Welcome to the start of a new batch of volumes. I just can't make up my mind, huh?
Honestly, I was making this on the side while working on another fic, and this happened to get done sooner than expected. I'm not one to withhold content, so here we are!
I've been reading all your comments, and the support means the world to me. If there are ever any questions, I'll try to respond whenever possible!
Way more people took an interest in a pairing than I thought, which is fine; keep debating; it's fun to see people argue, lol.
Let's get back into this.
Beta Readers: Chris72637, Luxutor, MegaDumbo, and Tupjunk
...
A tower of metal boxes swayed back and forth as their carrier lazily yawned, marching his way through hall after hall, mumbling his way through instructions, "Rwby...Rwby...oh yeah, we're neighbors, aren't we?"
It had been a night since teams had formed, and the vessel was up bright and early for his shift, not that he minded. Living with people was fun, but rooming with two girls just felt weird.
It felt like something that should've been addressed at the start of all this, but how are you supposed to get changed or...do anything when it's not just guys around?
The sorcerer had gotten enough beatings from Kugisaki for forgetting to knock to learn his lesson. It was better to make it Ren's problem than his; just like Nora taught him, she'd be so proud...but still, he'd have to ask someone about that, and he knew just the person.
Yuji hummed a tune as he went, internally grumbling that he couldn't find any of his favorite music, shows, movies, or...anything since getting here.
The stuff they had in Vale wasn't bad. Heck, Itadori really liked what they had going on here, but not being able to listen to something that was stuck in your head was like having an itch you can't scratch; it was driving him nuts.
He dropped the issue, never losing his happy-go-lucky attitude, bobbing on his heels as he shifted the massive stack into one hand, raising the other to knock.
*tap-tap-tap
He heard someone turning pages, one person snoring, and the other two arguing until he heard a creak, then a shriek, felt a violent thud, then listened to a grumbling voice approach the door.
"I'm comin'...I'm comin'-"
The door creaked open, and a familiar tuft of black hair with red highlights popped out, their half-closed eyes just staring up at the tower of nonsense, "...Yannng, you wanna box for something?"
Ruby was still wearing her pajamas, the usual black tank top, and rose-themed pants as she lazily yawned, listening to her sister's rambling.
"Nahhh, I'll just pay with-" the girl yawned into her pillow, "mah card...don't need to get all violennnt," before falling into snores once more.
Even in her sleep, the bombshell somehow made puns; it was honestly impressive.
Ruby just stared at her, "I can't...it's too early for this-" turning back to the matter at han-
"Yo!-"
"WAH!"
A face appeared out of nowhere from behind the boxes, scaring the living daylights out of the girl, sending her flying back, rubbing the exhaustion from her eyes as she stared up at the ceiling, "Y-Yuji?...Do you know what time it is?"
He hummed for a second, then stared right at her, "No."
Ruby didn't know how to respond to that.
She squinted at him, "God...I...weren't you guys up all night? I could hear you through the wall; how are you even up?"
He shrugged, his energetic smile irking the cookie-obsessed girl, "I dunno, sorcerers with a lotta cursed energy don't really need sleep. One hour, and I'm good to go!"
Ruby just stared at him with a pout, "...I call hacks...eugh, one sec-"
The scythe wielder shook her head like a dog, her cheeks bouncing back and forth to shock herself awake. One second, she was tired, and the next, she was pepped up, "All good! So whaddya need?"
He tilted his head toward the mountain of metal above, "I dunno, one of you ordered a buncha lunch boxes or somethin'."
A head peaked out from behind the girl, a pair of blue eyes glaring the second they saw him, a scoff ringing out as Weiss leaped out of her bed, still wearing her light blue sleeping dress, shoving Ruby aside, getting in the vessel's face, "And what do you think you're doing with those?"
It was really hard to consider this girl threatening when she wasn't even five feet tall...man she was short without those heels.
He just stared at her, "My job?"
She huffed, crossing her arms, "Oh? I thought you and your...what is you call him 'Gramps' were so close? Why even bother when nepotism seems to work in your favor? I'm sure you have some other inten-"
"Nepo-wha?...Ruby, is that some kinda food?"
She poked her head over Weiss' shoulder as the girl hissed at her, "Oooooh, I hope it's cookies-"
A vein bulged on the ice queen's forehead, "They're not cookies, you dolts! Nepotism is when one gives advantageous positions to their friends and family. Honestly, I should bring you to court for abusing Beacon's syste-".
Itadori interrupted, losing interest in the big words she kept using, "If you wanna judge, I can hook you up with my buddy Higuruma. I'm pretty tight with him and judgeman."
"I...You-"
Weiss' brain fired into overdrive, realizing that this was no ordinary faunus; he had connections...the Headmaster...the courts...maybe even local politics...what kind of monster was she dealing with?
With a huff, the heiress grabbed the vessel by his jacket, yanking him inside, "Forget it...you better not have dropped anything.."
The space was packed, way more than team PYRN's dorm at least, considering three of them hardly brought anything but the clothes on their backs, team RWBY's room was...not that.
Their beds were somehow stacked on top of each other with books and wire. The floor was a cluttered mess of clothes and random stuff thrown around, with desks scattered all around...
Seriously, they would have been torn apart by any Japanese apartment manager for this; it wasn't even funny.
Stumbling inside, Yuji looked Weiss up and down, "Uh...I don't mean to pry, but...are you sure you can eat this much food? You're...kinda skinny."
Steam came out of Weiss' ears, "What?... This isn't...I can't do this with your kind right now-"
She tried to reach up and grab the topmost container but didn't even come close, so Yuji just watched her jumping up and down for a few seconds before handing her one.
She yanked it out of his hands with a huff, rolling some code along the lock before it clicked open, revealing an assortment of vibrantly red crystals, "This is fire dust, not something for you to snack on! Though I wouldn't be shocked if you-"
"Is it spicy?"
Ruby popped up next to him, "Nah, it's more kablooey-"
"Ohhhh, so it's got a smokey flavor?"
"Ehhh, more like it makes YOU smokey...and crispy...ooooh, now I want cookies."
Yuji brightened up, "Actually, I was hopin' to ask you somethin'; I'm heading into town later, and if ya want, we can stop at a bakery and-"
She was in his face in a split second, a storm of rose petals blinding him in the process, "YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES."
"woah woah woah woah!"
The vessel stumbled back, only to come to a sudden pause, looking down to see a spinning blue snowflake beneath him, with Weiss glaring down at him with an outstretched hand, "Can you not drop the highly volatile explosives in our dorm?!"
"I thought you said it was spicy food-"
"I never said that! You and that hooded menace were the ones off in your own little world. You should be grateful I used my semblance, or I'd have you pay for the damages."
The sorcerer hummed, idly slapping a hand against the almost transparent surface, surprised that it bounced right off, "Woah...that's pretty...cool...right, Yang?"
The snoring girl gave an unconscious thumbs up from under her blanket.
Nice.
The ice queen seemed to puff up in pride, "Of course, it's impressive; the Schnee family only produces the best products and Huntresses."
He tilted his head, "Never heard of ya'."
She bristled, her refined speech coming to a complete halt, "You what?"
Itadori lazily yawned, "I dunno, just never heard of your family before, is all. Japan doesn't have much of an army, so we don't have much use for that dust stuff you sell."
