Halo, finally, the third volume's started. Enjoy the reading.
The sun was already setting, casting orange light over the entire horizon and the city of Vale itself while Lance from his family's mansion looked out of his bedroom window. He took a nervous breath as he turned back to his room to put on his red and gold armor. He laced up his black boots, buttoned up his blue jeans, strapped on his red and gold knee, elbow and groin pads and his holster on his belt with his pistol in it. He put on his red t-shirt, his hooded cardigan, and his red and gold breastplate on top of that, strapping on his shoulder pads, his sword scabbard on the other side of his belt, and his shield on his back. His armor gloves came next, but before he even put on his helmet, he found an old letter under it and he doesn't know how it got there.
"My son,
we, the members of the Monroe family, have always been noble Hunters and Huntresses who do everything to protect people and peace. Our crest is the pawn because we must always be ready to sacrifice our own lives for the greater good, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Hence the motto of our family:
Better a dead pawn than a living traitor.
I hope you follow this path too,
Your father, David Monroe."
"Grandfather."
This letter was written by Lance's grandfather to his father.
He didn't know his grandfather very well but he did know that he died bravely on a secret mission of which it is impossible to know whether it had any meaning, significance or whether it was successful at all. He died as a pawn without anyone remembering him and without his loved ones knowing if his death had any meaning.
"Will this also be my fate?"
He was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock on the door.
- It's open! – He said when the doorknob gave way and an older, thin, elderly man came in, stumbling along in an elegant black suit and with a walking stick. The graying blond hair was combed back and nothing but contempt could be seen in her stern blue eyes as she saw Lance in his armor and reading the familiar letter.
- You haven't thrown that nonsense away yet? – The man asked, when he met Lance's disapproving gaze.
- Dad, those were your father's last words to you. - Lance replied as he clenched his fists as his father walked past him to look at the sun setting horizon.
- Your grandfather was a naive fool for taking the family motto so seriously. The Eternal Pawn. - His father looked even angrier as he caught sight of the golden pawn on his son's red shield.
- Then… - Lance did respect his father but he really didn't like the way he talked about his grandfather. - will you take me to the championship?
- Yeah. - His father answered curtly but he had one last question. - What's the name of your team, Lama?
- Lame. – His son answered and his father just shook his head resignedly.
- Was Loser already taken?
- What do you want, dad?! - Lance was starting to lose his temper.
- I'd rather ask you, son. With the pawn crest and the team LLMM name… maybe you want to humiliate yourself?
Lance didn't answer, he just walked out of the room, down the stairs and into his father's private jet. His father, after taking a dose of medicine followed and as soon as they got in, the plane ascended from the ground and flew high into the air.
The Vytal Championship Arena or more precisely the Amity Arena was a huge, floating arena, filled with all kinds of high-quality defense systems which protected both from external attacks and of course the spectators from the blows of the fighting teams. Stands with several thousand seats surrounded the arena which was quite small compared to the huge size of the arena, a 150m octagon with 4 entrances. In the middle of the fighting circle was a circle of barely 20m.
The arena that hovered above Beacon slowly filled with excited and enthusiastic spectators eager to fight and the other participating teams arrived, including the rest of the LLMM team.
A total of 20 teams, it means 80 future Hunters and Huntresses took part in the championship:
RWBY vs ABRN
CMEE vs JTKS
JNPR vs BRNZ
SSSN vs NDGO
LLMM vs VERF
CFVY vs GRRN
CRDL vs PRPL
FNKI vs YTTH
PNCL vs XLLL
They will fight each other in the first round in this order.
Team RWBY battled Team ABRN.
- Whoa, it looks like we're about to witness a great first battle! - One of the commentators was Professor Port. - Don't you agree, Professor? - He asked his companion, Oobleck.
- Doctor! - He corrected him in a slightly irritated way. - And yes, Peter! This match, although the first turns out to be very exciting in the 4v4 fight!
- Welcome to the Amity Arena! For those of you who don't understand the rules, allow us to give you a quick explanation.
- The tournament, - Oobleck began, fighting quickly. – is divided into 3 parts. Teams, pairs and individual. Fame and influence mean nothing here. The only thing that matters here is skills.
- Exactly. – Port agreed. – The winners of team fight, or as the simple people call it, the 4v4, choose two from the team who will participate in the doubles fight. Those who win also choose someone who will move on from the team. The remaining ones fight each other one by one until only one person is left to the end and wins the final victory not only for his team but also for his kingdom.
