Amity Colosseum
"No way..." Link growls and balls up both fists as he watches Coco fly out of a forest and land right next to Yatsuhashi, both members representing CFVY lie on the ground unconscious courtesy of Emerald and Mercury
"And with an amazing upset, Emerald and Mercury are victorious!"
"Coco?" Velvet is stunned and Fox is speechless, both in awe, shock, and disappointed.
"Worst part is they were going easy on them too." Link narrows his eyes
"Hey." Ruby asks as she uses her elbow to nudge Link
"Yeah?" Link turns, "What's up?"
"I know you're gonna go check on them because... you're a good person, and well you are you after all. Come over to our dorm when you're done, kay?"
"You guys planning something?" Link asks, "Torchwick is already in Ironwood's custody."
"Ah... well, not exactly something that big, it's just gonna be Yang, myself and my Uncle Qrow."
"Ruby." Yang roughly nudges her sister, "It was meant to be a family only thing."
"Ouch." Link puts his hand over his heart, "It's okay, I can see where I'm not wanted."
"Yang!" Ruby responds by punching her sister's arm
"Ow!" Yang frowns but then looks at Link, "Ahhhh don't do this me, you're gonna make me feel bad."
"Hm?" Link looks around, "O-oh you thought I was dead serious, I'm okay... trust me."
"Fiiiiiine. You can come join us." Yang rolls her eyes
"O-okay?" Link slowly nods
"Cool." Yang nervously nods, then makes things even more awkward by getting up and walking away at a fast pace
"What just happened?" Link asks
"No clue." Ruby says with a big smile on her face
"I'll see you in fifteen, maybe twenty minutes." Link mumbles as Coco and Fox stand up
"Sure thing, and hey... good luck." Ruby's smile fades when she looks at Velvet, "When someone loses their confidence it can really mess them up."
"I can't disagree there, thanks." Link nods and waves goodbye to Ruby, then follows Velvet who trails behind Fox
Beacon Academy, Courtyard
"Are you sure?" Velvet asks Fox, who just nods
"No way should it be taking this long." Link paces around, "I know they're probably hurting but-!"
"Don't say it." Coco's voice is heard as she and Yatsuhashi walk up to them, they both smile at Velvet but it quickly fades as they eye Link, "Go on then, let us have it."
"What?" Link shakes his head, "I'm not going to tear you down after a loss Coco."
"Oh good." Coco nods, "So why are you here?"
"Ouch." Link chuckles, "First Yang and now you."
"Sorry." Coco shrugs, "I guess I'm-! Um, I don't know what to feel. We got stomped and it wasn't even close."
"We underestimated them." Yatsuhashi mumbles
"You had no way of knowing how strong they were." Velvet softly mumbles
"Considering this was the first time we ever heard their names, you're right."
"Hold that thought." Coco motions to Yatsuhashi by raising her hand and slowing lowering it, "Now answer the question elf boy." She waves her hand in Link's face
"Oh..." Link nods, "Simple really, I'm here for you guys... I know if I lost against SLVR, at least one of you would've been waiting for me."
"Right." Yatsuhashi nods
"Of course." Velvet follows suit and nods as well
"Well thanks, but no thanks." Coco smiles, "I need a long nap."
"Who am I to stop you then?" Link backs away and points towards the Academy
"Enough of the sass." Coco walks by and with the little strength she has left, punches Link's arm
"Come on Coco." Yatsuhashi leads the way and heads for the entrance, followed by Fox and Velvet
"Ah, not you." Coco grabs Velvet's arm and holds her back
"What is it?" Velvet looks at her leader with concern, "Did you change your mind?"
"No but do stick around for a bit, I have to talk to this guy first." Coco nods at Link
"This guy? When you're tired even your snarky remarks are we-!"
"Quiet." Coco cuts off Link and pulls him aside with just one pull
"Whoa! Guess your strength is still supernatural." Link smirks, "Look Coco, jokes aside if you need anything or simply want to talk, I'm here."
"I know you are." Coco nods, "But trust me, I know what it's like to have all confidence and will drained out of you... it's happened before. I have bounced back then and know what it takes do the same here, what I need to talk to you about is her." She glances at Velvet, who is staring at both of them
"Okay, what about Velvet?"
