Hey there, Everyone! I know it's been a long time since I've updated this story, but not to worry I will be updating it as often as I can from here on out. This chapter will focus more on some character development and the interaction between Daikon and the Saiyan siblings before the Vytal tournament.
As such, to begin volume 3 here is the new opening:
Opening theme: Black Rover (Black Clover Opening 3)
Visuals: The camera pans from the sky down to just above Beacon Academy as a bird perches on top of the Beacon Tower's Spire as the title card Flame and Crimson flashes upon the screen. Following this, it opens up to Teams NDTSA and RWBY walking alongside each other and laughing before Weiss begins to chase Daikon for some comment he no doubt made. It flashes to a panel of JNPR, some of the other Vytal Tournament Participants and Beacon's faculty before it zooms in on Ozpin briefly.
The bridge is a compilation of the Saiyan characters and team rwby training against each other before the screen darkens with Cinder, Emerald, Neo and others smirking darkly before rushing into the screen. The chorus is a scene of the main cast fighting back against a horde of Grimm invaders before transitioning to a scene of Nova and Turuk fighting Cinder with their ki surrounding them. Nova kneels briefly and breathes in slowly as a menacing shadow of an oozaru (Saiyan Great Ape) is seen behind him as he charges towards cinder again.
The song ends with Ruby and Nova entwining their hands together as they stare at the sunset.
Chapter 23: Training, Rest, & Relaxation?
The teens had returned back to Beacon and had reported to Ozpin about what took place in Tenkawa. Although this did cause some concern, Ozpin recognized that the group of three teams were exhausted from the dangerous mission. He had told them that they didn't need to worry about doing anything else for now other than resting and preparing for the Vytal Tournament in a few days.
The teens were more than happy to take him up on his offer of course. JNPR went back to their dorms to rest, as did RWBY. NDTSA and their leader, Nova, had something a little different in mind though. Our story picks up the next day as Nova and his team are debriefing on what occurred during the Tenkawa mission.
"Training?," The rest of them asked.
Nova nodded.
"Not to doubt you, Nova, but.. is there a reason why we need to?," Scarlett asked curious.
"I'm glad you asked, Scarlett. Listen, you all remember what happened in Tenkawa?," Nova answered.
Flashes went through their minds about the experience. Aiko slightly shuddered at the thought, she never wanted to go through something that scary again.
Daikon spoke up.
"We remember, what of it?," Daikon asked.
"Don't you think maybe all that happened because we weren't prepared for it?," Nova suggested.
They couldn't argue that. Perhaps had they been more prepared, they could've avoided being put into such a dangerous situation.
"Scarlett.," Nova said.
The red haired saiyan looked to her team leader as he addressed her.
"Yeah, what's up?," She asked.
"You... wouldn't mind training Yang, would you?," He asked.
Scarlett's eyes widened.
"Train the blonde? Um... sure, but uh... you sure she even needs it?," Scarlett asked a little nervous.
Turuk then spoke.
"She does, Scarlett. You saw her power, Yang doesn't have control of it. She needs someone to guide her in how to use that saiyan power of hers. If no one trains her how to use her power, then...," Turuk said trailing off.
Scarlett gulped and was seen to be slightly sweating.
"We could have another situation like in Tenkawa with her... (sighs) Fine, I get it. Myself and Aiko will go train with her.," Scarlett answered.
Aiko looked towards Nova and Turuk with a bit of a confused look on her face.
"What about you, C-Captain... I mean.. N-Nova?" Aiko asked.
Scarlett nodded.
"Aiko's right, what about you and Turuk? What will you two be doing?," Scarlett asked.
They had a point. It would only be right to tell them, they were their teammates... as well as their extended family. Nova responded to their inquiry not even a moment later.
"Well.. Turuk and Myself will be doing training of our own with professor Koizumi. In fact, he specifically requested to be put in charge of our training.," Nova answered.
"He did? Why's that?," Scarlett asked.
Nova and Turuk both shrugged in confusion.
"Honestly... we don't know why. But... whatever he has in mind for us, it must be pretty important for him to request Nova and myself directly.," Turuk answered.
Nova then looked to Aiko and spoke.
"Aiko, can I ask you for a favor if you don't mind?," Nova asked.
Aiko flinched at first, but then became curious as to what favor Nova, her cousin, and the leader of their team could be asking of her.
