Red Roses, White Scales

Chapter 26

Destiny

Beacon's Library

"The Story of the Seasons….. interesting." Mikhail, who had finished his talk with Ozpin, decided to take a short break and went to the library…..

The reason was the feeling, which came off from under the academy. Mikhail could feel it, every time when he was with Ozpin that on the older man lingered a faint scent of autumn, similar to that fire-throwing woman.

There was also another reason, why Mikhail felt so awkward. Since his Semblance evolved, the feeling he had from the person who was under the academy, became….more violent.

Shortly…..Mikhail felt a hunger, similar being close to an Intoner…and that terrified him, to the point, where he feared that he could suddenly berserk any time.

The power emitted from the person under Beacon, was neither foul nor demonic. On the contrary, it felt quite pleasant. So pleasant that he developed sometimes a hunger, that could not be satisfied with normal food. But the question was also, why she felt so…..incomplete?

Then suddenly he remembered. There was a story, which he heard from his mother.

The four maidens.

"Let's see." He opened the file and began to read "The Story of the Seasons, also known as The Four Maidens, is a famous fairy tale. The story goes that an old hermit (referred to as a wizard in some versions) was visited by four sisters, who each in their own unique ways were kind to him. The first sister, Winter, encouraged him to meditate and reflect; the second, Spring, brought him fruit and flowers and revitalizes his garden; the third, Summer, convinced him to step outside and embrace the world; and the fourth, Fall, encouraged him to be thankful for what he has. When the old man asked the four sisters why they were so kind to him, they respond that they merely showed their kindness to everyone. Moved by this, the old man gave the four sisters great powers in return for their kindness, and as the embodiment of the four seasons, they went through Remnant spreading their gifts. As thanks, the Maidens promised to visit the old man once every year."

He felt suddenly the urge to smash his fist into something and snarled in disgust 'This old fool! How could he do something so dumb, handing over the fate and order of the four season into the hands of humans!?' He couldn't understand how idiotic that old man was. Humans shouldn't ever have such powers. What if those could be used for evil deeds 'If this is true, and the Autumn maiden is under Beacon, wait what about…incomplete…' He stood up and closed the file 'Of course! The woman of that night must have the other part of the power; there is no other way to explain!' He stomped away, people stepped aside, when they saw him scowling and walking in an aggressive way 'That woman has the other half of the power from the Autumn maiden…..' Suddenly Mikhail stood up and remembered something from his past.

XXX

10 years ago

"So kid, what feeling did you have, when you came near to Beacon?"

"Mmmh, don't know Uncle Qrow, can't we just train?"

"Nope! Come on, Mike tell me, what did you feel?"

"Mmm….I felt pain in my head and chest. I felt really hot and my head was spinning."

"Okay, I understand….did you feel anything else?"

"I don't know, why are you asking me?"

"I just want to help you, come on kid what did you feel else?"

"Mmmh…..Hunger!"

"….What?"

"When I was near Beacon I could feel something under there and then I felt hunger!"

"…..Are you sure?"

"Yes! I was really hungry and also angry!"

"I…understand….."

"Uncle Qrow? Is everything alright?"

"D-don't worry Mike, everything's fine. Let's grab something to eat."

"Yeah! I love you!"

"*Snort*, me too, kid."

XXX

'That dusty, drunken son of a bitch!' Mikhail scowled and growled 'That's the reason, why he never wanted me to attend Beacon!' His anger reached a new peak. Mikhail decided to call his uncle, and he will make sure that he will spill everything 'I will get my answers. And when I will have them, I will make sure that no other will get these powers.'

Mikhail arrived at his room 'If those maidens are similar to the Intoners…' And before he opened it, the former dragon made a big decision, an inhuman one 'Then I will find the rest and….'

"Mikhail?" The leader of Team RRWBY turned around, to see Pyrrha behind him "Is everything alright?"

"Pyrrha!" He smiled dashed forward and bear-hugged her "Hi."

"Hi." She just simply smiled. Honestly a big weight suddenly fell from her. She was worried, since Mikhail was in a really bad mood in last time. But seeing him now smiling, eased her.

Mikhail put her down "Yeah everything's fine." He mused and released the hug "Don't worry your pretty head about it."

"Okay." Pyrrha nodded "So what are you doing?"

