(Ltn) Red Sicut Rosae
(Eng) Red Like Roses
__________
A lot happened in a month after Hikaru got accepted.
He soon started his work inside the Academy as Glynda's helper during Saturday and Sundays. Even if the school year isn't starting yet, he tried to enter some part time jobs around Vale as he got an apartment at downtown district.
Hikaru bought some essentials that'll do for him in a year. Some clothes, a scroll, and a half-mask that covers his nose and mouth.
Another window of opportunity he jumped into was a patrolling duty with Professor Goodwitch herself. With Vale's crime rate rising, he decided to tag along with her this week as the news stated that the group of Roman Torchwick is robbing Dust shops and factories in the harbor.
Now, he had a job to do.
Standing alone in the middle of the night, he observes the silent city of Vale as the broken moon hovers above the night sky. Hikaru, armed with his wooden blade that he substituted for this kind of patrols is holstered on his hip. His gold and white haori flutters with the wind, and his cold expression gazes below the empty streets, yet few people walking, and seeing that some shops are still open, he was about to call and end his patrol.
When suddenly his scroll rang.
Wondering who it is, he pulls it out and checked the contact. Glynda Goodwitch is calling...
He sighs and placed it near his ear, accepting the call.
"Hello?" He called.
"Hikaru. You were about to end your shift, yes?" Direct and straight, Glynda doesn't beat around the bush, this common attitude from her made him roll his eyes.
"I was about to. Do you need any help?" Hikaru offers, yet he heard Glynda replying immediately as she should.
"I got a call from a concerned citizen that a dust shop in uptown Vale, is currently being robbed." The message got his attention as he pulled the phone closer to him, narrowed eyes and alerted ears as he answered.
"Are you sure, Ms. Goodwitch? This is certainly Torchwick now?"
"Just go ahead, I'll see what I can do to block his escape and to alert Vale's Hunstman Department and the VPD."
"Alright, Ms. Goodwitch." He was about to end the call when she added something.
"And remember, no fancy and flashy moves of yours in this kind of scenario. I do not want any collateral damage around the city, and heads rolling on the floor, are we clear?"
Hikaru smirked as he cracks his neck. "If he forces me." Hikaru muttered to himself, and returned back to the call. "Crystal. Ma'am."
The Professor ended the call as Hikaru appreciates the silence once more. He turns to the way uptown, and took deep breaths. "Time to go..."
And with a leap from the roof, Hikaru starts his hunt.
Moving through the edge of Vale's rooftops, Hikaru partly scanned any shops that are open tonight. Seeing that the block is clear of anything suspicious, Hikaru moved to the next wall of blockhouses.
"Where is it...?" Hikaru impatiently hissed as he can't find out where the shop is.
"HIYAAAAAAH!"
That didn't took a second until he heard a glass shattering at the end of the intersection. "Nevermind... Found it." Hikaru shrugged as he chose not to descend yet and instead he decided to gather information and hope Roman doesn't spots him.
He spotted a girl in a called, "Red Riding Hood" style of outfit that he'd seen before in Western Books. The object she's carrying of, slowly morphs into a scythe as Hikaru gets a positive identification at Roman Torchwick who wears an all-white tuxedo and hat combo. Behind Roman were his followers wearing contradicted colors against him.
Hikaru was slightly amused and stunned at what she did to one of Roman's bodyguards. Using his improved hearing (thanks to his Total Concentration Breathing), he chose to eavesdrop.
The former Hashira watches from the rooftop as Roman also had a confused yet amused look at the girl. "Okay...?" He then gestured to his goons. "Get her."
The six enforcers charged towards the girl, armed with their scarlet dust swords, One bravely attempted to do an overhead slice at her, only for the scythe girl to use her weapon to misdirect its slash and jumped.
"Oh...?" Hikaru was still amused as he continued to watch. He also ignored his buzzing scroll because he knew that was Glynda calling for him.
The double kick made its way at the first enforcer's face, its force removed his red glasses as he slumped down on the concrete. The second enemy was slightly caught off guard by her move but as he heard Roman snarling, he chose to attack.
The girl twirled mid-air, dodging the second enforcer and landed in the middle to give herself a room to adjust. The remaining four plus the still recovering goon, surrounds the scythe-wielding girl.
She was unfazed by this and used a tactic to spin around, by firing a dust round from her scythe. Pulling the trigger, her plan worked as she was protected by the scythe's blades as she spins. It did a cut to one of the goons, reducing his aura as the third goon was launched above by a vertical upward slash.
