Chapter 4: 4
Chapter 4
The Sword that Bares its Fangs
"Hah…"
A tired yawn escaped.
I listlessly tapped the tip of the pen against my notebook. I peeked back over my shoulder only to see the other members of the team still sleeping blissfully. As it was almost five in the morning, none of them would wake for another thirty minutes.
I laid down the pen and rubbed my face.
Slipping back into a routine, I quickly found myself going to class, working, and getting to know my team better.
I was surprised at how quickly I was adapting to this new world.
"Well… since it's already almost morning. I might as well clean up," I mumbled. It was way too late for me to try and get any sleep, so I decided to get ready for the day and head to the washroom.
Taking a nice, long, and hot shower sounded nice right about now.
He wasn't there again.
Pyrrha Nikos blinked several times before she slowly sat up. A quick glance at the clock read that it was half past five. About the normal time that she would start her day.
Had Shirou already woken up before her?
As she moved, the blankets and comforter slid off her body. Her feet touched the cold carpet as she stretched. Over at the desks, a lamp was dimly lit with a body occupying one of the chairs. The soft sound of a pen being flipped around was accompanied by the occasional turn of the page.
Shirou had already begun his day before her.
Pyrrha's head tilted to the side in amazement. She stood up and lightly strode over to his side with her hands behind her back.
"Good morning Shirou."
I turned my head. "Ah – good morning…" Only to stop as I found myself staring. "Pyrrha."
A delicate red eyebrow perked up, as she waited patiently for me. With how she postured, it was almost impossible for anyone not to look directly at them.
She kept her composure and even threw a little smirk as she straightened herself. Not even perturbed or embarrassed at her disheveled look, she smoothly took her seat at her own desk. "Already up and working?"
I shook my head at the brazenness of it. The way she sat up straight didn't really hide anything.
"Yeah, I wanted to catch up as I've missed the first few days."
"I'm surprised you're up so early. I didn't expect anyone to be waking up before me."
"Oh…" I tilted my head slightly. "Yeah – didn't go to sleep actually."
Green eyes blinked in bewilderment. "Excuse me?"
"Couldn't sleep," I shrugged. "So I figured studying would be a better use of my time. Besides, it's not like it's the first time I pulled an all-nighter."
"You're full of surprises you know that?" commented Pyrrha.
The pen in my hand tumbled over my knuckles. I hummed in amusement, but said nothing and retuned back to my studies.
Her chair scooted back as she quietly opened her closet. "Shirou?" I turned to her. "Would you like to join me for a run?" She had quickly changed into her exercise outfit. The same one as the day before.
"I'll… have to pass, sorry." I politely declined. "I already showered beforehand and I have some work that I'd like to get out of the way before the other two wake up." For a split second, her face appeared crestfallen, feeling guilty I asked. "Maybe tomorrow?"
Pyrrha brightened up with a smile. "I'll be looking forward to it then. And I'll be sure to wake up before you." She winked.
"Good luck."
"I'll be off then," she waved. The redhead slipped on her shoes and promptly left.
I sighed as I scratched the side of my head with my pen. "Pyrrha…" I clicked my tongue. "Geez – there's no way she doesn't know what she was doing." With a shake of my head, I picked up my phone and swiped around for any updates from Ozpin.
Seeing nothing, I muttered to myself, "Of course you idiot, it's only been a couple of days since I got here."
I placed the device away and sullenly returned to work.
The table rumbled.
I patiently sipped at my tea and ignored the chaos in front of me. I felt grateful for the quality of tea that Beacon was able to afford, as the tea left me feeling reenergized. Whoever was picking them out did not skim out on the selection and choices.
The table shook. I covered my cup as bits of pancake flew in my vicinity. Nora, further down the table, voraciously dug into her breakfast with extra gusto.
I snuck a peek as she ate stacks upon stacks of pancakes.
How much could this one girl eat? Who could love a food so much that could serve to fill a company of grown adults? I was both strangely fascinated and disgusted the amount that she could eat. I wanted to know how she can pack in all that food without looking stuffed.
I swore – the hardest questions were often the ones that we asked ourselves…
"Nora," I coughed. She turned her head to me with a piece of pancake still hanging out of her mouth. "Mind your manners – take your time eating. Your food isn't… going anywhere so at least enjoy your food…" She saluted in return with a fork in hand. "…also use a napkin please."
A dribble of syrup fell out of her mouth. She inhaled the pancake she munched on and even resorted to pounding her chest a couple of times to get it down. "Roger that leader!"
Ren discretely mouthed a grateful thank you to me.
I acknowledged it with a nod.
"So – who's excited for combat class?" asked Yang with a smirk. "Who do ya think is gonna kick the most butt?"
Team RWBY sat across from my team as they ate their breakfast.
"Ooh! Me! Me!" waved an excited Ruby. "I can't wait to show off Crescent Rose to the class! It's gonna be totally awesome! Plus we get to see everyone's weapons and fighting styles too! I wonder what I'm gonna see later! Ugh-! I can't wait!" she gushed.
I hid a small grin behind my cup.
Glynda Goodwitch's class was scheduled after lunch. Her first scheduled lesson was an assessment test of sorts for the first week. Pitting students against each other and evaluating how well they cope fighting against non-Grimm. Since the class allowed us to let loose, it was the most anticipated class in our schedule.
A part of me was looking forward to it. It was a controlled environment for people to fight each other and what better way to understand how these people fought than to observe them in action. The idea of Aura and Semblances was intriguing to me, as I wanted to compare it with what I knew about magecraft. The words of the fake priest whispered in the back of my head; observe, analyze, and act.
"Hey, red," called out Yang, "you don't even look interested. Got the jitters there buddy? It's okay to be nervous you know? No need to hide it from me." She winked playfully before pointing to two of my team members. "Even Pyrrha and Ren looks pretty excited for the class."
I grunted at being singled out. "Your partner looks just as indifferent as me."
"Nahhh," waved the blonde, "that's just Blake being… Blake! She's too busy reading her smut to really care." The aforementioned girl's bow twitched. One of my eyebrows rose at the reaction she had. Was there something beneath it? "Aww – don't worry girl, no need to be ashamed about it."
Yang elbowed the dark-haired girl in her side with a silly grin.
"Yeah, Shirou!" Ruby enabled her sister by agreeing. "I got to see everyone's weapons so far except yours! What is it anyways? Where do you keep it? Is it cool like my ultra-cool scythe? Or… maybe it's lame? I mean," Ruby brought up her hands defensively, "I mean it's totally fine if it isn't because all weapons are call in my book hehe-!"
"Maybe I don't have a weapon?" I deflected in jest.
"Nope! Nuh-uh!" she shook her head. "I don't believe you! Everyone has a weapon! So what is it huh? A gun? Or maybe a sword?" I kept my face passive so as to not give any hints away. "I mean maybe a spear? Or how about a gun-spear! Or even a gun-sword! Sword-gun-spear! A gun-spear-sword!"
I blinked slowly at the obsession over mixing guns with melee weapons.
"So which one is it?"
"You'll just have to wait and find out." I winked with one eye.
"Ugh-!" she groaned. "I hate waiting and I hate guessing! Come on! Please! Just a hint? Or something? I don't know!"
"Nope."
Ruby slumped forward, "So mean…"
I grinned serenely with my drink in hand. "Patience is a virtue Ruby."
Yang yawned out loudly while cleaning her eat out. "Geez Shirou, you sound like our Uncle Qrow."
"I'll… take that as a compliment?"
"It wasn't supposed to be one," winked the blonde.
I shot her a dry glare before turning away.