Ruby circled him, her detective persona coming through, "What about your wizard dudes?"
The vessel hummed in thought, "Hmmmm, well, there was that one Zenin girl, Mai...she used some...ah, I dunno guns-"
Ruby's hand shot up, "Oooh oooh, describe it. I bet I can get it!"
Oh yeah, weapons were her thing, right?...kinda freaky a girl that nice was obsessed with things that were meant to kill people, but that's just him.
Yuji dug deep, "Well...it rotated whenever she shot out of it-"
Before Ruby could answer, Weiss cut her off, making her deflate as she ruined the moment, "A revolver? That's basic knowledg-"
His eyes sparkled, "Woah, you weren't kidding about Spleens being smart! Whaddya guys do?"
Her eye twitched, "It's...Schnee and I think you knew that-"
She stared at his potato-like face for a moment, then backtracked, no, he probably didn't know.
Weiss took a slow breath, her forehead only slightly twitching, "Well...as I've said, the Schnees run one of the largest dust mining conglomerates on Remnant, and you're currently holding some of our product.
A lightbulb dinged in the vessel's head as he examined one of the boxes, seeing the family name proudly displayed across, "So you guys are like clans?"
"A clan?...like some kind of ninja?-"
Blake silently popped out from under her blanket, book in hand, not saying a word but immediately keeping an eye on the conversation.
Yuji shook his head, "Ehhh, not really; sorcerers have family lines and inherited abilities like yours. Heck, me and my brothers are only half related, and we're still kinda alike now that I think on it."
Ruby perked up, "You have siblings?"
Itadori nodded in pride, pointing a thumb to himself, "Yeah, I got nine big brothers!"
*PTOOOOOOOO
As Ruby spat in disbelief, Weiss stared at him in abject horror, picturing herself stuck in a room with nine of...HIM...it sent shivers down her spine to even consider such a horrible fate.
The vessel remained oblivious to their reactions, setting the massive stack of boxes down on the floor, "Anyways, I gotta finish my shift. I'll give you a call when we're done for today, alright, Ruby?"
She just blankly stared at Yang, picturing eight more of her and the endless amount of puns, "...Yeah...okay-"
On his way out, Yuji paused at the doorframe, "Oh yeah, Weiss?"
As the girl came down from her nightmare, he pulled a few plastic cards out of a pocket and slapped them into the heiress' hand, "Sorry about the clothes, wasn't thinkin' when I did that, and if you wanna tag along later, I'd be glad to have ya!"
He was gone before she could even respond, just leaving the blue-eyed girl confused, staring down at the Lien in her hand.
Itadori was a constant headache for Weiss; she couldn't understand why someone behaved like him, never angry, never upset, never seeming to hold any kind of grudge...and for a Faunus to act like that toward a Schnee?...it left her suspicious.
She tossed the cards onto her bed, storming off toward her containers as she pushed past Ruby, mumbling, "Hmph, in your dreams."
The scythe wielder just watched her organizing her dust with practiced ease, idly rubbing a hand along her arm, "Do you have a problem with him?"
Blake spared them a glance, "She has a problem with everyone, Ruby."
"I do not!"
"Name one person you've gotten along with."
The heiress stopped in her tracks, "...Nikos, I was on my way to have her as my partner, but that salmon-colored simpleton ruined my chances."
Yang poked her head out from under her pillow, glaring as she saw Ruby pouting behind the indifferent Schnee, "You know, there's a difference between being someone's friend and stalking em' right?"
She yawned, "Pyrrha doesn't like when people fawn over her; it's probably why she's so happy with Yuji. The guy doesn't know nothin'."
Weiss huffed, "And she's wasting her potential with someone like him."
Yang bounced back, leaning an elbow on her pillow, "The dude punched a Nevermore, and it died; what more do you want?"
The heiress only glared, "Haven't you read the news? He's Ozpin's grandson, for Brothers' sake! You SHOULD expect more from him, not some slacker that does whatever he pleases!"
Yang glanced toward Blake, "He is?"
Getting a nod, her eyes widened, "Ohhhhh, that's why he calls him Gramps...huh...they don't really look alike, do they?"
Blake indifferently shrugged, going back to her book as the other pair of partners continued to argue.
Ruby puffed up in anger, "Oh...that's not fair! He's like the nicest guy I've ever met!"
Weiss scoffed, "Well, good for you, but the world works on results, not good intentions, him being 'nice' will get him nothing but failure."
Ruby was turning red, "Right, 'cause sitting alone in some office forever is what life is all about, right? Some of us know how to have fun, Weiss!"
The snow-colored Huntress glared back at her, "Then have fun on your little excursion, and I'll be here preparing for my future as head of-"
*BZZZT-BZZZT
She paused, pulling out her scroll, blue eyes widening as she read the name, "...Father?"
Without so much as a word, Weiss stormed off into the bathroom, slamming the door shut, straightening herself up before accepting the call, seeing the familiar mustached face of her greying family patriarch, adorned in the same white suit and blue undershirt as always.
The Huntress knew to let him speak first; it was drilled into her at a young age.
"...Weiss, I trust you've done well for yourself at Beacon."
"I actually have, I-"
He raised a hand, silencing her in an instant.
"Save that talk for your mother, I expect nothing less than perfection from my children, and unless I hear of you doing otherwise, you will not speak to me of it."
This sort of thing was typical, but the girl always tried, always desperate for any sign of affection from her father, not there was any...fighting back wasn't an option. She should be grateful he even gave her the time of day.
She suppressed a frown, "I understand."
"See that you do...now, I don't have much time, a meeting is coming up, but I had it delayed so we could talk...word through the grapevine says your Headmaster has an unknown grandson."
She withheld a sigh; of course, this wasn't about her in any way, shape, or form...why would it be?... If this was anything but work, he wouldn't have called at all... at most, it would be communicated through a family servant.
The heiress diligently nodded, "Yuji Itadori, but he's-"
He glared, "A Faunus, I'm aware...but that could play to our benefit, and you have a part to play in this."
Out of all the people in the world, this HAD to be about him?... Why...why couldn't her father focus on something besides his own gain for a second?!... She wanted to say it, to scream in his face...but she couldn't.
She nodded, and so the man continued, brushing a hand off his jacket, "Protests have been ramping up these past few months, and although it's insignificant, many of the workers have taken an interest in the boy; it's spreading like wildfire."
He glanced at a nearby screen as data ran by, "One of the most prominent men on Remnant has a Faunus as his successor, one from a foreign land at that. His naive blessing could do wonders for our company's public image."
It was nightmarish for the heiress to even consider that the dolt among dolts might actually have political power, but even she dreaded what her father had in mind.
Weiss just stared down at the screen, hiding her emotions, "And what is it you want me to do?"
Jacques scratched his mustache with a finger, taking a slow breath, "Consider this training in forming business ties; you'll do whatever it takes to give him a positive image of our company and, more importantly, the Schnee family. We'll start slow, but this has the potential to give us a hand over Beacon Academy."
He idly chucked to himself, "Picture the gains, if you will, an entire educational body exclusively buying dust from our product lines. All the while, he negates any bad publicity with his endorsement, but it depends on you getting in his good graces. I trust this won't be an issue?"
Of course, there was an issue...they hadn't spoken in years, not really...Weiss didn't consider instructions or threats to be any kind of interaction...why did it have to be this way?
