Chapter Title: When Things Go Hammertime

Okay, okay. I really wasn't planning on keeping that chapter title. But can you blame me if that's the first thing to pop in after reading (and proofreading) the chapter?

Before anything else (yes, I know, same old stuff, blah blah blah...) :

DISCLAIMER : I DO NOT OWN RWBY. CREDIT GOES TO (RWBYGOD) MONTY OUM AND ROOSTERTEETH.

HOWEVER, I DO CLAIM OWNERSHIP OF THE ORIGINAL IDEAS AND/OR CHARACTERS.

Lights, camera, action!

Libby cringed in her seat as their "Rubyrollin'" track played in the cafeteria again from another student's Scroll. The tiger Faunus' composition quickly spread throughout Beacon, and they didn't have any idea how.

Libby was sure the music hall was empty even before they started playing, as she was the earliest to arrive.

While Myst wasn't affected (she only played the bass, for all that the populace knew it could've been Rou), and Sirocca had accepted all the attention - she was even reveling in it - there was no way the pilebunker wielder could deny that it was her whaling away on the drums.

And she was not in the least okay with it.

Not that Libby didn't want the attention. What ticked the brown-haired girl off was the fact that the song was recorded without their knowledge or permission, and then spread it throughout the school.

And that was one of the things Libby hated the most. It almost felt like stealing, which was also among the things that the human girl hated the most.

Earlier that morning...

Libby awoke to Myst singing her ode to the mornings. No one else knew of the flaxen-haired girl's early-morning habit except the pilebunker wielder, and she had kept it a secret since the day Myst swore her to utmost secrecy.

The younger girl never fully understood why Myst wanted to keep her obvious singing talent under wraps, and said as much to the older girl. "'Tis embarrassing if they were to find out," Myst had confided to her later on. Libby decided it's probably one of those grown-up things.

Usually, Libby would start tapping out an easy beat to accompany the flaxen-haired girl's singing as soon as she heard it, but not today. The brown eyed girl simply ignored everything and everyone around her while going through her morning rituals.

This didn't escape the fox Faunus' notice, eyeing the human girl with slight worry as she slung her weapon on her shoulders. If anyone were to see how she takes up that 50-inch pile mounted in an assault rifle, he would think she was out to fight an army on her own.

Rou started to think. Libby wasn't like this two days ago. The only new thing was that the "Rubyrolling" song with Sirocca's voice spreading like wildfire throughout Beacon, and without a doubt Libby on the drums...

A small smile formed on Rou's face as he understood. Well, she's not going to stop until she finds out who's behind the spread of that thing. Knowing Libby, she's probably ticked off about having them recorded without her knowing it.

Back to the present time...

Libby's step was still normal, but her face was a perfect example of the phrase "tranquil fury". It didn't help that her Semblance, Amplification, unconsciously kicked in, making everyone within a ten-yard radius feel her barely-restrained anger.

The pilebunker-wielder was unnaturally quiet while in line to get food, and maintained her silence until she got to the table. She also somehow became aware of her Semblance being active, so she made an effort to keep it deactivated. Libby knew Myst didn't want her to be causing any sort of commotion; the pilebunker wielder was also aware that even with Amplification on at full blast, she was still no match for Windforge's wielder.

Still, she couldn't let go of the fact that they were recorded without her knowing. Guuh, I swear I'll impale that person on LoRuhama and fire over and over and over until his brain is little more than fish feed and his bones fine enough to be fertilizer! Then I'll use his gut to bind whatever's left and use it as whale bait! Libby's face was so dark while eating, even her normally warm aura was darkened so much that everyone - including the bubbly Nora - was forced to back off several paces as her Semblance unconsciously activated again.

She was exuding that much murderous intent.

The only person unaffected by all of this was the white-haired fox Faunus, Rou. He continued eating in peace beside Libby, seemingly oblivious to her current demeanor.

