章節 29: 29
Chapter 29
Yang was actually pretty pleased with her team. If it wasn't for the fact that she really wanted to be on the same team as her sister, she'd have been thrilled.
Nora was hilarious, and Ren seemed like a pretty chill dude. They were completely comfortable together, and from Ruby's notes, Yang knew that the two had been 'together, but not together together', for many years. Blake was... kind of awesome, in a grumpy kitty sort of way. Yang was dying to get a look at her cat ears, but wasn't sure how to broach the subject, or even if she should. But she had a fun, snarky wit, and she didn't seem to mind Yang's puns.
Yang flipped through Ruby's notes about her teammates again. Ruby had written that she knew more about Blake, but that she wasn't going to tell her yet. Yang was dying to know. Did the mysterious cat faunus have more secrets she was hiding? What could they be? Ruby had assured her that she and Yang would be great partners, and Yang believed it, there was just something about Blake that just... fit. She'd fought against the Grimm alongside Yang in the Emerald Forest with an effortless grace.
She was worried, however, about whatever secrets that the faunus held that her sister felt necessary to keep from her. It had to be something bad. Ruby had been way too defensive in her texts. Something that, without context, would make Yang angry, or would make Blake want to run away. Yang hated knowing that there was something, but not what that something was. It was going to drive her crazy. She wasn't sure how she'd even get to sleep tonight, with all the revelations of the previous two days.
Her sister was a time traveler. There was still a large part of her that held doubt as to the truth of that... but she believed her now. Seeing a borbatusk in their Grimm Studies class tomorrow would cement things even further for her, although, again, if Ruby had somehow managed to get Professor Ozpin to back her in some sort of incredible prank, then getting this Professor Port involved wouldn't be much more difficult. But yet... regardless, Yang had to believe her. Ruby wouldn't lie to her, not when Yang had been so worried, so frightened. If Ruby HAD been playing some sort of enormous prank, she would have fessed up by now.
Yang knew when her sister was lying. She'd always known. Ruby HADN'T been lying. Although... and this was the part that scared her, she wasn't sure she knew her own sister as well as she had just two days ago. This new Ruby was almost a stranger. She spoke... acted, even moved like someone older, more experienced. Her eyes also looked old, as if she'd lived years in those two days since she'd last seen her sister at their home on Patch. Ruby had said she was... what, a year and a half older than she looked now? That didn't seem like enough time to transform Ruby so completely, but at the same time, she'd said that she'd seen people die. Including Yang herself. That might change things.
Yang wished she could calm her nerves. It was too late to drag Ruby off for a talk. But she couldn't stand not knowing what had happened. What terrible events had caused Ruby to push her semblance somehow into doing something that should be utterly impossible. The look in Ruby's eyes, the way she'd stammered and cried... it had chilled Yang to the bone. She'd never seen Ruby so distressed. Whatever it had been, it must have been terrible beyond words.
Yang wished she'd packed some sleeping pills or something... because she was NEVER going to get to sleep like this, she was so wound up. She was tempted to go pound on her sister's team's door and drag her off to a rooftop or something so that they could hash things out, but she knew she should just try and get some sleep, and wait for an opportunity tomorrow. Surely there would be some time tomorrow when she could get Ruby alone. They could hash things out, figure out what they needed to do. Ruby would tell her all the horrors she'd seen, and they'd figure out a way to make sure none of it ever happened.
Yang sighed. She was seriously insane. Here she was, planning on somehow undoing some future event that Ruby had only vaguely hinted at. Fixing her own death... and other things nebulous but no less terrifying. How could any of this be real?
Yang got little sleep that night, try as she might.
/-/
The next morning, Ruby woke as she heard a familiar sound. Pyrrha was up and getting ready to go for a jog. She'd heard the noise dozens of times in her previous timeline, and it was familiar enough that, normally, she'd have just slept through it. But Ruby was on a bit of a razor's edge at the moment. She'd slept fitfully, worried about the future, and how she'd handle things, so when she'd heard Pyrrha moving around, getting dressed and ready for a run, Ruby had woken regardless.
Pyrrha had one eye on Jaune's bed as she quickly pulled off her nightshirt, leaving herself topless for several long moments while she grabbed a sports bra, so when Ruby's eyes opened while Pyrrha was still half naked, the 'Invincible Girl' froze in embarrassment. Ruby didn't look away, however, but instead simply started getting out of bed.
Pyrrha swallowed and quickly pulled the sports bra on, then opened her mouth as if to ask Ruby a question. Ruby instead put a finger to her lips, and went to her own suitcase, and pulled out her own trainers, then pulled them on.
Ruby finished getting her shoes on and nodded to the door of their dorm, and Pyrrha nodded back and went with her out into the hall.
"Going for a jog?" Ruby asked as if she already knew the answer, but Pyrrha answered regardless.
"I was, yes."
"Mind if I join you?" Ruby asked her quietly, smiling just slightly.
Pyrrha smiled back automatically. "Not at all."
Soon, the two of them were jogging laps around the school. Pyrrha prided herself on her physical conditioning, and it appeared that Ruby Rose was just as dedicated to keeping herself in shape as the champion. Although by the time Pyrrha began to really feel the workout, Ruby was starting to flag. Still, Ruby held on with grim determination, pacing Pyrrha the entire way.
Pyrrha stopped her run perhaps one lap before she normally would, in respect for the shorter girl. Ruby was younger, and her own semblance provided her a great deal of speed. It was no great shame to not be able to match Pyrrha in a long distance marathon, and Pyrrha was pleased at the idea that she might have company for her morning jogs in the future. Ruby looked at her in suspicion, however as Pyrrha came to a stop by their dorm's entrance.
"Don't you want to keep going?" The smaller girl asked with a small frown. "I know you're not tired yet."
Pyrrha smiled and told a partial truth. "I'm good for now." She told Ruby with a polite smile. "That was a good warm-up for the day."
Ruby wrinkled her nose. "But you'd normally do at least another lap, right?"
Pyrrha blinked at that. "Perhaps... but... not today." She wondered how Ruby could be so certain of her. It was true, of course, but how would Ruby have known? Was she that good at reading people?
Ruby smiled at her. "Alright. Tomorrow though, we'll do one more lap than today."
Pyrrha blinked again, then smiled her 'professional' smile and nodded. "If you like."
Ruby hesitated, looking pensive all of a sudden. "If I'm being pushy, you can always say no, Pyrrha."
Pyrrha blinked again, not sure how she'd made Ruby worry. "Not at all!" She told Ruby with her professional smile on full display, giving her team leader the smile that she'd used on fans a thousand times. One that always charmed and disarmed them, for all that she wasn't really as pleased by the attention as she pretended.
Ruby's face fell. "Pyrrha... you're doing the smile."
Pyrrha blinked, astonished. "The... smile?"
Ruby frowned. "You know, the one you give your fans? I'm not a fan. I'm your friend."
Pyrrha tried not to let the confusion cover her features, instead keeping her polite smile in place. "Are we friends?"
