"Well Beacon certainly gets their second semester going fast." Jaune thought to himself as he walked into the gray arena.
He knew this little "event" was probably all their fault anyway. Professor Goodwitch was holding a massive round of duels, definitely out of spite for how his team and team RWBY had nearly destroyed the cafeteria yesterday. Since allegedly the Headmaster refused to have two whole teams thrown in the limbo of detention for a month. So as what punishment she could arrange Professor Goodwitch made sure that every member of both team RWBY and team JNPR were going to fight in practice matches today.
Starting with him.
Jaune was only a little nervous, Pyrrha had been training him for months and she was amazed with his progress. She was confident he could hold his own in a fight, and that praise really got him through the last few weeks. Otherwise Jaune knew his hands would be shaking and his mind would only be thinking of the beating he was about to receive.
Over in the locker room entrance his crimson haired partner gave him a quick thumbs before stepping back into the shadows leaving him to walk alone out into the spotlight.
A few other parties in the viewing stands unaware of Jaune's recent improvements were not as positive as the Mistral champion.
"Twenty Lien he lasts about five minutes."
Yang had a nasty habit of betting on these fights, teachers discouraged the practice but it was one of the few ways to make a little money at Beacon. But Yang really made these bets for the sheer rush of gambling.
"Well, fifty he gets beaten in three." Jaxon offered in countered sitting on her left.
"So sure are we?" Yang asked raising an eyebrow at him.
Jaxon patted his pocket where he kept his wallet and held out his right hand to seal their wager. Yang shook it with a bone crushing grip, but Jaxon just grinned harder.
The Faunus chuckled, "Look who he's up against."
A short groan of disappointment sounded across from the two of them on Yang's right.
"Guys come on. Do you really have to?" Ruby asked, clearly upset about their lack of faith in her friend.
Yang just shrugged when she met her sister's eyes. "No offence Ruby…"
Sitting behind the three of them Kad laughed a little bit then answered for the blond, "It's just Co'Balt didn't have his coffee this morning."
The bull Faunus was already center stage, spinning Keila in figure eights around his body, passing it from one hand to the other and back completely comfortable and confident with his capabilities. The lights in the stands dimmed, both boys portraits, names, and their aura levels appeared on the holographic banners dangling near the locker room entrance.
Seconds ticked by in silence.
Jaune drew his sword, expanded his shield and took his fighting stance.
Co'Balt stopped his display, bringing his left hand beneath Keila's ax head above the trigger and his right hand further down the barrel shaft. Neither boy moving a muscle,
Their scrolls buzzed singling them to begin.
Co'Balt sprang into action, hurling his ax as hard as he could overhead at Jaune.
Jaune's eyes went wide as he ducked behind his shield feeling the air rushing past his head as Keila almost smashed into his face. He stood up to take a swing at Co'Balt but the Faunus was gone. He spun left tucking his shield to his chest,
While Co'Balt's semblance did allow him to move faster than most eyes could track, it was not a boost of ordinary speed. Like the young Huntsman's changeable personality he could shift from time to time.
Co'Balt sped past Jaune, grabbed hold of Keila while it was still in the air then pivoted on his right foot and struck with the blunt back side of his weapon.
For once Jaune didn't nearly drop his shield as he blocked, but he did stagger backwards a few steps from the force of the hit. He swung Crocea Mors right at chest height but missed when Co'Balt rolled left.
He recovered then struck backhanded, Crocea Mors smacked into the middle of Keila. Co'Balt pushed the blade back then made a wild swing overhead at Jaune.
In the past he would have been madly backing away right about now. Months of training however began to pay off as Jaune rushed forward instead and punched with his shield catching Co'Balt off guard. He tried to bring his arms down to block but Jaune was too fast.
And surprisingly strong. The hard shield edge punched right into his diaphragm making Co'Balt lose his balance and fall onto his back. The rest of his team winced slightly sensing this was about to get ugly. With a savage snarl Co'Balt jackknifed back to his feet and charged.
