AN- Thank you to all reviewers from last chapter!
HaFschu: Thank you for everything you just said! I hope you read this story all the way!
DepressedNinja75: So many possibilities, you just have to wait to see what I have in store for all of you!
Black tourmaline: I've been getting a lot of people telling me the same thing, and honestly that might happen when I make an executive decision, just gotta see the potential in other characters before I make it.
Astra: Thank you, and yeah, I was a bit shocked to see the numbers constantly rise with every chapter. I wasn't really ready for it if I am being completely honest. I feel like you've written enough words in all your reviews for at least a few chapters, but I am way too lazy to actually count them. Orchid is truly Bae, I'll count your vote for Orchid and I hope Neo wasn't the one that typed the rest of the review… We're from different dimensions Neo! You can't get to me! Emerald is not in the tribe at that moment, and I am confirming for you right now that Vernal is in fact the Spring Maiden, it is confirmed, in this story, Vernal is the Spring Maiden, hope that convinced you. She will also learn the hard way about how skilled Malikai is. Yes, those random shadows in Volume 1 that we never saw again have made a return, and they will remain just as mysterious as before. Flamingo Goddess isn't the only one as powerful as she, perhaps even more so, a being that you've always feared, the legendary… Super Flamingo! Yeah, I was bored. I just figured that faunus have their own smell, I mean, at least to me that is how it should be, having animal parts just might make you smell a little different. A term that describes a human and a faunus hybrid? Hm… how about a 'Haunus'? Or a 'Fuman', Idk, haven't thought about it yet. I might think of something in the future. Yeah, Blake made a little cameo, and met Kai for the first time. I wonder if they will remember each other? Adam isn't really that hard to write, unless it's past Adam like that one, that's when it gets harder, he is able to restrain himself up to a certain extent at least. Onto the metal, it may or may not be, more on that in the future. These upcoming shorts aren't going to be as happy as the ones before, so prepare yourself for the feels… Still can't believe I managed that all in a day, like holy shit. I literally did not stop until I was 8 or 9 hours in and then edited it, in the end it took around 10 hours to fully complete. Wasn't that hard surely… im traumatized. Glad you enjoyed Unlikely Hero's most recent chapter, looking forward to that review, don't forget about HAMR though. Crowskull misses you already. See ya next time and thank you for the support as always.
Lets see how the Poll is doing so far:
Ruby Rose- 21
Yang Xiao-Long- 15
Weiss Schnee- 15
Orchid Rose- 6
Blake Belladonna- 4
Pyrrha Nikos- 2
Neo- 3
Well then, looks like Ruby is still firmly in the lead when it comes to what you guys want for the pairing. I feel like I should mention this now rather than later. This poll does NOT determine what the pairing is going to be in the story, the purpose of the Poll does help me decide what it is going to be though. Just mentioning that now before it comes to the point where the pairing is fully decided and people start complaining that it wasn't what the Poll decided.
But do not worry friends, whoever does win the Poll is going to get a valentines special, whenever that day comes around, so you will still get what you want in the end.
I may have said that it does before, and if that is the case then I am officially retconning it. Because between you and me, I may already have decided ;).
Thank you all for reading the story!
RWBY: The Blind Huntsman
Chapter 11- Volume 0, Episode 9
Something To Look Forward Too
A few days after Qrow's departure, Kai and Ruby have been keeping up with their training. Yang joins in on occasion to continue her rivalry with Kai, while also giving her younger sister pointers on hand-to-hand combat. Much to her dismay of course. While Tai struggles with running the class of this year on his own. He promises Qrow that he will make him pay for leaving him to this class on his own, even if Qrow didn't really do much beside kick their asses and tell them what they need to improve on. Shae has been victim of that on more than one occasion.
Today however, was a day that the class looked forward to, today is when the headmaster of Beacon Academy is going to visit the Signal Huntsman Training Academy and announce something, along with some first year students that are going to teamed up with one of the pairs of students from Signal, for something that Albedo announced to be a surprise. That both excited and scared Kai.
Orchid came over to the Xiao-Long household, like she normally would in the morning in order to walk with Kai, Yang, and Ruby instead of waiting for them like she would at the fork in the road that has been nicknamed 'The Froad' for short. After they named the junction they sweared to never leave nicknaming privelages to Kai ever again.
Only this time, Orchid did not come alone.
"Hello younglings!" Orchids mom greets her daughters friends as she always does. "How are you all?"
"Hello Miss Rosa," Kai greeted as he wiped sweat from his brow, he just finished his morning workout with Yang. "What brings you here today?"
"Yeah mom, what does bring you here today?" Bad cop Orchid echoed.
"Oh Kaizy, you know you can call me 'Mother' right?" Orchids mom said as she clapped her hands together. "Right…?" Scary Orchids mom said that word with so much intensity that it made all the kids around her shake with fear.