Ruby blinked, as if realizing something. "Ah... well... I want to be?" She poked her fingers together nervously. "I mean... we are going to be at Beacon together for the next four years. And... I think you're pretty cool. So... I want to be your friend, if you'll let me?"
Pyrrha did her best to put together what Ruby had said up to that point. "But you're not a fan?"
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "No? I mean... I don't watch the Mistralian tournaments. And... I don't eat Pumpkin Petes. I know you're a great fighter, but I didn't need to see you fight on TV to figure that out. I saw you in the forest. Just like you saw me. I know you're good... and that's a good thing, because we're on a team and that means I can trust you to have my back when things are dangerous."
Pyrrha nodded at that. "You have a point." She had, in fact, seen Ruby in the forest during initiation. It had only been for a little while, but Ruby did in fact carry herself like an experienced huntress. She'd been more than a little impressed, in fact, by how effortless looking Ruby had made slaying the creatures of Grimm. She smiled, more genuinely this time. "I will have your back. And you're right. I know you are skilled as well, and it's true, that is a good thing to know, that you will be guarding my flank during battle, should it come."
Ruby nodded earnestly. "I promise, Pyrrha. I'll always have your back, if you need me."
Pyrrha looked at her curiously. "Are you sure you really mean that, Ruby? Whatever may come?"
Ruby looked at her somberly. "I do mean that, Pyrrha. I know I'm just a kid to you. I know we've just met... but I really do mean it. I'll always have your back. Whatever you need, I'll be there for you."
Pyrrha raised an eyebrow, letting her doubt show on her face. "You cannot know what I may need in the future, Ruby."
Ruby smiled. "It doesn't matter. I'm your leader. More than that, I want to be your friend. It's my job to look out for you, but it's also my pleasure, because that's what you do for friends. You help them out when they need it."
Pyrrha nodded. "Very well." She smiled again, warmly this time. "I hope I can be as good a friend to you as you wish to be to me, Ruby."
Ruby beamed. "Now there's the smile I wanted to see!"
Pyrrha blinked. "How did you know... that I was not genuine the first time?"
Ruby wrinkled her nose. "Perhaps... because I've known someone very much like you before, Pyrrha. I know that you have a smile you give to your fans, or you use whenever you feel uncomfortable and want to hide it. It's a pretty good smile. But... Pyrrha? I like it when you smile for real. Because then I know you're actually happy, and not just trying to spare my feelings."
Pyrrha looked askance at the small girl. "You continue to surprise me, Ruby Rose."
"In a good way?" Ruby asked cautiously.
"I think so." Pyrrha agreed with a small smile and a nod. "Although I do wonder at how you know all the things you do."
Ruby shrugged. "Maybe I'm a time traveler?"
Pyrrha goggled at her, then giggled. "Well... I suppose that WOULD explain it, wouldn't it!"
Ruby's eyes twinkled back. "Maybe we were best friends in another life?"
Pyrrha smiled. "That sounds grand." She said, and she found she meant it. For while Ruby Rose was very strange indeed, Pyrrha couldn't find herself disliking the idea of being good friends with the girl.
Ruby nodded. "Come on, let's get inside. We've got classes at nine."
Pyrrha nodded back, and they headed back to their dorm room on the fourth floor.
/-/
Ruby and Pyrrha took turns in the shower, and by the time they were done, Weiss had woken as well, and took her own turn. Jaune lay asleep throughout it all, much to Pyrrha's surprise. Was the boy such a sound sleeper that three girls moving around him and preparing for the day would not wake him?
Ruby seemed to keep checking the time, and around 8:30, she rolled her eyes, then fished in her bag for a whistle. Moving over to Jaune's bed, Ruby put the whistle to her lips, and blew a long, piercing blast.
Jaune yelped and rolled straight out of bed to the floor. "What? I'm up, I'm up, Saph..." He blinked, looking around in mild confusion. "You're not Saphron."
Ruby grinned down at him. "I'm not your sister, but I am your team leader, Jaune." She told him with a smirk. "And you only have half an hour to get ready for class. We have Professor Port's Grimm Studies at nine."
Weiss was regarding the scene with a raised eyebrow, although Pyrrha thought she could detect a hint of a smile on the heiress's face.
Jaune blinked, then leveraged himself to his feet. "Er... right. Sorry." He rummaged around, locating his school uniform, and hesitated. "I'll go... change in the bathroom?" He suggested with a questioning tone of voice.
"That's a good idea." Ruby agreed. "Don't take too long, Jaune."
Jaune was, however, quick in and out of the bathroom. Having grown up with seven sisters was, at least, halfway decent practice for sharing a dorm room with three girls.
The three girls were each sitting on their own bed when he came out. Ruby was writing in a notebook, her back to the wall. Pyrrha had her transforming spear/sword/gun out on her bed, partially disassembled, and looked to be cleaning it, while Weiss apparently had cracked open her Grimm Studies textbook.
Jaune hesitated. "Er... should we head to class?"
Ruby blinked, glancing at the clock. "We've got about ten minutes before we need to leave for class." She announced cheerfully.
Jaune's face fell slightly. "Not enough time for breakfast, I guess."
Ruby frowned thoughtfully. "I should have thought of that. If I'd woken you an hour earlier, we'd have had time for breakfast before class. Darn..."
Jaune waved it off. "That's OK. I can make it till lunch." His stomach growled softly and he sighed. "Probably."
Pyrrha giggled, then fished into her suitcase, pulling out a small box that was labeled 'ration bars'. "Well, they're no substitute for a good breakfast, but I did pack these for emergencies." She reached into the box and pulled one out. "They're not very tasty, I'm afraid."
Jaune smiled and stepped forward to take one. "Well, I appreciate it anyway, Pyrrha." He told her.
Ruby glanced at the bars and shuddered. "Oh... not my favorite."
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "I suppose we may be forced to subsist on such things from time to time out in the field." She didn't look especially pleased at the thought, but she gestured to the box. "May I?"
Pyrrha smiled and pulled out a ration bar and handed it to Weiss, who unwrapped the packaging and tried a bite. She grimaced, then forced herself to continue.
Jaune was already halfway done with his. "Hmm... they're not... terrible." He decided.
Weiss finished her own and shook her head. "Well... it will indeed be an emergency before I try one of those again."
Ruby stuck out her tongue. "I'll wait for lunch." She announced. "Dad had us try some one summer during a camping trip. Never again!"
Pyrrha chuckled, and pulled out a ration bar for herself. They had, indeed, left things a bit too close for breakfast, and while she didn't especially like the taste herself, she wanted to be as prepared as possible for her first day of classes.
Ruby closed her notebook. "Well... we might as well get going." She looked at Weiss. "So, Weiss... are you going to tackle the borbatusk in Professor Port's class today?"
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Assuming you are correct, and the professor does have such a Grimm in a cage for us to battle... why would you suggest that I face it?"
Ruby blinked, then shrugged. "Well, because you haven't fought one before, have you?"
