The crowds roared as the two teams – Shade versus Haven – clashed in the simulated arena before them. Shots pinged off the barrier, protecting countless civilians from being gunned down. Dueling chants struggled to be heard over the raucous cheering of the assembled masses. All the while, two teams of teenagers sought to beat one another into submission with some of the deadliest weapons imaginable. Thanks to aura, there was no bloodshed, but the carnage unleashed in the center of Amity Arena was a far cry from the image Huntsmen usually tried to portray.
All of that – the explosions, the roar of the crowd, and the cries of victory and defeat – were nothing more than a continuous droning sound to Lilly. Hidden in one of the various changing rooms tucked within the underbelly of the Arena, Lilly stood alone, savoring the feeling of the locker's cool metal against her forehead. Each breath was drawn slowly through her nose until her lungs could hold no more, then expelled with a slight whistling through her mouth as she sought to calm her fraying nerves.
This is it. She still had plenty of time to prepare, having arrived well before the previous match started to give herself a few moments alone. She'd spent the weekend carefully preparing for what came next. At least, when someone wasn't trying to pry her away with another distraction. Yang's multiple visits for innocuous reasons had been denied. Really, why would you need a cup of sugar? We have a common room with a decent supply just down the hall. Rather than bother with strategy, Yang seemed intent on running interference on their own preparations, leaving the planning to Ruby and Weiss, no doubt.
Meeting Bianca for lunch on Sunday had been a nice breather, though. Her friend had gotten in late that morning and insisted on seeing both her and Yang, although she promised not to keep them long, understanding they needed time to prepare for the fights. Little did she realize the two would face one another just over twenty-four hours later. To save on lien, Bianca was splitting the hotel room with Lilly's family for the week. She'd offered to pay her portion, but Dad had categorically refused, insisting she save her money for school bills and let him cover it. Dad could be pretty awesome sometimes.
The muffled voice of Professor Port broke through the din once more as a loud buzzer announced the elimination of some unfortunate combatant. The details of the elimination tugged at Lilly's curiosity, but she refused to turn the monitor mounted in the corner back on. Better to focus on their fight than worry about another. If they made it through, she'd take the time to watch each match, carefully analyzing each victor's fighting style for potential weaknesses.
Today, only one fight mattered.
Lilly checked her weapons yet again, carefully inspecting each dust cartridge as she unloaded and reloaded both Brevis and Tantum. The familiar motions helped calm her a little as another buzzer sounded. Thoughts of whether that meant an equalizing of teams or a surge by one were pushed aside as she methodically ran through the strategy for their match.
Having settled on a primary plan, Lilly had drilled it into her teammates' heads until they forced her to stop. Much like they'd done with CRDL, Lilly wanted to divide RWBY into three different battles. Each member of RWBY could be dangerous alone, but combined, they posed a much bigger threat. Yang would likely have to wait until the end, meaning the focus would be on eliminating each of the other three. Pressure on Weiss should force Ruby to stay with her, leaving Blake to fight solo after they peeled Yang away. Ideally, they'd take out Blake and Weiss, then gang up on the annoyingly quick Ruby. Hitting her would be difficult, but the young girl wouldn't survive too many well-placed strikes.
Much of the battle could rely on the arena itself, unfortunately. RWBY held a distinct ranged advantage, so open areas would spell trouble. Heavy cover, on the other hand, would reduce their advantage and help divide them better. Honey and Weiss both would benefit from any dust-heavy arenas, especially something like an ice field. Fire, on the other hand, would pretty much negate their ice abilities. Such a blow would hurt Weiss more than Honey, though. Ideally, she'd like to have a cityscape or wooded area for cover, although the fire or desert arenas would be suitable for engaging Weiss if needed.
Lilly spared a quick smile over her shoulder as the door opened. Quietly, all three of her teammates entered. RWBY would have their own room in another section of the structure, letting them prepare without the other team nearby. Shortly after the current match ended, both teams would need to report to the large elevators that led to the staging tunnels. Then, they'd begin the agonizing march to the center platform as thousands watched from all around, not to mention the countless viewers glued to screens all across Remnant. They'd need to put on a confident face for the audience, even if the thought of so many eyes watching them terrified Lilly.
Already, she could feel the oppressive weight of the looming battle bearing down on her. Try as she might, the idea of facing RWBY shook her, especially with how near the moment was. Looking around the room, she could see the signs in her team as well. Honey quietly coiled and uncoiled Singing Scourge, occasionally stopping to rearrange the spare dust vials on her belt. She probably wouldn't need them, but better safe than sorry. Smit, having no equipment to fiddle with, seemed to be quietly talking to himself as he leaned against the wall. The little pieces she caught indicated he was rehearsing battle plans. Randi sat stoically on a bench, carefully polishing her helmet, but her eyes had a distant look to them.
