A/N
Hello! It's been a hot minute, nah just about a year. since I updated this book. Ngl I was half waiting for Volume 9 to come out and trying to get over a teeny writer's block, via writing other things. I was also pretty busy. Factoring in a small motorcycle accident and I just didn't touch this book.
(BTW, writing other things doesn't help clear a writer's block, just takes time away from other projects) if anyone's interested, I have another book up.
Updates will still be sporadic at best, but hey! I have ideas flowing now.
Anyway, enjoy the chapter! Much love! -LL14
—-
I woke up dreading the day, so I decided to leave Team Rwby to their own devices, instead of waking them all up. That and I wanted to laze in bed.
I rubbed my eyes idly; I was partly surprised that Yang wasn't smothering me in her sleep. Yang was turned away from me this time, making me the big spoon.
I pulled my face out of Yang's hair; I spit out the few strands the inevitably invaded my mouth.
I then scooted myself away and off the small bunk. I paused and tossed a passing glance towards the other sleeping people in our room to make sure I didn't accidentally wake them up.
I didn't.
I fully slipped from the bunk and stood to my full height. My knees popped as I twisted and started to go to the bathroom.
The door pushed open easily, my first mission was using the bathroom. Because my bladder is making it well known how angry it was.
I shut the door with a barely audible click. Good job on the people here keeping the hinges oiled.
After I used the John, I brushed my teeth and by the time I got done and was washing my mouth out the door was opened again.
My tail swished idly as I leveled a lazy glare at Weiss.
I set the cup down on the edge of the sink. "Didn't someone teach you how to knock?" I asked rhetorically.
Weiss rubbed an eye. "Yeah, you sounded about done. Soo?" She said with some humor.
I shrugged. I didn't actually care that she walked in on me.
"Fair" I set my toothbrush back in its holder with the others.
I moved passed the groggy Schnee and into the room.
Ruby laid on her bunk, a pillow squished into her face as Yang poked her in the ribs. Obviously trying to get her sister up and the day started.
Blake sat on her bunk watching with left ear folded in some irritation.
I smiled a bit. I assume Yang's incessant talking and prodding on Ruby invaded whatever dream Blake was having.
I sat on mine and Yangs bunk and started putting on my boots.
"C'mooon Ruby!" Yang pleaded.
Ruby grumbled something unintelligible.
Blake groaned lowly and stood up from her bunk and trudged to the bathroom to do her morning routine.
I sent a knowing wink as she passed. She gave me a glare that said, 'get Yang to stop!'
I shook my head. Which got me a withering look in turn.
I chuckled and finished up my last knot. Blake's going to hate me for the day.
I paused, perhaps I shouldn't be enabling Yang's morning antics.
With my mind made up, I decided to stop spectating the chaos.
I stepped up to Yang after making sure my boots were nice and secured on my feet.
"I think she's had enough torture man!" I threw an elbow on Yang's shoulder.
Yang spared me a glance before ignoring me outright.
"Listen Rubes if you don't get up I'll have Chino tickle you!"
My expression fell into one of mild amusement before I changed gears.
"Okay, that isn't happening." I started.
Yang held up a hand. I blinked at it.
"Yang, I know you wanna beat that team. But annoying Ruby like this is just cruel" I continued.
"Yeah!" Came Ruby's muffled affirmation. Yang sighed. I pushed off her shoulder.
"Yang needs a shower anyhow. She smells like a hobo" I kept pushing Yang to the bathroom as she stumbled over something to use as a rebuttal.
"I don't smell that bad!" She settled on. Weiss passed by and just in her typical fashion.
"Yes, yes you do" I nearly laughed at Weiss's need to give Yang shit constantly.
Blake, who was trailing behind Weiss nodded in agreement.
Yang frowned as I pushed her into the bathroom. Yang crossed her arms "cmon Chino in don't stink that bad do I?" She asked. A light glare fixated on her face.
I grinned. "Maybe, Maybe not. Either way. Do your morning stuff' and I'll get Ruby up" I snapped my fingers like a genie granting a wish.