"Y-Yes? I mean.. a-ahem! Yes, Nova? What is it?," She responded.
"You've been a saiyan for a little while, yes?," Nova asked.
Aiko nodded in response to his question.
"Y-Yes, I have.,"She answered.
"Okay, great. Would you say that you've learned how to control your power and urges as a hybrid saiyan?," Nova asked.
Aiko nodded again, wondering where exactly her cousin was going with this.
"Mostly, yes. Is there... a reason that you're asking me this Captai- oh! I mean N-Nova?," Aiko asked.
Nova chuckled and patted Aiko's head, making her tail not so subtly wag in happiness.
"It's alright, Aiko. You can call me Captain if that's what's most comfortable for you.," Nova answered. "Consider it a special priviledge for being my youngest cousin.,"
"O-Okay. Thank you.," Aiko said shyly with her tail wagging happily.
"But back to your question, yes, there's a reason for me asking you this series of questions. I'm wondering if you could train Ruby as far as being a saiyan is concerned. Show her the ropes if you will.," Nova answered.
Aiko's eyes widened.
"Me, h-help miss Ruby?!," Aiko asked surprised.
Nova nodded.
"Yeah. See she's uh... not going to be human for much longer. That one's kinda... MY fault.," Nova explained. "As far as being a saiyan is concerned, she's pretty clueless. So I was hoping you could help her with that a little bit."
Scarlett eyed Nova not unlike an older sister would when her younger brother did something wrong.
"Nova, what do you mean by it's YOUR FAULT she won't be human much longer?," Scarlett asked. "What did you do THIS time?"
Nova sweatdropped as he raised up his hands defensively.
"😅Oh... just that I may have accidentally changed her blood to be that of a saiyan...," Nova said nervous.
"You did WHAT?!," Scarlett screamed before palming her head in annoyance. "Ugh, nevermind. I can more or less guess how that happened.,"
she continued.
"Anyways, come on Aiko. Nova and Turuk gotta go. We'll meet up with you and the others later, okay?," Scarlett said.
Nova nodded before the teens did their signature greeting before parting ways. The four of them fist bumped before grasping each other's forearms, before releasing them, spining around slightly and high fiving each other. Sacrlett and Aiko going in one direction, while Nova and Turuk headed to the area Tarro had instructed them to head towards after making their report to Ozpin about the mission the other day. One way or another, it was going to be an eventful day at Beacon. But, at least they wouldn't have to worry about any aliens crazy enough to try planting a tree that fed on others for the sake of individually getting more powerful like Turles. That last one wasn't a particularly pleasant thought. The last thing they needed was someone crazy doing something as messed up as what Turles pulled off just the previous day. Turuk looked back towards his brother.
"You think they'll be okay?," Turuk asked seriously.
Nova nodded in response to his brother's inquiry.
"Yeah, they'll be fine. Besides, I think Aiko and Ruby could learn a thing or two from each other. They'll get along well I think.," Nova said.
"If you say so, brother.," Tutuk said.
Nova noticed the pause in his brother's response.
"You're still worried about something, aren't you?," Nova asked.
Turuk nodded.
"Yeah...," He trailed off.
"It's about Yang, isn't it? You're worried about her, aren't you?," Nova asked.
Turuk sighed. He couldn't hide anything from his older brother, could he? Nova saw right through him. Relenting, the younger Saiyan sibling nodded his head.
"Honestly, yeah. I mean... you saw her yesterday. She couldn't control her own power when she found out that she was a saiyan.," Turuk said worriedly.
Nova nodded, he understood now.
"Ah. So you're concerned that she may have a relapse of what happened when she has to face the fact she's not a human with a clear conscience.," Nova said.
Turuk nodded.
"😏Don't worry too much about it, our cousins know what they're doing. Besides, if you're still concerned about her you could.. always go see Yang later.," Nova said smiling slyly.
Turuk knew what his brother was getting at and attempted to change the subject.
"A-Ahem! Let's just go see what Professor Koizumi wants alright?!," Turuk said with a slightly embarrassed look on his face before turning away.
Nova inwardly chuckled. He'd leave it alone for now. The subject of him feeling worried about Yang was obviously a bit of a sore spot for him right now. He'd try and talk to his brother about it again later on. The saiyan brothers then headed towards where their instructor had said to meet them at.
With Scarlett and Aiko...