"What about her?" Coco slaps her forehead, "She looks more miserable than me, and I was the one who got destroyed, so it's obvious to me that Velvet is going to worry too much about me and Yatsuhashi."
"That's bad?" Link scratches his face in confusion
"Gah! You're hopeless." Coco laughs, "It's sweet that she cares so much about us but she needs... a distraction so to say. I mean look at her, she's stressed out right now. Who knows what's running through her mind? She constantly experiences being put down and seeing others around her get put down... she could break at any point, SO let us prevent that."
"By 'us' you mean me?"
"Yes." Coco nods, "I know it's a lot to throw on you within these few minutes but do it for her. I will be fine, I need to study that match in depth and beat myself up until I get better."
"Yeah Emerald and Mercury are pretty good as a duo, today was no-!" Link stops himself short
"Hm?" Coco frowns
"Nothing." Link shakes his head
"Weird." Coco shrugs, "Anyway I have one last request, don't just have it be some ten minute hang out session if you know what I mean." Her smile grows as wide as it possibly can
"Oh boy." Link rolls his eyes
"Come on. She likes you, and you like her. Don't reject the possibility before you even try."
"Okay." Link nods, "I supposed it's been a long time coming."
"Cool." Coco grabs Link by the leather strap for his sheath going across his chest and drags him back over to Velvet
"Ready?" Velvet asks
"For my nap? Absolutely." Coco shoves Link only inches away from Velvet, "Go on."
"W-wait a second-!" Velvet looks at her leader, "Coco what are you do-!"
"Good luck." Coco winks under her shades and walks off
"She had to make it even more awkward." Link sighs and takes a step back from Velvet
"Link, you don't have to do anything you don't want to." Velvet says with a reassuring nod
"I know..." Link thinks for a long time, and then cracks a smile, "But I do not need a persistent Coco to help me realize that I should have asked you this sooner."
"Ask me sooner?" Velvet's cheeks start to turn red, "A-ask what?"
"Ask you, out on a date." Link extends his open hand, "What do you say Velvet?"
Velvet gasps and covers his mouth with her hands
"Link, yes." Velvet smiles and takes his hand, "What day did you have in mind?"
"Today." Link points to the end of the courtyard, "You and I, in Vale, how does that sound?"
"T-today?" Velvet puts her head down and thinks about her team
"Hey." Link gives Velvet's hand a reassuring squeeze, "They'll be okay, your team has lots of heart and they will bounce back from this set back. I'm sure knowing that you're out enjoying yourself will only raise their morale too."
"Okay." Velvet nods, "Tonight sounds great."
"Awesome." Link smiles and slowly lets go of Velvet's hand, and comedically interrupts their sweet moment as his eyes widen with a bit of fright, "Are we going for fancy or casual because I have no fancy clothes besides the tuxedo I wore to the dance."
"So silly." Velvet giggles, "We can go in our normal clothes."
"Great... because it was rented too." Link lets out a sigh of relief
"Where should we meet? You know, when we're ready to go."
"I'll stop by your dorm." Link nods, "Just make sure you're there, otherwise I'm going to run around Beacon like fool."
"You are giving me bad ideas." Velvet lets out another giggle
"You're too much." Link rolls his eyes, "So tonight, at your dorm, then we go out and have fun in Vale."
"I look forward to it." Velvet smiles as she looks towards the main entrance of Beacon, where Coco is sneakily spying on them
"That's one way to cheer her up." Link points out Coco, and almost immediately the team CFVY leader scurries back inside the academy
"Thank you." Velvet hesitates but then gently wraps her arms around Link, "I don't know how I can ever repay you for this... and everything you have done for me."
"Do not even worry about that." Link shakes his head, "Just seeing my friends happy is enough to get me by."
Velvet lets go too soon and before they both could even say another word, they walked side by side to Beacon before going their separate ways
Beacon Academy, Team RWBY dorm
"I said fifteen or twenty but it was more like thirty minutes, who knows if they're even still there." Link stops sprinting and slows down as he turns the corner and quietly approaches the open dorm
"SOARING NINJA WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!"