Looks like I'm not the only one worried. They'd done everything they could to prepare for this moment, but no amount of preparation could fully prevent doubt from creeping in. None of them had ever done anything like this before. Every moment – every mistake – would be captured on video and broadcast to all of Remnant. The weight of such attention was enough to crush a person.
As team leader, Lilly knew it was her job to rally her team. A confident leader could inspire those around them to go beyond their limits and attain greatness. Problem was, she wasn't feeling all that confident herself. Even so, I need to be strong. They need me to be strong. With a deep breath, she stowed her weapons against her back and stepped to the middle of the room, summoning the attention of her team as she did.
"Well guys, this is it." Lilly didn't know exactly what to say, so she figured stating the obvious would buy her some time to figure out the rest. "We've worked tirelessly to get here. No matter what happens out there, no one can deny what we've accomplished together." Honey managed an encouraging smile, but Lilly didn't plan to leave it there. "But I for one am tired of always being the other team.
"Every step of the way, Team Ruby has tried to outdo us." Lilly turned to Smit. "Smit gets into Alsius for saving his father. Ruby gets into Beacon two years early for fighting Torchwick. We get a special mission from Ozpin himself. Ruby gets special permission to go on an upper-year mission. We manage to take down a White Fang base in Vale, and what do they do? They somehow uncover a major White Fang operation in Mountain Glenn."
Really, if not for RWBY, their faces would probably be all over the news for their exploits. Lilly wasn't so petty as to be upset that RWBY was accomplishing so much, but always playing second fiddle had grated on her nerves for far too long.
"They always manage to steal the spotlight in the end," Lilly continued, voice rising as months of pent-up frustration were finally unleashed. "We all fought at the docks, but listening to the media, you'd think Team Ruby did all the work! You two," Lilly looked toward her partner and Randi, "helped them take down a freakin' Paladin, but all anyone talks about is how Ruby busted a White Fang rally. They even seem to get special treatment from the faculty. Ruby left a crater in the courtyard on day one! Then, she and Weiss burn down half the forest." Okay, maybe it was less than ten percent, but so what? Still a forest fire! "They even started a food fight that nearly destroyed the entire cafeteria! And what kind of punishment do they get? Nothing!"
Sure, Miss Goodwitch had used her Semblance to tidy things up afterwards, but stacking pieces of a ruined pillar didn't exactly fix it. The school had to replace several tables, along with all the vending machines. Add in the cost of cleaning, structural damages, and a colossal waste of food, and Beacon had likely shelled out a small fortune that day. At the very least, RWBY and JNPR should've been made to clean or something, given they were the ones most responsible for the damage.
"Well, that ends today!" Lilly announced with a confidence she didn't really feel. "We tracked down Blake when she ran away! We infiltrated and exposed White Fang operations in and around Vale! We held the Grimm at bay at the Breach! It's time Team Laser finally got the respect it deserves, and it all starts with showing Remnant that we are just as good – no, better than Team Ruby!"
"Yeah, let's get 'em!" Smit cheered, kicking off the wall.
"Today, we finally have a chance to show the world what we're made of. A chance to stop living in Ruby's shadow and prove to everyone that we've earned their respect and attention!" Behind Lilly, a green light came on above the door, indicating the time had come. "Now, let's march out there and show Remnant just what Team Laser is capable of!"
/- - - - - - - - - -/
"Good luck!" Miss Farleigh smiled as she waved a hand down the tunnel, letting them know it was time to enter the arena. At the opposite end, concealed from view, Winter Schnee would likely be doing the same for Team RWBY. Some may have called favoritism there, but it didn't really matter. The representatives were assigned tasks like that, ensuring the Tournament ran smoothly. Besides, Lilly wouldn't begrudge Weiss the chance to be cheered on by her sister in private, even if she hoped to disappoint the Specialist.
"Thank you," Lilly flatly responded, already marching down the darkened tunnel with her team in tow. The roar of the crowd grew as they approached the bright light, along with the voices of two familiar teachers.
"Ladies and gentleman, it's time for the final match of the day!" Professor Port's voice rang out as Lilly pushed into the light, squinting slightly at the sudden brightness. With nothing solid between her and the crowd, the sound hit her like a wave, but she rode it out, ordering her feet to keep moving. "And what could be more exciting than seeing two teams from the prestigious Beacon Academy face one another?"
"That's right, Peter," the hurried voice of Doctor Oobleck commented. He still rushed through words with reckless abandon, but appeared to be trying to slow down a little for the broadcast. Every student would notice the difference, even if it still seemed quick to anyone else. Guess we've just gotten used to it at this point. "For our final match, Team Ruby and Team Laser, both of Beacon Academy, will face off for a chance to advance to the doubles round."