Weiss nodded, "As you say, father."
He didn't react, "I won't tolerate failure."
The call disconnected, leaving the heiress alone as she stared off toward the ground. She lowered her arm, scroll shaking as she gritted her teeth, a frown growing on the girl's pretty features.
The work, the endless scheming, the way her family seemed held together by dust and profit...she hated it.
Weiss hated this.
The moment didn't last long, and soon the door clicked open as she let off a sigh, meeting Ruby's confused stare with her own, "...What time are we leaving?"
...
Later
Yuji unceremoniously marched into Ozpin's office with a causal wave with a free hand, "Yo, Gramps!"
The Headmaster looked up from his work, clasping his hands together on his desk, "Ah, Yuji, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
The boy shrugged, raising a box, "Got your hot cocoa mix...is that what you've been drinkin' this whole time?"
The Director gave a faint smile, "It's a guilty pleasure of mine, but it's good you're here. We have things to discuss...would you mind making me a-"
Itadori was already on his way toward a nearby counter, "You wanna mug right?... Marshmallows, too?"
Ozpin sweatdropped at how casual the boy was about everything. It was an attitude he wished he could still emulate, but Yuji raised a brow as he looked at the tiny things in a bag, "You ever try using a big one instead of usin' so many little ones?..."
The Headmaster looked out a window, adjusting his glasses, "...It's easier to handle many more minor things than to tackle a big problem all at once, wouldn't you agree?"
Itadori hummed, "I dunno about that. It might look easier, but you're still just one guy. Havin' so much on your plate can't be good for ya."
Ozpin glanced toward the student, a curious glint in his eyes, "And what would you do if you had the choice?"
Pouring the steaming water into the mug, Yuji stared down at its swirling contents for a second, "If ya ask me, people like to make a bigger deal outa' things than they should. They waste all their time and energy worrying about it, and then they don't have anything left to just handle things and be done with it."
He soon shrugged, "But it's just how I see it; people got different ways of handling things, and it shows-"
"How so?"
Yuji brought the steaming mug over to the man's desk, setting it in front of him as he wandered about the open space to gather his thoughts.
"It's easier when I say it like a sorcerer... remember when you told me about that aura stuff? How it...shows your soul?"
Ozpin nodded, "In a way, it's more a manifestation of it, bringing it to the physical plane when it otherwise wouldn't appear."
Itadori scratched his cheek, "Yeah...but sorcerers don't see it that way. Your body and soul are one and the same, and it's more the way you look at the world that makes your abilities work the way they do...that's what makes your soul look different than other peoples'...for me, at least."
The Director clicked across his monitor, "I suppose you would have a different way of looking at things, and given your...circumstances, it only makes sense, but can I ask you something?"
He turned the screen around, showing footage of the boy's endeavors during the initiation test, watching as his wounded arm burned new flesh into existence, Ozpin staring at him all the while, "Does this have something to do with the soul?"
Yuji shook his head, "Not really, that's just a reversed curse technique...you can really only use cursed energy to hit harder and fight in different ways...but if you wanna heal your body, you gotta mix two negatives-"
Ozpin cut him off, "To make a positive...therefore allowing you to mend your injuries...is it possible to do the same for others?"
Itadori blew air through his lips, "That's a tall order, Gramps...as far as I know, only two people in the whole world can do that, and I just figured out how to do it to myself, and it kinda depends on what we're talking about-"
The vessel raised an arm, "Fixing an injury is like puttin' a clay mold back together, but if it's your soul we're talking about, then that's a whole other issue...it's like...you ever play video games?"
"...I have."
The boy nodded, "If a dude cut you, then you can just drink up a red potion, and you're back to normal, but you know how some attacks don't just hurt you but...lower your health bar? Gettin' your soul hurt is like that-"
The man's expression hardened, "And what does that mean in the long term?"
Yuji raised a brow, not understanding why he was suddenly so serious, "Well...your body is the container for your soul, and soul damage is mostly changing its shape, so if there's a problem, your body's gonna adjust to it or...die trying I guess."
As the Headmaster remained weirdly silent, Yuji ran a hand through his pink locks of hair, "I dunno, I'm sorta new to soul manipulation, fixin' one is a little outa my league, but I could try and figure out how...why do ya ask?"
A shimmer ran through the Director's eyes as he adjusted himself in his seat, "No particular reason, just...learning what our local sorcerer has at his disposal. Every skill is valuable after all..."
Ozpin's demeanor returned to normal as he took a comforting sip of cocoa, "If you need any assistance in training it, let me know. It could come to benefit you and possibly this institution...someday."
Yuji grinned with his usual energy, "I owe ya a lot, Gramps, so if that's what it takes to pay back your kindness, you got it!"
The man chuckled, "Speaking of that title...I've settled your identity concerns, but we've run into a bit of a snag; have a seat; this might take a moment."
The sorcerer tilted his head but complied, reclining into the soft leather as he tried not to sink into it, "What sorta issue?"
The Director waved him off, "Ah, nothing of much note, but your...outburst during the ceremony raised quite a few eyebrows-"
Yuji briefly trembled, "Goodwitch isn't here, is she?"
The Headmaster chuckled, knowing just what his old friend was capable of, "Ah, she's off teaching a class; no need to worry about a surprise beating-"
Why was he so casual about that?
Ozpin took another sip of his coco, "Anyways, to avoid raising any more questions, you're going to need to play a part, so to speak. Think you can do that?"
Yuji shirked, "Ehhh...I'm not a good liar. I might not be much help here..."
The man remained indifferent, "Your honesty is an admirable trait and nothing to be ashamed of, and this wouldn't be a lie per se, moreso letting others continue to believe a little misinformation-"
"Whaddya' mean?"
The Director glanced out a window, "Well, as far as the public seems to think after last night's debacle, you're my...long lost grandson."
"...What?"
He chuckled, "I thought much the same thing, but after considering it, this might just work out in our favor... Now, I don't expect you to hide what you are, and it would be a waste of valuable talent to do so, but your...skillset has raised questions from my peers."
Ozpin dreaded explaining ANY of this to Ironwood; his paranoia knew no bounds, but that was a problem to tackle another day...the last thing Remnant needed was Atlas trying to weaponize an energy source they didn't understand.
The Director met the boy's stare with his own, "As far as they know, I...had an encounter on one of my walkabouts exploring a far-off land, time passed, and now...here you are, my grandson who's come to learn the ways of a Huntsman and blend them with that of his own."
Yuji's eye twitched...Did Gramps seriously make up a story about getting laid in Japan to cover for him?... His respect and admiration for the guy grew by the day...he's awesome!
Itadori crossed his arms, nodding like the genius he was, "Okay...okay...I don't get it...why are we pretending we're family?"
"Legal protection mostly, by our standards, you weren't born in any of the kingdoms, nor do you have any identification...you technically aren't a person...by claiming you, I was able to get you all the relevant documents, and people will think twice before digging into you or your sorcery."
He saw the boy tilting his head, "...For lack of a better term, it saves both of us a headache."
Yuji's eyes lit up, "Ohhhhhh-"
Ozpin hummed, taking a sip of his brew as he typed along his screen, "If you check your scroll, you'll have all the forms you need...so long as you continue to live as you do and make the occasional appearance with me, they should be none the wiser."