Weiss blinked. "You can't know that for sure."
Ruby looked dubious. "Well, your face just now tells me that you haven't. But also, borbatusks are native to Vale, not Atlas, and we didn't see any in the Emerald Forest yesterday. So it didn't seem likely that you'd fought one before."
Weiss frowned. "Why don't you want to fight it yourself?"
Ruby shrugged. "I've fought plenty of borbatusks. It wouldn't teach me anything new."
Pyrrha gestured to herself. "Do you think I should try myself against it then?"
Ruby considered that. "Well... if you've never fought one before, I suppose it couldn't hurt, but I think it'd be a better learning experience for Weiss."
Weiss blinked, looking almost offended. "Why is that?"
Ruby hesitated. "Well, please don't take this the wrong way, but Weiss... your strength is in the versatility of your semblance, and your skill with Dust. You're really good with altering the terrain to deal with larger groups of Grimm. You're really good with your rapier, but the borbatusk is a particularly bad match up for dealing with a rapier." She gestured to Pyrrha. "Pyrrha, on the other hand, doesn't have your semblance, but she is a lot stronger than... well, she's the physically strongest person on the team, and she's probably the best in the year at close melee. A borbatusk would take her a couple of seconds."
Weiss was going between looking insulted and impressed, as if not sure which to feel. "What about Jaune?"
Ruby glanced at Jaune. "Jaune... well, I'd like for him to get some more practice in against stuff like beowolves and creeps, but I will want him to get some practice with borbatusk's eventually. I'm not sure he's ready yet though." Jaune frowned, trying not to look insulted now. Ruby smiled at him. "You'll get there, Jaune. We just need to work on the basics a bit. Once you have your footwork down, and have a stronger stance, you'll handle stuff like borbatusks easy."
Jaune blinked at that. "You think... I need to work on the basics?"
Ruby nodded firmly. "Yes. But we'll get to that later. Right now..." She glanced at the clock and yelped. "Yikes! We're going to be late! Let's go!" She jumped up and dashed for the door. After a moment's hesitation, Weiss, Pyrrha and Jaune all raced after her.
/-/
In their dorm room, Yang had been awake for awhile, if groggy. Nora had badgered Ren into making them all pancakes, which Yang appreciated, although she kind of wished she could have slept in a bit more. She was still tired from her sleepless night, and was slowly running a brush through her hair as she tried to get it into shape to face the day. She really should have gotten up hours before, but she'd overslept, even if she'd actually only gotten a few hours of actual sleep.
Her new partner, Blake, kept shooting her concerned looks, but Yang didn't know what to tell her. Sorry, I couldn't sleep because my sister came back in time to prevent my death? Yeah, that would go over well. Her dull brain was jolted into awareness by a shout from across the hall. Her sister, yelling something about being late for class.
Yang blinked, glanced down at herself... she'd gotten on her school blouse and skirt but her blazer and tie were still on her bed, and jumped up. "Crap!" She yelled. "We've got to go!"
She grabbed up her blazer, whipped it on over her shoulders and stuffed the tie into one of it's pockets as she headed out the door at a run, the rest of her team trailing her close behind. She spotted Ruby's team ahead of them, and followed, trusting that Ruby would know the way to their first class. If she didn't, then all her tales of time travel wouldn't be worth much, would they? But indeed, Ruby's team lead her unerringly into the school building and to a classroom that was already mostly full by the time they arrived, just barely before the bell rang to indicate that class was started.
If Professor Port noticed that their teams were nearly late, he didn't indicate it, instead, once everyone had been seated, he launched into his lecture. Yang soon found herself struggling to pay attention. She was exhausted, and the Grimm Studies professor was long winded and boring. And a bit creepy... she thought to herself as she endured him giving her a saucy wink in the middle of his lecture. Something about hunters and huntresses... sure, she was a huntress in training, but did he have to wink at her like a creepy old man? Yang faintly recalled the man having come to their house on Patch at some point, and he'd been well enough behaved, but then again, she'd been a lot younger then. Yang rolled her eyes and blew it off. She'd gotten used to more than her fair share of male attention, especially in the last couple years, and this was nothing especially notable, although she'd kind of hoped that the teachers here wouldn't act like the hormonal teens at Signal, she wasn't willing to put up a fuss about it with her professor, at least not if he didn't take it any further than an occasional wink, anyway.
Yang glanced over to her sister, who, uncharacteristically, appeared to be paying attention, or at least, she was scrawling notes in her notebook, and appearing to look up in the professor's direction now and then. Sitting next to her sister, the white-haired heiress, Weiss Schnee, seemed to have a conflicted look on her face. She occasionally glanced over to see what Ruby was doing, but looked unsatisfied with what she found. Pyrrha was appearing to pay polite attention to the professor, but as his story dragged on, her eyes started to gain a slightly glassy expression. Jaune appeared to be trying to take notes, but seemed confused as to what to write down. Something Yang found herself agreeing with. There didn't seem to be much point to the Professor's long winded story.
Yang glanced to her side to check on her own team. Nora was just about asleep. Ren had a notebook out and seemed ready to take notes, although he also seemed to have nothing to write down, and Blake appeared bored, although she was still trying to pay attention to the lecture.
She glanced down at the cage in the corner, and turned to Nora to whisper conspiratorially at her. "Want to bet on what type of Grimm that is?"
Nora looked interested. "What are we betting?"
Yang hesitated. "I'll bet a home cooked meal that that's a borbatusk in there."
Nora grinned. "I'll take some of that action. I'll say... a beowolf!"
Yang winked. "I like bacon and eggs for breakfast."
Nora raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Sure you'll win?"
Yang chuckled. "Eh... let's just say I've got an inside source."
Finally, the Professor finished his story, and he asked if anyone in the class felt they believed themselves to be the embodiment of... whatever a huntsman was? Yang wasn't sure what kind of point he was trying to make, but Weiss's hand shot up immediately.
"I do sir!" Weiss announced proudly.
Professor Port beamed at her, gesturing to the cage that was trembling slightly in one corner of his classroom. "Well then, let's find out. Step forward, and face your opponent."
Weiss stood, apparently intending to go change into her combat gear, but Ruby stood with her, putting a hand on Weiss's shoulder and hissing something into the girl's ear.
/-/
Weiss frowned as she listened to Ruby's instructions. "Yes, yes. I heard you the first time." She said with a scowl, and stalked off. Wait for it to start spinning and then use a Glyph to block it? It was... surprisingly straightforward advice, but did Ruby Rose really think she knew how Weiss should defeat this borbatusk better than she did herself?
As Weiss quickly changed and headed back to the classroom, she let herself admit that maybe, just maybe, she should listen to her young team leader. Ruby DID seem extremely confident in her advice. No doubt she DID know more about borbatusks than Weiss did. They were native to this area, after all. It didn't mean that Ruby Rose was a better huntress than she was, it was simply home-field advantage. And Weiss did want to prove herself capable. It would be foolish for her to ignore useful tactical advice when she got it.