Orchid in a sense was a lot like her mother… in all the right and wrong ways. She had the same color hair and eyes, along with a similar face and skin tone. She however wore a magenta dress that was mildly revealing around the chest area, and she is just a few inches shorter than Taiyang himself, which already makes her taller than most women. If that wasn't enough to show that she was single and looking to mingle, then the way she talks to just about every man she comes across finds that out very soon.
"Y-yes… M-m-mother." Kai stammered after gulping a third time out of nervousness.
"Great! Since Taiyang can't take you guys to school today, the taks falls upon me to bring you!" Orchids bubbly mom cheered as she placed a hand on her hip and gestured her hand beside herself and toward the path to the school. "Come children!" She yelled as she started marching in an exaggerated way of walking.
"So… that's your mom huh?" Yang whispered to Orchid as they started walking, making sure to stay behind Orchids mom while doing so.
"Yeah, that's my mom." Orchid said with a happy sigh. "She has been so happy recently."
"That's because I got to meet your future husband Orchy!" Orchid's mom said with a happy laugh.
"MOM!" Orchid yelled with a bright red blush on her face as she waved her arms wildly in her mother's direction.
Kai sensed that Orchids mom wasn't even joking about that. She was completely serious, which for some reason only made her scarier. He wonders who that lucky guy could be.
"She has been helping us with homework sometimes." Kai begins to explain as Orchid tries to wrestle her mother to the ground, only for her to be futilely hanging off of her back while kicking her legs out behind her, Orchids mom didn't even move or stop humming a tune as her daughter struggled to take her down. "I was able to tell where Orchid got her colorful personality from after I met her for the first time."
"Yeah, me too." Yang and Ruby said with a nod.
"What's her name? I feel weird calling her Miss Rosa or… 'Mother'." Yang shivered after uttering the word.
Kai tilts his head and places a hand on his chin, remembering the time where he asked Orchids mom that very question.
"H-hey, Miss Rosa?"
"Hm? Yes Kaizy?"
"D-do you mind if I know your first name?"
"Why of course I don't!" Bubble Orchids mom said as she continued to cut carrots. "Did you know that carrots are good for your eyes?" Smart Orchids mom asked in a happy tone. She meant well, Kai knew that.
"I… uh… I'm blind… Miss Rosa." Kai said nervously as he wrapped his tail around his waist, just in case.
"WHAT DID I JUST SAY!?" Suddenly angry Orchid asked her daughter as she carried a bundle of firewood into the house.
"I DON'T KNOW, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!?" Equally as suddenly angry Orchid yelled back.
"YOUNG LADY YOU DO NOT TALK BACK TO ME IN FRONT OF YOUR FUTURE HUSBAND!" Orchids mom yelled as she pointed to the sliced up carrots.
"THOSE ARE CARROTS MOM, HE'S BLIND, AND STOP CALLING HIM THAT!" Flustered, angry, and embarrassed Orchid said as she blushed madly and placed the firewood in their usual spot.
"WHICH IS WHY I AM TRYING TO CURE HIM!"
Kai shivered as he remembers the knives being thrown back and forth, he sat still as he felt the disturbance in the air around him as the knives were thrown just mere inches away from his body, he swears that his hair was shorter after that day. He never asked for her name again.
"I don't know her name." Kai finally said.
"You okay Matsu? Your face is all pale." Ruby said with concern in her voice.
"Of course I am! Haha..." Kai said with a nervous laughter. "Yang, what do you think is going to happen in school today?" He quickly changed the subject to something he knew Yang wouldn't just pass up on talking about, he knew her well enough for that.
"It's going to be awesome that's what it's going to be!" Yang said as she threw a punch through the air. "I can't wait to show off some of my skills to the Beacon students!"
"Yeah, me neither." Kai said with a chuckle. "I wonder what team is going to be paired up with Orchid and I."
"I just want to know what the surprise is going to be." Yang said with excitement.
"Me neither!" Surprise Orchids mom exclaimed as she suddenly appeared behind them, and wrapped an arm around both of their shoulders.
"Ah!" Yang, Ruby, and Kai yelped as they instinctively jumped away from the woman.
"Hahaha! Gets 'em every time." Giggly Orchids mom said as she wiped a tear out of her eye.
"How'd you get there? You were just in front of us!" Ruby pointed out as she pointed to the unconscious Orchid in front of the group, and they all gasp in shock when they see that Orchid is unconscious. Luckily her groans of pain are enough to let them know that she is okay.
"I walked of course!" Bubbly Orchids mom answered with a bright smile.
"She's a huntress…" Orchid grumbled with her face in the dirt.
"I didn't even sense you move…" Kai muttered to himself.
"That, future son-in-law, is because of my semblance!" Orchids mom whispered in his ear. Making him jump back in surprise once again.
"How'd you do that!? You were just standing over there!" Yang pointed to the spot Orchids mom was just standing in.
"Semblance!"
"What is your semblance?" Ruby asked next.
