Welcome back!
Thanks for 1k followers, you're all awesome, and it's great to have you here.
For those wanting a more serious chapter, now's the time for you. Let's get right into it!
Beta Readers: Chris72637, Luxutor, MegaDumbo, and Tupjunk
...
The next moments were sheer chaos, with disorder taking the reigns as the students clambered to the surface, standing in the midst of a snowstorm, with a certain team PYRN taking the reigns as one of their members disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Pyrrha squinted, turning in every direction, only seeing the blanket of white around them, "Where did he go!?"
Nora had hopped onto Ren's shoulders as if that would somehow do any good in the situation, hands over her blue eyes like binoculars, "I don't see him!"
Coco huffed, adjusting her shades with the flick of a finger, seemingly the only person keeping their bearings as she cocked a hand against her hip, "How are you supposed to see anything in all this-"
*GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
An earth-shattering roar sent the Huntress into a spinning frenzy, her heels sliding along the snow as her stylish bag flew with the breeze, crashing against a hardened mask, sending a massive Grimm off course as it tumbled to the side.
The upperclassman didn't give the beast a second to spare as armaments jutted out of her handbag, matching the monster's roar with the hum of machine parts. A barrage of firedust sent the hulking creature into a blazing oblivion.
Coco took a moment to scan over the now-dead Grimm, cocking her head to the side as she looked over its massive size, with distinctive white spikes and black fur dotting its frame, soon looking over her shoulder at her classmates, "Look alive, ladies, we got Ursa on the prowl."
The beret wearer gave a nod, watching her own team get into position like they practiced, even Vel...
We won't talk about how much she was shivering. The girl was trying her best.
Coco frowned, looking over toward her underclassmen. Even the quiet one was in a blind panic with the rest of them, calling out their missing member's name, obviously getting no response.
She sighed, flicking a hand through her hair, figuring it was time to set an example for her juniors, motioning to the others, "Yatsu, Fox, perimeter-"
The two wordlessly saluted, jutting off in opposite directions as the fashionable leader marched ahead as her resident Faunus followed her moves, "Vel-"
"Y-Yeah?"
She flashed her a confident glance, "I'm feelin' a little spicy. Might need a pic later, know what I mean?"
That earned a moment of silence, followed by a rapid nod, "R-right! I'll be ready!"
She got a thumbs-up for her efforts.
With all that out of the way in mere seconds, the Huntress sprang into action, catching Pyrrha by her arm right as the redhead was about to charge into the storm, hurling the armored girl over her shoulder, sending her tumbling into the slush, "And you...You seriously need to chill out."
Pyrrha's breaths were ragged, her green eyes narrowing, "Chill out?... Chill out!?-"
She tried to scramble to her feet, "If you think I'm just going to sit by and let him-"
*BOOOSH
Coco's heel kicked against her chestplate, knocking the girl flat, keeping her in place against the cold snow, her shades reflecting the sunlight as she flicked them up, revealing her stern brown eyes, "What you're gonna do is stop freaking out. No one's hurt, and no one's dead, so stop having a meltdown over nothing."
From Ren's shoulders, Nora's cheeks expanded like a chipmunk, "She's just worried about our friend, meanie!"
The stylish Huntress rolled her eyes, slapping a hand against her hip, "Eugh, freshmen...look, this sorta thing happens sometimes, and the last thing you wanna do when you're in charge is go off the rails."
Pyrrha growled, trying to push up, making steady headway until Coco put more effort into her hold, "He's out there with God knows what, and you think I should just...just do nothing!?"
"I never said that just...take a second and look around you chili pepper, you really think you're gonna find him out there in this weather?"
The minigun user waved a hand over the barren horizon, almost unable to see the ends of her own fingers through the haze, "Real talk, you go out there, you and your team are toast, and if the Grimm and whoever's waitin' for ya don't find you, then you freeze."
She tapped her head, "Use your noggin and think. Why go anywhere when we got someone right here who can tell you what's up?"
The redhead glared at her before looking down, brows furrowing in thought. No one actually saw what happened...well, there was one witness, but...he couldn't see-
"Fox..."
Coco made an okay sign with her fingers, "Bingo, sister, sometimes it does you some good to take a step back before divin' in headfirst."
She shouted over her shoulder, "Hey! Foxy boy, give us an update!"
The copper-haired teen had just impaled an ursa held in an all-out headlock by Yatsu with a set of blades attached to his arms, ignoring the black ooze splattering over his face, "Oh, you know... livin' the dream, hangin' with some cool chicks, looking to get my license-"
Despite being blind, the guy could feel the pressure coming off of his leader's glare, the sheer swagger in her existence pushing him in line, awkwardly rubbing a hand through his hair, "Your friend's not dead if that's what you're on about... line's still up...I think?"
"You think?... When do you do that?"
He shrugged, "It's a miracle on ice, I know, but...I dunno, somethin's mudding up the connection, you ever get bad reception on a scroll, it's like that only..."
"In the brain?"
"And the membrane, sister."
Coco's glasses dropped, "Word."
Fox shrugged, "Connection's still up, but either he's not responding, or I'm not gettin' through."
He huffed, running a hand along his scarred arm, "I dunno what it is that's causin' the inference, but Yuji seemed to know what was going on."
Ren deadpanned from the distance, "That would be a first-"
*BONK
Nora booped him on the skull...with her fist.
He hardly reacted, just looking up at her, "...I was trying to lighten the mood-"
She leaned down, squeezing his face between her palms, "No one likes light syrup, heavy only!"
"What?"
Coco clicked her tongue, crossing her arms as she took control once more, "So the one guy with some answers just got swept off his feet by some Grimm."
She blew air out of her mouth, "Tch, figures...oh well, I'm sure little man's gonna turn up sooner or later, so let's just-"
Fox interjected, "It wasn't Grimm."
"... I'm sorry, what?"
The copper-colored teen shrugged, "Dude got hit by somethin', but there sure weren't any growls or any of that noise. If there were, I'd have heard it."
Coco tilted her head, "Huh..."
From below, Pyrrha squinted, "Huh?... What does huh mean?"
The brunette rolled her unseen eyes, "Tip number two, no dumb questions. It's makin' you lose the cool vibe you got going. Now come on, we got some sleuthin' to do."
The armored girl huffed as the beret wearer offered her a hand, letting the upperclassman pull her upright, watching as she looked across their surroundings before walking off.
After a few moments, the stylish Huntress started mumbling to herself, "Hmmm, he was up here a few seconds...can't have gone far...one two three, stay with me...and he'd be riiiight, here-"
Coco suddenly stopped, tilting her head, "...Well, that's new-"
Pyrrha tried looking over the taller girl's shoulder to no avail, "What is it?"
The brunette shrugged, moving to the side, revealing a solid pillar of ice jutting out of the ground, so perfectly smooth and symmetrical it was almost uncanny.
The redhead marched ahead, looking over the object for any clues, but found none but- "If it wasn't a Grimm, then...who did it?"
Coco slung her bag over her shoulder, looking off in the distance, "Only he knows that, but for right now, I say we-"
*GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
A distant roar cut them off, but the Huntress took charge, readying her disguised weapon, "Third tip for ya, newbie, the group is number one. You just gotta trust your friend can hold his own until we can find him."
Pyrrha held her javelin, a scowl on her face, she didn't like this, not one bit.
Yuji was tough, she knew that, but there was this sinking feeling in her stomach she couldn't describe...not knowing was driving her crazy, but she needed to be strong for her team.
What could be happening to him right now?
...
Meanwhile
"I know what you are."
The words bellowed out over the howling wind, lost in the frozen wastelands where few would think to look.
