Red Roses, White Scales
"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."
H. P. Lovecraft
Chapter 9
Do you believe in Dragons?
After they finished talking, Mikhail and Weiss arrived in the last minute before Combat Class began.
Their friends were already waiting for them.
"Where were you guys!" Ruby used her Semblance, followed by red flower petals, and appeared before her brother. The others walked also towards them. She pouted "What did you talk about?"
"Nothing." Mikhail shrugged.
"Okay," She looked at their hands and tilted her head "Why are you both holding hands?"
When Ruby pointed their entangled hands out and everybody looked at them.
Various reactions showed.
Pyrrha looked somehow irritated and just stared at their hands.
Blake was more calm, but quirked an eyebrow.
Jaune threw a look of betrayal towards Mikhail, while Nora smiled and thought about something, probably pancakes and broken legs. Ren just looked stoic like ever.
Weiss looked distressed at her own hand, her eyes widened and she jerked her hand away.
Yang crossed her hands and glanced between them "Don't tell me you asked Ice Queen out?" His sister activated her Watcher Mode.
"Excuse me?" Weiss eyes twitched, but somehow her cheeks gained a small blush
"What!?" Ruby cried out, she turned around "Are you ggfbm…" But a hand from her brother muffled her.
"Yang really…I just talked team-things with Weiss, and Jaune," his fellow leader perked up "Stop looking at me, like I murdered your puppy.
"O-okay." The body sighed in relief that Mikhail didn't ask his crush out.
Pyrrha sighed as well in relief. She didn't know how to react if he would have asked his teammate out.
Meanwhile the female blonde nodded in satisfaction that her 'innocent' brother didn't do something like that. "Good, you are too young to date and Ice Queen," Yang pointed her fore and middle finger at Weiss and then at her eyes "I'm watching you!"
The heiress rolled with her eyes.
"Attention students!" Everyone stopped talking and looked at the source of the voice, it was Glynda Goodwitch "I welcome you to the first Combat Class in this new semester." She adjusted her glasses "In this class you will fight against other students and show your strength, will and abilities. She began to walk while talking "This class will be a practice for this year's Vytal Festival, which will be held in Vale. All of you will represent Beacon Academy and with Combat Class, the best Teams will be chosen to represent us."
"Awesome, finally some action!" Yang hammered her fists together, while Ruby bounced on the same spot, because of excitement.
XXX
"Now we will begin today's first battle," She tapped something on the larger scroll in her hands "The first students who will fight are, Mr. Rose and Ms. Nikos. Would you two please change to your battle attires?"
Everybody looked at the two, Mikhail pumped a fist in joy to fight a worthy opponent and Pyrrha gleamed.
"Come on Pyrrha, let's show them a good match."
"Sure."
XXX
Both hunter and huntress-in-training finished changing and faced each other. Glynda begin to speak "Before you fight, please synchronize your scrolls." What they did. On both scrolls appeared a picture of themselves, and under it was a green bar.
Over them, was a large projection of the pictures and bars, too, like in games.
"These bars are showing you your amount of Aura. In Combat Class matches and tournament matches, these rules apply. You win, if your opponent is unconscious, forfeits or if the aura drops in the red. But it seems both of you are already familiar with those rules." Both nodded "Very well, please place walk at the other sides of the field.
Both of them parted, when they reached the other sides and took a stance.
Meanwhile Glynda was already at her observation podium, when she noticed Ozpin coming behind her.
"So are the preparations done, Glynda?"
"Of course sir, with this, we can observe Mr. Rose and Ms. Nikos strength."
"Excellent." Ozpin nodded and took a sip from his mug.
But it seems that the fight between Mikhail and Pyrrha was already spreading around, and students and teachers from different years gathered.
Jaune looked around and scratched his head "Why are so many here?"
His question caused Weiss to facepalm "Didn't I said it before you dullard; these are Mikhail Rose and Pyrrha Nikos, the Grimm Reaper and Invincible Girl the strongest fighter in our generation. Both of them won Mistral Championships in young age.
"Oh right, hehehe sorry Snow Angel." He rubbed his head back.
"Don't call me that you buffoon!" She snapped out.
"Oh man I can't wait for seeing Zero Rose in action." The older Rose twin twitched with anticipation, right Yang?" She nudged her elbow against the older sister who frowned. Why? Because she was in worry for her little brother.