"And after having to sit through the other academies' fights, this should prove to be a fine demonstration of the prowess that Beacon Academy instills in all of its students." So much for unbiased announcers. Lilly couldn't imagine who'd okayed Professor Port as an announcer, even if he could play the crowd easily enough. Then again, imagining Goodwitch trying to do the same had her cringing internally.
The announcers' banter continued as the two teams reached the central platform. Unlike in their qualifying match, their opponents weren't in order of their name, but the arrangement hardly surprised Lilly. Blake and Yang occupied the flanks, with Ruby and Weiss in the middle. Thankfully, Yang had brought up the rear, waving and flexing cockily at the crowd. That put her exactly where Lilly wanted her.
To Lilly's right, Smit and Honey stood ready, while Randi claimed the final spot across from her fellow faunus. Silvery armor quickly clicked into place as Randi donned her helmet, twirling her spear dramatically as she readied her shield. The crowd cheered louder in response, enjoying the little display as the arena randomizer came up and began to spin, slowly coming to a halt on RWBY's side.
"Dang it," Lilly muttered, seeing the dreaded ice symbol above RWBY's heads. As if to prove her point, Weiss nodded to Ruby, who grinned back at her partner. The two obviously had planned for such a possibility and were fully aware of how beneficial it could be to Weiss. Ruby would need to watch her speed, however, since the footing could be tricky.
The arena randomizer screens on LHSR's side slowed to an eventual halt, sounding a loud tone to announce the selection. Sparing a glance backwards, Lilly kept a straight face as a picture of a trio of trees stared back at her. The arenas quickly rose from beneath and clicked into place, leaving a veritable forest of large trees behind her, while RWBY guarded a sweeping field of ice dotted with random, sharp protrusions and hills. The sparse cover was better than none, she figured.
Arena layout set, Lilly realized what she needed to do. "You actually planning to fight me this time, Yang?" Lilly mockingly asked. "Of course, I wouldn't be against another forfeit."
"Sorry, but you're not getting off so easy this time." Yang dramatically deployed her gauntlets as she fell into a ready stance.
"Bring it on, blondie," Lilly shot back, twirling her tonfa into place. The motion was pretty useless, but served to rev up the crowd further. More importantly, it played to Yang's competitive nature. Lilly noticed the way Yang leaned forward, indicating her intention to charge directly at Lilly. She wasn't entirely sure if that was the team's plan or just Yang falling for her bait, but with the crowd chanting a countdown, it wouldn't matter for long.
"Begin!"
Lilly barely heard the announcement from Port's booming voice. The moment the countdown had ended, Yang shouted as she launched herself forward, covering the distance in an instant courtesy of dual blasts from Ember Celica. The blonde rocket crashed into Lilly's crossed tonfa, pushing Lilly back as she wisely chose to give ground to the sudden onslaught. Her retreat led away from the ensuing battles between the teams as she dove to the side, firing Brevis both as an attack and to cover the distance quicker. Yang wasn't the only one who could use that trick.
Meanwhile, the remaining combatants began their own skirmishes in varying fashions. Much like Yang, Smit had charged forward immediately, hurling a pair of fireballs at Weiss in the process. The heiress clearly expected as much, bringing up an ice wall for cover just as quick. Smit broke through easily enough, only to find Weiss speeding away to the ice fields. He rolled to the side as a shot rang out, his left arm jerking in pain as Crescent Rose targeted him.
Ruby lined up another shot as she tried to follow Weiss, only to nearly fall over as ice sprang up around her feet. Before Singing Scourge could come around again, glowing an angry yellow and sparking with energy, a quick twirl of her beloved scythe broke her feet free. All that the whip struck was a flutter of petals as Ruby quickly vacated the area to rejoin her partner. Honey tried to follow, but was forced to copy Weiss's opening move as sniper fire forced her back. A quick flick of her whip formed a new icy barrier several feet away, which she rolled to between shots, even as her new cover began to crack under the withering fire.
Randi nodded as she watched the pairings unfold, bringing Verteidigen up just in time to deflect the staccato of shots from Blake, who had broken off to the side. It seemed the two teams had similar plans, drawing the biggest threat away from the pack to deal with the others first. Randi appeared honored at the implication, but her appreciation would have to wait as she rushed after Blake, who was even now heading for the edge of the icy arena.
Lilly quickly lost sight of her teammates as she allowed herself to be pushed back into the tree line. She winced as another powerful blow struck her tonfa, jarring her shoulder from the sheer force of Yang's strikes. While it sure beat a punch to the face, taking that sort of punishment was bound to wear down her defenses in time. The next strike – a right haymaker – left her just enough time to roll away from her berserk friend. Yang was on her again in a heartbeat, though. Lilly managed to duck beneath the next punch, letting the tree behind her take the punishment instead. The force shattered the trunk in an instant, sending a spray of wood chunks beyond as the easily thirty foot tree came crashing down on them.
