"She'll come at you from farther away, first shooting and then up close with her twin short sickles."
Alicia nodded at the giant's advice as she paced to the right. Eyes locked on his hands waiting for the telltale twitch of movement before Kad attacked. Her new jet black leather jacket squeaking at the joints as she tensed and laid a hand on her Dust knife Detergeo.
The left corner of Kad's mouth curled up in a smile as he let the steel chain wound around his right forearm fall to the ground.
"Don't look at my hands, watch where I'm looking." He told his partner
On the sidelines Pyrrha spoke, offering her two cents in advice. "The sword is not the weapon, the…"
The girl in the ring turned out to the unwanted adviser, "Come on, I've heard it all before!" She almost shouted at the Mistral champion.
Pyrrha's eyes fluttered in shock, "Sorry."
Kad let out a quick whistle, his partner whipped her head back. Sending the red and brown braid up and across her right shoulder. The giant spun his chain around on the floor, building a little moment before he swung chest height at Alicia.
She ducked and rolled left, light flashed off metal as she drew coming up. Blade and empty left hand raised.
Kad backhanded left a little faster this time. Alicia hopped one step back after a quick calculation. The steel sailed back again. This time the Huntress jumped straight over the black links.
The giant turned coming around and swinging from right to left, shoulder height on his partner.
Alicia spun her knife handle and cylinder as she leaned as far as she could to her right and let Kad's weapon pass harmlessly overhead. Spinning the well-hidden trigger on a finger like a fan, as she stood miming a strike with a shout of triumph and exertion. How she would have moved and cast a Dust bolt were this a real fight.
The two nearest spectators Jaune, and Pyrrha clapped briefly.
Kad grinned, a sly mirror of the expression on Alicia's sweating face, "But don't forget," he said.
His huge palms moved to the middle of the weapon, he spun it up bo-staff style then down left at the girl. Much faster than before.
Alicia's eyes widened, she bent backwards. Arms splayed searching for balance. Kad took another step forward, and the second half of his chain cracked painfully into Alicia's ribs.
"Emerald will have two strikes. Two weapons."
She almost growled in frustration taking a few side steps rubbing her possible bruise. Her aura held, reducing the impact of Kad's attack. He smiled gripping a shorter length of chain, spinning it quickly waiting for his partner to be ready again.
The other team members of APRC all had their own little types of reactions to Kad constantly pushing them during training. None would have said he was overly harsh, but he was persistent. Alicia didn't mind really, she usually tried to follow his thought trains and see if they had any merit to her style.
Jaxon had been much the same way,
Co'Balt neither excepted or truly needed much correction to his simple form. Boiling it all down to, shoot more, be faster or hit harder. That being most of the guidance that the giant had to give him anyway. But it was taken to heart every time, trying to live up to what Kad saw in all of them.
A few minutes ago the Faunus had excused himself to go cool down and lift weights for a little bit. Promising to return to the dorm later to talk about the next dueling rounds. Putting his mind off of the future of his team with that girl he still didn't want to be anywhere near.
Kad was going to fight, Co'Balt was not, being put in reserve for the true semifinals. Kad had a minor breath of panic when he saw who his partner was set to do battle with.
Emerald hadn't been tasked with testing the student's limits and knocking out a select few like Mercury had, but Kad knew she wouldn't go easy on his partner. So after revealing just a tiny bit about his old group Kad offered to show Alicia how to overcome the green haired thief.
And he had yet to figure out if this match was really part of Cinder's plan.
"But more than anything. Keep up the pressure, don't give her time to react or plan…Again?" He asked, holding up his weapon with a wicked little grin.
Alicia mirrored his expression, her bare hand glowing softly as she focused her glyphs.
As the two of them resumed their dance of steel, Pyrrha took a moment to look away from the little circle for Jaune who had started to wander off. He stood stretching by the door probably getting ready for a jog.
But once more the doors swung open, immediately filling the training room with the high pitched shouts of a certain scythe wielder,
"Come on Weiss! It's the perfect plan!"
And countered quickly by the coldest voice in Beacon, "Ruby… Don't push me."
"Well just think! Your like one of the most famous people in this whole tournament of course there's going to be people who studied your every move and all your styles they will never see it coming!"
"Question, Ruby. Do you even know how to use Dust?"