XXX
Pyrrha was exhilarated with joy. She finally got to fight Mikhail again. There last fight was one year ago, and even though she lost, she didn't gave up. The entire years, she spent hours to train, so that she could win against him. She really indulged his win over herself. Simply, she was in love with Mikhail. Yes, she was in love with him. When did it happened, she didn't know anymore. Pyrrha just wanted to be on his side, nothing less and nothing more. Was it the moment she saw his eyes, his beautiful eyes, which showed nothing but love and warmth. Or was it his strength and cunning abilities. Or even the moment she was pinned down by him, the first time she ever yielded, there were so many possibilities. But since she saw Mikhail taking down a Giant Nevermore alone, she was unconfident, insecure. Could she really beat him, the answer was….YES!
"Is this Zero Rose?" She pointed at Mikhail's waist, the sheathed weapon was large….a one-edged greatsword. The blade was long massive and yet elegant. Mikhail had more strength than the average person, meaning such a weapon was more effective. The sheath would be probably used to transform the sword into a scythe. The sword itself could probably transform into a rifle…..she saw, that the grip was a gun barrel.
The boy grinned "Oh yes, Zero Rose is now more deadly than before."
"She looks beautiful."
"D'aww, you know what to say to a boy, Pyrrha." The girl blushed slightly and smiled pleasantly, because her compliment worked on him.
'Are they flirting, right now?' Yang scowled.
'Are they seriously flirting, really!?' Weiss crossed her arms 'And why I am so irritated by it!?'
'Mmh pancakes, yes pancakes!' These were the thoughts of a certain hammer-wielding girl.
"Come on, show them who the boss is, Mike!" Ruby shouted out.
"Fight well." Blake joined the hooded-girl, while waving a small flag with Mikhail's emblem on it. And again, he was wanted to know, where she got that.
"Ehm," Jaune was irritated. Which one should he cheer for…"Go both!"
"Now," Glynda spoke from her observing point "Are you both ready?"
"One moment please, Professor Goodwitch!" Mikhail put his hand inside his white-leader jacket. Pyrrha and the other students looked with curios eyes, when Mikhail took a red dust crystal out and then, much to their shock, especially Weiss, he snipped it in the air and swallowed it.
"*Gulp* Now we are ready!"
His opponent and best friend had eyes wide as saucers "Did you just swallow a Fire Dust Crystal?
"Did he just swallow a Fire Dust Crystal!?" Weiss half-shouted in shock and looked at her teammates, even Blake looked totally bewildered. Who swallows Fire Dust!?
"Psh," The twin of him waved a hand "Mikhail does this often."
"What!?" The heiress yelped.
"I always said he shouldn't do that. It just dangerous, but he doesn't hear." The older sister faked a tear and shrugged. They would never forget the day, where Mikhail blew the bathroom up, when he was eight years old.
"He….he could blew up, hell I don't even know why he is still alive!?"
"Calm your small tits, Ice Queen." Yang rolled her eyes, while insulting Weiss small-sized chest.
"Hey!" She put her arms on her chest and glared daggers at her teammate."
"I think they are cute." This comment earned Jaune, a slap on his face.
*Slap*
"Ouch!"
While everyone was busy, hurting each other, Mikhail took also stance, something that caused this black-themed teammate to ask herself 'I am curios…how he fights with his new weapon….'
"Now BEGIN!"
Both opponents started to ran towards each other. Pyrrha had Miló in her left hand and Akuó in its sword form, in her right hand. And when both fighters were close enough, they clashed their weapons.
*CLANG*
Mikhail wielded Zero Rose with one hand and the other hand was free to grab ready to grab his opponent.
Both weapons clashed and the sound of metal shrieking, echoed through the room and sparks began to emit from them.
'He is even stronger!' Pyrrha had problems to hold her balance. Mikhail was better in physical power, agility and stamina and absurd amount of Aura. Because of his Semblance he was a heavy-hitting tank. Strong attacks and extreme durability were his strength.
But Pyrrha was better in technique, countering and evading. So it was even. She could use his own power against him, while he outmatched her attacks with his strength and agility.
"You became stronger, Pyrrha." He smiled and then opened his mouth. Suddenly smoke and fire built were visible within his mouth.
'He tricked me….!' Pyrrha put more force on her weapon, pushing herself backwards, but too late.
Mikhail opened his mouth and shot a fireball at her, which hit her directly.