"What?" Link shrugs and peaks inside, catching a perfect of Yang throwing a dog-head pillow at Qrow
"You are the worst!" Yang balls up her hands and nearly pounds the floor
Link smirks and sneaks in the room, quietly tiptoeing as he manages to get by Ruby, Yang, a sleeping Zwei and even Qrow.
"Best two out of three?" Qrow nods at Yang, who nods back
"SO!" Ruby calls out as she sits on Yang's bed, "Uncle Qrow, did you get in trouble with Ozpin?"
"Pfft, nah." Qrow shrugs, "Me and Oz go way back, we're cool."
Yang scoffs and prepares to retort in a condescending way but a loud growl interrupts her
"Grrr, arf!" Zwei jumps and leaps off Blake's bed towards Link, then shocks everyone by biting and clinging onto his forearm
"WHOA!" Link, taken aback by the angry corgi flying towards him, falls back and slams against the floor.
"Link!?" Yang shouts
"Zwei!" Ruby frowns
"Heh, good dog." Qrow chuckles
Ruby jumps out of Yang's bed and walks over to the scene, Zwei sitting and happily wagging his tail while Link is slumped over on his side
"Ah." Link sits up and shoots a glance at Zwei, "Good one, flawless take down."
"You okay?" Ruby asks
"Yes, good thing these gauntlets are thick leather WITH metal underneath them." Link shrugs
"Bad dog Zwei!" Yang scolds the now sad Zwei who slumps his head and lets out a low whine.
"Bad?" Qrow rolls his eyes, "That could've been anyone sneaking into your dorm."
"Yeah but Zwei knows Link!" Ruby kneels down and softly pets the dog
"He may not know me as well as we think." Link chuckles, "It's okay though."
"Not it's not." Yang shakes her head but this time her attention switches towards Link, "Why were you sneaking in here?"
"Ahhh, well you see... the thing is." Link scratches his head, "I may have told Ruby I was going to be here sooner, so I was trying to sneak in here and play it off like you guys never noticed me."
"Can't ever look bad, huh?" Qrow shrugs, "So, why is he here?"
"Well then, that's three times today." Link looks around with a confused expression
"This was your genius plan sis." Yang laughs, "Can't believe I didn't see this coming any sooner. You want Link and Uncle Qrow to get to know each other some more."
"Yes?" Ruby nods along
"Oh really?" Qrow smirks and glances at Link, "You gonna tell me your story now?"
"No." Link replied coldly, "Who do you think you are?"
"My point exactly." Qrow turns his back on the three
"Did you watch my match?" Link asks
"No." Qrow replies with the same amount of bluntness, "I don't have time to study some kid in Beacon."
"There you go." Link looks at Ruby
"Wait, you didn't?" Ruby scowls
"You can't be serious Uncle Qrow, it was the best fight of the first round and probably the best of the tournament when it's all said and done." Yang scoffs
"Fine, I caught the replay, and I won't lie you looked impressive kid... more than those two at least."
"HEY!" Ruby growls and slaps Qrow upside his head
"Ow." Qrow frowns
"Okay now you're just being generous." Yang rolls her eyes
"Yeah sure, if it helps you sleep at night." Qrow reaches for his flask
"Grr..." Yang frowns
"Thanks, I guess. " Link chuckles, "But if you must know, I was here for Ruby and Yang, then yang didn't want me here, so I guess I'm just here for Ruby." He stands and dusts himself off, then walks over to sit on Blake's bed
"As long as you're not here to just insult my age, whatever." Qrow looks towards Yang
"Speaking of being here." Ruby takes her previous spot, sitting on Yang's bed, "What are you doing here anyway uncle Qrow? I thought Dad said that you would be on a mission, for like... ever."
"Well..." Qrow gets back into the game at the sound of 'READY? FIGHT!', "A professional Huntsman like myself is expected to get results, as soon as possible."
"Yeeeeaaaah, I get that." Ruby scoffs, "We're pretty much pros too."
"Oh really?"
"Psch, yeah." Yang smirks, "Read the news sometime. We totally saved Vale while you were gone."
