Max Vermillion: A RWBY Story

Chapter 12: Missing

~In one of Beacon's many dueling rooms~

Charlotte would let out a heavy sigh as she look at her attackers: Team RWBY. She'd immediately take her defensive position before raising her aura levels. Ruby would be the first to attack, swinging crescent rose downward, which'll phase through Charlotte's body due to her de-materializing herself with her smoke semblance. Both Yang and Blake, seeing the frailty of their team leader's attack would immediately join in, using their weapons and combat abilities to try to make some dent in Charlotte's defense along-with Ruby's scythe slashes. Weiss would freeze as she watched her teammate's fail to land a single strike on Charlotte, this single action would greatly annoy Charlotte, would turn her whole entire body into a cloud of smoke, obscuring the vision of all of the first years watching from the stands.

A burst of smoke would shoot out towards Weiss, who would be sent flying back from a re-materalized kick to the gut from Charlotte, who would then de-materalize her body and return back to the three trio stuck in the fog.

Ruby: "WHERE IS SHE!?" Ruby would shout as her teammates stood back to back.

Yang: "ALL I SEE IS SMOKE!"

Blake: "THAT IS ALL WE CAN REALLY SEE, YANG!"

Ruby: "ALRIGHT, LET'S TRY TO GET SOME HIGH GROUND!" Ruby would shout before propelling herself upward with a nice clear shot downwards, which Yang would do the same with her own weapon. Blake, on the other hand, would use her supernatural agility to jump high into the air. Suddenly, a cloud of smoke would lift up into the air and surround the airborne Team RWBY, Blake's eyes would widen as she noticed a small glint in the smoke..actually....multiple small glints.

Blake: "COMBUSTION DUST!" Blake would shout.

Yang: "WHAT?!"

Ruby: "OH NO!"

Charlotte: "SMOKEY SUNSHINE!" Charlotte would shout before lighting a cigarette in the combustible smoke. 

*BOOOMM!!!!*

Blake, Ruby, and Yang would fall out of the sky before landing on the ground hard. The cloud of smoke would suddenly disperse as Charlotte would stand on a cloud of smoke and slowly float back down to RWBY. Charlotte would take a knee beside Ruby as she slowly regained consciousness.

Charlotte: "You alright, kiddo?"

Ruby would slowly sit up.

Ruby: "Sorry, Ms Ashborne, we failed again."

Charlotte: "No need for a sorry, just do better next time."

Ruby would silently nod before looking at Weiss, who was looking back at her team leader. 

Ruby: "It's alright Weiss, we all freeze sometimes."

Weiss would look down at the ground before storming off, Ruby would try to go after her teammate, but Charlotte would place a hand on her shoulder.

Charlotte:" Let her wallow in her cowardliness, for now, take your team and head back to the observation stands."

Ruby: "Yes, ma'am." Ruby would say before shaking Yang and Blake awake.

Max, who was watching from the stands, would look at Charlotte as she stretched.

Charlotte: "MAX! SEND THE NEXT GROUP DOWN!"

Max: "This is the thirteenth team, you better go easy on the next one, smokey!"

Charlotte: "Sure! Sure! Now send em!"

Max: "You heard her JNPR, get down there."

JNPR would nod at one another before standing up from their seats and walking down the steps.