Why fight? (Private with G.Helder)

[Phlox Fessenden]

Phlox lets out a tiny cry of frustration as he defeats yet another training hologram. The hologram disappears, leaving Phlox feeling indifferent, but it does help him improve his accuracy and speed. He realizes that his true challenge will be when he faces a live opponent, which could happen soon. He groans under his mask and walks back to his locker to restock on smoke bombs and check if the playback device is still functioning. During this routine, he becomes lost in his thoughts.

.. I don't know why I still do this. To avenge a crime that happened so long ago, to prove something to myself or others?

He quickly regained his focus and closed his locker. However, the ends of his trenchcoat got stuck in the door. After freeing himself, he reminded himself that his training was not in vain and that he was ready for any challenge that might come his way. With a deep breath, he left the locker room and sat on one of the nearby benches in the training room. He took out his scroll and meticulously reviewed each recorded fight he had been in.

[Grise Heldar]

*Loud, metallic footsteps echoed as a tall woman entered the room, wearing a metallic armour and a big piece of metal strapped to her back. Her hair were gray too, and her expression sour.*
"...Oh, hello. I did not thought I would find anyone in here. Are you leaving ? I would like to train, if you don't mind, and I prefer to do so alone. I can wait until you're done."

[Phlox Fessenden]

He was engrossed in watching his recordings when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching. His instincts kicked in and he quickly turned his head towards the source of the sound. Standing before him was a tall woman with grey hair, dressed in leather clothing that appeared to be lacking in protective capabilities. However, he suspected that she was not as vulnerable as she seemed, and that there was armor underneath her clothing which would give her greater protection but also restrict her movement.

He assessed her body language and posture, trying to determine whether she was a rushdown or a tank. He had strategies for both, but he needed more observation to decide which one she was.

Despite the fact that humans had caused him great pain in the past, he found himself hesitating before pushing her away. Something about her intrigued him, and he was curious to learn more about her.

"Soon..." he said, before turning his attention back to his recordings.

[Grise Heldar]

"Understood."
*She took three steps back and untied her weapon from her back, opening it to peer inside. If Phlox had turned his head, he would've been greeted by the sight of spikes and sawblades hidden inside of a giant metal club. She seemed to tinker with it a bit, as if trying to ensure it would work properly. It wasn't very noisy, but it was still noticeable.*

[Phlox Fessenden]

He was battling with the overwhelming noise created by his bat ears, which amplified every sound of cog, gear, and switch around him. The noise felt like an orchestra of clanging metal, continually annoying him to no end. He could have used Reverb to silence the noise, but using it would have caused his aura level to gradually diminish, making him more vulnerable to future potential threats. Despite the discomfort, he knew he had to persevere to keep himself from losing his mind. However, he was on the brink of losing it.

With a groan, he paused the recording and walked cautiously towards a woman, using Reverb to silence his footsteps. As he crouched beside her, he analyzed both her and her weapon. The weapon looked terrifying, like a torture device designed for the average person. He wanted to say something, but the presence of the weapon silenced him, and he watched in silence how it worked.

[Grise Heldar]

*She saw him approach and shoot a look at him, before returning to her work. The shape of the club became clearer, revealing that it actually wasn't just a club, but an actual Iron Maiden with a handle. Once she was done tinkering with her portable torture device, she activated it, watching the blades rapidly spin for a moment before turning them off and closing the two metallic doors at the front, hiding the inside.*
"Are you interested in my weapon ?"

[Phlox Fessenden]

Phlox didn't reply for a while, just observing the mechanics of the iron madien weapon. The intricate gears turning inside the contraption fascinated him, and he couldn't help but admire a bit the craftsmanship that went into creating such a deadly device. Though he quickly spotted the various flaws of this device, one of them being that it also heavy, assuming only making it slow with any idiot. There is no doubt that Phlox's keen eye for detail would serve him well in dismantling and disarming the iron maiden. As he continued to study it, he began to formulate a plan in his mind on how to render the weapon useless if he were to fight, all the while keeping a calm and collected demeanor. With a steady hand and a focused mind, Phlox was fairly confident that he could outsmart even the most cunning of traps. Despite its impressive appearance, Phlox knew he could easily outsmart and disable the iron maiden if necessary.

"Waste of metal." He said underneath his breath, walking away form Grise as he walked up to his locker, taking out some mini chakrams to practice his aim.

