.
"Haha... Th-thanks!" Jaune smiled with a red tint showing on his cheeks, Phyrra giggled as she too slugged him in the arm.
Perhaps too hard.
Knocking the new team leader of JNPR, Jaune fell to the ground, the audience laughed at his misfortune, grinning awkwardly she smiled.
"Congratulations Young man." Ozpin nodded at Arc. Jaune nodded as Phyrra helped him up. As the commotion settled Team JNPR left the stage followed by four new students.
"Antonio Chessa, Kirk D. Fire, Jasna Zora and Alexandra Wilhelmine, the four of you retrieved the black queen pieces... from this day you will be known as Team..." Ozpin nodded as the four lined up. "Pardon me... where is Kirk D. Fire?"
"I swear..." a tick mark appeared on Alex's fore head as she pulled out her guns "If he's-"
"Here." Kirk small voice appeared beside Antonio, The blonde black haired girl looked at him before putting her guns away.
"Whoa... .was he always there?"
"I didn't even see him"
"He looks too weak to be a hunter!"
"...Well if it's not what I think you are doing... then fine... but tell us if you are there okay?" Alex huffed.
"Acknowledged."
"Stop talking like a robot you two legged piglet!" Jasna snarled at him, Kirk flinched.
Ozpin coughed. "Without any delay, I present to you Team JAAK, led by Jasna Zoro!" The Woman bowed slightly before being tackled her friend.
"Jasna... can't breath..." he wheezed.
The audience clapped as Jasna finally let go of her friend and left the stages.
"And finally: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long, The four of you retrieved the white Knight pieces... from this day you will be working together as team RWBY." the audience clapped once again "Led by Ruby Rose."
Weiss and Ruby where surprised, however the girl in red didn't have time to comprehend, because her older sister hugged the life out of her, much life Jasna did. "Oh I'm so proud of you!"
"Hm. Strange... they haven't called us up yet." Juge cocked his head.
"Looks like this year will be very interesting." Ozpin said to himself "Everyone, you will find your dorm room number in your locker, please rest well... you have classes first thing in the morning. That is all."
The many 1st years left the hall as Juge and Riza started to feel uneasy.
"Hey guys!" the two turned to see Team JNPR and RWBY walking towards them "You guys didn't get called up... what's up with that?"
"Um... are you Riza?" before the Fox faunus could speak a certain faunus with bunny ears walked towards them.
"Yes? Do I know you?"
"I'm Velvet... I saw you with Lucy on the airship... I was with Lucy and Akashi."
"You were with them?" Riza asked "Where are they?"
"Well we retrieved the pieces... but-" Velvet quickly wiped a tear from her eyes "These things... they were attacking them... my weapon was broken! They told me to run to safety while they fought it."
"What things... where they Grimm?" Jaune asked.
"Yes... according to Akashi.. they were rare ones... Doppelganger?"
"Whoa... Doppelganger!?" Weiss pushed Jaune aside "There is now way those things were in the forest! First a Kurma and now that?!"
(Inset music: One piece: Overtaken)
Three figures walked up the courtyard, one of them was being dragged as the other two walked by the side.
"We finally made it."
"...Yeah~"
"But I saw them. They appeared as black mist before reemerging as... them." Velvet said in a scared voice "I was so scared... I was defenseless."
"Velvet!" Riza grabbed her shoulders "What happened to them?"
"I didn't see..."
"Then in most cases... hunters of people who have come across it... not usually make it." Weiss said in a small voice. "Their souls are eaten as they become Grimm Hunters, they have no remorse as they only kill what is in front of them."
"Then..." Riza shook her head as she readied her spear.
"Riza Where are you going? Listen to reason. Ozpin wouldn't-" Juge tried to talk some sense into her, but she ignored him.
"What does it look like Schnee!? I 'm going to find them!"
"Huh... looks like the party is over huh?" the teen sighed.
"...Yeah~"
"Are you insane!?" Ruby cried "Riza your going to die out there, Grimm roam the night!"
"I don't care!" Riza yelled "Lucy is in danger!"
"Excuse me... but where is the grand hall?" the man asked a student.
"Sure you keep going up- what happened to you!?"
"Ah don't worry, it's nothing."
"Ha ha hah ….."
"See ya!" the man dragged himself followed by the feminine figure.
"..."
"You still upset that the Beowulf ate your pocky?"
"Yes..."
"Don't worry, I'll get you a pack once we're in town."
"Thank you~" the girl beamed.
"Then we're going together!" Ruby said, getting the approval of her team, JNPR and AKJA nodded.
"Thanks. We'll need all the help we can get."
"That won't be necessary." the whole group turned as Ozpin walked over with Goodwitch.
"What do you mean it's not necessary?" Riza said slowly.
"It's exactly as I meant it." Ozpin smirked.
"Ah~" the figure said "We're here."
"Yep... in the dead of late evening. Oh well." using his aura he threw open the door.
"Hope no one is behind that."
"Why?"
"They're here." Ozpin smiled.
As if on cue the front door almost exploded. Everyone was on guard as the smoke cleared revealing a pair of shadowy figures.
"What the?"
"...I didn't expect this." Ozpin raised an eyebrow looking at the damaged door.
"Ah... jeez... there were people behind it."
"Ah Akashi... you screwed up~!"
"Shut it Lucy." Akashi answered back.
"Lucy?" Riza said as two figure walked through.
Akashi and Lucy stood side by side coved in blood and their clothes torn. Jaune, Ren and Kirk blushed, while Juge averted his gaze, as they saw Lucy's pink bra, barely concealed by her torn sweater.
"Art." Kirk pulled out his camera.
"No pictures!" Alex whacked him over the head knocking him out.
"Ah Riza~" Lucy smiled and waved at her "I see you~"
"...You idiot!" Riza almost cried as she ran over to Lucy and hugged her hard. "You had me so worried!"
"No love for me?" Akashi asked, Riza glared.
"You said that you would Protect Lucy, so why is she covered in blood?"
"Nevermind." the hammer user whistled as he looked around.
"Ms. Stripes, Mr. Mayhiro... since you are here I can announce the final team. Ozpin coughed "Please line up with Ms. Inari and Mr. Velmón."
The four did as they told with Team RWBY, JNPR and AKJA watching on.
"Lucy Stripes, Akashi Mayhiro, Riza Inari and Juge Velmón. the four of your retrieved the pawn pieces: from today onwards, you will be know as team LARJ. Led by Lucy stripes." Ozpin smiled.
"Ara? Me~" Lucy pointed at herself "Okay~ But I want a ton of pocky from everyone if I'm going to be leader~!"
The 3 other team members shook their head. Ozpin chuckled.
"Well, well. It is going to be very interesting 1st year."