Lilly threw herself to the side, conveniently opposite where Yang had dodged to, and took the short moment to dart behind another large trunk and tried to steady her breathing.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," Yang sang creepily, looking around for any sign of her opponent. Knowing better than to assume a particular direction, Yang kept her head on a swivel, quickly scanning multiple directions lest Lilly sneak up on her. With nothing in sight, Yang blindly chose a direction and slowly crept forward. A quick glance to her left provided just the opening Lilly had been waiting for as she chucked a rock past Yang.
It had scarcely hit the ground near a tree behind Yang before the girl let loose a triumphant yell, whirling toward the sound and smashing yet another tree to smithereens. Her victorious shout turned to a growl as she realized no one was there. "You promised me a fight, Azura. Show yourself!"
Actually, I never promised anything, Lilly thought as she used the commotion of Yang's destruction to displace a little further into the woods. Yang hated hide-n-seek, never having been patient enough to either hide quietly or endure hunting difficult opponents. Unfortunately for her, Lilly excelled at the childhood game and planned to use it to her advantage. In a straight up fight, Yang had the clear advantage, but Lilly had no intention of fighting fair. All she had to do was keep Yang occupied while her team focused on their fights. It wasn't glamorous, but a boring win still beat a thrilling loss in her book.
"Fine, keep hiding!" Yang yelled, levelling another smaller tree, incidentally creating a small clearing as she went. "I'll find you, even if I have to knock down the entire forest first."
Another tree plummeted downward as the clearing grew. Lilly doubted the crowd was enjoying the little display, but she had to assume the others were drawing far more attention at this point. With each blast, Lilly cautiously changed position, trying to circle around Yang little by little while maintaining a healthy distance. Against a melee fighter, distance could often be the difference.
"Still nothing?" Yang shouted, waiting in vain for a response. "Well, if I can't fight you, I guess I'll just go pound Smit instead! Have fun playing by yourself! Let me know if you get bored." With that, Yang turned back toward the center of the arena and prepared to leave.
Lilly began to panic, realizing if she let Yang leave, their plan was doomed. Everything hinged on keeping Yang away from the others as long as possible. If Yang managed to rejoin the fight, especially before Lilly could reinforce her team, they wouldn't stand a chance.
The first shot from Tantum struck Yang in her shoulder. "Thought that would get a rise out of you," Yang laughed, letting the next two shots ping off her gauntlets as she deftly deflected any further damage. "Wouldn't want to let your boyfriend get hurt, eh?"
"It's not like that!" Well, the boyfriend part, yes, but that's not why I'm attacking, you dolt!
Yang used the trees for cover as she advanced, quickly closing the distance while ensuring Lilly couldn't get a clear shot. "Oh, come on, Azura. You're clearly Smit-ten with the guy." Yang laughed, even as a shot to her ankle made her stumble. "Don't worry. I'll make sure to tell him how you fought to defend his honor. I'm sure you two will have plenty of time to make kissy face while you watch me win the Tournament."
As Yang lunged the last few yards, Lilly leaned to the side, bringing Brevis around on Yang's side. Yang managed to halt the strike on her forearm, just as Brevis sprayed buckshot inches from her head. A quick jab to Lilly's ribs struck true, tearing a small chunk of aura from her. Lilly leapt back, deflecting another strike wide with Tantum as she tried to lead Yang deeper into the woods again.
C'mon guys, pick up the pace! I'm not sure how long I can hold out against her.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
"Don't suppose you'd be willing to stand still for a moment," Randi requested as Blake dodged to the left, only to flip off the jagged ice there to redirect back and to the right. Randi followed, but had to slow her advance yet again as Gambol Shroud unleashed a trio of shots at her. None of the rounds made it past Verteidigen, but they served to delay Randi once more, prolonging the battle.
Randi had hoped for a quick elimination, as her team was counting on her, but her faunus opponent had proven far more elusive than expected, even on the ice. Randi managed to score a couple of hits early on, but even those had been glancing blows at best. Blake's aura still hovered in the mid-eighties. Compared to Randi's completely full bar, it should've been cause for celebration, but Randi knew she had the easiest matchup.
Worse, once they'd lost sight of the others, Blake had become far less aggressive, switching more to defense and baiting than actual attacks. Randi wasn't dumb enough to miss the obvious. Blake knew who had the advantage here, but only if they actually fought up close. She risked such an encounter to draw Randi away, but now kept a larger gap. Randi assumed if she tried to retreat, Blake would move to intercept, but otherwise, the cat faunus seemed content to drag it out.