Weiss returned to the classroom, and moved to a space on the opposite side of the room from the cage, eyeing it warily. Professor Port nodded at her, his axe/blunderbuss in hand, and with a warning, knocked the lock off the cage, letting the creature within free.
The borbatusk... for it was indeed the Grimm that Ruby had predicted, snorted and charged almost immediately. Weiss spun out of the way, slashing at it with her rapier, the blade skittering off the armored side harmlessly.
Weiss frowned. It WAS rather impressively armored. She could, perhaps, catch it in a weak spot with a perfectly aimed thrust, but it would be tricky with how quickly it moved. The borbatusk charged at her again, and again, Weiss slashed and stepped aside, doing her best to formulate a way to use Ruby's advice. It was charging swiftly, but it wasn't... spinning at her, as Ruby had described. Did these actually spin, or was that simply a story Ruby had told to frighten her?
Weiss leaped out of the way of a third charge, and the borbatusk slammed into the far wall, falling over momentarily. Weiss leapt backwards, gaining some distance almost automatically, and regretted doing so a moment later even as the borbatusk struggled quickly back to it's feet. For just a moment, its side and belly had been exposed, and she'd missed her opportunity. She fumed. Ruby Rose's stupid instructions were confusing her. She'd find a weak spot and finish the monster in just another moment.
But then, the borbatusk roared, leapt into the air, and started to spin rapidly. As it hit the floor once more, it shot at her with a speed significantly faster than it's normal charge. With it spinning so quickly, there was no way to target an opening on it's body. Instinctively, Weiss formed a barrier glyph to protect herself, and the borbatusk slammed into it and flew backwards from the impact, falling onto it's back. Weiss had, however, already summoned a second, gravity glyph, behind her and above, and even as the porcine Grimm landed, Weiss had leapt up to place her feet upon her Glyph, and changed it into a velocity glyph an instant later, throwing herself at the monster, rapier first, as swiftly as an arrow from a bow.
Weiss barely had to aim, stabbing deep into the monster's chest with ease, and she slowly rose even as the Grimm started turning into smoke.
"Bravo!" Professor Port exclaimed. "Bravo! It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true huntress in training!"
"Whoo!" Ruby cheered from the sidelines. "Way to go Weiss!"
Weiss raised herself to her full height and gave the professor a short bow, then glanced at Ruby. The small, short haired girl was beaming at her proudly, and Weiss sighed, nodding once to the young team leader. Ruby's advice had been dead on. She hated to admit it, but her leader did seem to know at least a little about what she was doing. She didn't like to admit it. Surely she'd have been a better leader than a fifteen year old child, but still... she wasn't completely useless.
/-/
After class, Nora rounded on Yang accusingly. "OK, how did you know that was going to be a borbatusk in that cage?"
Yang grinned. "That's a secret."
Nora pouted. "Aw... come on, fearless leader, share with your loyal minions!"
Yang chuckled. "Maybe one of these days." She winked. "But not today. And tomorrow, you owe me breakfast."
Ren raised an eyebrow. "Nora is going to make you breakfast?"
Yang was suddenly worried. "Er... yeah?"
Ren chuckled lightly. "That... should be interesting."
Yang blinked, remembering belatedly that Ruby's note on the pair of them said clearly that Ren was a good cook, but nothing about Nora's skills in the kitchen. And if the boy she'd been with for 'years' was the one who was always cooking...
Nora wrinkled her nose and looked determined. "Nora Valkyrie never welshes on a bet!" Ren rolled his eyes, but looked amused, nonetheless, and Yang sighed, realizing she'd probably just volunteered to eat a breakfast prepared by an amateur at best.
Yang gave Ren her best imitation of her little sister's puppy dog eyes, and Ren sighed. "Perhaps I'll assist Nora with breakfast tomorrow for the whole team." Yang beamed. Ruby had written that Ren was a really good cook, although with a note to avoid his smoothies, so her breakfast the next morning was suddenly looking a bit less dire. Nora looked pleased as well, probably happy to be doing something with her partner. Yang could tell that the two were close. She didn't need Ruby's notes to tell her that much, and she had a feeling that Nora really had much stronger feelings for the stoic raven-haired young man than even Ren himself knew. She wondered if she should try and do something about that. Maybe Ruby would have some ideas. She'd known them a lot longer than Yang had... as hard as that was to believe.
Dr. Oobleck was a bit more interesting to listen to than Professor Port, although the history professor had a bad tendency to talk a bit too quickly to be easily understood from time to time. And of course, there wasn't any Grimm to fight in his class, which HAD been a high point of the day so far. Then it was time for lunch, and Yang led her team to sit by her sister's team without bothering to ask for permission.
"Hey Rubes!" Yang said cheerfully as she sat down opposite her sister, the rest of her team filing in to sit on the bench in a row beside her.
"Hey Yang." Ruby answered back, looking honestly pleased to see her older sister, even if they'd been in the same classes so far.
Yang turned to her team. "Team, this is my baby sister, Ruby. Ruby... my team."
Blake smiled and gave her a small wave. Ren nodded once, and Nora pushed her fist across the table for Ruby to fist bump.
Ruby gave Nora's fist a solid tap with her own, and smiled at Blake. "Hi Yang's team!" She said cheerfully. "Ren, Nora, and Blake, right?"
The three people in question nodded or grinned back in turn, and Ruby turned to introduce her own team. "Yang, this is my team. Pyrrha, Jaune, and Weiss."
"Hello there!" Pyrrha said with a wave and a smile. Weiss simply nodded, concentrating on her food, while Jaune smiled and waved, only looking mildly nervous.
Yang shot each one of them a grin and a nod. "Hey Ruby's team." She thrust her fist at Pyrrha, as it seemed to have gone well enough for Nora, and Pyrrha, looking bemused, bumped her fist solidly. Yang shot Weiss with finger guns. Weiss blinked, as if not knowing quite how to react to that, and she gave Jaune a saucy wink. Jaune blushed slightly and Yang laughed. "Looks like you have a pretty good team there, sis."
Ruby grinned back at her older sister. "My team's going to be the best team in Beacon. Just you watch us."
Yang smiled, her eyes flashing. "Sounds like a challenge, sis!"
Ruby's eyes twinkled. "One I'm going to win."
Yang snorted. "We'll see." She was more than a little pleased with how calm and confident her sister seemed. It was great to see how Ruby was getting out of her shell... until she remembered. Ruby wasn't just out of her shell, she was practically a different person. This wasn't some sudden inspiration on Ruby's part, it was... from Ruby's own words, four semesters worth of being a team leader at Beacon. Of course Ruby was confident.
Yang's face fell slightly, then she forced herself to smile again, hiding the strain she was feeling. "So, Rubes... why don't we have a sister's... team leader meeting tonight? After Combat class?"
Ruby's face grew serious. "Sounds good, Yang." She brightened slightly. "We should work together. You know, both our teams. Maybe we can get in a bit of extra team training in between our two teams sometime?"