Yuji stared down at the information but stopped reading halfway through, "Gramps?... Can I ask...why are you helping me out so much?"
"Is it wrong to help someone in need?"
The vessel shook his head, "No, of course not, it's just-...I feel like you guys are doing so much for me and...I can't do all that much in return."
The Headmaster waved off his concerns with a slight smile, "Think of it like this: you might have abilities even I struggle to understand and a strength few Huntsmen or Huntresses will ever match, but that isn't what matters."
"I've seen countless generations with individuals much the same as yourself, but your altruistic nature...your selflessness marks you as different. You didn't think to stop and grab your own chess piece during the test. You prioritized the lives of your classmates, even as one berated you for it, never letting your natural advantages blind you to the hardships around you...time and again, you've proven yourself as a kind soul who strives for the betterment of others."
Ozpin leaned back in his chair, mug still in hand, "That alone is worth cultivating, and no amount of effort will tell me otherwise. This world has enough individuals who think strength defines everything, and I think it's high time more like yourself take their place..and you will, once you've been taught, and that is how you'll pay me back."
Yuji just stared at him, wide-eyed, silent for what felt like minutes, "...You're so cool-"
Ozpin sweatdropped as the boy launched out of his seat, raising a fist in determination, "Alright! If pretending you're my real Gramps is what it takes, then that's what I'll do. I'll be the best grandson you ever had!"
The man chuckled, looking off to the side, "...There won't be much competition, I'm afraid...not that it seems to be stopping you."
Yuji just grinned, "Of course not! That just means I gotta try even harder to impress you!-"
"I'd be more impressed if you got to class on time-"
"Eh?"
Ozpin glanced toward his scroll, "You have thirty secon-"
*FWOOOM
"-ds"
A blur rushed past the Director and disappeared, with him not so much as sparing a glance over his shoulder as Itadori fell several stories before running off across campus at an inhuman pace.
Ozpin hummed, wiping some cocoa off his face with a satisfied smirk, "...Leaving that window open for him was a good idea after all."
...
A pair of green eyes watched as students filed into an ever-growing classroom, tapping a finger along a desk as the one next to her remained empty.
Pyrrha glanced toward her teammates, sighing as she saw Nora already snoring, head facing the ceiling, while Ren just silently stared at his hands, "I hope Yuji's alright...I haven't seen him all morning."
Nora drooled on her desk, mumbling something about a candied island and a lemonade sea.
Ren remained static like always, "...I'm sure he's fine... Yuji doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that sits still for very long."
The invincible girl quirked a brow, "What makes you say that?"
He just tilted his head toward the still-dreaming ginger, "...When you live with one Nora, you've seen all Noras'...he'll pop up when you least expect it."
Pyrrha hummed, glancing at the time on her scroll, "...Well, he's gonna end up late; where could he-"
*Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap
The sounds of heavy footsteps grew louder by the second before a sudden boom rocked the ground, and as Pyrrha followed the sound, her eyes narrowed.
There hung her partner, somehow holding onto a window a few stories up, pointing at the latch.
She wanted to be annoyed with his antics and make him walk all the way around; she really did, but Pyrrha seriously couldn't get mad at how happy he seemed to see them...it was becoming a problem.
Mom would kill her if she saw her abusing her semblance like this.
The lock seemingly unlatched of its own volition, and the boy gave her a cheery thumbs up, climbing a bit higher before swinging back, kicking the thing open as he flew down and into the seat beside her with an audible crash, "Nice save, partner!"
Nora shot awake, her spit bubble bursting as she stood straight up, "Not the teddy bear!...-oh, hey, candy buddy, why weren't you in the corner this morning?"
Pyrrha grumbled as all eyes were on them but pushed her embarrassment aside, "I told you, we are not calling it the goblin corner!"
Ren crossed his arms, staring at the redhead, "...It's a fitting name; those two crashed there, so they have squatters' rights."
"Why do we need squatters' rights? You have beds! And you're only siding with them because you named it!"
Ren had no expression, but the armored girl could feel the smug satisfaction coming off of him.
She glanced toward her partner, "And you...why can't you just take the stairs like a normal person?"
Itadori shrugged, "Stairs, windows; it's all the same thing; you ever notice how Gramps gets around super fast? Betcha he has a bunch of secret passages around here."
Nora leaned over, "Ooooh, like Barry Botter, wanna go play investigators!?"
He held out a fist, "Do you even need to ask?"
Nora pounded it, "Best team ever!"
Pyrrha held a hand out, stopping the hammer girl in her tracks, "After class...please!"
When the two settled down, the redhead let off a sigh, "I don't know how you two have the energy for this-"
"Cursed energy."
"Pancakes!"
A giant question mark hovered over Pyrrha's head, "But we don't even have groceries yet. Where in the world did you find pancakes?"
Ren casually read something off his scroll, "...Nora hides pancake stashes wherever she goes...I'd seriously check under your bed and pillow when we get back."
A shiver racked the redhead's spine.
Their rambling was cut short as Professor Port took the stand, idly scribbling images of various Grimm across the chalkboard, "Well now...I suppose we should get started."
To Pyrrha's surprise, her partner perked up at the mere sight of their teacher; it was unreal. Yuji's mood shifts were something to witness; one second, he's slouching, and the next, he's at full attention...how he managed to do that so often without getting a headache would always be a mystery to her.
He wandered back and forth, "I'm sure each of you has encountered Grimm in some way, shape, or form in your life; they are a part of our world just as we are part of theirs, though that does not mean we can simply reconcile, not while they pose a threat to our very existence, I assure you not!"
He cleared his throat, "Monsters, demons, prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as prey."
The lecture went on, with Yuji finding himself kinda jealous of how systematic this all was...Every Grimm had a name, a way of fighting, and even behaviors you could predict.
Sorcerers had something similar when talking about Cursed Spirits, but it was nowhere near as clear cut; you didn't have specific species but general types.
You had your Vengeful ones, the Imaginary types, and even Diseased ones...then you had your grades with four at the lowest and one at the top, then Special Grades were a league entirely on their own.
Spirits all had a different look and way of fighting, so a lot of it was improvising and adapting on the fly. Huntsmen and Huntresses had a lot more going for them, at least from how he saw it, cause, man... there were a lot of people in this class.
Sorcerers were rare in the general population, at least before the Culling Games, and even now, people who could weaponize Cursed Energy were few and far between. But here, it seemed like anyone with a will and a way could show up to these places and start learnin'. It was pretty neat.
Professor Port rambled on about some story of him hunting a beowolf and saving a town, getting all sorts of praise, with Itadori forcing himself to listen out of respect for the man, but it didn't mean he agreed with any of what he was saying.
Many Huntsmen seemed obsessed with being heroes, and the vessel knew better than anyone at this point that those titles meant nothing.
Real sacrifice didn't need thanks; it didn't require fame, fortune, or anything but your own thoughts and feelings pushing you to keep going.
You were there to serve a purpose, to destroy the things that wanted to annihilate humanity; that was their role in this; he didn't need anything else to believe in.
"A true Huntsman must be honorable; a true Huntsman must be dependable; a true Huntsman must be strategic, well educated, and wise."
Port waved a hand over the crowd, "So, who among you believes they're the embodiment of these traits?"