"…I don't see what's that got to do with it?"
"Myrtenaster is a Multi-Action Dust Rapier."
"Well… Yeah of course I do. Pull the trigger and give it the old one two flick and…"
Unconvinced, Weiss firmly stated. "Then I will be keeping my sword for the foreseeable future thank you very much."
Jaune tried to track the red streak of rose petals that shot through the air and rematerialized next to him. Tugging on his shoulder just like any number of his distant younger sisters had done when they wanted his attention.
"Jauneeeee!" His fellow team leader beamed up at him with her best puppy dog eyes, "Tell Weiss that it's a good idea!"
"I…" He stuttered for a moment, "Don't know what you want? Or think you realize how Weiss might spontaneously combust taking a suggestion from me."
"I said that we should switch weapons during the next match."
"Ah," Jaune nodded tilting his head slightly back in understanding.
"You dunce," Weiss sighed voicing out her continued frustration. "I might. MIGHT, have considered that if we were in the finals already, but just for this?"
"Do you just hate fun?" Ruby asked the pale girl.
Jaune politely nodded to the white haired Heiress, seeking a way to slip from Ruby's grasp and through the narrow opportunity that still remained to extricate himself from this moment in time.
Who without a word took hold of Jaune's baggy hoodie sleeve and started to drag the startled Arc towards an empty practice circle. Out of the grasp of her leader who pouted in vain.
"Ah! Hey!" Jaune stammered out when his brain found the neurons to work again.
Weiss stopped and shoved him into a ring, drawing the rapier Myrtenaster as Jaune raised up his hands to try and placate the girl, looking to buy himself a few seconds.
"Weiss! I apologized!Id did I'm and, and I, I, I…!"
"Shut up," Weiss hissed. "It would not be proper for me to overly damage my own team leader so you shall suffice for my intentions now."
"Ah… What?"
Myrtenaster flicked out, lightning struck between Jaune's shoes making him yelp, "Are you even going to try?" Weiss asked, in a deceptively peaceful tone.
"Pyrrha!" Jaune called out to his red headed partner.
"It builds character Jaune," She shouted back throwing him a thumbs up as well, knowing Weiss wouldn't hurt him.
Probably.
Penny walked nervously back into the room, thankful that so many of the previous occupants had left. But she still saw the one that she was most worried about.
Alicia crouched down spinning, as low as she could get to the ground flat on her knees. The two chain ends sailed harmlessly over her head. She rolled forward when Kad's arms raised up for another swing, still not moving as fast as she knew he could. And having accepted with some bitterness that the giant simply refused to take somethings like this seriously for good reason. Sticking Detergeo as high up as she could at his throat. She smiled triumphant even if the extra inches of steel plus her arm at full extension barely reached his neck.
Her leader gave his nearly signature huff of amusement and half grin, "And I assume you can take it from here?"
"Yeah," She lowered her arms flipped the knife and grasped it by the cylinder, "I guess so," she replied sarcastically.
Metal striking metal drew all three of them to look over at Weiss going at Jaune Arc with all the sword skills she possessed.
Rather than acting as a substitute punching bag, JNPR's leader was actually managing to protect himself from her onslaught. Wielding Crocea Mors shield to great effect against Weiss's mostly lunging and stabbing rapier.
Ruby and Penny began slowly walking a circuit around the outside of the room. Ruby had grown a little bit in the past few months and the difference in their height was not as easily apparent now.
"Do you want to practice some?" Penny asked,
Ruby waved a dismissive hand, "Phhpt, Nah. I'm all set and I really want to see how this plays out."
Weiss seemed to slide forward, coming off a glyph staring down Myrtenaster looking for a suitable opening. Jaune's pesky shield rose up, and the sword point bounced off with a thud. He made an attempt to catch her in the ribs as the snow white streak continued on. But Jaune's own blade wasn't quite long enough and couldn't beat the Heiress' speed. Weiss flipped forward further out of his reach. Laying down another glyph down, she shot back towards Jaune.
His long sword flipped up, spinning the rapier around in a loop to his right. Weiss was shocked by his strength as the edges of their swords sparked and he ruined her balance. Jaune took the opening and jumped forward striking with his shield.
Weiss pushed against it with her empty hand, crouched down and slashed along the back of his knees. Making Jaune yelp and stumble.