[Grise Heldar]

*She did not hear him, but still answered something as he left.*
"It's rude to not answer when someone is talking to you, you know. You won't get many friends this way."
*Weirdly enough, she said it in a tone that was closer to a friendly advice than someone actually telling him off.*

[Phlox Fessenden]

"I wasn't planning on it," Phlox muttered as he continued to throw chakrams at a target several feet away. With each precise hit, a sense of satisfaction washed over him, leading him to consider starting something, such as recording data. An idea began to form in his mind. It had been months since he had last begun his little project, right after his historic visit, so to speak, and collecting data would be a real game-changer for him. With a deep sigh, he turned to the woman.


"Madam, I need to test out my skills on a real-life encounter... Would you mind being my target for a moment..please?" He mumbled, avoiding eye contact, clearly don't want to do this at all, but his rational side telling that was necessary.

[Grise Heldar]

"If I am to be a real-life encounter, I won't be a target. I'll be a threat."
*She answered by straightening up while holding her weapon in front of her, making Phlox realize just how goddamn tall she is. Her expression remained passive, but there was a fierceness in her metallic eyes.*
"My name is Grise. Grise Heldar. What is yours ?"*With an ease that came with years of practice, she started to slowly swing her weapon from side to side, then faster and faster, displaying not only skill but impressive strength and mastery.*
"And would you like me to go easy on you, or not ?"

[Phlox Fessenden]

He just rolled his eyes as she commented. Whether it was a threat or a target, it didn't matter; he just needed that data collection done. After this he needed to take a break, probably watch some analog horror. But in this case, he couldn't afford to let her get in his head. The collection had to be completed successfully. As He stood up, Phlox was momentarily put off by her height, but quickly regained his composure. He knew that distractions, messes, and failures were not an option. He reached for his sling gauntlet with the ammo and two smoke bombs, with the remaining chakrams in hand. It wasn't even a fight, just data collection. He didn't show any form of fear or awe as the woman swung her weapon, just focusing on the task at hand.

"Knock yourself out," he sighed, going to the other end of the room and setting his scroll down to record. Then he stretched for a bit and got himself into a fighting pose.

[Grise Heldar]

*Grise nodded.*
"No mercy it is then."
*Her weapon swung open, revealing the harpoons inside. She shot one with great speed and accuracy, but he still managed to dode. She raised one eyebrow, somewhat impressed. But rather than trying to shoot again, she started to swing her weapon around, and suddenly the iron cable that was tying the harpoon to her weapon was turned into a giant iron whip, with deadly strength, speed, and reach.*

[Phlox Fessenden]

As Phlox dodged the initial attack, he glared at Grise, judging and reading her movements and her facial expressions carefully. He knew she was skilled in combat, but he was determined not to let her get the best of him. Dodging the other attacks and making a swift movement, Phlox threw down a smoke grenade, enveloping the room in a thin blanket of grey mist. Using this, he disappeared into the smoke, practically becoming invisible to Grise's eyes. From there, he stalked up to Girse, catching her off-guard first by delivering a rapid foot strike to the back of the knee, crippling her to his height, before swiftly following it up with an elbow uppercut to the jaw, followed by a palm strike to her chest, before ending it with a swift throw of an ice chakram, freezing her in place, allowing him to deliver a tornado kick to the skull.

[Grise Heldar]

*She did not make a sound while getting beaten up. Not a grunt, nothing. The palm strike was pretty ineffective since she was still wearing a steel armor, in addition to her aura. Once he started to spin around, she lifted her hand and caught his ankle, standing up, broking through the ice with pure physical strength, before tossing him in the hair and striking him with her enormous weapon mid fall, sending him flying. But she wasn't done, as the movement she had infused had travelled along the iron cable, and when she inputed a second one, the steel pipe leaped from the ground and struck Phlox during his flight. Finally, she started to spin the cable around her at great speed, dissipating the smoke. She won't be caught a second time like this.
Her weapon was open, displaying it's guts. Nothing but spikes and sawblades.*

[Phlox Fessenden]

Phlox's eyes widen from their uninterested position as his ankle is grabbed. A pang of regret washes over him as he realizes the gravity of the situation, his heart pounding in his chest. He struggles to break free, but as he got thrown into the air and slammed down as he was falling, an attack which he was barely able to block with the guanlet of his, he knew that he was facing a formidable opponent, that theory once again being checked out as his trench coat barely kept a harpoon from piercing him. Crashing into some benches, it was a while before he pushed himself off the ground. Determination flashed in his eyes as he wiped off some blood and dirt from his face, clutching the arm that had been broken before.