Yuji glanced toward his team, not expecting Ren to take much interest in extra work, and knowing Nora, she was...yep, she was doodling a picture of herself with the fun crown atop a throne of pancakes.
As if he'd let her take it back.
Weiss had already taken the stage the second the man had asked, but Itadori was curious...his partner was being weirdly quiet about all of this.
He looked to Pyrrha, "You're not volunteering?"
The redhead bristled for a second, "Me?...N...No, I don't think I want any more attention than I already have...you know?... What about you?"
He just looked down at the cloaked box on the stage with disinterest, "I don't like fighting unless I have to."
"Fighting?...What are you-"
As Port pulled the sheet, a gleaming pair of red eyes met his satisfied stare, "Still spry after our little bout earlier, my friend?"
The metal rattled as it growled to his delight, slapping against the roof with the palm of his hand, "Ho-ho-ho, delightful!"
Pyrrha tried to ask her partner how he knew it was there, but he spoke first, "You can call this whatever ya want, but making light of things that wanna kill people doesn't sit right with me."
She tilted her head, wondering where this was coming from, "Well, I think it's a nice story meant to inspire new students, make them...less afraid, you know?"
He shrugged, "Nah, that's not what I'm talking about...hero this, brave that, if you're so focused on making an image for yourself, you won't be able to beat someone who only fights for their own feelings."
"But...isn't it good to better yourself?"
Yuji hummed, looking down at his desk, "What's good and what's not is up to the person you're talking about...I know you don't like thinkin' about it, but hear me out...everyone here knows you as some super strong cereal mascot, right?"
She reluctantly nodded, so he continued, "Both of us know that's not you; you're a lot more than that, but most people don't get to see that side of ya...their 'good' version of you is the one on the box, not the person you actually are-"
He met her stare with his own, "Have you ever been in a fight and had to keep up that act, even when everything was on the line?... Would it really do you any favors when doing what's natural lets you follow through?"
Pyrrha grumbled a bit, "Well, I still don't have the whole 'what I want out of life' part figured out, but you're spot on about the acting. It makes me feel like there's a box around me half the time."
She leaned back in her seat as Port bellowed out instructions to the heiress below, "You know, one of the reasons I came here was to get away from all that, no commercials, no appearances, nothing, just me and...my thoughts, and now that I am it's like...I don't know what to think or where to start."
Yuji couldn't help but picture himself back in those snowy fields, finally accepting what was true all along, that he and Mahito were the same, and what it took to get there.
He shoved the thought back, giving the redhead a smile, "You'll get there. In sorcerer school, they can't even teach you much; it's all about figuring it out on your own and making things work, and if a guy like me can do it, so can you. Give it time; I'm right here with ya!"
She smiled back, "I appreciate it, really. Oh, and speaking of, I was thinking we could get the team together tomorrow and do some kind of activity, you know...break the ice?"
"You wanna punch Weiss?"
She almost spat, "I-you...no! Where did you even get that idea!?-"
She saw the Yang-like glint in his eyes.
Pyrrha slapped her forehead, "Walked into that one, I suppose... But seriously, I was thinking we could try and...have some fun... if you want, that is."
The sorcerer just laughed, patting her on the shoulder, "Geez, everyone here is so nervous all the time. I'm down to do whatever; just say when and where, and I'm there!"
Pyrrha was all bubbly, mentally checking one invite off her list before questioning why she was even worried about him saying no in the first place. For all his quirks, Yuji was Yuji, and the guy didn't have a mean bone in his body.
The Boarbatusk broke free from its cage with the single swing of an axe, catching Itadori's attention as it charged the heiress with reckless abandon, with the Huntress dancing around it with practiced, albeit clumsy moves.
If it were him down there, Yuji would have just ended it in one strike. A clean blow of Cursed Energy would annihilate the thing in a second, but the way Weiss and other aura users did things just reminded him of something Gojo Sensei once told him.
How hard it is to relate to ordinary people.
Things Itadori considered easy, others thought difficult, if not impossible, he had to constantly remind himself not to put his standards on them.
They had a different enemy and a unique way of doing things, and he wasn't one to judge, but...it felt lackluster, even as Weiss eventually took the Grimm out with some difficulty...but who knows, maybe things would be a little different in their next class.
...
Later
"While hunting Grimm remains paramount, as Huntsmen and Huntresses, you will encounter those who would abuse their powers for selfish gain, putting the lives of others at risk and therefore requiring swift and decisive action to contain."
Goodwitch stood atop an arena-like stage, gazing out over the crowd of students assembled in the bleachers adorning the sides of the room, with two pedestals standing across from one another behind her.
Itadori sat in the front row beside his teammates, having been dragged there by Pyrrha instead of the farthest corner from that evil witch they called a teacher.
Her stare made the vessel's skin cold; it was like another Kugisaki with less punching, and that was somehow worse!...like she was just standing there...menacingly.
Goodwitch waved a hand toward the open space, "As such, to prepare yourselves for any scenario, practicing on one another will allow you to hone the skills you so desperately need to survive and thrive in this world of ours."
She glossed over the faces across the crowd, riding crop at her hip, "Now, I'm going to need a volunteer for this next portion. Do we have any willing participants?"
Yuji had no plans to be anywhere near that evil woman.
It took less than a second for a hand to shoot in the air, with Yang shooting up from her seat, "I'm game!"
With a nod from the instructor, the blonde took to the stage as the Professor continued, "Over the course of this semester, each of you will need a minimum of four victories to receive a passing grade. The first to take the stand has the privilege of challenging any student they wish, and while refusal is optional, I highly recommend you take every opportunity to better yourselves whenever possible."
She nodded toward the bombshell, "Now, Ms. Xiao Long, as the first student to volunteer in this course, your fight will serve as an example for your peers. I recommend you choose your opponent wisely."
Yang parted her long hair with the wave of a hand, "Wellll, if I gotta take a shortcut to success or go at it step by step, I pick the ladder!"
Finger guns.
A snort drew the brawler's gaze, focusing in on the only person to laugh at every joke she threw, an excited grin growing on her pale face.
Hey, she wanted this fight anyway, and if it was gonna happen, then no time like the present, right?
She raised a hand, pointing a finger out at the crowd, "I piiick...Yuji, it's time we settle that score of ours!"
Goodwitch's glare made the sorcerer try to hide behind his partner, but the redhead betrayed him, pushing him to his feet with a nudge, leaving the vessel like a deer in the headlights as the Professor stared him down.
"Well, Mr. Itadori, I presume you accept?"
He opened his mouth to refuse, but the woman's presence made him feel like saying no would end in something really bad...and he owed Yang; she made it pretty clear during the trial.
The sorcerer lazily yawned, giving a thumbs up as he slowly marched up toward the stage as the instructor bellowed out instructions, "If you place your scrolls on the platforms ahead, once linked, your aura counters should be displayed-"
Itadori just stared at the thing for a second, knowing fully well he didn't have an aura and had no plans to let someone touch his soul, or if he was gettin' specific, he saw what happened last time someone messed with Sukuna's...yeah, not gonna fly that way.
"But, given Mr. Itadori's...circumstances, we'll simply go by how close to your limit you get to. Does that seem fair?"
Yang's gauntlets clicked into place with a metallic clang before pounding them together, "Awww, don't worry, I won't rough him up too bad, just teachin' a lesson is all."
He knew her type all too well; you could be best friends with them off the court and bitter rivals on it.