*BOOM*
A small explosion engulfed the red-hair after the fireball hit her. Naturally this Dust-Fireball, was not as powerful when he was a dragon. Also her Aura protected her.
The spectators were surprised as well.
Jaune stuttered "D-did he just….?"
"Yep!" Ruby chirped "Mikhail swallows dust and used to spit fire or other elementals."
"Just like a dragon." Yang added, while enjoying the flabbergasted faces of her friends.
"Unbelievable! I never saw such a use of dust!?" The heiress of the largest dust company in Remnant, learned many ways to learn dust. But swallowing it and spitting it out…..she never saw anything like that. Swallowing dust is dangerous, but Mikhail just showed, that he can used it that way and he spit fire, just like a dragon!
The smoke slowly dwindled and Pyrrha was, of course, still standing. She reacted fast, by using Akoúo̱. Even though, her shield prevented much of the damage, she still had some minor burns on her skin.
"You almost got me there…"
"Yeah, almost…." He went into a crouching stance.
*Whoosh* He jerked his sword back, swung it and shot a cutting arc of golden aura towards Pyrrha. She dodged and evaded the other Aura cuts. When Pyrrha rolled to the right, she transformed Miló to a rifle and shot at him three times.
Mikhail cut the first and second bullet and hit the third with the blade, causing it to bounce back towards Pyrrha. She gasped, when the bullet hit her right hand and hit Akoúo̱ out of her hands.
Her opponent didn't let this chance go, and took a stance, and shot, using the recoil to dash forward. Pyrrha reacted as fast as possible and jumped back. Mikhail's overhead strike crashed on the ground, causing a small crater.
'He can even shot with Zero Rose in her sword form!?'
He growled when he saw that Pyrrha regained Akoúo̱. He breathed in and shot three fireballs at her.
The red-haired girl reacted fast; she crouched and shot at all three. After all three of them exploded, Mikhail emerged from the smoke, grabbing the sword tightly, and wanted to slash her. He was even faster than before, but Pyrrha used again her shield. Yet she underestimated the force behind the punch. When the blade and shield met, she was sent back flying. While Pyrrha could, she rammed Miló into the ground and regained her balance. She looked back at Mikhail, who took another Fire Dust Crystal out and swallowed it. He used the recoil of his weapon again and dashed forward to Pyrrha, who did it as well.
Both opponents' swords clashed together, again, causing a shockwave, which flew through the entire room. Some students even lost balance or fall on their back and butts.
Again sparks flew from the clashing weapon. Mikhail opened his mouth again; smoke and sparks formed in it, and Pyrrha saw a chance. She let Zero Rose slip and herself hit. She clenched her teeth, it hurt it really hurt. The sword actually cut through her Aura and caused a small gash on her shoulder. At least her armor protected her body. But she didn't let the chance go and smashed Akoúo̱ into Mikhail's face. The fire ball on his mouth exploded and sent Pyrrha a meter back, while Mikhail stumbled back, his head smoking. She stormed forward and made an overhead strike.
"Guh!" Pyrrha continued and hit him several times. A horizontal strike and a left and right diagonal strike, too.
When the last one hit him, she transformed Miló to a Javelin and extended the head with a shot.
But she was shocked when Mikhail could grab the spear and glared at her. His eyes became slits and his teeth became sharp. He jerked her spear, causing Pyrrha to stumble forward and ramming his right arm into her throat. She was sent flying.
Meanwhile the audience was shocked, by Mikhail's changing appearance, even more, when his hand transformed and became full of black and white scales. On each fingertip were barbed golden claws with red tints.
"Now," He cracked his neck "Let's put this on the next level!"
Weiss was shocked, as the others as well "He actually fights a human, in this form!" She had a good reason. Mikhail killed a Giant Nevermore in this form.
Mikhail reached down to his sheath and raised it. Then he twirled and spun both, his sword and sheath, in an artful manner. When he stopped it, he grinned, showing his sharp fangs "Are you ready~?"
"Kick her butt!" Ruby cheered.
Pyrrha, whose neck hurt really, stood up, still a little bit shaky. 'Ouch….he almost broke me my neck…but at least he fights now seriously'.
She ran forward to Mikhail who stood still and still grinned. Pyrrha put her shield on her back and holding Miló in its javelin, with both hands. She jumped into the air and attacked with a strike above.
Mikhail moved his sheath over his head, surprising her, and parried the spear. He held the sheath still over his head and moved forwards, causing sparks from the still touching weapons, and moved closer to Pyrrha.