'Bit more than I chew off…screw me, I guess. 'He thought to himself, thinking of a new plan. In the meantime, he stayed away, dodging and parrying with his gauntlet any another attack that came his way as he strategized his next move looking for any mistakes.

[Grise Heldar]

*She took just a moment to assess the situation, checking that his aura hadn't been shattered on the big screens displaying their remaining levels. Seeing that it hadn't, and therefore he hadn't been too badly hurt by his attacks, she refocused. Pressing a button on her weapon, the cable rewinded on itself, dragging the harpoon back inside. They were still an entire field apart from each other.*

[Phlox Fessenden]

Glancing at the screens, Phlox's bat ears drooped. He saw that he had done some damage, but not enough to make a real impact. As he let out a frustrated sigh, he noticed an opportunity as the cable pulled in. Phlox quickly threw down an ice chakram near Grise, then shot at it with a fire dust sling bullet from his gauntlet. The chakram exploded, mixing with the bullet to create a cloud of scorching steam that engulfed Grise. This allowed Phlox to grab the cable, tying some electric and gravity dust chakrams to it before using Reverb to quickly get himself in a good position without his steps being heard. From there, Phlox carefully kept himself hidden, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and take down Grise before he even knew what hit him.

[Grise Heldar]

*Just like before, she used the cable to dissipate the steam, but as she did, it slammed againt a wall, breaking the dust tied to the cables, pinning it down to the ground as well as sending a powerful shock directly into her body, making her let out a single pained grunt, but refusing to drop her weapon.*

[Phlox Fessenden]

His eyes grew wide with surprise at how well that strategy had worked for him. Reverb was used to his advantage as he dashed silently behind Grise, stomping her shins in quick succession before moving to her front and delivering a series of accurate blows to the liver, his knuckles bleeding from the impact with the armour. Then, he clapped his hands together, amplifying the sound to levels comparable to close-up fireworks, damaging and disorienting Grise momentarily as she stumbled back, covering her ears in pain. Taking advantage of her confusion, he swiftly swept her legs out from under her with all the strength he could muster, causing her to crash to the ground, her stomach meeting his knee as he slipped another electric chakram inside her armour that would activate in a while, hopping away with his kneecap in serious pain from bashing against armour.

[Grise Heldar]

*She was not to be caught unaware a second time : she took and threw away the chakram before it could activate.
Her legs weren't too damaged either, thanks to the metallic legwears she was wearing. All and all, her armour proved to be very effective... And so was his Semblance, it seemed.
For the first time since the battle started, she spoke : *
"It's not very smart to try and punch me when I'm wearing protections. You're not Jack, focus on my weakpoints. This sonic burst from earlier was quite effective, use it more."
*She did a few steps towards him, before raising her weapon until it was just in front of his face.*
"Furthermore, why do you insist on striking me with your fists instead of using your...
What are those sharp frisbee's name ? Anyway, are you looking down on me ? You better not, or I will get angry."

[Phlox Fessenden]

Phlox could only grit his teeth behind the mask as he saw the coffin in front of them, Despite his mask, his eyes betrayed the slightest hint of panic. He realized that he was running out of options without Requiem Avengement, and his own overconfidence was going to be his undoing. He sighed, regretting not taking the threat more seriously.

Then he had an idea. The lights! If he could short circuit them, it would create a distraction and give him the opportunity to make his move. With newfound determination, Phlox began to plan his attack. He pulled out his last electric chakram and hurled it towards Grise. The weapon "missed" its target and instead hit a nearby control panel. The lights flickered and then went out, leaving the room in complete darkness, save for the light coming from Phlox's scroll.