Yang was competitive and wanted to win this, but the vessel wasn't going to hand her one, and besides, this would be a good way to see how Huntsmen and Huntresses stacked up against sorcerers...as a great man once said, 'Nah, I'd win.'
Yuji indifferently shrugged, his usual aloofness disappearing as his expression hardened, "It doesn't matter; she won't land a single hit on me."
Itadori heard people making noise in the crowd but ignored it.
The blonde's eyes narrowed, "You wanna bet on that one, Pinkie?... How about this: if I knock you flat, you're gonna do whatever I say for a week; the same goes for me if you win, got it?"
He just nodded, and with that, Goodwitch slowly marched down the stairs, "You'll fight until your opponent's aura gauge is about to fall below red, or if they can no longer continue, and on my mark, you'll start."
From the sidelines, Ruby kicked her feet back and forth in her seat, "Ohhh, I don't know who to cheer for...whowhowhowhowho-"
Blake spared her a glance, "...Are you an owl?"
Weiss just huffed at her partner's angst, "Your sister and teammate, obviously; why would you even ask?"
Nora leaned back, her head going upside down as she dropped into the conversation, "Cause everyone knows cotton candy buddy is gonna win!"
The heiress spared her a curious glance, crossing her arms, "Really?... And what gives you that idea?"
"He punch real good!"
Pyrrha sighed beside the girl, "Nora, please use your words...but I have to agree, Yang just might have picked the worst person to go up against."
Ruby jumped back in, "Whaddya mean? Yang's got Ember Celica, and Yuji's got...hands. What's not fair about that?"
Looking down at his scroll, Ren chimed in, "...He beat a death stalker in two hits."
"Woahwoahwoah, when did that happen?!"
He indifferently shrugged, "...You were in the air."
"Ohhh riggght...what do you think, Weiss?"
The heiress silently growled, "I think I'm rooting for my teammate like you should be doing, little Miss Leader."
The scythe wielder stiffened up before looking away awkwardly, "...Sorry."
Back in the arena, Yang readied herself, her gauntlets audibly clicking as fresh dust loaded into the chamber; all the while, her lilac eyes glared as Yuji didn't so much as move.
His expression was complete indifference, not happy, sad, angry...anything, just watching her, hands at his sides, judging every move she made...it was pissing her off.
Goodwitch raised a hand, a timer counting down across the screens.
"Three-"
Yang was battle-ready, hands raised, ready to dive into the fight, but-
"Two-"
Why wasn't Yuji doing anything?
"One-"
She silently smirked, figuring she'd just give him a reason to put em' up.
"Begin."
The Huntress exploded into motion, charging across the stage, her right fist cocked back as she reached him in moments, taking a supercharged swing as dust rounds sent her strike into overdrive as a devastating right hook.
With complete indifference, Itadori leaned back, watching as her gauntlet sailed by in fine detail, and with a simple sideways kick into her shins, Yang flew off balance.
She headed straight for the floor, only to slam her hands straight into it, dragging herself to a stop before turning around and charging once more. Wildly throwing punches at breakneck speeds, but none of it seemed to phase the sorcerer.
His feet moved with hers, moving back, leaning just out of reach every time she tried to land a hit, his brown eyes staring at her the entire time, "Punching like an animal might work on Grimm, but it's never gonna work on a real person."
Yang growled, leaping back before rushing in once more, "Oh yeah?-"
Right as she threw another fist from her left, the sounds of mechanical components whirled as a barrel jutted out from between her fingers, "How about some finger food for your big mouth?!"
Fire dust rounds exploded out of her gauntlets, with miniature fragments rushing out in every direction, their glare burning across the atmosphere as they approached the vessel.
With the most simple of movements, but at speeds so blindingly fast, few could comprehend what had happened, Itadori leaned back at point-blank range, letting the shot fire overhead, but the moment didn't last.
As Yang flew by overhead, her barrels aimed straight down, with him able to see the rounds firing out in real-time, only for his hand to sideswipe her wrist at the last second as she pulled the triggers, sending a spray of flaming ammunition into the ceiling.
The blonde could hardly gawk as the sorcerer's hand clenched along her gauntlets, the other slamming straight toward her with no resistance, crashing straight into her face with a violent crunch, sending her flying back.
She growled as the edge of the stage got closer by the moment, and in a last-ditch effort, pulled her arms back, shooting rounds off again and again until she slowed to a stop, wincing as she took a breath of relief.
She swiped a hand along her face, eyes widening as a trickle of blood smeared across, and briefly looked up to see her aura gauge was still in the yellow...How the-?
Yang could tell that was a lovetap; Yuji wasn't putting any real effort into the punch, but still...how did he- no, it had to be a fluke.
With a frown, Yuji finally took a step, the motion knocking her out of her thoughts as he spoke, "Alright...I think I'm starting to get it."
*FWOOSH
The sorcerer took off light a bat out of hell, racing across the platform in the blink of an eye, taking a running leap as his entire body spun, lashing out a violent sideways kick as Yang raised her fists to block, a massive clang ringing out as she felt her bones vibrate on impact.
Itadori landed, hurling his momentum into a flying fist going straight toward her chin; Yang compensated by firing off her gauntlets, the blast sending them on a collision course.
The vessel flashed into action at the last second, his fist hurling by, catching her by the wrist, the other grabbing onto her jacket as he rapidly spun along his heels, but Yang wasn't out of the fight yet-
She tried to slam a boot into the back of his skull, but the sorcerer simply ducked down, and the moment she went overhead, he brought her crashing down with a violent pull, his knee going straight into her stomach as spittle flew from her mouth.
He tossed her across the arena with a casual throw, looking down at his opponent with annoyance building on his face, "You're used to being stronger than everyone else, able to just thrash your way out of a situation, but that won't work this time, you can't beat me in a fist fight, Yang."
Yuji started to walk toward her, uncaring for the aura counter, "You need to start thinking with your head instead of doing the same thing over and over, hoping something goes different."
The blonde coughed for a moment but soon took a gasp of air, forcing herself to her feet with a growl, "How...How are you doing that to my aura?"
It's like it didn't even exist when Yuji landed a hit, just...cracking straight through, but how?!
Itadori just shook his head, coming to a standstill as he looked down at her, "You shouldn't ask why someone else is strong, but focus on why you're so weak."
The Huntress's bangs fell, covering her face as she barred her teeth, "Don't gimme that crap when you haven't been trying this entire time! Where are those flames I saw during the trial?!"
He just stared down at her, "Cursed energy doesn't neutralize people, Yang. That stuff is meant to kill, and I don't want to hurt y-"
"I can take care of myself!"
Her sudden yell made the sorcerer pause, "You're stronger than me, I get that, but stop talking to me like I'm some freaking kid!... Either you start trying or keep your mouth shut!"
Yang's head flashed up, her eyes shifting into a vibrant red, her blonde hair flaring up in a roaring flame, pointing an armored finger right at him, "Either way, I'm kicking your ass!"
The ground beneath her exploded as she threw every bit of kinetic energy into an all-out run, racing across the stage as wind soared in every direction, tearing up tiles as she rushed the sorcerer.
As the crowd watched in awe, Yuji's indifferent stare turned into a vicious glare, pulling back his right sleeve with his left hand and raising the exposed digits high, "If that's what you want, then fine."