The Heiress came at him again. The air split as his shield swept up. Weiss was closer then he thought and he actually connected with her side. She grunted from the hit, spinning herself into the air. She jabbed back at Jaune, two bolts of light shot from her sword tip straight into his open chest.
Off balance, he fell to his back, grimacing and wondering just why him.
Most of the occupants in the room excluding Ruby and Penny circled around the fight. There wasn't any cheering. But if anyone listened closely they would have heard the subtle laughs every time Weiss landed a hit.
Ruby noticed her friend's attention was elsewhere, centered right on the last team leader present.
"Penny is something else bothering you?" Ruby asked.
"Huh?" She blinked out of her stare.
The young red head waited for a response. Penny didn't have one.
Ruby shrugged at the silence, "Sorry Penny somethings just don't work out."
"Why did they react so poorly when the Professor introduced me?"
"Ohhh…" Ruby tried to think of how she could put this delicately. "Well… you know the reason team APRC has an open slot."
Before Penny could ask for some clarification, Ruby had a startled little jump. Her scroll was ringing. The rock and bass of Yang's favorite song and custom ringtone calling for Ruby's attention.
"Hey Ruby, Blake and I need to head into the city."
"What? Why?"
Yang pushed her chair back into place quietly, the smooth floor wasn't suited for making furniture sound obnoxious while moving. Blake was already a few paces away from Yang, head down looking at a map on her scroll.
"I guess you could call it luck, Raven just called me," The blonde said as she closed in on her Faunus partner.
"What did she say?" Ruby asked.
"She sounded hurt, she asked for my help."
"Well, wait up! We can…"
"No," Yang said firmly. She could picture the hurt look on her sister's face. But Yang had her reasoning, "Raven got spooked when we found some others at the tunnel. I don't want her running again."
Ruby tried to start again, "Who cares what she thinks? You can't go alone again."
"Blake's coming with me, there's been nothing happening in the city and I know you and Weiss are probably too busy."
Yang's logic was further supported by a loud crash and cheering in the back ground of their phone call.
"Alright…" Ruby reluctantly agreed, "But just call us if this starts taking too long. Actually, call us anyways as soon as you find her."
"Great," Yang said nodding as Blake held open the library door. "Love you Ruby, we'll talk in a bit."
"Okay love you too Yang."
"Hey, Kad,"
The giant turned his head towards that voice, recognizing the senior class member rabbit Faunus Velvet Scarlatina.
"Morning," Kad greeted her, "What's up?"
Velvet looked down to the items in her hands. A small stack of photographs.
"I… I take photos sometimes."
Kad sighed to himself, not hearing her nervous tone, "Fascinating."
"Yeah," Velvet agreed with a little smile, "Mostly weapons, I just find them…"
She saw his disinterest and corrected her course of words, "Anyway. I've got a few here I think you should have."
She held up the stack in both hands to Kad, who took the small laminated pages and brought them up to view.
It was his team.
Himself, Alicia, Co'Balt and Jaxon. The four of them out in one of Beacon's court yards. They were sitting on the ground next to a fountain, clad in school uniforms. Kad remembered exactly where it was and what they had been doing. The day before Professor Oobleck's first big test, they had decided to polish up on the subject outside in the nice weather. In the picture Kad's back was to the camera while his team sat before him in a semi-circle with their books open on their laps.
He turned to the next picture, he remembered Velvet taking this now. It showed himself, Jaxon and Nora Valkyrie in the cafeteria one day. He was on one of the long tables, right arm planted firmly on the table top with his hand in the air. Jaxon and Nora both on the table attempting to wrench his arm back down in an arm wrestling match that had escalated to this very quickly. The rest of their teams watching and laughing along with Kad in the picture.
Kad quickly flipped through the rest of the pictures, little moments in time captured where Jaxon briefly lived again. Happier times, they brought a smile back to Kad's face for the first time in days.
"Thank you Velvet," He said, pocketing the photographs.
She nodded with a smile in return, "My pleasure."
Penny looked down to Ruby, concerned over what she just heard over the scroll. But the young leader was already moving onto another problem.