The sorcerer stood firm, watching as the bird stared back, its red eye gleaming in his direction.
Moments ticked by, yet Itadori remained eerily still, his breaths calmly drifting away like steam into the cold void beyond, and only then did the creature give an all too human nod.
It lept from its perch as a light engulfed its frame, with flesh twisting and molding into a human visage. The teen couldn't help but clench a fist at the sight, his mind wandering back to that sick curse with bluish-gray hair, one who toyed with lives like they were his playthings and nothing else.
The crunching of snow brought him out of his stupor as a figure landed across from where he stood, her eyes concealed behind a stone-like mask of white and red.
The vessel couldn't help but notice the distinctive four holes along its surface, making him glance toward the slits along the side of his own visage, but her monotone voice broke through his intrigue, "So he has told you about me...I have to admit, even I'm surprised at that."
She wore a mixture of black and red, her torso wrapped in a v-neck with strangely armored wrists, a dark skirt around her waist with a sword clasped against her hip...if he squinted, the sorcerer would almost call her a samurai of some kind, but without the imposing armor, as if she was free of all constraints and burdens.
The woman crossed her arms as a cold breeze wafted over her long black hair, "Ozpin's never been one to spill his secrets...or his many shames, but that raises the question...why tell you?"
Itadori scanned their surroundings, feeling well and truly isolated against the dead forest, but soon met her stare, his tone utterly indifferent, "Nah, I don't have a clue who you are, lady, but I've seen shapeshifters like you before...and if Gramps hasn't mentioned ya, then you might just think you're more important than you really are."
The words didn't seem to phase her, only making his attacker give a slight nod, "And I prefer it stay that way, but you haven't made that easy, Yuji Itadori."
She slowly began to walk, circling the vessel as he followed suit, "The mysterious grandson of Director Ozpin, popping up out of the blue, shaking up all of Remnant in the process, with no one quite knowing your intentions...or how much you really know."
The sorcerer cracked his neck, letting off a grunt, "There's a lot I don't know, but I'm guessin' you're the one in charge of whatever's goin' on here."
The snow crunched beneath her boots, "Observant one, aren't you?"
The vessel shook his head, "Not hard to figure out when you're walkin' around looking like some video game boss with that mask of yours."
She grazed an exposed finger over the white material, "Symbols are a powerful thing, wouldn't you agree? Divided, we are weak, but together, a united front can withstand the storm. After all, strength comes in many forms-"
"And that's why you're out here pickin' on some kids?"
The wind rustled the teen's pink spikes as he indifferently stared at his attacker, "Let's skip the crap...What are you really here for?"
The bandit hummed just a bit, "Blunt too... it's almost funny how one moment, I can see him in you, and the next, you're entirely your own, not that it matters."
She raised a hand, counting down her fingers, "Caution, excitement, curiosity, all different forms of interest and fascination, same coin, same value, but different sides nevertheless. You could say I'm here to see where you stand in that regard."
Itadori clenched a fist, pointing a thumb toward himself, "Mine."
"...Yours?"
The calamity nodded, "Yeah, I guess you can say I'm a little selfish. I don't got any ideology or any big words to tell ya, but-"
Yuji's shades gleamed under the sun as he pounded a fist into his palm, "I just live how I want. If I'm hungry, I eat, and if I feel like doing somethin', I do it. And I'm not about to let you get away with scarin' my seniors without a beating."
The threat didn't phase her. Instead, she continued to circle him as the teen matched her every step, "... You're certainly more militant than him, but at least you acknowledge the one truth this world has to offer-"
Yuji quirked a brow, "Truth?"
"What allows you to live the way you are without a care in the world?... It isn't mentality, nor is it some quality of life one can learn. It's strength, the power to dictate the course of your own actions without outside interference."
The masked woman came to a stop, pointing a finger toward the sorcerer, "I've kept tabs on you since the moment Ozpin announced your existence. You wear your power like a badge in the way you hold yourself, even in the words you speak. Unlike him, you don't float by on an endless wave of secrecy."
Itadori shrugged, "Everyone's got secrets, lady, even you, and it's not my business to know everything Gramps has under the table."
Her red eyes narrowed from behind their slits, "...And what am I hiding exactly?"
Yuji's glare bore into her as if he were seeing beyond the veil into uncharted territory, "...Your soul's on fire."
...
...
The words seemed to catch her off guard, causing the bandit's demeanor to rapidly shift from benign indifference to visible hostility, knees bent, hands at the ready as if she were prepared to lunge for his throat in a split second.
"So it's true-"
She stood upright, a hand grazing over her heart, "You really can see them...but you shouldn't be able to see-"
She cut herself short, refusing to say anything out loud, not that Yuji noticed, interrupting almost immediately, "It's just Cursed Energy, you should know... we're both using it after all...sort of."
Itadori couldn't really explain what kind of energy he felt coming off of her abilities. It was similar yet different, less hostile than actual Cursed Energy, but not entirely positive either...it was bizarre.
The masked woman seemed surprised, "...What do you mean we both have it?"
Yuji's expression lightened just a bit in realization, "Ohhhh, so you don't get it?"
He could tell she had no clue but shrugged it off, "Ah, well, sucks for you 'cause I'm not tellin'. I'm not petty enough to explain stuff to people who don't deserve it."
The bandit lightly chucked at that, her voice not losing its intensity even a bit, "You're kind of a brat, aren't you?... No matter, I'll find out one way or another before the day comes to an end."
"How do ya figure?"
A cold wind blew by, whistling past the pair as she spoke, "Because you'll either leave with my tribe or not at all, and I don't tolerate deceit among my ranks."
Itadori felt the internal hum of energy flowing into his limbs as his sharpened nails dug into his skin, "Sorry, I'm not lookin' to join a clan. That bloodline stuff doesn't sit right with me."
The former Huntress shook her head, "Blood has nothing to do with it. Only the strength of will determines whether or not our members get to live, and if we relied on family ties, it would only create a caste of worthless do-nothings that would drag us away from prosperity."
She raised an open palm, catching the falling snow as she continued, "What we offer is an out, a way for our members to escape the world's endless conflicts. We are no kingdom, nation, or state living for ourselves and for ourselves alone...Ozpin may have acknowledged you, but that recognition comes with the price of loyalty, and it'll drag you into his messes until the day you die for another person's cause."
Itadori scoffed, "And you think you're any different? Cause what I'm hearin' is 'listen to me or die.' You aren't makin' a way out, lady. You're just a different side whether you like it or not. The wheel could slow down, speed up, whatever, but it's never gonna stop."
She audibly clicked her tongue, "You're quite the pessimist for your age...just like him-"
"I don't get it-"
Yuji cut her off, his brow furrowing, "What sorta beef do you have with Gramps? Why come all the way out here instead of pickin' a fight with the guy himself?"
The figure shook her head in disapproval, "My concerns go beyond him and his plots, and if it weren't Ozpin in the picture, someone else would take his place in time. Winning is abstract when life and death are meaningless. The only thing that matters is surviving the inevitable fallout when the cycle never ends."
"Ozpin and Salem, the latter of those names I'm certain you've never heard. Their bickering has spanned more time than either of us can fathom, and just like you, he tried to use me as a pawn against her, but I saw through it...the sweet nothings, the promises of a better future, all ending in a tomorrow without her, as if that weak-minded fool could ever follow through with anything."
She statically gazed at the teen, her emotions unreadable, "As it currently stands, neither one of them can gain an edge over the other. Neither can back down nor can they make amends, and so they look for new pieces to pull into their game, hoping for some breakthrough at the cost of everything else, and it's exactly why you're here now."
