A/N. 1st Lieutenant Fae whom I knew in real life outside this site, lived in the same city and my best friend of the past 13 years passed away in January 2023. Vader23A and I as her friends will be taking over Team TEAL with what notes she left. To my best friend of the past 13 years, we started this together and we'll try our best to finish it with you in mind.
"An acceptable performance" Professor Goodwitch stated as the two students concluded their sparring, "Mr. Arc you are still behind your classmates, but your performance is showing improvement."
Jaune chuckled before replying nervously, "Yeah well you know, practice makes perfect right?"
His instructor hummed in acknowledgment, "While you are not wrong, please keep in mind you have much catching up to do, but I am pleased with your progress."
"Thank you, Professor Goodwitch," Jaune said before returning to his teammates in the stands, his footsteps echoing on the stairs leading up from the arena floor as their teacher cleared her throat.
"Now, we have time for one more match today, any volunteers?" her verdant eyes scanning across her students before resting on Tira, "Ms. Cage, you have been uncharacteristically inanimate today, could it be your limitless energy has finally run out?"
Tira's chin was resting against her fist, instead of watching the previous match she had been staring at her teacher throughout, "No my energy is fine, Ms. Goodwitch, I just couldn't help, but notice the way the light from the windows met your eyes, they're enchanting."
Glynda closed her eyes, adjusting her glasses, with a stern expression, "This again, I see. Ms. Cage need I remind you once again that you are a student and I am a teacher? Such conduct even if purely verbal expression is unbecoming and inappropriate."
"That doesn't make my statement any less true" Tira replied.
Yang Xiao Long from Team RWBY leaned forward to look at her, "Careful Tira, if you have this chat with her again you might get into real trouble this time."
Tira smirked, turning in her seat to meet the blonde's lilac eyes, "Should I stare into your eyes instead? I wouldn't mind getting lost in those for a few minutes."
"Is that how long you last?" a male student said from the row behind them.
Tira and Yang looked to the row behind them, "Careful Sin" Yang had told him, "A girl could take that as a challenge."
The student from Shade replied, "It'd be better than watching all of this" he gestured with his hand to the arena floor before them, clearly bored by the day's matches.
Glynda cleared her throat again, "If you are that bored Mr. Sabre you can always volunteer."
"I did" Sin replied, "Yesterday remember?"
"I recall," Glynda told him, "It was at the end of class, you should have spoken up sooner."
Sin said, "Yesterday you had all the matches predetermined, I'm not going to interfere with your schedule unless it's to ask you to dinner."
Tira looked back to Yang, "And you say I have a set on me."
Yang grinned and Glynda once more clears her throat to get their attention, "If you are all finished. Mr. Sabre are you volunteering or not?"
"To take you to dinner?" Sin asked, "I mean yeah, but I'd rather cook for you."
An exasperated sigh escaped their teacher's mouth, "Ozpin you don't pay me enough" she whispered to herself, "Approach the stage please."
Tira smirked at the Shade student as he stood up, "Someone's in trouble with teacher."
"I certainly hope so" Sin replied as he descended the stairs.
Glynda maintained her composure as she looked at her class roster, "Now, let's find you an opponent suitable for your…mannerisms, Ms. Lynch" she announced looking up from her list, "You have not participated in any matches at all since arriving at Beacon, why don't you be Sin's opponent."
"Pass" Cassandra said from her seat in the far corner of the room, as always she sat alone and away from her classmates at every opportunity.
Glynda said, "I know you are not a social person Ms. Lynch, but you are at Beacon to become a huntress and a crucial part of that is combat experience which you will not obtain simply by observing others."
"I'm not here to learn how to fight people" Cassandra tells her, "I'm here to learn to kill monsters, nothing more."
Sin standing next to Glynda on the stage looks back to Tira, "Hey, you're the team leader right?" after seeing Tira nod in confirmation he continues, "Is she always this hardcore?"
"Unfortunately" Tira sighs, "Big Cass doesn't make friends very well" her tone expressing a desire to taunt her teammate.
"This is a waste of time" Cassandra said standing up and leaving the room ignoring Glynda telling her that class hasn't ended yet.
"So" Sin began, "Since she left, can I choose my opponent or do you have another in mind?"
With another sign Glynda returned her eyes to her roster, "Thanks to all of the banter we'll have to set a time limit on this match, now let's see."