Yang Xiao Long irked me in more ways than one. A part of me wondered if it was simply because I attributed the color of her hair to Angelica. And seeing as how the latter absolutely trounced me in our one and only fight, I held an admittedly unhealthy apprehension at the sight of any blonde haired girl.
Just as I was about to turn around for another retort, a cruel laughter echoed across the cafeteria.
"Pfft – haha!"
The noise grabbed everyone's attention at the table to the front entrance.
It was a team of four males blocking the doors.
They were hounding a passing group of Faunus students. Out of the four guys, I immediately recognized one of them with his slicked back burnt orange-hair. He was the loudest amongst them as he barked out at how his teammate taunted one of the students with his horns.
The sudden shift of tone around our group was noticeable. Everyone went tense at the scene, unsure on what to do.
Incidentally, Blake who was usually the most apathetic out of the group, displayed the most emotions. Out of everyone at the table, she glared furiously at the blatant display of racism.
The students being harassed ducked while covering their features in shame. One girl even looked to be on the verge of tears as she left.
I sipped at my now cold tea.
"Simply atrocious," muttered lowly Pyrrha. "We're supposed to be better than that yet people like them are here…" My partner made her distaste clear as she joined in with Blake glaring at them. "Despicable people…"
Even in this world, where humanity faced a common enemy, there was still widespread racism and bigotry. It really showed that the more things change the more they stay the same.
"I think… we should get going," announced an uncomfortable Weiss. Her voice sounded nervous and shaky. "Class with Doctor Oobleck will be starting soon so we wouldn't want to be late for that."
As we all picked up our belongings and cleaned our table. I reminded myself to remember that orange haired person's face. A funny feeling in my gut told me that I would be seeing more of him later.
"Yeah – let's get going."
World History and Archaeology with Profe-
Correction.
Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck.
My eyes constantly swiped across the room as he zipped back and forth, to and fro, from one side of the lecture hall to the other. His left hand grasped a wooden pointer while his right was seemingly glued to a steaming mug of what I could only guess from the aroma was coffee. But considering how hyper the doctor seemed to be, I could only guess that it was something extremely strong.
He passed by and my nose crinkled in slight disgust.
Did I say strong? I meant potent. Probably enough to kill any normal human being...
The first time I stepped into this class. He immediately threw us into the course. No introductory speech or synopsis regarding the class, but diving straight into the material.
Apparently in the course of under a week. He had already covered the introductory and classical periods of this world. Our current lesson was reaching into the era of the civil rights movements with the Faunus. Despite being a world apart, I found it interesting to see both similarities and differences when compared to my home world.
It seemed it didn't matter which world humanity was in, they could not coexist peacefully. Even faced with the reality of extinction they would rather squander time and lives over pointless differences.
Interrupting my thought, Doctor Oobleck zipped by and nearly shouted. "Indeed! As you can see prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, colloquially known as the Faunus War, humankind was very, and I repeat very adamant in managing and centralizing all Faunus population onto this land here," his pointer smacked loudly against a specific spot on the map, "called Menagerie!"
I raised an eyebrow.
I was certain if I looked in a dictionary for the word menagerie. It was supposed to mean a collection of wild animals for exhibition. The name was either ironic or terribly crude.
Taking a moment to chug from his mug, he continued. "For some, this may seem like ancient history!" Another chug. "But it is incredibly imperative for you all to remember that these are actually recent events that happened no less than fifty years ago!"
By this point I wasn't sure if he was yelling due to the caffeine or simply because of how passionate he was. "The repercussions of the uprising can still be felt and seen to this day! Now my next question is posed directly to the students that are of Faunus descent! Have any of you personally experienced discrimination based solely on how you look?"
My pen casually rolled and tumbled in my hand. The silence was palpable as everyone looked around the room. A few tentative hands slowly rose in the air.
I scanned the classroom, my eyes caught Blake going stiff as a board for a brief moment before she returned to her default bored expression. However, the normal typical, aloof and reserved look gave away signs of confliction. Despite trying to school her features, she was not able to hide the erratic twitch coming from her black bow.
The pen flipped over my thumb.
A question sparked in my mind. Was Blake Belladonna a… Faunus? If so it would make some sense, as it explained some of her prior actions. The fact that she tried to keep a straight face while her amber eyes shifted around nervously was just another hint that raised my suspicion.
"Terrible!" Oobleck roared as he stomped his foot. "Absolutely, down right horrific! Prejudice due to ignorance is dreadful! This is exactly why we must remember history lest we are doomed to repeat our mistakes! Ignorance begets hate! Hate begets violence!" His tone lowered as he became gravely serious. The previous caffeine rushed lecture gone in an instant. "My dear students… I want you to listen to me very closely. Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscious stupidity. Things like that are how people can get hurt or even worse…"
His round glasses glinted in the light. He drove his words home to every student in the class.
"If you need an example then look no further than what has become of the White Fang. A once stalwart, benign organization whose goal was once peaceful coexistence and quality for their kind. For a time they were successful in their endeavors. But over time when success became few and far in-between. They were driven to radicalization as constant bias and racism stymied their progress and increased their suffering. It is a sad truth that they were forced to turn to violence as a means to make their grievances known."
The name of the White Fang elicited various reactions from the class.
Faunus students turned their heads away in shame. This was the organization that supposedly fought on their behalf only to invite even more torment and suffering at home. Regular human students turned frightful at the reputation they carried. Most importantly, Blake looked apprehensive, while Weiss held an awful sneer.
"But I digress!" He poured himself another cup at his desk. "Going forward, which one of you can answer me as to what many historians believe to be the most critical moment in the third year of the revolution?"
Weiss's hand shot up before everyone else's. "It was the Battle of Fort Castle sir!"
"Correct!" happily bounced Oobleck. "Now, who can tell me what advantage did the Faunus forces have over General Lagune's army that handed them the victory?"
A yawn crept up unexpectedly. The pen casually spun uninterrupted as I waited for someone to answer. When the writing utensil began to tumble over the thumb knuckle. I flexed my hand to catch and-
"-!"
The pen was knocked out of my hand. A crumpled up, paper ball bounced off my head and into my hand. My eye twitched at the interruption. Who the he-
"Ah-! Mister Emiya! Pen gymnastics is an interesting skill to hone! Why I'm an expert myself! But I'm happy to know that you volunteered!"
Silently cursing my luck at being singled at, I quickly glanced around to see who threw it.
When I saw the same burnt orange-haired teen from the dining hall, grinning with a self-satisfied, smug smirk; I instantly felt irritated. With his two feet lazily propped up on the desk, he showed no respect to Oobleck's lecture. The sight alone begged me to punch his face in.
I briefly wondered if punching him would feel just as satisfying as punching Shinji.
"So… what is the answer my fellow pen spinning extraordinaire?" He adjusted his glasses as he walked up to me.
It took a moment to recall the right information that I had been hastily cramming since my arrival.
"Faunus are… known for their exceptional vision. Some even have nigh perfect vision in the dark." By the nod of his head I was on the right track. "General Lagune's overconfidence in his numbers as well as his arrogance meant that he telegraphed his attack at the dead of night. Rather than dealing a decisive blow, he attacked a fortified position with no element of surprise. Due to his lack of understanding his enemy, he unknowingly led his forces into a trap and was then soundly defeated."
"Well done young man!" clapped Oobleck in approval. "A well thought out explanation! I couldn't have said it better myself! However – I would like if you would avoid being too distracted from my class next time." I flushed at being caught appearing too bored.
The boy behind me snorted loudly as I sat down. "Bunch of animals got lucky if you asked me."
