[Heartsteal & Alad V] The War of Fallen Skies

High up in the mountains of Atlas, Pharos Academy stood sentry in the night, stone standing still as the spires it rested upon. Streetlights for the city below kept burning in the dark, light of a dull yellow colour bathing the roads that webbed out from crenelled walls to the outskirts, and the edge of Pharos' walled platform. The city and school both were built upon levels of brick plateau, ascending in tiers toward Pharos proper, and at the far end, their only connection to the rest of the world, lay Rooktower bridge. Hundreds of feet wide, the Rooktower spanned the yawning chasm between Pharos, and the rest of the kingdom. While all of Atlas was dominated by mountains, the one on which Pharos stood was known for its sheer walls, and the vast canyons separating it from all other land. Besides the Rooktower bridge, it made the school entirely unassailable, or should a problem arise, inescapable.


This was the night before Pharos' final exams began. For younger students, they were festive days, interspersed with the occasional test. For the elder students however, those about to graduate especially, it would be an extremely busy week. Between the Graduates' Tourney, and the festival itself, they would have their hands full. For final year students, it was expected that they assist in running the festivities, to prove that not only did they learn to slay grimm in their training, but to be upstanding members of a community. It was rumored that Atlas' King would be in attendance for the final day of the tourney, to watch the new generation of huntsmen and huntresses prove themselves capable of defending the lands he ruled over. It wasn't terribly uncommon really, a king attending Pharos' final exams, sometimes in days gone by for even the entire festival. Above all it was a display to his people that he showed a personal interest in their wellbeing, and the protectors that kept them that way.


Many of the seniors were tense, and a few found themselves unable to sleep that night, knowing what would come with the sunrise. Some were worse off than others, and among those number was probably one of the worst; a faunus of rhinoceros descent, Tio Bihter. While she didn't do any pacing, sobbing or whimpering; okay, maybe a little bit of whimpering, she couldn't sleep a wink, eyes open wide as she stared at the ceiling. Even up to graduation, teams still shared a room, and while it didn't bother Tio any, having been raised in such a large family, for the others it took a little bit more adjusting, at least when they'd been first years. The thoughts of their first year brought a little smile to Tio's face, especially remembering what a fool she'd made of herself falling down that cliff right off the first.


Even now however, after so many years at the school, dealing with other students she wasn't familiar with, Tio's crippling social awkwardness hadn't really been alleviated much. By now, her teammates were as easy to speak with as family, but the others... The faunus girl hadn't made many friends. Certainly being a faunus huntress wasn't doing much for her either, as it hadn't yet become common, at least not in Atlas, other parts of the world perhaps, but not here.


As the clock flipped over, one minute to the next, and the time drew ever nearer to midnight, Tio knew that she wouldn't be getting to sleep, so, as quietly as she could, which was to say that she was fairly certain everyone in their room and the ones adjacent woke for at least a moment, got to her glasses, and got out of bed. The bedframe made an audible sigh as she stood up, the footboard groaning across floorboards as it straightened up again, though it couldn't quite reach vertical anymore. That thought made Tio frown, like it did every time. It was difficult for a woman twelve feet tall to weigh less than six hundred pounds and still keep the strength to do her job. So many times, Tio had thought about an entire list of what she'd give for a smaller, more lithe body, more similar to the others she'd had to spend so much time around.


Her family was a rarity, the only faunus of her descent that she knew of, all the way down the Bihter line as far as any can tell, not to mention the only ones of their size. There were other faunus of large animals of course, and while Tio felt bad for them, that they had to suffer the same problems she did, even if to a lesser extent, she knew that she still envied them, that the five foot gap between them was one she'd rather hop any day. Bulls, bears, even moose, they didn't seem to top out anywhere beyond seven feet, and yet there was the Bihter family, not a one less than ten in adulthood, and some even beyond herself.


She considered getting her weapon, Yolmak, but the time to prepare everything, and the noise it would make, made the thought worthless, so instead she stumbled into a pair of shoes, and stepped outside, mistakenly clacking her horn against the top of the doorframe as she ducked through. Even with the special considerations given her, a ten foot doorway was still quite small. Out in the hall at least there was more head room, and she could stand upright without fear of jamming her horn into the ceiling and getting embarrassingly stuck.


As oversized rubber soles scraped the stone floors, there was close on no other sound, just one student quietly shuffling down the halls, making her way to the exit. The student exit was where she was headed, a fire exit for their wing, and a way to just get some fresh air, or take a shortcut across campus. Whatever the purpose, it didn't matter when Tio made it to her destination, and ducked through, almost keeping from tangling her horn up on the doorframe again. After some short negotiating, and a hushed curse or two, Tio managed to disengage herself, and get out onto the platform.


It wasn't exactly a platform per se, but that's what most called it, the top of a set of stairs descending to the rest of the campus, a rounded turret at the far end from the door, with a railing that overlooked all of the city below; besides what was masked behind the walls at least. The gate and switchbacks sat directly beneath this spot, giving the illusion that one might just float away. The thought wasn't terribly appealing to Tio, but the view was spectacular, and she always found it to help her relax. The night air was warm, at least for Pharos it was warm, but it wasn't so cold that one would need a jacket, more of an autumn chill, just enough to turn the air crisp.


Taking a seat on the railing, Tio looked out over the city and all of its little yellow lights. It was the sort of time that felt like there should be profound thought involved, but she didn't find herself thinking about anything, just relaxing, taking in the view. When the sun came up over that horizon, the tourney would start, as would the festival, and she wasn't sure which unnerved her more.

The young woman fumed under her bedsheets. Last week of her training at Pharos,with the Graduates' Tourney coming up,as well as the Pharos Festival on the horizon,she's been plagued with head-splitting migraines all week. With a frustrated groan,Jarvia de Vries shot upright in her bed,resting three quarters of her face in one hand,propping that elbow on her thigh. As if the headaches from my own Dust were bad enough... Just how much Dust are they using for the Festival!? Peering over to her teammate's bed,she saw that Tio was absent. Lifting her head,Jarvia had to blink twice,just to make sure she didn't imagine this impossible event. How in Dust did I miss that!? Looking about the room,she saw her sole teammate wasn't even in the room.


Did she step out for air? Throwing the sheets off herself,Jarvia swung her feet to the floor,and groaned loudly in discomfort as the action brought another salted knife stabbing into the back of her eyes. Shaking her head in a vain attempt to throw off the headache,Jarvia stood and stretched her back before leaving the room in nothing more than her pants and shirt. Dust,Dust,Dust... Where can I get away from Dust!? Modern society was pretty much built on the stuff. Hell,if someone dissected her,Jarvia wouldn't be surprised if she was more than half Dust,by weight AND volume.


Thinking as her feet slapped against cold stone,Jarvia had to keep from snapping her fingers as she found her answer; It'd probably spark lightning or make an explosion,or some similar racket. The watchpost above the inner gate was the most Dust-free place in the keep; While the outer gate's system was Dust-powered,the inner gate was still a mammoth hand-operated thing. Jarvia didn't know why,but right now,she didn't bother questioning it.


Walking along the halls in the former royal barracks,now senior student quarters,Jarvia stepped out of the building into the yard,not really paying attention to where she was going; She didn't want to think. The brisk air snapped her mind back into reality,however. Cold air tended to do that. And to think,people would rather run around with nothing but a smile this time of the year in the rest of the world... She shook her head; Jarvia was Atlesian,born and bred. Sure,someone from Vacuo or Vytal would probably be bundled up in a jacket right now,while Jarvia was barefoot in her pajamas,she still envied the milder weather in the rest of the world.


Looking up to the watchpost,Jarvia saw the unmistakable form of Tio,skylined in the clear night. Climbing the stone stairs leading to the watchpost,Jarvia couldn't help but curse as a sudden stab of pain hit her,this time right behind the ears. Please tell me they're not storing the fireworks in here... Stepping up beside the Faunus,Jarvia couldn't help but marvel at the stupendous height difference between them,despite spending the last four years of her life with her as friend and teammate. Without even factoring in the horn,Tio was over twelve feet tall,and Jarvia,in stark contrast,barely pushes past five feet. However,her mother always had something to say about that: "Never underestimate a short bastard with something to prove."





Looking out over the Outer City,Jarvia elbowed the giantess beside her. "Couldn't sleep?" As if on cue,Jarvia groaned and grimaced again,as another stab of pain shot through her head. After a couple of seconds of distinctly unladylike language,Jarvia burst out, "Alright,when I find out who's storing fireworks in the wall,I'm going to turn THEM into a Mistral Candle!"

Shaken from her reverie, Tio heard the door behind her swinging shut. Obviously she turned to see who'd followed her outside, and didn't find herself terribly surprised to see Jarvia, the only other member of team Matilija (MTJA). Malik, their leader, had been injured on their last mission together, while Aeron had failed out during their first year. Despite the loss of half their team, MTJA just wouldn't go away, much the same as their namesake really. Tio and Jarvia had managed to at least keep pace with the other student teams that had managed to remain whole, even with just the two of them.