His veins twisted and writhed as a fine red steam erupted across his limb, with flesh tightening as his nails extended, his expression shifting from anger to a ferocious scowl.
His origin never mattered; whether Yuji was human or just another death painting womb made no difference, but one thing was always certain, something Choso told him a little while ago.
He clenched his fist, feeling the cursed energy keeping its new form together, then shifted his gaze to Yang as she charged toward him. His feet shifted ever so slightly.
In some ways, his brothers would always live on inside of him.
*FLASH
He reappeared above the raging Huntress, her eyes only just starting to widen as she watched him disappear, his contorted limb spasmed, clenching into a hardened fist as he shot straight down.
"Learn something from this."
Yang couldn't even look up as his fist crashed straight into her skull, sending a shockwave through her entire frame. An unbearable ringing bounced around her ears, but it only lasted for a split second before her face met the floor, blacking out in an instant as rocks splintered about.
Yuji landed with a silent thud, quietly listening as Goodwitch raised a hand, "The first match of this class is over; the winner, Yuji Itadori."
Yuji ignored the cheers and claps, letting his cursed energy go as his arm soon shifted back to normal with a burst of steam before offering it to the girl down below, "Nice figh-...eh?"
Uh oh.
He poked her with a finger, only getting a groan, his panic subsiding soon after, thankful he didn't accidentally kill one of his friends, but that didn't really fix their problem.
"Uh...Sensei...I mighta' knocked Yang out; what should I do?"
Goodwitch turned, giving the girl a lazy once over before pinching between her eyes, "...For future reference, please refer to your opponent's aura gauge so this doesn't happen."
He blankly stared at her, not even glancing at the screen, "...Okay."
Glynda had a sinking feeling he wasn't going to do that or...anything beyond simple instructions.
Her green eyes opened, staring at him with an annoyed huff, "Seeing that you're the responsible party, you'll be the one to bring her to the infirmary...I trust that won't be an issue?"
Her glare sent a wave of panic through his very soul, knowing just what that riding whatever could do, making him instantly bow, "Yes, ma'am, understood, ma'am!"
She turned back to the class, "Then run along. I'll give you an early dismissal for winning your first match, and I expect improvement across the board as the semester continues, but-"
She glanced at him, "You did well trying to advise her, but it's up to Yang whether she wants to listen to you or not...keep that in mind."
He dumbly nodded, sparing his friends a glance, getting nothing but smiles from his teammates and a half-effort thumbs up from Ren.
Meanwhile, Yang's partners were...indifferent... angry, and...Ruby looked stuck between a rock and a hard place, so she neutrally waved at him like some kinda video game NPC.
She's a little goofy, but she means well.
With a casual shrug, the vessel grabbed Yang by her jacket, slinging her over his shoulder with a single hand before marching off; feeling her head bounce off his hip, the sorcerer gave a cheeky grin, "Oy, don't eat my coins, the doctor wants to see if there's any change in you by morning."
Finger Gun
"Come on, that one was funny!"
The unconscious Huntress only grumbled more, but he gave her limp hand a high five anyway.
Yeah!
...
Later
Itadori plopped Yang onto one of the beds along the walls of the infirmary, idly wondering why no other students ever seemed to be in this place.
Oh, maybe it had something to do with that aura stuff?... It kinda made sense when he thought about it.
That weird, colorful stuff was basically armor, and apparently, it could fix up injuries like Yang's without much issue...well, at least that's what the nurse told him...seriously, that lady seemed mad she even had to do her job, what's up with that?
Yuji had no clue how it worked for the life of him. To sorcerers, getting any change to your soul was a death sentence or a life-altering event, at the least, but a Huntress could walk off hers getting shattered into pieces? Color him impressed.
He shrugged, turning away to leave as he began to walk off, "Well, whatever, I'll see ya around."
It wasn't three steps before a faint voice called out from behind, "Hold it..."
His eyes widened a bit as he turned, seeing the blonde already sitting upright, a hand firmly pressed against her forehead, "Oh, you're already up? You're pretty tough!"
Yang pushed her head back against the wall, clicking her jaw open and shut, "Says the guy who knocked my lights out trying to sound all cool."
Yuji just bobbed on his heels, unable to help himself, "Yeah, it was a punch-line."
She snorted, "PFFT, nice-" before wincing, "Ah, smarts, smarts!-"
His grin faded, and he walked up with concern washing over him, "Oh shoot, you good?"
She waved a hand, "Yeah...yeah, it's only...in my head."
Finger Guns
The awful pun sent the vessel whirling, laughing his sides off as Yang sat basking in the glory of finally having someone who appreciated her genius.
She soon cracked her neck, putting her feet on the floor, still holding her head, "But seriously, dude, you hit like a truck...I feel kinda dumb calling you out like that."
Itadori shook his head in denial, "Nah, you put up a good fight. Don't sell yourself short over a little loss; I just got more experience, is all!"
She scoffed, "Try saying that when you make an idiot of yourself in front of the whole class."
Yuji crossed his arms, grinning at her, "We both know that's all I do."
She tried to hold her scowl, but a grin crept its way onto her face, soon breaking into a chuckle before Yang smirked up at him, "Yeah...you got me there, Pink Stuff. I dunno how you do it."
He raised a finger, "My old teacher used to say, 'Yuji...every stupid thing you do, you'll never do again,' so keep making mistakes, and you'll be unstoppable!"
"Well...was he right?"
He deadpanned, "...No...not at all."
For all his amazing traits, Gojo Sensei was not a very good teacher...but Yuji was still happy thinking the Strongest guy ever got to train him...most of the things he never did again happened because Megumi or Kugisaki hit him enough for it to sink in.
She just laughed at his misfortune, "You're a weird guy, Yuji, you know that?"
"How's that?"
Yang dismissively shrugged, "I dunno, one second you're the goofiest guy I've ever met, and the next you're gettin' all philosophical while thrashing me around. You sure know how to push my buttons, dude."
He opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off with a hand, "I get it. You don't gotta explain nothin' to me; you're just trying to help, and I blew up about it. I just get a little heated when stuff goes down, you know?"
He nodded at that, "Eh, nothin' wrong with being passionate about stuff; it's what makes you fun to be around."
"Oh yeah?"
He just grinned, "Yeah! I swear, it's like half the people here don't know when to let things go and just relax. You're probably the most down-to-earth person I've met so far...and it sorta reminds me of home, is all."
Yang hummed for a second, "You'd think I'd make a good sorcerer?"
Itadori awkwardly looked away, "Eh, it's not that easy...cursed energy is one of those 'you either got it or you don't' things."
She blew away a strand of hair in annoyance, "Well, that sucks."
The moment didn't last, and soon she let off a grumble, "Well, let's hear it, what kinda stupid bet do you wanna make me do?"
"Bet?"
She stared at him before letting off a sigh, "Remember, whoever lost had to do whatever the other person wanted?"
The bombshell could see the lightbulb ding over his head, "I'm not gonna weasel my way out; gimme your worst, Pinkie!"
Yuji tapped a foot along the floor, scratching his chin in thought while Yang waited, expecting some stupid dare to mess with Goodwitch and get herself killed in the process.
Or something even more insan-
"Hmmmmm...Well, my team's hanging out tomorrow. Wanna tag along?"