Maybe I can use that. Randi made to charge forward, but the moment Blake jumped back, Randi turned the other way, holding her shield behind her. Sure enough, Blake let out a startled gasp, sliding a little on the ice as she hurried to catch Randi. It didn't take long for the agile girl to cut her off, but now she had no choice but to engage again, lest Randi push past to join the others. Randi thrust Angriff forward, a small grin sprouting as Blake flipped back and rattled off two more shots. Sick of their game already, Randi chose to push through, enduring the damage to bring her spear in from the side of a visibly concerned Blake still in the air.
Blake seemed to shimmer for a moment before suddenly dropping a little faster as she braced for the strike. Randi watched as Blake shifted slightly to the left as she fell, but ignored the adjustment to aim a little higher and to the right. Angriff barely clipped Blake's hair, yet the girl seemed to vanish as the clone dissipated, revealing the true Blake, who had clearly expected Randi to miss. Blake must've kicked off her clone slightly, meaning Randi's strike caught her in the leg rather than the chest. The blow still scored a significant chunk of aura and sent the girl tumbling to the side. Blake got her feet under her just in time to sprint for cover, evidently convinced that Randi would give chase.
She's not wrong. After finally scoring a decent blow, Randi was in no hurry to surrender the advantage. Plus, contrary to Blake's concerns of her retreating, Randi's job was to take out Blake first. Even if I tried to run, she'd be able to catch me pretty quickly. They had drifted a good distance from the others, and while Randi considered herself a fast runner, a full suit of armor tended to slow you down. With Blake's lighter load and considerable speed, running would just mean an ambush.
Rather than follow Blake, Randi cut around the other side of the icy stalagmite, hoping to catch Blake along the way. Rounding the corner, Randi was surprised to see Blake dart behind another outcropping of ice closer to the arena's edge. Must've guessed my angle and changed course. She took a moment to consider her options.
I've got her on the run, but if she can get far enough away, she might loop back to her team while I search for her here. Judging by the aura meters, Lilly still had Yang occupied, although the fight was definitely going in Yang's favor at the moment. Smit and Honey seemed to be holding off against Ruby and Weiss, even if all four of them had taken a beating along the way. None of them stood above seventy now, and even as she watched, small bits from each seemed to be trimmed off. If I don't hurry, they might actually lose. Need to take care of this problem quickly.
Randi circled the large icy structure, moving to cut off any further progress by Blake. Quietly, she crept around, ducking low as she peeked out from her cover to spot the black-haired faunus ahead. Blake knelt near the edge of the outcropping, fidgeting with her weapon as she crouched, sneaking a look back at where Randi had been a moment ago.
Must need to reload. Blake had fired off more than enough shots to deplete her weapon's magazine at least once. She typically didn't take more than a second or two to reload, given muscle memory and the quick release of Gambol Shroud, but Blake could just as easily be hoping to catch her breath after their last exchange.
Looks like she didn't see me circle around. Blake had chosen her spot well. Hidden behind an expanse of ice near the edge, she eliminated an entire side for approach. Randi would only go unnoticed for a moment, though. Once Blake realized she had disappeared, the normally paranoid girl would surely check behind her. Intent on finishing her opponent here and now, either with a series of blows or by simply shoving her out, Randi charged. Using Verteidigen as a sort of battering ram, Randi rushed forward, quiet save for the sound of her feet as she drew near. With a quick lunge of her shield, Randi collided with her opponent.
Blake vanished, a vague shadow lingering as something above Randi caught her attention. Blake plummeted down on Randi, blade held like some kind of assassin aiming for Randi's throat. A hit like that was bound to rip a sizable chunk of aura from an opponent, staggering them for follow-up blows. It was the type of move that you finished an opponent with.
Randi snorted in amusement as she knelt forward, Angriff held in reverse. As she leaned forward, the vicious point of her spear rose up to meet the faunus meteorite, catching her in the stomach as Randi thrust back, adding her own force to gravity's pull on her opponent. Blake screamed as she connected with the bladed end, kicking away before Randi could spin around and finish the job. Her aura now hovered dangerously close to elimination as the crowd roared their approval. The quick turn left Randi with her shield lagging behind, providing an opening that Blake couldn't ignore as Gambol Shroud twirled through the air, vicious blade cartwheeling toward Randi's face. It wasn't the best attack, but should score a few points from Randi's aura at least. Even if she lost shortly thereafter, the extra damage might be the difference in the rest of her team surviving the fight.
"Gotcha." Randi released Angriff, letting it drop by her feet as she took the blow on her now free arm and diverted it to the side. The damage was negligible, but opened up a prime opportunity as Randi snagged the black ribbon connecting the weapon to her opponent. Blake tried to tug back, but Randi's grip held. With the material looped securely around her arm, Blake couldn't break free easily – a fact Randi had been keenly aware of the entire time. Randi took a step back, pulling with all her strength to yank Blake from her feet. The girl sailed forward, crashing into Randi's shield with a clang before the whole thing tilted. Randi pivoted Verteidigen over her, then thrust it upwards to catapult Blake beyond. The agile girl, as always, landed on her feet, but a quick look downward proved a disturbing lack of ice.