The racist comment instantly raised my hackles. "Maybe if a moron like you paid attention, you would know that wasn't the case." I snarked.
"The hell you say to me?" the boy shot up angrily.
"Ho-?" A smug smirk formed. "Having a bit of difficulty in listening? I see…" I nodded to myself. "I apologize – it's wrong to make fun of people with a learning disability. You have my sympathy."
The response evoked a reaction from the class. Several people snorted behind their hands. Others giggled while pointing at Cardin's reddened face. Yang barked out a laugh.
"You're about to have my fist in your face in a second!" He replied, flushed with embarrassment, as he stood up to get ready to leap over his desk.
He was prepared to leap forward and I was ready to move out the way.
"Mister Winchester! Mister Emiya! That's enough!" he snapped at the two of us. "Unless you want to continue this in detention then I highly suggest the two of you cease this instance."
"Ah…" I turned around and bowed. "Apologies Doctor Oobleck, I was out of line."
He pushed up the bridge of his glasses. "That's uh… quite alright! Please sit," he motioned, "and you," he then pointed to Cardin, "Stay up. Since you seem to be rather enthusiastic in including yourself in this conversation. Would you care to add in anything meaningful to our discussion?"
I could feel his glare bore into the back of my head.
"Yeah, I got something to add alright," Cardin said testily. "My father told me that it's a lot easier to train a stupid animal than an actual true soldier."
"You are… not the most open-minded of people are you Cardin," openly shot Pyrrha. "Faunus are considered people you know?"
He laughed. "People? Ha-! That's a good joke Miss Invincible Girl," a mock sound came out of his mouth. "But last I checked, people didn't have animal ears or tails or skin or whatever freak mutation."
"You know Cardin?" Blake rose up from her seat. "Maybe if General Lagune had paid attention in class. History wouldn't remember him as such a failure," she added snidely. "Then again, history tends to repeat itself so perhaps you're just another Lagune."
"Ooh girly-! You better take that back or I'll-"
"Ahem," coughed Oobleck. "Or else you'll do what? Mister Winchester?" The doctor wrestled back control of the class with his voice alone. He shook his head as he marched up the steps to Cardin. "Terrible… simply terrible and very ignorant Mister Winchester." He clicked his tongue. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to stay after class with me to talk about your behavior. Not to mention plan for remedial lessons in the future. It seems I have my work cut out for me."
Cardin instantly looked shocked. "What? This is bullshit! You're punishing me because I'm voicing my opinions?!"
"Language Mister Winchester," reprimanded the doctor. "Freedom of speech does not imply freedom of consequences." His arms crossed as Cardin stepped back. "Beacon Academy stands as a vestibule for freedom and quality from persecution and bigotry. Rest assured… Professor Goodwitch will be hearing about this later. Now sit, back, down."
Every word that was punctuated forced Cardin back into his seat. The lecturer's overwhelming presence and author cowed him into submission. He mumbled something unintelligible to himself as he glared at everyone spoke out against him.
"Now!" Doctor Oobleck commanded the attention back to him. "We're moving onto the next topic! Pens and papers everyone! This will be on your test!"
"Hah-!"
I muffled another yawn with my hand. It wasn't even past noon and I already felt like I could fall asleep at any moment.
"Regret not getting any sleep?" teased Pyrrha as she walked up beside me. Her hands hidden behind her back along with her school bag. She was leaning forward a bit as we left Oobleck's class while Ren and Nora trailed behind.
I refused to give her the satisfaction of being right.
"I need to stop by the library," I announced suddenly to my team. "There's some things that I forgot I need to pick up. I'll catch you three later at the dining hall."
Pyrrha pouted at being ignored, but quickly morphed the pout into a small knowing grin. She was fast on the uptake as to what I was subtly implying.
"Whaaat-? More stuff again Shirou? Are you sure you're not forgetful?" asked Nora. "Did ya check your bag this time to be sure? Because that'd be pretty funny if it happened again."
"Yes, it would be very funny of me," I rolled my eyes. "But I do need to check out some books."
"If I may ask," voiced Ren. "What are you checking out?"
"Ah well," I scratched my cheek. "I'm not exactly sure what it is, but I think I'll know when I get there."
"Alright then leader!" saluted Nora. "We'll get outta your hair and save ya a seat at our usual spot! C'mon Renny, I know you like reading too, but I like eating more! So get that rear into gear and let's go! Momma bear's hungry!" She practically dragged the poor boy off with her, even as his protests fell on deaf ears.
"Wait- wait-! Nora – stop dragging meee-!"
A small grin cracked my tired visage. A part of me felt those two were meant for each other. When it concerned those two, opposites really do attract.
"Mind if I tagged along?" offered Pyrrha with a serene smile.
"Sure," I shrugged, "why not."
Pyrrha perked up considerably as her smile brightened instantly. I nearly tripped over my own feet as we headed over to the library.
Whether it was done purposefully or not, Pyrrha gradually gravitated closer to me. By the time we got close to the library, we were almost shoulder to shoulder. It was close enough that I could smell the light perfume she wore.
When I glanced around, I couldn't help but noticed that a large amount of students were looking our way, or more specifically, they were looking at my partner. Plenty of students were clumped together whispering and discretely pointing at Pyrrha. There were even some female students who squealed and blushed as she passed them by. While a vast majority of the male students were either trying to ogle at her or glare at me.
Through it all – Pyrrha carried herself professionally.
On occasion to those that had the confidence to at least say hello, she would politely return a wave and respond back. Others that were too meek were given a simple nod of acknowledgement.
Her level of popularity was mind boggling.
Pyrrha Nikos seemed like the untouchable school president. Universally well-liked, carrying a sense of charisma that instantly drew attention with just her presence.
And yet the longer I studied her, the longer I felt a sense of loneliness. She distanced herself as their admiration seemed to dig up negative emotions. Pyrrha detached herself and hid behind a mask of professionalism.
For the second time, I asked myself: who was my partner?"
The door closed shut behind us as we entered the library.
Her shoulders dropped slightly as she exhaled in relief. Her eyes were weary as she dropped her mask.
"Quite popular aren't you Pyrrha?" I smirked. "Makes me wonder what you have done to be so famous."
"Y-Yes well," she stuttered, "I guess you can say that I won a couple of… tournaments?"
Amused I continued to prod. "What kind of tournaments?"
A nervous chuckle followed by rubbing her neck.
"Fighting tournaments."
I shook my head in exasperation. I could empathize with my partner. Albeit – her tournaments were undoubtedly different than the one I competed in.
"Hmm well… I guess that makes two of us." I closed my right eye and looked at her through the corner of my left, a teasing grin plastered on my face.
She blinked owlishly realizing what I just revealed. "Excuse me?" A red eyebrow arched up. "The two of us?"
"Don't worry about it," I waved her question away. I scowled at myself for nearly slipping at such a random moment. It would be dangerous for me if anyone were to know I had no identity. Given how comfortable I was with Pyrrha, I had to ensure that I did not slip again. "Come on, we should make this quick so we can get back to Nora and Ren."
"I…" she looked like she wanted to continue before acquiescing. "…alright."
We quickly walked through the library. There were two floors in this building with each of them containing massive bookcases. I was astounded at the sheer scale of the building, it was by far one of the largest libraries I had ever visited. The further we ventured in, the more students I could see in study rooms. We even passed by an area dedicated as lounges with couches and vending machines for people to take breaks.
The marble flooring echoed with each of our steps.
"So…" Pyrrha broke the silence. "What are you looking for Shirou? Fictional or non-fictional?"
I turned my head to her and answered with a straight face, "No – I'm looking for smut."