The angry Faunus drove JNPR's leader back with a furious storm of blows, chopping down, swinging up from the side, punching with the head and bottom of Keila striking with his elbows and fists.
Jaune was struggling to keep all of the strikes from connecting, his shield helped but Co'Balt was nimble and damn fast. Trying to block another overhead swing Jaune came up with a plan. Tilting the shield so that instead of just absorbing the force Keila was deflected off of it to his left and embedded in the floor.
Jaune punched right handed still holding his sword Co'Balt abandoned his weapon in the floor and swung his left arm up to block. Their fore arms collided Co'Balt pushed Jaune's aside then head butted Jaune in the face.
Stunned, the young leader lost all his orientation and balance, trying to blink the stars out of his eyes, unable to see Co'Balt's right heel spin high and connect with his jaw. Sending him down hard on his left side, pinning his shield between him and the ground.
"Great start Jaune," he thought to himself
The scroll stuck on the back of his shield told Jaune his aura had dropped but at least it didn't feel like his jaw was broken, although he would probably just have to eat carefully tomorrow.
Alone, hiding from the embarrassment that he hadn't improved as much as he thought he had.
Co'Balt walked back over to his ax and ripped it out of the self-repairing floor, when damaged the tiles would melt back into their original shape given time. He could have gone over and finished off Jaune right then and there, but surprisingly the vomit boy was actually putting up a fight for once.
Co'Balt decided he had earned a chance to lose fairly, so instead he spun Keila in circles right handed waiting for Jaune to stand up.
Which he soon did, shooting up like a cannon ball swinging and screaming from one knee to cut back handed low at Co'Balt. The Faunus skipped backwards then lowered his shoulder and charged. Jaune flipped him over his shield but Co'Balt landed on his feet,
So Jaune spun again and lunged, Crocea Mors blade nearly catching Co'Balt in the face. The Faunus dodged back then grabbed Jaune's right wrist in his left hand.
He struck right handed, Jaune managed blocked the ax strike and punched with his shield. The top edge catching on the tip of Co'Balt's right horn snapping his head to the left. Jaune struck again pulling his sword arm back breaking the grip on his wrist he pushed Co'Balt away.
Swinging right to left Jaune managed to land a cut across Co'Balt's chest, his aura levels dropped taking the hit.
Crocea Mors slashed again at Co'Balt's upper legs skipping off his aura again. Co'Balt snarl in anger. The Faunus gripped Keila like a vice, feinted like he was going to swing or jab at Jaune, who raised his shield to block.
Instead Co'Balt kicked out at his knees. Jaune brought his shield down taking the hit then leaning back in panic when Co'Balt swung at his head. Jaune saw the razor edge almost slice through his bangs hanging in front of his eyes.
Jaune brought his shield down to his right when Co'Balt backhanded with his ax, again Jaune caught the hammer blow with his shield on the top edge, and with all of his strength pushed the murderous chopping edge away. Thrown off balance Co'Balt's guard was completely open for the punch Jaune hit him with in the kidneys.
The blow barely even fazed the frenzied ax man who awkwardly maneuvered his left hand down till he felt Keila's trigger in his hand and twisted the barrel to point at Jaune's head. He had started this fight thinking he could avoid using the shotgun.
Jaune figured what was coming at the very last second, and managed to lean his head back. Fire singed his eyebrows and he went deaf for a second as the blast echoed around the arena.
He hoped Co'Balt had remembered to load training rounds.
Jaune jumped as far as he could backwards trying to get room to act. He couldn't go through another round of grappling his aura was already hovering in the yellow range, Co'Balt's had just dropped down to that, which was more damage than Jaune had managed to do to anyone last semester.
Co'Balt stood with Keila slanted across his body, safe enough since Jaune didn't have a gun built into his ancestral sword that the Faunus knew of. He just stood there waiting for his opponent to move.
Jaune wasn't going to oblige him if he could help it.