The Reinhardt sisters set out to find team Rwby at the request of their team leader, Nova. Scarlett was wracking her brain as to how she would even begin to train Yang, who apparently, was a saiyan all along to her surprise... no thanks to Turles revealing that fact in the midst of their struggle against him.
The more she thought about, the more it just made sense to start with the basics with Yang. The blonde was already quite poweful in her own right, she was now even moreso since her saiyan blood had been awoken from its slumber.
"How could I have missed that? I never even thought to question why Yang is as strong as she is without her saiyan instincts being awakened.," Scarlett thought to herself.
She turned to Aiko as they approached the fairgrounds, seeing the team of 4 girls from a distance.
"You good, Aiko?," Scarlett asked.
Aiko turned, a little startled and then nodded.
"Wha?! Huh? O-oh yeah, sure.," Aiko said startled.
Scarlett sighed and chuckled as she patted her younger sister on the back.
"You'll do fine, Aiko. No need to be so tense. Ruby is a very understanding person. You'll do fine.," Scarlett encouraged her sister.
Aiko was still slightly nervous, but she nodded and agreed after her sister's vote of confidence in her.
"R-Right!," Aiko said tensely.
The quartet of girls then noticed the Reinhardt sisters, smiling upon greeting them. Ruby, of course was the first among them to greet the approaching girls.
"Scarlett! Aiko! Hey there.," Ruby said greeting them excitedly.
Weiss, Blake, and eventually Yang also turned towards the duo.
"Fancy meeting you guys here. What are you two up to?," Weiss asked.
Aiko was the one who spoke this time, surprising Scarlett a bit inwardly.
"We actually had a bit of some free time before the vytal tournament starts, so we thought about maybe checking out the festival.," Aiko answered.
The girls nodded at this before Scarlett noticed Yang was a bit subdued. She contributed at points to the conversation, but she seemed kinda... awkward around her teammates. While the others were chatting away cheerfully with Aiko, Scarlett motioned to the side so Yang could see the gesture.
"You have a minute to Talk, Yang?," Scarlett asked her.
Yang was a little confused, but nodded in response.
"Yeah, I suppose I do. Why do you ask?," Yang questioned.
Scarlett replied honestly. She felt no reason to hide the truth from her, this was her friend after all.
"There's something I'd like to speak to you about if you don't mind. It'll only take a little while.," Scarlett replied.
Yang sighed and then nodded.
"Fine. If it's only for a little while, I guess I can oblige you.," Yang said.
The other girls noticed Yang and Scarlett walking away from them and they grew curious about it.
"Where are you two going?," Ruby asked.
Yang smiled, although Scarlett knew it was forced.
"Scarlett just wanted to talk to me about something. It's nothing to worry about, Rubes. We'll catch up with you guys in a little bit, okay?," Yang said.
Blake nodded in understanding and Weiss simply shrugged indifferent.
"Okay, if you say so sis... Just don't take too long, okay?," Ruby said as the group of girls then left the two alone to talk.
Yang then looked to Scarlett.
"So, what did you want to talk about with me, Scarlett?," Yang asked.
Scarlett looked to the blonde haired girl with a serious expression.
"Be honest with me, Yang... You still haven't come to terms with what was revealed to you about yourself, have you?," Scarlett asked.
Yang sighed and momentarily looked away before looking towards Scarlett again.
"No, but that's just it: What.. am I supposed to think after being told something like THAT?" Yang replied.
Scarlett offered the girl a small smile to calm her friend down as it was clear she was hyper ventilating since learning of her secret.
"Look Yang, that's why I'm here.. to help you come to terms with the the fact that.. you're not a human anymore. Your Saiyan blood was jolted awake by Turles actions.," Scarlett said.
Yang just wordlessly nodded as she listened to Scarlett. The red haired girl continued.
"Incidentally.. have you noticed anything different about yourself since the whole.. "Berserk Mode" back on Tenkawa yesterday?", Scarlett asked.
Yang thought for a moment, before replying. Truthfully, not much had changed since then. But if she had to pick anything that was different about herself since then...
"Now that you mention it.. I have well, oddly been craving larger portions of food since then.," Yang said in thought.
Scarlett nodded as if taking in the info Yang provided.
"Go on, tell me more Yang. Anything else different?," Scarlett replied.
Yang crossed her arms and closed her eyes in thought before opening them again.