Her gloved fist clenched, "For all his worth, that Headmaster is all too easy to predict, wind him up and watch him go, give him a toy that can break the status quo, and he'll send them out without so much as a thought. Family or not, you're just a thing to him, something to be used and discarded when he's gotten what he's wanted, and I won't let that happen."
She watched the boy, waiting for any sign of a reaction, but was surprised when all he gave was a simple shrug, "...Yeah, I figured it was somethin' like that. I mean, nothing's free, right? But who am I to complain when we want the same thing?"
The former Huntress squinted behind her mask, "Do you even know what he wants? Has he told you that much, or has it been the same song and dance he sells every bright-eyed recruit that comes his way?"
The vessel bit his cheek, "I dunno, and I don't really care either. Gramps wants to kill Grimm, and so do I; that's all I need to know whose side I'm on."
The bandit grazed a hand along the hilt of her sword, "Spoken like a true puppet...I can see why he's so fond of you, but let me ask: where does that leave you in the grand scheme of things?... What do you hope to achieve from joining a war you have no stake in?"
"Nothin'."
She paused, "...Nothing?"
The sorcerer nodded, "Yeah, I don't need some important purpose to make me do stuff. I just wanna kill anything that can hurt innocent people; as long as Gramps lets me do that, then I don't care what he gets out of i-"
*FWING
With the squeeze of a trigger, her gleaming red sword launched out of its hilt, flying toward the sorcerer as the bandit shot off after it, catching it mid-flight as she swung from below, aiming to cleave the teen's head off in a single strike.
*CLANG
Yuji's right arm shot up in the blink of an eye, meeting her attack head-on without having moved a single step. She could only watch as solidified fire dust clashed against "...nails?"
The vessel was holding her back with nothing more than his fingernails against her blade, mere inches away from his eyes as individual bits of snow flowed around them, melting away as the heat only rose by the second.
Her red eyes widened as the dust ignited, burning away the teen's sleeve, revealing the still-morphing flesh along his arm, twisting into place as veins bubbled along the surface, solidifying into a cohesive mass as his hands sharpened into claws.
The moment didn't last, as Yuji lunged, trying to slam a left hook straight into her exposed torso, only for the figure to kick off of his stomach, her boot meeting his outstretched fist as she launched off of it, flipping back before sliding to a stop, facing off against the vessel, sword raised high.
The former Huntress scanned over the slits beneath his eyes and the claws along his hands, "Two traits, with those strange abilities-"
"Listen-"
He cut her off with a wave of his hand, "I don't wanna have to do this, so just pack up and go. I'm not askin' twice."
Her sword flashed into its holster, emerging as a vibrant blue as frost trickled off its surface, pointing straight at him, "Uncertainty is a sign of weakness. You won't last long in this world if you can't make up your mind."
The attacker's form remained relaxed, yet predatory, "I wouldn't be here if I weren't absolutely sure of my intentions, but if you're so concerned for your wellbeing, my offer still stands."
Yuji shook his head, "You're wrong. I don't care what happens to me, not one bit, but I'm tryna to give you an out before you force my hand."
An image of a tired face came to mind, his blonde hair neatly styled with no room for anything but business. Most people would have called him a stickler at a glance, but Itadori knew better. Nanami was too good for their kind of life, throwing everything away, his hopes, dreams, aspirations, and even his life to protect his juniors.
The first grade made the vessel realize that it was never about what he wanted in this life but doing what needed to be done to keep his loved ones safe, no matter what.
"I'll leave the rest to you."
Yuji's face tightened as his teeth flashed at the figure, "Last chance, get lost."
She didn't respond, but her refusal to move was more than enough to answer.
His head dropped low, his brown eyes gleaming yellow as they peaked out past his shades beneath the dim glow of the evening sun, "Have it your way."
*FWOOM
Raven blinked, and the sorcerer was gone, disappearing in a whirlwind of motion as thunderous cracks rang out all around her; coming to an instant realization.
He was fast, but where?
*BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM
It sounded like gunshots going off in all directions, with only her intuition guiding the Huntress as she watched the trees around her violently vibrate with each iteration.
Her eyes widened as she watched a blur flashing between branches, high and low, at such a rapid pace that even she was struggling to follow him-
Up above, in an endless loop, he was bouncing between the trees like a bolt of lightning; it was inhuman! It was-
*CRASH
One exploded into wooden shrapnel as the vessel shot toward her at breakneck speeds, and with a running leap, he was right in front of her with a violent thud, slamming a foot onto the ground as his left leg whirled around like a hurricane.
The former Huntress raised her blade to deflect, only for a massive force to drive the side of her sword against her skull, feeling the shockwave traveling through her arms on impact as she skidded back, struggling to keep the vessel at bay.
Itadori tried to surge ahead but came to an abrupt stop as he noticed the slightest change in her demeanor. He lunged back when a violent blue flash erupted from the bandit's sword as it snapped in two, engulfing his fleeing limb in ice as he stumbled back, his foot nothing more than a rock-hard brick of frost.
Raven tried to take the initiative, her sword shooting out of its holster, a fiery red once more as she raced after it, but to her shock, the ice did nothing to restain the vessel as he slammed the chunk straight down, sending exploding bits of ice in every direction.
She cleaved through every fragment before they could reach her, turning them into vaporized steam as the pair rushed at each other through the haze, a massive clang ringing out as fire dust slammed into his reinforced forearm, burning through the cloth, but doing little to nothing against his cursed energy laden skin.
Both blasted into action. Her sword strikes were rapid, practiced to perfection, each meant for a lethal blow. His punches were nowhere near as elegant, but if Yuji was anything, he was fast, matching her blow for blow as flashes of red light blazed across the barren wasteland.
Itadori had never been good at school, but the sorcerer was an expert at learning on the fly and seeing almost no openings in his opponent's defense, he came to the immediate realization that he would need to make one if he wanted to land a clean hit.
And so, as the vessel threw a devastating left hook, appearing the same as any other, but this time as they collided, with time slowing as his nails cracked and gave way into a smoldering mess for a split second on impact.
A mere second after she registered it had happened, the sorcerer's Cursed Energy surged in for a second impact, the sudden blast shattering the bandit's blade as he crashed through her defense for a decisive blow.
To his shock, she reacted, craning her neck a mere few inches to the side, his energy-coated fist sliding clean along the edges of her mask, and in that moment, her eyes gleamed as she planted a boot onto the ground, sending her left foot rocketing up toward his temple, meeting his outstretched wrist at the last second as the force sent him tumbling off balance.
Yuji caught himself on his palms, pushing off the ground as he launched into an overhead flip, landing upright a few yards away, eyes narrowed as his opponent regained her balance, his mind racing.
Sorcerer or not, this lady wasn't a pushover, not even close, and while that hit didn't even phase him, it definitely showed she had the skill to back up what she was saying...he had to get serious about this...but he couldn't just rush in and end things, not while he didn't know what was up with that energy of hers...
Time to get creative.
In a burst of Cursed Energy, Itadori raised a knee, slamming a heel into the ground as the Earth around him trembled, with jagged cracks stretching out across their battlefield before erupting into the sky in plumes of rock and ice, vanishing from sight.
The Branwen's eyes flashed across the haze as she stood on uneven ground, watching for any sign of movement before whirling around on her heels as she heard an ungodly sonic blast, followed by a solid object careening through the fog-
It took her by surprise, cracking against her shoulder as the hunk of rock exploded into bits, each coated in bluish-green flames, sending waves of pain through her body.
Her hand instinctively gripped the wound, feeling the distinct feeling of blood trickling down her fingers, "My aura...how could-"
The bandit let out a gasp as another projectile shot toward her. Taking a dive, she gracefully rolled out of the way as a nearby tree was torn to shreds in her place, only for another to emerge in less than a fraction of a second.