After a moment of impatience Co'Balt tucked and rolled forward, punching Keila from an almost kneeling position at Jaune. He swung with both his shield and sword, simultaneously knocking the ax out of the way and slashing low across Co'Balt's left leg.
He used the momentum from the sudden direction change of his ax to strike an open palm at Jaune's face, his broad chest pinned the sword back against his shield. Luckily no teeth and only saliva spat from Jaune's mouth when the blow landed twisting his neck left. Co'Balt almost kneed him in the groin but missed hitting Jaune in the right leg stunning the muscles. Jaune pushed back against the Faunus with all his strength opening up some room between them. Enough to tilt his shield and smash it at the Faunus,
Co'Balt punched up with Keila and crouched down, pushing Crocea Mors' shield over his head. Jaune moved with his out of control momentum. Co'Balt spun counterclockwise to the right and swung Keila one handed at the same time, the ax scoured across Jaune's turned back
Arc swung back around not beaten yet, his quick wild upward swing smacked on Co'Balt's left arm then his overhead chop down landed on that same shoulder. Co'Balt jumped at Jaune, Keila held over his head ready to deliver the last blow.
Jaune jumped and rolled backwards. Co'Balt swung down and missed sticking his ax stuck in the floor again.
Both of their auras were dangerously close to the red, Jaune spun back swinging from the left with all his strength, his first strike slashed across Co'Balt's forearm held out front to block. The second hacked back again from the right across his chest. Co'Balt was trying to back up so that he could get Jaune away from his ax.
It was working sort of, Jaune kept slashing at Co'Balt reeling from this sudden onslaught. The Faunus' only option to keep block the sword with his fore arms. Holding his slowly fading aura strong enough to block Jaune's longsword was draining his already taxed reserves of strength. His arrogance costing him the necessary strength to use his semblance again.
Nearly exhausted Jaune punched with his shield one last time,
And sent Co'Balt hard onto his back once more.
The Faunus' head smacked against the ground so hard and he nearly blacked out and the last bit of his aura hovering over the red zone faded away protecting his thick skull.
Jaune couldn't believe it.
He simply stood there, arms slack at his sides taking in ragged breaths and letting them out slowly.
The lights in the arena snapped to life and Professor Goodwitch walked to the center stage making marks on her scroll as she neared the two boys. She stood over Co'Balt his hands held tight to his head, eyes closed and a pained expression on his face,
"Are you alright Co'Balt?"
The bull Faunus grumbled and cursed to himself in response. Goodwitch took his near silence as confirmation he was fine. Then she turned to Arc, surprise evident on her face and in her tone of voice.
"Congratulations Mister Arc, you've just broken the longest losing streak I have ever seen at Beacon."
Jaune was too tired and shocked to even stutter some form of response to that. But one thought slowly began repeating over and over in his head with greater and greater elation.
He won.
He Won!
That realization brought a smile to his face, as his breathing returned to normal and he regained his posture.
The stands erupted, conversation both whispered and nearly shouted flew through the air. No one had expected this. Yang and Jaxon were too shocked to settle their bets. Ruby stood clapping and cheering for her victorious fellow leader.
Professor Goodwitch coughed after a moment flicking her head to the side. Motioning for JNPR's leader to clear the stage. A little twinge of embarrassment killed Jaune's high, his already slim grasp on protocol forgotten in the wake this momentous occasion. Slowly Jaune walked back into the locker rooms, he would have offered Co'Balt a hand up if he didn't think that the Faunus would have taken a final swing at him.
Pyrrha was waiting there for him the last to stop applauding her partner and leader..
"You did it!" She shouted with glee.
"Uh huh somehow…" Jaune managed to shyly reply.
Pyrrha only smiled at him, and playfully punched him on the shoulder for old time's sake.
Co'Balt finally got up and made his way back to the stands to sit down next to his leader. Quietly furious and not willing to speak. Kad barely suppressed a chuckle, to him this was hilarious.
"Shut up." Co'Balt growled.
"I didn't say anything." Kad said in mock outrage,
"You laughed."