"Saved?" Link raises his hand, "I think we-!"
"Duh! Yeah." Yang shakes her head
"Okay." Link nods
"Don't shut him down for questioning your so called facts. Last I heard, Vale suffered major damage from a Grimm attack after you almost managed to stop a train." He smiles and leans over to Yang as 'SOARING NINJA WINS! TOTAL ANNIHILATION!' is heard once again, "But they don't give out medals for almost."
"They do." Ruby's smile grows wide as she looks at Link, "They're called SLVR."
"I thought Yang was the one with bad jokes." Link cover his face with his hands
"You're on thin ice Link." Yang shrugs, "Anyway, we helped take down Roman Torchwick! He's locked up in Ironwood's ship and crime's been down ever since! That's basically a bounty mission!"
"I don't think you're familiar with a bounty-!"
"Thinner ice." Yang points her finger at Link
"Duly noted." Link sighs
"Listen to this one more." Qrow nods at Link for Ruby, "Because sure, you two may be acting like Huntresses but you're not thinking like one. No matter how good you, Yang or this kid are, you really think four girls and their friends could end all crime in a Kingdom?"
"W-well..." Ruby taps her index fingers together, "I did until you said that."
"Violence hasn't dropped since Roman got nabbed; it's stopped, completely. No White Fang activity around the city at all." Qrow extends his legs and tosses his head back, "You cut off the head of the King Taijitu, but now the second head is calling the shots. That's what Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his."
"Cinder..." Link growls, "This is it, I can tell them all right now, and with Qrow having a connection to Ozpin, something can be done." He smiles and tries to speak, but for some reason the words will not come out, his throat feels swollen, tongue numb, and soon enough doubt starts to creeps in, "Come on, say something!"
"Hey." Qrow looks to his right, "You okay?"
"Hm?" Link shakes his head and snaps back into reality, "Yeah... just, thinking about Ironwood is all."
"Oh yeah, I forgot you were on Jimmy's bad side too."
"Yeah, it's very... complicated." Link shrugs
"When it comes to that guy, nothing is ever simple." Qrow rolls his eyes
"Go on, I didn't mean to interrupt." Link lies back on Blake's bed and sighs
"Where even was I?" Qrow rubs his chin
"Ironwood. Thick metal head." Link mumbles, and completely forgets about the eager corgi who just attacked him, Zwei eagerly jumps on his leg and smells his pouch full of weapons along with the canteen resting right beside it.
"So how do you know the General?" Yang asks while exchanging looks with Ruby
"Well enough, that's just how I am... I know everybody to some extent. Remember, you're talking to a member of the coolest team that graduated Beacon!"
Qrow reaches into one of his pockets and pulls out a photo, then shows it to Yang and Ruby
"Arf!" Zwei barks as he sniffs the canteen
"You're forgiven Zwei." Link brushes him away
"Ah, Team STRQ... That's where I met your parents. We were pretty well known back in the day." Qrow sighs with a big smile visible on his face
"..." Yang's eyes widen as she focuses on the third person in the picture
"Yeah, well known for crummy fashion sense!" Ruby cackles
"Hey, we looked good! And I have a number of inappropriate stories to back that up!" Qrow raises his eyebrows suggestively but suddenly pulls the picture back when Yang's eyes are locked on the image, "However, none for today. Maybe another time, give it a few more years when you're older."
"Gross." Ruby cringes
"Gross?" Yang shakes her head and turns to her sister, "You shouldn't tell others about gross when you and L-!"
"Shut up!" Ruby launches a pillow right at her sisters head and connects perfectly
"Kid." Qrow reaches over and taps Link on the leg as he waves the picture towards him
"Yes?" Link sits up and gets a quick look at team STRQ before another bark takes over the entire room.
"ARF!" Zwei nudges the canteen with his nose
"How can I help you?" Link unhooks the canteen from its strap and moves it further away from Zwei, "Ray's presence attracts animals it seems, you thirsty?"
"No way, he just stuffed his face earlier." Yang shakes her head
"Hm..." Qrow narrows his eyes, "Why don't you give some to the dog anyway?"