- Not incidentally, Peter, the upcoming fights will be full of spectacular sights that we are lucky to see. I don't think there is a single person on Remnant who disagrees with me.
- And why? – Port asked the sarcastic question. – Now, back to the match between RWBY of Beacon and ABRN of Heaven.
Team RWBY fought with Team ABRN but the arena was split in two, one half covered in ice while the other half was volcanic rocky ground.
Both teams fought fiercely, but in the end, team RWBY emerged victorious after Weiss created an ice slide that Yang slid down, giving her enough boost with Blake's Gumbo Shroud and Ruby Crescent Rose to knocked out the remaining members of team ABRN from the ring with a single punch.
- And that's all! - Port announced. – Team RWBY has won!
- You were awesome! - Lance from the LLMM team came to them and of course the whole team as well to congratulate them on their victory.
- I think you won this battle with a knockout! - Lynda laughed.
- Good thing we didn't get you first. – Mike was extremely grateful that he didn't have to fight team RWBY.
- We were great! - Yang enthused as she hugged her sister.
- We were united. - Weiss tried to remain formal but she couldn't hide her joy.
- We're going down to the stalls to eat. - Ruby replied after breaking free from her sister's embrace. - Aren't you coming? Your battle is still further away.
- I don't mind, I skipped breakfast anyway. - Lance shrugged.
- I could eat anytime. – Mike was excited hearing the possibility of eating.
- It would be good for me to wolf in something too! - Lynda joked and everyone except Yang, who just laughed, just stared at her tiredly. – Well… I'm a dog faunus and not a wolf but I think it came across. And you, Mandy? – Lynda just asked the other faunus girl enthusiastically who was very lost in her thoughts.
- What? - She just switched on suddenly and came back to reality. - I'd skip it but if you want, let's go.
- Than we decided, we'll go down to eat with the team RWBY and come back. - Lance concluded.
They boarded a transport plane that transported spectators and attendees from the Amity Arena down to the festival, which was filled with all kinds of food and drink stalls.
- Let's hurry, - Ruby then collapsed, her strength leaving her and she looked half dead from hunger. - I'm hungry!
- I could use some food too. - Blake answered with a confidence that immediately disappeared after her stomach rumbled so loudly that it could be heard on the other side of Remnant.
- Wow, I wish there was somewhere we could eat. - Weiss looked sarcastically between the food stalls. - Oh yeah! I forgot about them.
- It's okay, Weiss, - Ruby, as if she didn't understand to her that her white-haired friend was just joking, she was completely serious, putting her hand on her shoulder reassuringly. – sometimes I also forget about the festival.
- I was being sarcastic, you fish sandwich!
- If you're hungry, why didn't you tell me?!
- Come on, I know where to eat. – Yang showed the way to a noodle stall that smelled delicious.
- Um, - Mandy's ears twitched and she heard a Scroll ringing. - you're ringing. – She said to Weiss who just hung up the caller in irritated way. - Who was that?
- Nobody! - She angrily put the Scroll away and went after the two teams.
- Hey, - A girl addressed the members of two teams. – it will be difficult without it! – It was Emerald from the CMEE team holding a wallet.
- Oh! – Ruby nervously started searching in her pockets and was horrified to realize that she had left her wallet.
- Nice to see you, Ruby. – Emerald greeted them and returned the wallet.
- Thank you, Emerald! - She took it gratefully. - I dropped it. Girl pockets are the worst.
- What's up, Em? - Yang also came to them.
- I just came down from the Arena after seeing your super cool matches! You were awesome!
- Oh, - Ruby blushed and waved nervously as the rest of her team and the team LLMM joined in. - well... it wasn't such a big deal.
- I hear your team was next. - Blake interjected.
- I can't see the rest of your team. - Weiss was interested.
- How did you do in the fight? - Yang asked excitedly while Emerald thought. She remembered taking care of the JTKS team with Cinder, Mercury and Neo.
- Pretty well. - She answered confidently.
- Great! Why don't we invite them over for a meal too?
- Oh, - Emerald was shocked at this. - that's very nice of you but my teammates, - She tiredly looked around the festival, she saw Mercury at a stand filled with leather stuffs while sniffing one of the boots, Neo, the mute girl who put on his disguise again, and drank a cup of tea in an elegant way and Cinder who was looking for a new belt. - they are not very sociable. They're awkward in social events.