Even Sirocca was affected. Her voice was tinged with uncertainty as she half-whispered to the brown-haired girl, "Uh, you... You alright there, Libby?"

In response, Libby slowly turned her head towards the tiger girl, her eyes following a second afterward. The look she gave Sirocca made the tiger girl's tail quiver and puff out in fear. "Yes, I am all right, sis Sirocca. I will be better as soon as I..." The rest became unintelligible, Libby's words going into soft murmurs laced with hatred. She kept this up even while taking the used tray back to the counter, all students giving her a wide berth.

"Wonder what went into her," the tiger girl whispered to the other Faunus and the other human in her team. Myst merely shook her head, sighing, while Rou just shrugged as he continued eating his breakfast in peace.

Libby continued walking, ignoring the general populace. She was headed to the Emerald Forest to blow off some steam when her she overheard a pair of students talking. "C'mon, lemme copy that Rubyrollin' track!"

"Just a second, I'm looking for it in my Scroll."

"Where'd you get that anyway?"

"I heard Nora recorded the song from the newcomers."

"Who, those four who always wear cloaks with the ring with six ray emblem?"

"Yeah, that's them. I heard the tiger Faunus rocks with a guitar, the blue-eyed girl is great with bass and cello, while their smallest member is wicked with the drums!"

"Really? Wow, they're musically inclined, huh? Wait, what about the fourth member?"

"Oh, the fox guy? I heard he could play almost anything."

"Well, he can play with me all day long, if he wanted to..."

"Oh, shut it! Don't get me started on your Faunus fetishes!"

"H-Hey, I didn't mean..."

Libby had heard enough. She unslung LoRuhama and drove the pile into the tree, smashing the trunk and surprising the two students and making them pee in their pants in fear. Libby's eyes had an evil gleam to them as she stood, re-priming the pile bunker. "So... Who's Nora?"

As guests of Beacon Academy, Myst and her team were welcome to attend any freshman classes, which the flaxen-haired girl gladly accepted.

Today, Myst and Libby were attending Grimm Studies, under the portly Professor Port; Rou and Sirocca were on the other side of the academy under Professor Oobleck's eye for Remnant History (Myst suspected it was the treasure hunter in the fox Faunus, wanting to get hints of treasures or valuables; after all, the Faunus boy had an uncanny knack for locating and identifying valuables. Thank Lord Monty above that his family decided not to be thieves or cutthroats).

Libby devoured the information presented in Prof. Port's class (after all, she was only sixteen, one year early for actual Huntress training), while Myst observed the general class disposition. Either they were simply bored with the subject, or bored with the teacher, she thought as she spotted a few students discreetly napping or dozing off.

"... And so, while Ursa have thick skull-plates, the area in between their eyes is quite thin, and quite hard to accurately aim at." The bushy-bearded professor wrapped up his lecture, arm extended towards the bear Grimm diagram.

"Professor!" Ruby Rose stood up suddenly, one hand in the air, causing all students' attention to focus on her. "Does that also apply to the Ursa Majors? I mean, the underside of their necks don't have any armor too. Wouldn't it be easier to just chop them off from underneath?"

The professor visibly smiled at the scythe-wielder's question. "Excellent point, Miss Rose. However, Ursa Majors weigh more than their regular Ursa counterparts. And it is also true that Majors rear up on their hind legs, but they go about on all fours almost all the time." Port brought both his hands behind him before speaking again. "If you can find a way to sneak underneath an Ursa Major and cut off its head, then it will be an almost assured victory for you. However, if you have someone with enough skill in your team, you can aim for the soft spot between the Ursa's eyes instead."

"Like how Vomit Boy stepped up and made the cut?" Yang smirked, earning a groan from Weiss and a chuckle from the rest of the class.

Myst also ended up chuckling while Libby narrowed her eyes at the Ursa diagram. Between the eyes? It's gotta be a one-shot with LoRu, the pilebunker wielder thought to herself. "Erm... Lady Myst?" She turned to the blue-eyed girl beside her. "Could it be possible to boost LoRuhama's power further? I mean, apart from activating my Semblance..."