"Semblance." Content Orchids mom repeated.
"... What?" Kai muttered that not as a question, but as a word to describe what he is currently feeling about this current predicament.
"S-E-M-B-L-A-N-C-E." Nerdy Orchids mom as an identical pair of glasses that Orchid uses sometimes appears on her face. "That is how you spell it right?"
"Y-yeah, thanks for telling us." Yang gave up, not wanting to hear that word anymore for the rest of the day.
"Great! Oh look, it's that tiger girl!" Orchids mom said as she pointed to Shae who is walking ahead of them with headphones over her ears. Her regular ears. She just happens to be walking through the town that they all always have to walk to in order to get to the school. "Shae right?"
"How do you know-" Kai started.
"Let's go say hi!" Orchids mom exclaimed as she gripped Kai's and Yang's wrist and started to pull them along with her with inhuman strength, only stopping so Orchid can stand up and get forced to walk along with them. Ruby has to use her semblance to keep up.
Shae jumped when suddenly four of her friends and a woman she never met before appear in front of her. "What the-"
"Hi Shae!" Excited Orchids mom exclaimed with happiness.
"How do you know my name?" Shae asked with a low snarl, her orange eyes narrowing at the sight of the woman who has a striking resemblance to her multiple-personality friend.
Shae wears her usual attire, one that shows off her tiger stripes on her hips, shoulders, and sides of her upper thighs. She has black hair with a single orange highlight that hangs over her right shoulder, with the rest of her hair tied up in a braided ponytail. She has dark skin, even darker then her partners, and her shirt is mostly orange with a tigers head above her heart, the hidden meaning being she also has the heart of a tiger, and the short ends at her elbows, only that her tricep and shoulder are exposed in order to reveal some of her stripes. She is a very prideful when it comes to her faunus features. She wears tight yet comfortable and unrestrictable black jeans, and finally she wears black and orange sneakers that are meant for fast paced combat.
"I'm still trying to figure out more about her myself." Kai groaned while recovering from his dizziness. "Hey Shae, I don't see you around here."
"I…" Shae hesitates in responding to her rival. Still a bit shocked and a little freaked out by the older woman who is smiling brightly at her while also wiggling her eyebrows. "... Was just passing through, I usually avoid this town, not worth the headache."
Kai knew exactly what she was talking about. While Shae does act all tough and mighty and that nothing gets to her. Kai can sense that on the inside it does affect her, not by much, but it still does. She was actually the one that inspired Kai to wear his half-faunus heritage like a badge, and not try to hide it like he used to in the beginning of the semester.
"I get it, I just find it easier to walk through here with friends. It makes everything easier in general." Kai said with a friendly smile.
Shae felt a few butterflies in her stomach. "Y-yeah, I guess it would be." She cleared her throat after saying that, the heat in her cheeks subsiding.
"Where's your partner? I can't sense her around, you two have been talking more I've noticed so I thought Emerald would be with you." Kai said as he felt around the town with his seismic sense.
Shae sighed and flung her orange highlight behind her shoulder. "Probably decided to walk with her boyfriend today, I don't bother waiting for her anymore." She sounded bitter as she said that, it was no secret that she disliked Mercury, and Kai honestly couldn't blame her, most of the things that come out of his mouth are lies or half-truths.
"Ugh." Yang held her stomach in the background, she wasn't used to moving that fast in such an unexpected way.
"Join us then! This one could have someone else to talk about all the time." Orchids mom said with a laugh.
"Mom, you're being embarrassing!" Nervous and Shy Orchid exclaimed as she hid her face from her friends and toward Kai, knowing that he wouldn't be able to see how red she is. She can be smart sometimes when she isn't in Nerdy Orchid form.
Kai laughed at their interaction, before turning his head to face Shae once again.
"Wanna come with?"
"Sure." Shae said with a shrug, joining the group walk to Signal for the first time.
Headmaster Albedo yawns as he places yet another empty box of gum in his pocket.
"So old friend. What brings you here today?" He asked his fellow headmaster who is currently standing opposite of his own desk, which is littered with paperwork, some of it being from the previous year.
"I am here to see the next generation of huntsman, while also to announce something of great importance to them." Headmaster Ozpin said with a small smile.
"Well duh," Albedo said with a shrug as he cracked his knuckles. "That's what we planned over the scroll. Can't you tell me what you plan to do with my students? Just a little bit?"
"I thought you liked surprises." Ozpin said with a coy smile.
"Of course I do! You know me Ozwald."
"Ozpin." Ozpin corrected politely.
"Octopus, you know that I can't help but be curious when I know that a surprise is on the way. Come on, just a hint? For an old friend?" Albedo nudged his elbow in Ozpin's direction while putting on his own smile.
Ozpin sighed, but not in a negative way, he always found Albedo as an amusing man. He can understand the concern he has for his students, Ozpin did have a tendency to launch his students into a Grimm infested forest with no way of getting any help if they needed it.