With that I closed the door to end the conversation.
Now we wait, because Yang takes eons to get ready for the day.
—
Team Rwby and I marched into Atlas's high tech training room, almost fashionably late. Thanks Yang.
Across from us stood team Fnki and Qrow, my adoptive father stood with his arms crossed, while Neon stuck her tongue out at us.. Well, Yang in particular.
The next mildly disrespectful thing the Faunus did was cup the air in front of her chest and then hold her back in the next motion like she was in pain.
I shook my head bemused whilst Yang muttered threats under her breath cracking the knuckles of her flesh and bone hand.
Ruby blew a raspberry at the whole of team fnki.
Blake sighed and Weiss pinched her nose as Ruby, Yang and I, took typical school yard bully poses. Me in the center.
Qrow plugged a few things into his scroll, pulling up all ten aura meters for our coming battle.
He was so going to eat us alive, and with one band behind his back.
That's if he singles us out, and that's not even accounting for fnki.
Good thing I made my will on the walk over here.
Qrow also had his hands stuffed in his pockets in his usual leisure way, but I noticed one of his hands bulged out like he was hiding something in them.
The bell rang before I was able to get my weapons ready.
I grit my teeth and shifted to the right just in time to dodge a bullet, from the guy with a pretty neat shade of blue for hair, I took my eyes off him just long enough to see Qrow kick Weiss flat in the face, while simultaneously blocking Blake's volley of gunfire.
Neon Katts roller blades were just loud enough that I heard her coming just before her strike, I turned quickly and with finesse caught one of her glow stick nunchucks in my grip.
The other smacked me across the head as I swung my other fist into the girl's gut.
Yang came in with an elated "whoop!" And punched the stopped Neon in the back of the head with her mechanical fist.
I held my grip on the bullshit weapon forcing its owner to let it go.
Leaving Neon to skate away, Flint then blasted Yang and I into a tree. Forcing us through it and into the forest that erected behind our starting position.
I pulled my .45 free and released a barrage of fully automatic gunfire to suppress anyone from jumping in after us.
Oh, and the tree broke when we smashed through it.
Through the brush I saw Ruby making quick work of Kobalt and Ivory, both men pretty out've their element fighting Ruby's fast paced and close rang onslaught with Crescent Rose.
I pulled my sword out and charged outve the tree line, making a swipe at Neon. Who limbo'd under it and gave me a wink as she passed.
Yang used her weapon to boost herself to Flint who had his back nicely turned, giving his support to his overwhelmed compatriots.
When Neon turned her head away, I activated my semblance and sprinted at her, full linemen charge my sword out at my side ready to make a aura charged blow, whenever the girl stopped to check if I was giving chase.
When she did just that, I saw her eyes widen when I suddenly uncloaked from my semblance just to send a crushing blow into her poorly raised guard.
You see, Nunchucks can't really block worth a shit.
My sword bit into the aura protecting the girl's neck viciously, next I rammed the barrel of my handgun into her rib cage. Using the poor gun like a makeshift boxing glove.
Neon was sent rolling back, Qrows semblance influenced chances just enough for the wheel on her roller blades to snap off, sending the girl sprawling onto her back, I opened fire while advancing.
Neon rolled to the side and tried to get up. I brought my blade to bare for another heavy strike, just as Blake came flying into my way.
"Shinoo!" The book worm warned. My boots skidded as I prepared to help her stop.
My sword was quickly jammed into the ground as I channeled aura into my legs and grabbed Blake's hand, the black haired girls momentum pulled me around, facing my backside to the rapidly approaching Weiss, who I didn't see.
The White haired girl rolled into my legs, sweeping them out from under me.
I landed hard, spawled out as Blake back peddled away, just in time to not be caught in the tangle of limbs.
"Ice Queen's out!" Qrow called as he brought Harbinger down, in Scythe form right on me.
If I didn't roll to the left, and jump up. Only my mentor to grin ferally and shove his hand in his pocket and throw a blanket of sand into my eyes.