She could see him! An apparition moving through the smog, appearing for nothing more than an instant, taking a pitcher's stance before hurling another spray of objects in her direction...the brat had a cannon for an arm!
The former Huntress refused to remain the prey any longer. With a reinforced crouch, she leaped into the skies above, defying gravity for a split second as she flipped backward, landing with her boots against the underside of a branch as she scanned below, catching the slightest sign of motion, the chieftain's sword emerged a vibrant yellow as the attacker lunged downward.
*CRRRRRRRRRRRR
A violent thud breached the atmosphere as the cloud dispersed before a massive shadow, with an entire boulder blitzing straight toward the bandit. Giving the crude tactic no thought, she landed along its surface, racing to push off the other side, but to her shock, a hand shot out from below in a vice grip around her ankle.
In a show of sheer physical ability, Itadori had managed to hurl nearly a ton of weight before catching up and clinging to the underside for leverage.
With a roar, the vessel pulled her downward, ripping the masked woman off her footing. He let go of the massive object, his energy-coated fist sailing toward her stomach as both plummeted toward the ground below, with her sending a lightning-coated slash straight toward his skull.
The blade seared across the sorcerer's face, cutting a diagonal line over his nose, sending a static shock through his nerves as his fist made contact, pushing through the pain as spittle erupted from behind the bandit's mask, the sudden force sending her flying back as she tumbled across the broken ground, coming to a stop as she slammed her sword down as electricity crackled around her.
The attacker gripped her stomach, letting off a hiss as she forced herself to stand upright, barking out a hum as she scanned over the teen's face, "You don't have an aura...but that doesn't seem to stop you from breaking through mine, another soul related talent of yours I'm guessing."
Yuji landed as the boulder crashed in the distance. Oblivious to the blood trickling down his face, he clenched a fist as he faced off once more, "Somethin' like that."
She gave a slight nod, "So I was right... you're no Huntsman. You're something else entirely. It's a shame you won't get to show me your potential., but I can't let either of those two get a breakthrough like this on their side."
Yuji's brow furrowed, "Then stop yappin' and let's do this."
The pair stood off in a momentary silence, the world around them going eerily still, and only when the fragmenting remains of a tree finally gave way, collapsing to the mountain floor below, did they act.
*BOOOM
Both fighters took off, racing into the distance as their clashes shook the land itself.
...
Moments later
The sun was blinding.
Two figures shot across the open horizon over the frozen fields of snow, with Itadori in pursuit of his target. One wielding a fiery-red sword, the other using nothing more than his wits and his fists, not that it held him back in the slightest.
Yuji matched her pace with ease, taking inhuman lunges in her direction, his fists shattering entire chunks of the mountain as his opponent narrowly dodged each attempt, sending the terrain tumbling downward as they bounced between the rubble.
As the pair arced over the latest incline, the vessel charged toward the nearest tree, and with the snap of a finger, an unseen force sliced the object into an array of perfectly symmetrical pieces as the upper half collapsed downward.
His fists flew like the wind, his fingers clenching through the solid oak mass as he hurled the objects after his target, racing off soon after as he ran beside the projectiles.
The Branwen flickered from side to side between the maelstrom of objects, her eyes widening as she lost sight of the vessel for a mere moment, and in that second, Itadori had vanished in a burst of energy, reappearing beside her, hand clenching an entire tree stump as he slammed the makeshift weapon into her chest, his fist following through as it impacted, knocking the masked attacker onto her back as he raised a boot to crush her skull.
*FWING
The ground erupted as a pillar of sharpened solid rock shot out, with the vessel crossing his arms at the last second, bracing as the jagged edge broke through his reinforced skin, shooting out the other side of his hand, only coming to a stop as he lashed out a kick, smashing the structure into countless pieces.
He let off a hiss, grabbing the rocky blade with a free hand and yanking it loose as his blood trickled down, spinning the object in his grasp like a knife, still feeling that strange energy coming off of it.
So, it was some kinda elemental control, huh?...If Itadori were a guessin' guy, he'd say she was like Uraume...but ice and rocks? What else was this lady keeping in store?
Yuji let off a grunt, spitting to the side as his opponent rose to her feet. He watched as a fiery red glow erupted from the sides of her mask, "So you're finally usin' your techniques, huh?"
The Branwen took an offensive stance, and her fingers clenched as if they were holding back an unseen power, "You're deceptively dull. I'll give you that. I didn't think putting you down would take nearly this much effort. You've earned my respect, boy. You are strong...so it's only fair I match that power with my own."
Itadori tossed the weapon in the air, catching it, making a handhold with nothing but sheer grip strength, his unseen eyes narrowing as power flowed through him, racing off across the sleet-covered ground as she matched his pace.
He lunged, raising his weapon overhead, breaching the sound barrier as it came careening downward, and as the Branwen met it with her own, the sorcerer lurched to the side, his blade drifting along the edge of hers, blasting both of them of course as he slammed a knee straight into her exposed stomach.
Yuji flowed with the motion, his free fist ignited in cursed energy, blowing straight through the atmosphere as the wind howled around him, aiming directly for her joints.
A thunderous boom rang out, the impact loosening her grip, sending the masked woman's sword flying, and the vessel took full advantage. Tossing his knife overhead, he went into overdrive, spinning on his right foot. His left flew overhead, crashing straight toward her temple, only partially blocked by an outstretched hand at the last moment, the sheer force of the attack plowing through, blasting the Branwen back as Itadori surged ahead, catching his blade as he went.
She wasn't deterred, catching her balance, shrugging off the endless ringing in her skull, extending a right hand forward, her left compact against her side, waiting for an opportunity to strike back.
Yuji kicked against the ground as he charged, sending a wave of watery slush at her face, only for her to bat it aside with the wave of a hand, and as she did, he launched upward, sending his right knee straight toward her chin, meeting her raised forearm in its place.
The former Huntress countered, sending a supercharged palm into his stomach, blasting the sorcerer back, but the teen caught her by the wrist, falling onto his back as she tumbled overhead, and with a ferocious roar, Yuji's feet slammed into her torso, feeling a distinctive crunch on impact as her blood coated spittle rained down from above, ragdolling through the air, but the moment didn't last long.
*RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
A rumble bellowed out from beneath the vessel, sending Itadori on a last-second dive as a massive pillar of ice shot out of the ground, reaching the flying bandit in mere moments.
The Branwen caught herself, reorienting so her heels cracked against the frozen surface, wrapping a hand around the tip of the proverbial iceberg for leverage, and with a growl, her palm slapped against the structure, a plume of frost-covered air escaping as she pulled an elongated sword of solid ice from the depths.
She glared, taking off in a sprint straight down the tower, defying gravity for a split second as she took an explosive leap toward the vessel, moving like a blur as Itadori raised his stone dagger, meeting the point of her blade with the side of his as blue sparks scattered around them.
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK
Jagged lines erupted across the sorcerer's weapon, soon exploding into bits as her strike ran through before getting caught between the teen's palms as they slammed together, catching the attack in a death grip as his bloody hands began to flash-freeze, with frost rapidly traveling along his arms.
The pain was agonizing, his veins and nerves turning solid as weak electric signals reached his brain, a sensation so overwhelming it would rock any normal person to their core...but Yuji Itadori was anything but normal.
His frozen fingers twitched before clenching, with solid ice raining down from his hands, squeezing even harder as he began to whirl around on his heels, dragging the bandit for the ride, raising her overhead before slamming her back-first into the ground again and again, until his handhold erupted, with jagged streams of ice exploding out of his hands in all directions.