"Lets just say… a field trip is in order." Ozpin cryptically revealed.
"Bah, you and your riddles." Albedo said as he blew a bubble of gum out of his mouth. "When will this 'Field Trip' be happening."
"A few days before the Mistralian championship tournament." Ozpin said with a small shrug.
Albedo slumps his head against his desk and groans loudly. "I don't have that kind of money Oscar."
Ozpin smiled. "I know, which is why the headmaster of Atlas academy has been convinced to provide transportation, free of charge."
Another head bang on the desk. "I hate you Oliver."
"I take it that you are willing to allow this to happen?" Ozpin said as he drank from his mug.
"Is this about Malikai's boy?" Albedo inquired after taking a deep breath, already feeling a headache coming along. "I understand that he has plenty of potential, with the genes that he has been blessed with. But he is still just a boy."
"Not entirely, while I do admit I am deeply curious to see how much he has grown as a boy and huntsman, that is not the entire reason why I am entering the first year students of Signal into a championship tournament. One of which Pyrrha Nikos will no doubt be a part of." Ozpin explained with a smug smile.
Albedo sits up suddenly at the mention of the young champion, realization slowly creeping onto the expression on his face. "You devil, you want to see if he can dethrone her." Albedo stood up and laughed boisterously, Ozpin's silence was enough to tell him that it is at least close to what he wants for the boy. "Very well, I will allow this, but only if someone runs the school in the meantime, you know my presence is required for an event such as this."
Ozpin smile never left his face, he had just the right person in mind.
"I am sure Glynda could play the part well."
Vernal is learning the hard way about how skilled Malikai Matsuoka really is.
She pushes herself up from the ground, and spits particles of dirt out of her mouth. Every muscle in her body screams in protest and blood drips down her face as she forces her body back up to her feet. One of the weapons has been disarmed from her right hand, so she is just left with the one on her offhand.
"Wow, you really suck at this, no wonder Raven needed help training you." Malikai yawned as he rolled his shoulders. He hasn't even unsheathed his sword yet in this training session, just like he would in all the other training sessions.
"Fuck you asshole!" Vernal yelled as her flaming blue eyes return, only for them to be snuffed out when Malikai punches her in the face yet again.
"All that talk and you still can't land a single hit on me, maybe you should tone down the bitchiness a bit, at this point even Qrow wouldn't find it hot." He laughs at his own joke, while Raven, who is sitting not too far from the two, rolls her eyes at the mention of her twin.
"S-shut… up…" This time Vernal wasn't able to stand up, and falls on her face.
"Tch, my fourteen year old son would have lasted longer than you. Though, I guess I can say that I held back a bit more against him. He's blind by the way did you know that?" Vernal snarls at him. "Guess not, he was born that way, had to work harder than anyone else on the planet to get to where he is now. I can tell that you did not do the same."
"I believe that is enough for today." Raven spoke up before Vernal could spout out any more nonsense. "Go clean yourself up and rest for tomorrow's session, I hope to see some improvement next time." She ordered, Vernal did not dare talk back to her, but grumbled something about Malikai as she pushed passed him.
"Charming girl you got there." Malikai joked with a yawn. "When am I able to leave again?"
"When I see that you have no further use for me."
"Or, and listen carefully Ray i know you have problems with patience, we can go together, back to Vale, with your little tribe, and settle there. That way I can see my son again, and your little Maiden still gets her training, might even get a sparring partner if she's up to get her ass kicked by a blind kid. Tai and Qrow won't even have to know about it." Malikai explains as he bites into a potato and begins eating it.
"No." Raven said immediately.
"Eh, worth a shot." Malikai knew that wasn't going to work, but it wouldn't have hurt him to at least try.
"Go eat your fill for the night, the same resumes in the morning." Raven said as she started walking away and toward her tent. "Please do care in not breaking my Maiden, she has a very important task to do for me in the future."
"So… is she like your new daughter or something?" Malikai asked as he picked his ear, he was more serious about this question then anything else however, and stared into Raven's blood red eyes with his unwavering silver. Her silence neither denies or confirms this accusation. "You know, you never told anyone why you left, and calling Tai weak isn't much of an answer and you know I won't settle for that."
"You would be wise to halt the rest of that thought while I still have the sense to keep you alive." Raven warns.
"Oh Ray, you should know that when it comes to pissing you off I am the dumbest around." Malikai stretched his arms out to his sides to emphasize his point. "Funny you should talk about being wise however, since I am close to full strength, your Maiden is unconscious, and as we all know your tribe is useless when it comes to dealing with actual huntsman."
Raven tenses up and places a hand on the hilt of her sword. A nervous tick that she is known for.
"The only one who might stand a chance against me in your tribe is you, and we both know we'd make quite the mess if we did fight." Malikai said as he placed a hand on the hilt of his own sword.
As Raven and Malikai stand off, the tribe slowly make there way around their 'prisoner', despite knowing they don't stand a chance, if they didn't at least try to help Raven would have their heads for it.