Cassandra stepped out into the courtyard, the autumn wind grazing against her scarred skin. She ignored the light shivers in her body caused by the chill as she returned to her team's dorm. She respected Goodwitch for her skills as a huntress, but her words annoyed her. Why should she participate in mock battles against other students? There's no point in that, she wasn't here to fight other people, none of them were, they were there to learn how to fight the creatures of Grimm. Some huntsmen and huntresses would fight other people, bandits, the White Fang, and the like, but their main job was to hunt down and kill Grimm.
"The only reason I go to that useless class is so I can change out of that uniform and into my regular clothes" she grumbled as she grabbed her weapons from the foot of her bed.
Making sure her battle attire was properly secured she holstered her firearm and carried her double-ended spear out of the room making her way to Beacon's border leading to the Emerald Forest, wanting nothing more than to get away from this place and do some real training.
Standing before the tree line of the Emerald Forest she drew an arrow over her shoulder drawing it against the bow string that ran the length of her double-ended spear and scanned the edge of the trees, her ever-burning rage, her never-ending hate was surely already alerting the monsters to her presence.
"Come and find me" she demanded in her mind, "I'll enjoy eviscerating you all."
Her weapon drawn she advanced into the trees without caution, she wanted them to pounce, to think they had her in an ambush, she didn't know if they could think beyond base feral instinct, but if they could then it would be that much more satisfying to show them they were not the predators, she was.
She didn't know how long she had been walking she didn't bother keeping track of the time all she knew is the farther in she went the more she would attract, and they were close. The birds had gone silent, the insects had stopped buzzing and only her footsteps could be heard. She drew her arrow back, they had been following her for a while now, and finally, they had surrounded her just as she wanted them to and she grinned. Violent excitement rushed through her, finally the moment she had waited for.
She raised her bow and loosed her dust-infused arrow watching it explode in a blaze of dirt and stone as it impaled into the chest of the hidden Beowolf. With pure bloodlust she roared, challenging the monsters in their own language to face her, and they answered. Dozens of them rushed from the trees, running toward what they believed to be their prey.
Waiting for the first one Cassandra slid her right hand to the lower half of her weapon's shaft, planting her right foot behind her, and as the first pounced she stepped forward all of her weight shifting from her planted foot into her upper body as she swung upward. The lower tip of the spear sliced into the Beowolf's lower abdomen and kept going until it made a clean cut all the way to its lower jaw cleanly splitting the Grimm open and giving it a swift end. The black mist that served as the Grimm's blood spilled from the wound as the body began dissolving with it, but Cassandra didn't stop to admire her work there was still more to kill.
The momentum of her upward swing reaching its apex she released her left hand's grip allowing it to turn and reposition before thrusting to the side impaling one and then swinging it into another. Planting her spear into the ground she pole-vaulted over them drawing her machine gun and firing down as she flew over them, dozens of explosive dust-infused rounds impacting the pack, stumbling and stunning some while shredding through others. Landing on her feet, she dropped her firearm back to its holster to draw another arrow watching it ignite a roaring blaze as it impaled into one of the Grimm setting them all alight.
As the monsters burned they panicked in feral fear, flailing as their fur and flesh seared and she watched, pure enjoyment evident on her face as she saw them suffer desperately flailing in a futile attempt to stop the pain and fire. So caught up in watching them suffer that her guard was down, she didn't notice the pack's alpha approaching her from behind until it was too late.
It pounced her from behind, driving her face first into the ground as it sank its fangs into her neck, her aura was the only thing saving her life as it bit and slashed at her with its heavy claws. Still holding her neck in its mouth it dragged her to the side before thrashing back and forth and then throwing her to the side rolling her onto her back and then pouncing her again.
As the alpha pounced Cassandra raised her weapon, the shaft pressed against the Grimm's throat holding its jaws back, but its long arms still easily reached her. One slash after another the large clawed paws ripped and tore at her aura, but each hit only served to increase her rage. Struggling against the alpha's strength Cassandra managed to get one leg free kicking its knee to knock it off balance allowing her to use its own weight to roll it over onto its back, but before she could capitalize on the new position another Beowolf lunged at her grabbing her weapon arm and dragging her back away from the alpha as two others jumped her.