With them both united now, Jarvia spoke up, asking what was apparently a rhetorical question as she quickly cut in an exclamation about the fireworks that were being prepared for the festival. Tio glanced for a moment back to her teammate, but didn't think of anything to say, and just went back to looking out at the city wordlessly. While the considerably shorter human student had also come outside, it wasn't from stress; no, more likely she'd come out to escape the omnipresence of dust inside the dormitory. While Jarvia didn't seem particularly perturbed about the following morning, it gave Tio no end of worries as she still hadn't shared what they'd be doing for the festival. Walking blind into the festival, not to mention the tourney and all the pressure that came with it; Tio was surprised she hadn't started pulling her hair out yet.


So you're just going to trust her?


Of course I am. That's what friends are for right?


No, friends like you are for when someone's got to move!


That's not fair, we've stuck through things this far right? Another week can't be that awful.


How many times have you used that line?


...


Well?


Oh, just shut up okay!? It'll be fine, and that's that!


A little touchy are we?


I'm trying to be optimistic, now be quiet, you're ruining it!


Don't worry about that too much. you won't be around long enough to turn pessimist with that attitude.

Recovering from her bout of pain,Jarvia looked out over the Outer City again. In the night,it looked nice. A glittering coating of frost,now slowly melting,set aglow in the amber light of the streetlamps below. A captivating sight. Looking down to the street,she idly notes where her favourite places are; The baker's,whose buns are to kill for,the butcher's,who seems to just give his meats away,and that bar near the Outer Gate that she found out about last year. The bartender's got a wicked sense of humour,she does. Though,Jarvia's yet to work up the courage to actually buy a drink. She's heard the hangover stories. If they're anything like her Dust Sense...


Jarvia shook her head,smiling to herself. She looked to Tio,who was still gazing out over the city. She seemed to be lost in thought,though. And,as Jarvia looked on,she noticed that Tio was fidgeting,ever so slightly,and her expression soured. "Oh,not this again." Nudging her teammate again,a little firmer this time,Jarvia barked, "Hey! What's eating you? We're almost done our training! Dawn of tomorrow,and all that!" After a moment,a thought crossed Jarvia's mind,and it caused her to make a face reminiscent of someone spitting out coffee in a moment of mirth. "Wait,you're not scared about flunking out,are you!? Come on,even with half a team,we stayed competitive! And I sure as Dust didn't carry us!" She gestured at herself. "I don't think I'd be able to carry Yolmak,to be honest,let alone you in battle rattle!" Jarvia had a chuckle at her joke. Tio was mammoth,even among Faunus,while Jarvia was a painted dwarf.

"But..." Tio started, with a voice almost impossibly small for someone her size, almost as though a church squeaked like the mice inside it.


Looking out at the city obviously wouldn't be doing any more good, so the faunus turned toward her teammate, and felt a great need to be smaller. There were jokes often enough around the school that Jarvia should've been the Bihter; it was true enough that she had more of an attitude that suited what others thought was appropriate for someone of Tio's size.


Oh just tell her you lummox!


Tell her what? I'm nervous about the tourney and the festival?


Well; yeah!


But...


No buts! She's your teammate, what's she going to do anyways? Worst case you get a little prep talk and a back rub or something.


B-


What'd I just say!? Shut your trap and get talking!


Wait, what?


Oh you know what I mean stupid!





"Y-yeah, I'm nervous about the tourney," Tio admitted, sliding down from the crenel to sit on the hard stone of the ground. It was almost comical really, to look from the outside in. Even seated like this Tio was nearly the same height as her partner, and if one were to count her horn toward that height, actually outstripped her by about an inch. Hugging knees up to her chest, Tio felt like a child again, though it hadn't been terribly uncommon for her to get that feeling since pursuing her life as a huntress. Every other student seemed so sure of themselves, of their place in the world, and in each other. Tio on the other hand... She had a hard time even still believing that she could be much use, the events prior be damned.


On the last mission with Malik, Tio had managed to save the day, carrying both the paralyzed and concussed Malik, and the comatose Jarvia as well out of a collapsing dust mine infested with grimm, particularly beowolves. A tourney though was terrifying; not only were they quite harmful to her usual approach to grimm-hunting, but it also carried the enormous risk that she could seriously hurt someone, as a bow really didn't do half-measures, especially not Yolmak.

Hearing her teammate's worries,Jarvia smiled,and ruffled Tio's hair before sliding to sit beside her. "I think everyone is. End of the year,final chance to put on a show like that in a controlled environment. That sort of stuff. Hell,I bet Felix is just dreading tomorrow!" Felix was in his final year with Tio and Jarvia,and he used Dust almost as heavily as Jarvia. Obviously,they're rivals of a sort. Thing is,Jarvia's Semblance grants her a certain... Advantage in that field,while all Felix had was built-in radar. Their last sparring match left him covered in soot,standing in a crater,wearing nothing but an expression of mute disbelief.


It's only cheating if it doesn't work.


Smiling to herself at the memory,Jarvia turned her attention back to her teammate. "Whatever happens,happens. I've seen you,man. The only way you'll fail is if you throw your fights. Worst case scenario,you lose in the quarterfinals." Standing up,Jarvia smiled at Tio. "Besides,we have the festival afterwards! I'm thinking... Dust for kids! Whaddya say?"

Hearing her partner talk, Tio knew that she meant well, but she couldn't help but swallow back her mounting panic at what seemed like every other word. In the same as was her nervous habit, Tio averted her gaze, looking over at the lip of the crenel rather than looking at Jarvia as she spoke. The way she'd worded things; that tomorrow was their last chance to prove their worth, and the bald-faced lie that she'd even have a hope at making the quarterfinals.


Before Tio ever got a chance to cook up some response or another, Jarvia put the cherry on top: "Dust for kids!"


"No!" she practically shouted, whirling around to take her partner by the shoulders. Enormous hands of hard callous from years spent farming, forging, and wielding a bow wrapping easily the whole way around Jarvia's shoulders and shaking her like a doll by mistake.


"I mean-" she blurted, withdrawing as quickly as she'd gone off, back up to her feet in a moment, taking a sizable step back, more out of defense for Jarvia than any fear of the favour being returned.


"Is that really a good idea?" she asked, voice trailing off into the gentle evening breeze.


Oh good, I was worried we'd have a normal conversation for a second there.


Do you really need to be so hurtful right now? She startled me, you don't have to be mean.


Yeah, just like little Turner startled you all those years ago. Oh and Colin? Remember him?


Don't. Just don't... Please?


You remember how you almost killed him right? Put an arrow right through that big proud shield of his. Bounced another one right off his aura.


Please stop...

Jarvia was taken aback by Tio's sudden shout,and subsequent shaking. She's normally quite the opposite. So shy,so awkward,almost as if she'd kill someone with the wrong word,or a careless brush. Though,the latter was likely true for children... Or Jarvia. As quickly as it began,Tio had retreated to the crenels. Jarvia was surprised the poor girl didn't curl up into a ball. Better than day one,at least. Progress is progress. Jarvia gave Tio time to compose herself,and barely heard her question.


"Good idea? Since when do I come up with good ideas? But,hey,it's better the kids learn early than late." Jarvia,unshaken by the previous shaking,stepper up to Tio,who was more than twice her height,and leaned on her. "But,how's about this: Believe in yourself. I bet you'd be pleasantly surprised. You can't be as bad as you think you are; How else would you have gotten this far?" With a smirk,Jarvia once again gestured to herself, "Couldn't have been me. I conk out whenever I get too close to the mountain ranges."


"HEY! SOME OF US ARE TRYING TO SLEEP,HERE!" Jarvia turned to the door,where one of the third year students were standing,wearing her bedclothes,which seemed far more frilly than her own and Tio's. Must be nobility. Prissy bitch... In response,Jarvia simply twisted her little finger in her ear,and said, "You realize you're being louder than both of us?" She feigned a yawn,and used the motion of covering her mouth to react some of the Dust in her skin,hurling a lightning bolt at the trumpeting student. "Sleep it off,princess." The "Princess" in question was unconscious on the floor,her hair pointed in every direction. It was obviously a small dose of lightning.


Turning back to Tio,Jarvia smiled,and said, "Just try it. Confidence. It's a powerful thing."

When Jarvia came forward, admitting that she wasn't oft of good ideas, Tio couldn't help but take a shuffling step backward where her feet met the crenelation, and she nearly tipped over the edge. Then she released a sigh of relief a moment too soon, as Jarvia put a hand, more or less on her hip, and leaned against the faunus. In an instant, Tio's face puffed up red, and she straightened up stiff, unsure what to do besides start muttering gibberish so quietly even she couldn't hear it. Maybe she wasn't really talking, but her lips were certainly working; looking for the words to form.