"Huh?" Link raises an eyebrow, "I'm not a germaphobe or anything but-!"
"Just do it, how can resist that face?" Ruby smiles as she points at Zwei, who has his ears raised and all attention on Link's 'water' supply
"Okay." Link slowly nods and hesitantly unscrews the cap
Link slightly unscrews the cap, and his heart skips a beat as it only takes milliseconds for the strong alcohol to hit his nose
"Heh would you look at that, I was right." Qrow sniffs loudly and smells the liquid that was most certainly not water
"Link..." Yang turns to him, "What do you got in there?"
"Nothing." Link shakes his head and closes up the canteen with a nasty frown, "It's none of your business either."
"Kid just give it up, you can get it past them sure, but you'll get never it get by me that what you have in there is water." Qrow shrugs
"Yeah Link, relax we're just asking ques-!" Ruby dashes forward and snatches the canteen out of Link's hands
"What the hell Ruby!?" Link crashes back against Blake's bed as Ruby just recklessly charges into him to steal his canteen, fight him off, and toss it behind her back towards Qrow
"Got it." Qrow catches it with one hand and doesn't even have to open it to know what is inside, "You down this in one day kid?"
"Ruby..." Link growls and sits up, his anger begins to rise when he sees his deceased friend's canteen is now in the hands of a stranger, "Get. Off. Me."
"S-sure." Ruby gets off the bed and backs away, nearly stumbling back onto her sister's bed
"He did say Ray earlier, oh crap..." Yang gasps as she can feel Link's anger desperate to come out
"You haven't answered my question." Qrow returns the nasty frown
"Uncle Qrow." Ruby shakes her head
"Maybe I need help coping with my past demons, and maybe I'm not as emotionally strong as I portray it to my friends." Link extends his left hand, "There is your answer, now give it back."
"Or wh-!"
"You don't want to find out." Link grits his teeth
"Now is not the time to push his buttons Uncle Qrow." Yang frowns
"I could take this up with Oz, a minor sneaking and drinking alcohol on campus." Qrow chuckles as he tightens his grip on the canteen as he continues speaking
Link clenches his jaw as his body tenses up, his anger long past simmering and edging towards boiling, and then suddenly a calm voice brings it back down.
"Y-you will need something to store your water or alcohol in." A familiar voice rings inside Link's head
"W-what?" Link looks around, searching for the voice, "Ray?"
"Hiya." A soft giggle is heard
"N-no... you're dead." Link mumbles
"You listening to me kid?" Qrow snaps his fingers
"No." Link shakes his head, ignores the voice, and suppresses the anger, "You won't be taking anything."
"He doesn't lose his cool right away, at least there's that." Qrow smirks and lightly tosses the canteen up in the air
"You think that's funny?" Link catches the canteen and resists the urge to reach for his sword
"No." Qrow shakes his head, "If you lose your cool as quick as Yang, then that's an easy way to identify your biggest weakness."
"Great, hope you had fun with your experiment." Link turns away and stares at the window
"Still stubborn." Qrow rolls his eyes
"Link, why do you have a full container of alcohol on you?" Ruby asks
"Honestly, I don't even remember getting this." Link shrugs, "I have moments where my emotions overwhelm me, whether it is anger or sadness is irrelevant... so I lock myself away from the world and deal with it head on, these moments usually only last a few minutes... but it feels like hours because I'm at my lowest and I just want to curl up in a ball and forget about everything. On a few occasions I may black out too."
"That does not explain the alcohol." Qrow mumbles as he pulls out his flask and takes a big gulp
"I know a guy in Vale, he owns a bar and let's just say during one of those days I sneaked out of class to go into the city just to clear my head." Link shakes his head again, "You're still a stranger to me, so long story short, a group of ten to fifteen shady guys were trying to rob him... they looked similar to Junior's people." He turns to Yang and Ruby, "You might have fought them before."
"Gotcha, they're easy." Yang smiles
"Owner was fighting them off well but he is only one person."
"And you got there in time to save the day." Ruby nods her head in excitement
"I guess you can say that." Link nods back, "Ever since then, he's allowed me come in and drink whenever I wanted despite being a minor."
