Team ALLY

Chapter 8: New tactics

As I feared, the scythe was unsalvageable. The dust containers for the jets even detonated. Classes were going to be hell so I decided to just keep my head low until I figured out how to fight without it.. I walk into combat class and take my usual seat. Glynda asks for volunteers, and Cardin calls me out. His cronies must have heard through the grapevine that my scythe was out of order. We get ready and of course he has that same smug smirk. He goes for the first strike and I create a shield. His mace bounces off. I let him strike several times, trying to pick up on the strike pattern. I shove him back and convert the shield to a sword. I go into strike but he knocks me back. I levitate back to gain some distance, forming a shield to block any potential charge. I form a blade from another barrier and decide on a change of tactic, I can't scout him out like I used to do. Just not an option. I charge him and block his swing. I swing my sword. But leave myself wide open to a blow to the gut. He kicks me back and I struggle to my feet. He goes to swing and I barely manage to dodge. I levitate back again and form another shield/sword combo. I charge forward only for him to smash the shield and punch me in the chest. I fall to the ground and my aura drops into the red. We get off the stage and change back into our school uniforms. Class ends and the others catch me outside. "Well that was, something." Lilac says in a cheerful voice.

"Guess it's not easy fighting without your scythe, huh?" Leo comments.

"Your stance was wrong, your swings were wide, and that's the shoddiest shield work I've ever seen." Yema says flatly. The other two shoot her a look. "What? I'm just being honest."

"Guys, it's okay. Just going to take some getting used to." Once classes let out, we meet up with RWBY and JNPR and head to the courtyard. "You fought well, Aries." Pyrrha says, attempting to cheer me up. "Hey, why don't we help you train." Yang offers.

"Yeah!" Nora shouts. We all get our gear and request to use the combat room for some training.. I form a shield and sword and get ready. Before we even start, Pyrrha stops us. She walks over to me and adjusts my stance to be low and wide. My sword arm back and my shield arm up, with me peeking just over the shield. Yang charges and I float back. She unleashes a flurry of hits on the barrier. I end up dissolving the sword to focus on keeping my shield up. As soon as I do this, Pyrrha stops us and walks over. "Why'd you drop your sword?"

"It was taking everything I could just to keep the shield together, if I kept the sword the shield would have failed and I would have been wide open."

"Then you have to learn how to smoothly transfer between an offensive stance and a defensive stance. She points for me to go to the sideline and she squares up with Yang. "Just watch." Yang charges and Pyrrha raises her shield. She manages to block the flurry then moves to the side. Yang goes to swing around a mighty right hook but Pyrrha deflects the hit, making Yang stumble. When Yang turns around, Pyrrha's sword is already pointed at her chest. "swish." Yang grabs her chest and mocks being slain by Pyrrha. It earns a chuckle from the group.

I stand up and square off with Yang once more. I stand in the same stance as Pyrrha and form a sword and shield. Yang charges and I raise the shield. The flurry hits hard and fast but I manage to eventually get out of the way. She jumps and goes to slam down on the barrier when I roll out of the way. When she hits the ground, she's wide open so I bring the sword around and point it into her back. "checkmate." Yang stands up and dusts herself off. "Not bad, Aries. Not bad." She playfully hits me on the shoulder and I release the barriers. "That's still pretty draining. I felt my strength drain with her every hit. What about a long fight? There's no way I could keep that up." We all stand there and think a moment. Ruby raises her hand which makes me chuckle. "Ruby?"

"What if you didn't use a shield, just a sword. Like Yema, Weiss, or even Blake."

"But then defensively I'm left wide open."