As Yuji stumbled back, he could faintly feel the blade bouncing up and down, looking up at the last moment to see his opponent running along its surface, launching off, her heels slammed against his face, sending a blood-coated tooth flying from his mouth.
The strike had knocked the sorcerer's shades loose, revealing his brown eyes, briefly stuttering from the attack but soon reoriented, glowing a vibrant yellow as he traced the bandit's path toward the ground.
Yuji moved like a blur, his form lowering as his shoulders tightened, taking a batter's stance, and before the masked woman could react, the vessel used the numbness in his hands to his advantage, swinging the giant blade like a club, the Branwen could hardly brace as the hardened object smashed into her ribs at full force, cracking more than a few as she blasted off in a sonic blast.
The sorcerer watched her fly. Running after his opponent, Itadori launched into the skies above, flipping around as the massive ice beam stuck to his hands like glue, and using its massive size, he swung downward.
The air itself seemed to part as the attack drew near. The Branwen tried to slap a hand against the construct, causing even more blades to erupt out of the icy weapon, shooting daggers into the vessel's body, but it did no good-
If it's just pain-
Yuji Itadori-
Won't stop!
The vessel's voice bellowed out through the barren mountains as he swung down with everything he had, and the chieftain's red eyes could only widen as a shadow grew larger by the second, and a harsh reality set in, "HOW THE-"
*CRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASH
A blunt force crashed straight onto the Branwen's skull, a horrible ringing bouncing through her head as the world briefly went white, sending her soaring straight into the ground, forming a crater in her wake.
Things went dark, with her only hearing the howling of the wind, and the distant thuds and roars of Grimm heading their way...it was a given, a fight like this always drew those things no matter where you went.
Even as things faded back in, everything was spinning. Her skull felt like a bomb had just gone off in it, and that sunlight...those bright beams burning into her eyes...God, did it sting-
*CRACK
The Branwen winced as a portion of her mask splintered and broke off in a resounding crunch, her left eye exposed to the world, widening as the mental fog began to clear, widening as a shadow shot down from above.
She gasped, forcing herself into reality with sheer willpower. The bandit rolled back onto her palms, springboarding off of them as Yuji came crashing down, the dull end of her icy sword exploding against the ground where she once lay.
The masked woman let off a huff, her breaths escaping as steam through gritted teeth. Raising a hand to her face, it came back covered in her own blood, earning a growl as she swiped her digits to the side, hurling red droplets over the white snow, but they soon vaporized beneath a vibrant yellow glow.
*BZZZZZZZZZZT
The liquid vanished into a red haze as jagged streaks of lightning erupted across the Branwen's body, coursing along her frame as it culminated in the palm of her hand, flashing into existence as a crackling blade of pure energy.
She took a sharp breath of air, the frost burning her lungs as her exposed iris narrowed, before running toward the sorcerer, that strange power blasting off her in droves as a snowstorm kicked up around them.
Yuji gritted his teeth, looking her over in that split second, he could tell their fight was having an effect on her, the slightest wobble, the nearly missed stumbles, all of it meant she was starting to struggle but...looking over himself-
Itadori wasn't much better off, the burns, the stab wounds, all of those things weren't that important, not to him at least...but his hands were completely numb at this point, unable to feel or do a thing stuck in this ice. They were basically dead weight as far as the vessel was concerned.
With no time to spare, Yuji raised his frozen hands and, to his opponent's perplexion, slammed them against his raised knee-
*BOOM
again
*BOOM
The sword shattered, disconnecting his frost-coated limbs, and once freed, the vessel's veins seemed to twist and writhe beneath his skin, with jagged cracks appearing along the ice, but-
There wasn't enough time.
It wasn't just a matter of breaking a hunk of ice. The vessel needed to re-energize and stimulate every single frozen cell in both his limbs, and she wasn't going to give him that chance!
As the bandit lunged, she disappeared in a whirlwind of snow, reappearing to the sorcerer's left, the sheer power surging off her weapon, making his hair rise the moment she blitzed into existence.
As the glow reflected across his shades, Itadori felt like he had no choice. Throwing everything into one final jackpot like a certain gambler taught him, the vessel pushed every bit of Cursed Energy into his right arm, throwing his left to the side to meet her attack as the sounds of ice superheating and shattering rang out.
*SCHWING
Blood broiled as the blade collided with the limb, searing through what was basically frozen ice, cleaving the vessel's left arm clean off in one fell swoop, with an ungodly static charge rushing into him.
Yuji spasmed, fighting against the current. The sorcerer fell back, his left heel shooting skyward, cracking straight against his opponent's chin, stopping her blade from going any further, and in that moment, he yelled, not in agony, but in sheer determination.
It was more than clear.
There was no stopping this. She wanted him dead, and no matter how the vessel felt about unnecessary violence-
He needed to stop holding back.
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-BOOM
His skin burned red as his right arm boiled back to life, shattering through the veil of frost. It clenched as blood flowed across his wounded digits, but the sorcerer wasn't focused on that, only on his opponent, a burning desire to win.
Her blade exploded into a scattershot of raw voltage, engulfing his entire vision in a field of blinding yellow, each strand moving at a rapid pace before coming to an abrupt halt, now traveling in slow motion in fine detail, his concentration peering through the void, spotting his target through the veil.
His foot slammed down as he surged ahead, moving past individual jolts of lightning, appearing right below the bandit before she could even land, with her and the world itself...no...space itself distorted, spiraling into a snowflake in an endless sea of frost.
And Cursed Energy flashed black.
"Black flash!"
The atmosphere thundered as his fist made contact, with pitch-black volts of lightning exploding outward, engulfing and destroying her yellow stands of light.
The snow around them parted ways, shooting off to the sides like a tidal wave as the full force of his attack pummeled through the Branwen's system, with geysers of blood erupting across her flesh as boundless energy tried to find its way out, tearing its way through the woman's frame.
The former Huntress could hardly breathe, let alone gasp out the pained words, "W-wha-"
Yuji didn't give her the opportunity, twisting his fist as he followed through,
*FWOOOOOM
Her stomach dented inward as the pressure sent the bandit flying over the horizon, getting launched off for miles coated in dark streaks of lightning as it clung to her frame, digging into her skin as she cried out in pain.
Itadori winced, his hand clenching around the bloody stump where his arm used to be, falling to a knee as he panted, feeling the ground rumbling as the snowstorm rapidly cleared, revealing endless hordes of Grimm heading his way.
...
Back with the others
Pyrrha flicked Miló to the side, splattering the ground with black ooze, ignoring the mountain of decaying Grimm surrounding them on all sides. Her green eyes narrowed, raising a hand as she felt the wind, "Do you see that?"
Leaned against her back, Coco huffed, swiping a finger over her frost-covered shades like a windshield wiper, "I'm seein' a whole lotta nothing-"
"Then take off your glasses-"
"And lose this fit? Not in your dreams."
The redhead sighed, "Just do it...please?"
With a playful sigh to match her temporary partner, Coco flicked her shades up with a finger, looking around with an interested gleam in her eyes, "Huh...storm died down quick."
All around them, the whirlwind of snow had begun to rapidly wane, so fast it visibly retreated several inches every moment, as if some kind of switch had flipped.
Pyrrha nodded, "...Does it normally do that?"
She got a shrug in response, "Kinda, but usually, we see at least a few of-"
The snowline retreated further, the howling winds disappearing with it as a set of unfamiliar voices rang out through the battlefield.
"Something's wrong. It shouldn't be happening this early!"
"Are you sure you heard her right!?"
"Of course I did! Do you have any idea what she'd do to us if we didn't listen the first time, you idiot!?"
