A/N: OMG I'm finally back! Sorry for the LONGGGGG ass delay. I will be completely honest, I almost lost motivation to continue this fic. Don't wanna make this a soap drama but in summary, after certain events, I got my motivation back once again. Also, Me and Zack are... working on a separate project. While I won't reveal much yet, I will say it has to do with Our Destiny. Anyway, thanks for being patient you guise and Zack'll see you on the next chapter ^^. Seeya till then. As always, comments and even criticism is welcomed so that I may improve.
(Meanwhile...)
The tour group ventured through the hallways under the guidance of the head mistress of the prestigious academy, Miss Glynda Goodwitch. Their eyes danced about the various rooms and sounds of awe escaped their lips. The partic-tacular bat faunus and his trio of friends included.
Elise's eyes darted about the current location: a large, oval-shaped room with benches lining the sides in three rows. The middle of the room was a bare floor, the only marking being a long line that ran from one side to another horizontally in the middle of the room. It reminded her of an arena, a col-colle-colou
"Colosseum"
Elise was reminded of the hawk faunus in their trio, not that she completely forgot about him but he was so quiet that it was hard to remember he was in the same room with them. The girl with pointed ears turned over her shoulder to look right at the masked face of Leon.
"Thats what its modelled after, an old arena where gladiatorial hunters, usually ones that were offenders of the law, and captured grimm fought to entertain men and women in the past."
"ooo... interesting..."
"Oh y-you were listening? Sorry it was k-kind of meant for myself." Awkward, Elise thought. He was kind of shy in that nice way, even if he was alittle anti-social and pretty creepy behind that mask. Leon was a nice person.
"Now, we have time for a few sparring matches" Glynda announced, some eager and excited eyes flew to the sight of her. The blonde continued, "just like the old hunter tradition, Krisi, we will have an organised free-for-all. Every candidate in this room will gather in a circle and two hunters will come out in the middle of the circle, facing each other in combat until one of them is knocked down."
At 'Krisi' numerous triumphant words could be heard. It was a tradition that anyone who attended school (which was about everyone in the room) before Beacon would clearly know about, it was played at orientations, camps, even gatherings where fun chaotic order was allowed.
Dann grinned, he stuck around in school long enough to know about this. He thrashed most of his during the orientation at Signal and he had a good feeling about this. Though this was kind of different, he was facing experienced fighters, talented students. "This is going to be interesting" were the words that left his lips quietly.
In no time, the circle was formed (with much ignorance to Glynda's reminders of safety and energy conservation) and the Krisi had begun. It was fun watching the students fight, Leon studied the opponents. While he has never taken part in one of these games before it was easy enough to learn, beat your opponent down and you win. While consciously the hawk faunus did not wish to draw too much attention to himself, he hoped that he would not become an utter fool in the ring either. So he watched them, the potential hunters and huntresses were good, no amateurs thats for sure.
Then he was called up, an opponent in the ring of candidates alone, without a fight. The male was in a dark green fur coat and jeans. He was lightly armored with his choice of footwear being greaves and on his hands, he wore metal gaunlets. On his left hand was an black and blue-complimented heater shield crossed with a machine gun. In his right he gripped a falchion. He looked well-built and ready for battle.
Dann had noticed Leon's posture. The hawk faunus wanted to take part but he did not want to be humiliated. The bat faunus' eyes danced from his newfound friend to the lone contestant in the ring of cheering students. The male wore a proud expression, almost as though he had won the upcoming battle already.
And Dann knew Leon would wipe that expression off of his face.
Lightly, he nudged Leon.
"Hey dude, here's your chance."
The male in grey was stunned. "M-me? I couldn't possibly-"
Too late, Dann shoved him out.
"Hey bro! You got yourself a challenger!" The upbeat faunus boy yelled to Leon's the opponent. The contestant raised an eyebrow and looked in his direction , he saw Leon. A clear loner.
The male's expression softened from arrogance to pleased. He extended a hand.
"Okami. Okami Grey."