"Well... I've had this really odd itching feeling near my lower back since this morning. Almost like there was something that wasn't there previously...," Yang said.
Scarlett raised an eyebrow before noticing something moving in the back of Yang's jacket that she normally wore.
"An odd itching near your lower back you say?," Scarlett asked.
The blonde nodded, but raised an eyebrow in confusion, not understanding what this had to do with what Scarlett wanted to speak to her about.
"Yeah. What's that got to do with this whole thing?," Yang asked confused.
Scarlett sighed and looked at her friend right in the eyes.
"This has everything to do with this, Yang, try to understand.." Scarlett said before continuing.
She walked behind Yang and found the source of the odd lump in the back of her friend's jacket. Yang, confused by her friend's actions just looked at the redhead quizzically.
"Pardon me for doing this Yang.. but.. aha!," She said spotting what she was looking for.
Scarlett was seen to be suddenly pulling something yellow and furry out of the back of Yang's jacket before the girl suddenly felt weak and fell to her knees.
"Scarlett what are you- urk! W-Why do I feel so w-weak?," Yang said collapsing to her knees.
Scarlett nodded before letting go of the furry appendage.
Yang remained on the ground for a few moments before she felt her strength return to her. Shooting up to her feet, Yang stormed over to Scarlett clearly angered by what her friend just did.
"WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT FOR, SCARLETT?!," Yang asked clearly very bothered.
Scarlett smirked,so she could get upset like a saiyan then. That confirmed it.
"Don't say I told ya so but.. look behind you Yang. If you're not a Saiyan.. then what's that behind your back?," Scarlett said pointing to the furry golden monkey tail swing from Yang's backside.
Looking behind her, Yang was in shock and disbelief at what she saw. There, like Scarlett pointed out was a furry golden yellow monkey tail springing and loosely moving from her backside. It was like... it had a mind of its own by how it moved.
"What the-?! HOW DO I HAVE A TAIL?! That wasn't there when I went to sleep yesterday!," Yang replied freaking out.
Scarlett then spoke up after grabbing Yang by the shoulders, forcing the blonde to look at her in the eyes.
"Look at me, Yang!"
The blonde did as the red haired saiyan girl asked.
"I realize all of this is overwhelming to you and goes against everything you thought that you knew, but I need you to listen to me carefully.", Scarlett continued.
Yang wordlessly nodded, signaling for Scarlett to continue. Seiing that she now had the go ahead to continue her explanation, Scarlett spoke up again.
" This is just a result of your saiyan blood being jolted awake. No thanks to the actions of Turles, Slug and company, the saiyan blood that's been dormant inside of you has been woken up." Scarlett explained.
"My.. Saiyan.. blood?," Yang asked still slightly in disbelief.
Scarlett nodded.
"Did you not ever consider where that 'need to fight' came from? Or why you have always wanted to see who was stronger than you?" Scarlett questioned her.
Yang adopted a thoughtful, but still slightly surprised expression.
"Now that you mention it... I did think that was always a bit 'odd'.," Yang replied in thought.
"I believe that may have been your saiyan nature speaking to you, even though it was still dormant at the time. And... thanks to that, you were able to meet Turuk. Whom.. unless I'm mistaken, you have some very strong feelings for. Or.. am I wrong about that?," Scarlett said.
Yang felt her face slightly heat up at the mention of Turuk.
"I..well, y-you're n-not wrong per se'... It's complicated..," Yang admitted stuttering slightly with a reddened face.
Scarlett smirked at the blonde.
"Your saiyan blood is what drew you to him. I believe the saiyan side of you recognized Turuk's strength as desirable in a partner, so it merely helped you along. Your own feelings are what really matter in the situation, Yang. And.. If I know my cousin.. I'd be willing to believe that he's already accepted you as a woman. He's just.. not sure how to approach you about the subject, he's delightfully awkward about the subject of his feelings for you."Scarlett reassured Yang.
Yang's eyes widened and she blushed at the implication of Scarlett's words to her.
"Why are you telling me all of this, Scarlett?," Yang asked curious.
Scarlett then smiled towards her friend.
"Well.. at first, it was only becuase my cousin asked me to. But now... I just want to help you, Yang. I wanted to help you not only come to terms with what you are, but also to help train you.," Scarlett explained.