A small grin formed on her face. She didn't even miss a beat. "Oh? Is that so Shirou?" She placed a hand on her hip. "You're a rather daring guy to bring a girl along with you. I didn't know you were like Blake."
"Says the girl who is following me," I riposted.
"Maybe I'm just curious as to what kind of smut you're into?" she winked.
"Curiosity killed the cat you know." I answered back with a smirk.
"But satisfaction brought it back you know."
I snorted, it had been a while since I could let loose and talk like this.
Pyrrha' sweet genuine laughter filled the air.
The sound of it alone turned my grin into a small smile from me.
"N-No, but seriously. What are you looking for?" Her laughter slowly boiled down to a giggle, a light dusting of pink ran across her cheeks from embarrassment. Several other students passed by looked at her strangely for laughing.
"I'm looking for something regarding Aura and Semblance."
Her head tilted to the side. "Did they… not teach about those things at your school? And I think the section about it is over there," she pointed out to a couple rows down.
"They did," I responded faster than I liked, "but I was hoping that Beacon had a more in-depth research on it."
She conceded, "True."
We made our way to the section and I immediately began my search. After a while, I decided to pull out two books that caught my eye. They seemed promising enough after a quick skim of the topics. The information was condensed down enough that I wouldn't waste too much time on them, yet would be a good start on what was Aura and Semblance all about. With a soft snap, I closed the books, nodding in satisfaction to her and we made our way back to the front.
As we returned, I slowed down before I came to a complete stop. Pyrrha continued walking on unaware.
There was a section dedicated entirely to astronomy and I soon found myself browsing the section. Indulging my own curiosity, I took a small detour as I heard Pyrrha call out my name.
"Shirou?"
I scanned the shelves with an attentive eye before plucking out a book. There were pictures that were accompanied by detailed information regarding constellations. I snapped the book shut and tucked it underneath my arm with the other two books.
"Astronomy huh?" commented my partner. "I didn't peg you as the type."
I shrugged. "It sort of grew on me as a hobby."
"So what got you into it?"
"My father and sister."
"Oh?" she practically beamed at the tidbit of personal information. "So were you the eldest or youngest?"
"Older," I corrected.
"Well you certainly do act like an older sibling," she commented with a titter. "Between you and me," she leaned in close as if she was sharing a secret, "it's hard to tell who the elder sibling is when it comes to Yang and Ruby." Her head shook playfully. "So what is her name? What is she like?"
"Miyu and… well, I guess you could say she was a little shy. Quiet at first I suppose," I rubbed my chin in thought. Pyrrha listened with rapt attention. "But if you got her talking about something then she was very talkative. Oh – she also liked to cook. She would always say that she would surpass me in cooking one day. And man… she was a fast learner. On some days I really thought she was going to beat me with how fast she was catching up. So admittedly, I'd stay up on some nights to practice in the kitchen by myself and… heh."
My voice trailed off. A melancholic smile tugged at my lips. I was starting to myself reminiscing those winter days.
"She was curious by nature. Every now and then I would catch her reading some of my textbooks from school. She was a voracious reader when something caught her interest." I scratched the back of my head. "I think at some point I was starting to run out of books for her to read. And I think…" I stopped when I caught Pyrrha's expression. "…Something wrong?"
Her face gradually fell I as recounted my time with Miyu. Her eyebrows had furrowed together. There was a mix of concern, curiosity, and was that… worry that I saw?
"I don't mean to be rude Shirou, but… did something happen to her?" she asked timidly.
My eyes widened in realization.
My mouth opened, however no words came out.
"Ah…" A croaking sound. My hand rubbed the back of my neck in abashment. "Sorry."
A soft gasp in shock. Her hand covered her mouth. "I-I'm sorry," she immediately apologized for whatever reason. "I didn't mean to bring up-"
My sad smile interrupted her.
I closed my eyes.
"Its fine, I promise. You don't need to apologize. She isn't dead or anything like that if that's what you're worried about. Some… tough circumstances and events transpired caused us to be separated. So just keep this between you and me." I glanced up at a nearby clock. "We should get these checked out and meet back up with Ren and Nora."
"Y-yeah," she nodded in agreement. "They're probably worried with how long we've been gone."
"Knowing Nora? She's probably stuffing her face with pancakes."
She smiled in response, but said nothing.
Her mind was probably still going over the information I shared. I didn't know what came over me to speak so freely about Miyu. I revealed so much about her, I thought I was better than that. From past experience, it was only a matter of time before my mistakes caught up to me. I needed to stay more vigilant, as without a history, it would be difficult to explain my identity.
And I had just scold myself for being too talkative when I walked in here.
I sighed.
The books were checked out easily enough and we soon found ourselves trekking back to the dining hall in silence.
Pyrrha's face was still set in concern.
I wracked my head for a moment thinking up way to set her mind off of my situation. A devilish idea popped into my head, one that even EMIYA would be proud of.
"Pyrrha?"
"Oh – um sorry, yes Shirou?"
"If you're still wondering what I'm into then you should just look at a mirror," I stated offhandedly.
The redhead promptly walked straight into a pole.
Pyrrha was still rubbing her forehead as we walked into the dining hall.
"That… was not nice," she murmured. "That was a low blow."
I wasn't able to wipe off the stupid grin I had. "It wasn't my fault you slammed into a pole."
"Hey," she said sounding offended, "that was completely your fault for-"
"Oww-! Oww-!" A girl cried.
Pyrrha's words died as we both witnessed school at its worst.
A Faunus in obvious pain cried out again. "That really hurts! Please, stop! Leave me alone!"
It didn't surprise me that Cardin Winchester had his hands on another girl, tugging on the girl's rabbit hears. A brunette with long hair and a pleasant face was currently trying to free herself.
What surprised me was how silent the hall was as all the students stood to the side waiting for a conclusion to the scene. Bystanders watched on as no one stood up to stop Cardin. Whether it was because no one wanted to be seen protecting a Faunus or catching Cardin's ire, everyone just turned their heads.
This display of apathy was pathetic.
My hand balled into a fist.
"Hey – numbskull."
My voice was almost deafening. The hall was so quiet that my voice echoed across the hall. Cardin with the girl's ear still in his hand, dragged her as he turned around to face me. He wasn't one to let go so easily.
"Huh?" His eyes widened in realization. "You! You're the red haired asshole that got me in trouble with that nerd professor!"
"Really? Is that the best you can come up with? Even the lowliest of scum can make better insults than you. But," I shrugged callously, "I guess that makes you worse than scum."
"Who the hell do you think you are? Huh-?!" The poor girl yelped in pain as he gripped the girl's ears even harder. He vented his frustrations on her. "I'm gonna wipe that smug look off your face when I beat your head in."
"Oww-! Please, let go of my ears!" she yelped out.
"Shut it will you! Animals should know when to be quiet!"
I started walking forward with my eyes narrowed. "You should let go of her right now."
"Ha-! What are you gonna do?" For emphasis, he tugged on the girl's ear upwards even more. "I'd like to see you try." Two of his teammates, responding to a new threat positioned themselves to support him by covering his flanks. The final team member with a Mohawk seemed to be unsure and hung back.
By now, he was within arm's reach.
Examining him from a closer view, Cardin struck the genetic lottery. He had height, weight, and build making him the perfect front-liner. Too bad all of those physical traits were going to waste with a poor mindset.
Everyone in the hall held their breath, waiting in anticipation for either of us to make the first move. Despite the confrontation, I could feel my partner's gaze resting on my back, silently signaling me that she was ready to leap in and assist.
However for a person like Cardin, her help was unnecessary. As a bully, he was the type that would listen to one thing: power.