Myst glanced to the brown-haired girl's weapon. "Hmm... Since thy weapon is essentially a gigantic nail, then the only way to boost its power further -"

"Would be by a powerful impact at the base of the pile, excatly like a hammer hitting the head of a nail." Velvet Scarlatina, the rabbit Faunus seated beside Myst and Libby at the front, quietly whispered.

The three exchanged glances for a few seconds. Velvet and Myst seemed to have the same idea, and said one name at the same time.

"Nora."

Libby groaned, remembering her 'discussion' with the two female students earlier. "Aw hell, why?!"

As soon as the bell sounded, indicating the end of the lecture, Libby let her head thump on the desk, never mind that it hurt like hell. Myst gently nudged her shoulder, stage-whispering to the pilebunker wielder. "Libby? What overcame thee?"

The younger girl groaned as she lifted her head. "I got it, Lady Myst. I overheard a few students saying it was Nora who recorded Sis Sirocca's song..."

"What of it?" Myst blinked, unsure what the brown eyed girl was trying to say.

Libby threw an exasperated glance at the elder girl. "Gah, it means she was somewhere in the music hall while we played! And she recorded us without permission!"

The flaxen-haired girl rolled her eyes, as if finding the entire issue trivial. "Then talk to her about it! Thou art of age, Libby... Thou shouldst be able to act like a responsible adult."

Libby's eyes widened. Why didn't I think of that?! "You're right, sis! Thanks!" She hugged the elder girl tightly for a second, before dashing off.

Libby tore through Beacon, asking everyone she met where the warhammer wielding, orange-haired, teal-eyed girl was. Eventually, she tracked Nora down to the cafeteria, where the latter was gleefully wolfing down eight pancakes practically swimming in syrup.

The sight of what the bubbly girl was eating made Libby pause for a good minute. She found herself asking somewhat dumbstruck, "Uh... That can't be healthy... Can it?"

Nora turned, syrup smeared around her mouth, and threatening to drip to her chin. "Oh, hi! Do you like pancakes? Ren makes really good pancakes, and they're really good with syrup. I prefer maple syrup, but honey also works. The red sap from Forever Fall makes excellent pancake syrup, you know? Ren and I usually go there to get some together. Oh, but I don't mean together together..."

Libby held a hand up, feeling a headache start to brew. "Whoa, whoa, wait. I'm not here to talk about that." She pointed to the remaining pancakes in syrup. "Can you finish that up? Or do you need help?"

As if in response to Libby's question, Nora simply grinned and - Lord Monty above, did she just slurp all eight remaining pancakes, one after the other?!

After letting out a soft burp and somehow wiping her mouth in the process, Nora bounced up on her feet, saluting. "Nora Valkyrie, all ready to go!"

"Uh, just, let's talk somewhere private. Before I start losing my marbles."

Nora started to lead the way. "The rooftop, maybe? There's not many people who go there. Except Jaune and Pyrrha, but I think they're in the dorm room now..."

"Beacon Cliffs, maybe?"

"Sure!" Nora started skipping ahead, Libby starting to debate whether talking to this girl was a good idea.

After about ten minutes, both girls got to the cliffs. "So, what's it you want to talk to me about? Is it about Ren? Did he do something not good?"

"No, it's not about Ren," Libby started with two fingers lightly pinching her nosebridge. "It's about you."

"Me?" Nora seemed surprised. "What about?"

Libby took a deep breath. Better say it and get it over with. "Well, you recorded us playing without our permission. I'd like to know why."

"Why?" Nora repeated. "'Coz you were good!"

Libby felt her eyebrows twitch. Let's try a different tack. "Nora... How would you like it if I recorded something you did and broadcast it to the entire population of Beacon?"

The warhammer wielding girl thought this over for a few minutes. "I don't mind."