"Pocket sand Bitch!" He called, smacking me in the ribs with the back end of Harbinger as I brought an arm up to rub my eyes a scowl on my face.
The air left my lungs. Just for it to be pushed even more out as Qrow quickly struck my shoulder, right next to my neck, hard enough to bring me to my knees with a soundless grunt.
Then he kneed me in the face as I barely got an eye open.
He left me suffering as he turned and quickly and expertly tore apart Blake's attack and resulting defensive.
All while calling out. "Flints out, stripper guys out!"
Blake barely dodged Qrow's strike, and slashed him in the leg that raised to kick her.
Yang arrived just in time to launch buckshot at her Uncle, he just spun Harbinger in a arc, but he did get nicked a couple times.
This gave Blake enough breathing room to back off and collect herself.
"Kobalts out!" Qrow called while skipping around Blake's gunfire.
He would've stepped into more buckshot from Yang if her gauntlet didn't mysteriously jam.
I stood up and let loose my own stream of gun fire, trying to mirror the other girls in keeping Qrow away.
Only to see poor Blake get finished off by a shoeless Neon, from the corner of my vision.
Ruby showed up just in time to land a semblance plus recoil infused blow into Neon.
"The quiet one and the annoying one are out!" Qrow shouted while pelting me with his own buckshot.
I brought my sword to block the next volley, as I know Harbinger is double barreled.
Only for United to get smacked painfully into my forehead, because Qrow decided to load Slugs into Harbinger cause he's an unpredictable asshole.
I cursed and returned fire, only for Qrow to dodge and sprint a erratic path, throwing my aim off. He was met by Ruby and Yang, in what would be a deadly pincer attack, if not for Qrow casually kicking off a dress shoe into Yangs face as she approached for a punch.
Qrow side stepped Ruby's swipe that would've cut him in two from the crotch just to toss ANOTHER.
Fistfull of sand into her face also.
Ruby sputtered and coughed because she must've inhaled some.
I rushed in and pushed Qrows' strike aside with United, to protect Ruby while she recovered.
Yang came in, Qrows scuffed dress shoe in hand and smacked him in the side of the head with it.
Qrow grunted and tried to trip the blonde up, but Yang was too smart for that and gave him another haymaker without the shoe this time.
I went to give Yang backup, but flinched when Ruby shot three consecutive rounds at Qrow, Yang stepped out of the way, like the girl's had planned this beforehand.
The first struck true, center mass and on target. The next Qrow deflected into the ground to his left.
The next he took on Harbingers flat with a grunt and a noticeable strain as he slid back an inch.
If it was either embarrassment Or the thrill of the fight but Qrow dialed it up to eleven, like the fight with the- that guy.
He blurred in speed and met me head on with a laugh. I could've sworn I heard a thunderclap behind him.
I used all my Aura and strength just to block his strike.
The floor I was on cratered briefly, Ruby disappeared in a cloud of rose petals and made a swipe at her Uncle, Qrow being used to her patterns of attack disengaged with me and with a simple flick of Harbingers massive blade redirected Ruby's strike and momentum to get in the way of Yang punch. Both girls nearly smashed their skulls together. But just managed to avoid impact.
Qrow lashed out with a mean backhand, literally punching my downwards slash harmlessly away from him.
He elbowed me in the calvice, in the same motion.
Next, he shot both barrels of Harbinger quickly, peppering Ruby with buckshot while Yang pushed her sister aside and took the incoming slug.
I stepped back and snuck and glancing stab in on Qrows hip.
The veteran Huntsman noticed how Yang's hair started glowing with the energy from his slug.
Ruby blurred into rose petals again and went in for an attack, while I went for another slash, putting all my body into it, Yang launched another heavy punch, cracking the floor.
Qrow ate my attack like I wasn't even their, a sixth sense told me to step aside. Ruby appeared directly next to me, blasting another shot at her Uncle, she wrapped an arm around my waist and poofed into rose petals again.
We appeared a good distance away. Me holding my mouth, in an attempt to not lose my sparse breakfast, Ruby in a crouch ready to shoot.