"Then why is it-"
*BWOOOOSH
An audible shift rang out as the haze of snowfall disappeared in an instant. The students stared out with wide eyes, seeing a scattering of unknown figures circled around them, each wearing a mixture of black and red, some armored, others in loose-fitting robes.
Both parties stood at a loss, but the first to speak was one of the bandits, his dark eyes wide, teeth gnashed together in disbelief, "H-How?-"
*BOOOOOOOOOOM
The entire mountain shook, sending both parties into a frenzy as a shadowed figure shot down from overhead, slamming into the ground, bouncing along like a rock over water, coming to a stop nearby, their entire body pulsating as dark jolts of lightning coursed around them.
The smoke cleared, revealing the masked woman in all her wounded glory, twitching as the sparks began to die down, lying face first in the slush as voices rang out around her.
"C-...Chief?"
"What happened to her?"
"No... That's not-"
Meanwhile, while team CFVY had no clue what was happening, Pyrrha noticed the same realization across her teammates' faces, watching as the distinctive red and black lightning burned across this unknown's skin.
They had seen it before...back at the trials.
The Branwen's exposed red eye flashed over her tribe, narrowing as she tried to salvage her authority but struggled to even budge an inch as if every nerve in her body was on fire.
"...What are you doing?"
The onlookers went silent as her stoic voice echoed over them. The sheer pressure wafting through her words brought the entire faction to their knees as she rose to her feet, appearing as though nothing was wrong through sheer force of will, ignoring the countless wounds making every movement agony.
"Do not make me ask again."
One of the braver of the bunch shivered, her head hung so low it nearly touched the ground, "We did what you asked of us, Chief, nothing more or less. I swear your word is law!"
The dark-haired woman remained unnaturally still, flames igniting around her red eyes as she stared without a sense of emotion, electricity dancing across her hands, "Your stares say otherwise-"
The underling's eyes widened, "W-Wait! I didn't mean!-"
*FWING
A beam of energy flashed across the horizon, followed by deafening silence, only to be broken as a head fell against the snow with a crunch, a body following soon after.
It was like a knife had cut through the air, so fast and sudden that the students could hardly react, let alone realize the shock of what had just happened.
The chieftain looked away as if her own followers didn't exist, glancing toward the group of young Huntsmen and Huntresses, speaking with no hint of mercy in her tone, "It's a shame you had to see that...I only planned to deal with Ozpin's brat, but you know far too much already."
Her eyes remained glued on the students, "Kill them."
Another dagger through the air, with only wide eyes and unvoiced responses from the upperclassmen in response.
They clenched their weapons tight as the tribesmen rose without so much as a word, standing off with tension boiling through the air, but before they could move-
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
The mountain shook once again, but this time, a colossal shadow appeared overhead, blocking out the sun at that very moment, followed by an ear-shattering roar.
An object came crashing toward the Earth like a meteor. What appeared to be a massive rock soon unfolded, letting out another primal shout as it came rushing down.
The crowd could hardly react, and the chieftain herself could barely twitch before a hulking mass of black flesh slammed onto her from above, blasting her across the snowy fields as a set of sharpened white teeth snapped at her neck, held back by her weakened limbs.
It was an Ursa Major, so massive it nearly rivaled a bullhead, but out of all the Grimm in the world, but how did it get here?
The moment didn't last as a smaller shadow slammed into the ground between the two parties. A familiar voice rang out from the haze, "No, you won't."
A claw-like hand shot out of the dust, and with the flick of a wrist, three massive cleave marks sliced through the fog, blasting it aside, the attack carving its way through the mountainside, leaving visible marks in the land.
There stood the vessel, Yuji Itadori, blood trickling from his severed limb, standing strong despite the burns and slashes across his body. He spoke without a hint of fear or anger, "Take one step toward my friends, and I'll kill every single one of you."
There was silence, but-
Pyrrha broke it, "Yuji?"
What did he just say?
Nora beamed, standing beside Ren, "See, Renny, I told you he was fine!"
He deadpanned, "You were the one freaking out."
"So were you!"
"...No."
Coco cut them off, her glasses dropping as she looked the vessel over, "Holy shit, dude, your arm-"
Yuji didn't so much as spare his classmates a glance as if he were in his own world. He raised the bloody stump upward, "Don't worry about it. This sort of thing-"
"-isn't a big deal."
*TSSSSSSSSSSS
A violent hiss broke out, onlookers watching as bone, muscle, veins, and skin formed out of seemingly nothing, regrowing an entire arm in seconds before the limb hardened into a claw like the other.
Yuji watched the Grimm he had turned into a projectile gnashing at his opponent, still trapped beneath it. He clenched a fist, feeling his veins bulging as liquid rushed into place.
Out of all of them, Pyrrha had the best idea of what Yuji could do, but even then, what they knew wasn't great. as she stared at his new arm in disbelief, she couldn't help but think about what her partner said about his brother.
How he could control his blood...
Did that have something to do with it?
But-
Yuji never said he could do it, too, did he?
Itadori took a slow breath, feeling his cursed energy surging as he braced himself, deciding that he was done with this lady and her tricks. You can threaten him all you want, but make one move at the people he cared about, and he'd put you down.
As the sorcerer stood there, at that moment, he couldn't help but think of all the help Choso had given him and how little he could do in return. It drove him crazy, wishing he could make it up to him some way, somehow, but it never felt like enough.
But maybe that was just it-
He wanted to be just like his big brother-
Now, do it, just like he taught you.
Itadori's palms slammed together, pointing skyward as blood burst around the tips of his fingers, and as the droplets fell, his aim did as well; starting low, the others could only watch as a beam of bright red light...no-
It was liquid!
Raven watched from below the massive Grimm as superheated blood cut through the rocky mountain surface like nothing, cleaving its way straight toward her and destroying everything in its path.
Her exposed eye widened before bursting into flames once more, and with a flash of power, icy spikes shot out of the ground around her, impaling the Ursa, carrying it above as she lunged back, swiping a hand as a wall of rock emerged in front of her.
*FWING
The Ursa was cut clean in half, and so was the barrier, but the bandit had already leaped out of the way, jumping clean over the beam as Itadori tried to pursue her, only to miss every single time.
They were simple movements, but they were perfectly timed, not hobbled together, but coordinated and planned through sheer experience, but the sorcerer was creative.
He aimed at her feet, forcing the Branwen to jump, but this time, he cut the flow; raising his fists, Yuji yelled as he came crashing down, sending a shockwave through the surface as it bulged, the seismic wave traveling just below the chieftain as the ground rose higher and higher, stretching to the sides as it shook from some unseen force.
*BOOOOOM
The rocks gave way, exploding out as giant boulders amidst a sea of the sorcerer's blood, with a sonic boom traveling over the horizon, and at that moment, Yuji ran, disappearing from sight.
As Raven landed on one of the many boulders, the vessel took an explosive leap, landing right in front of her, throwing a left hook, his freshly made hand impacting against the Branwen's crossed arms, shaking the world around them, followed by a right that was expertly deflected by sideways slap.
The former Huntress engulfed her limbs in static electricity, whirling on her left heel, her right cracked against the vessel's skull, sending shockwaves through him, but he caught her by the ankle, hurling a fist straight at her broken ribs, only to get knocked off course by even more voltage swimming through his veins.
His convulsions sent the two tumbling, with Raven kicking the sorcerer off her, both rising to their feet, but Yuji was faster. Unburdened by feelings like pain, he charged, throwing a right into her chest, feeling the bone rattle on impact. Then his left cracked across the maskless section of her face, sending spittle and blood flying with the wind.