"GUHK-!"
My fist smashed squarely into his face faster than anyone could see. One moment he was standing in front of me. The next moment he was sent bowling backwards into his team. They scrambled in confusion at how Cardin flew backwards with such speed. A collective gasp resounded throughout the hall.
"Ah – sorry," I said unapologetically, "it seems that my fist travels faster than my words."
I refrained from grimacing at my now throbbing hand. It felt like I just tried punching steel without reinforcement.
"W-What the fuck!" Cardin cursed as he scrambled to stand up. "Y-You punched me!?" Untangling himself from his teammates, he stood up clutching his nose. "That's it! I'm gonna mess you up!"
My jaw clenched as my patience began to run thin. The combination of lack of sleep, long classes, and studying with no break was taking its toll.
"Tougher scum than you have tried," I glared at him in annoyance. I took a step forward. "So if you're willing to go through with that threat." I peered down from my nose. "Then I'm willing to accept the consequences of what happens next, Cardin."
And just like that, the winds in Cardin's team vanished.
"B-Boss," whimpered the Mohawk teen, "we should get outta here."
"Y-Yeah boss, let's scram before the professors get here!"
"I-I don't wanna get in trouble!"
The three other members of his team collectively rallied to retreat.
The towering boy's frame shook. He took a step back. An ugly sneer plastered on him.
"You," he pointed at me with a lowly voice. "I'll make sure I match up with you in Combat Class. I'll make sure I embarrass you in front of the entire class for this! Mark my words you red haired goof!"
Smirking at his challenge, I replied. "Good luck."
I glanced back the bunny girl, who was still rubbing at her sore ear.
"Here." I offered her bag that was kicked away by one of Cardin's members. "I think this belongs to you."
"T-Thank you." She accepted her bag and hugged it. "Y-You saved me."
Momentarily feeling a stir, I replied neutrally. "It was nothing."
Due to her embarrassment, her bunny ears flopped downward to hide her blush making her look meek and cute. Along with her accent and overall appearance, it was hard to imagine why anyone would want to bully this girl. There were people back in my country that would literally kill to see this, let alone by in my position!
"Need a hand?" I offered her.
"T-Thanks – my name is Velvet by the way," introduced the bunny-eared Faunus, looking down at her feet. "Velvet Scarlatina."
"Shirou, Shirou Emiya," I replied with a curt nod.
"You know… not many people would go out of their way to help someone like me," she said softly. Her hands busied themselves smoothing out and adjusting her uniform. "Usually people just… watch."
"Apathy," I breathed in, "is a terrible thing."
I looked away and scanned the crowd of wide-eyed spectators.
Confused, Velvet asked, "Apathy?"
Glancing around, many of them failed to stare back for long. "Everyone here has the ability to help yet consciously making the decision to just stand by and watch." Turning back to her I asked loudly, "Does this happen frequently?"
She hugged her bag tighter. "How do you figure?"
"Let's call it intuition and leave it at that."
"I… I see," Velvet's feet shuffled around. "Then thank you for not being apathetic. You're a real hero you know that?" Her smile was so genuine that I was slightly taken aback.
I blinked once.
My eyes casted downward at being called a hero, I couldn't get myself to respond.
The girl must have said her farewell as she left the area. I ran a hand through my hair as I watched her disappear from my sight. She was mostly likely off to go find her friends or teammates.
The crowd was-
My eyes snapped back up as my schoolmates whispered and pointed at me. A heavy sigh escaped as I shook my head.
"Oh boy…"
My partner asked, "Are you alright? You seem to be concerned about something."
Pyrrha came walking up with my bag.
"I think you dropped this by the way," she winked.
"Thanks," I huffed an amused breath and took back my bag. "And yes, I'm fine. It's just, I realized a good bit of the school just watched me punch Cardin in his face. So now there's going to be nothing but gossip, and I hate gossip."
She laughed lightly as she laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. "That makes the two of us."
I tisked loudly and feigned annoyance. "Stealing my lines now?"
"You know what they say Shirou. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery," winked Pyrrha. "Oh and just some advice. If you wanted to really keep him down for the count. You should aim for the liver over here," she pointed out to herself, "it's rather excruciatingly painful and effective. Also remember, always follow through with your punches with your waist."
I rolled my eyes with a shake of my head. "Are you speaking from experience?"
A coy smile was all that was returned.
"Of course you are, you probably laid someone out cold. I'll be sure to keep that in mind the next time I need to… punch someone." My stomach softly rumbled. "Ah…"
"Looks like someone's hungry," she giggled at my embarrassment right before her stomach copied mine.
"What was that about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery?" Not bothering to fight down my smirk.
Stammering, Pyrrha's face went flush. "L-Let's just get lunch!"
I smirked as I followed behind.
"Shirou! I can't believe you punched him!" exclaimed Ruby.
I sighed tiredly for what was probably the umpteenth time.
While waiting for our class to begin, I was beset by an endless amount of questions. The incident with Cardin at the dining hall seemed to have spread like wildfire. Even worse was that people kept embellishing it as they spread the word.
"Red, holy crap!" Yang threw her hands up. "At first, if I'm being totally real with you, I thought you were sort of a pushover that was all bark and no bite, but damn! I didn't know you had it in ya to punch someone out like that!"
"Stop exaggerating, I only knocked him back," I corrected her with my arms crossed. "And I take offence to that."
"Honestly Shirou," started off Weiss, "I can't believe you actually devolved into physicality. I thought you were better than that," she stated in disappointment. "Resorting to violence should be the last option as a hunter in training!"
I audibly grunted in annoyance. "I tried talking, it didn't work, so I worked with what I had to get that girl free. And I don't want to hear that from you of all people," I sniped back.
"E-Excuse me?!" sputtered the heiress. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Leader!" interjected Nora with a yell. "If you need something to crush his legs then look no further!" She smiled brightly. "Magnhild's got your back if Cardin tries any more funny business! I can also give you some pointers on how to hit him with maximum power!"
"Uh… thank you, but no thank you." The gesture was nice enough, but I didn't need anything as overt as her hammer. Ignoring Weiss's continued sputters, I glanced over at Pyrrha, Blake, and Ren with tired eyes. "You three have anything to add?"
"Nope," curtly replied Blake not bothering to look away from her book.
Ren said nothing, but offered a thumbs up. His own little way of saying he had my back if it came down to it.
And meanwhile Pyrrha simply looked on amused. She giggled discretely every now and then off to the side. It was a poor attempt to hide it with the fact that she sat right next to me.
"I'm glad this is all very funny to you Pyrrha," I called her out with narrowed eyes.
"I have no idea what you are talking about Shirou." My partner feigned innocence. Despite knowing it was false, the angelic way she tried to hide her guilt still made me almost fall for her trick. Too bad that little twitch at the corner of her mouth was a dead giveaway. "I am simply enjoying your company!"
"Right…" I drawled, completely unconvinced.
Yang looked like she was about to say something when Professor Goodwitch finally walked onto the stage. I silently thanked my abysmal luck for at least favoring me with the small things. I wasn't sure how long I was going to last if they kept this up.
"Everyone, settle down." The class heeded her command without question and went silent. "Welcome everyone to Combat Class. As you all know, for our first week together, everyone will be sparring against one another to see where you stand among your peers. This will also allow us an opportunity to see where we need to focus on improving."
A tap on her tablet flashed up two holographic displays that flanked on each side of her.
"These monitors will display your own Aura meters as well as your opponents. I will be watching closely when you fight and will stop the match by my discretion if things get out of hand." The monitors flickered to life with a vibrant soft blue hue. A list of students that were in the class scrolled on by. Cardin's name in particular caught my interest. "Remember, we are here to develop your combat skills as well as provide assistance to develop your teamwork over the next four years at Beacon."