"Come on,"
Myrtenaster stabbed into Crocea Mor's shield again, Jaune dropped himself to one knee and held his sword pointed up at an angle. Weiss would have impaled herself on the blade if she had been careless and her Aura was gone. She let one little twitch of respect raise a corner of her mouth
"Well," She spoke in a coy tone, "Thank you for the lesson in hubris."
Flourishing her sword up in a near salute, the girl departed for the solitude of the lockers. The impromptu battle over as quickly as it had begun. Leaving Jaune breathless and taking in the myriad of looks spread across the faces directed at him.
/
After Velvet had turned and left Kad felt a little tug on the corner of his jacket. Ruby was pulling on the lower right edge, smiling up.
"Yes?" He asked his fellow leader.
"Do you have a minute?" She asked
"Yeah…" He replied, wiping a bead of water away from the corner of his right eye as quickly as he could. "Yeah I do…"
He cast an eye over the girl behind Ruby. Kad's brief moment of levity disappeared as quickly as it had come when reality and the present decided to rear their ugly heads.
"Kad I think you might have been a little hasty," He raised one curious eyebrow, Ruby continued, "I think you should give Penny another chance."
"Because?"
"Well, were you expecting too much?" Ruby waved her friend over, "Please, she might surprise you."
He would have found this funny under different circumstances. Because if Ruby knew half the truth about Kad she would have been sorely mistaken. He turned to face them, as Weiss spun her rapier moving out of the ring and a not as beaten as other times Jaune Arc.
"Ruby, it's not about what she can do…" Kad told them. "I just don't think Alicia or Co'Balt are ready for a new teammate yet."
Both girls looked down, thinking on what the giant said. Penny looked up first.
"Then let me help you. All of you, I can show that I'm combat ready. My father says when bad things happen you've got to keep moving forward… Please?"
"Penny I…"
Once again Ruby spoke up for the android, "You could just give her another chance? Please?"
The giant sighed brushing a hand back over his close trimmed hair, weighing his options.
Until, through several layers of clothing deep within a pocket on his pants. He felt a gentle vibration against his skin. The telltale sign of an incoming communique. As quickly as he could without shattering the scroll Kad brought the device up to his eyes.
It was a simple message, from the only one not currently within earshot he could expect to use this number.
Cinder. And a simple time and date for the next day. And the unsaid assumption that he would know the rest and be at his old friend's dorm room at that time.
Ruby squinted for a moment in confusion unable to see what the giant was reading, "Kad?"
"Fine," The young huntsman replied, quickly snapping the little device shut and returning it to its abode. And deciding to take the route that wouldn't make him seem completely callus at the moment with the girls while a small ember of anticipation burning in his chest, "Let's see what you've really got."
/
The metal clank of the doors closing once again echoed in around the empty lockers and benches. Weiss took a deep breath and exhaled trying to calm herself. Closing blotting eyes, blotting out every other thought that crossed her mind from the last few bloody days. Taking her awareness back just to the task at hand, running an oil cloth up and down the length of her sword even though it remained as spotless as it had been when she had done the same procedure this morning. Unaware of the light clicks of high heels approaching her until her visitor was practically within arm's reach.
"That's a look I've seen before sis,"
The older Heiress' head did not budge at the sound of her sister who she hadn't at all expected to see for the rest of the tournament and maybe the decade if she was honest. Letting out a deep sigh Weiss deigned to turn around glaring at her twin who turned her own blue eyes down, wary of her sister's wrath.
"I'm sorry Weiss," Winter whispered, "If… if… you want me to leave?"
"What do you want?" Weiss demanded,
"Personally? Well… I want to apologize."
The look of anger faded from Weiss's face just as quickly as it appeared, and she could barely find the words to express her surprise.
Winter almost laughed, "I'd be amazed to."
"It's not that…" Weiss blinked and tried to explain,
"Yes, yes it is sis. I'm sorry… I'm sorry... I wasn't as brave as you when it really mattered. I'm sorry your friend was killed. My God… there's so much else."
"It's okay Winter."
The younger girl's pale eyes took on a shimmering tone as tears welled up, putting the talk she wanted to have with her sister away to address why she was really here. "Please Weiss, father is going to crack if he doesn't see you soon."
"I'm a little busy."
"I know, but just please? After your duel please?"
"Why?"
That word sent Winter back half a step as if she had been struck with a fist.