"L-Leon..." the hawk faunus nervously shook the opponent's hand. Slowly, he looked up and noticed a glint in his eye. His pupils seemed to shrink before he blinked them away. Then Leon realised what his name meant.
"Sorry. Happens at times."
"It's fine..."
"I won't go easy you know." His english accent was much stronger.
"Y-yeah sure..." Leon backed away from his opponent, standing at opposite ends of the ring.
"Hey mask boy! Wanna take that turd on your face off?!" A voice came from the crowd. A gruff, aggressive voice. He sounded really mean. Leon sighed as bits of the crowd laughed at the comment, he's faced this enough times to know how to react.
/just keep your cool Leon... no point retorting.../
Leon simply bowed at his opponent, who returned his gesture and they stepped to the two ends of the ring. Leon reached behind his waist and drew the metallic grey weapon. It was a sniper scythe, the same one he had used on the night he sorta met Dann.
He took a deep breath. And then lunged. The two burst at each other actually. The hawk faunus swung horizontally first, to which Okami leapt to dodge. In his leap he spun horizontally with his sword facing outward, striking and knocking Leon back. Leon backflipped and somersaulted into his battle stance and narrowed his eyes at Okami.
He had to run another test before he knew what to do. Just to make sure.
The male adjusted his mask and lifted he hood that had gone up in his somersault off his head. He began running at Okami again, this time he held the scythe wtih the blade facing the floor. With the butt off the blade, he struck down at Okami who blocked it with an overhead and swung at Leon's unguarded torso, throwing him away. The same gruff voice laughed.
"Come on! Is that the best you can do?!"
Okami frowned.
"That is for me to decide, not some random candidate that has not even the balls to step up and tell it to Mister Leon's face!"
Leon raised an eyebrow. Not expecting his opponent to stand up for him, unlike every other friend he had.
"T-thanks" Leon muttered. Unsure if Okami had heard it. Though the opponent did direct a small smile at the hawk faunus.
"Hey don't let up. This round isn't over." Okami reminded. Leon nodded and readied himself. In those two strikes he had noticed Okami's habit of finding ways to force his opponent into opening opportunities up for him. The hawk faunus' faced this before, he knew what to do.
He raced towards Okami, who had adapted into the defensive battle stance he held previously. Leon lifted his scythe in a right diagonal strike downwards, leading Okami to ready his shield to face the scythe blade's impact. However, as soon as Leon was in range, he fired a shot from the sniper barrel of the scythe (aka the hilt that he was holding on to) and used the force of the shot to spin his scythe around his back, grabbing it with his left hand. The moment the hilt made contact with his palm he swung it upwards, giving Okami a face of sudden realisation and a hit to the other faunus' waist. Okami opened up at the hit, giving Leon the opportunity to strike hard and end the battle quick. He slashed, the force throwing Okami back. Then he thrusted at his hand with the butt of the scythe, forcing him to lose grip of the falchion. With a final push of his palm, Leon successfully knocked the shocked Okami to the ground.
The hawk faunus had won.
The expression of shock on Leon's opponent slowly turned into acceptance and satisfaction. Swiftly retrieving his weapon, he hopped back up and shook Leon's hand.
"Wow that was pretty cool. Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Okami complimented.
"I uhh... umm... learnt... it myself."
"Talented... well, good fight, see ya around. Leon." Okami's left eye's pupil shrunk again before he winked it away. Returning to the crowd.
"Well then, that concludes that brawl. We have time for one more. Anyone?" Glynda questioned. Sounding pleased.
As Leon made his way through the crowd, some staring, he found his friends once again.
"Hey you did pretty good there. Really, where'd you learn to fight like that?" Elise asked excitedly. Leon blushed, thankfully unviewable behind his mask.
"I umm... really did learn m-myself..."
"Cool... what'd you say Dann?"
Dann smiled and nodded. "I'd say our little reaper here did good. But I've seen better." The last part with a joking tone. Leon caught it and smirked.
"You couldn't even see."
"I could not see... clearly. You made alot of noise, my seismic sense allowed me to see your whole fight."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah really, it was... not bad..."