The jitters of the class became prevalent as a good majority of the students were anxious to begin. They wanted to prove themselves not only to the professor, but also to their peers.
Glynda pushed up her glasses.
"With that being said, I would like to issue a reminder to everyone. This class is not here for you to settle your arguments or petty squabbles. This class is here to teach you how to fight and survive against encounters you may face in the outside world. We are here to develop your potential capabilities so that you are able to fight against the creatures of Grimm and criminals."
A part of me doubted that more than a good number of student conflicts were resolved by fighting. The situation with Weiss and Ruby was the rare exception where it wasn't. With something like Aura at their disposal, students wouldn't have to worry about sustaining serious injuries.
"If you have an issue with another student over a particular matter. Then I highly suggest that you seek out a faculty member of the school to address your problems. We will handle it discretely and properly like civilized beings." The sheer authority in her voice was like a rule of steel. It was unbending and brokered no room for argument. "If I catch anyone attempting to circumvent my authority then I hope you're prepared to face the consequences."
A small pause allowed everyone to digest her introduction disguised as a warning.
"Good, now with that out of the way. Who would like to volunteer and-"
"Me ma'am."
Everyone turned their attention to the person who stood up.
"Hmm… Cardin Winchester is that right?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Alright then, let's go about finding you an opponent shall we?" She made to begin the process of scrolling through the class when his voice interrupted her.
"If I may ma'am, would it be possible for me to choose?"
The blonde haired professor stared at him for a moment before nodding. "By all means, choose your match."
Cardin's eyes widened in excitement. His shoulders shook in uncontained joy. It was clear as day as to who he would pick. "Him," he pointed across to me.
"Shirou… Emiya?"
I stood up at my name being called.
"Very well, please gear up and step down to the arena."
He ran of the moment she dismissed us. The eagerness in his face was unmistakable that he looked forward to the fight. I shook my head and wondered how far I should take this. There was subtlety and then there was outright slaughter. And factoring the things I went through today so far; my choice leaned to the latter.
"Go get'em tiger!" supported Yang.
"Yeah!" followed up Ruby. "Go kick his butt!"
"Crush your enemy Shirou! See him driven before you! And hear the lamentation of your opponent!" yelled Nora.
I paused mid-step in bewilderment at Nora's statement and decided not to acknowledge it.
"Hey – is that him?"
"Yeah, I think so…"
"The one who stood up to Cardin?"
The whispering of the class grew louder with each step that I took. I was certain that by now, a vast majority of the student population heard about what happened at lunch. It was a rather new experience due to the fact that Homurahara Academy student population was appallingly small. In fact, the number of students in my year could be counted on one hand.
Cardin's heavy armored footstep rumbled around the corner. He became back into view with a swagger in his step. Dull silver armor cladded his body from head to toe. A massive mace rested on his shoulders as he faced me with a cocksure grin. The armored torso was puffed out fully displaying his personal emblem.
"Mister Emiya?"
"Yes Professor?" I tossed the jacket to the side and loosened my tie.
Glynda noticed that I had not bothered to change. Realizing that I was empty handed, she asked, "Your weapon, Mister Emiya?"
"Trace, on."
My right hand was held out to my side. The mental gun hammer cocked back and fired. A cold feeling flushed through my body. Twenty-seven magical circuits lit up with magical energy flowing into them. Arcs of light blue energy danced around near my hand, as lightning crackled around it. The sound alone drew everyone's attention as they were transfixed at the lightshow. Once empty handed, I was now gripping a black short sword with a red hexagonal pattern.
"Oh my god!" gasped Ruby in the stands. "Yang, did you see that? Did you see that?! SHIROU CAN MAKE SWORDS?!"
"H-Hey Ruby! Quit shakin' me already! I can see too you know! Gah-!" Yang wrestled with her sister to calm her down. "Sit down already!"
"I gotta get a closer look! That's so frickin', flippin', flappin' awesome!" the girl in the red hood tried prying herself free from Yang's grip. "C'mon-!"
"Chill little sis! You can badger him later!" Yang successfully pulled her sister back into her seat. "Now sit, or else you're gonna get us in trouble with Professor Goodwitch!"
"Now then, are both combatants ready?" We both nodded with Cardin emphasizing his point by letting the head of his weapon smash the ground. "The fight may now begin."
The professor quickly vacated to the stage.
"Now it's just you and me," he grinned viciously. "I got you for the whole round buddy. And I'm gonna enjoy every second of this."
I refrained from responding.
"Hah?" He cupped his ear. "You were talkin' all big earlier. Now you're quiet as a rat! Realized that you're about to be embarrassed in front of the whole class huh? I don't blame you for being scared especially with that scrawny little sword of yours."
I structurally analyzed his weapon while he went on his diatribe. A simple overweight mace with a mechanism fitted in to unleash stored explosive red dust within the cavity of the head. There was only enough for five charges before it required to be reloaded. In short, it was heavy to use, over encumbering, but suited to look menacing at first glance.
A perfect weapon for someone like Cardin.
"Shirou."
Pyrrha's voice called out.
I acknowledged her with a slight turn of my head.
"Right here and now, show me what you've got!" she shouted.
"…Heh." I smirked.
"Che," Cardin spat," the hell is with that look?"
With that single encouragement, I settled on my voice.
Pyrrha Nikos sat transfixed in her seat.
Was this a joke?
The combat hall was silent as a graveyard, held by the tension in the air. While the two combatants stared each other down, everyone in the stands held their breath for the two to begin. Even Ruby and Yang stopped messing with each other and concentrated on the match.
Cardin huffed and took a step forward.
Without fanfare or warning, Shirou crossed the distance to Cardin in the blink of an eye.
"What the-!" Cardin's eyes bugged out of his head. The black sword buried itself into his gut and blasted him into a wall. "GUH-!"
"Holy crap!" exclaimed Yang.
"Shirou – what the heck?!" blurted out a bewildered Ruby. "I didn't see him move!"
Pyrrha's mouth hung slightly open in shock. The speed he displayed was unlike anything else she ever encountered before. One moment he stood still and in the next step cut the distance to Cardin. She glanced back to where he started out and saw nothing but dust and a crater. His movement was so fast that it was quite literally explosive. She realized if she wasn't able to keep up with his speed, then Cardin had absolutely no chance.
The aforementioned boy stumbled out blearily.
She glanced at the Aura meters.
"Damn, not even a minute and Cardin's already chunked to half," Yang whistled loudly. "Shirou really means business here doesn't he?"
"WOO-! KICK HIS BUTT SHIROU! SHOW HIM NO MERCY!" yelled a bloodthirsty Nora.
If Shirou heard her then he made no visible response.
His face was unreadable as he began to move.
Cardin guessed where Shirou would position and smashed his mace in front of him. A cone of explosive red dust ignited the air. It incinerated the area before him, but also clouded his vision. He relaxed his guard, but soon realized his mistake as a sword pierced into his unguarded flank. His Aura protected him from the fatal blow and sent him tumbling across the ground.
"AGH-!"
Eventually he rolled to a stop. Cardin scrambled on the ground to get up, but Shirou was relentless in his pursuit. He did not let up like the waves that crashed against the shore. He shoved a savage kick into his chest plate and sent Cardin away once more.
His body trailed a trench as he eventually rolled to a stop. He scrambled up on the ground, but again Shirou dealt another savage blow. Despite being clinical, he hounded his opponent with a certain viciousness that was so unexpected even Yang made a face. Shirou did not know the meaning of holding back.