"Tell me, what is going to stop me from getting myself out when I'm full strength?" Malikai asked as he took his hand off the pommel of his sword and put on a friendlier demeanor, causing the other tribe members to relax just a bit more.
Raven looked tense still for a few more moments, before leaning on one hip and tilting her head in his direction. Not as worried as she once was before, which perplexes Malikai somewhat.
"In one year." Raven said as she raises a single finger, making Malikai cross his arms and arch his eyebrow in her direction. He doesn't know if he could afford one year away from his family when they very possibly think he is dead, but is willing to at least listen to her terms, a nod in her direction was all she needed to know that she can keep going.
"In one year, I will not stop you from leaving and doing whatever you want after that. Just train the Maiden the best you can, that is all that I ask for. Besides." Raven takes her hand off of the hilt of her sword. "Kai may be able to unlock his powers from the emotional damage."
"Don't you dare even suggest such a thing." Malikai snapped. "These eyes that we share isn't something to be proud of. It's a burden, the earlier he unlocks them, the earlier he will begin to get hunted down by both Salem and Ozpin. I won't let him be dragged into a war he doesn't belong in."
"And I do not intend for that to happen either." Raven agreed, much to the surprise of her subordinates and Malikai. "It would be a waste of talent if he were to fall to either side, which is why I would also offer my protection to the boy. I am sure you are familiar with the procedure."
"You would protect my son, you expect me to believe that coming from the woman who abandoned her daughter?" Malikai questioned, not entirely convinced. This could be a double edged sword deal for him if he made it. Accept it, and he would be able to see his family again without conflict, or refuse and fight his way out, which would also lead Kai to be in danger if he didn't get to him fast enough before Raven used a portal on Tai to get to him first. That's not even considering whether or not Salem knows of his son's existence or not.
He hoped that living in secrecy long enough until Kai was old enough to go to Signal, which worked out in the end, but just barely. Just a short time later he was found, and put his wife in danger. This deal would mostly benefit Raven, since she gets exactly what she wants, and access to his son basically whenever she wanted. As far as he knew, Raven's portals were permanent as long as she has a bond to the person, and even if the bond is broken she can still transport herself to them.
"I understand that you have no reason to trust me, but those are the terms that I offer, and I will repay the favour you would be making for me." Raven pressed on.
"Why would you do that for me?" Malikai asked quietly. "I feel like there's a catch to this, you having permanent access to my son whenever you want is not something I am particularly fond of."
"Believe it or not Malikai, but I am not as heartless as you believe me to be." Raven answered softly, the nicest tone Malikai has heard from her in years. "You can tell if I am lying or not can't you? Am I lying to you when I say that I would protect your son?"
Malikai has been wearing no shoes throughout his stay in the Branwen tribe so far, so he can have a much easier time telling whether or not a lie is being told to him. He has caught most of them coming from Raven's underlings, but so far she's actually not told a lie to him yet, and when he asks her a question about something she does not want to answer, she dodges the question. Even this time, which is greatly confusing to him, Raven is actually telling the truth when she says she would protect Kai from harm. Be it from Ozpin or Salem.
Malikai shuts his eyes shut and mutters an apology to his family, they would have to wait just a bit longer.
"I'll accept your terms."
Raven's grin however was something to worry about.
Back on Patch, the first year students of Signal have been ordered in their seats beside their partners. With Kai and Orchid conveniently placed in the front row, and most of their friends sitting either beside them or behind them. The Violet twins have not shut up ever since entering the room once they found out that the headmaster of Beacon academy is coming to make a announcement in person.
"Would you two just shut up! You're making people stare at us." Cyan grumbled from beside them. Why do I always end up stuck with these two?
"Aw, c'mon Cyan, don't be like that!" Yang said as she patted her partner's shoulder. "They just have very electric personalities!"
Cyan groaned into his hands at the pun while the Violet twins both double high five Yang. It makes it even worse that the twins absolutely adore Yang for her puns, and even try making some on their own from time to time. Ruby is also sitting beside a free seat next to her sister, since she actually doesn't go to the school yet and is not an official student, she sits in shyness and silence because of all the strangers around her.
"Emerald, do you ever just get the urge to kill one of them?" Shae asked her quiet partner, who actually tolerates Shae more than anyone else so far. They are sat beside Kai and Orchid, with Emerald being on his right.
"Yes." She answered pretty fast. "More than I care to admit."
"Ha, glad Im not alone on that one." Shae said as the two girls shared a small smile with each other.
"Awe, Emmy's made a friend." Mercury teases from behind the two of them. His own partner being a very quiet person.
"Ugh, unlike you I am at least willing to talk to my partner." Emerald said with a gag.
"Hey! That's not my fault, every time I try talking to her she just stares and gives me the 'I'll kill you' look, so forgive me if I would rather not be killed by this…" Mercury's voice trails off into silence when said partner gives him the very look that even makes him shake in his boots. "Friendly girl."