Tio was so distraught she didn't really understand much else until the third-year came outside in her own sleeping clothes, some frilly thing that definitely didn't belong anywhere near the peak of a mountain. Tio noticed the 'white hairtm' on the girl's head, and immediately knew that she was a Schnee. Before she could manage anything more than outstretching an arm, or at least starting to, Jarvia had already zapped the poor girl, and put her flat on her back with hair pointing in every odd direction.


Did that just happen?


What, did Jarvia zap a b****? Yeah, she does that remember?


You make it sound like she rubs her socks on the carpet just to get a jolt and startle people.


Well yeah, same thing right?


No! It really isn't, I mean look at her! We're so getting expelled for this. We're done; gone.


Oh calm down you big baby, no harm no foul.


N- She just fired a bolt of lightning at a Schnee!





It seemed a certainty that there wouldn't be any way more words found their way out now as Tio's eyes stayed locked on the dust-trader's daughter.


"Y-" she started, but that was about all the noise Tio seemed able to make. That girl's sneezes cost more money than Tio's entire family had ever owned. If she wanted to hold a grudge, there was no way that she'd be able to graduate.


On the bright side, Tio wasn't overly worried about the coming morning anymore. Now she was too worried about being expelled for being accomplice to an assault on a Schnee to even bother thinking about the tourney, or even the festival.

Jarvia raised an eyebrow at Tio's horrified reaction,then,for a moment,she feared the worst. "Is she--! But,electricity can't-- Not-!" Wheeling around,and rushing to the unconscious student,she quickly checked her vitals. To her great relief,the student was still alive. Then she saw her hair. Is that...? Lighting her fingertip on fire,Jarvia made some light to examine the student.


"Schnee? Juliet Schnee? Oh,this is perfect! Her room's on the other end of the barracks!" Extinguishing the flame,Jarvia stood up,hoisting the unconscious noblewoman by the shoulders,barely,Jarvia continued, "I think we're safe. Only one reason why she'd be wearing this on the opposite end of the dorms from her own bed." Jarvia cackled,albeit quietly. Despite her boisterous nature,Jarvia knew how to keep her voice down... Quite unlike Juliet.


Attempting to drag the noblewoman,however,was difficult. How can I deadlift half of her,but I can't drag all of her!? "Uh,Tio? Mind helping out? She won't squeal. Promise. Besides,if she does,I got us covered." To emphasize,Jarvia nudged the Schnee with her toe. "I,uh,can't move her."





~~~


Morning Proper





Jarvia yawned,groaned,and stretched in her bed under the covers. Eyes still closed,she recounted the events earlier in the morning. She just loved sticking it to the nobles. Blood is blood,as far as Jarvia's concerned. Noble,commoner,Faunus,Human,Jarvia doesn't care. What matters are the merits of the individual.


Opening her eyes,Jarvia saw that it was past dawn,and Tio's bed was,once again,empty. This caught her by surprise once more,causing her to spring up from her mattress,blinking wildly,as if the fluttering eyelids could somehow conjure Tio in her bed. "Oh,come ON! How did I miss that!? AGAIN!?" Groaning in dismay,Jarvia hung her head. "If I can sleep through Tio getting up,I'll need a church bell over my head for an alarm clock..."

Apparently Tio's response concerned Jarvia enough that she took a moment to check the other student's pulse, just to be certain. As Jarvia had pointed out, Juliet's room was at the far end of the barracks with the other third years. It didn't take Tio long to put two and two together, though she still scrunched her nose up at it a little bit. Luckily Jarvia didn't catch the expression or she was certain it was going to turn into another talk, one that was always incredibly awkward, and had the ring of the serious conversations her parents had given.


Before Jarvia even asked, Tio was stepping in to help. She saw her teammate struggling to move their electrified acquaintance, and figured she ought to do something. The faunus scooped Juliet up off the ground, and out of Jarvia's arms like a child might lift a cat or other comparable pet. Holding the third year across her forearms before her, kept tight just to be certain she didn't drop the poor girl, Tio made to follow Jarvia inside so that they could bring Juliet back to her room. Jarvia did have a point that they probably wouldn't need to worry about the Schnee girl snitching on them for the lightning bolt seeing as she was guilty of her own breeches of the rules, but she could still make a personal vendetta of the situation, probably offering up a reward to any team or individual that could destroy team MTJA's chances at graduation. She certainly had the money for it.


The Schnees probably would have bought the crown out from under Atlas if it didn't come with so much red tape.


Once they made it to the third year wing, Tio and Jarvia didn't know which room belonged to Juliet, so of course Jarvia just woke up a team as if it were no big deal to ask. Told them some bogus about finding her sleepwalking around the fourth year wing, which of course they all snickered at; at least the three that woke up. Apparently Juliet's midnight escapades were a rather poorly kept secret. A couple more minutes looking, and Juliet was back in her room, and the other members of her team all awake, and quite displeased.


~~~


It seemed as though when the first glimmers of sunlight made it into the barracks' windows, Tio's eyes snapped open, and she was up in a flash. That wasn't entirely true though, Tio knew that it took her a couple seconds to wake up entirely, so it was rare that she remembered anything from waking to dressing. Now was a time to get Yolmak; after all, she had to get some practice in before breakfast if she wanted any before the tourney began. Then afterward, once the sun started to set, the festival would begin for the first night. Luckily their stand only had to run for the second and third days, so Tio still had some time to try convincing Jarvia that dust probably wouldn't be the best stand to set up.


With all the grace of a rhinoceros in a dorm room, Tio assembled, and affixed all of the peripherals for Yolmak, then scooped up the bow in one now gauntleted hand, and awkwardly as ever, shuffled her way out the door and into the hall. The faunus girl supposed that the training room would be best to warm up for the tourney, multiple fast-moving targets to get her into the mind for snap-shooting.


Jarvia hadn't woken up while Tio was in the middle of her routine for a change, so Tio figured that she'd be sleeping in a bit. If she wasn't up when she got back from practice, she'd wake her up the old fashioned way.


Outside the dorms, the morning sun set just as magnificent a picture as the midnight sky as gold seemed to reflect off the entire city. Pharos proper was considerably less appealing to look at in comparison; a fortress built solely on practicality, and that wasn't even to count the lethal switchbacks at the entrance, and double-thick curtain walls surrounding the entire campus.


The training hall, built just for students looking to get some extra practice was the most modern structure in all of the city, and certainly looked out of place on campus. A squat cylindrical building, there were five additional floors below ground, though the building would be empty but for reception so early in the morning, especially with the tourney starting in a few hours. Most seemed to feel that sleeping in would help them for the competition, being well-rested and all that. On the other hand was Tio, too stressed to get more than a couple hours' sleep, and even so long after leaving the farm she still couldn't help waking with the sunrise.


Arriving at the training hall, Tio found herself so very glad that the building was made "larger than life" to draw attention to it, and of course to make the building seem more like a professional structure. It was the exact same pattern used for the new training halls built at every academy on Remnant. Perfect for people like Tio, even though she was the only huntress like herself so far as she was aware.


Walking through the front door without so much as hunching, Tio got a small smile about her face, which the woman at reception noticed. It was the same one who worked most other mornings, one who was familiar enough with Tio's morning practice that she didn't need to suffer through the awkwardness that was a conversation with the faunus.


Her name was Emily, a blonde girl who worked for the Schnee Corporation, who of course owned this building. Given the fact that no one else had been in MTJA's room this morning, or at any point during the night before, Tio assumed that Juliet was going to let last night's events slide, meaning that the hall would still remain a safe haven. After a brief moment signing forms, and signing into the bottom level, Tio was on her way to the elevator, with nothing but a pleasant smile passing between her and the receptionist.


The morning was certainly looking up from all the worrying that she'd just done.

Shaking herself,Jarvia leaned forward,and fished around under her bed. "Ah,there we go..." Jarvia let out a groan as she hauled out a large case,with a flat iron clipped to the side. The case was easily the size of her torso,and was secured with three solid steel hinges and two similarly constructed flip-flop clasps. Pulling a set of clothes from the chest of drawers,and a pair of towels off the wardrobe,Jarvia headed to the communal showers with her enormous case.


Jarvia arrived at the showers and washed up. The tattooed dwarf approached one of the sinks,setting down the case and retrieving the flat iron. One of the third year students saw,and called out, "Clear out from the third aisle sinks! Jarvia's Dusting her hair!" Jarvia popped open the case,while shooting a mirthless grin at the younger student. "Thanks. I'm not nuclear,you know." Retrieving a phial of Dust from the case,Jarvia started to warm up the flat iron. Once it got warmed up,Jarvia began to pour the dust into her hair,and applied the flat iron.


