A/N going to be a bit of a long one
Team NBER pov
The announcement just came that they were to commence the first fight in 45 minutes. [okay team, this is the plan. emerald! you go with me to get popcorn and chocolate milk! blake you take ruby and find seats but please go to the bathrooms first, we will go after we get the supplies okay?] ""Got it!"" Ruby added. "Oh uh, yeah!" Neo signed. [okay go team NBER. 1, 2, 3, break!] At that they all got to their respective missions.
Ruby&Blake pov
"Hey ruby why were you distracted a few minutes ago?" The younger girl said. "I saw a girl who seemed lost, but then she was gone. Was it wrong to not help her?" Blake grabbed ruby's hand, and said. "Ruby... sometimes you can't save everyone. But tell you what, if we see her again and she's still lost i'll help you help her okay?" The little girl smiled brightly and said. "Thanks blake!" The cat girl simply said. "You're welcome. Oh here!" The girl quickly traded some lein for a quick purchase. "Here, it's going to be sunny today and there's going to be flashes. So we need to protect our eyes, mine are sensitive and yours are light silver so they are probably sensitive as well." The girls had matching sunglasses. Blake had black aviators and ruby had silver one's. "Woah it's like everything is darker! These are so neat!" Blake smiled at the innocent nature of the girl.
But she noticed ruby frown at her. "What's wrong ruby?" The girl then said. "But i don't like how it hides your pretty-cat eye's!" Blake was taken aback by ruby's comment. 'nobody has ever said i had pretty eye's but mom! it's weird but kinda cool how she likes them' Blake smiled and said. "Here i'll rest'em on my hat, that way you can still see my eyes ruby." The girl then hugged blake. "Thanks my dad said only tell people you really like that they have pretty eyes." The older girl didn't understand entirely the context behind romans words but smiled and said. "Thanks you... have pretty eyes too!"
After they got close to the bathrooms, they saw something. "Oh blake it's the lost girl! Over there!" Ruby pointed and sure enough, there was a brown eared bunny faunus being messed with by a bunch of kids. "Blake we need to help!" And little ruby charged, in her tiny red caplet and aviators she cut an impressive figure to the bullied girl. "Hey jerks leave her alone!" The kids looked over and noticed ruby. "Huh? Beat it squirt we are trying to teach this filthy animal a lesson. You know what? Here you have a go!" Blake stood frozen unsure of what to do. But ruby, to everyone's shock said. "Don't mind if i do! My dad told me how to deal with big animals!" And before anyone could say anything. Ruby pulled back her foot. "W-wait ruby!" Blake tried to stop her best friend from kicking this faunus in the face. She honestly couldn't believe ruby could do this.
But before she could react. *BAM!* ruby's foot connected with all her might, but not on the bunny faunus. No right in the older boys crotch. """!!!!""" He fell silent to his knees, holding himself. And the other boys winced and froze in shock. Ruby turned to them and said. "You want some too!" The boys ran, they ran fast and hard. One grabbed his friend on the ground and ran. "Yeah that's right you hecken butt-faces! Hey you okay miss?" The petrified bunny faunus grabbed the little girls hand. "Y-yeah thanks, i thought you were going to kick me for a second." Ruby smiled saying. "Nope team NBER is all about sabotage. I only faked trying to kick you but was planning on kicking him all along!"
By this point blake ran over. "Ruby! Holy cow that was awesome! How did you do that!" Ruby smiled hugely and said. "My daddy told me. If a big dumb animal tries to mess with you, kick him as hard as you can in his family jewls!" Blake said. "Family jewls?" Ruby then replied. "Yeah it confused me as well, untill he showed me on my doll where they were!" Ruby gestured between her legs. "I guess boys hide jewls there or something?" Blake shrugged. "Yeah boys are weird." They both turned to the other girl. "Oh my goodness you're blake belladonna!" Blake put her hand to the girls mouth. "Shhhh okay? I'm undercover as a human today." The bunny girl nodded, and removed the hand. "Sorry i guess it is safer for travel to hid being a faunus."