Yang blinked. "Sure, I guess." She wondered what Ruby was after. Perhaps she really did simply want to give her team some extra training, although it seemed kind of early in the semester to suggest it. But it seemed more likely that Ruby had an agenda in mind. Something to stop whatever terrible thing that was going to happen in the future. Extra training actually didn't sound like a terrible idea, if you considered that, for some reason, people, including herself, might die before the end of the school year without it. Assuming it was something they could fix with some extra training, anyway. Her face hardened. She REALLY needed to talk to Ruby some more.
Weiss looked dubious. "Isn't it a bit early to talk about team training exercises?"
Ruby turned to Weiss, raising an eyebrow. "Well, we DO need to learn to work with our teams, Weiss. We are going to have to figure out how to fight as a team eventually. There's no reason we can't start a little early."
Pyrrha looked interested. "I agree. I haven't really had the opportunity to train with a group before. All my training has been one on one up to this point."
Ruby nodded. "I have a bunch of ideas for combination attacks we can try out!" She added enthusiastically, then turned to Yang. "I have some ideas for your team as well..."
Blake blinked. "You have ideas for combination attacks for us?" She asked in surprise.
Ruby grinned. "Oh yeah! I can think of a couple for you and Yang to try that should be awesome!" Blake glanced at Yang curiously.
Yang frowned. "You do? Already?" Her eyes widened as she remembered. Ruby had already told her that she and Blake had been partners in both of her earlier timelines. "Oh..." Her eyes narrowed. "Ruby..." She was about to tell her sister off for cheating, when she caught herself. She just sighed. "Right..." She finally said, a bit lamely.
Nora looked curious. "Is your sister some kind of tactical genius?"
Yang looked at Ruby dubiously. "She's... alright, I guess?"
Ruby pretended to look offended. "I'll have you know I'm great with coming up with team attacks." She grinned, taking the sting out of her words. "Or so I'm told."
"By who, dad?" Yang asked with a snort.
"And Uncle Qrow." Ruby answered smugly. Then shot her a look. "And you..." Ruby mouthed to her sister silently.
Yang sighed again, feeling a bit of a headache coming on. Apparently, she'd told Ruby she was good at coming up with team attacks in the future... or in an alternate timeline. The concept was starting to make her head hurt. Did it count if she didn't remember doing it yet? Ruby seemed to think so, but Yang wasn't so sure she liked future Yang making decisions for her.
Weiss looked dubious. "You've already come up with some? Let us hear one."
Ruby looked thoughtful. "OK... I've got one for you and me. So... you put up three glyphs... a pair of ice glyphs..." she put her hands one in front of the other to demonstrate, "followed by an acceleration glyph..." she moved her hands to demonstrate, "all aimed at a foe down range. And I'd fire Crescent Rose through it. It'd cause my sniper rounds to create big ice blasts that travel super fast... that could pin down a big Grimm or another large opponent." Or cripple a bullhead's engines with a single shot. Ruby thought to herself.
Weiss blinked. "That... might just work..." she said with mild surprise. "How do you know so much about my semblance?"
Ruby had an answer prepared. "The Schnee semblance isn't exactly a secret, Weiss... plus I've seen you in action several times now."
Weiss shook her head in wonder. "Well... you do seem to have done your homework."
Nora pointed to herself. "Oh! Do us next! What kind of team attack should me and Renny do?"
Ruby looked thoughtful. "Well, you two already work together pretty well, Nora. I'm not sure I could come up with something the two of you already haven't thought of." She shrugged. "But I'll think about it." She shrugged again. "Honestly, just having Ren distract an opponent so you could wind up for a big hammer hit is probably your best bet."
Nora grinned. "You're right! That is something we do!"
Jaune pointed at himself next. "Oh! What kind of team attack could I do?"
Ruby glanced at him. "Well... you could act as a springboard for Nora... launch her into the air with your shield so she could use a really big hammer strike from above?" She blinked. "Wait, Nora's not on our team." She looked thoughtful. "Well, you could form a shield wall with Pyrrha, or launch her into the air. Having a mobile platform to use to get height suddenly has all kinds of uses in a fight."
The blond boy looked mildly disappointed. "So... you'd want to use me as a place to jump off of?"
Ruby shrugged. "There are the more traditional roles as well. You use a sword and shield, so you'd act as a tank for our group. Draw aggro, that sort of thing."
Jaune blinked. "So... you and Pyrrha would be DPS and Weiss would be support?"
Ruby grinned. "You got it."
Pyrrha looked confused. "What is... DPS? And why is Jaune a tank?"
Ruby chuckled. "Those are gaming terms. But to make it simple, a tank is someone who gets the enemy attention. Holds the enemy focus in one place. DPS is... well, it's short for damage per second, but it also means the person who's in charge of dealing the heavy hits, and destroying the enemy."
Weiss spoke up. "By support I suppose you mean battlefield support?"
Ruby nodded. "By altering terrain, doing AOE's... that sort of thing."
Weiss blinked. "AOE?"
"Area of Effect." Jaune explained. "You can effect a whole area at once, right Weiss?"
Weiss nodded. "Yes I can." She looked thoughtful. "So, you're suggesting that we use Jaune as... cannon fodder so the rest of us can strike while they're trying to get past him?"
Ruby winced. "Well, the idea would be to stop the enemy BEFORE they take Jaune out... but yeah, pretty much."
Jaune brightened slightly. "I guess I could do that." He turned to Ruby. "You said I had a lot of Aura, right?"
Ruby nodded. "You can take more damage than most people before your Aura drops, and your style does involve a shield. It's a natural fit for you."
Pyrrha looked worried. "Won't that put Jaune in a lot of danger?"
Ruby shrugged. "Well, we could use both you AND Jaune in that role. Put you right in the middle so you and Jaune could cover each other and fight defensively, while Weiss and I pick them off from the sides. We're both much more mobile than you, and have a lot more firepower at a distance."
Pyrrha nodded. "Yes, that does seem like an effective strategy."
Blake looked at Yang. "Your sister is right. She IS good at coming up with team tactics."
Yang was looking mildly stunned. She knew, inwardly, that Ruby must be drawing off her experiences she'd had in her previous timeline, but still, this Ruby in front of her was practically a stranger. Sure, Ruby was a geek about weapons, and she had a talent as a fighter, but this? Ruby was calm, confident, and easily handling the conversation with these people like she'd known them for years. Which, Yang had to admit to herself, she apparently HAD, but still. Ruby was NOT this smooth and confident. Not the Ruby she knew, anyway.
Blake looked at Ruby with interest. "Got anything for Yang and me?"
Ruby grinned. "That's easy! So... what you do is you throw Yang one end of Gambol Shroud while Yang builds up momentum with Ember Celica..."
Blake looked confused. "How... how did you know what my weapon is called?"
Ruby froze. "Er... didn't you say?"
Blake frowned. "I think I would have remembered."
Yang laughed nervously. "Heh... Ruby is quite the weapon's nut. She knows what everyone's weapon is called before she even learns their name. She probably could draw you blueprints after looking at it once."