The latest blow by Shirou let out a horrific screech as Cardin's armor finally gave way to his black sword.
"Geez, Shirou's just… manhandling him," grimaced Yang. "Don't get me wrong now. I like dishing out a good ol' beating myself. But the way he's going about it… damn he has no chill."
He was unyielding.
When Cardin made to defend himself; Shirou tore through it like cotton through sift.
"This isn't a fight at all," softly commented Ren. "This is just… wholesale slaughter."
Pyrrha quietly agreed with her teammate.
When she looked back at the match, Shirou stood imperiously as his opponent panted in exhaustion. Cardin was unable to hide the look of pain and humiliation as he swung wildly in desperation. Her leader merely stepped back, leaving a hair's breadth of space between Cardin's mace and Shirou's face.
"You…" gritted out Cardin. "You're looking down at me aren't you?"
Shirou did not respond.
She admitted to herself that it was difficult to discern anything from his face. That stony expression hid any telltale emotions or thoughts. He simply stood there with his sword at his side and waited.
Cardin growled at Shirou's silence. Cardin sucked in a great breath and jumped upwards, getting a second wind, and swinging at what the thought was an opening. He took his chance at the unassuming posture and hoped for the best.
And with little effort, Shirou riposted the weapon away. The force of the strike caused Cardin to stumble yet he made no move to pursue the opening. Cardin oriented himself quickly and swung again at Shirou as he stood still. A cloud clang reverberated out as he was again sent backwards. His face flushed with embarrassment once more and veins began to pop out as Cardin grew frustrated with the fight. Every attack he seemed to make was easily blocked or deflected.
"I don't get it," spoke a confused Weiss.
"What do you mean Weiss?" asked Ruby.
"Well look at Shirou's stance you dolt!" her partner pointed. "It's just so… so confusing! It's crazy! How can someone stand there with such obvious holes in his defense! This is a complete antithesis as to how you're supposed to fight! You're supposed to guard your vital areas! Not leave them out in the open!"
Her criticisms were legitimate concerns at the unorthodox performance and Pyrrha agreed that something was odd.
"Why can't I hit you!?" Cardin roared and reared back to swing with all his might.
Shirou stepped forward and kicked.
"HHRRK-!"
The leader of Team CRDL lost his grip as he was sent hurtling backwards. He rolled and bounced across the ground before coming to a painful stop in the middle of the arena. He whimpered out a defeated groan as he clutched at his abdomen while in fetal position.
A loud chime resounded through the arena.
Shirou sighed.
"I honestly expected more from you…"
I dismissed Kanshou with a squeeze of the handle.
Cardin was crumpled on the ground looking worse for wear. His armor was rent in many places, with the chest plate in particular being covered in deep gashes and holes. The clothes underneath almost torn to shreds.
The mace made a soft ping as I plucked it out of the ground.
It was such an ugly and unwieldy weapon.
Nevertheless, I walked over to Cardin as he began to crawl away. He kicked with his legs to help create distance, but my pace was faster. "I-It's over! You won!"
I stood over him with his mace at my side.
"H-Hey man! If it was about earlier then I'm sorry alright?"
"I am not the one who you should be apologizing to."
He audibly gulped as he broke out in a cold sweat. "Y-You're talking about that faunus bi-" I glared and raised his weapon. "I-I mean the girl!" he quickly corrected himself. "The Faunus girl r-right?" Silence was his answer. "I'll apologize afterwards ok? I-I was wrong! I made a mistake! I'll make things right and be a better person!"
Cardin was half-groveling and half-repenting. It made for a pitiful sight for anyone to see. "You are the worst."
"What more do you want man?!" he cried. "I promise I'll apologize! I promise I'll be better! I swear it!"
"Mister Emiya," Professor Goodwitch approached with caution. "I believe the match is yours. Step away, please."
Less of a suggestion and more of a command.
The mace fell from my hand and its head buried itself into the ground. The sound alone made Cardin grimace as he collapsed. His body sprawled out everywhere as his face comforted in relief.
"I'll hold you to it Cardin."
I shrugged my jacket back on as I ascended up the stairs.
"Hey," one person elbowed their teammate, "who is that guy?"
"I think… he's that one guy from Team SNPR?" he answered unsure.
"No way! The one with the Pyrrha Nikos? The Invincible Girl?!"
Some of them were huddled closely together as they talked. Others tossed aside any form of social decorum and blatantly pointed and stared. Either way, their chatter was loud enough that they might as well be talking out loud.
"Hey red?" Yang's voice cut through the chatter.
Seven pairs of eyes stared at me as I made my way back. Nora was positively beaming in happiness and excitement. Ruby looked to be same however with a hint of hunger in her eyes. She seemed to be bursting with questions. Weiss looked rather critical about the whole thing. Blake looked rather disinterested in general, but the way she avoided my eyes was telling that she too was curious. Ren had his arms crossed over his chest with a grin of approval. Yang had her blonde eyebrows shot up into her bangs in astonishment. And lastly Pyrrha looked quite floored even if she tried hiding it.
"Hmm? Why is everyone staring at me?" I asked innocently.
"So uh… how should I say this?" started off the blonde. "Has anyone ever told you that you have like… absolutely no chill whatsoever?"
I looked up in thought and held back the grin that threatened to break out. "Hmm… no, not really."
Yang answered, "Dude… are you like – ice cold."
"Ho-?" I shuffled over to my seat. "Well it looks like I have a bit to go if I want to be… Weiss cold."
"Wow," blanched Yang, "that was terrible. And I thought I was bad with puns right guys?"
The others didn't share the same sentiments as Yang. My team shared a chuckle along with Ruby and Blake. Weiss just sputtered and flushed at the continuous abuse of her name.
"Nah," giggled Ruby. "That was pretty good!"
Even Blake was trying to conceal her own set of giggles.
"E-Excuse me!" exclaimed Weiss. "I'd like it if you would stop using my name as a joke!"
"You guys are a bunch of a traitors! He's literally just copying my lines! I've used that one before and one of you laughed!" complained Yang. "Come on, cut me some slack here! He's just a faker! I'm the real deal here!"
I was not able to wipe off the smug smirk on my face.
It was the second time in my life that a blonde woman called me a faker.
Glynda Goodwitch's face was stern as she opened the doors to Ozpin's office.
The Headmaster was nursing a freshly brewed cup of coffee behind his desk with a sense of satisfaction. "Ah… just right as always, not too fine and not too coarse." He took a tentative sip at his hot beverage as he muttered to himself. "Oobleck, you crazy genius you've outdone yourself this time."
"Ahem," coughed Glynda.
He looked up from his drink with a surprised face.
"Oh Glynda! I wasn't expecting you this evening."
"I should have known," she said flatly. "Oobleck was raving on and on about some crazy concoction that he brewed up earlier. Knowing him, he would have sent you some." The blonde haired professor shook her head. "It's almost ten at night and here you are drinking coffee."
All he did was smile benignly. "So how can I help you at this hour Glynda?"
"Did you review those reports I sent you?" She asked as she stood in front of Ozpin.
"Of course," he sipped, "what do you take me for? Lazy? I have to say that this year sounds very promising. I'm excited at the prospects of their development. The sky's the limit and I think they'll be shooting pass all of our expectations."
"I agree with your… glowing praise. I did leave a rather poignant note in one of the profiles. There was a rather precarious incident that unraveled today. And it culminated into an explosive fight during my class."
He leaned back in his chair as he contemplated to himself. Despite years of knowing and working with Ozpin, Glynda could not read Ozpin when he became serious.