Ruby replied. "Not for much longer me and blake and the rest of our team are gonna save every faunus until jerks like that don't mess with you!" Blake smiled and said. "That's right ruby! Now miss?" The bunny girl looked embarrassed. "Oh my names velvet my family is visiting and i got lost looking for the bathroom, i asked those kids for help and well... you know." Ruby then openly hugged the girl. "There there miss velvet, we know how hard it is getting lost. But you're safe and we will help you too the bathrooms. Then too your family!" The shocked older girl just looked at blake, who only mouthed. (Hug her back she's trying to help) the bunny complied. "See, now everything will be okay! Let's go!" Velvet actually enjoyed the hug getting next to blake whispering. "No humans usually hug the faunus, is she a faunus undercover too?" Blake shook her head and proudly exclaimed. "Nope that's just ruby fall my best friend!"
After, they went to the bathroom. In a budy system in case of creeps. Apparently ruby's dad taught her that as well. The older girls thought it was smart. They then went to column C row A to find velvets parents. ""Velvet!"" Her parents hugged her and looked ready to cry. "Sweetheart where were you? We were scared!" Velvet stated. "Oh miss fall and belladonna helped me, when some human boys were messing with me. Miss fall kicked the biggest one in his family jewls!" At that the father winced and shuddered. "Well it seems that i should thank you miss belladonna!" Blake smiled and said. "Actually ruby took care of it all i just happened to get over there when she scared them all away." The man looked at ruby. "My apologies miss fall! What kind of faunus are you?" Ruby said. "I'm human but i love the animal ears you guys have!" That shocked the adults.
"You helped our daughter even though she was a faunus!?" Ruby said. "Yep it was the right thing to do! I helped my best friend Blake here protest when i was only 2!" The couple didn't seem to pay attention to her whole statement. Instead only hearing ruby say blake, and touch her on the shoulder. Prompting the mom to snap. "IT'S MISS BELLADONNA!" And the father to say. "DON'T TOUCH HER!" This shocked ruby who looked ready to cry. "Hey you jerks! Ruby is my best friend who just saved your daughter from harassment. She can touch me and call me blake! Heck she can call me kitty! My mom hates it when people value tradition over family. So good day. Sorry miss velvet at least you've been nice." With that blake made a show of picking up ruby and kissing her cheek, right in front of them. Defiantly glaring in the father's eye's while doing so.
After getting away from them, ruby asked through tears. "Did i do something wrong?" Blake hugged her close and said. "No ruby you did the right thing. They were just made because i'm kind of famous back home, humans usually aren't supposed to touch faunus." Ruby asked. "Why i thought we were gonna be equals?" Blake then continued. "Yes we are. But some people like the old ways, someone recently had a human baby in Menagerie. Which isn't the first time that has happened. But it's mom was a faunus meaning the dad was human." Ruby asked. "Is that against the rules?" Blake informed her. "Well the mom was attacked by the dad. And she wanted to keep the baby but a bunch of jerks wanted to hurt the baby. My mom was there in the hospital room ready to fight. But my daddy roared and scared em away. So everyone is on edge right now. I'm really sorry!"
Blake was surprised that ruby huged her, and said. "We did the right thing. So miss velvet knows not all humans are bad. One down a bunch more to go! We can do it!" Blake smiled and said. "You were like a super hero ruby! My mom and your mom are going to be so proud of you! You're just like neo!" Ruby beamed at the comparison to her big sister. So she kissed blake on the cheek and said. "Thanks blake you're a hero too!" Blake questioned. "How i didn't help with those bullying jerks." Ruby then said. "But you stood your ground when i was scared! You looked like a growling panther! So i guess we got each other's back!" Just then they heard. "Ruby? blake? Where have you been we need seats the fight is in 10 minutes!"
Em and neo came back with the supplies. "Sorry guys ruby saved a girl by fighting a bunch of guys. She beat one in one hit and they all scattered like mice!" The two girls looked shocked. "All right ruby!" Neo signed [way to go sis!] Blake then added. "But the girls parents yelled at ruby." Ruby then added. "And blake gave'em what fore. Saying they were jerks and stuff and then she was telling me about her home to cheer me up!" Both ruby and blake gave each other a sly wink, that went unnoticed. [well good job you guys but we gotta run if we want seats can you carry ruby blake?] The girl nodded picking up her smaller friend.