"Okay, I'd like to see you do better..." Leon feign-challenged.
"Okay. You're on." Dann replied, making his way forward. Leon suddenly started to panic, realising what he may have caused.
"W-wait Dann I didn't mean-"
"Relax... I'll be fine..." he continued forward, muttering. "Infact, I'd like to see what that trashtalker is capable of."
"Can I have a turn?" Dann questioned as he stepped out of the crowd. Leaning on a leg with his hands in his pockets. Glynda turned his attention to the male in purple stepping out into the ring. She cocked an eyebrow when her sight fell on Dann's eyes.
"And what would your name be young man?"
"Dann. Danimus Agker."
"Mister Agker, are you sure you're fit for combat?"
"Lady, I know what I look like. And I know you're lookin at me like I just told you I'd like to take on the gods themselves or something and to that I say, I'll be fine."
Glynda's expression got a little heavier but nothing to the point of angry. "Well then Mister Agker if you're confident you are ready I will not stop you. Would anyone like to challenge-"
"Actually." Dann cut off the vice-director. "I'd like to fight that loud-mouth from earlier on."
A scoff was heard.
"Oh really?" Dann could feel someone bigger than him make his way through the crowd to the front. It sounded like the male was armored. And whatever he was wielding, it was heavy, like a hammer or a mace.
"Well then I gladly accept your challenge blind boy." Yes, that same voice.
"Cool." Dann returned.
"And who might you be?" Glynda asked, the displeasure evident in her voice.
"Cardin Winchester."
"Well then, Cardin. Begin when you're ready."
Leon's eyes widened when he analysed Cardin. What he wielded was a mace with some sort of fire-based dust attached to it. The human male's build was buffed and strong. A direct opposite to Dann's slender, lightly-leaned and agile body. To top it off Dann was blind and had to rely on his sense touch to battle Cardin.
Leon hoped Dann knew what he was doing.
The two fighters bowed and made their way to seperate sides of the ring. However, before Cardin even made it to the other end he spun around and made a charge towards Dann, raising his mace to strike down on the bat faunus.
Dann's seismic sense kicked in. Feeling the heavy vibrations behind him, he spun around as well, jumping into kicking off Cardin's chest. Placing his foot on the armored human's shoulder, he stepped onto Cardin like a platform and leapt away from him, delivering a kick to the back of his head in the process.
Cardin grunted as he stumbled, rubbing the back of his head he turned to see Dann landing in a barrel roll. The bat faunus stood up and grinned at Cardin. The human male frowned. Dann taunted Cardin with his fingers, beckoning for him to strike.
Cardin let out a growl into a shout, charging at Dann again. This time, the bat faunus had time to unsheathe his katana. Cardin tossed his mace in the air. Upon catching it, he swung from right to left. Dann knew it was coming. The bat faunus blocked with the blade of his sword, pressing hard against the head of the mace. The armored male glared at Dann momentarily before returning his gaze to his mace, pushing harder. Dann sighed and kicked Cardin in the stomach, causing him to stumble back.
The bat faunus nonchalantly twirled the sword so that its blade faced back up, he gripping it with both hands this time. Cardin rushed again, dragging his mace on the floor, this created a sharp squeaking noise. The bat faunus' sensitive ears reacted to it, causing him to swiftly cover his ears in pain. Cardin smirked at this and hammered Dann in the torso with the mace. Sending him flying back.
Fortunately, the bat faunus had always been aware of his unpreventable weakness and had learnt to adapt to it. Dann quickly recovered from the pain, driving his sword into the ground to brake the movement. He knew Cardin was wearing a sly grin now, everyone always did when they found the opening in him.
"Whats the matter blind mouse? Don't like this?" He dragged the mace again, creating that painful screech. Dann grit his teeth.
"Fuckin asshole." he thought. Cardin dragged his weapon once again. From the crowd Leon watched with a worried yet exasperated "I-told-you-not-to-do-it" expression.