"No." Kad snickered some more, "Should have just dodged around him some more."
The Faunus raised up the pitch of his voice, "Mehmememeee, should'a should'a. I don't remember asking you a God damn thing."
Kad thought nothing of his friend's hostility. He knew Co'Balt would be okay in a little bit after he had a moment to calm down. This wasn't the first time he had lost, just the most embarrassing.
The rest of the day passed quickly, some fights only lasted a few minutes while others dragged on in a long series of feints and acrobatics. Kad had no vested interest in any of those, his team was done for the day so he leaned back against the wall lightly sleeping.
More money exchanged hands in the crowd occasionally, minor fortunes in the meager means of the full time students were won and lost. About an hour before class was supposed to end Ren and Nora showed up to sit with RWBY. Ruby was saddened Jaune and Pyrrha were still waiting in the locker rooms.
Nora reassured the younger girl that her two absent partners would be along shortly. Goodwitch had just planned for Pyrrha to be part of the last match of the day which was about to begin. Their teacher stepped out onto the stage once more, holding her scroll and slowly turning around looking at all of her trainees.
"I know many of you have been waiting for this moment." She told the waiting crowd, "The last match of the day will be Pyrrha Nikos,"
At the mention of her name the Mistral champion moved into the arena, weapons ready in hand.
"Against Kad Amaranth."
The audience buzzed, people started talking odds and making bets. Kad however heard nothing, lost in the world of his dreams at the moment. Having gone into a deeper sleep then he had anticipated. Before long he was shifting through these foreign memories again, trying to go back further and further, looking for some semblance of understanding of what they meant. They felt too real to be just his imagination running off the rails.
Armies of giants, wars across the stars, enemies he had never seen.
Jaxon slapped Kad's leg trying to rouse him,
"Dude!"
Kad nearly jumped out of his skin when he awoke. Blinking in confusion gathering his wits.
"What?" he demanded almost hostile.
"You're up. Want a piece of this action?" Jaxon replied tapping his winnings from the last round against his chest.
Kad looked down into the arena seeing Pyrrha standing there looking right at him.
"Well this was bound to happen sooner or later." He thought to himself.
The giant stood up silently and stretched to his full height twisting his upper body to loosen his muscles. He picked up Ignis from where he had it placed beside him on the benches. Pushing between the two compulsive gamblers Kad vaulted over the safety rails down into the arena. Hitting the floor and bending his knees to absorb the landing shock.
Professor Goodwitch frowned at his unorthodox entry but stepped away to her usual spot beneath the banners in the shadows.
Kad buckled the red great sword into its harness back onto his chest over his jacket. The lights dimmed once again when he stood across from Nikos flexing his empty hands. She raised her shield Akouo, crouching behind the circle of metal and held her weapon Milo' out to her side ready to fight.
They started slow.
Kad began to circle Pyrrha, left hand held out in front of him fingers balled in a fist. Right hand on his knife hilt ready to draw it in the blink of an eye. He was much taller bulkier and far stronger than Pyrrha, but he knew that didn't faze her.
He had seen her win her fourth Mistral tournament, almost two years ago now. Cinder had brought him to the country and he snuck off to go see the tournament. Pyrrha had fought some other mountain of a man, but still triumphed. She used her agility to take advantage of larger opponents. He had observed that here at Beacon as well.
She was about to realize his size didn't necessarily mean he was slow.
He knew he could beat her. But did not feel he had to go all out in this little exhibition.
Cinder would not approve of the unwanted attention.
For the moment she seemed content to do nothing,
"Fine."
Kad spun, grabbing the chain wrapped around his waist and sent the black links fly cleaving through the air.
Pyrrha rolled to her right barely dodging beneath the giant's first strike. She sprang to her feet expanded Milo using the red and gold spear to pole vault at Kad, pointed heels coming right for his face.