"Mm." His partner gave him an approving hum.
"I like her already." Emerald said with a smug grin in the cyborg teens direction. "What's your name.
"Mm." The dark green haired girl hummed and put two fingers up.
Emerald was confused by this, and the tilt of her head showed it.
"Fingers?" Shae asked, equally as confused.
Mercury's partner shook her head, and thrusted her two fingers in the air a second time.
"Her name is Two I think… right?" Mercury hesitantly asked, to which Two nodded.
"Your name is a number?" Shae asked with an amused chuckle.
"Mhm." Two nodded and shrugged her shoulders.
"Do you speak or is that just how you talk?" Emerald asked next.
"Mhm." Two answered with another shrug.
Kai laughed in amusement after overhearing that whole conversation, they went on to trying to convince Two to speak, to which the girl just kept humming in amusement at their efforts, while also sending death glares to the young man beside her.
"It looks like everyone is getting along nicely, where did your mom go by the way?" Kai asked his partner with a nudge to her side.
"The last thing I heard from her was, "Ooo, Yang's father is single? Interesting…" And then she ran off, I haven't heard from her in two hours." Regular Orchid said nonchalantly, after their morning history classes with a stand in teach for Qrow, they went straight to the same auditorium that they were in the day of the exam, and are now eagerly awaiting this supposed announcement from the headmaster of Beacon.
"Huh, wonder what those two are up to." Kai wonders.
Before the two of them could start a conversation, the first year students of Beacon start appearing on stage in their teams of four. Headmaster Albedo calls out the team names as they walk onto the stage. One of them being the current number one team of the first year students.
"These are the teams that will be paired up with two of your pairs, making it a group of eight, you are to listen to them and follow their lead in whatever they decide to do with you. They will be in charge of you for the rest of the week, so I urge all of you to listen carefully and learn from graduates of training schools." Albedo says as he clears his throat for his final announcement. "Now, it is my privilege to welcome the Headmaster of Beacon Academy, and his Deputy Headmistress Glynda Goodwitch."
A round of applause and cheers come from the crowd of students as the headmaster of Beacon makes his way to the front of the stage, along with his scary looking assistant that sends some shivers down everybody's spines with just her glares, but when she looks at the boy with a blindfold over his eyes, her glare softens as she instantly recognizes that boy to be the upcoming blind huntsman. A child that she has been forced to learn about from her hyperactive colleague back at Beacon.
The students cheers die down when both headmasters raise a hand to silence them, and then Albedo lets Ozpin take the stage and backs away, standing off to the side with the first year teams of Beacon.
"Hello, as you all already know, I am Headmaster Ozpin of Beacon Academy, and I have come here to make a short announcement for you all." Ozpin begins. "You will all be given the opportunity to join the Mistralian championship tournament this year, and the transportation will be fully provided for by myself and the Atlesian military." He continued without even giving them enough time to properly process this information. "After the week is over, you will be given another week to prepare for such an event. All you must do to enter is stand up, and speak your name."
Most of the students are still trying to process this information, speaking amongst themselves about if this announcement is legit or not. Most, if not all of them know of Pyrrha Nikos' existence, which makes even Yang hesitant on standing up to enter herself in this tournament. Kai whoever, finds this to be the perfect opportunity to better himself.
"Kai Matsuoka." He said as he stood up, the first to enter himself into the tournament.
Ozpin and Glynda both look to the first entry, as well as the first years from Beacon. Ozpin with a smile on his face, while Glynda arches an eye at the blind boys quick decision making.
"Shae Cider." The tiger faunus is the next to stand up, inspired by her rivals quick thinking.
Two stood up and pointed two fingers into the air, while both Emerald and Mercury stayed seated.
One by one, more and more students stood up, and said their names.
"Flamingo!"
"Yang Xiao-Long!"
"Cyan Iris!"
"Cardin Winchester!"
"Rick and Brick Violet! Also known as the twin warriors of lighting!" The twins entered a pose as they announced themselves, using Cyan as a stepping stone much to his annoyance.
A few other unrecognizable names called out, and around twenty out of the thirty Signal students have entered themselves into this tournament. Ozpin and Glynda both looked around the auditorium, looking at all of this potential they will probably have to work with in the future.
"Excellent, all of your names will be entered into the tournament. I eagerly await to see how you all do." Ozpin said with a smile as he stood up for straight. "That is all."
"Now it is time to assign you all to the teams we've brought here today." Glynda Goodwitch ruined everyone's good mood by reminding them about the work they are going to be assigned very shortly. Ozpin presented her anyway just because it was the formal thing to do. "If you would all gather in the cafeteria, the teams will come and pick you up. You are dismissed."
"Wait… that was it?" Kai asked out loud as the other students around him started to get up and leave the room.
"Yeah… that was most confusion." Confused Orchid said in a perplexing way.