He tried to follow up with a knee to the stomach, but she caught him, throwing a left against the side of his leg, sending him off course. She used that chance, slamming her palms into his chest as rapidly forming ice began to engulf the sorcerer whole, but to her shock, Yuji grabbed her by both wrists, pulling the bandit off of him by force.
He raised her high before slamming his skull into her masked face. The first sent another crack along the surface, and the second broke through the top, smashing straight into her forehead as blood trickled downward.
Yuji threw her upward, catching the chieftain by her neck with his left. The sorcerer's right retracted, engulfing itself in blue and black energy, as he hurled a fist straight at her open midsection. She let off a gasp as she saw a single black spark flicker along his knuckle.
*CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Hundreds of sharpened icicles shot out of the ground on all sides, aiming to impale the teen from every possible angle, death by a thousand cuts, but he had lived it more than anyone could believe.
*SNAP
With a single flick of a finger, unseen slashes appeared along the jagged shards, cleaving them apart in one fell swoop, and through the falling flakes of ice and snow, Raven could only see the sorcerer's fist draw near, the world disappearing into a cohesive whole as the dimmed sparks rang true.
"BLACK FLASH!"
His fist crashed where the previous hit had landed, impacting against already broken bone and bruised flesh. He watched as the violent energy tore its way through her, the bandit's mask falling apart as the lower half exploded into dust, revealing her blood-covered mouth as she howled in pain.
This was someone who placed no value on life, seeing the world as nothing more than a contest of strength, embracing that and throwing everything else away, calling herself different when she was nothing but part of the problem.
Cursed Spirits and Sorcerers were stuck in an endless game of who could abandon the most for power, to live like a disaster, doing whatever you pleased, no matter who it hurt.
He was part of that, too. Yuji wouldn't deny it again; Mahito made sure of that, but his desires were different.
Yuji Itadori was a curse to people like her, the ones who wanted to make the world burn or stop anyone from trying to fix it. That was his existence, and it drove him to keep climbing higher.
The vessel barred his teeth, his grimace growing as energy flowed around him. Digging deep, he pushed through, feeling the wind coursing across his hair as his roars matched her own.
*CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-BOOM
His shades gave way, the lenses shattering into countless fragments, his eyes glowing a vibrant red as her mask exploded, revealing a pale face contorted into an agonized expression. Throwing everything he had, the sorcerer's fist caved into her stomach, the rebounded energy sending her flying through the falling boulders, each impact sounding like a cannon shot as lightning followed in her wake.
*BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM
Raven bounced along the ground, away from the students, away from her tribesmen, and when she came to a stop, the bandit could do little more than puke up a trail of red.
She couldn't stand, let alone fight. Stuck on her knees, the former Huntress fell into a coughing fit, accompanied only by Yuji's steps crunching against the snow, "That attack...at the last moment with the ice...cutting, that's what you've been doing... isn't it?"
Her chest rose and fell as she laughed, looking to the clouds above, "I haven't felt this in so long... excited...for a fight worth having, and it's with some kid that thinks good and evil mean a damn thing...but I'm not done-"
*BWOOOSH
Her hands ignited into vibrant flames as she struggled to her feet, ignoring the broken bones, the internal damage, and the sheer exhaustion; all of it meant nothing to her.
She was Raven Branwen, the woman who gave it all up for strength, and she wouldn't give up without fighting with every bit of power left in her.
Her smile grew as her hands hung low, slowly rising as she clenched a fist, "I'll just use something you can't cut through... I'll turn you and every single person on this mountain to ash!"
Off in the distance, her own followers went into a panic, but she seemed to pay them no mind. This was all that mattered, preventing anyone from breaking the tenuous peace in the middle of a war.
It's all that mattered.
Yuji just gave a short nod, "Yeah, you right about my technique…but I gotta be real careful. If I'm not, I just might slice someone in half, but that doesn't matter now-"
He took a step forward, plucking off his broken glasses, throwing them to the side, "You live in a delusion, lady. I might not know everything, but I don't wanna. As far as I care, Gramps is trying his best to keep everyone alive, and you living gets in the way of that, so I'll kill you and save him the trouble."
The vessel clenched his stomach, knowing just what kind of monster was trapped inside of him.
They hated each other-
They couldn't coexist-
One saw everyone beneath him as tools for his amusement. The other believed all life was sacred and needed to be protected.
But despite all of that, he was made from Sukuna's Cursed Energy, created to be his vessel. They held the same beliefs in living as they wanted but on opposing ends.
He hated to admit it, but it was the truth-
So long as they were together-
'Everything you are, I am.'
Yuji stared at Raven, a somber look on his face, his brown eyes static, "All that talk about there not being good and evil. You have no idea what either really looks like."
He looked down.
...
...
"...Fuga."
*Hisssssss
Raven stared at the teen's outstretched hand, her mouth open as a glare reflected across her eyes, a mixture of vibrant red and a glowing yellow, "No...That's impossible..."
"Fire?"
*SWOOSH
The flames expanded, wafting off the sorcerer, the heat reaching her in moments, but Raven wasn't deterred. If anything, it drove her to push harder, matching his output with her own.
A crackling echoed across the atmosphere as Maiden fire met and contended with the vessel's inherited ability.
Her hands clenched as Yuji's pulled back like a drawstring, two fingers bent, an arrow of flame appearing in his grasp.
Moments ticked by, neither willing to give way, uncertain of who would strike first...but-
*Twitch
Raven paused, her honed senses noticing even the slightest motion, her gaze trailing down the teen's face-
Toward the slits along his face...but why?
*CRACK
She shook as the markings vibrated, then to her horror, they slightly opened, a pair of red eyes emerging, lazily looking about, before settling on her.
*BUMP-BUMP
The feeling was horrible, like a jolt had run through her body, making the bandit want to clench her head as if something were digging its way in the longer she observed them.
Raven just stared at them, looking down to see the remains of her mask, coming to a realization as she stared at the boy's face-
Four eyes-
Two brown-
Two red-
Just like a Grimm.
Ozpin and Salem...what have you done?
Yuji wasn't much better off, wincing as a throbbing bounced around his skull. His hands shook, and in a moment of confusion, both fired.
His attack smashed through hers, sending sparks in every direction, but the moment they impacted, the feeling grew worse, as if something inside of both of them were reacting horribly with one another.
His attack missed its mark, with only the faintest edge slicing along her face, but as it impacted, the pangs became unbearable, sending everything spinning into nothing.
The world went dark.
...
Raven couldn't see, but she could feel the air flowing around her.
It was dark, so dark that light had no hope of escaping this place.
The air was pungent, so foul it burned her lungs with every breath.
Her soul, no...the Maiden inside of her was going haywire; she could feel it bouncing about inside of her as if this place were toxic...but where was she?
She saw a flash of red, four identical slits looking down at her from above, watching her every move before the Branwen smashed through a slimy surface, soon tumbling into a pool of liquid.
Raven rose to the surface, weakly coughing as she crawled out on her knees, pausing as she took a moment to look at her hands and where she had just come from.
It was then that she realized she could see again, but what was around her?
It sloshed with every move, sticking to every inch of her body, with such a horribly copper-like taste...and red color.
Blood.
She was covered head to toe in it, and the horrible feeling of being watched was only getting worse by the moment.
Her gaze trailed along the floor, pausing as she saw the long-deceased skull of an ox, looking at a mountain of death, no-
It was a throne.
Sitting on top of it was that pink-haired boy from earlier, sleeping with his chin against his knuckles, but...something was wrong...he looked-
Different.
He wore an ancient set of white and black robes, his tan skin covered in a strange series of black markings, but there was something else...just looking at him sent shivers down her very soul, as if this was a presence she never wanted to encounter.