Kad let go of the hilt of his knife reached up and caught her left ankle before she kicked him in the face. He spun and threw her nearly to the other side of the arena her aura dipped protecting the champion from an almost twisted ankle. Smoothly Pyrrha rolled on the ground stood up unharmed and undaunted. Effortlessly switching her weapon to a rifle and aiming at Kad.
He was already bringing his chain back up right hand drawing his knife as well. Pyrrha fired three times. Kad flicked and spun his chain in front of him smacking the bullets off course then rushed forward to close with Pyrrha.
It felt like she was facing down a freight train. She lashed out overhead with Milo when he got within reach. Their blades clashed and sparked together as Kad blocked, pushed back and kicked out with his left leg.
Pyrrha brought her shield down just in time to catch the full force of his boot right in the middle of Akouo. She crashed and rolled backwards feet leaving the ground in a controlled tumble. When she landed and stood shaking off the stunning force of his casual blow Milo was lying across her shoulders as a spear, she jumped forward jabbing at the giant's head again.
Kad flicked his chain up taking an end in each hand. Crossing his arms in front of him he wrapped the metal around Milo turned around and pulled.
Pyrrha was unprepared her semblance tightening her grip as she was pulled up and over Kad's head and slammed down on the arena floor in front of him.
All the air was knocked out of her at once. She let go of Milo spun around on the ground and pushed off of Kad's right leg with both feet as he tried to stomp down on her. She rolled and stood a safe distance away from him.
Kad sheathed his knife, and started spinning his chain in both hands, slowly advancing on Pyrrha forcing her back. She held Akouo up backing away eyes flicking between her discarded weapon and her opponent. Prioritizing offense over defense she flung her shield at him and dove for Milo.
Kad dropped the chain in his left hand and easily caught the shield. He spun clockwise and tossed the little circle to the other side of the arena. Coming around full circle he punched at Pyrrha halfheartedly trying to catch he as she dove past him. He missed and slammed his fist into the floor. The giant didn't feel bones break but it felt like he had splinters from the tiles he destroyed.
Once she reclaimed Milo, Pyrrha turned around and rapidly struck at Kad trying to breach his guard. He caught a blow from the rear end of Milo on his right shoulder but recovered and like a bolt of lightning, blindingly intercepted the spear with his knife at every turn.
Pyrrha was too focused on her attack to watch where she stepped.
When she put her weight down on the chain limp across the floor Kad whipped it out from under her with savage force to the left. No way was he going to let such an opportunity go. She lost her balance and nearly her footing, Kad punched her in the stomach right handed holding his knife.
She doubled over leaving the ground as she bent over on his arm. Her red aura took a massive hit visibly shimmering but she wasn't knocked out yet. Pyrrha got her breath back before she flew out of arms reach. She laid her left hand on his fist and with all the grace of a trained acrobat flipped backwards and managed to strike him twice on the jaw once with each foot.
Kad's head snapped back, Pyrrha landed only a few feet away. Kad spun his chain around his left arm and leapt forward. His arm back over his head poised to finish her off.
Pyrrha raised her arms to block, she spun Milo to her right. It pivoted on the floor like an Atlesian top. Stopping Kad's arm felt like trying to catch a delivery-truck. But her aura held, she saw the ripples of color briefly as it stopped her from being flattened into paste.
Pyrrha smiled.
She had gotten her hands on the chain.
Kad grinned right back, sharing in the fun
She couldn't afford to waste time and energy trying to manipulate something with her semblance that she had never touched before, lighter metal was easy but this was good solid steel. Just touching a few of the links let gave her enough of a connection to effect the whole length.
Kad attempted to smash his right knee into her stomach. But she jumped up and flipped off of the striking limb, Milo flying back into her hands. She landed barely managing to register Kad swinging the chain down overhead at her again.
Bringing up her right hand leaning to the side Pyrrha focused her semblance. To the crowd it looked like she had deflected it away at the last second using her bare hand. The metal struck the ground in a shower of sparks.
Kad smiled and swung his chain back around him in a full roundhouse swing left to right at her shoulder height.
He saw what she was doing.