- Oh, the heavy cross. - Yang nodded in understanding.
- Anyway, Merc and I will go to the doubles match. - She continued excitedly. - Which one of you will go?
- Well, - Ruby drawled and tried to sound important. – as the captain of the team, after a long and careful consideration, I have decided to…
- We voted. – Weiss interrupted and Ruby just started sweating nervously and nestling.
- Yes, but I suggested the vote. - Ruby added and she was still nervous.
- We chose Weiss and Yang. - Blake gave the answer.
- I will be happy to represent the RWBY team. - Weiss pouted elegantly.
- Yes, we'll kick some butts! – Yang just clenched her fists and was already hungry for a fight and Emerald just giggled.
- Well, if Mercury and I come face to face with you don't expect us to be gentle with you.
- We wouldn't want it any other way. - Yang just crossed her arms.
- Well, we'll fight some more. Bye. – She also turned to go towards her teammates.
- Have fun! – Ruby said goodbye.
Both teams sat down at the noodle stand, whose owner Yang already knew.
- I'd like a bowl of the usual. - He already pushed a huge bowl of pasta with meat and sauce in front of her.
- Uh, - Ruby liked what her sister ordered. – I want the same.
- Um, - Weiss thought a little more. – do you have something that's low in calories... - She didn't even finish, the owner already pushed a third bowl of pasta in front of her. - okay.
Blake didn't have to say anything because she also knew the owner, who just had to nod to know what she wanted. He went back to the kitchen for a few seconds and came back with a plate of fried fish that made Blake drool.
- A pasta like that would be good for me too. – Lance nodded, seeing that the girls' food looked good and was already pushed in front of him with a bowl.
- I'll have two. – Mike ordered and the two bowls of pasta were ready before him.
- Is that chicken meat? – Lynda didn't get an answer because the big bowl of pasta was already there before her. - It is! - She started wrapping it with good appetite.
- I don't... - Mandy had no appetite at all but the seller didn't care and he had already put the big bowl in front of her. - want.
- Taste it Mandy, - Lance suggested after paying with his credit card. – it's very good.
- I... - She couldn't finish again because an unpleasant noise came from the cash register.
- What?! - Weiss snapped after the cash register declined her credit card. – How can my card be rejected?! I barely spent any of the monthly limit. – The seller wasn't interested in the excuse, he already took the fish bowl from Blake whose heart would be broken.
- Shall I pay? - Lance offered, showing his own card.
- Oh, no need… - Yang just waved but Blake snapped obsessively.
- But he could!
- Can we join? – The JNPR team also appeared, even before their first match.
Finally, Lance paid for the RWBY team's lunch and the JNPR team also sat down with them, the seller, without waiting for what they ordered pushed the same big bowl of noodles in front of all 4 young people, which was also in front of the RWBY and LLMM teams.
Everyone ate well, maybe a little too much, except for Mandy, who hardly touched hers.
- Are you not feeling well? - Lynda asked, a little sleepy from eating too much.
- Why do you ask? - Mandy cut in, in a harsh style.
- Chicken has been food for as long as dogs can remember and it's true, - Lynda was already a little worried. - that you are a fox but it is also a kind of dog. Are you sick?
- I just don't want to pig out before the game! - With that she jumped off the chair and left her team and the other two teams.
- What's wrong with her? – Yang just looked uncomfortably in the direction of the departing faunus girl.
- I don't know. - Lance shrugged. - She's been very quiet since she arrived. Even quieter and more reserved than usual.
- Maybe she's just nervous about the match. - Lynda guessed.
- You shouldn't, - Pyrrha just stood up to encourage the members of the three teams. – we will fight under normal conditions, with other decent students, in a regular manner and not with crazy killers.
- True, - Yang was confident. - we have faced worse.
- Let's see, - Blake counted. - Grimm occupation, terrorists and a gangster leader.
- And we're still only students! - Ruby was also excited. - Just think about what it will be like when we pass the exam!
- Then maybe, I can pay for my lunch. - Weiss was a little broken.
- Our achievements, - Lance also began to brag about their own heroic deeds. – also, a group of terrorists, we participated in stopping the Grimm invasion and the liberation of an ancient, cursed Knight.
- We can beat your mouths at any time! - Lynda glared defiantly at team RWBY.