Yang's eyebrow twitched, "...like...a hangout-hangout?"
"Yeah!"
"You wanna use our bet to make me third wheel you guys?"
He crossed his arms, "You can't be a third wheel if I want ya there, simple as!"
Yang just stared at him like she didn't believe what he was saying, but eventually just laughed, falling back, head resting along her crossed arms, "Man, you are weird-"
But the Huntress soon flashed him a smile, "But I like weird...so why not?...But I doooo have one ask-"
"I thought the bet was-"
"That's not important...I was wondering if you...I dunno, wanna keep boxing? It's good practice, and I don't know anyone else that-"
"Sure."
She turned to face him, an incredulous look on her pale face, "...You're really easy."
"Probably, but I don't really mind helpin' you out. Fighting's the one thing I'm good at anyway; got any idea when?"
Yang tapped her lip, then pushed off the bed in a leap, landing on her feet with energy to spare, "Tomorrow morning?"
Yuji guffawed.
This chick just got her head smashed like a melon, and she was already on her feet wanting a rematch?! What was up with this place and crazy people!?
Ah, what the heck?
His trademark smile grew, raising a hand, "I like the energy. Let's do it!"
She met his pace, giving his hand a slap, "We're makin' bets until I win one, got it?"
The blonde instantly started to march out of the room with him following beside her, hands behind his head, "Alright, but...whaddya wanna ask me to do so bad anyways?"
She just gave him a sideways smirk, stretching her arms behind her back, "You'll see~"
Should he be scared?
Probably
Most definitely probably
Whenever girls wanted anything out of him, it usually ended in Yuji getting punched, but Yang wanted to punch him to make him do something else?...
To punch him more?
What was this Punch-Ception, and how did he get into this situation?
"Wanna grab a bite?"
She absent-mindedly rubbed her sore wrists, still numb from their fight, "Eh, might as well. We got some time to kill now that we got an excuse to ditch class."
His features became chiseled, "Wise words from a wise girl."
Yang matched him, becoming just as stone-like, "I know, right?"
Their walk across campus passed by with comfortable silence, with both occasionally pointing something out or making yet another dumb joke no one else would bother to laugh at.
They passed from building to building along the stone pathways, with greenery lit up by the sun overhead, with Yang slightly in the lead and the vessel in no particular rush, taking time to enjoy the world for what it was.
"...I wish my team could be like this."
Yuji regained his focus, "Like what?"
"Calm, I guess. There's no baggage with you or heck, even your team...whenever I'm with mine, I feel like I'm walking on a minefield, you know?"
"That bad?"
She sighed, swiping a hand to straighten out her hair, "Mhm, I know it's been a day since teams formed, but it's like Weiss is just waiting for a chance to get mad at something...I don't know why you took the crap she slang your way this morning."
He looked to the sky, watching the clouds go by, "Guess I'm just used to it, is all-"
She glanced at him, "You know someone like her?"
"Sorta...My best buddy, Megumi, is like her...and Blake, I guess, the guy just wants to be left alone to himself and gets real mad when you get in the way of that, but..."
He laughed, awkwardly scratching his cheek, "I just couldn't take the hint, I see people sittin' all by themselves and think I gotta give em' a push to start being social...we really aren't all that alike now that I think on it."
"...How'd you make it work?"
Yuji smiled, wondering what his buddy was up to right now, "Sorcerer life is pretty dangerous, you know?... And when you're fighting for your lives, you gotta trust each other with everything you have, and you just pick up on stuff."
The sun shined down as he watched with peaceful joy, "It didn't take me long to see through his tough-guy act and realize he's a really good person who cares about his friends."
Yuji really wished he could make sure he was okay.
He shook it off, "We might not see eye to eye on much, but he's the one guy I know will always give it to me straight. I don't think Weiss is all that different; it takes a special kind of awful to wake up and decide you wanna make others suffer. I'm sure she has her reasons for acting like that."
Yang bit her cheek, slapping a hand against her thigh, "Well, Little Miss Perfect has it in her head that she should be the team leader instead of Ruby...keeps saying she isn't ready and should just step aside for someone, 'more qualified.'"
She almost spat, "Whaddya make of that?"
Yuji met her stare with his usual optimism, "...I've never been much of a leader, but...it's probably a lotta work, right?"
"So?"
"Look, I don't know a lot about you guys or this place, but...Weiss apparently comes from a family with a big name, and...I've seen how bad the major clans back home could be...she might just think being a leader is something she needs to shoulder."
Yang came to a sudden stop, staring straight at him, "That doesn't mean she gets to just prance around telling us how great she is. Don't you get sick of that?"
He looked down for a second, putting his hands in his pockets, "I don't think it does much good getting mad over it. Yeah, people can get on your nerves, but ya gotta remember we all come from somewhere different; she might not know how to act around ordinary people, is all."
She skeptically raised a brow, "And how does that work?"
He bit his cheek, "My old teacher I mentioned, Gojo, he was...the strongest. Nothing ever really seemed to hold him back, you know?... Everyone always got on his case for never taking things seriously, but he never listened cause he was on a different level. Impossible stuff always seemed doable with him around."
Itadori shrugged, "At the end of the day, I think we all wanna meet people who can understand us, but when you're that much better than everyone else, it's gotta be pretty lonely...Weiss might be actin' like this 'cause it's the only thing she knows how to do. Can't imagine she interacts with us normies all that often."
Yang kicked a rock, watching it bounce away with a huff, "I guess that makes sense, but it just makes things so...so awkward! I just wish there was a way to make her get that acting like a jerk won't get you anywhere."
The Huntress put her hands on her hips, "I try talkin' to her, and she shuts me down. Ruby tries, Weiss gets mad, and Blake doesn't even look at her. I don't even know where to start with all this."
Yuji snapped a finger, "It might seem like a pain, but you just gotta keep tryin' and let her know that you wanna make things work; she ain't made of stone; Weiss'll crack eventually."
She laughed at his relentless optimism, "Easier said than done, my guy."
Yuji just flashed his usual grin, "Maybe, but what awesome reward comes from doin' no work? Besides, someone's gotta get through to her; otherwise, Weiss' gonna spend her whole life like that. You just gotta show her that there's a better way of doin' things, is all; she'll come around."
The Huntress just shook her head, "Well, it looks like you got ice-duty first. After you left this mornin', she had a change of heart and wants to tag along with you and my sis'...I wouldn't wanna be you right now, dude. That's just a fight waiting to happen."
That remark completely went over his head.
His eyes sparkled, "Oh! I told ya she'd come around! She took the bait, and now I just gotta reel her in!"
Yang deadpanned, "...She's not a fish."
He wandered off, muttering something about figuring out what rich kids liked to do, leaving Yang staring at him in disbelief.
Yuji was definitely a weird guy, never getting mad at anything and somehow finding a way to be excited over everything...but the more she thought on it, maybe that's why his team got along so well.
He had this way of making people chill out no matter what was going on, always having some simple but surefire answer to whatever was happening around him.
He was definitely weird.
She stared at his spiked hair for a second before throwing the thought aside and running to catch up with him.
...
And that's a wrap! As always, Yuji is a beast in a fight, and it's time RWBY characters got to see it firsthand.
If you wanna keep in the loop, I'll drop the discord code down below; as always, it's been fun; take it easy, and I'll see you all in the next chapter. Peace!
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