"Nothing," He shrugged "My team is right now in the City of Vale, and since I couldn't, because of some work, they went without me."

Pyrrha's eyes suddenly widened and an idea popped into her head "How about going together?"

Mikhail pursed his lips "Sure, why not!" He grabbed her hand let's go!"

"Wait!"

XXX

Docks of Beacon

"Mmh, it seems we need to wait for a Bullhead." Pyrrha who looked around, put her fists on her hips. Honestly, she really wanted to go on a 'date' with Mikhail…..but her luck on him was always….somehow on the low side.

"Really, Pyrrha?"

The former champion turned around, surprised by seeing a pouting Mikhail.

"A bullhead, only for us?" He shook his "Tsk, tsk, tsk." He wiggled his forefinger "We don't need it."

"What do…."

"*Flap*" On Mikhail's back appeared his wings and somehow Pyrrha had a bad feeling.

"Wait, Mikhail. L-let's just wait….."

"Nope!" He grabbed Pyrrha and both teens went up in the air.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Poor Pyrrha screamed in terror, as her life flashed before her very eyes, while Mikhail was amused by the fear and screams of his friend.

XXX

City of Vale

"Come on Pyrrha, open your eyes!" Mikhail, who held the girl, tightly in his arms, spoke softly and wanted her to see the beautiful sight of Vale from above.

"No!" And yet, the young girl, had her eyes closed, while tightly clinching on Mikhail with every brink of her live will.

The former dragon snorted "Pyrrha open your eyes, come on."

Pyrrha sighed and slowly opened her eyes, but instead of being overwhelmed by fear, she could only be astonished by the sheer sight of Vale above the sky.

"Wow!" Sure, she always saw it from the Bullhead, but between being transformed and flying in the sky, there were worlds.

The air was fresh, the wind felt good, it was a feeling she never had felt in her life before, absolutely freedom, the possibility to go anywhere.

'This is incredible!' Pyrrha didn't even notice until now, that she held her breath the entire time, when she opened her eyes 'Is he feeling this, every time when he flies.' Now she even felt more jealous. She wanted to fly, too!

XXX

After some minutes of flying, Mikhail landed, with Pyrrha in his arms, safely on the ground. Of course, this earned them some attraction from people.

Some of them looked surprised and some of them took their scrolls out, since both of them were famous.

"Well," He turned around eyeing a lightly dazzling Pyrrha "How was your first flight, with Air Rose?"

The girl looked at her friend "It. Was. Awesome!" But she was a little bit angry, since her hair was a little bit messed up.

Mikhail could only smile in amusement and pride, how Pyrrha gushed over his ability to fly "So it was….?"

"Awesome! Simply incredible, I never felt so free and alive! Not even at my first Championship!" As Pyrrha let her enthusiasm take over, Mikhail could only snort, causing the girl to notice, how loud and cheerful she was, since many bystanders looked at the odd couple. She looked bashfully away and said shyly "Let's….eat something.

"Sure!"

XXX

"Oh man that hit the spot!" Mikhail, who ate his fill, leaned back and stretched his arms, while Pyrrha giggled in a soft way.

"You know I am actually jealous, that you can eat everything, and still have such a figure."

Her friend could only chuckle "Hey, it isn't just my metabolism! I also train very hard!"

"Of course, forgive me." Well she could understand him. Pyrrha's body was the result of hard training, a well-balanced diet and an iron will "But you must understand that some people, especially women, would kill to have such a metabolism as yours."

"Which is the reason, why I never mention it often." Mikhail shivered; Yang always punched him, because she was jealous. It became worse, when she hit puberty. Also through Ruby's Semblance, she also had a quick metabolism, that burned fat and calories, like nothing.

"So how about going for a walk?"

"Sure why not?" Mikhail raised his hand; the waitress immediately came to them.

"H-how was the food?"

"Very good." The former champion smiled.

"Yes." Mikhail nodded in agreement.

The waitress smiled "If I may not too be brisk, our manager asked, if we could have a picture of you two, for our celebrity wall?"

Both, boy and girl looked at each other, blinked and stared again at the nervous waitress.

"Sure!" Mikhail shrugged.

"Of course." Pyrrha smiled.

"Thank you!"