- Where and when?! - Yang liked the idea. - Don't bark if you don't bite!
- The JNPR team should report to the Arena as soon as possible! – Professor Port's voice came over the loudspeaker.
- It was already discussed minutes ago! - Oobleck's voice also spoke.
- Looks like, - Pyrrha signaled to her team that it was time to go. - it's time.
- Good luck! - Ruby called out to them.
- Then, - Lance stood up and signaled to his team and team RWBY that they should go so they wouldn't miss the match. - let's not be too late.
- I wonder which team will win? – Mercury stuffed himself with a big bucket of popcorn and waited with interest for the next team fight. Neo just waved as she ate a cup of strawberry ice cream.
- As if we didn't know the answer. - Emerald just rolled her eyes.
- Come on, - Cinder took a popcorn seed out of Mercury's bag. – just because we know how a story ends, - She concentrated yellow energy into the seed with her two fingers which made it pop like normal popcorn. – it can still be fun. - She ate it.
The next clash was between the JNPR and the BRNZ team. A forest appeared in one half of the arena and a mountain range appeared in the other half, on top of which real storm clouds appeared.
The viewers were only certain that Team JNPR would win because the team included Pyrrha Nikos, who was a living legend among Beacon students but in reality, Jaune's quick tactical analysis, Norah's Semblance, and the teamwork of the JNPR team helped them emerged victorious from the fight.
Next up is the all-girls team NDGO from Vacuo while their opponent is the all-boys team SSSN from Mistral. Even Weiss had a particular crush on Neptune but after seeing how arrogant and flirtatious he was acting around the other girls she quickly switched sides.
One half of the arena was a barren, rocky desert while the other half was an ocean beach with a ship on the water. Neptune has serious hydrophobic that means he's afraid of water. The teams initially proved to be equal but Neptune was so scared of the water that he got as far away from it as possible, so his team had to fight without him and the numerical advantage was already on the side of the team NDGO which was increased by the fact that Sage was eliminated quite quickly.
After Neptune gained enough courage to support her team from a decent distance one of the NDGO girls was eliminated. The boys of the SSSN team fought much more instinctively and improvised while the NDGO girls fought more deliberately, as a team and this resulted that they could eliminate Scarlet.
It looked like team NDGO would be the winner when, thanks to Sun's constant urging and yelling, Neptune overcame his fear of water and while NDGO gathered in the water for the final attack, Neptune dipped his electric fork into the water, knocking out all of the whole NDGO team.
The next fight was between team LLMM and team VERF both teams was from Vale.
The members of the VERF team were Vivio Takamachi, the leader, a girl 157cm tall, her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail with a blue ribbon on the left side and green eyes. She used two nunjakus in the fight.
Einhart Stratos, 162cm tall, had light green, long hair, blue eyes and quite muscular for her age. She used two revolvers in the fight.
Rinne Berlinetta was a 160cm tall girl with silver hair and blue eyes. She used two tonfas as weapons.
And finally, Fuuka R. Bucksworth, 155cm tall, had short brown hair and blue eyes. She used two katanas in combat.
- Seriously, - Lynda just smiled confidently as she drew her tri-blades. – have to fight a group of lolis?
- Hey, don't use your mouth unnecessarily, because soon you'll just be yelling! – Fuuka cut in after twirling her katanas in both hands.
- Little girls with big mouth. - Mandy remarked, fitting an arrow to the bowstring.
- If you underestimate us, you can catch a beat, Foxy! – Rinne called out, twisting her tonfas.
- And they are very disrespectful. – They didn't like Mike either but he prepared What the Heck.
- I'm going to use you big *ss as a target! - Einhart scoffed, securing her two revolvers.
- And they are childish. - Lance finished surveying his opponents, drew out his sword and twirled it in his hand, then pointed his shield forward.
- I will break your hands and feet and we will see who is childish. – Vivio also turned her nunjakus at lightning speed.
The arena was again divided into two parts, one half on the ice field, the other half on the beach.
- 3! 2! 1! Fight!
The fight between the LLMM and the VERF team has begun.
Thank you for reading. Please sign it to follow and as favourite and don't forget to write reviews.
About the team VERF, they're not my OCs, they're my friend's who passed away for a few years. He wanted to write another RWBY story but he can't anymore. So, I've decided I respect him by putting them into my story for a cameo.