"What's the name of this bar?" Qrow asks
"No comment." Link replies, "The day before my official fight with SLVR I remember leaving my dorm, and then before I could even blink it was morning and I was in bed."
"Something a liar would say."
"I do not benefit from lying, but I understand why it sounds shady and bizarre." Link sighs, "Report me to Ozpin if you want, I'll take my chances."
"Shut up." Qrow smirks and shakes his head, "You're okay for now, just make sure it's not Jimmy who catches you with that."
"Please, I'm the last of his concerns." Link shrugs
"So why is it not that way for you?" Qrow asks, "Why obsess?"
"I..." Link shuts his eyes, "I have some theories about Ironwood being linked to something big but I lack the evidence, leave it at that... for now at least."
"Fine." Qrow waves Link off as he gets up and walks towards the door, "Anyways, I'm too old to be hanging out with a bunch of kids. You're gonna cramp my style." He stops at the doorway and turns his back, Yang sitting cross legged on the floor, Ruby on her sister's bed, Link on Blake's bed and Zwei still 'inspecting' Link, "You've caught my interest Mr. One Person Team, you're good... nothing like what Oz described, he made your sound generic and bland but maybe that's just strategic on his part. Although just because you're a step ahead of your fellow underclassmen doesn't mean you get to kick back and scrape by, all three of you still got a long way to go..." He turns around with a finger raised, "And don't think for a second that graduating means you're done. Every day out there is worth a week in this place, no matter how hard your work." Qrow turns to Yang, "How much you study and adjust," He turns to Ruby, "Or how much you learn naturally." The final glance goes to Link. "All of you in here are gonna go far. But only if you keep learning, if you never stop moving forward. No matter what happened in your past or what's happening now, if you let yourself get captured and engulfed... you're road to recovery is downright impossible." Qrow doesn't say another word as he trails off
"One canteen please." Yang extends her hand towards Link, "Doesn't matter how you got the booze, it needs to be dumped."
"Yang..." Ruby mumbles
"No, she's right." Link nods and grabs the canteen and slowly extends his arm, "If Ray knew about this, she would probably be beating me into submission right now... or she'd stab me."
"She sounds even cooler the more you describe her." Yang smiles as she holds back a tear and takes the canteen, "Give me a few minutes." She nods and runs off
"W-whoa..." Link blinks, "Does speed run in the family?"
"Excuse me?!" Ruby gasps dramatically as she stands and stomps her feet against the floor, "How dare you compare our speed."
"Right." Link chuckles nervously, "In all seriousness, I'm sorry for almost-!"
"Don't apologize." Ruby quickly cuts off her friend, "I am sorry. I was in the moment and I was thinking about your well-being that I completely forgot that belonged to Ray, and I completely-!"
Link stands and before Ruby can continue rambling, he wraps his arms around her and delivers a tight hug.
"It's okay." Link whispers in Ruby's ear, "Better you to take the canteen by force than Qrow, who knows where that could have gone?"
"Oh god." Ruby rolls her eyes, "Beacon would fall."
"Literally." Link laughs as he breaks away, "So, that's what it's like to be around Qrow, he humiliates, humbles, and lectures you?"
"Pretty much." Ruby nods with a big smile on her face
"Is your dad any similar?"
"Ah... yes, but a lot less alcohol and dirty innuendos, far too many dad jokes though." Ruby looks over at Zwei, "You sure your arm is okay?"
"For sure." Link shrugs, "Your dog isn't that strong any-!" He stops himself and wags his finger, "Never mind."
"SO! Are you excited for the next round?" Ruby claps her hands together. "Oooh, what if you get matched with Yang and Weiss?"
"It is what it is, better them than you." Link shrugs, "Speaking of that, why were you excluded? I get probably being outvoted but you are the team leader after all."
"We agreed that in order for team RWBY to have the best chance at winning the tournament, we would go with the strongest members." Ruby nods and impatiently taps her foot against the floor
"On paper they look the strongest sure but if I had a good look at you four with scouting, I'd fear you and Blake more." Link watches Zwei carefully as the Corgi jumps on Blake's bed and curls up, "Your speed would be too much for an adversary, and I'm talking about you alone, imagine if you and Blake teamed up? Forget about it. It's nothing against Weiss and Yang too, just that when it comes to chemistry and match ups, they are probably the worst pairing... despite still being good, so that shows how good you four are."