[Grise Heldar]

*She smirked. Now that was smarter. Using his advantage in the dark. However, as she clearly saw with his ears, he was a bat faunus, which meant that she could maybe hope that he would rely more on his ears than his eyes. In other words....
She took out her cloak and once again shot out her harpoons, all six of them this time, while holding the handle through the cloak she just took off, lowering the conductivity of her weapon. She then started to wildly swing, making said harpoons collide against the walls, the floor and the ceiling of the place, creating an enormous amout of very unpleasant and loud sound.*

[Phlox Fessenden]

Now that it's dark, Phlox is in a better position. He moves through the shadows quickly and silently, his eyes adjusting to the darkness and his bat ears tuned to echolocation as he closes in on his target. After a minute or two, doubt clouds his judgment, and he decides it would be best to go to his locker and retrieve everything he needs, mostly Requiem Avengemnet and all of his chakrams. He rushes to his locker, takes his weapons, and feels a wave of strength and resolve pass through him.

He entered the stadium without having gone more than three steps when he heard it: the sound of metal hitting concrete from all directions filled the space. This sound would have been terrible to anybody else, but to Phlox, it was magnified to the point of excruciating deafening pain, like having two police sirens wailing in his ears. Holding Requiem Avengement firmly in one hand, he turned on Reverb to drown out the sounds and concentrate only on the work at hand. Though he understood that by the time he reached Grise's position, his aura levels would be exhausted. He sighed and switched off Reverb, his bat ears pressing down on his skull as he trudged to where she was, his cello already in axe shape, the cacophony still overwhelming his senses. He was queasy, lightheaded, and bewildered, but he forced himself to persevere through the excruciating pain and eventually found Grise where he thought she should be. He used all of his effort to strike her with Requiem Avengerment, where Phlox believes her hip should be, right as the lights' secondary power turned on.

[Grise Heldar]

*While swinging, Grise also tried to wave the harpoons around her in such a way that it would create a sort of barrier, who would prevent anyone from coming too close, but she knew it had little hope of working. Therefore, she decided to switch her strategy, and finally activated her Semblance. Although this would be of no effect on a person, the side-effect that allowed her to slightly shine would maybe allow her to to discern her opponent, and with some luck even blind him, as he wouldn't expect such light. What Phlox thought was the light's secondary power was actually her body and weapon shining a bright, grey-silver light, blinding him and allowing her to deflect his assault with her metallic gauntlet... Or so she thought, as the sonic burst that resulted from his weapon clanking against her armour assaulted her senses, making her grit her teeth in pain, as the screen displayed the first real dent in her aura reserve. However, her neutral expression switched to an angered determination as she grabbed the younger boy by the collar, threw him on the ground, stepped on him to prevent him from escaping before opening Nyctophobia, holding the weapon side-way as the rotating blades started to whirr.*
"I believe that now would be a wise time to give up."

[Phlox Fessenden]

"Give up? You think you can just push me around like that!? The likes of you!?" Phlox snarled behind his mask, in a rare showcase of his temper. His normally silent and collected demeanour crackled with anger as he struggled against the foot on his chest, his eyes flashing with fury. His muscles strained against the weight above him, but it was of no use. Utilizing his quick thinking, he let out a squeak, using his semblance to enhance it into a high-pitched screech that reverberated through the room. The sudden sound caught Grise off guard, giving Phlox the split-second opportunity he needed to twist out from under the foot and roll away, though he lost the trenchcoat, springing back to his feet with a fierce determination in his eyes.

Grise stumbled back in surprise, momentarily thrown off balance by Phlox's unexpected tactic. Taking advantage of the momentary confusion, Phlox loads three chakrams, first shooting an ice one in Nyctophobia's system, causing it to freeze in place. He then shoots both an electric and a gravity chakram together, respectively, the two landing in front of Grise and exploding, creating a large magnetic field that pulls both Grise and Nyctophobia towards the centre of the blast.

"You'll have to try harder than that," he said coldly, Requiem's Avengement transforming into its axe mode again, a metallic shear accompanying it. "I don't plan on losing to any of you ever again, no matter the situation, no matter the odds."

[Grise Heldar]

*With a warcry, she shattered the two chakrams that were dragging her towards Phlox. But, as he spoke, she answered : *
"... No. That's enough."
*She took out a thin dagger out of her boot, used it to shatter the ice, freeing her weapon, before closing it and putting it in her back.*
"You're not thinking clearly. Look at your Aura level. I'm ending it before you...."
*Not the best way to convince him.*
"Before either of us gets hurt. This is a lesson that you will have to learn, to flee and live to fight another day. I had to learn it, especially as the team leader."
*She remained silent for a moment, before adding : *
"If you die, everything you fought for will be for naught. But if you flee, then you get another chance. Another shot at... Whatever you're trying to achieve. Revenge, glory... All of it can still be achieved as long as you breathe."