Blake was still frowning. "OK... but that still doesn't explain how...?"
Ruby and Yang glanced at each other. Ruby's eyes were wide. "I don't know, help me!" Ruby mouthed to her sister.
Yang slapped a fist into her palm. "Oh right!" Yang said loudly. "You said your weapon's name in your sleep, Blake." She laughed, putting a hand behind her head. "Ruby's such a fan of weapons, I mentioned the name. I knew she'd be interested."
Blake looked astonished. "I... said Gambol's name... in my sleep?"
Yang nodded firmly, her eyes just a little too wide. "Yup!"
Blake opened her mouth, obviously very confused. "I... I talk in my sleep?" Yang glanced at Ruby helplessly, and Ruby kind of shrugged back at her.
"New place?" Yang guessed. "Sleeping in a new place always makes people have trouble sleeping... and stuff."
Blake shook her head as if to clear it. "Huh." She frowned. "Did I... say anything else?" Now she honestly sounded worried.
Yang hesitated before answering. "Hmm... nothing I can remember. Maybe something about a beowolf?" She lied with a cheerful shrug.
Blake frowned darkly. "Hmm."
Ruby laughed nervously, deciding to go back to the previous topic to try and get past the awkwardness. "So, you'd throw Yang one end of your weapon while Yang launches herself with ballistic recoil, and you'd kind of..." Ruby made a two handed pulling motion. "Pull and swing her to throw her into an enemy."
Blake blinked. "You're suggesting that I use your sister as a projectile?"
Yang laughed. "Actually yeah, that sounds kind of awesome." She pointed at herself. "I tend to use MYSELF as a projectile whenever I get the chance, so some extra momentum and... I don't know, someone to help aim me might really work."
"Huh." Blake nodded. "Sure. That sounds doable." She grinned. "Kind of fun, actually."
"Just you wait, partner, we're going to have a whole LOT of fun, you and I." Yang promised her, waggling her eyebrows. Blake rolled her eyes, but the hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth let Yang know she wasn't actually all that displeased.
After lunch, they had Professor Peach's Botany and Survival course, where Jaune Arc surprised more than one person by his knowledge of the subject, and after that, it was time for the last class of the day, Professor Goodwitch's combat class.
Yang wasn't quite sure what to expect. She knew, from what her father had said, that the combat professor was not someone to be trifled with. That meant that she was not only strict, but STRONG, especially since it would be up to her to stop any fights going on in the arena from getting out of hand, which, given the nature of the school, meant being able to safely separate two or more angry teenagers armed with super powers and high powered transformable weaponry. The woman carried no armor and no weapons save a riding crop, and wore a pencil skirt? Yang was betting on some sort of incredibly powerful combat related semblance.
The first day, Miss Goodwitch only showed them the functions of the arena, how to log their scrolls into the big screen so their auras could be visible to the entire class, and explained the various safety features of the arena, including a hard light dust barrier that protected any observers from friendly fire going wild. She then explained how she'd be having them fight one on one matches throughout the first semester so that the combat professor could evaluate and grade their performance, while simultaneously figuring out who they'd be best matched up against to let them learn the most.
Yang was rather sorry that nobody was going to get to fight today. She would have volunteered in a heartbeat, in order to get to pound out some stress on a willing target, but then came the biggest shock of the day. Miss Goodwitch offered, in a rather joking tone, that if anyone wanted to challenge her to a duel, if they were to win, she'd let them out of combat classes for the rest of the year, and give them perfect marks, besides. There was a wave of nervous laughter, but Yang was hardly surprised that no one volunteered. A few students looked over at Pyrrha Nikos, obviously wondering if the champion would take up the challenge, but Pyrrha pretended not to notice the looks.
It wasn't Miss Goodwitch's offer that was the surprise that day. No, it was almost traditional for a combat instructor to pull something like this on the first day, in order to let the students know their teacher had the stuff to do more than just TEACH if it was required, and to let anyone full of their own ego down a step or two.
The surprise was when Ruby stepped forward. "I know I don't actually have much of a chance, Professor." Ruby said softly, but in the dead silence every word was crystal clear. "But I'd like to have a go, if that's alright?"
Professor Goodwitch's eyebrows rose nearly up into her hairline, but then the combat instructor simply nodded. "That would be fine, Miss Rose. Please set your scroll to monitor your Aura, and send that information up to the main monitor?"
Ruby tapped a single key on her scroll, and her face and name, complete with a green bar, appeared on the screen at the back of the room. "Done." She said, just slightly smugly.
Professor Goodwitch's eyes narrowed just slightly. "Hmm." She brought out her own scroll and tapped several keys. A few seconds later, her own image appeared on the screen. She stepped onto one end of the stage. "Very well, Miss Rose. If you will retrieve your weapon?"
Ruby nodded, and ran off to the locker room, coming back with Crescent Rose and her ammo pouches strapped to her belt after about a minute.
Professor Goodwitch nodded to Ruby. "Now, we shall observe the traditional rules for such a match. If your Aura drops into the red, or if you are forced from the ring, you are disqualified. Is that clear?"
Ruby nodded. "I understand, Miss Goodwitch."
The Professor's eyes seemed to glint. "Very well. We shall begin in three, two, one..."
Ruby blurred into rose petals and zipped across the stage with incredible speed. She came out of her semblance already going past Miss Goodwitch, except for the blade of Crescent Rose, which would have been about a foot in front of the woman's face... if Glynda Goodwitch hadn't neatly rolled out of the way at the last second and swung her riding crop backwards at Ruby as if swatting at a fly.
Ruby's momentum was accelerated toward the outside wall, and Yang rolled her eyes, knowing that was it. There was no way Ruby would recover in time. Except she did. She went back into her semblance only a few feet from the floor outside of the arena proper and zipped back up and around into the ring. Ruby came out of her semblance above the combat instructor, with Crescent Rose in it's carbine mode, and she opened fire from above. Professor Goodwitch deflected Ruby's sniper rounds with easy flicks from her riding crop, then snapped her riding crop in Ruby's direction. Ruby found herself surrounded by a faint purple Aura, and the combat instructor gazed up at Ruby with a slight smirk.
"In the future, Miss Rose, you might want to..." Glynda broke off whatever she had been saying because Ruby had turned into rose petals again, and had zipped out of her telekinesis as if it wasn't there, heading straight downward toward Glynda in a blood red swirl.
Glynda leapt and rolled out of the way of Ruby's descending strike, barely dodging as Ruby came out of her semblance with a powerful swing of Crescent Rose in it's full scythe configuration, missing Glynda by less than a foot. Ruby stopped herself from slamming into the stage by firing the sniper end, and she fired a second time as she managed to get far enough away from Glynda to aim... possibly a quarter of a second later.
Glynda was rolling to her feet, and she swept her crop to the side to again deflect Ruby's shot, and snapped it at Ruby with a fierce glare on her face. It looked like Ruby had been hit by a wrecking ball, and she flew backwards to hit the far wall near the ceiling. But before Ruby could hit the ground, she zipped into her semblance once again.