"Yo, KnockOut." Shae called out to the two of them after smacking Kai lightly on the back of his head. "You guys coming or what?"
"That was just so… short, and disappointing. But at the same time so satisfying and exciting." Kai muttered.
"Pfft, you'll be fine." Shae laughed, finding his unintended innuendo amusing.
"I just don't get it… how can something I looked forward to so much just be so… short." Kai muttered as he took a seat, his partner who is now concerned for his mental health sitting beside him with a plate full of donuts, no one bothered to ask where she got them from.
"It's okay Kaizy." Comforting Orchid comforted him in a comforting was of comfort. "Everyone has their bad days, want a donut?" She asked as she nudged a pink frosted donut into his mouth. His lack of resistance making it easy to overpower him.
"I wonder who we are going to get paired up with." Yang said as she played with the food on her tray.
"With our luck it is going to be one of the weird ones." Cyan said as he slapped Rick's hand away from stealing one of his french fries, making the poor boy yelp and hold his hand in pain.
"Mm." Two, who is sitting at their table for the first time agrees with Cyan. Kai, with all his muttering and shocked state of mind after coughing up a storm after being forced to swallow a whole donut, hasn't started speaking to the newcomer yet like he usually always does before.
"Orchid, please never do that again." Kai said as he beat his chest lightly in an attempt to make the donut have an easier descent down into his stomach.
"The Flamingo will not be silenced." Scary and intimidating Orchid said as she prepared another donut and held it in front of her partners face.
"Wha- MMPH." Kai struggled to speak as another donut was shoved into his face.
"Mm mm mm." That was Two's way of laughing, which only adds to her complex way of communicating.
"What a table I chose to sit at." Shae said playfully as she scratched one of her faunus ears. "I'm actually surprised you chose to sit here today Emerald, you and your boyfriend fighting?"
"Mercury is not my boyfriend, and no, he had to take a call from his family. I just decided that I… wanted to sit with my." Emerald forced back a gag. "Friends."
Shae chuckled at her friends obviously reluctant words. "Glad you made that choice then."
"What the hell am I watching?" A new voice says as a older looking girl with a beret and for some reason sunglasses waked up to their table, along with three other people behind her, a very tall boy that already looks like a man with a large bronze colored sword strapped to his back. Another dark skinned red haired boy with white eyes and no pupils trailing behind, with his gaze set on the boy with the blindfold on. Lastly, a shy looking girl with long bunny ears that hides behind the large boy wearing green.
"Actually, don't answer that question. Which one of you is Kai?" The leader of the team said as she looks around the table.
"Mmm!" Kai hums loudly with a mouthful of donut, he swallows roughly so he can regain his ability to speak. "Im Kai."
"Ah, you're the blind kid right? Names Coco, and this is Team CFVY." Coco said as she presented her team. "Kids, introduce yourselves."
"Yatsuhashi Daichi, an honor to meet you all." The large boy said with a bow.
"V-Velvet Scarlatina." The shy bunny faunus introduced herself next, her long ears flat against the top of her head.
"Fox Alistair." The final member of Team CFVY said simply as he looked at the one of the pairs that they are going to have to take care of. "Kai Matsuoka and Orchid Rosa, you have been assigned to us."
"Hey Foxy, that's my line." Coco complained.
"You're the team we've been assigned to!?" Kai asked enthusiastically, jumping up from his seat and smiling brightly at the four. "What is Beacon like?"
"Not as special as you think it is kid, trust me, you'll learn that in the future." Coco said with a laugh.
Excited bubbly Orchid jumped up next and clasped her hands on her partners shoulders and peeked her head over his shoulder. "Really!? I can't wait anymore waiting now!" she said excitedly as she smiled brightly at the team that is going to be taking care of him.
"Aw, look Vel we have the cute ones." Coco cooed as a white flash made Orchid blink her eyes out of confusion, as well as the rest of the table who have been watching in silence.
Velvet shrunk at the attention, and hid her camera behind her back with a shy smile and a red face. "H-hi."
"Sorry about that, its for a school project." Coco came to her rescue.
"You're going to blind poor Kaizy!" Concerned Orchid exclaimed as she wrapped a hand around his eyes.
"Orchid I'm already blind!" Kai said as he pried her hands away from his face.
"Look at what you've done!" Frantic Orchid yelled as she held Kai's head to her chest and pointed an accusing finger in Team CFVY's direction.
"The bliss of youth." Yatsuhashi said with a sigh and a smile. "How I wish I was at their age once more."
"You are just three years older than them partner." Fox pointed out. "Anyway, I'd like to point something out to you Kai Matsuoka."
"Hmm?" Kai gave the red fox his full attention, despite having his face half pressed against his partners chest.
"I to, have been born with blindness." Fox said in a quiet yet very serious tone just loud enough for Kai to hear perfectly.