After about a half hour,Jarvia stepped out of the communal washrooms,with her hair all done up. She only exploded five times,which was nice. Dumping the towels into a laundry chute,Jarvia felt more comfortable. Something about wearing a pair of armoured boots with Dust crystals in them felt good. Getting back to her team's dorm,she retrieved the Magistrate from the wall bracket,she left the room once more,wondering what Tio got up to.

Two levels beneath the ground was the room Tio always signed out. Like every other room, circular but for one flat face, a separated hallway with the elevators and prep tables in it, it was entirely featureless, made of drab grey concrete.


As the faunus girl made her way to the center of the room, strip lights around the corners flickering to life, she could hear the training hardware starting to boot up. The sound of which was still entirely alien, though Tio imagined it as something like a yawn for the machine as it rose from slumber to take part in her morning routine.


The control console was still visible; a platform at the very center of the enormous circle, with a handful of buttons on it. The staff in charge of the building kept things interesting by jumbling up the scenarios available every couple of weeks, though this time it was the same as it had been the day before. Three buttons: "Grimm Raid", "Terrorist Attack", and "Forest Sabotage".


The third was for teams, so Tio had never gotten to try it; this week she'd only practiced on "Grimm Raid", despite knowing that she'd be facing humans as of today. She knew that it couldn't be put off any longer, and with only the shortest of hesitation, the giant of a huntress hit the button labeled "Terrorist Attack".


Immediately, the sound of whirring engines filled the room, not loudly, but an ambient buzz as the scenario was prepared. The devices still surprised Tio, at just how anyone had come up with the plans for such a device, and also of course, at how much it cost, which she didn't need to pay, to run the machine. Slots began opening in both the floor, and the ceiling as structures were formed, walls ascending and descending alike, filling the twenty foot high room from floor to ceiling, and the sounds of several other things being put into place. As the command console slowly sank into its place in the floor, Tio listened for the next beep, the sound signalling the start.


It came; shortly after she'd gotten an arrow loose of its quiver, and Tio got to work, identifying her lines of fire, and where she needed to be. On the faunus' right there was the sound of a part falling into place, and without hesitating, Tio threw herself at it bodily, to the sound of crumbling concrete. Slamming through what was once a wall, Tio came out the other side behind a target dummy, human shaped and sized, with a small paint hose connected to its arm. As quickly as she'd burst through the wall, it was already turning in her direction when Tio lashed her right hand out, driving nearly the entire length of one of Yolmak's arrows clear through its head, pulverizing it to dust in the still underground air. Ahead was the front room, and from there came the sound of more mechanical movement, perhaps two or three. Keeping her momentum, knowing that this was practice, Tio pulled into herself as she drew the arrow she'd only just punched through the head of her first target, and squeezed through the doorway ahead, though the door was of course too small; was.


Plowing through the concrete doorway without batting an eyelash, Tio's draw was at her cheek as she came out through the dust, and saw two of the dummies immediately; one at the far end of the room, about thirty feet off, and one immediately beside her on the left, tucked tightly to the corner. Lining up her shot, Tio loosed it as soon as the point crossed over her target, to which there was the sound of a thunderous whump, followed by something akin to a cement truck rolling down a hill as the arrow decimated its target, striking the pelvis and leaving little more than feet on the floor, and a couple bits to shower the furthest wall. As the arrow was loosed, Tio simply pushed herself against Yolmak's restraints, slamming through the second dummy with the point of her elbow, and accidentally the wall behind it as well.


Spilling out into the "street" Tio tumbled onto her side, and like a refrigerator, Yolmak's pod followed, rolling onto its side with a great commotion.


Great idea dumbo, go with close quarters training.


Well yeah, I've got to get practice at it if I'm going to get any better.


And look at how well you're doing so far; taken down three dummies, and now you're like a turtle on your back.


Hey! I can still get up!





So of course, after debating with herself, laying in the empty space between practice buildings, Tio struggled for a moment, trying to get her feet under her. The task proved nigh impossible until she removed the pod and tried again, unclipping it from the harness long enough to get herself standing again, then righting the pod and buckling it back on again. The entire affair took nearly a minute.


Oh yeah, nothing like a turtle.


...


What's the matter? Should I speak slower?


I got up...





"Hey freak!" a voice called, following the false roadways like water running down a river, seeming as though it came from everywhere at once. The voice was masculine, though it wasn't one that she recognized.


"You've got an awful lot of nerve picking something with miss Schnee," a second voice said, this one of a higher pitch, almost impossible to tell if it were a young man or woman.


Tio's mouth worked for no particular reason; she knew that she had no words to use with these other students, nor did she even know where they were. One thing that she was certain of though, based on what they said, this had something to do with last night.

Jarvia only needed to think for a moment. For some reason,it took more than a shower and explosions for her to fully boot up. Of course. She does this EVERY morning. Practice. Slapping herself across the face for her own stupidity,Jarvia decided that she could do with some practice,too,and so the painted dwarf strolled down into the yard,and towards the training building,tossing her longmace into the air like a baton all the while. Some people had weapons that could fold up or retract. Some even pulled double duty was melee and ranged weapon with some special designs.


Not the Magistrate. It was a pole with one really heavy end,with a Dust crystal in it. Jarvia smirked as the amber stone caught the light,casting a supernatural glimmer across the air as it did so. I really need to use lightning more. Jarvia rarely used her lightning Dust. It couldn't kill a Grimm,not on it's own,in most circumstances. Only good for inducing muscle convulsions,really. Even less lethal the frost Dust. At least a bolt of lightning won't force you to chop off a foot.


Arriving at the practice hall,Jarvia checked the board. Sure enough,Tio was in her usual room,bottom floor. The best thing about these training sessions is that the staff allows for students to walk in and compete. Sometimes even interfere. The system even keeps score. A marvel,really. Dust could do some amazing things,and Jarvia had a hunch that her own parents designed some of it. "Put me down for interrupting Tio's session." The receptionist looked surprised for a moment,but quickly input it into the system,before wordlessly gesturing to the elevator. Huh. Weird.





Jarvia had to call up the elevator. Tio usually sends it right back up. She must really be out of it,today. Jarvia stood with her arms crossed across her chest,the Magistrate propped against her shoulder. Damn,these things can be slow... Jarvia tapped her foot impatiently. Screw it. They're Dust powered. Jarvia quickly located the Dust powering the pulleys,and kicked it up a notch. Of course,a buzzer sounded at the receptionist's desk as the elevator's speed picked up. "Miss de Vries,that is not a high speed elevator! Slow it down at once!" The elevator arrived at that moment,however,with a pleasant Ding! prompting the Huntress to step inside with a cocky smirk. "Done. See you later!" The door closed between the two,before the receptionist could reply.


I should let the elevator move normally... She might hit the killswitch and stop it,otherwise.

Knowing it was other students, another team looking to get even, wasn't enough to keep Tio from making to cover her horn with her right hand; nor was the helmet she wore, despite the metal that already masked it as much as anything would.


"What's the matter? Scared already?" the first voice asked, mocking in his tone; but a third chimed in when he started to laugh.


"She seems pretty pathetic to me; we shouldn't even have to do this, not like she'll make the finals," they said, this one was female, she seemed somewhat familiar, and like she was most definitely the one in charge of the little group.


"We're getting paid for it though. What've we got to lose?" asked the second voice, while a fourth grunted in agreement; a voice far deeper than the others. Then it clicked; team CHSR, Chaser was another senior team taking part in the tourney today, one that Tio wasn't aware had ties with the Schnees. That was ridiculous, everyone had some tie to them; their fingers were in so many pies it was a wonder that they weren't bakers. Even the Bihter farmland was owned by the Schnee corporation, leased out to her family so long as they sold their crops directly to the company.


Cadence led her team into the roadway, directly before Tio. A human girl, hair black like tar, wielding the most confoundingly simple weapon Tio had ever seen from a huntress; plainly a shortsword, without even dust functions, though she'd proven herself superior to plenty of other students in a duel before. Haluk, another student from the lowlands of Atlas; she remembered that he used a halberd, which was obvious enough by looking at him, though it had extra features like a swiss army knife, and she was sure that she still hadn't seen them all. Sampo, usually just called Sam. He was shorter than the others, and the only one that used a weapon that was entirely for ranged use, like Yolmak; though his was a rifle that separated into two parts, a handgun and submachine gun. Lastly was the team's sole faunus, Roald, and he was another large animal faunus, as rare as they were. Towering over the rest of his team, the bear faunus reached just beyond half of Tio's own height, which was quite considerable, an oddity even among his own kind. Similar to Tio as well, Roald wasn't overly taken with words, preferring to communicate through only expressions and assortments of grunts. He wore a pair of gauntlets, as well as full body armour, much like Tio's own as well. Those gauntlets were his weapon though, and she'd witnessed what he could do with them first hand, back while MTJA still had a third member.