"Why?" Weiss repeated herself, "Why should I care how he's doing? When I finally almost, almost! Get a chance to live my own life and he shows up bringing everything I left behind right back. I…
The Heiress sighed, "I'm sorry too Winter. That I left you alone up there… That I snapped at you."
Weiss raised up her blade and ran one appraising eye down its perfect edge. "If father wants a piece of my mind I'll give him one."
Smiling now, Winter gave her sister a light bow. "Very well then. Day after tomorrow… And I wouldn't miss it for the world."
Yang was practically driving on the sidewalk when she took the corners through Vale on her motor cycle. Her high boots almost scraping the pavement when she leaned side to side.
Blake riding behind her was used to some wild trips, reckless speed didn't scare her. She just wished her partner would slow down so she could see the street names and if they were going the right way. Her fingers dug into Yang's shoulders when they took another right turn.
A car blasted its horn as they cut it off.
"Slow down!" Blake tried to shout over the motorcycle's hum.
Yang heard her, but just grinned and opened the throttle more. Her Faunus partner felt the wind push her black hair back. They were headed deep into the industrial zone. How she got there or why the mysterious Huntress Raven was holed up in this forsaken place was beyond the two partners.
The tires squealed like they were in pain when Yang slid the bike to a stop in front of the factory park Raven's coordinates had led them too. Both girls sat up and surveyed the rusted metal strapped along the chain link fence. Several big buildings were visible over the string of barbed wire.
"Nice place," Blake said.
Together the two Huntresses dismounted and started to circle around looking for an entrance before they had to resort to acrobatics. Yang was thinking Raven probably just opened a portal over. As they came around the first corner Blake pointed up to a padlocked gate further down.
It was locked up tight, but still the easiest option they had at the moment. When they got close Blake deciding time was of the essence drew her katana and folded it down to the pistol form then put a single bullet through the lock. Several birds took flight at the loud bang.
Yang pulled the chain away then took hold of the rough metal pole. The wheel mechanism clattered along as she walked and pulled backwards.
Now inside the two of them took a look around. It was empty as a graveyard and half as welcoming. The big ruined factory building still was pretty much intact, but there was barely an inch of it that wasn't rusted over. Tall weeds grew through cracks in the cement everywhere. Small sheds were scattered around falling in on themselves.
"This looks like Mountain Glenn," Yang said advancing on the structure.
Blake nodded, "You'd think someone would have a good use for this space."
"Well we know at least one person does."
The larger hangar like door screeched as the two girls pulled it open enough them to slip in one at a time. The noon sun barely helped illuminate the nearly echoing inside. Catwalks for whatever assembly company previously owned this crossed over the wide floor. Twice as tall as was necessary for someone to walk beneath them.
Along the left wall there was another raised catwalk and an observation platform with a little boarded up office shack. To their right on the factory floor were several small double doors, all closed as well except for one.
"Any preference?" Yang asked her partner.
Blake looked left and then looked right, before she moved over to the ground floor doors.
The metal stairs were in relatively good condition, but still Yang gripped the hand rails just in case. The old flooring creaked with each step. Despite the emptiness around her the blonde was still vigilant, Ember Celica prepped and ready to go.
The office door was open just a fraction of an inch. Not wanting to take any chances Yang took half a jump forward and put her foot straight into the rotting wood. The door was torn from its hinges and crashed back into an old desk.
Raven was in the back right corner crouched and tucked behind a filing cabinet pointing her long red sword in two trembling hands at Yang and the door.
The darker girl was filthy. Dust, grime and dried blood were splattered on her face. Her hair was a mess and her outfit had some jagged slashes on it. Her helmet and red bracers were nowhere to be seen in the room.
But what really got Yang's attention was the bleeding mess of flesh from the terrible charred wound laying on Raven's left thigh.
"Raven!" Yang raised up her hands, showing she meant no harm.
The wounded girl found her voice, "Are they dead?"
She sounded genuinely terrified, "Are who dead?" Yang tried to ask.
Blake was puzzled. She didn't think this place, which she was picturing as some sort of assembly building would need an entrance to the underground. Further down the shadows were too deep even for her Faunus eyes to penetrate.
Remembering a trick she learned from an old White Fang operator she looked down for anything she could throw inside and listen to the echoes. Map out as much as she could mentally in mere moments without risking a foray into the void.