What was this feeling that made her want to run as far away from here as possible? One that made her tremble just standing before him?
It was fear.
A single eye opened, a hue of sickly red that reflected a madness she couldn't hope to describe, a foreign voice escaping the boy's throat-
"When did I say you could look back?"
"You pathetic little girl."
...
And that's a wrap for the chapter, but upon heavy request, here's the first omake/Chibi moment!
...
In the distant past.
A hulking figure loomed over a pyramid-like structure, wiping a mechanical hand over his tear-filled eyes as he had done for several days without end.
He wore a skintight green t-shirt with a light belt atop a pair of loose black pants, his other hand clenched around his necklace, looking down at a couple of photos, one of a pink-haired boy covered in droplets, "Brother...we swore to never leave each other behind...so-"
He looked up at the seal-covered grave, ignoring the guards' constant dirty looks at him for caring this much about Sukuna's vessel, "Why did you go without me...first Yuki, now you...no one is left to turn my boredom upside down..."
Aoi Todo shouted his grief to the heavens, funneling his feelings, his desires, his suffering, and his unmedicated mental problems together. Dropping into a stance, he let the world funnel into one droplet, pulling himself with it, "HRRRRRRRRRRRR BROTHERRRRRRRRRR!"
All that was left of him was an explosion of black lightning.
...
In the distant future.
Standing in front of a crowd of his own team and the RWBY group, Itadori had destroyed at least ten punching bags to prove a point.
Yuji bounced up and down, "Ima get it this time!"
The crowd was doing various things to pass the time.
Ren was counting clouds.
Blake was reading like usual.
Yang was counting Lien cards, having ditched her usual clothes for a green suit covered in dollar signs, "Hey, Weiss-cream, mind freezin' these for me?"
The heiress looked up from her lawn chair in the shade, "...I'm going to regret this...but why?"
"Mama needs some cold hard cash."
"...I hate you."
A stack of money slapped the sleepy heiress in the face, "Ah, don't be that way, sweet cheeks, now buy yourself somethin' icy."
Nora, meanwhile, was tied with some rope against a pole, having somehow gotten the idea that Pyrrha's hair was made of Twizzlers. She kept trying to chew on her whenever the armored girl stopped paying attention.
Ruby was waving a flag with the vessel's potato face scribbled on with crayons, "Goooo, Yuji!"
Honestly, she was the only one watching at this point. She was a pal.
Yuji took that belief, swearing he'd make something out of it; clenching a fist, his digits ignited in energy, he lunged toward the target, eyes gleaming with power as a trickle of black surged around him, but-
The energy slammed into the dummy, spiraling into a whirling vortex of dark energy, leaving the vessel at a loss as the scythe user popped up next to him, "Is...that normal?"
He tilted his head, "I dunno-"
Being the genius/philosopher/stoic that he was, Itadori decided the best way to handle this was to touch it, and so, he reached out a finger, only to hear a distant shout from within-
"HRRRRRRRRRRRR BROTHERRRRRRRRRR!"
A massive fist shot out, cracking the vessel across the face and sending him tumbling.
"Owowowowow...hey! What's the big-"
The dust cleared, revealing a scarred face staring down at him.
Their eyes met, sending lightning through both teens at once.
"Brother?"
"Brother?"
"BROTHER!?"
The others could only watch as this giant of a dude picked Yuji up with one hand before pulling him in for a bear hug to end all bear hugs, a horrible crunch ringing out as foam escaped the poor vessel's mouth.
Todo spun the teen's limp body as he danced around, "Aoi Todo and Yuji Itadori, brothers together at last!"
From the side, Ren glanced over, "Who's that?"
Pyrrha tilted her head, "I'm not sure...he seems happy to see Yuji though-"
Smoke escaped the Kyoto student's mouth as he dropped his besto-friendo, reappearing in front of Ren, striking a muscular pose, "Oy, friendo-my-brother-"
Eh?
The pink-eyed boy looked up to see this monster of a teen looking down at him, a savage look across his face, "What kind of girl is your type?"
Question marks fluttered around the beacon student's head but soon glanced toward a certain ginger, "I don't know why you're asking, but...I guess...quirky girls that aren't afraid to go there and...speak their mind?"
...
...
*drip-drip-drip-drip
Eh?
Ren soon realized the guy was crying, his tears splattering over the ground.
Eh?
"I see...then-"
He gave the guy a look of absolute pity, "You're boring."
...
...
"Wha-"
*FWING
*BOOOM
Todo raised a foot and slammed it into the teen's stomach at maximum force, sending him miles down in a Ren-sized hole.
From the pole, Nora's eyes burned red, "GRRRR, ONLY I GET TO PLAY KICK THE GRIMM WITH REN LIKE THAT!"
Her teeth turned to razors as she started chewing on the rope.
Todo ignored her entirely; the pipsqueak wasn't even close to his-
Wait.
His eyes landed on a blonde...and a redhead...both tall...both perfect in all the right places...they might have been yelling at him but that didn't matter, they were here with his besto-friendo.
Todo kicked up a rock, engulfing the object in Cursed Energy, and the second it landed near Yuji, he clapped his hands together, disappearing and reappearing by his side.
Next thing everyone knew, the giant was shaking the vessel like a ragdoll, "WAKE UP YOU TRAITOR!"
A bubble popped, and Yuji's eyes flashed open, "W-wha...TODO!?"
The buff sorcerer nodded, tears bubbling around his eyes, "Brother...say it isn't so-"
"How are you here!?"
Yuji's question was ignored as Todo waved a hand toward Pyrrha and Yang, "You found tall girls...and didn't invite me? DID OUR BOND MEAN NOTHING TO YOU!?"
As the two looked at each other, blind panic overtook the vessel, "N-NO, I SWEAR, I TRIED TO CALL YOU DAY ONE, I SWEAR, BROTHER!"
"YOU PROMISE?"
"YEAH!"
Hostility turned to joy as the giant pulled Yuji in for another hug, "I knew you'd have my back, my besto-friendo...we're finally here, aren't we? The paradise we've been looking for..."
*Tug-tug
Todo looked down to see a little girl with black and red hair pulling on his shirt, "Um...sorry, but...who are you?"
Steam escaped the buff teen's mouth as he dropped Yuji like a sack of potatoes, grabbing his necklace before flicking the case open, exposing the picture of his beloved idol and besto-friendo, "Splendid bravery from someone so small...I'll reward it with my name, Aoi Todo, and Itadori is my brother!"
Everyone turned to look at the guy, "BROTHER!?"
The sorcerer coughed, pulling his wallet out of his pants and opening it to show a picture of the scarred teenager beside him, "Yeah...we met a few months back and bonded over-"
Todo grinned, cutting him off, "Our mutual interest!"
Pyrrha was too innocent for her own good, walking up to shake the giant's hand, "Well, I'm glad to finally meet one of his brothers, he never stops talking about you guys!... But do you mind if I ask, what interest?"
Eh?
Todo had grabbed her hand like it was a delicate flower, but his scary grin revealed his true passion-
"Tall girls-"
She smiled, "Well...that's-"
"With big asses."
Her face faded into nothing, just a blank expression as the behemoth let go, picking Yuji back up as everyone stared at them, "Ah, but I can't believe it, my brother, here and alive! We need to celebrate now!"
He kicked two rocks in the distance, and Weiss was faced with the horror of watching his butt cheeks clench and clap before the two brothers disappeared, leaving them in the dust.
...
Happy New Year! I'll see you all sooner or later; take it easy and enjoy the Holiday!
Discord:
/8FgGWt6E5V