"I'm glad you think that." Ruby smiles, "Now take it up with Yang."
"No way." Link shakes his head
"Good." Ruby sighs, "Just because it may be true doesn't mean it needs to come out."
"Fair enough." Link nods as they both awkwardly look around the dorm, now oddly avoiding each other's eyes, "So, any critique on my fighting style?"
"I thought you'd never ask!" Ruby bounces on her sister's bed in joy, "You're too brash for someone who is on their own, you barely use your bow-crossbow-rifle weapon which is SUPER awesome but nobody knows that except me and probably Pyrrha. Your throwing knives are a bit anti-climactic, it only takes a few throws to realize they're just decoys unless you actually strike... which is rare with your aim. Annnnnnnnnnnnnd, you waste too much aura while trying to do so much."
"Gee, I expected a few words not a lecture." Link shrugs, "But thanks anyway, I'll take the critique to heart and improve myself."
"You guys are so lame, you know that?" Yang knocks on the door and reveals herself, "I sneak back to try and listen in hoping for some juicy details on... anything, but here you are talking about the tournament."
"What else can we talk about?" Ruby waves off her sister, "We're in the middle of the tournament after all."
"You still don't get it." Yang sighs in defeat, "Oh well, maybe some other time. In the meantime, catch!" She lightly tosses the empty canteen back at Link
"Hey!" Link jumps and comfortably catches it, "I'm really tired of people throwing my property around like they own it."
"Sorry." Yang walks towards Ruby but then drops to the ground in a seated position with a scroll now visible in her hand, "Wanna play a round?"
"As tempting and fun as it looks, I'll pass." Link nods and heads for the exit, "Thanks for having me though, even if your dog attacked me, it was actually nice being here... aside from your uncle pushing my buttons and all."
"I'm really sorry about that." Yang shakes her head, "He thinks he knows where the line is but doesn't realize when he's already five or six steps beyond."
"It's alright, nothing life changing came out of it so I'll just be heading out."
"Plans for tonight?" Ruby stands and walks towards Link
"Yes, I have a-!" Link stops himself short, and thinks carefully, "...HAD a plan for tonight but I might just stay in and re-watch tournament matches."
"Cool, and make sure you don't sleep in, you just might get called on tomorrow."
"I'll do my best." Link nods as he shuffles out of the room and quickly walks away
"You know your way with words, I'm impressed." Pyrrha's voice is heard as she walks behind Link, "Just when it seems like you get cornered, you manage to find a way to make it benefit you."
"It's not a skill really, just coincidence." Link mumbles as he stops and turns to face her
"Perhaps, but I do not think it is a coincidence when you can get what you want every time, without failure."
"I..." Link nods, "I can't really argue there."
"I wish you luck on whatever you do tonight, and be safe." Pyrrha waves and walks away from Link as she enters JNPR's dorm
"Thanks?" Link scratches his head, turns back around, and keeps walking back to his dorm
Once he turns the corner and heads to the end of the hall, Link enters his dorm, lets out a sigh and tosses the empty canteen on his bed
"If it wasn't for me hearing that voice... I may have actually snapped." Link walks to the bed and angrily shakes his head as he lets himself plop down on the soft mattress, "No, no, no. I need to shake the old memories for at least tonight. This is about Velvet, I was tasked by Coco to cheer her up, and the last thing that needs to happen is making it all about me." He gets up and looks down at himself, then suddenly removes his gauntlets and tosses them on the bed. He lifts his sword over his head and puts it down on the bed too, tightly inside the sheath, and goes on to do the same with his bow and bag of projectiles, "Done, at least now I low semi-presentable."
Link walks towards the window in his dorm and sees his own reflection, making him do one more thing, take off his hat and add to the rest of his items on the bed.
"Tonight will be about Velvet, I need to make sure of that."
(Ah, hello... enjoy the post, expect another one soon :P)