"Nothing personal Tio," Cadence said, while her team tried to look menacing. "Alright, it is personal, but not to us," she admitted, turning the sword over in her hand; checking its edge before they started the fight that was plainly coming. From the outside, it was impossible to tell what was happening on Tio's face behind the steel plate of her helmet, though the nervous fidgeting and hand over her horn was an obvious enough indicator of how exactly she felt.


Oh screw this, it's my turn!


What?


These guys're asking for it!





Tio's fidgeting stopped while CHSR got their weapons ready, taking their first steps forward as Sampo leveled his rifle on her. In response, Tio got an arrow in hand, knocked it, and began to draw, lifting Yolmak up before her. They started sprinting then, trying to close the distance before she could do any serious damage with her bow.


"Down!" Sampo shouted, squeezing off a burst of rounds that bounced harmlessly off of Tio's aura. She was moving sluggishly; and it made CHSR hesitate a moment, as they hadn't seen her use her semblance before. A vibrant orange light seemed to emanate from her entire suit of armour, radiating a good way up Yolmak's arms, and down toward the pod as well. Seconds passed as her arm slowly ratcheted back, drawing her first arrow. Inside the helmet, Tio was already pouring with sweat at the exertion of drawing while Immovable. Her arms burned in only the first few moments of the fight, struggling against her own protection until the bowstring reached the bottom of her helmet, the arrowhead pointed straight at Sampo.


"Attack! Now!" Cadence called from the front, slipping under Yolmak's arrowhead, swinging the shortsword with everything she had, though it was turned aside like a butterknife striking a boulder. Sampo hauled off every shot he could before even the staccato gunfire was drowned out by the thunderous clap of Tio's arrow being loosed. Bullets flattened and bounced off of the orange light, inches away from Tio's armour. At the back line, taken by surprise, Sampo shouted, though the rest of his team didn't turn to look. His gunfire stopped as a cyan flash of light burst off his skin, turning Yolmak's arrow aside, though not quite far enough as an edge on the head bit deeply into his skin, just above the hip, and crimson spread over it in an instant, spraying a trail behind him as well as the arrow careened to the far end of the room to embed itself over a foot into the concrete wall.


The orange light died out by the time the arrow struck the wall, and the head of a halberd hooked onto Yolmak, neraly tugging it from Tio's grasp, though she stumbled after it for a moment. With her free hand, Tio hauled after the halberd blindly, a gauntleted fist howling toward Haluk's head, though he managed to duck the blow, losing his hold on her weapon.


"Sampo! Suppressive fire damnit!" Haluk shouted, taking a glance over his shoulder to see their teammate laying on the floor, losing blood as he clutched at the gash with both hands.


"Damn, Sam's down!" he continued, notifying his teammates. Tio worked wordlessly under her armour as one of Roald's punches collided with her chest, blowing through her aura to bounce instead off of the breastplate. To her side, Cadence whirled past, striking the release on Yolmak's pod to unclasp it, rooting Tio's ammo supply in place. In what looked like desparation, Tio hauled around from her punch, and swung with Yolmak next, the wheels moving straight for Roald, though he ducked it easily, his usually still face cracking into the smallest smirk as he followed in to attack her ribs. The bow swung right on though, the sound of air parting around it stopping in an instant as the end of the limb struck Haluk in the ear, and with a flash of light, and the sound of glass shattering, he was thrown through the air, and into a window of one of the training structures.


"Haluk!?" Cadence called, though it was to see if he could still fight. No response came, at least none that could be heard over Roald's next strike plowing through Tio's aura again and pounding into her armour. His smirk was gone now, he wasn't quite so entertained now that his dodge cost his partner. While the bear faunus made to whirl around for another punch, Tio had already lifted one enormous boot; and while Cadence tried to warn her last standing teammate, that boot collided with his chest. The sound of a tree trunk splitting filled the room; and with another flash of light from his aura, then a much quieter snap, he was launched from his feet to fall face-down nearly ten feet away. Turning on her last attacker, from the outside Tio looked not unlike an enormous man-slaying machine, but inside the helmet there were tears streaming hot down her face, though she was too concentrated to sniffle sob and shake the way she usually did when there was crying to do. She couldn't let this be the end of her life as a huntress, she couldn't fail at the tourney when she'd already come so far.


Brandishing the shortsword before her, Cadence took a cautious step back, more aware than she'd ever been before that she'd underestimated an opponent. This girl was supposed to be a bundle of nerves just the right prod away from unraveling, yet here she was, dismantling a team of hunters like they were a set of building blocks. Just as she moved to attack again, the armoured behemoth also stepped forward, but faltered as a glowing stream of crackling energy lashed around her neck. Haluk had hauled himself halfway out the window he'd been launched through, blood pouring down the side of his face from a gash at the hairline just above his ear.


"What're you waiting for!? Get 'er!" he shouted, his grip white-knuckled around the haft of his halberd, its point popped open, and the source of the dust leash wrapped around Tio's throat. Thrusting her shortsword below the breastplate, hoping to finally penetrate the impenetrable hide of their opponent, Cadence got her sword past the aura, steel, and through the kevlar, yet when the blade came back out, it was dry. Her puzzlement only lasted an instant though before a gauntleted fist came for her face.


Leaping back, far out of Tio's reach, Cadence took a quick look around, and hightailed it back to the entrance.


Go on then, you can't let her just walk away or it'll be even worse next time.


Wai- but... You said you were taking control!


Yeah, and I can't do that you big dumb idiot, I don't even exist!


Then I-


Yeah, you tore them all apart; feels good doesn't it?


...





Tio hefted Yolmak, staring at Cadence's fleeing back as she pulled another arrow from the pod. She took a steadying breath while she drew, aiming at where her feet would be in a moment, and the instant the bowstring tapped her helmet, she loosed it. Another thunderclap sounded as the string came forward, and the arrow rocketed from its home before scraping off the bottom of Cadence's boot, and slamming into the concrete floor, sending the team leader rolling, and showering her in bits of debris.


"You monster!" came Haluk's voice, which was echoed by a pained grunt from Roald. Further off was the sound of Sampo groaning, and possibly crying as well, rolling on the floor quite a distance from his rifle.


"I didn't..." Tio whispered, impossible to hear through her helmet, though she took a nervous step back. From where she stood she could see all the damage she'd wrought. Sampo, laying in a rapidly growing pool of his own blood. Roald, so strong, laying on his front unable to breathe around his broken ribs. Haluk barely able to stand, a fog behind his eyes, the cloudiness of concussion; and Cadence, lying on her back at the door, half buried beneath a pile of cement chunks and chips.


Did I really do all that?

Jarvia tapped her foot as she waited for the elevator descended. If she wasn't listening to the thrumming of the pulley engines,she'd have sworn that the receptionist shut down the elevator,just to spite her. Still,Jarvia knew she was near the bottom floor when she heard the all-too-familiar thunderclap of Yolmak loosing an arrow,and the near-immediate crash of impact. However,a different,yet familiar sound resonated in the metal box from without.


A couple of seconds later,it happened again. That's Roald. Did he think to get in some practice with a human opponent? Jarvia shrugged,and,just as the elevator's doors opened,Jarvia saw Cadence dashing for the elevator. Stepping out of the box,however,Jarvia heard Yolmak fire off again,and the arrow slammed into the ground beneath Cadence's feet,causing damage reminiscent of a mine blast,causing Cadence to fly through the air,and slam through a wall. Huh. Terrorist Attack scenario. Stepping past Cadence,Jarvia saw the whole scene.


It looked like a Dust transport exploded. The concrete scene was in pieces,with very few walls left standing. Besides Cadence eating dirt,Roald was struggling to get back up,with at least two broken ribs. Some Aura can keep that under control until he can get to the triage. Haluk looked right out of it,though he was still standing. Hell of a concussion. Did he get decked? However,the final member of the team,Sampo,looked like he needed some help.


His left side was pretty much cut right open. Tio knows tactics. He'd be her first target. "Sam! You still awake?" Rushing to his side,Jarvia idly noted that one of the lances Tio calls arrows was buried halfway to the fletchings in the wall behind him. Pinning Sampo's shoulders to the floor,Jarvia hissed, "Don't move. This'll hurt,but you can thank me later." A quick once-over revealed his only injury was the massive gash in his side. And it looked deep. "J-Jarvia? Where'd you c-come from?" Jarvia spaded her right hand,holding it over his wound. "Cram it,Sammy. This is delicate work." Jarvia slid her hand into the gash,and waited for the limb to bottom out in her peer's body.


Didn't take long. Barely a knuckle deep,but something about the wound felt... Off. Did something pop? Jarvia breathed in,and lit the flame Dust in her hand. Sampo howled in agony as Jarvia cauterized the wound,and slowly withdrew her hand,aiming to be as thorough as possible. Jarvia extracted her fingers from the wound,and sighed in satisfaction that the wound was closed. At least he won't die of exanguination.