Glynda waved her crop at the cloud of rose petals that Ruby became while using her semblance, but while it looked like the petals had been struck by a breeze, they didn't fly away or falter, only shift and come at the combat instructor from another angle.
Glynda swatted Ruby's petal swarm away again and again, but she was obviously struggling. Ruby got closer and closer, and when she reached Glynda's position, Professor Goodwitch once again dived and rolled clear. But this time, instead of coming out of her semblance, Ruby's swarm of petals followed after her, building up speed and spinning like a vortex, passing the combat professor and nearly blowing her off her feet. Ruby's petals started to fly around Glynda Goodwitch like leaves blown by a hurricane, and Glynda herself was battered about by the winds whipped up by the force of Ruby's passing.
By now, the whole class was on their feet. Some students were murmuring in astonished tones to each other, others staring at the battle in wonder. Weiss had her mouth open in shock. Jaune looked impressed and pleased. Nora was bouncing up and down on her heels in excitement. And Pyrrha. Pyrrha looked like it was her birthday, and she was getting the thing she'd wanted her entire life on a silver platter. She was beaming, her face taut with excitement and wonder.
Yang wondered what the expression on her own face looked like. She knew now, however, that Ruby had to have been telling her the absolute truth. Because this Ruby was like nothing she'd ever seen. Ruby had come into her own in the last year or so... under their Uncle Qrow, Ruby had become a real terror with her sniper/scythe... but this Ruby was fighting with skills Yang had NEVER seen from her baby sister. This Ruby was terrifying. This Ruby... would hand her her head in a real fight, and Yang knew it.
Ruby's twirling vortex had the combat instructor spinning... and then, it had her rising into the air. Glynda Goodwitch was rising into the air... helpless! Ruby was going to fricking win! Miss Goodwitch flung out her left hand. Had it been inside a pouch at her belt for a moment? And suddenly the combat professor was inside a glowing purple sphere, and Ruby's rose petals bounced off it and went flying away. Inside the purple globe of light, Professor Goodwitch slowly spun to a stop, her arms extended, and just as slowly, she fell gently to the floor.
Ruby came out of her semblance on the opposite side of the room, still in mid air, and opened fire with Crescent Rose again. The rounds seemed to change course the second they pierced the outside of the purple globe of light around the professor, and Goodwitch only had to make small adjustments to be able to dodge Ruby's incoming fire, which deflected away at odd angles. No... Yang realized, not at odd angles, the closer Ruby got to shooting the globe in the center, the truer her rounds flew.
Glynda actually took a round in the chest as Ruby adjusted her aim, knocking her backwards, but she rolled back up to her feet and was waving her riding crop again almost immediately. Even as the globe of light around her faded, a purple circle looking like it was some kind of magical symbol... quite a bit like one of Weiss's glyphs, in fact, appeared between Miss Goodwitch and Ruby Rose, and it stopped the next few rounds from Ruby from reaching her. Ruby was blurring forward again, transforming into rose petals once more and zipping around the room to get around the barrier and, Yang presumed, fly at Professor Goodwitch's back, but the Professor turned and created a second barrier to guard her back the moment before Ruby could reach it, and Ruby's rose petals zipped away again.
While Ruby was angling around for another attack, the combat instructor was not idle, she reached into a pouch again, and brought her crop up above her head, gesturing at the ceiling... where a storm cloud started to form. The cloud started to grow and darken, and with a gesture, Professor Goodwitch caused the miniature storm to blow fierce winds at Ruby's petal swarm, driving it to the floor, where Ruby reappeared, looking shaken.
Yang risked a quick glance at the monitors. Miss Goodwitch's Aura was in the yellow... and so was Ruby's. Perhaps a fraction lower than Glynda Goodwitch's, in fact. It had looked for a long while like Ruby might somehow pull this off, but now...
Glynda Goodwitch gestured sharply at the floor, and Ruby was slammed into the floor with the force of a pile-driver. There was a buzzer, and Yang's eyes noted that Ruby's Aura was in the red. It was, in fact, almost completely gone.
Glynda waved her riding crop dismissively at the storm over her head, and it swiftly began to disperse. "Now then, students, as you can see, Miss Rose's Aura has dropped into the red. In a tournament style duel, this would indicate that Ruby is no longer fit for battle, and that the official may call the match."
Yang leapt down from the stands to rush over to her sister. "RUBY!"
She was at Ruby's side in moments, but Ruby waved a hand at her weakly. "I'm... I'm alright!" She announced with a forced air of cheerfulness.
Glynda turned to Ruby, and, for the first time that day, smiled. "Very impressive, Miss Rose. I haven't had such a challenge in almost twenty years." Her smile deepened. "The last student to give me that much trouble... was your mother."
Ruby smiled back at the professor wanly. "Guess that means I get to keep coming to all of your classes, Miss Goodwitch?"
Glynda nodded. "That would be correct. Nevertheless..." she smiled at Ruby warmly. "Good try."
The class let out soon after, the students talking loudly and excitedly about the match they'd just witnessed. Pyrrha, Weiss, and Jaune came down onto the stage to collect Ruby, while Ren, Nora and Blake waited patiently for Yang by one of the exits.
"Ruby!" Pyrrha gushed. "You were amazing! I can't wait to get a chance to spar with you!"
Ruby grinned. "Aw... it was nothing. My semblance is just a bad match-up for Professor Goodwitch. And she still handled me easily."
"Hardly easily." Glynda Goodwitch said mildly. "I rarely feel the need to combine my semblance with Dust, and yet to win, I was forced to resort to several kinds."
Ruby nodded. "You used Gravity Dust first to break free, and to deflect my rounds. Then Wind Dust for that storm. My petal burst wasn't solid enough for your telekinesis to get a good grip on, but I was vulnerable to wind."
Glynda nodded back, still smiling warmly. "Full marks, Miss Rose. I can see it will be a pleasure having you in class this year."
Ruby rose to her feet with a little help from her sister. "Actually, Miss Goodwitch, about that... I know this is a bit unusual, but I was wondering if you could give Yang and me permission to use one of the unused combat rooms for our teams? We'd like to do some... team training exercises, that sort of thing."
Glynda blinked. "Well now... it's a bit early in the semester to really decide anything yet..."
Ruby stepped in closer, whispering so that the rest of her team wouldn't be able to hear. "It's also to train my partner up to a standard where he can accompany the rest of us on missions." She hesitated. "Jaune needs some work on the basics... more than he'll get in your class, I'm afraid."
Glynda sighed. "You're probably right, Miss Rose." She opened her scroll wide, tapping it and scrolling around a bit. "Hmm. Yes, I believe I can let you have the second floor combat room on the east side. How often will you need it?"
Ruby glanced at Yang. "Three days a week, at least, Miss Goodwitch."
Glynda nodded. "I'll send you both an uplink to your scrolls that will allow you to unlock the room at your convenience. If you feel the need for more... regular training, that will be acceptable as well."