XXX

"Well that was something." Both Mikhail and Pyrrha walked towards Vale's Park "At least, we are now…." He stopped and looked at his friend "Sorry Pyrrha, I know that you actually don't really like your fame."

Pyrrha shook her hands "No, it is fine, Mikhail." While Pyrrha was always sad, when being idolized and praised, even after her first defeat, she was still famous. She hadn't ….the streak like Mikhail, who could easily make friends, despite being famous too, she was still happy.

Since Pyrrha attended Beacon, she found so many new friends, and all thanks to Mikhail, who always treat her like normal person.

The biggest plus, for her, is that many people think that both of them are a couple…..but that made her also a little bit sad, since she hadn't much courage to ask Mikhail.

She feared, that her friendship was over, if she would confess her feelings to him.

"Oh Pyrrha!" She was brought out of her thoughts, when Mikhail called her "Let's sit on that bench!

She nodded and both of them sat down.

Now they were looking at the sky, it was almost dusk.

"*Sigh*" Both of them sighed simultaneously and then they looked at each other and began to laugh.

"I missed such moments, with you, Mikhail." She leaned her head on his shoulders and looked with a smile at the entire park.

Children who were playing, parents who looked after them, birds, that flew around and the endless sky.

"Me, too, Pyr….." He leaned his head on hers, and both of them sat there. Both of them listened to the happy shouts of the children, the chirping of the birds and the wind, which flowed peacefully throw the trees.

After some time passed, Pyrrha asked her best friend "Mikahil?"

"Yes?"

"Do you believe in destiny?"

Suddenly…Mikhail froze…..

"Mikhail?"

"No, I never believed in destiny."

The former champion's eyes widened, when Mikhail answered while standing up "I believe, that we should carve our own way and besides, that we should not lay our fate in the hand of something dumb as such a cosmic trash," He turned around, Pyrrha saw him smiling "With the words of someone, dear to me, only the weak and pathetic believe in such nonsense as destiny, Pyrrha."

A shiver ran through Pyrrha's spine and before she could react….

"I need to go to the bathroom."

XXX

Normally, Mikhail would never use a public toilet, since as a former dragon, he was fanatic when it comes to hygiene.

He went out, holding his nose. Even though, public ones, in Vale, are very clean, and machines are looking after it, his sensitive smelling sense, caused him to shiver in disgust.

"I should hurry….." Suddenly Mikhail stopped, washing his hands, and narrowed his eyes.

*Clack* Zero Rose moved itself, due a new automatic trigger, and went out of the sheath, only to be grabbed by Mikhail.

*Clang*

His weapon clashed with another sword and Mikhail's eyes widened.

Before him stood an attractive but also short girl….or rather woman. Her hair was half pink and half brown, with white streaks in the pink half. She wore a white jacket with a pink interior, brown pants, and gray boots with very high heels. Under her jacket was a black corset, curved in the middle and at the bottom, exposing her hips. She also wore a multitude of necklaces, which hung haphazardly around her neck.

She smirked, while holding a cylindrical sword with a curved handle in her right hand and a pink umbrella. Her umbrella was elaborately decorated in lace fabric of multiple colors; these being mostly pink and white, in the middle, as well as red and brown, at the edges. The umbrella was also translucent.

Mikhail frowned, the girl was dangerous, the stench of blood and death was on her, and when she blinked, she suddenly had like him two different eye colors.

"May I ask why you are attacking me?"

The girl smirked and shrugged her shoulders; she loosened the grip on her sword and suddenly made a spinning kick.

Mikhail reacted fast, he stepped back, only to widen his eyes, when the girl suddenly gained her momentum and flicked back.

When she stopped, she sheathed her sword back and opened her umbrella, only to bow.

"So you want it this way, huh?" Mikhail cracked his neck, with closed eyes "Then come, and get a good thrashing!" When he opened them, the scleras became black and his irises slits.

The girl suddenly shuddered, but instead of shaking or showing another fearful expression, she just licked her lips.

She had only one thought….will this be funny?

On Mikhail's face appeared a bloodthirsty grin….the feeling of having an enemy who was good in killing and fighting…made his blood boil….

"Let's dance!" Then both predators, clashed…

Hope you like the chapter. Don't forget to read my other one, too.

By the way, Mikhail has only platonic feelings for Pyrrah, because of her red hair, and gentle personality, she reminds him of Angelus.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Khan