And then Jarvia noticed the bits of roasted Sam on her fingers.


"Oh,gross! Ew,ew,ew,EW!" With each word,Jarvia retreated from her own hand,while shaking it vigorously in an attempt to free herself of the cooked human without actually touching it. When that didn't work,Jarvia wiped the fingers in question on Sam's shirt. "Here,you can have that back..." Jarvia straightened up,and turned to face Tio. "You tore 'em all down on your own! And THIS is why I think you can make quarterfinals! Together,there's nothing we can't do!" Jarvia threw a thumbs up as she said this. "Though,I think we need to get these jokers outta here." Jarvia called over her shoulder, "Better luck next time,guys!"

Still standing, though silently marvelling at the fact, Tio quaked where she stood, knees shaking visibly as she realized what exactly she'd just done. Another nervous step backward had her trip over Yolmak's pod, and end up on her behind with a sound akin to a small car crashing. Yolmak fell from boneless fingers as Tio shut down.


I can't- I didn't-


You did fine. They came for you remember?


They're hurt-


Who cares!? They made their decision when they took Schnee's deal!


I did this...





The faunus girl just sat there, dazed for a long moment, her shoulders shaking gently beneath the armour, though any sound was entirely muffled out by the helmet over her face. Tio crawled backward a short way next, until her booted feet were on the concrete floor again. Once she wasn't half atop Yolmak's pod anymore, Tio brought both gauntleted hands up to her head, and peeled off the helmet clumsily, taking quite a bit longer than it should take her as her horn managed to tangle itself inside. Haphazardly tossing the thing aside, she finally saw her teammate, Jarvia, already tending to Sampo.


Well would you look at that, she saw. Did she see? Nah, she probably got here at the end.


Jarvia?


Yeah, Jarvia you moron! You know what, I've had enough of your whining. Buck up and do something about it!





There was no room for arguing with... herself, and Tio did as she was told, clambering to her feet with naught but a sniffle, and making her way almost drunkenly to the nearest member of team CHSR, Roald. As she approached, the bear faunus snarled, literally snarled through bared teeth at her, staggering to his feet, radiating a pine green glow. As he stood, glowing with the power of his aura, anyone listening closely enough could hear the quiet pop and snap coming from his chest. While he seemed to run out of fuel for the fire partway through, Roald managed to heal himself enough to get upright and try one more swing.


Tio saw the punch coming, knew that she could, that she should do something, but she stood there, and watched her fellow student's fist as it came up; he leapt at her, and drove those knuckles squarely into her face. In what felt like slow motion, both faunus tumbled to the floor with the sound of a pair of refrigerators soaring out a window. In the armoured tangle of limbs that followed, Roald had to gasp for breath, apparently aggravating what he'd just healed. Tio on the other hand wasn't crying any more, and despite the force of the blow that had just met her naked face, she seemed unscathed. Rising so far as her knees, Tio carefully went about tending to Roald, a tender expression that one might call a smile gracing her features for a moment while she rolled the other huntsman onto his back to keep the weight off his ribs.


"I'm sorry," she said then, and got to her feet.


"I can't let myself fail now," she said in what must have been the most noncommital affirmative to Jarvia's comment that she could have possibly made.

Jarvia was about to try and haul Sam to the elevator when Roald lumbered to his feet,glowing like a festival light,and hauled one off on Tio,square to the cheek. "Dude! The fight's been decided!" Before Jarvia could smack some sense into the ursine Faunus,though,he was out for the count,this time,groaning softly. The man does have some smashed ribs. It's a miracle that he was able to get up and haul off like that in the first place,though. Shaking her head,Jarvia shrugged at Tio's answer to her earlier question. "You seriously need an ego. You deserve one." Jarvia pointed at the somehow-still-conscious Roald.


"You took a punch from Roald. To the face. Sure,it'll bruise,but you took it like a champ! You're still awake,and can rightfully say 'Is that all?' Without you,MTJA wouldn't exist." Pep talk given,Jarvia hauled Sampo up by the shoulders. He was a midget,like her. Well,not quite. Still. She was able to drag the guy. Then she remembered his injuries,and quickly set him down,and pointed at Yolmak's pod,disconnected from the harness. Cadence's handiwork,no doubt. "Sam needs a stretcher. We need to find something to strap him to your quiver." Leaning to look at Roald,Jarvia was pleasantly surprised to see that he was still able to think. "Can you walk? Or do you need Tio to carry you? Broken ribs ain't nothing to sneeze at." Looking at Haluk,Jarvia noted that,while he's still upright,he'll need to be led to the infirmary.

At Jarvia's next remarks, pep talk and all, Tio realized that she had a point about the stretcher, and took Yolmak's pod by the connecting arm in her one hand, while she scooped up her helmet in the other, hauling the monster born of metal along behind her. Seeing his former opponent moving around again, as though nothing had happened, Roald shakily pushed himself up into a seated position with nothing but a faint growl from the back of his throat. At the new arrival's comment though, his pain seemed forgotten, to his feet almost in an instant, baring teeth much the way he had with Tio but moments before.


Looking back over her shoulder, Roald cowed slightly at Tio's gaze, despite her wearing no hostility upon it. He didn't say anything, nor did he make things any worse, instead he moved away from what was left of MTJA, and helped Haluk back up and out of the demolished building he was in. As Haluk unsteadily made his way from the rubble, leaning quite heavily on Roald what seemed like every other step of the way, he looked almost like a finger painting come to life, his clothes soaked through with paint from the training dummies at how long he'd spent stuck inside with them, unable to do much else about it.


Despite only minutes prior the two teams had been at battle with each other, both CHSR and MTJA went up the elevator together. The ride up was filled by awkward silence, punctuated by an occasional groan or whimper from Sampo. Tio had opted to put her helmet back on; partly to free up both her hands again, with their makeshift stretcher clipped to her harness again, and partly to hide her face for what time the teams spent together. Jarvia kept trying to cheer her up, but with the team she'd just soundly beaten in the same elevator for what felt like the longest elevator ride of all time, it seemed poorly timed.


When Chaser's injured members were checked into the school infirmary, minus Roald, stubborn as he was; it was time that the others got themselves ready for the upcoming tourney. That meant, at least for Tio, breakfast and a shower, then a short wipe-down of her armour and weapons from the dust they'd been covered in during her morning practice session. The rest of the morning was relatively uneventful, both teams parting ways, then Tio and Jarvia separating as well as everyone prepared in their own special way.


The rhino faunus got herself one of the special consideration meals in the school's mess, though she didn't stick around as the eyes of her juniors turned even the private affair of getting breakfast into a stargazing game as they checked out all of the senior students, some placing bets on who would win which rounds. Some arguments went around the room about who would beat who, including a brief comment that she overheard about who would win in an up-front brawl, the rhino or the bear? Several students went on about Roald, as though Tio couldn't hear them, though it didn't particularly bother her. She just tried not to look ill as she passed them by, carrying a tray with near a half dozen plates covered by fried grains and assorted vegetables. Sometimes Tio had to wonder what it would be like to eat things like meat or cheese. Unfortunately, as popular as they were, as soon she'd ever made an attempt to bring them to her mouth, she got sick, gagging, and eventually losing what she'd eaten already. It was one of the many oddities of her family; apparently plenty of other herbivorous fauna had no trouble eating meats, but the Bihters couldn't.


After sorting out her breakfast and shower, which both of course frightened off every student that didn't know her, Tio took to cleaning her gear; awaiting the alarm for the tourney's start. It wouldn't be long yet, only a handful more minutes before the intercomm told everyone to prepare, before the seniors had to make their way to the arena.

Jarvia wanted to get some practice in,but between her lengthy morning routine,and having to haul most of another team to the infirmary,she simply didn't have the time. She was confident in her skills,but she knew that her biggest advantage in a fight against other Humans wasn't skill,but the X-Factor she presented. Dust was her weapon. Most people used it in some capacity. Jarvia carries so much that she could conceivably do anything she damn well pleased.


She was just a woman-shaped bag of Confusion Fu.


Still,she kept the Magistrate handy. It's easy enough to carry about. Light,for a beat stick,and slim. She could lean it against her shoulder while she ate,for crying out loud! Speaking of,the moment food crossed her mind,Jarvia's stomach grumbled. Loudly. Thankfully,she was walking right by the caf when this happened,so she ducked in to grab some grub. Grabbing a tray,some bowls,plates,and a glass,Jarvia began to heap on a staggering amount of food for someone her size. One of the second year girls saw,and she wondered aloud, "Where does she keep it all...?" Jarvia gave her a knowing smirk and confident chuckle,but,in reality,Jarvia didn't know,either. She ate like Tio,in more ways than one,and didn't gain an ounce.


In an effort to better understand Tio,and maybe have something to chat about with her,Jarvia's been maintaining a vegetarian diet since the second year. She could never go vegan,though. Jarvia simply couldn't imagine a world without cheese. Walking away from the food,Jarvia heard numerous conversations,ranging from how many weapons Jarvia'll blow up (Smart money was on every other one),and one particularly tactless conversation about a bet on a hypothetical Tio/Roald round. As she passed that particular gaggle,Jarvia simply fired off a withering glare at them,shutting them up in an instant. People who annoy Jarvia usually end up regretting it within the week. Jarvia's no bully,but she does have a bit of a temper.


Jarvia sat down across from Tio,but ate in silence. Talkative she may be,but Jarvia finds a particular joy in eating. As such,she doesn't talk while she has a meal before her. Besides,Jarvia knew that Tio sometimes needed some time to think. Her introverted tendencies drive her up the wall,though. How can someone exist like that!?





Meal downrange,Jarvia started to assemble her arsenal for the tourney. Loading pouches and bandoleers with Dust of all sorts. Dust was expensive,and Jarvia tries to be sparing with it,but she knows it's the core of her effectiveness as a Huntress. I'll be paying back the school for the rest of my life... She had to join the Pharos Dust Program to keep from having to take out constant loans for it. When the announcement went out,Jarvia slung on her belts and pouches on the go,using the Magistrate like a bindle stick as she did so. Falling in line beside Tio,Jarvia asked, "So,any plans for the future?"

Just as Tio finished polishing off her armour, as well as buffing out a couple dents from Roalds attacks earlier in the morning, the intercomm buzzed, and called for all senior students to assemble at the arena. In the simplest response, Tio picked up her things; and pulled on Yolmak's harness, one piece at a time. It took a few minutes, but as she stepped out of her room, it appeared that most of the other seniors were only just finishing their preparations as well.


Making her way out of the dormitories, Tio strode amidst her fellow students, though it may have been easier to say that she waded through them as most barely reached as high as her waist. From the requisitions office, she could see Jarvia coming, along with more than a handful of other students. It was a relatively common idea obviously, as most of the students used dust to some capacity. Some still had plenty in store as they didn't always need to use it, and a few others, like Tio, Cadence, and Roald, didn't use any at all. Of course Tio carried two crystals smaller than her thumbs, just in case, but she could scarcely afford to replace them, so she hadn't used them yet.


At the front of the pack, both groups of seniors reached the arena's main doors and started filing in slowly. It was at this point that Jarvia sidled up beside her faunus teammate, and launched straight into conversation, not giving a chance for Tio's inevitable internal debate to get started.


"Plans for the future?" Tio asked, needing to speak up a little bit lest her helmet muffle the words beyond comprehension. Before she gave her answer, the faunus girl peeled her helmet off for the conversation, though just as the morning, she wasn't wearing her glasses beneath and was nearly blinded by removing it.


"For right now, just graduate," she answered simply. In her head, Tio wasn't entirely sure what she'd do once she was done at Pharos. She'd decided to join so that she could become a huntress, to help people like her family, to protect them from the creatures of Grimm. She wanted to help the citizens of Atlas, and not only the ones inside the walls. How she'd go about that though...


About as suddenly as she'd tugged the helmet off her head, Tio slid it back on, partly to get her vision back, and partly to keep from answering more questions, especially ones she didn't know the answer to quite yet. Ahead, the crowd continued to move, piling in the main door, leaving MTJA only a few steps away from the entrance now.

As they entered the grand chamber,Tio explained to Jarvia her... Plans for the future. Jarvia felt the urge to point out just how short term that was,but she had to remind herself that Tio probably knew that. As Tio donned her helm once more,Jarvia looked up at the bracket board,and saw that the Singles Tourney was up first. "Singles,eh? Looks like I'll have to hold off on blowing up weapons." The bracket was fairly large,though. Team MTJA got dismantled over the years. Other teams simply ceased to exist overnight. Some students flunked out,others died,more got crippled. Some simply... Vanished. Pharos isn't a friendly training environment. Do or die,and the staff quite rarely made things easier on the students. Still,though. It creates excellent Hunters.


Looking over to Tio,Jarvia simply said, "You've got this in the bag." Returning her attention to the bracket board,Jarvia was unsurprised to see that she and Tio were on opposite ends of the bracket. It seemed to be common practice: All team members were as far away from eachother as possible on the brackets for the Singles Tourney. Looking back to her cell on the bracket,Jarvia saw that her opponent was none other than Asher Kendrell. The man was almost the size of Roald,and not even Faunus. He used Dust,but not much,leaving Jarvia at a bit of a disadvantage.


Jarvia's attention was drawn to the box seats,however,as the Headmaster stood up at the rail,to address the students. "Young Huntsmen and Huntresses. You stand today at the final chapter of your lives here at Pharos. You came. You saw. You conquered. You grew as warriors and people both,and I am proud to have hosted such growth." He gestured to the crowd below, "However,two final tests lie before you. First,you must prove your worth to your peers in single combat,then,do it again,with your team. Excluding extreme circumstances,you all will leave Pharos as conquerors. Before we begin,however,keep in mind that there are two rules for the Singles and Team Tourneys. First: Do not cripple your opponents. Second: Do not kill your opponents. Breach of these rules will result in your immediate disqualification and expulsion from Pharos. The victim may also press charges,should they so please."





Jarvia nodded to herself at the end of that speech. It made sense,after all. The Tourney was more of a spectacle than a test. A show for the juniors and those who aren't Hunters. Jarvia smiled. She'll give 'em one Hell of a show. A great door opened at the end of the chamber. The entire wall was a door,really. Beyond was the yard,and there were areas beyond counting,all isolated to make arenas. "Step out to the yard,and find your arena by the number indicated by the bracket board. And,mind the cameras." Jarvia looked at her bracket,the East bracket. E7. "See you on the other side,Tio!" Jarvia have a lighthearted punch to Tio's side,right about kidney level. She struck an armoured plate,causing her knuckles to sting. Jarvia didn't mind,but what she would mind would be if Tio didn't feel it. Regardless,Jarvia began to march with the crowd out to the arenas.


Jarvia chuckled,as there were camera crews assembled at every arena. Most likely to provide a video feed for everyone who might be watching,be it at home,or in the Academy. Jarvia also had the suspicion that Pharos will be compiling many of the more exciting fights,along with the finals,for something to sell. Marching between the arenas,Jarvia found E7,with Asher already waiting by it. The mountain of a man chuckled,and waved. "Jarvia! So it IS you I'm fighting!" He held out his hand,which Jarvia shook. "May the best fighter win." Jarvia flashed the man a grin as he allowed her to remove her hand from his hand-enveloping grip. Jarvia ducked under the freight chain that made the border of the arena,and waited for Asher to follow her in,and the signal to fight.


Jarvia looked at the enormous man pull his weapon from the ground,which was planted blade-first. To Jarvia,it looked like someone forged a surfboard,quite crudely,from low-quality iron,sloppily cut it in half,welded it to a hilt,then left it on the beach for a week to rust before connecting the "swords" together by the pommels. However,the edge gleamed traitorously in the light. Jarvia knew that the weapon was easily about half her own weight,and used Dust in either blade. Knowing Asher,he was using fire Dust. Jarvia also knew that the man SOMEHOW used the weapon with only a single hand.


When Asher stepped into the arena,he done so by simply stepping over the taut iron chain,and walked to the opposite end of the arena from Jarvia. Jarvia slipped a hand into a pouch at her hip,and winked at her opponent,waiting for the start signal.

Tio didn't see the look on her teammate's face as she was still tugging her helmet on, but she really didn't need to. Both of them knew how short-term graduation was where planning was concerned. Rather than dwelling on it, thankfully Jarvia simply made an observation about the tourney, that it would start with single combat. Taking a brief look up at the bracket board, Tio could see that she didn't need to face Jarvia any time soon, nor even Roald thankfully. For the first round Tio would be facing off with Robin, one of the few seniors that MTJA hadn't worked with yet, and looking across the board, she could see that Jarvia would be against his teammate Asher. These two were part of another reduced team, they'd lost a member to a lasting injury in his arm nearly four months ago. If the titanic faunus girl remembered right, her opponent wielded an axe and shield paired, and used plenty of dust. She'd never faced him before, and had only seen him fight once or twice, so she couldn't say for certain what all he had up his sleeves.


Almost immediately after the last of the seniors made it into the arena's lobby, their headmaster began his speech. A little bit brief, but no one at Pharos seemed overly keen on long speeches. Near the end of his speech, he described their only two rules; don't kill, and don't cripple. At the last, Tio couldn't help taking a cautious look at Yolmak, not exactly made for half-measures. When the headmaster finished his speech, Tio had to check her bracket again to see herself at C2, more or less to the opposite end of Jarvia's match. With the thought of her teammate, Tio heard a quiet strike against her armour, followed by a comment from Jarvia. In what might be called a response, Tio only waved, the faint smile invisible behind the steel of her helmet.