"I did see that and your recommendations." He shook his head in disappointment. "Mister Winchester's poor attitude and gross intolerance was eventually going to prove troublesome. We'll assign him remedial lessons with Oobleck. I know he already filed in a request about the boy so it will be added on to what was already recommended."
"Yes sir, I'll inform Oobleck soon after. And what about the other boy?"
"Mister Emiya?" he mulled over the name. "Well… you'll disagree with me on this one. But I feel we should let him go with a slap on the wrist. A strong reminder to him to not go around punching students even if we are in a combat school."
Glynda visibly bristled in protest.
"Oz you seriously can't-"
He held a hand up.
"I know you want us to be fair and impartial, however for this incident please have some faith in me. Barty and Peter have nothing but colorful praises for the boy. Well-mannered, attentive, and studious from what I hear. He's managed to impress Peter on his first day and kept up with Barty in his caffeine induced lectures. Besides," he shrugged, "it's not like we're letting him go cleanly. I'll even let you handle his verbal warning if it would appease you."
Her lips thinned in the process. "We shouldn't be favoring one student over another."
He chuckled in response. He knew his assistant more than anyone else when it came to favoritism. She just knew how to hide it. "Believe me, if he does something that breaks our rules then he'll be levied out the appropriate punishment.
An incredulous Glynda continued to protest. "So him assaulting another student nets a slap on the wrist?"
"You make it sound as if he manhandled the poor boy."
"He did. In my combat class. In front of the entire first years." She punctuated each sentence as she inched closer to Ozpin.
"Oh… then maybe Mister Winchester should look into brushing up his skills. As they say, there's always a bigger fish," he surmised.
She sighed in defeat and acquiesced.
"Now," he changed the subject and sounded chipper. "Would you like me to pour you a cup? Barty sent me something incredible and I have to say it's possibly his best one yet."
"If I do then we're drinking tea for the rest of the week."
"Accepted," he grinned. "I think this is the one that will finally sway you over."
She rolled her eyes as she sauntered over. "You've been trying for the past twenty or so years Oz."
"Haha," smiled a bemused Ozpin. "I am persistent if nothing else!"
"Uwahhh-!"
I stretched my back in my chair and felt a satisfying pop.
It was the dead of midnight and everyone had gone to bed hours ago. The little lamp was dimmed enough where it wouldn't disturb the others. I stacked a pile of books on one end with another messy pile of papers on the other. The papers contained all my notes and plans that I had been contemplating over the past day. As leader of my team, I thought that it was prudent to discern how the team should function.
The pen in my hand deftly rolled over my fingers.
"Maybe it's time for a small break," I quietly muttered.
I set aside the pen and my study material as I fished out a book I had checked out earlier today with Pyrrha. With a soft click to turn off the lamp, I quietly made my way out of the room. Along the way, I made a short detour to the student lounge to grab a heated can of tea from one of the vending machines. I took care to not scald my hands and exited out to the rooftop.
"Long ways down," I noted at how high up it was. "Well – time to get comfortable."
"Not afraid of heights huh?"
The sudden new voice almost made me nearly drop my book. I whirled around and dropped to defensive stance out of pure reflex with my drink still in hand.
A figure was hidden from the light streaming from the hall. "Whoa, hey watch it. We're pretty high up you know?" she said with a small grin. "Don't want you falling or anything on my account."
Recognizing the voice, I cautiously called out, "Blake?"
"Yeah, that's my name," she greeted. The reclusive member of Team RWBY stood at the doorway still wearing her school's uniform.
I relaxed my guard as she walked up. "What are you doing here?"
"I can ask you the same thing," Blake replied back.
"Ah, I was taking a small break from studying."
"To do what?" she asked.
"To relax," I answered flatly.
"I don't know many people who like to relax on a cold rooftop. Usually they like to relax at the student lounge. Kind of weird don't you think?"
I felt my right eye twitch. It was odd that during the day, this girl was quiet, yet was now filled with nothing but questions. I felt like I was being interrogated for simply trying to unwind. "What about you? You seem to be more energetic than I've seen you all day. Who are you and what did you do with Blake?"
"Huh," she pursed her lips, "you got me there I guess. So… do you mind if I sit with you?"
"…Sure," I said begrudgingly out of courtesy and out of curiosity.
The two of us took our seats on the ledge and settled in.
After a moment, Blake noticed I was focused on something. "So what's up?"
"The stars."
"What?" She gave me a look. "Oh… oh wow." Glancing up, Blake paused before continuing on. "Speaking of which, and believe it or not, she was pouting about the fact that no one takes her puns seriously. I've never seen her so frustrated before."
"Not my fault she sucks."
Blake winced, "Ouch, that's harsh."
I carelessly shrugged and flipped through the pages in my book. "You can't say that I'm wrong."
"Ha… well it's true that she needs to work on her impact," smiled the black haired girl.
I quickly glanced out of the corner of my eyes and noticed her bow twitching as it fought against the sway of the wind. It was a small movement that would fool anyone into thinking it was just the wind or that their eyes were playing tricks on them.
Yet, it begged the question. Was Blake a…
"You know," her voice spoke up, "I'm not sure if you realize this, but a lot of Faunus students here were talking about what you did today."
Unsure of how to reply – I hummed in acknowledgement.
"It's sad really," she continued on. "A lot of them are hesitant to protest since it's so controversial. If they fight back, they are accused as sympathizers. If they don't… well, you say how that went." Blake paused as she fought to keep her emotions in check. "So doing what you did gave them a lot of confidence to stand up to people like Cardin." Her amber eyes stared up at the stars as she dangled her legs off the ledge.
One would need to be blind and dense to miss the telltale signs that Blake just gave.
I turned to her, "You're welcome Blake."
"W-What?" her face wrought with confusion. "E-Excuse me?"
I simply pointed to her bow.
"O-Oh…" her hands covered it. "I guess the cat's out of the bag," she muttered depressingly. "So… how did you know?"
"Little things here and there. Don't get me wrong, you hide it very well from everyone with all things considered. It's just… and I suppose you can say I got lucky with my timing." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Then again, your concern for the general wellbeing of Faunus people in contrast to your aloofness and quiet demeanor doesn't add up. All of that made it sort of obvious."
"I- I see…" she said slowly as her body was tense, as if ready to bolt. "What are you going to do now?"
"Nothing," I turned away from her. "As far as I'm concerned? It's none of my business as to why you're hiding the fact that you're a Faunus. I am sure you have your reasons, and good ones too."
I had secrets my own. Secrets that I wouldn't dare let anyone know. So it only made sense to extend some common courtesy to her in the hopes that she wouldn't begin to dig where she wasn't supposed to be.
She visibly sagged in relief at my answer. "…Thanks."
I said nothing in return and popped open my can of tea. A sad sigh escaped after I took my first sip. During our conversation, the drink had gone cold and it was the type of tea that was better when warm. But I wasn't too depressed as there was no use in crying over it. I tipped it back and drank the rest of it in one go.
Noticing my grimace, Blake apologized. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean for the tea to go cold."
I swirled the now empty can and set it aside. "It's fine, it is what it is." I closed my book and pulled away from the ledge. "I'll be heading back to my room now. I need to finish up on some work before turning in for the night."
"H-Hey um… I mean it Shirou. Thank you," she said with sincerity and a tentative smile. "If you want, I don't mind buying you another one."
I turned the offer down as I started walking back to my room. "I told you that it's fine. You should head back in unless you plan on staying out here."
"Yeah… I think I'll stay out for a little longer. Goodnight Shirou." She waved, a lot more relaxed than at the start of our conversation.
I paused as I responded back.
"Goodnight Blake."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone