After the lesson on being blooded, with the weight of a scum bag's life on my hands, the shorter class all too soon released their students with everyone going for their lunch.
Once we got to the cafeteria and I grabbed myself a light, flavorless lunch of grilled chicken and rice as my stomach wasn't the best after killing someone in cold blood. We all sat down with Ren, Alice, and Velvet joining us as they got out of their own lessons as well.
"So Jake got blooded on some criminals in the first lesson." Nora announced helpfully.
Ren raised an eyebrow and he asked me calmly. "Would you like me to use my semblance on you, so you can eat in peace at least?"
I blinked and I nodded holding out a hand to him and Ren took my hand into his android hand with his grey aura covering my hand and then his semblance activated on me. And I lost... Literally all sense of emotion.
I couldn't feel that pit in my stomach as my mind ran over the sounds of the man's bones shattering as my sword carved through them... But even as I thought of Prinz and New Jersey, I idly realized I couldn't even muster up a spark of positive emotions either.
So I began eating as I knew I would need my strength with the actual combat class coming for the last mandatory lesson of the day. With myself being enrolled in Aura/Semblance training along with melee combat.
As Lux my master was supposed to be responsible for my magical education.
"Thanks," I said perfunctorily to Ren, not really feeling any gratitude but knowing it was the proper thing to say.
'Huh... No wonder he doesn't feel anything for Nora if this is his default. No love, no despair, just a grey void of existence with only sparks of emotion flaring up before his overused semblance drowns his mind if his mind even produces the chemicals to experience emotions anymore.' I mused.
And so I kept eating with my stomach having calmed down and I realized Ren's semblance only lasted literally a couple of minutes as I could feel my emotions and illogical thoughts coming back up to the foreground of my mind.
But it still let me eat most of my food in peace as the girls left me alone to share their own conversation.
Until I finally finished my food and was back to feeling like myself and Nora gave me a wry smile. "Rennie's semblance can feel a bit weird for people the first time he uses it on them." She spoke and I nodded.
"It was certainly something, useful for avoiding the Grimm obviously. But I imagine it also keeps the user calm and cool-headed to think in serious situations."
Ren nodded with a small smile at the advantages of his semblance being listed. With Nora pouting about her own semblance being much more needy in needing lightning or lots of electricity to be useful.
In either case, I popped my neck and asked. "So who is ready for combat training?"
Ren gave a shrug and then said with a wry smile. "I am taking the assassination course for going after Abominations in particular. Whole different lesson plan."
Nora pouted and said softly. "Uhm... I signed myself up for magic lessons. I can already smash things really good with Magnhild. But if I can learn lightning elemental magic to activate my semblance at will better that will be huge."
I nodded in understanding knowing the Prinz and New Jersey would be the only ones with me for this lesson out of my ground as both of them were already masters of ranged combat to say the least.
With Alice and Velvet both being busy with their runic, enchantment, and forging training they were doing for their own goals.
Either way, I finished my food and joined in the conversation Velvet and Alice were having. "So with rising Dust prices, its going to be a bit hard to buy truly high-grade dust as most are being hoarded by Dust Casters and mages. To say nothing of the Valian army itself." I mused before I tilted my head to the side.
"Well, its good I can still manifest Dust munitions remember... Just gotta disarm the bombs or missiles that contain the Dust and you can use them." I said with a wry smile making Velvet and Alice chuckle with Alice saying darkly.
"Probably safer than being someone alive working in an illegal Dust mine." And thus I was reminded of an interesting fact of this RWBY world. In this world, miners weren't alive... That grunt work was done by the undead who only needed to follow simple orders given by the necromancer.
As Dust mining wasn't fucking safe at all!
Imagine you are mining fire Dust and you inhale the particles for the fire Dust... Your lungs could literally boil from the inside when the dust-filled air hit your lungs and was enhanced via the body's natural aura.
Yeah fuck that noise.
"So Jake, any idea when you are going to get your mana pool opened?" Nora asked me curiously.
I shrugged and said honestly. "I have zero fucking clue Nora. The nobility has all magical knowledge locked up tighter for the general public than a nun's asshole."
All the girls rolled their eyes at how crass my reply was. But none refuted my statement as it was more than true.
"Anyway. Prinz, New Jersey. Any idea of what kind of melee weapons you plan to use?" I asked curiously.
New Jersey grinned and then held up her fists in a comical boxing stance as she said. "Heh, I just wanna learn how to apply my aura to some punch so I can get more distance to use the strongest martial art... Huge artillery!"
'Can't exactly argue with that.' I thought with a chuckle escaping me as Prinz admitted the same though she wanted me to make her special unique module, which were boots that would make her stronger so she wanted to pick up some practice kicking.
And so our group finished their food, everyone split off after I told them I was going straight to Lux's tower to begin learning magic from Cinder and to get my mana pool unlocked after our next lesson.
The next classroom actually took place in its own separate smaller but still large seperate stadium with only a small classroom attached to it where we awaited our teacher.
"So you plan on sticking to your Fabulous Fioretto?" Prinz asked curiously as we claimed a corner of the classroom away from everyone else who was entering the class.
In response, I hummed and held my hand out, and began forming the 'Lucky Ship's Punishers' which was Prinz's own special module that would make her stronger.
After creating them outside of the view of my classmates I handed the metal shoes of to Prinz with them just teleporting onto her feet when they touched her hand.
"Well well, a girl is going to get jealous seeing you give another woman such beautiful shoes." New Jersey teased me.
I rolled my eyes and spoke with some amusement. "Sadly, you don't have your own unique augment module... But that honestly makes sense with how you are one of the strongest."
And New Jersey just preened but before we could speak more the room quieted down as everyone watched as Pyrrha Nikos and Ruby Rose walked into the room. Which with Ruby's latest actions it made sense why my fellow freshmen were giving Ruby the side eye.
But I didn't know why everyone was giving Pyrrha disdainful looks even if they also feared her as well.
And the room remained on the quieter side until the lesson's time to start closed in.
But when the lesson started I raised an eyebrow as instead of a single teacher there was three. First was Mr. Kharisma which sorta made sense as he taught aura/semblance use. Another was Miss Laurent, the Grand Duelist. And lastly was another large armored man who was armed with a large metal mace.
With Miss, Laurent speaking up over the whispers of the students. "Students, the combat training will take place over the stadium's three floors with three different points of focus."
She pointed at herself and said. "I will be teaching blade work, while my colleague Mr. Kalos will be teaching blunt heavy weapons along with unarmed combat while Udry is busy today wrangling some upperclassmen who did something stupid. Mr. Kharisma will also being teaching more exotic weapons as well."
Miss Laurent's eyes skated over us all with her slightly accented voice becoming more serious as she continued. "Now, all of you who use blades stay where you are. The rest go on with the teachers your fighting style follows."
Prinz gave my shoulder a squeeze while New Jersey patted my back before they went on ahead. Taking most of the class with them leaving only a quarter of the class of like ten people who used swords.
"Come with me to the dueling sands. From now on, this is where we will be meeting unless you wish to spend some time in Mr. Kharisma's eyes working on your aura and semblance." Miss Laurent said as she led the swordsmen through a hallway and pushed open a door which opened up to a large room filled with fifteen individual sand pits for people to spar and fight in.
"If you can keep your footing in a sand pit. You will be able to keep your footing anywhere else, also we do change the sand pits out for mud, ice, and debris-filled forest-themed floors." The teacher said with an evil smile before she looked at us sternly.
"Now! While in the dueling pits, you will call me Fiora, not Miss Laurent or the Grand Duelist or anything else. When we are in the fighting pits, nobility and bloodline has no place in the dance of blades."
She then looked to Pyrrha and Weiss and said plainly. "And that logic will go to the rest of you as well. If I hear someone calling you Lady Schnee, or Miss Nikos, I will have both of the parties running circles in the stadium until they puke."
My lips twitched as Weiss looked rather offended but she didn't say anything as a light but deadly sharp intent seemingly tickled our throats. With Fiora's eyes glinted with steel-grey intent.
'So that's sword intent.' I thought as I could feel Fiora's intent to cut gliding over our forms before Fiora pulled it back and that grey steel light in her eyes faded.
"Now, some of you don't have much if any sword skills with how smooth your hands are. Without any calluses, nor a true intent behind the blades you carry on your back or waists... So as I set you all up with partners, you will be sparring without magic or semblances, and I will take some of you aside to give more personal lessons within the next three hours I have you." Fiora explained.
Fiora hummed in thought before she begin listing names and after a moment she spoke. "Jake Bariss, you are with Pyrrha Nikos. Pyrrha, you may also advise Jake on his swordplay as you are an Expert level swordsman."
I raised an eyebrow hearing Pyrrha was just one level below Master tier, but then again that fit Pyrrha's competitive highly skilled and talented canon self.
"Be gentle please." I said with a wry smile.
To which Pyrrha coughed and spoke with an equally wry smile. "I will try not to hit past your aura at least... Jake right, can I call you that instead of your last name?"
I was reminded about Mistral being a Greek/Roman and other mythology mixed with Wuxia themes that kept to Sects and Clans besides the main city of Mistral itself.
"Yeah, that's fine." I said simply as I unsheathed my blade the Fabulous Fioretto and I ran my aura through the blade as I pulled at the skills I had a sailor/admiral.
Pyrrha held out her hand and my face twitched as the sand beneath my feet rumbled with dark dust flying up and I saw the dust form a sword out of the iron and other metal particulates inside her hand.
"Come Jake." She said with a confident smile but I could tell there was a hint of something in her gaze as she looked upon me.
And so I came at her, my saber slashing through the air and I held in a flinch as I backstepped when Pyrrha stepped forward when our swords clashed. 'She is stronger than me physcially for sure.' I thought.
Which made sense... With how she was an Expert-level Martial Artist, so I re-orientated myself as I fell into the swordplay that my Admiral Essence downloaded into me.
The saber clashed with her conjured sword of iron held together by her polarity semblance or magic... I didn't know honestly. But they clashed with Pyrrha's sword slipping down mine and I pushed forward so the basket on the saber would block the blade.
I came forward with a kick going for her own leg and I saw Pyrrha stiffen and as my leg hit her leg she just took the hit and before I could react she shoved our clashing blades backward and as I was off balance she sliced across me across the waist and then as I brought my sword to block another such blow, she stabbed me in the shoulder.
"Ow." I said dryly feeling the sting of the force of her blows through my aura but I squared back up and went back to fighting her with my Admiral Essence enhancing my swordplay.
And so the battle continued, with Pyrrha handily kicking my ass. But not overwhelmingly, sure she got some good hits on me, but I had the skill to prevent far worse blows and I was able to keep her locked in combat with me while she wasn't using any special martial techniques.
"Hmm, now its my turn to take on offense." She said with a smile as she advanced on me and I began skating across the sand and treating it like I was fighting on choppy waters with how Pyrrha began throwing me around with her enhanced strength.
"Your footwork is great Jake, so is your defense! But you lack a killing edge in your sword." Pyrrha said as she stabbed forward with her long sword of combined iron sand. And even as I went to bat aside her blade, she instead batted my blade aside and used the force of her slapping my sword downwards to bring her sword towards my throat.
Her sword rested near my neck even as I hurriedly stepped back with her slowly pulling back her sword and the sword falling apart into iron dust that fell to the ground. "Well, Jake... You need to harden your edge within your heart. You have strength in your arm, but your blade doesn't have to follow through, and thats what is blocking you from walking down the path of a sword master."
My lips twitched as I heard Pyrrha advise me about becoming a sword master... Which in reality I wanted to become a master of just having the biggest aura and mana pool so I could summon more shipgirls.
But I knew that becoming a Master or even better, swordsman would give me a much stronger body, and aura. So I listened as Pyrrha passionately spoke and recited some wuxia 'The blade in the heart must be equal to the blade in your hand' speech.
So I sat down on the edge of the sand next to Pyrrha as she continued to speak with a smile on how I could improve though most of it was seemingly a mental state that mattered. "And finally, although your fighting style has some grounding. You need a true martial art style that resonates with you if you wish to step forward as a true swordsman." She finished firmly.
I hummed and then replied honestly. "That will be something I will need to look into at some point. However, I have just become Lady Crownguard's disciple, so I will need to focus on magic for now."
Pyrrha pouted slightly hearing that but she nodded and said more seriously. "Martial Arts and Magic are both extremely powerful. But when they are both properly harnessed with their power combined then someone can do great things."
Before she could continue a loud yell rang out and I looked over and my lips twitched at what I saw.
Jingliu, Weiss's guardian was just manhandling two people at once with her great sword sending the two people skidding back at least five meters with each casual blow.
"Hmm, she is an Expert-level swordsman as well," Pyrrha spoke as she gazed at Jingliu and my lips twitched as I could all but see the competitive light in her eyes that wanted her to walk over there and challenge her.
But regardless she took a deep breath and we watched Jinglu beat two other swordsmen into the ground with no mercy or even interest.
With Fiora's sword intent filling the air as she said. "Jingliu, you spar with Pyrrha. The fight isn't to leave your sand pits though. Jake get in the pit with me."
I mentally groaned as I got up and got into the pits with Fiora as Pyrrha happily danced into the sand pit that radiated cold energy as Jingliu reinforced her greatsword with ice.
"Go ahead and attack me, Jake," Fiora said as she drew out her sword.
So I stepped forward with my saber slashing towards her side and as her hand twitched and blocked the sword, I tried to drag the sword downwards to clip her leg but she just twisted her thin dueling sword and I stepped back from the point of her blade that threatened to spear my throat.
"I will not move from my spot Jake, even if I will counter your blows... Just treat me as a soundboard for techniques and attacks, and I will advise you when appropriate." Fiora said primly as she held up her dueling sword before slashing outwards with a flick that sent a wave of air to the side that sent a wave of sand to the edge of the pit precisely.
'I am so outmatched it's not even funny.' I thought as I honestly chuckled out loud at just how far I needed to go if I wanted to personally be strong in this world.
So I continued attack Fiora, and she punished me for each gross overstep or overextension with her sword stabbing and slapping my limbs as a reminder of how I overextended.
"Hmm, you have a strong sense of fluid motion. A water-themed martial art would fit you the best." She said casually as she sheathed her sword with one hand and then pinched my saber between her pointer finger and thumb before she let go with the other hand.
"Your aura is low, and your breath is long. Relax, and digest this lesson." Fiora said with her accent coming a bit stronger as she walked away towards another dueling pit allowing me to relax for a minute.
A couple of minutes later, as I was relaxing to get my breath back. I raised an eyebrow as Weiss sat down next to me with her eyes wincing as she held her side when she sat down. "That teacher... She fights as a duelist but she kills like a butcher!" Weiss complained.
"Did she break your aura?" I asked Weiss who shook her head and I shrugged. "Then although it hurts-"
But Weiss cut me off as she said dryly. "It's not the same, the Laurents have bad blood with Atlas, so she hit me a good deal harder with her intent going through my aura... See how she is playing with Pyrrha, and Jingliu? She is suppressing them with her Sword Intent."
I watched whereas before Jingliu and Pyrrha were fighting evenly with Jingliu having an advantage in strength. But not Fiora was casually walking around with her sword glowing with the slightest hint of silver sword intent to bully Jingliu and Fiora.
"Because you ladies are foreign?" I asked blankly with Weiss snorting and saying flatly.
"Precisely... Though Mistral has its own major issues with Vale so its nothing unexpected even if Pyrrha has fled her clan. Still, her actions against me and my retainer will smooth over after she establishes herself." Weiss finished boredly even if there was still some pain in her tone.
And after that Weiss remained silent for a long while along with myself before Weiss continued as class was coming to a close. "Have you spoken to your master about the Class Trial coming soon?"
I shook my head and said frankly. "No, she is busy with the new term and she is having her own disciple in Cinder Fall help open my Mana pool, I will get my information on the trial from her after classes today."
Seeing Weiss's lips purse, I continued calmly. "However, you have already approached me for a team and should I take part in it. I want to work with you, and my Shipgirls and retainers can help us if you don't already have more people."
Weiss raised an elegant eyebrow before she inquired. "How many people do you have in your entourage that would take part in this?"
I hummed and then doing some mental math, I said honestly. "Well at least four fighters including myself, two retainers to take care of our living situation. collecting information and repairing any weapon damage, and another retainer who is well suited to controlling my summoned weapons. So seven altogether on my side."
Weiss was silent for a minute before she stated. "The teams have a max capacity of ten members, and although I understand the desire for your retainers, we need at least another front line fighter."
She then looked at Pyrrha and said. "Alongside Jingliu and myself... What about Pyrrha, would you have an issue with her heritage if she joined us?" Weiss asked bluntly and I realized it was also a question about my character if I cared about people being from other nations.
And I just said flatly. "Weiss, I am a commoner, I am not from a royal family. Nor am I remotely attached to politics, I have no personal issue with Pyrrha unless I found out she literally eats babies or something."
To which Weiss actually gaped at me for my comparison before she visibly reset herself shaking her head and saying with a wry smile. "Well... Not nearly that bad, though the Nikos has a long history of slavery."
'Whelp that fits the greek theme... But thats all the fucking way in Mistral. Literally not my problem.' I thought and I verbalized that as I said simply. "This is Vale... Mistral's might makes right culture isn't my problem."
Weiss only had a hum of thought as we both watched as Jingliu and Pyrrha made their way back to us with both girls having light limps in their steps from the thrashing Fiora gave them.
But... This class still had more than two hours of lessons so I knew this was just a short break before we got swapped around for more ass-kicking.
Before that could happen, however, Weiss decided to rip the bandaid off as she asked. "Pyrrha, would you care to join my team for the Class Trial next weekend?"
The red-haired beauty paused at the sudden question and then she smiled awkwardly as she asked carefully. "Weiss, is it your team. Or is it Jake's large entourage with you trying to take leadership with just Jingliu following you?"
The princess of Atlas gave Pyrrha a dark look before saying flatly. "The latter."
There was a moment of awkward silence before Pyrrha looked away from Weiss after some long silent eye contact with her shyly brushing a hand through her long red mane of hair and she asked quietly. "Soooo Jake... Do you think I could join, your team?"
The way that Pyrrha put emphasis on 'your team' made Weiss visibly twitch even though her facial expression remained carefully neutral and I wanted to scream internally as Weiss slowly looked at me with hollow eyes as she waited for my response.
'Look upon the wild Jake Bariss in his nature habitat... My, he is in a most precarious position, stuck between two alpha females with dark intent in their eyes. What will Jake do now?' I thought with a British documentary voice as I brought a hand across my face.
Finally, I decided to just go for it and said. "Yeah Pyrrha, you are welcome to my team."
And the moment I said that, I saw Weiss scowl before it disappeared and she rolled her eyes as she snarked lightly. "Is there something wrong with my leadership Nik-Pyrrha?" She tripped over the name as she glanced over at Fiora who even across the room looked over and gave Weiss a cool smile that made me shiver.
Pyrrha herself was quiet for a moment before she took a deep breath and said frankly. "I don't think you have any ability to lead Weiss an operation here in Vale, you have spent your entire life in Atlas as royalty with alchemical golems and automatons doing the grunt work of fighting."
For a moment I thought Weiss was going to explode on Pyrrha for the delivery before Weiss actually slowly nodded and then admitted. "That's fair... I am indeed not used to Vale's method of Grimm extermination. In Atlas, we use the harsh weather to our advantage and kill the majority of Grimm through the unrelenting storms of ice and lightning along with our alchemical creations to act as a front-line buffer. But here in Vale, we have to manually deal with the Grimm."
"Hence why I wanted Jake on my team to act as the front line buffer with his creations and summoned weaponry and fortifications." She finished with Pyrrha looking at Weiss in some shock with the white-haired princess snorting.
"What? I am not stupid, although I am offended you think I am not suitable for leadership, I do respect your correct opinion that Vale's Grimm is different from Atlas's along with the resources we will have at our disposal." Weiss said with some annoyance aimed at Pyrrha.
With Jingliu then cutting in coldly. "Thankfully we didn't need to give you the same response for why you shouldn't lead a group as well Pyrrha."
And I saw a flash of anger... Then shame crossed Pyrrha's face before she nodded stiffly as she said. "I came to Vale for a fresh start... Not to live the Mistral way. As I am sure you have your own reasons for coming to Vale rather than staying in Atlas."
With Weiss simply remaining silent while I sat there awkwardly... I had no stakes in this argument after all.
Then after a moment, Weiss spoke up. "Jake, now that we have both rested for a few minutes. Let us return to the sparring sands... Lest our teacher decide to make us both fight her together."
And I nodded standing up and offering Weiss a hand to stand up where I went into the dueling sands to continue sparring with Weiss and the rotating between other people for the next couple hours between breaks.
[Morgan Arc- Hello Jake, I hope this message finds you well after your first day of lessons. And the blooding you went through,
If its not inconvenient, I along with my sisters here in Beacon would like to meet my fellow lineage disciple after your lessons with Lady Crownsguard around 7 perhaps? I can have dinner delivered by my Master's servants and we can discuss how Beacon and other topics.]
Attached to the message was a picture of Morgan Arc... And seeing the picture, I certainly wasn't going to refuse.