One chunk of concrete down on the right wall looked promising. Gambol Shroud slid into her grasp and Blake took a few steps in.
But she stopped.
At a different sound.
Totally unexpected.
But easily recognizable.
Deep, growling,
Breathing.
Years of flight or fight jump instincts seized her heart. She twirled the sword up and reached for her cleaver sheath as well.
Two pairs of burning red eyes, flashed in the darkness.
The loud bark and howl instantly dragged her attention away from the girl she came here to find. But what really set her to fight was hearing her Faunus partner shout out.
Yang's hair sparked at the first sound of warning. Subconsciously manifesting her semblance.
Blake flipped and rolled backwards through the door, crossing her blades up to block.
Out from the darkness one Beowolf leapt through the door already swinging its right paw down at her. Blake flipped back again off a shadow clone.
The ivory claws passed harmlessly through of her apparition. Gouging concrete chunks up from the floor. A second wolf ran out on all fours, past its kin and the Faunus looking up to the fiery blonde above them.
Explosive blasts split the floor around the charging beast as Yang started firing shell after shell from her shot-gauntlets. The pellets tore into the Grimm, it nearly made it within jumping distance before another flurry of fire and lead turned its face into smoke and bone fragments making it tumble down dead.
The other Beowolf jumped again at Blake. She pulsed her semblance once more shooting between its legs.
Purple light trailed from her swords as she slashed into its knees. When the creature hit the ground it fell forward onto its chest. But the wolf wasn't out of it yet. It tried to press upwards, turning and snarling at its enemy. The last thing that passed through its left eye was not what it had been expecting. As the grapnel hook from Blake's multi-phase weapon sunk deep into its brain. Killing the monster instantly.
The sudden shocking quiet gave both girls a moment to breath and focus. Letting the two victorious Huntresses look back to the tunnel mouth the creatures had come from.
Their senses attracted to the loud thuds echoing from the tunnel.
Something else was coming, and it was big.
The Ursa that burst out of the depths wasn't a true major, but it might have been well on its way with the white spikes sprouting from its back. The bear surveyed the two Grimm corpses, before turning its massive head on the living.
"Bumblebee!" Blake shouted out,
Yang took half a step back then launched herself forward into the air, propelling herself on an explosive wave of force shot from Ember Celica. Blake took aim and flung her hook back. Yang caught the weapon in her left hand as her partner turned and whipped the blonde comet down towards the Ursa.
It didn't have any time to react, Yang fell downwards raising her hand and weapon. The adrenaline rush making her smile. The Grimm's skull was shattered instantly. Yang's gauntlet embedded where its vaporized brain used to be.
The building shook with the force of her impact. And a ripple of ruined floor blasted away from her knees when Yang landed. Shouting in anger she rose up and gave the Ursa a few hearty kicks in the neck for good measure.
Blake came close and grabbed her left arm, "Yang stop!"
The angry Huntress was at least coherent enough to hear the Faunus, she let out a deep breath and dropped the hook in her hand and turned around.
"Grimm? Here?" Blake asked, shaking her head in disbelief. The bow that hid her ears flattened down instinctively at their close brush with walking nightmares.
Yang nodded in agreement "And after Raven I think…"
Before they returned to find the object of their search Yang and Blake attempted to seal the door as best they could. Piling up debris and bracing the barricade with pipes. Praying there would be nothing negative close enough to potentially draw anymore Grimm out.
Back in the office, Raven had fallen down again. Hugging her knees even though it was obvious her grievous injury made the position almost unbearably painful.
The once proud half Faunus whimpered in fear as Yang approached. Blake stood just in the door way keeping watch as Yang crouched down to try and calm the other girl.
"It found me…. It found me…" Raven kept repeating that phrase over and over. Rocking back and forth. Yang's heart ached in sympathy and concern. She reached out her hands, wary of any form of contact.
"Raven, you're safe now. I'm here," The blonde said.
"Yang?" Raven choked out,
"The one and only girl," She answered with a warm smile
Suddenly the brunette leaned forward against Yang lowering down. She put her own hands to her face and let the shock finally dip her into unconsciousness. Yang blinked in confusion, turning back to Blake. Silently hoping for a comment.
The cat Faunus just shook her head, "I'll call Ruby, we're gonna be a while."