Team NBER pov racing the clock
They were running as fast as they could. Em carrying drinks neo carrying thankfully sealed snacks. And blake carrying ruby. Once they got to the entry to the seating they started scanning for seats. "There! Four open front row seats!" Blake sat ruby down and said. "Okay let's go!" But just then they saw the bully group from earlier. They had a stare off, but the leader shouted. "Hurry get there first!" And the boys pushed the girls and ran. Blake scraped her knee. And ruby saw red. "Not if i get there first jerk!"
Ruby was pushing her little body as hard as possible down the hundreds of steps. 'if they get there first mama won't see us, and blake will have gotten hurt for nothing, come on move legs, I SAID MOVE!!!' And what happened next shocked everyone, the boys, and the girls. Ruby literally burst into Flaming Rose Petals! And with a loud *WOOSH* She flew by in a fiery cloud of roses. And landed in the seat. In the shock the girls recovered and ran by the bully group saying. "Sorry looks like my sister beat you!" Said em. Neo made a crude one finger gesture on each hand. And blake said. "Twice in one day huh?don't mess with my best friend!"
After getting in the seats. Blake exclaimed. "Ruby! You got your semblance!" Em said. "That's so cool you were so fast!" Neo signed. [i'm so proud of you ruby, i take back what i said you totally have a flashy semblance like mom!] Ruby looked so excited. "Really it's that cool! Will mama like it?" Blake told her. "Absolutely without a doubt! You totally have your mom's amazing semblance style!" Ruby smiled hugely. She was just like her mama, so that made her happier beyond words. "AND NOW THE TOURNAMENT BEGINS!"
Cinder pov team CHAR competition
During the first fight team CHAR beat the enemy team pretty quickly. Alice used her semblance to channel energy into a combustion bomb full of dust making the powder super unstable, then tossed it to heather to throw, once the enemy team converged on cinder. Heather used her semblance to enhance her body's speed and throw it at sonic speed, and roman shot it with a flare yelling. "Pull!" And with a mighty blast the enemy all went out of bounds. While cinder barely seemed fazed by the bomb that just hit her.
But she did hear the first cheers. ""Goo mama!"" She turned and noticed her daughters and blake cheering. After she got out of the fight, she said. "good fight guys!" And ran to where she knew they were. Once she saw them wave when she was in the entrance, she got ready to run but blake whispered something to ruby. Prompting the little girl to get in a running stance and seemed to concentrate real hard on something. Before cinder could think. A fiery burst of petals made a *WOOSH* And the petals knocked her down and ruby was on top of her. "Huh!?" Ruby smiled and said. "I got my semblance mama! It's just like yours!"
Cinder was beyond shocked. But she was also proud that rubys semblance had a touch of her in it. "Oh my goodness ruby! That's amazing! I'm so proud of you!" The girl burst into a flaming petal sawrm and did a bunch of circles around cinder before stopping, and looking dizzy. "Don't overdo your semblance. Your sister did that when she brought home emerald. But you need to practice. That means no using it on others without express consent got it?" Ruby nodded enthusiastically. "Good now let's watch shasta's fight!"
Cinder pov Cinder vs Winter
Cinder fall was nervous. Why? Well because the girl that shasta's team couldn't even touch was going up against her. What could be worse? Oh just the fact that she was a schnee! Now it was no secret cinder didn't like them, most faunus hate them but cinder was a special case. Why? Because the SDC owned the police forces that could have helped her as a kid serving in the glass unicorn.
Roman approached the literally smoldering cinder. "Hey cinder you alright?" That caught her attention. 'he only calls me cinder when he's serious' she said. "I'm not going to bother lying to you roman. I'm nervous and angry." He nodded. "Because of the schnee?" She tensed, but nodded. He did something that shocked her. He gave a quick peck on her lips, causing her to blush. "Ha payback for the dance. But if it helps you, think about the girls, they're right in the front row. So don't hold back, but don't kill her either. Beat her with your overwhelming skill not power."