"Oh, Blake Belladonna has been eliminated by ring-out!" Professor Port's voice boomed along with the elimination buzzer. "And with that, Team Laser takes the lead!"
"Quite right, Peter. Team Ruby will need to hustle if they hope to catch up."
And I need to hustle to make sure they don't.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
Smit ran for cover behind one of the barricades Honey had erected, only for the ground in front of him to crack as sniper fire cut off his path. He slid to a stop, kicking backwards as another round ricocheted off the ground where he had been moments ago.
Keeping the little speedster busy had proven harder than expected. Between her Semblance and Weiss's glyphs, the two girls kept on the move, splitting apart and rejoining seemingly at random to keep Smit and Honey guessing. Honey's defenses held for the most part, but only because Smit did his best to keep the focus on himself. He'd managed to get close enough to score a few blows on Weiss along the way, but aside from a lucky fireball or two, he'd yet to do anything to Ruby.
Thankfully, Honey had a little more success against her friend, anticipating Ruby's movements better to score a pair of scathing strikes when Ruby fled from Smit again. It still left Ruby with more aura than the rest of them, but none of them had escaped unscathed. Being the aggressive distraction had proven dangerous, leaving Smit lower on aura than the three girls. They were holding out, but needed reinforcements soon if they hoped to win. What's taking Randi so–
"Oh, Blake Belladonna has been eliminated by ring-out!"
Finally.
Smit's eyes swung upwards to the large display, which now showed Blake eliminated with just under twenty percent aura remaining. His curiosity nearly cost him as he dove to the side, even as a sharp pain shot up his leg from Ruby's latest attempt on his life.
Smit used the momentum of his roll to make a break for Weiss again, just avoiding the icy glyph hidden in his path. While Weiss's glyphs usually stood out, the white pattern against white ice made things difficult. Thankfully, he'd noticed this one spin into place before he could find himself in an igloo of sorts. The next glyph centered on Weiss herself, meaning she wasn't planning to stick around and wait for him. Sure enough, just before he got there, Weiss shot to the side at blistering speed.
Which made her impact with Honey's latest construct all the more entertaining for Smit to watch.
Before she could recover, Smit closed on her, intent on furthering their lead before Randi could arrive. His first punch sailed wide, courtesy of a small glyph shield, but Weiss couldn't summon them fast enough to stop him entirely. His left jab broke through, catching Weiss in the gut before an uppercut threw her backwards. Even in midair, Weiss managed to summon yet another of her accursed glyphs behind her to catch her fall. It also gave Smit an obvious target.
His fireball was caught on Weiss's rapier as she braced herself against the glyph, launching forward as she levelled her weapon at his chest. The vicious point brushed past his arm as he leaned away, but a second glyph had her kicking away before he could capitalize on the opening.
"You ready to give up yet, Ice Queen?" Smit asked, knowing it was only a matter of time now. Randi would get there any second, and with Weiss's aura now down below his own, she'd be in serious trouble.
"As Queen," Weiss shot back in a diplomatic tone, "it wouldn't do to fail my subjects like that. Of course, if you kneel, I'd be happy to knight you for your efforts." A quick slash nearly caught his head. "You'll have to forgive me if the blade slips a little, though."
"A generous offer, your grace, but I think I'll have to pass." Weiss managed to duck under Smit's kick. "You see, my loyalties lie elsewhere."
"Then I shall have to expel you from my Kingdom." The playful banter felt a little odd from Weiss as another glyph formed behind her. Smit wasn't sure why it angled upwards, given they were on even ground, and hesitated a moment, sensing some sort of trap.
"It'll take more than you to get rid of me."
The cruel smirk on Weiss's face was the only warning he received that he'd fallen for some scheme. "Well, it's a good thing I'm not alone."
The ominous crack of Crescent Rose had his head snapping to the right to see an angry red midget flying toward him, scythe extended behind. Knowing just how destructive the complex weapon could be, he jumped away, only to stumble as he spied the small patch of ice gripping his foot. While his eyes had been fixed on the larger glyph, he'd failed to notice the tiny one beneath him. His foot broke free, but the small delay proved enough.
The curved sickle hooked under him, cutting upwards rapidly as Ruby fired for momentum. Smit had never been so grateful for aura as the blade caught him between the legs, hauling him several feet into the air. At the same moment, Weiss launched off her prepared platform, catching him at the zenith of his flight with a blow to his chest. Smit groaned in pain as he was sent cartwheeling backwards. The last thing he saw was a large mound of ice waiting to catch him.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
We...we might actually win this, Lilly thought as she quietly gasped for air behind another thick tree. With Blake eliminated and Randi still rather healthy, her teammates should easily take down Weiss. As long as Honey could hold out against Ruby, they'd soon have a three-on-one battle, then move to reinforce Lilly against Yang.