The bat faunus gripped his sword tightly, teeth grit to make the pain more bearable. He drove the sword into the ground, his two hands now wrapped around the hilt. Surprisingly, the blade began to vibrate, getting more violent as Cardin got closer.
It started small.
"No... not yet"
Then it got stronger, Cardin now lightening his grip on the mace, letting it drag and swing up slightly with the force of friction.
"Wait for it..."
The sword now vibrated like a video game controller in Dann's hands. Like a wild animal eager to pounce.
"One... two..."
And pounce it did.
Dann lunged forth, his hands quickly connecting with the hilt of the mace. Upon grasping it, the purple-haired faunus twisted it in a fashion that forced Cardin to release his grip from the weapon or lose his wrist. Fortunately, it went the way Dann intended and Cardin chose the former in a sudden inability to improvise. With Cardin disarmed, Dann pulled the sword from the ground.
"Cardin, Ultor. Ultor, Cardin." Dann taunted, already knowing he was victorious. A flurry of strikes met Cardin, quickly bursting down what aura he had. With one last strike fr the hilt of the katana, Cardin fell backwards.
And that was the match, Dann standing over Cardin's exhausted being triumphantly.
A silence flooded the crowd, something between shock, surprise and "Holy shit..." . Then, a cheer broke out as the candidates ushered Dann back into their crowd and pronounced him the winner. Leon and Elise made their way to the sides of Dann, Elise bursting into her usual excited congratulations, Leon questioning about Dann's tactics and abilities. Dann smiled at them and gave a triumphant fist bump into the air. His white-pupiled, blind eyes then fell back on Cardin. He sighed and bent down. With a smile, he offered a hand.
"Hey, even if you were kind of a dick... nice fight."
Cardin propped himself up with his elbow and glared at the bat faunus. He swiped the offer away and got up on his own.
"Dirty faunus" he grumbled as he made his way back to a group of three candidates. One of which patted him on the back while the other two pointed and shot poisonous looks at Dann. Leon took notice, though he choose to say nothing incase he was overthinking things.
- few hours later -
The rest of the afternoon was spent touring the remainder of the school's facilities and finally enjoying a hearty lunch at the cafeteria. The trio stood in line, trays in hand and chatting away, voices drowning in the sea of words from the other students.
"...and so the teachers knock off right?-" Elise started chuckling while Leon sounded like he was barely holding in his laughter. "Hey it's not funny yet don't laugh!"
"So as she's on the road, two policemen pull her over. And they're like "mam, what's with your license plate" and she looks over and all she sees is 'TheS3xM4chine'. And she gets a fucking ticket for that! " the other two could no longer contain it, bursting out laughing.
"Dude! You're terrible!" Elise commented inbetween laughs.
"I know!" Dann answered, walkin up to have his serving of food be served on his tray. without turning, he thanked the the one who served him and made his way out of the queue, making way for Leon and Elise. His thanks was never returned.
"Uhh Dann?" It was Leon.
"Hmm?"
"That was a robot"
Dann's eyes widened, realising that he just thanked a piece of metal. "Oh. Umm... whoops."
The trio took their seats at the empty half of a long table. Resuming their chat as they enjoyed their lunch.
Just as Dann dipped his fork into the final piece of his grilled chicken, a male student, looking about his year, came up to him with a tap on his shoulder.
"Hey." The student began, nervously. Elise and Leon's sight fell on him. Dann looked around blindly, until Leon tapped him and shifted his head in the direction of the student.
"Oh...umm... yeah?" Dann replied. A friendly tone applied to his words.
"Miss Goodwitch would like to speak to you." Leon's eyes narrowed behind the mask. He noticed the way the boy's fingers tapped, teeth clearly chewing on the inside of his lip. He was clearly nervous beyond the ordinary... but why? Leon took note. Though he chose to say nothing yet.
"Oh!" Dann's eyebrows lifted, slightly surprised, was he in some kind of trouble? Not that he was actually worried for he has had his fair share of 'coffee sessions' with the last principal from Signal. "Where?"
"At the lab. Somewhere at the back of school."