Pinned, with both her arms and one of her legs trapped within their mouths and the alpha coming for her head Cassandra's mind flashed back to the night when the grimm attacked her home killing and eating her family. Time seemed to slow down as the alpha's drooling maw lowered over her head preparing to clamp shut and as it did her vision went red. Boiling blood and burning adrenaline surged through her body, years of fury, every ounce of rage within her exploded along with her aura sending the Grimm flying off and away from her. With a feral scream, she scrambled to her feet and lunged forward driving her spear into the chest of the first before twisting her body causing the blade to cut its way through and in the same motion decapitated the one next to it. She turned once again and drove her spear into the mouth and out the back of the third's head leaving only her and the pack alpha.
The two rushed each other and when the alpha swung its arm she blocked with her spear, twisting her weapon into an upward swing slicing its arm off as she pivoted to the side and pulled an explosive arrow from her quiver and drove it into the alpha's skull the resulting explosion throwing her several meters and slamming her into a tree. Slumping to the ground she waited for the debris cloud to clear confirming that the alpha was indeed dead, its body destroyed and mangled, chunks of it littering the area quickly disintegrating into black mist. Standing up Cassandra went to retrieve her weapon hearing another roar as she did, an ursa stampeding toward her attracted to her rage like a shark to blood.
Drawing another arrow she aimed at its back legs and fired, the dust exploding on impact and encasing its back legs in ice stopping its charge. The Ursa fell to the ground its front paws clawing to try and free itself as she approached it, pure vengeance burning in her eyes as she fired another ice arrow at its front paws trapping them as well. With the Grimm immobile she stabbed her spear into the ground and cracked her knuckles as she stood over it. The first punch landed with added force as her aura expelled outward before swiftly being followed by a second, then a third, and a fourth. A cross, a hook, an uppercut, a relentless flurry of increasingly feral strikes against the defenseless Ursa, each blow meant not to kill, but to inflict pain.
She continued to attack and punch even after her aura was depleted from overuse and her own fists became bruised and bloodied from the repeated strikes. The Ursa's skull had given way crushed under the assault, but because of the blood haze consuming her Cassandra did not relent until its entire body had evaporated.
Left alone and out of breath she collapsed to her knees seething, and while her pulse was beating heavily in her ears she still heard their howls. She looked up, more had arrived, dozens? Hundreds? Her blood lust was too much for her to count. Standing up she reached for her machine gun waiting for them to come, that's when the area was covered in darkness. Her gaze moved to the sky, a giant nevermore blocking the sun as it circled above.
The ground shattered as a King Taijitu erupted from behind her its white head lunging forward to swallow her whole, but with a sidestep, she dodged and jammed her gun into its mouth ignoring the pain of its bite as she pulled the trigger. The bullets shredded their way out of the massive serpent's head killing it immediately just as the other head attacked only for Cassandra to retrieve her spear and thrust it forward impaling the black head through the roof of its maw and through its skull.
"Who's next?" she yelled at them, "Who's next?" she yelled again pulling her spear free.
As the first wave charged purple translucent tendrils wrapped around Cassandra completely binding her before pulling her away and toward the other end of the clearing. Turning her flaming eyes she saw Professor Goodwitch armed with her riding crop meeting Cassandra's eyes with a furious expression.
"Release me!" Cassandra demanded, her words slurred from her exhaustion and rage.
A student approached Glynda during her break informing her that they saw another student heading toward the Emerald Forest alone and when Glynda looked to the edge of the forest she could see signs of heavy Grimm activity and battle. Birds flocked from the trees by the thousands as clouds of dirt, fire, and smoke erupted from the same spot.
Rushing through the forest eliminating any Grimm she came across the huntress reached the site of the battle just as Cassandra beat an Ursa to death, but before she could intervene she had to deal with a Beowolf pack that ambushed her. Swiftly and expertly dealing with the pack she watched as her student violently ended the King Taijitu and yelled at the rest of the Grimm, Glynda raised her riding crop and with her semblance grabbed her student pulling her away from her vulnerable position.
"We are going to have a talk with Ozpin when we return Ms. Lynch!" Glynda informed her as the giant nevermore landed in front of them, its screech piercing their ears.
With her semblance, Glynda lifted debris and stones from around them raining them down on the Grimm as an earthen hail, pelting it until it collapsed under the assault, and with a precise strike, she finished the Grimm off.