Pyrrha leaned left and deflected it over her head again. Spinning once more Kad let go and threw his chain sideways at Pyrrha.
She back flipped under the flying metal. It smashed into the wall, noisily falling to the floor. Kad flicked and spun his knife across his palm bringing it up back into his ready pose holding it out in front of him awaiting Pyrrha's next move.
If she started messing with this blade he would switch to Ignis.
The young Primarch hoped it wouldn't come to that
She stood there catching her breath for a moment and took a second to quickly glance at their aura levels on the banners. Hers was hovering in the yellow range. Kad's was still green only showing a slight drop from when she had repeatedly hit him.
The Mistral champion was flashing back to her first hard earned comeback during her first regional tournament. The fight where the whispers of the invincible girl began to rise.
Kad stepped forward and lunged, Pyrrha barely ducked in time. She felt the blade scratch against her head band. She swept up Milo' knocking his knife away but Kad was already bringing it back over his shoulder for another cut. Pyrrha looked to where Akouo was lying discarded to her right a short distance away, trying to judge if she could reach it in time.
Kad chopped down. Pyrrha raised Milo up in both hands his fighting knife slashed down. She barely managed to deflect it to the left and then she sprinted through the opening to try and get to Akouo.
Kad spun right and hacked at her but mis-judged how high she could jump, feeling a little twinge of surprise and admiration. Pyrrha tucked and rolled over the knife her back nearly touching the blade.
She slid along the floor and grabbed her shield and brought her rifle up to fire. Four bullets hit Kad in the center of his chest. The rubber slugs bounced off his aura, unfazed he threw his knife at the crouching huntress.
Pyrrha blinked from the impact of the heavy weight thrown by Kad's strong arm. She judged even if it didn't hit her shield point first that strike still would have knocked her aura to the red if she had let it.
Kad started to reach back for Ignis on his back. Pyrrha twirled and spun her rifle out into its spear form knowing she would need every inch of space between her and that monster sword.
Luck was on her side however.
The arena lights snapped on. Kad stayed his hand.
All the watching students erupted in howling protests.
Goodwitch walked on stage silencing the cries with an icy glare. "I am sorry students. Professor Ozpin has canceled the rest of today's activities."
Kad brought up his arms and his knife in shrug of questioning, "For what?" he asked.
"The students from Atlas have arrived ahead of schedule." Professor Goodwitch told him, "They are appropriating this arena for their orientation... That will be all for today, you are dismissed."
Everyone knew there was no arguing with Goodwitch at this point. And what the Headmaster said always went without question.
Students began to make their way out of the stands. Pyrrha stood trying to catch her breath, it had been a long time since she was almost beaten and challenged like that. A deep part of her didn't really know it she could have triumphed or not.
Kad sheathed his knife again held out his hand to his opponent. The red head obliged, her hand was engulfed in his massive palm as she shook the offered hand.
"Where did you learn to fight?" she asked,
Kad let go of her hand and shrugged smiling back adjusting his baldric, "Here and there, I'll be happy to have a rematch anytime."
Pyrrha smiled back at him, "Sometime, just not so soon." She was starting to feel the bruises she received from their fight.
Jaune emerged from the locker room to walk his partner back briefly mentioning plans to go and find their teammates. As they left Jaxon came down into the arena and just shook his head at his leader from the side line.
"Come on, I was betting on you." The Faunus complained.
"Don't blame me for your crap luck," Kad told him, "I was going to win."
"Bullshit, you were just fucking around. Why didn't you really fight?"
"Call it a draw," The giant ignored him, "At least I didn't lose."
Jaxon obviously wasn't buying it, but after a moment scowling at his leader decided he had better things to do with his time than try and weather down Kad's stubborn will.
"Meh," He said accepting defeat, "Speaking of losers Co'Balt's heading for food are we going with him?"
"You're buying money bags."
A/N Long? maybe... first time writing fights like this, Feedback keeps me going, thanks for taking a look. I know catching up with cannon is boring, probably, but that's what I'm doing. Have a great day.