"Ahh... alright then. Thanks for the note. I'll be there." Elise internally facepalmed herself, noting the naivety of the bat faunus. The student simply nodded and walked away. Dann turned towards the other two, inofrming them of his leave.
"You sure?" Elise questioned, "It sounds kind of suspicious don't you think?"
"What?... pfft... nahhh... this is the head mistress of the school we're talkin about. She wouldn't set me up..."
"Of course she wouldn't... but that doesn't mean the others wouldn't." Leon renforced Elise's question.
Dann laughed. "What qualms do the other have with me? They barely know me. Don't worry, if anything happens." Dann rolled up his sleeves. "I'm pretty sure I can take them on..."
"Whatever you say Dann, just be careful." Leon replied.
"Gotcha." And with that, he got up and went off to the designated area.
The duo remaining at the table was stuck in an awkward silence for a few seconds. Then they turned towards each other and in unison they said.
"I don't trust that guy."
They both acknowledged each others worries. "Why would Goodwitch ask him to meet at the back of the school and not the office?"
"Yeah exactly! And last time I checked, there was a... large... storeroom adjacent to the lab-"
"Candidates." The voice of the headmistress boomed from behind. "Assemble quick after a headcount we'll be moving on to the last bit of the tour: the Simulation Test Chambers."
The duo's eyes widened. "Oh no..."
(On the other hand)
The bat faunus made his down the hallway, his cane tapping against any surface it could find.
"Sorry... excuse me... sorry..."
The walk to the lab was a rather long one. Thankfully he was almost there.
What the masked male said entered Dann's thoughts.
/yeah why would she meet me at the back./
He was nearing the lab. The hall went almost silent.
/she could've just asked to speak to me outside the cafeteria-/
Something metallic hit the floor. The bat faunus' senses reacted.
"H-hello?" He greeted nothing in particular, hopefully to find the source of the noise.
"Miss Goodwitch?"
The rustling of bubble wrap.
It came from the left. His grip on the cane strengthened.
"Hello?! Miss Glynda?!" Anxiousness filled his voice. He gulped and took a step into the darkness, the room he remembered to be the storeroom.
The door shut behind him with a click. He jumped and drew his sword. Now he was sure it was not the head mistress.
"Hey! Whoever it is its not funny! I'm armed you hear me?!" The faunus yelled in an attempt to suppress his signs of fear. Sweat trickling, his eyebrows furrowed.
The loud banging of two pieces of metal caught him by surprise. His sensitive ears began to ring. Now metal screeching was added into the mix. Dann howled in pain as he dropped his weapon, which he felt kicked away from his grasp.
He felt a strong, metal boot connect with his stomach and he almost choked. Fists connected with his ribs and head. Any normal situation he would stand up and fight back. But he was caught by surprise and his head was spinning, ears ringing. His limbs felt so weak he could barely push himself up.
"Fucking dirty faunus." A familiar voice mocked, hostility and threat filled with every letter.
Cardin.
The armored male bent down, whispering into his ear. Dann could barely hear.
"This will teach you to FUCK. WITH. ME!"
"F..." he forced the words out with a raspy voice. "Fuck you..."
Another punch thrown towards his face. His body almost went numb and visions flooded his head.
"No! Stop!"
"So what if he's a faunus?! So what...?!"
"Please!..." a tear-stained voice. A girl in white pulling at the muscled arm of a male. The man forcefully rips his arm away from the girl and continues wailing on the faunus.
/so what if we're faunus?... what if we're different... we don't deserve to be teated like this... we aren't just dirt to be kicked around by people.../
The beatdown stopped. So did the noise. All he heard were muffled gasps.
"M-miss Goodwitch! W-we can explain"
"Y-you! Argh!-"
"That's enough!" The strong voice the discipline mistress boomed.
His strength slowly returned. Dann pushed himself up and placed his hand to his throbbing forehead.
"M-miss Goodwitch?"
"You can walk?" The discipline mistress questioned, stoicism evident in her voice.
The bat faunus groaned, shakily getting up.
"Yeah."
"Good. Principal's office. You and the four of you. Now."