While the unruly mob of students filtered in every odd direction, Tio had to struggle a little bit to make it through, taking up far more space than any of the other competitors, and didn't want to hurt any of them by mistake on the way to her match. What felt like several minutes later, having made the arduous journey of the whole ten meters, Tio saw Robin already waiting for her, just inside the entrance.


"Best of luck," he said tersely. Robin wasn't exactly a very large young man, at least when compared to someone of Tio's size. He was barely any taller than her waist, despite being taller than most of the other seniors.


"You too," Tio replied, though she couldn't be sure if he actually heard her as he made no response but to head for his starting space, marked with a circle painted on the ground, as was one opposite, presumably for Tio, though she didn't think she could fit all of her gear inside its confines.

The signal sounded. It was a gong.


Jarvia made the first move. She leapt at Asher,using the Dust in her boots to propel her the entire width of the arena. Asher,however,simply sidestepped,and swung with his mammoth weapon. Jarvia responded by redirecting he legs,and thrusting back to her start location,throwing a phial of Dust at her opponent as she did so. The phial crashed into the ground at his feet,shattering and releasing the powdered Dust within,reacting from the impact. Asher's feet were frozen to the ground,and Jarvia advanced again,this time on foot,just in case her opponent had a trick up his sleeve.


Turns out,he did.


As Jarvia stepped into melee range,Asher smirked,and vanished,shattering the ice that encased his feet as he did so. In the same instant,Asher appeared right in front of Jarvia,already mid-swing. His Semblance. Jarvia parried,while allowing the Magistrate's crystal to spray lightning everywhere,hopefully disrupting Asher's assault. As the strike was deflected,Asher vanished,and reappeared behind Jarvia,but she was already out of his reach,and wheeled around to face her opponent once more.


The limit of Asher's Semblance was that after the first jump,he could only jump a scant few feet at a time. Still,Asher flickered into and out of existence twice,advancing all the while,before appearing before Jarvia again. Last jump. Jarvia thrusted with the Magistrate just as he vanished the second time,and when he appeared to strike at her,the Magistrate connected with Asher square in the chest. Lightning wracked his body,causing him to convulse ans spasm violently,and when his Semblance pulled him back to his point of origin,back at the pile of broken ice,he collapsed to one knee.


Jarvia laughed openly at this development. This marked the first time someone put a hard stop to his Assault Strobe. Asher,despite his disadvantage,laughed along as he pushed himself upright,with the assistance of the Scything Hurricane. "Didn't see that one coming. Thanks for that." Despite his discomfort,and the loss of his trump card,Asher still looked confident. His arm,combined with the length of even half of his weapon,gave him a reach advantage over tiny little Jarvia and her polearm.


Regardless,Jarvia smirked with him. She enjoyed fighting a good opponent. A human opponent,most of all. She knew full well that the Grimm could think,but their intelligence paled to another human. Idly,in this lull in the duel,Jarvia noted the heavenly thunder of Yolmak firing a lance,and the near-simultaneous hellacious racket of said lance hitting something. Jarvia took that as a signal to advance,cautiously this time. Jarvia held the Magistrate before her,ready to thrust or swing,while Asher advanced also,his weapon held low to his side. The unconventional shape,and enormous size of the weapon,forced different guard stances.


Jarvia reached out with her soul,and peered into the Scything Hurricane. She felt Dust,but she wanted to know what. To her surprise,she saw that Asher had fire Dust in one half,and ice Dust in the other. He's mixing it up... Jarvia lunged forth with the Magistrate,just as Asher lunged with his own weapon. The weapons collided,and glanced off eachother. Jarvia turned on her forward foot,advancing with a spinning strike,while also spinning the weapon over head,building even more momentum for the impact. Asher simply continued forward,and began to turn once he stopped.


The Magistrate thundered into Asher's side,figuratively and literally,as a fresh surge of electricity plagued his body. The impact alone caused Asher to stumble,causing his thrust to go wide,and the convulsions caused him to spasm wildly,keeping him from recovering properly. "What,can't deal with a little lightning?" Asher Strobed away,to escape the debilitating electricity,and as he Strobed on the opposite end of the arena,Jarvia saw that he was putting on the big boy pants,so to speak. He gripped the Scything Hurrican in both hands,and in a spiraling flourish,he made to separate the blades. However,before they parted company,he Strobed back in front of Jarvia,and in that moment,they came apart in a surge of violence.


The blades lashed out at speeds others would deem impossible. Jarvia took the parallel blows across her chest. She felt her Aura shudder physically from the raw force of impact,however,she employed her Semblance to keep the Dust within Asher's weapons from reacting. Jarvia smirked as Asher questioned why his Dust didn't go off,and cackled openly when he realized Jarvia sabotaged his Dust. "Remember,Kendrell: Dust is MY weapon!" To illustrate her point,Jarvia unleashed a fusillade of Dust projectiles at her opponent from her tattoos. It cause her some discomfort,but it was worth it. Gouts of flame exploded from her arms,lightning arced freely around her,and flachettes of ice were catapulted from pretty much every surface that faced Asher. However,she made sure to keep modest,depssite how this display shredded her clothes; She kept in mind that she was being recorded.


Now feeling as if she were swarmed by a whole hive of bees,Jarvia looked at her opponent,who looked far worse off. He bore blisters and other wounds from the assault,and he was still twitching on the ground from the bolts of lightning that arced to him. "Do you yield?" As she said this,Jarvia held the Magistrate behind her,across the small of her back,on both hands,and leaned down while balancing on her heels. She wore a grin larger that seemed physically possible for someone her size. Asher groaned,and looked up at Jarvia,looking like Tio just decked him. "Sometimes,I hate you more than spiders... I give..." And with that,he allowed his head to flop on the ground with another groan. He was still conscious,but he refused to move; Probably too drained from the repeated electrocutions. A green flag was raised over the arena,denoting Jarvia's victory.


Jarvia whooped loudly,and offered the bottom of the Magistrate to help Asher up,but he simply groaned,and weakly swatted at the weapon; It seemed he wanted to rest a while longer. Jarvia took the opportunity to sit and meditate. She knew that if she took another hit in that fight,the judges would've called it. So now,she needed to recharge,as it were.

It seemed that the very instant Tio managed to set foot inside the starting circle, an enormous gong sounded, signalling the start of the qualifying rounds. Fumbling in a hurry, the faunus girl managed to get her weapon raised, though already her opponent was sprinting for her, closing the gap rapidly. A roll in his shoulder, and in an instant, Robin glowed white, his lips peeling back in a smile, the light centered on his axe. With the dust propulsion, that blade would at the least bite deeply into her armour.


There was no time to draw and loose, so instead, Tio knew that she needed to intercept her opponent. Pulling an arrow from its pod, she hit the switch to release herself from the tremendous weight. Glowing with the familiar orange of her aura, Tio took long strides, coming to a sprint to meet Robin partway. His smile seemed to dissipate somewhat when he saw the armoured behemoth come to a sprint nearly as fast as his own.


Keeping both Yolmak and an arrow for it in her left hand, she made certain to keep her semblance active, though the strain of it already had her sweating and breathing heavily, only seconds in. An extended fight wouldn't end in her favour.


At the last moment, Tio switched from Unstoppable to Immovable, stomping her boots down with a mighty crash, and extending her right hand before her, palm open, at Robin's head level. He realized what was happening too late, and in mid swing, his shield too low to have been any help, he ran headlong into her hand like it was the face of a mountain. The sound of glass breaking rang through the arena, nearly muting out Robin's pained cry, and while the white glow didn't go anywhere, it dimmed somewhat, the light of his aura vanishing in an instant. His feet going on ahead of him, Robin lost hold of his axe, though he kept the shield, as it was strapped to his arm, he tumbled feet-first past Tio, his head striking the ground first.


Without hesitation, Tio turned, drawing the one arrow she'd carried the full way back, and just as Yolmak's string tapped her helmet, it rocketed away again with a thunderous clap. Just as Robin came to a stop, the arrow slammed into the ground beyond him, a rush of wind tugging at his clothes, then the sound caught up, and despite his current feebleness at the head injury, he managed to pull both hands up to his ears, trying to block it out.


Robin lay there a moment before he shouted, possibly deafened by the previous shot fired, "What a shit draw."


As though to mirror his statements, an orange flag was raised, signalling his defeat. Taking a look around, Tio couldn't see anything else around the arena, only her, Robin, and the rest of her gear back at the starting area. Offering him a hand up wordlessly, Robin only responded with a sigh, though he refused, shakily getting to his feet. Both of them took a moment to wave for the camera, and made their way out, every attempt to help steady him from Tio refused with only a shrug.