'Oh no!' Now she grasped her mistake. She was woundable, the moment she would land and then…
*Klang*
Mikhail hit Miló from her hand, with and upper strike and with his sheathe in his left hand, he hit Pyrrha with a horizontal slash, from left to right. He used the momentum and span around his own axe, constantly hitting Pyrrha. After a combo of five hits, he stopped for a split second and made the same attack pattern again, but with a change in the direction.
The worst was, when he started to mercilessly hit Pyrrha, while actually spinning and hitting her with his weapons.
Pyrrha couldn't react, Mikhail's constantly and no stopping attack, restrained her on the same spot, she was standing, she couldn't even use her shield. Each strike was not as powerful as a normal attack from him, but the speed and dexterity from Mikhail movements and sword slashes combined with the hard sheath, made it hard for her to move or even react.
After Mikhail finished his combo, he stopped before her. He used the momentum of his spinning and kicked her in her stomach.
"Ugh!" Pyrrha gasped and saliva choked out of her mouth. She rolled backwards, at least close to Akoúo̱.
Mikhail smirked and tilted his head. He waited for the moment, where Pyrrha would stand up.
What she did, yet she gasped, letting the pain flow to her entire body. Pyrrha had minor cuts and bruises, nothing really hard. But the kick into her guts, actually hurt. Her bronze armor had a small crack, and she had probably a broken rib.
She looked at the display, seeing that her Aura was still in the green.
"Ouch!" Jaune whimpered "That looked really painful."
"Indeed, but that those two still have so much Aura, is incredible." Ren replied with admiration.
"Especially Mikhail, he looked like he danced…." Blake's eyes wandered between them, she admitted both of them were strong fighters.
"Well, both are the probably the strongest in our year, but I never thought, that he also could fight so gracefully, it almost looked like dancing."
"Yeah, Mikhail really loves dancing and singing, he had that from mom." Ruby participated in their conversation "Our uncle, who trained him and me, uses also spinning attacks."
"What?" Weiss raised an eyebrow and the others looked with wide eyes at the twin sister "Your brother can sing?"
"Yep!" Ruby confirmed while popping the 'p' "He had his talent for singing from their mother, she also taught him dancing when he was little."
"Your mother was really strict wasn't she?" Blake asked.
"Nope! I don't remember much of her, but I know that she was easygoing. Actually the first time he danced he was even better than Dad, and he was only three years old." Ah, how proud Mommy was, when her baby boy danced the first time with her, while their Father cried tears of defeat and pride.
Meanwhile Weiss tilted her head 'I would actually like to hear him singing. If he is good a duet wouldn't be actually bad'.
"I know!" The girl in red and black clapped her hands with joy "Yang come on, let us ask Mike to sing for us before he sleep…Yang?" Ruby looked at her sister, who frowned and didn't even listen.
Yang's eyes still were still stuck to the fight. She admitted it. Her brother was a monster in fighting. Actually she never saw him really going out….'When did he become….so strong? And he didn't even use his scythe…'
Everyone concentrated now on the battle again…..
"Yield." Mikhail slowly walked closer, while twirling his sword and sheath, before he could strike, Pyrrha used her Semblance and Akoúo̱ flew into her hands.
'Oh crap….' The blonde cursed internally, while receiving an upwards strike with Akoúo̱ in its sword from, more on his weak point, the place under his chin "Argh!" After the hit on his lower jaw, Pyrrha span around and morphed her weapon in its javelin form, hitting him on the left side of his head. But it didn't end; she used the momentum of the swing and swiftly put the javelin on her neck and shoulders. She shot the head out Mikhail had to endure three shot-enhanced strikes on his chin.
Pyrrha jumped back and threw Akoúo̱, enhanced with the recoil of a shot towards Mikhail, which hit him directly in the collarbone and chest. The weapon bounced back and her wielder caught it gracefully.
Mikhail was shoved back and slid several meters, while clutching his chin, he held the sword in a reverse grip, the muzzle grip pointed at Pyrrha and shot at her, but unfortunately she evaded them.… Unfortunately this was a weakness he could never come over. Dragons have two weak points, elven blood, which is toxic and the other one is generally the area under their chins. Two well-placed arrows could end up doing a lot of damage; if these arrows are somehow magically enhanced, they could even prove deadly.
And due the change on his body, due his Semblance, he had a glass chin…..