Orchid let go of Kai and her jaw slacked open in shock, as does the rest of the table. While Coco giggles into the palm of her hand, Velvet couldn't help but crack a smile at their innocent shock while resisting the urge to laugh out loud herself, and Yatsuhashi smiles and shakes his head with amusement.
But what Kai said next, silenced them all.
"Neat."
Marron Matsuoka, mother of Kai Matsuoka and wife to one of the greatest huntsman alive today, as finally arrive in Vale. It cost her endless hours of lost sleep, a lot of pulled strings and favours being called in, but she made it.
She steps out of the final aircraft, and her son's 'Silver Ebony' shone in the sunlight. She takes a deep breath, and with her sore and exhausted muscles, stepped into the streets of Vale. The very city where she met her husband for the first time.
"Kai… I'm almost there. Stay strong my son."
AN- I bet some of you were wondering where Marron has been all this time. Well, here she is! Back and tired as ever! She has made it to Vale, Team CFVY has made an early appearance, a tournament is in the horizon, and Orchid's mom has finally appeared! I had a blast writing this chapter, Is it bad that I laugh at my own funny scenes?
Another thing, I did as much research as I could on Fox, and I found that he literally just had one or two scenes in the show so that is not a lot to go off of. But I will try my best in writing his character. Wish me luck. I have a good idea of what the others are like of course, did plenty of research on them. Help me out here if you want.
Anywho, time for a more serious topic. Work and school has been taking up a lot of my time for writing, and I have a lot of work to catch up on, as much as I want to put writing first, I got some shit to take care of first. But do not fret Billy! For I am still going to find time for all of you! Writing is a big part of my life, and I am not going to stop anytime soon.
Now, for another serious topic, time for me to write a sad Extra that will showcase what happened to Team MAVR (Maverick)
Third Year at Beacon, Training Mission Gone Wrong.
Malikai and his team were on a training mission with a fully trained huntsman, the mission was Search and Rescue in a village that has been overrun with Grimm on the outskirts of Vale, nearly on the border to Vacuo, making them far away from any help if they needed it.
They needed the help.
The Grimm that overran the city were old, too old for any of them to handle, and there was too many of them. The huntsman was the first to fall, making a final last stand in order to let the kids escape the village, and took down as much as he could before his aura broke, after that… he fell.
One of his teammates were injured, Vannessa, her aura broke early on in the fight, was just overran before they even knew what was going on, she would have been killed by a Deathstalker if it wasn't for the huntsman who cut off the stinger that was injected inside of her body. Adrian, her partner, was the one who carried her away from the village, and was frantically trying to find a way to get the venom out of her system.
"C'mon, Vanessa, stay with me!" He said as he bandaged her wounds, the blood coming out purple instead of red. Her eyes were bloodshot, and everyone knew she was dying, she had maybe another few minutes left.
"Malikai…" Richie called his partners name out, who for the first time isn't wearing his blindfold, he took it off for the first time in front of his own team once he saw purple blood coming out of his teammates body. It would have been a time to celebrate if they weren't in the situation they are in now.
"Vannessa…" Malikai gripped her hand and held it to his chest. "Do you see me?" He stared into her eyes, her green iris' boring into his bright silver for the first time ever.
"Mali… kai… eyes." She choked out, even through so much pain and knowing that she is not going to survive, she still managed to crack a smile at the sight of her leaders eyes. "Knew… you-" She hacked up blood, and the grip on Malikai's hand tightened. "Finally… came… around." Her eyes drifted shut, and her whole body slacked, she let out her final breath, and died from her wounds in the arms of her crying partner.
Malikai heard nothing after that, only a constant ringing and felt vibrations of his team grieving for their deceased teammate. He was in shock, and what made it worse was that he sensed the Grimm that took down the huntsman on their way to their current location. They surrounded them, and if he didn't do anything, they would all die.
A single white glowing tear fell from Malikai's face and landed on his teammates face. Then with a scream, his silver eyes came to life in tendrils of white and silver and the Grimm that surrounded them burned away into nothing but ash and cinder.
His remaining teammates widened their eyes in shock at the sight of the powerful Grimm being reduced to nothing, and their leader levitating before them, with silver-white tendrils forming a protective barrier around them.
Malikai turned to face them, white glowing tears still flowing from his silver eyes, and with a sad smile, uttered three words.
"You are safe."
This is cannon, and thus begins the downfall of Team MAVR. This short was surprisingly easy for me to write, even though I myself may have teared up a bit as I was reading through it. A mission gone wrong, and the first time in years where Malikai let his silver eyes shine so brightly.
Next short will show what happened to Adrian and Richie, I decided that I may as well get it over with right away so I can get back to the happier/funnier shorts.
Tell me what you think of this short.
And with that, the chapter is coming to a close. Please review and tell me what you think of the story so far, any concerns, ideas, or advice I will be eager to hear.
If you have an idea for a short as well, I will be happy to hear it.
Disclaimer- I do not own RWBY in any way, shape, or form.