Yang went in for her fated punch, Qrow redirected it with a hand, but that just made Yang launch her plan B.
She went into a crouch and smashed her one fist into the ground. Making a two-foot deep and twelve foot in circumference indentation in the ground. Throwing up a smokescreen of concrete dust.
"Firecrackers eliminated!" Qrows strained voice called from the smoke, Ruby flicked a setting on her scope and opened fire with a passion.
Girl must have thermal on her scope now, as an option now no less.
I prepared myself to protect Ruby when Qrow came knocking like a bat out of hell.
Qrow must be blocking half the shots Ruby's taking. The sounds of Harbinger pinging them off its surface followed after every couple of shots.
Then Ruby ran dry and went to reach for more ammo only to pat her empty belt.
"Shit" I muttered to her. "Yup" she agreed.
The dust started to settle. Showing Qrow in all his glory, a small gleam in his eye.
Harbingers clearly seen better days, but it was clearly functional.
Qrow held his flask in one hand, a hole the size of a baseball in the side of it, liquor still dripping from the hole.
Qrow spun his blade in one motion and tossed his destroyed flask and proceeded to hit it at us.
It came soaring in at what looked like 130 mph, I sliced it cleanly in two, showering Ruby and I in the remnants of whatever top shelf whisky he had in it.
How'd I know it was whisky? I did lick a few drops off my glove.
Qrow lowered Harbinger after that and gave a shrug.
"Good time as any to stop.. alright! That's good for now!" I didn't quite catch the first half, but my posture relaxed at the second.
It didn't take long for the whole group to gather in a loose crescent shape in front of Qrow.
"Well, Blue haired guy and Stripper, you two need to work on fighting someone with a speed semblance- Whose that Ace Stooge with the nice ass?" He asked.
Ivory, I think that's his name? Went to answer..but Qrow cut him off.
"Could care less, just ask her for some pointers."
He gave a what could you do type of shrug.
"Ice Queen, well. There isn't much I can tell ya, I'm just too Awesome" he annotated with a cocky grin.
"But if I had to tell ya, you spend to much thinking and not enough swinging with that toothpick of yours" Weiss gave a small nod.
"Flynt. While an admiral point you make in always having your teammates back.. You put little effort in watching your own"
Qrow folded Harbinger down in carry mode and slung it on his lower back.
"I suggest finding a good balance" Qrow crossed his arms and leveled a serious look at Blake.
"Belladonna, while your semblance is useful, you barely choose to use it to its full potential. Only for one thing-actually. Avoiding damage. It leaves you predictable."
Blake frowned at his mostly correct feedback. But didn't deny it, I looked away as she grew a thoughtful look.
Qrow complemented Ruby and Yang on their teamwork.
Before he got to Neon.
"Distracting your enemies with insults and jibes is a good strategy, but I'm recommending you revamp your style to be able to take front combat, while maintaining the hit in run aspect of it"
He drew a breath and made eye contact with me.
"And finally. You." Qrow let that word hang in the air like a thick mist for a second.
"Need to stop making googly eyes at my nieces ass"
I sputtered. My face going from a normal peach to a bright pink. And the tips of my ears growing hot.
Qrow held the stare before chuckling to himself.
"Heh-your face!" He pointed.
I frowned deeply at him.
Qrow waved a hand.
"Really, though. You should probably look at how many attacks you telegraph. It's not good, unless you do it on purpose" he raised a hand before I could complain.
"Yes, you do. It's minor, but it does come up sometimes, and it can get you killed."
I closed my flytrap.
"My advice" Qrow stuffed a hand into his pocket, pulling out a bit of sand.
"Employ tactics like this-and this goes for all of you!" For emphasis he slowly poured the sand onto the ground.
"I don't care if you throw literal shit at people, remember your opponents will use everything in their ability to kill you." He wiped his hands off.
"Return the favor" he drilled.
With that Qrow pulled his scroll out and shut off the aura meters and let the forest section disappear for flat concrete.