Mikhail couldn't endure the pain of several hits on his weak point…so he his anger took over him…..possibly also because of his Semblance.
"AH MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!"
The entire audience perked up at the sudden burst of anger and rather colorful language which followed.
"Uh-oh!" Both Ruby and Yang took several steps back and suddenly put helmets on her heads….
"What?" Blake asked with curiosity while ignoring the cursing of Mikhail…..and asking were his sisters had those helmets.
"Mikhail's Semblance…." Ruby mumbled, while hiding behind Yang who cursed.
"Hey, stop lemme go!"
Weiss who never knew, that Mikhail knew such uncouth words, was curious as well "What do you mean his Semblance."
"Did you know that Dragons are the embodiment of Wrath, Lust, Greed and Pride?" Ruby explained…
Weiss nodded….and her eyes widened "He doesn't….."
"ENOUGH!" He transformed his Zero Rose into a scythe "Pyrrha…."
The mentioned girl suddenly tensed up, she felt a shiver going through her spine and even the other students felt, that the air became heavy…and she gasped when she suddenly saw Mikhail's transformation.
His entire arms and shoulders were covered in white and black scales. His pure white wings emerged from his back and even his legs transformed. They looked like the legs of an eagle, with scales, three talons on the foreside and one on the backside, with barbed golden and red claws. His legs even turned into hind ones and his skin became whiter than snow. His blonde-red hair turned pale and ashen and at the same time small devil like horns appeared on his forehead, while larger golden and red horns sprouted from his temples, but somehow the horn on the side where his silver eye was, looked incomplete. Wouldn't it be for that, his horns would have the shape of a heart. Speaking of his silver eye, blood dripped from it, possibly due a burst vein. He opened it, and many gasped from shock, when they saw, that his silver eye was surrounded by a red sclera. It was even more dreadful because of the slit pupils.
But when he opened his other eye, the red one; dread came over the spectators, and even Pyrrha tried to choke a scream. Mikhail's eye, his red eye glowed and the sclera was black, pitch black.
Ozpin dropped his mug and went pale, while Glynda was broken out of her state, by the sound of the shattering.
"Professor Ozpin, sir?" She put a hand on his shoulder and he twitched.
"Yes, everything is alright my dear….." Ozpin breathed in 'His skin, the hair that eye…just like her….'
"Sir I think we should…."
"No, Glynda we must precede, in measuring Mr. Rose and Ms. Nikos strength."
"As…." She sighed as she fiddled something on her Scroll "You wish, sir."
"So finally…." Pyrrha called out to Mikhail, before she could hear a whipping sound. Her eyes widened more and she took a step back, when a long tail, with black and white scales was moving behind him. The tail was two times longer than his owner; on the end of the tail was a triangle tail tip. The tip was slightly hooked, similar to the sting of a scorpion, but really minimal. "You have a tail!?"
"He has a tail!?" Weiss yelled out.
"He has a….tail?" Blake actually looked more shocked than the others.
"What the…he has a freaking tail!?" Everybody looked to the owner of the voice, and that was Yang, who asked her sister.
"Ehm, yeah Mikhail didn't told you didn't he?"
"Eh, NO!?"
"Ups?" She shrugged.
"YES! I HAVE A TAIL!"
Everybody twitched.
"Now" he reloaded "Let's end this!"
"Yes!" Pyrrha took a stance.
*Boom*
Mikhail dashed forward with the recoil of the scythe and Pyrrha used her Semblance to boost her movements, her entire body glowed black.
*BOOOOOOOOOOM* When both opponents clashed, a huge explosion built.
Mikhail twirled his speed in an extreme fast speed, using the momentum and force from it to attack.
While Pyrrha used her Semblance, every time she attacked and parried. Wouldn't it for her polarity, he could have already disarmed her.
The fight went further and further, and then...
*Bzzzzt* The time for the fight ended and both of stopped fighting.
"Looks like a stalemate Pyrrha….."
"Yes….It was a good fight….but…" Pyrrha looked down and her eyes widened…Mikhail's sharp tail tip was close to her chest…..
'I lost….'
Meanwhile the audience of them could only look with disbelief at them….they wrecked the entire arena….the ground was full of cracks, craters, burn marks and debris….
And here is another chapter…..phew….I am tired.
I hope you like this chapter.
If somebody is interested to make this into a 'Reading Story', pm me.
If there are questions, you can pm me, too.
Khan
P. S. Vote for the Poll, I might consider it.