Again Libby felt her eyebrows twitch. "It doesn't work that way! You ASK people if you want to record them! Not everyone appreciates being filmed or recorded in secret! It's different if everyone actually sees you doing whatever!"

Nora only tilted her head. "But, why?"

"That's it. I'm done with the diplomatic option." Libby reached back and pulled on LoRuhama's bolt, priming the pilebunker. "I'm gonna beat ya in fair combat and ya hafta do a public apology."

Nora fingered Magnhild's handle, prepared to pull at a moment's notice. "If I win, you'll quit this nonsense."

"First to strike wins. Fair?"

Without another word, Nora dashed forward with a wide grin. Libby sprinted forward as well.

The two pulled out their respective weapons, pointing it to each other at the same time. Magnhild, in its war hammer form, was aimed exactly at the middle of the brown-haired girl's forehead, while Lo-Ruhama's sharp pointed end gleamed menacingly under the teal-eyed girl's chin.

Both grinned at the same time, Libby eyeing the other with newfound respect and admiration. The pilebunker wielder thought to herself, Gotta hand it to her. She's got guts.

Libby broke the tense silence between them after a few moments. "Truce?"

"... Truce."

Both weapons inched backwards slowly, wary of the other making a sneak attack. "Say, Nora. There was something I was going to ask you. Professor Port told us in class earlier about a small weak spot in an Ursa's head plate..."

A week later...

Myst, Ruby, Pyrrha and Libby were taking a stroll through Forever Fall, the rest of their teams a short distance away. "So, now that all of that's settled, I guess we're all good, huh?" Ruby asked, walking forwards a few paces ahead then turning to face the three.

"Aye, and I offer thee my sincerest apologies." Myst sighed before continuing. "I did not think that Libeccia's anger would reach such heights."

Libby put her hands on her waist, a pout forming at the same time. "I resent that, Lady Myst..."

Before anyone else could reply, the growl of an Ursa Major interrupted them. Libby and Nora glanced to each other, then nodded.

"An Ursa! Everyone, move! There could be more!" Pyrrha barked out.

Just as everyone moved to grab their weapons, Nora and Libby held one hand out to the Ursa, yelling at the top of their lungs. "STOP!"

Everyone stopped, including the Ursa who seemed to gain curiosity at the two humans.

Both leapt up into the air, and Magnhild flashed out in hammer form. "Hammer time!" Nora swung it down, hitting LoRuhama's pile. At the same time, Libby activated her Semblance, sending the brown-haired girl flying down at a blinding speed.

The pile struck squarely at the middle of the Ursa's bony helm, right between the bear Grimm's eyes, cracking it. A second later, Nora came spinning her hammer down, much like how she had slammed the Death Stalker's stinger in initiation; except that this time, Magnhild struck LoRuhama's pile again, driving the gigantic 50-inch nail further down.

At the same time, Libby fired the pilebunker, doubling the power and triggering a small explosion within the Ursa's helm. This sent the two humans flying a short distance away with recoil, while the unfortunate Ursa Major started to disintegrate where it stood, now without its head.

Nora and Libby landed on their butts with a grunt. They got up a few seconds later, grinning at each other, then bumping their fists together.

"Can't touch this!" Nora beamed.

"Hell yeah." Libby grinned back.

Everyone else looked on in surprise, slack-jawed, at what just happened.

A/N:

Well... That happened.

First, I apologize since I'm still going through the remainder of my files; while I was able to recover them from my corrupted microSD card, majority were incomplete files, such as this one. I admit I don't fully remember how the originals went, so I tried to rewrite them... I'm honestly not sure whether this still follows the initial proofread draft.

Second, I am NOT going to play with any April Fool's jokes. It's bad enough that people don't take me seriously when I tell them that my birthday is April 1st (check FB if you wanna confirm - but I ain't telling who I am there, or what's my username.)

I guess that's it for now.

Sanguis out.