Speaking of whom, the blonde brawler stalked through the trees once more, searching for Lilly after their latest exchange. Lilly had gotten a few good hits on Yang thanks to her stealthy attack, but Yang's return blows were far more devastating. Lilly's aura had crept below fifty, while Yang's still hovered above sixty, proving her strategy of hit-and-run attacks wasn't working as well as she'd hoped. Worse, once she revealed herself, getting free again became difficult. Yang wasn't the type to give you space, so breaking line of sight didn't come easy. She'd only managed it this time when Yang had been distracted by Blake's elimination. Thus began another round of cat-and-mouse. Lilly had no doubts who played which role in this scenario, still a little sore from blocking the last few blows.
All I have to do is hold out a little longer. As soon as Weiss goes down, I can start making my way back to the team and–
The elimination buzzer sounded once more, heralding another knockout as Lilly breathed a sigh of relief. That was quick. Now, if I could just–
"And we're all tied up as Team Ruby eliminates Smit Brendis!"
Wait, what? She frantically looked upwards to find Smit's aura reading below the elimination mark. That's not good. He was supposed to help Randi take down Weiss. Now, it's two-on-two. With their speed, Randi will have trouble catching them, meaning they'll string her along and try to pick off Honey. If that happens, I'll never get backup.
Calm down, she instructed herself, even as her pulse began to race. This isn't over yet. Randi's still got most of her aura. With Honey's help, I'm sure they can beat Ruby and Weiss. Just means I'll have to hold out a little longer. She considered trying to sneak back to the others and help, but the risk of drawing Yang down on them was too great. The extra support Lilly could provide would be outweighed by the added threat of Yang.
Should probably lead her a little deeper for now, just to be safe. Even if Lilly failed, the extra time it would take Yang to rejoin her team might be enough for Randi and Honey to finish off their opponents. Every second could prove critical. With a deep breath, Lilly peeked out from behind her cover to watch for an opening.
The bright red eyes that greeted her wasn't what she'd expected.
"Helloooooo!" Yang practically sang out, fist already raised.
/- - - - - - - - - -/
"Lilly is gonna have his head after this," Randi sighed as another shot pinged off of Verteidigen.
"He almost had her," Honey offered in Smit's defense. "Ruby got away from me, though. She's hard to pin down."
Tell me about it. Randi was hoping to have a numbers advantage on the smaller girl. Instead, she and Honey now had to face down the diminutive pair. Weiss didn't have much left after her skirmish with Smit and seemed content to keep her distance while Ruby kept them pinned down. Luckily, Honey and Randi were the best equipped to deal with the ranged attack, but time was not on their side.
"I'm gonna make a rush at Weiss," Randi informed her teammate. "Think you can give me some cover from Little Miss Long Range over there?"
"You got it!" Honey cheered, eager to get Randi into the fight. At Randi's signal, the small girl lashed forward with her whip, a sideways wall of ice sprouting up where it met the arena floor. Randi charged forward, shield held between her and Ruby as she set course for the nearly eliminated heiress.
"Ruby!" Weiss called needlessly, as if her leader had somehow missed the pile of silvery metal barreling for her. Randi stumbled as a shot caught her foot, unnoticed thanks to the large shield blocking her view. More gunfire followed as Ruby tried to slow her advance until, just before she reached Honey's new construction, it ceased entirely.
Must've expended her weapon's capacity. Randi had been counting the shots, waiting for the pivotal moment when Ruby would be forced to reload. While eliminating Weiss would be helpful, Randi had another goal in mind as she rounded the wall, now aimed directly at the tiny sniper.
"Watch out!" Weiss called in warning, a small, white orb shooting from the tip of Myrtenaster. Randi hopped to the side, letting the glowing thing strike the ground instead, where a group of jagged spikes sprouted a few inches off the ground. She didn't get a chance to try again, though, as Honey had used the moment to engage, forcing Weiss to dodge back lest Singing Scourge finish her.
Ruby let out a startled "eep!" as Randi bore down on her, bringing Crescent Rose around in a hasty, clumsy strike. Randi caught the blow on her shield, pushing forward to batter Ruby. Angriff swept low for Ruby's legs, but a quick hop had Ruby planting both feet against the shield, kicking off to reinforce Weiss and drive Honey back.
That's right. Stand together. Randi wasted no time pursuing, smiling at the sight of the two in one place. Weiss seemed a little more hesitant to use her glyphs, possibly exhausted from her fight with Smit. If Ruby fled now, she'd be leaving Weiss to fend for herself, meaning a relatively quick elimination. If she stayed, she gave up her biggest advantage. Randi planned to make her pay if she did.