Roman then added. "She's a cocky swordswoman so make a sword, dress shabby and challenge her to a duel. If you lose big dif! She stays arrogant. But if you win she will be humiliated in front of her family and school." She was notably better after that. "Yeah! After all we kicked ass in the duos!" Roman said. "That's the spirit now go spank the bad girl in front of her daddy!" Cinder smiled and left to get ready.
Upon entering the arena, she heard thousands chanting for the schnee girl. 'winter huh? real original jauqe!' After all, they all had a snow theme to them. But she also had a confident grin, after all she was going to win this for her daughters. When winter entered, cinder looked ready to fight.
They approached each other, and the mic hoverd near so the stadium could here. "Hmm so you're ozpins pet project? The mother of 3 at 17 enrolled early for assault and battery of a teacher. Can't say the man ever makes sense, why don't you just go home with your daughters and let me handle the big scary grimm." The whole crowd went *Oooooh* cinder calmy replied. "I've killed scarier men then you like i was breathing, and defeated glynda goodwitch in single combat without breaking a sweat so i'll do you a solid. I won't even use my semblance on you, just my sword." And before winter could retort. Cinder hit her across the face with a glove in a challenge to duel like in ancient times.
Winter recovered and said. "You're going to regret that peasant! I won't need my semblance to crush you!" Cinder in response just calmy walked to her starting area. "WELL LADIES AND GENTLEMEN WE HAVE A NO SEMBLANCE DUEL! WHAT AN HONORABLE THING TO DO. THREE. TWO. ONE. FIGHT!" Before cinder could react, winter charged her. Screaming. "Haaaah!" And thrusting her blade where cinders head was just at. 'fast huh? well not as experienced as she might seem. after all that move would only kill or hurt someone if they didn't have aura' Cinder brought her own sword to lock with winter's, and with a *clang!* the battle between fire and ice began. Winter appeared to not expect much fight from cinder. 'i would have been the same, if i hadn't stopped using my overwhelming power, good thing i only used my raw skill these last two years!' So cinder answered winters shock with a counter and riposte. It worked, the untouched winter was jabbed. Winter looked at cinder, who looked away and was waiving to her cheering family.
"Raaaggh!" With a mighty roar winter went back on the offensive. Raining down a bunch of lightning quick thrusts, but cinder dodged all of them. And answered with a second counter and riposte. This one hitting winter across the face! "Didn't your rich daddy tell you not to scream in public? It's unbecoming of a lady." The witty remark made the faunus in the crowd go wild with laughs. And winter went red. Cinder then said. "Well you have my attention miss screaming banshee. En guard!" Winter replied. "Hah! Like your dad taught you manners you ani-" Cinder cut her off literally. She struck her three times, once in the heart, the liver, and the throat. Winter looked incredulous at cinder. "What? I said en guard." The faunus and even some humans started laughing.
So finally after five hits on her, winter rose her guard and said. "Come at me then if you dar-" Cinder already began sword fighting, again cutting her off. The two exchanged strike after strike. And to the crowd it appeared to be a dance by experts. The way their blades crossed and sang a metallic tune. How their feet danced around each strike. It went on like a ballet dance with swords, cinder landed another strike. Winter then briefly hit cinder. The two raised their swords and charged again.
Ruby&Blake pov Cinder vs Winter
The two were in absolute awe at the beautiful sword duel happening in front of them. "Holy cow ruby! Your mom is like the hero from that book we got to read on your birthday!" Ruby was smiling brightly. "Yeah she's even fighting a rich badguy!" The duel was so hard to follow given the speed of the duelist who were fighting. "Hey ruby?" Ruby said. "Yeah?" Blake nervously asked. "Do you think i'd be a good swordswoman like your mom one day?" Ruby smiled brightly saying. "Totally! You might be able to beat her once your semblance is trained!" Blake blushed hugely and said. "Thanks then i'll do my best." In her typical blake monotone voice. Only her friends and family could read her emotions properly.