Seeing that her enemies were reduced to two, she quickly repositions herself and faces the remaining enforcers. Her scythe was already raised up high when she smirked at the fourth.
The goon's eyes widened within his glasses as the blunt edge slams right unto his chest that made him yelp in pain, his aura has been reduced to none.
"What are you idiots doing?!" An angry Roman Torchwick yelled as reinforcements inside the dust shop came out, their swords morphed into Dust-infused Guns. "Surround her and open fire if you have to!"
By his order, the two enforcers raised their weapon and aimed at the girl. She noticed this and cocked the lever of her scythe and pulled the trigger as the men opened fire.
"Hmm... Impressive use of her weapon. If I guess, the recoil of her gun is too heavy for her mass that she can be sent a good few meters if she's not careful enough." Hikaru observed and remarked as the girl did what he had noticed, dodging the hail of bullets as the recoil from her scythe caused her to move in a zig-zag pattern.
When she was far enough from their guns, the girl twisted her stance and pulled the trigger, this time, boosting herself forwards as her small body propelled towards the enforcer's chest. And with quick thinking of stopping her with sticking the tip of her scythe on the concrete, it made an abrupt halt and goes around, still holding at its handle.
Hikaru squints his eye at the fighting style. "That kind of scythe fighting is very... familiar." Then, it popped in his head. "Oh, Qrow's fighting style!"
While herself up, she swiped the last goon and spins him around at the curved edge of her scythe before she drops him down hard at Roman's feet.
She smirked while Roman gave her an unimpressed scowl.
Hikaru let out a whistle at the girl's combat style. But then, his scroll rang again. Afraid that Glynda will interrupt him in the future, he answered.
"Hello-?"
"Mr. Hikaru Shin! Where in Remnant's name are you?!" Thankfully, he moved the scroll away in time as Glynda yelled.
"I am fine, Professor." He reassured the professor. And spoke quickly before she could scold him again. "Infact, I found our target."
This calmed Glynda. "Torchwick?"
"One and only. He got goons but they'd been taken of."
He heard Glynda's uncertain voice behind the scroll. "Hikaru... Did you use your moves?"
"What!? No, I didn't! Someone handled them as I arrive!"
"Someone?"
"Yes!" Hikaru replied, and observed the girl's outfit. "She's a small... teenager, had sniper-scythe, and wearing a combo of black and red outfit. Adding to it, her fight can be mirrored by Kuro's- I mean Qrow." He corrected as he slipped his Japanese at bit there.
He doesn't heard a reply from the other line, confusing him. "Hellooo, professor? You there?"
"U-Uh, yes, yes!" Her startled voice confused Hikaru even more. "Listen, Headmaster Ozpin wants you to follow the girl and help her if you could. And don't let Roman get away again!"
With her tone switching to an aggresive and strict one again, Hikaru let out a sigh and scratched his nape. "I understand, Professor. I'll make sure he doesn't escape this time." Hikaru ended the call as he puts the scroll away and went back to eavesdropping.
But his eyes twitched when he saw Roman's cane tapping repeatedly. Hikaru's battle sensed flared when he noticed that the cane was actually a gun.
Slightly pulling his sword out, Hikaru took a deep breath, and waited.
"You were worth every... cent." Roman uninterestingly commented. "Truly you were." His annoyed voice emerged.
Hikaru crouched and leaned forwards, waiting for the right time to strike Roman.
Roman snuffs his cigar out and pressed it with his foot as he took a step forward. "Well, Red. I think we can all say it's an eventful evening for the both of us, but-" Roman paused and smirked, his head titled slightly upwards.
"I believe someone is crashing our... eavesdropping to our conversation. And as I would like to stick around..." Roman revealed, and slightly made Hikaru's eyes squint as his cover was blown.
"Huh?" The confused girl looked around, and this gave Roman a chance to raise his gun and aim at her, unaware at his move.
'Idiot, girl! Move!' He yelled internally in Japanese as he descended from the roof and dashed towards her.
"Mayhaps you should never take your eyes away from your enemy." Roman coldly stated as his finger was nearly at the trigger. "Goodbye, Red!"
Exactly as Roman fires his cane, Hikaru appeared in front of the surprised girl, already in a defensive stance as he anticipated the trajectory of the Dust Bullet.
"Move!" Hikaru yelled as he dragged the girl's cape. The girl was agitated but followed him as they jumped, evading the explosive dust round.
While in mid-air, the girl had her chance of a good look at Hikaru's face. He was scowling, disappointed at her lack of awareness.
"Hehe, sorry..." The girl shamelessly rubbed her nape as they landed. Only to see nothing, not even the Roman Torchwick.
Hikaru doesn't want to yell at the girl and instead he let out a sigh. "Girl, next time, keep your eyes glued on your opponent. You got distracted." He said in a cold tone.
The girl was shocked by this and hungs her head low. "S-Sorry..."
"Nevermind that." Hikaru dismissed her sad expression as the shop owner peeked through his destroyed door and observed the two. "Sir, I am sorry for the late arrival. But please do be calm and let the authorities handle this situation, okay?"
"I don't mind it, boy." The dust owner crossed his arms. "Speaking of the robber you fought," He pointed his index at the rooftop, at the other side of the road. "He climbed that emergency ladder seconds ago." He noted.
Hikaru remembers this and nodded in affirmation. "Is it okay to go after him?" The girl asks, the owner did a brief nod.
"Go after him?" Hikaru snapped his head at the girl's statement. "This is not your business, girl. I suppose you-"
"He ruined my weapons shopping." She argued back, glaring at him with her silver eyes to his orange ones, before pleading. "Please?"
Techically, she made her point...
Conceding at her argument, He shook his head, and allowed the girl to follow him. "Alright, but stay close. I don't want to lose Roman's whereabouts again."
She nodded as they went both their climb to the rooftops. Hikaru parkouring and doing an up-dash, while the girl used the recoil of her rifle to propel herself upwards, and they both reached the roof. Turning around, the girl yelled, like a feminine squeak.
"Hey!"
"Torchy, my man!"
Roman stopped from his tracks and Hikaru pointed his wooden sword at him, confusing the girl why did Hikaru had such a sword like that instead of a real one.
"Uh, why do you have a wooden... sword?" She asks.
Hikaru rolls his eyes at the obvious reason. "Clearly, I don't want to decapitate someone's head by accident. See the reason now?"
She slowly nodded in silence. Then they both shifted their attention back to Roman, the man is now facing them as they both felt a rumble below.
"Persistent kids you are..."
A VTOL aircraft rose from the edge of the building that the smoke and dust swirling through forces them both to shield their eyes.
"Roman, you got a get-away vehicle now?" He mocked, now only the robber acknowledging Hikaru's presence.
"Ahh, Hikaru Shin... What is it this time? Sixth game of our-err, cat and mouse?" Roman smirked.
"Hm, but the cat this time will catch you." Hikaru sends his smirk back to him as the VTOL aircraft rose higher.
"Heh, we'll see about that, swordsman!"
It searchlights opened bright and slightly flashed the girl, however, Hikaru acted quick and swerved to the right, and charged ahead at Roman's. The two briefly engaged in a swordfight before Hikaru was halted by a danger presenting.
By instinct, Hikaru backflipped away from Roman as he dodged a strafe of bullets, the girl did the same in retreat, too.
This gave Roman an opportunity to climb the VTOL by the side door and mockingly laughed, especially at Hikaru.
The former Hashira scoffs and softly chuckled. "If only I was allowed to Thunderclap and Flash your ginger head... This would be over in seconds." He muttered to himself in Japanese, so that the girl won't understand him.
"Hahahaha!" Roman laughed, "End of the line, kids!" He pulled out a small, single, container of a Fire Dust and throws it at them.
Hikaru took a deep breath as the container flies in mid-air. He was about to slice it with his sword when a person jumped down ahead of him and raised their weapon. Hikaru's eyes widened and his spine shivered when he saw the newcomer.
"Professor...?"
And with a loud explosion, the rooftop shook, only for Roman to see them both unharmed. He stopped laughing and bellowed, "What?!"
It was Professor Glynda who rescued them. Hikaru's expression shivered as the Professor met his glance, with her piercing glare as she fixates her glasses. "Hi, Professor?" Hikaru smiled but the woman response was silent.
"Hikaru, good job on distracting Roman. Now, let me." And by swiping her riding crop, several purple energy beams flew towards the VTOL, hitting several parts of it, but not the engines.
"Anything I can do to—Woah!" He dodged a strafe of bullets by rolling to the side. "–help?"
Glynda simply protected herself with a forcefield as she continued her energy blasts. Again, it rocked the VTOL and they all noticed that Roman retreated further to the cockpit.
"Hikaru." Glynda called, briefly looking at him. "I will permit you to use two of your moves."
This created a smile on his face as he softly laughed. The girl however, was confused by their conversation.
"Use of what?" She tilts her head. "He only have a wooden sword."
Glynda shook her head and answered, "Do not underestimate a swordsman, even he only has a wooden blade."
"Huh?" She, again, was confused. But as she observes Hikaru, she noticed that his eyes are closed and is continually dodging the VTOL's gun rounds by sidestepping. "Why's his eyes closed...?" She wondered.
Until she heard a faint voice coming from him.
"Water Breathing: Fourth Form..."
Hikaru placed his left foot forwards and dashed, a trail of pure water danced through the edge of his wooden sword.
"Water wha-?" The girl was shocked to see Hikaru evading the bullets as he spins and moves above them, parrying rounds as he got a little closer to the cockpit. She was in awe. "Woah..."
However, a barrier clashed with the tip of his blade as he did a thrust.
"Striking Tide!"
Steam bursted out that forced him to return back to the Professors vicinity, with a slide and a click of his tongue. He opened his eyes at the cockpit. "Someone is with Roman!" He yelled, informing them both.
"Hmph." Glynda nodded and glances at Hikaru. "Then, use your last and sync with me." She ordered as she casted a sea of dark clouds above the already retreating VTOL.
"I see. Then, let me get a good aim, Professor." Hikaru took a couple of steps back and observed the clouds, as well as the aircraft. He then glanced at the girl, "You, fire everything you got at the engines." He ordered, and she nodded.
The scythe wielder then changed her weapon to gun-mode and fires continues bullets at the engines, but it was overly protected by a thick scarlet barrier. "I-It's no use!" She squeaked. "It's been protected by the same barrier!"
"Continue it!" Hikaru yelled. "We'll force out whoever is with Roman inside that aircraft!"
She obliged and fires, this got the lady's attention who opened the side-door and her eyes lit in flaming orange. By doing some gestures of her hands, she unleashed a burst of flames at them. Hikaru, and the girl, evaded it by jumping back. Glynda stood there like a champ and absorbed the flames. She then recollects the debris and morphed it into a giant projectile, aiming to distract the enemy in scarlet as Hikaru prepares himself.
The girl sees Hikaru breathing through his teeth again, but more steam coming out in return, he took a lunging stance as he holds his blade in an opening manner.
Gold lightning dances underneath him that it caught the attention of the scarlet lady. Hikaru uttered,
"Thunder Breathing..."
The lady was alarmed by this and raised her fist upward, sending an underground explosion at his feet, only for Hikaru to disappear in a single streak of lightning, appearing on another rooftop that is in the blindspot of the VTOL.
Glynda released her giant projectile and the lady stopps this before it could pierce the aircraft. Seeing that Hikaru is the last one who can nail the coffin, the dark clouds above the ship rumbled.
The girl looked for Hikaru, seeing him still in the same stance and is waiting for something.
"Esoteric First Form..."
"Thunderclap and Flash!"
A sonicboom can be heard as Hikaru disappeared and reappeared above the ship, with the dark clouds forming behind, he gathered enough lightning and raised his sword, aiming for a full downward strike.
The lady's eyes widened by this and rapidly did some gestures as several runes revolved around the ship and barriers tightened.
"Hikaru, now!" Glynda ordered and a surge of electricity crackled around the former Hashira.
"God's Smite!"
As the lightning collided with the barrier, the lady unleashed a powerful burst of air bomb that knocked him away from the VTOL's barrier. Unfortunately, Hikaru's wooden sword broke in half much to his dismay. "Ah, crap..."
With this, Roman had escaped, again, from his grasp, along with the unknown lady with him.
The fight was done and Glynda gave him a brief look. "Sorry, Professor, I think I broke another wooden sword this week." Hikaru apologizes that made her sigh.
"It is quite all right, Hikaru. Besides-" She flapped her weapon and a barrier surrounds the girl behind him. Glynda smirked. "-it seems you had your first fan."
He snapped his eyes at the girl, in shock as she had stars shimmering from hers.
"Eep! That was so cool! Can I have your autograph?! Oh, oh! And to you too, Ms. Huntress!" She giggled.
He gave her a deadpan and turned around rudely both of them saying, "No."