Ruby smiled at her. "Thanks Professor!" She grinned. "And for the great match as well!"
Glynda smiled back at her. "Thank you, Miss Rose. I enjoyed myself." She sighed. "Although I suspect your example will cause more than one student to try to imitate your attempt."
Ruby chuckled. "Well, I doubt you'll have much trouble maintaining your win record."
Glynda looked around at Ruby and Yang's teams, who were all that was left in the arena. "Perhaps. I have already been surprised once this semester. It will be interesting to see if anyone else in this year's class comes as close to victory as yourself."
Yang looked shocked. "Do you mean... you'll allow other students to challenge you?"
Glynda looked thoughtful. "Normally, I'd have offered to accept any further challenges immediately after defeating the first student to try it. So far, no one has taken me up on that offer... however, as my Aura was already in the yellow, I felt it wiser to wait until NEXT class to make my offer again."
Yang held up her hands. "Well, count me out. I don't have any way of avoiding you tossing me around like a rag doll."
"Nor I." Pyrrha admitted with a smile. "Perhaps Weiss might prove to be more of a challenge to you?" She looked at the heiress, who quickly shook her head.
"My dustcasting is... not quick enough to compete with the Professor." Weiss demurred. "Perhaps in a few years, I might wish to try..."
Glynda looked pleased. "I would be most interested to face you in the Arena, should you feel yourself ready, Miss Schnee." Weiss did her best not to shiver in fear, but couldn't help notice the way Glynda's eyes seemed to shine from behind her glasses, the Deputy Headmistress' expression had shifted from warm to mildly predatory.
Weiss, Pyrrha, Jaune, Ruby and Yang headed for the exits, where Blake, Ren and Nora waited. As soon as they got out of the combat arena, Nora was gushing gleefully. "Ruby, that was AMAZING! Oooh! You came SO close! If you won, do you think they'd let you teach the class? Would Professor Goodwitch have to resign as an instructor? Would you have to fight Professor Ozpin next? Ooh! Can you beat Professor Ozpin?"
Ruby giggled. "I don't think they'd let me teach the class, Nora. This is my first semester here, after all. And no, Miss Goodwitch wouldn't have to resign. That'd be silly." She grinned. "I would kind of like to see Professor Ozpin fight, though. He's supposed to be the strongest Huntsman ever!" She laughed. "And there's no way I could beat him. He's like... super strong."
Weiss was looking at Ruby with a mildly astonished expression, as if she'd never really seen her before. "Well... I must say, Ruby Rose, that I have obviously misjudged you. I may have had doubts at the beginning about how suited you were to lead our team... but I have to say, I'm very impressed by what I've seen so far."
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "So... all I needed to do to impress you was lose a match against Professor Goodwitch?"
Weiss rolled her eyes. "Call it a loss if you like, Ruby, but having seen you fight, it's obvious you have the skills to lead our team. I look forward to working with you."
Ruby smiled at her warmly. "Thanks Weiss. I'm glad to hear it."
Jaune spoke up. "What were you asking the professor about though? Getting one of the combat rooms to practice in?"
Ruby nodded. "I want us to train as a team. Our team, and Yang's too. Outside of missions, Professor Goodwitch's class is our only source of fight training, and... honestly, that's just not enough. Having a private place to train will be a lot of help."
Weiss smiled and nodded. "I completely agree."
Jaune sighed. "So... extra training?"
Ruby glanced at Jaune with a frown. "Jaune, no offense, but you're going to need a lot of work to get you ready for missions. Not to mention if you want to get a decent grade in Combat class."
Weiss spoke up. "Not to mention the Vytal tournament!" She turned to Ruby, eyes shining. "You know, I really think we have a shot at winning the tournament this year, between you, Pyrrha, and myself."
Jaune frowned. "Hey!"
Ruby looked at him. "By the time the tournament comes around, we can get you trained up to be a real asset to our team, Jaune. You've got a ton of potential. We've just got to help you realize it!"
Jaune hesitated. "I... you want to train me?"
Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Jaune. You're going to need training." Her eyes hardened slightly. "Jaune... do you want to be a huntsman, or not?"
Jaune blinked. "Well, of course I do!"
Ruby shrugged. "Then you need training. One on one training. My Uncle Qrow spent years training me one on one on how to use my Crescent Rose. Our dad trained Yang just as much. You haven't had that kind of one on one instruction from a professional huntsman... so you're going to get it now."
Jaune frowned. "Well, I guess if you put it that way."
Ruby nodded, then looked at Pyrrha. "Pyrrha... you're probably the best with a sword and shield in the school right now. Do you think you could...?"
Pyrrha beamed and nodded. "I would be honored to help."
Ruby smiled gratefully and looked from Weiss to Blake. "Jaune could use some extra sparring partners who use similar weapons... he can't just practice with Pyrrha alone."
Weiss blinked, then nodded. "Of course. I will be glad to serve as a sparring partner for our teammate from time to time."
Blake nodded as well. "Sure. I don't mind."
Yang thumped Blake on the back. "Aw, thanks Blake!"
Blake glared mildly at Yang. "Don't mention it. Ever."
Jaune looked worried. "That sounds like a lot of sparring..."
Ruby beamed at him. "Well, that's the best part. With your Aura, you can practice longer and harder than just about anyone else! Your Aura will rebuild your muscles and help you get stronger faster, and it'll keep you going when you'd normally be exhausted in no time!"
Jaune blinked. "That's good?"
Ruby grinned. "With as much Aura as you have, you can train for hours and hours every day!"
Jaune was starting to turn pale. "Yay?"
/-/
OK, if you haven't seen season 8, then spoiler warning... stop reading now and go watch season 8 first.
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Ruby can, in many ways, teleport. Her semblance, 'petal burst' is not super speed, it's the ability to disassemble her component molecules (and the molecules of anything she's carrying) and to rapidly move those molecules somewhere else, where they are reassembled. So far we've seen Ruby carry an entire team worth of people while doing so. We've seen that a large mass can disrupt her petal burst and cause her to reassemble, but it seems highly plausible that something like Glynda's telekinesis (or Pyrrha's Polarity) would not be able to get much of a grip on Ruby in that form.
So indeed, I think that Ruby would be one of the few people on Remnant who could actually give Glynda a halfway decent fight. It is, as Ruby says here, a relatively bad matchup for Glynda. At least in comparison to most people, who Glynda would treat like a rag doll, that is. Actual super speed semblances would be child's play for a huntress who can likely deflect bullets. Someone like Harriet of the Ace Ops would get swatted into the air and then would be completely at Glynda's mercy. IMO, Glynda probably has the most powerful semblance on Remnant, at least for pure combat applications. It's no wonder she's the combat instructor at Beacon.
Of course, Glynda can also use Dust in combination with her semblance, making her semblance even more incredibly powerful and versatile. With proper dust usage, Glynda is all but unstoppable. Except against someone like a full fledged Maiden, anyway. Or Salem. Salem would probably kick Glynda's ass.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票