"I don't need help" Cassandra seethed.
"You're going to get a different kind of help when this is over young lady" Glynda growled, her patience wearing thin at Cassandra's reckless audacity.
Adjusting her glasses Glynda readied herself dozens upon dozens of Grimm charging toward her and Cassandra, but before she could begin her attack small bursts of smoke erupted in front of her quickly filling the air around them and obscuring them from the Grimm. Unsure of the smoke's intent Glynda covered her mouth as someone grabbed her by her waist and pulled her before she felt her feet leave the ground and everything went pitch black. Light returned just as her feet touched the ground only for the sensations to repeat again and again, rapid flashes of darkness and returning light as her body felt like it was being forced to leap over and over until she was outside of the forest.
Feeling the arm around her waist release her Glynda turned to see Cassandra's partner Alexia slightly out of breath concluding that she had used her semblance to save Cassandra and her and get them far away from the horde.
"Are you alright, Ms. Goodwitch?" Alexia asked her.
Still annoyed at Cassandra's behavior Glynda calmed herself as she responded, "I am, I thank you for your aid Ms. Adel, but please next time alert me of your presence or at least request to accompany me."
Alexia bowed, "Of course Professor, when I saw the signs of battle and the Grimm I figured it was Cassandra and once I heard you had gone into the forest as well I followed."
Glynda adjusted her glasses, "I applaud you for your bravery, but please, next time get permission. You are among the most skilled of the first-years, but you are still a student."
Alexia bowed once more, "Of course Professor."
Glynda turned her attention to Cassandra, "And as for you Ms. Lynch, you and I are going to see Ozpin and have a talk about your actions today."
While Cassandra's blood lust had subsided, being forcefully taken from battle, away from her kills angered her further.
"I don't need help!" Cassandra began yelling only for Alexia to swiftly turn with her palm held in front of her face and with a swift exhale the half-faunus blew a power substance into her teammate's face.
Inhaling the substance Cassandra recoiled and coughed before feeling her body grow heavy as if all of her fatigue consumed her at once. At that moment as her eyes began closing against her will she felt calm, her legs giving out as she peacefully slipped into unconsciousness and fell into her partner's arms.
"Ms. Adel, please explain yourself" Glynda ordered as she watched Alexia catch Cassandra.
"It was an anesthesia powder" Alexia explained, "I learned to make it when I was younger, mainly to protect our cabin from the occasional bear or mountain lion. It soothes whatever inhales it and relaxes them to the point where they go unconscious."
Glynda sighed, "Normally I would not approve of using such a thing against your fellow students, let alone a teammate, but given Ms. Lynch's recent actions and attitudes perhaps it is for the best."
Alexia agreed, "She will likely be asleep for a while, the anesthetic compounded with her exhaustion will keep her out. Neither her memory nor personality will be affected if you are concerned about side effects."
"That is good to know" Glynda admitted, "Let's get her to the infirmary, I'll inform Ozpin afterward."
With Alexia's help, they brought Cassandra to the infirmary to let her rest and Glynda stayed by her side until Beacon's headmaster arrived.
"She looks uninjured" Ozpin stated, sipping his coffee.
"She wasn't harmed" Glynda told him, "But there's no way she was getting out of that situation alive if I hadn't arrived when I did."
Ozpin stood next to her as she sat at Cassandra's bedside, "She certainly has a temper."
While still furious at her, Glynda was for now relieved and thankful that she made it in time to save her, "What can we do Ozpin?" she asked him.
She took hold of Cassandra's hand, her gaze focusing on her two missing fingers, "When you showed me her file, what she has survived and been through at such a young age. Even now they're still children, and yet we're training and teaching them to go to war against such dangerous creatures."
"I know how you feel, Glynda" Ozpin said placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "I don't like it either, but you know as well as I do, it is unlikely the world will be rid of the Grimm and the evil they come from in our lifetime. So we must train them so that they can continue that strive for a better world when we're gone."
"Until you come back you mean" Glynda said glancing at him over her shoulder, "Is that why you accepted her?" she asked looking back to Cassandra, "Did you feel some sort of connection with her?"
"In a sense" Ozpin admitted, "I've lived long enough to see it before and even experience it myself. I know it won't make up for my mistakes and shortcomings, but I hope I can guide her to a better path and future than I had at that time."