But ruby being young was still sharp enough to notice the shyness of blake. So ruby grabbed blake's hand and said. "I know you will! I believe in you!" That got the cat girl to smile. Well a smile for blake that is. "W-well then you'll just have to train hard too! That way we can have each other's backs the next time... you know... someone needs help." Ruby chuckled, in a manner similar to cinders whenever someone challenged her. And said "We'll be the best pair ever! Ruby the firey speedster, and Blake the shadow dancer! Like real superheroes!" Em then asked. "Hey what about me and neo!" Ruby smiled and continued. "Emerald the illustrious illusionist! And Neopolitan the mysterious manipulator!" Em said. "Those sound like villain names... I like it!" After their debate they heard a *BOOM!* """[!!!!]""" The girls were incredibly shocked at what just happened. And so was the crowd.
Cinder pov Cinder vs Winter
This was going remarkably better then cinder could have hoped. Their honorable duel was something she was enjoying immensely. Never before had cinder fought someone so skilled, winter landed multiple hits. But cinder was well and above more skilled at striking efficiently. For every one hit winter landed, cinder hit her three more times, and all in lethal spots. Veins, arteries, major organs. Winter would only have done simple cosmetic damage if they didn't have aura. Not really her fault, but cinder was very experienced killing another person. So winter was looking worn-out. A glance at the arena board revealed why. (Cinder fall aura: 78% Winter schnee aura: 29%) Cinder only needed to drop her 4% and she'd finally win something for once in her life.
However when winter saw the numbers she looked visibly panicked. And did something no one could have predicted. Suddenly a large white glyph appeared around her. Then with a sonic *BOOM!* winter came at lightning speed, and launched cinder out of bounds. The match was over and by technical K.O winter got the win. "WINTER SCHNEE WINS!" Winter smiled and bowed triumphantly. But instead of the cheering of an adoring stadium of thousands of people, she was met with a sound she never heard before. "BOOOOO!" The whole stadium started booing her. The announcer then commented. "IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THE CROWD WAS NOT PLEASED BY A FAMOUS SCHNEE GOING BACK ON HER WORD, FOR A FAIR AND HONEST NO SEMBLANCE DUEL! BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE OFFICIAL RULES ARE NOT BROKEN. SO WINTER WINS THE DISHONEST DUEL! AND TAKES THE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONS TROPHY"
Cinder got up and started to slink away. But stopped when she heard the stadium start chanting. "CINDER FALL! CINDER FALL!" While stomping and clapping like a rhythm. Cinder just raised her fist cautiously. The crowd cheered so loud it sounded like a million people! The mic came down and hoverd near her. "DO YOU HAVE A MESSAGE TO YOUR ADORING FANS MISS FALL?" Cinder smiled and said. "I'm sorry too my daughters ruby neo and emerald. And to all the honest and decent faunus out there in the white fang. I did my best, but she clearly wasn't going to abide by my no semblance proposal. I failed. But one day my daughters and blake belladonna, will change the world, i'm just sorry i couldn't pave the way." Cinder then finished. "But by all means support the SDC Winter here represented them and their values well."
Then she left the arena.
Team NBER pov
They ran and group hugged cinder upon her arrival. "We are proud of you mom!" Said em. "Yeah you totally could've destroyed her, but tried to make it fair and she cheated!" Said ruby. "Yeah just like a schnee! Only cares about fame and themselves!" Spoke blake. [Don't worry when we grow up we will live by your example not hers!] Signed neo.
"Yeah you killed it firework, firecracker was right she cheated. Nice dig at the end though, genuinely had me laughing!" Spoke roman. "Thanks guys how about some ice cream to celebrate? They have some neapolitan at the cafeteria!" They all cheered roman included. The relationship between them was murky now with the kisses but she was happy he was with them. This was her family.
Author's notes
Boy that was a long one! Sorry about any typos or grammar mistakes. I wanted to get this chapter out early. My fic just recently reached 200 reads! That made my head spin. I thought nobody would read anything i wrote. But this is my longest chapter ever! 4k words how insane! But before i start on my next chapter of this story i need to catch up on my other's so hopefully you won't wait to long. Check them out if you want they are called. Reluctant bravery. Sharpened claws. And coming soon. Blood bond. But please join us next time for chapter 14. Embers burn bright. A flame to behold. Until then true believers excelsior!