[Phlox Fessenden]

He let out a derisive snort as he took off his mask, his maroon eyes gleaming with anger and disgust like a vampire just finding out the blood of his victim was laced with garlic.

"Don't lecture me about living to fight another day!" Phlox yelled, his fists tightly clenched, as painful memories of his parents' fate flooded his mind. Tears started to form in his eyes, the loss and betrayal still fresh in his heart. However, as he glared at her with hatred, a conflict arose within him - logic versus emotion. He could keep fighting, but at what cost? He couldn't deny that she, a human, was stronger and faster than him (though not necessarily smarter). In the end, she was just better.

"…No.. That's where you're wrong. Do you think I do this for pride, for glory? It's always what you fucking humans fail to understand. I fight for something greater than myself, for justice, for the ones oppressed by the tyranny of your kind."

His knuckles turn white as repressed memories and emotions start to bubble more and more to the surface. "You have no idea what that tyranny stole from me..."

He recklessly charges forward, letting out a savage roar of anguished determination. Aura levels be damned, Phlox fights with the desperation of someone who has nothing left to lose.

"I don't care if I die trying, at least I'll go down fighting against the injustice that stole my family's future!" Each word drips with bitterness and an unshakable resolve forged in tragedy.

[Grise Heldar]

*For the first time, her expression turned into one of anger and displeasure. With her weapon, she swatted his out of his hands, then simply threw Nyctophobia aside and hit him with the meanest backhand ever, before grabbing his collar and lifting him again.*
"I did not stole your family's future. I didn't even knew you before setting foot in this place ! I met my first faunus upon arriving to school when I was sixteen, I am not responsible for whatever you've been through, and therefore breaking yourself against me will achieve nothing ! Do not force your ideal of justice on me when you don't even know me ! Do not blame me for something I hold no control against ! Do I look like I have any sort of political power that would've allowed me to prevent discrimination against your kind somehow ?! No, I do not ! So, cease to blame me for the actions of people who's only link with me is my race !"

[Phlox Fessenden]

Phlox's shoulders slumped as his weapon clattered to the ground. He barely registered the stinging backhand that sent him reeling, his vision blurring as the hit sent a shockwave of pain through his head. His mind raced as he struggled to stay conscious, and before he felt himself being lifted from the floor, his collar was grabbed roughly, cutting off his air supply. With the last of his strength, he fought against her grip, but it was futile. As darkness crept into the edges of his vision, he started to let out a soft, painful, and mournful chuckle, with tears streaming down his face.

"Well, aren't you... quite the crusader," he wheezes out between clenched teeth. "Swooping in to lecture the poor, delusional faunus about the injustices he knows nothing about."

Then follows silence. An eerie silence fills the room, only interrupted by the sound of coughing and the song of the breeze passing out from an air conditioner. Blood slowly dripped out of Phlox's mouth to the floor below, forming a tiny pool that reflected the dim light.

"…I feel like I'm torturing myself," he muttered to himself, barely above a whisper as his consciousness faded in and out. "I'm punishing myself for the failure of my people, for my ideals, for my anger. But I think it's the pain… that pushes me to keep fighting and never give up on what I believe in. Even if it kills me, at least I'll die with my ideals intact."

He straightened himself to stare the bastard in the eye.

"I… truly never want to be a huntsman… I wanted to be an engineer, to create something that would make a real difference in the world, to help everybody. But when it ha-" He paused for a minute, wondering why in the hell he was just venting to someone about this, a human nonetheless.

"Just finish me off already, I have the data I need already."

[Grise Heldar]

*She did not answered, instead lowering herself and laying him on the ground.*
"You shouldn't say that to me. I can't help you. I'm just a stranger. If that is how you really feel, you should go see someone who can help you relieve your pain. A medical professional. Or maybe turn to religion. Whatever you feel would work best. Work on yourself. And if you don't want to be a huntsman, then quit. Nobody will hold it against you."
*She strapped her weapon in her back and started to leave, but then turned back.*
"One of my teammates is creating a club dedicated to your kind. Maybe you could go there and share your experiences. And if you ever get bothered by someone because of who you are, well... Me and my team will gladly help you shut them up, if you ever need help."