"Ice Powder!" Ruby called, indicating some strategy Randi hadn't seen before. Whatever it entailed, her view was cut off as a wall of ice materialized in her path.
"Honey!" Randi shouted, trusting the girl to understand. Sure enough, Honey leapt forward, bringing a red-hot whip down on the barricade. It must've been pretty thin, as the whole thing collapsed at the impact.
Randi tried to warn Honey, but the familiar bark of Crescent Rose beat her to it as Honey was thrown back by the impact. A second shot rang out, striking Honey as she hit the ground. Unlike before, these shots seemed to be enhanced with ice dust, leaving Honey's hand locked to the ground. The third shot was checked by the arrival of Verteidigen, as Randi moved to protect her counterpart. A quick blow from the blunt end of Angriff shattered Honey's icy restraint.
A loud buzzer heralded Randi's worst fear, as she knew without looking that their time was now up. The panic in Honey's eyes was more than evidence enough.
"Lilly Azura has been eliminated by knockout! Things are really heating up now!"
"Don't give up," Randi assured her remaining teammate. "Let's finish these two. I can take Yang once they're done, especially with your help. We can still win this for Lilly."
"For Lilly," Honey nodded in agreement.
Randi pushed forward to pressure their targets, only to find Verteidigen frozen to the ground. Clever girls. Ruby's shots weren't just meant to pin them down. Each shot added to the frozen grip on her shield. Now, she couldn't move the thing.
"I've got you," Honey promised, bringing the red spike on her handle up to smash through the new problem. In that moment, Randi spotted the angry, red glyph that formed beneath them and realized what was about to happen.
"Move!" Randi commanded, putting action to her words as she tackled Honey to the side, just as an explosion launched Verteidigen into the air. Heat burned at Randi's back as she used her body as a barrier to keep Honey safe. The pair tumbled forward, jumping back to their feet quickly as Randi tried to figure out where her shield would land.
"Honey Viella has been eliminated!" Port announced, as Randi's last ally fell to a new volley from Ruby. "That only leaves Randi Asmer to face the remainder of Team Ruby!"
"A difficult proposition, Peter, but not impossible. Miss Asmer has proven to be a resilient opponent during her time at Beacon. The question is, how much can the young girl withstand?"
"And without her shield, no less!" Port unhelpfully reminded everyone. I need my defense if I hope to hold out at all. Randi dove for cover, aiming in the general direction Verteidigen had shot off in. She'd lost sight of it before it hit the ground, but didn't look to have gone too far. If she could get her shield, she'd weather Ruby's attacks and take out Weiss before Yang arrived. Fighting Yang and Ruby at once won't be easy, but I'll have to make do. Now, where's my shield? She rounded the corner to search for it...
Only to find it in a very unfortunate place.
"Lose something?" Yang asked, Verteidigen dangling from her hand. Crap. She got here faster than I'd anticipated. "Don't worry, Randi. I'll put it away for you." So saying, Yang hurled her beloved shield away like a discus. For good measure, a shot from behind impacted the twirling metal, pushing it further through the air until it hit the barrier and fell out of bounds. "After all, what are friends for?"
"It's about time, Xiao-Long," Weiss complained as they finally caught up. "What took you so long?"
"Sorry about that, Weiss-cream," Yang answered. "Lilly wanted to play hide-n-seek for a bit."
"Uh-oh," Ruby groaned from behind as Yang cracked her knuckles and glared at Randi with vicious, red eyes.
"And I hate hide-n-seek."
/- - - - - - - - - -/
"And that's the match!" Professor Port cheered over the roar of the crowds. "Team Laser took an early lead, but ended up being overwhelmed by the combined might of Team Ruby."
"Precisely, Peter," Oobleck agreed. "Team Laser clearly came prepared, splitting Team Ruby into three different fights. It seems they wanted to keep Miss Xiao-Long away from the others as long as possible."
"And for good reason! She's definitely one to watch for in the finals!"
"Quite! They were able to take out Miss Belladonna with their strongest fighter, and probably would've had a second elimination with Miss Schnee had it not been for Miss Rose's intervention."
"Young Miss Rose may very well have saved the match with that move!" Peter hollered through the speakers. "Miss Asmer did well enough at the end, taking on three opponents at once...even eliminating Miss Schnee before going down herself! In the end, Team Ruby proved too much for her, as the sisters from Patch showed us just how powerful teamwork could be."
"Too true, Peter. It's sad to see two teams from the same school face off this early, but what a match it was!"
"The only thing that can beat a Beacon team is another Beacon team, after all."
Oobleck admirably ignored Port's favoritism as he wrapped up their broadcast. "That concludes the first day of the Tournament! Eight teams have advanced to the next round. Who will join them tomorrow? Tune in to find out! Until then, thank you all for joining us and have a wonderful evening."