Yang looked at her friend confused at first, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"Train me?," Yang asked curious.
Scarlett nodded.
"Yeah. I want to help train you to fight as a saiyan would. You wouldn't want a relapse of what happened with Turles, would you?," Scarlett asked.
Flashes of what happened on Tenkawa ran through her mind, making Yang shake her head emphatically.
"No, sure don't.," Yang said shivering at the thought. "What do I need to do?"
Scarlett smiled towards the girl.
"Well, the first thing you need to do is learn to control your Ki, (Yang shoots her a confused look) in other words, your energy.," Scarlett replied.
"How do I do that?," Yang asked.
Scarlett then puts her hand upon Yang's shoulder as she smiles towards the blonde brawler.
"That's why I'm here, Yang to help you. As for how to go about controlling your Ki, It's like this...," Scarlett said as she began to explain the process to her.
Meanwhile with Ruby and the other girls...
Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Aiko were enjoying the Festival so far. They'd gone through Vale, visiting different shops and stalls all the way to trying different kinds of food which they had there at the festival. About midway through their trip, the Schnee heiress and Blake noticed Ruby and Aiko lagging behind a little bit.
"Are you two coming?," Weiss asked.
Ruby nodded before Blake looked to Weiss and spoke.
"Actually Weiss, let's.. go on ahead. It seems that Aiko and Ruby have something important to discuss.," Blake suggested.
Weiss raised a curious eyebrow at this before shrugging.
"Well, alright. Just.. do try not to keep us waiting too long, okay?," Weiss said.
Blake simply nodded as she and Weiss then walked ahead, most likely to check out more of the Vytal Festival. This left Ruby and Aiko alone and with ample time to discuss things. Ruby then looked towards the hybrid Faunus girl.
"So Aiko, you uh... wanted to talk to me about something?," Ruby asked.
Aiko sighed as she nodded before remembering her sister's words to her.
"Yes.. Ruby. How have... you been adjusting to things?," Aiko replied.
Ruby was a little confused by this and asked what Aiko was referring to.
"Umm.. Fine, I guess. But.. what do you mean by that?," Ruby asked confused.
Aiko then spoke again.
"About being a saiyan now. You do know that you're no longer a human being now, right?,"Aiko responded.
Ruby had to think about that for a second, then after a moment, it finally clicked. Aiko was right... she really wasn't a human anymore. Especially not if she considered what had been taking place recently with her physically. She could fly, shoot lasers at people, and... (she looked behind her, noticing the black and furry monkey tail she now had) she a FREAKING TAIL! She was more similar to a faunus now rather than a human being..
"Well.., now that you mention it... It feels like.. my sense of balance has been a little "off" since the whole Tenkawa mission yesterday..," Ruby said in thought.
Aiko raised a curious eyebrow at this.
"Off how exactly?," Aiko asked.
"I haven't exactly (her saiyan tail uncurls as Aiko sees it) had a tail before... so yeah.," Ruby said.
"Ruby, how long have you had a tail for?," Aiko asked.
That seemed like a little bit of an odd question for her to ask, so Ruby was just honest with her.
"Well... I was feeling a little weird when I woke up yesterday, but I didn't think anything of it at the time... When I woke up this morning though, it was just... there.," Ruby answered.
Aiko nodded as if she was taking in the info. She asked her to continue, prodding the girl further.
"Then what? Did you uh.. perhaps notice anything different about yourself afterwards? It can be at any point.," Aiko told the girl.
This caused the girl to think about her friend's question. The teen girl adopted a thoughtful position as she thought on how to best answer her friend's question. After a moment or two of thinking, she had the answer.
"Well... now that you mention it.. I believe it was after we got back from the mission to Tenkawa yesterday...," Ruby began.
Aiko nodded, urging her to continue with her explanation.
"Go on.," Aiko said allowing Ruby to continue.
Nodding after getting the approval to continue, Ruby explained further.
"Well.. after we went back to our dorms is when I think I started feeling oddly really hungry for some reason. Which.. isn't normal. I thought maybe I was just feeling a bit queezy but...," Ruby said trailing off.
"Then you realized that you couldn't stop after your normal appetite was satisfied?," Aiko asked.
Ruby nodded.
"Yeah! and then I wake up the next morning to find that I had grown a tail overnight!," Ruby said frantic.
Aiko raised her hands in front of Ruby to calm her down. This was obviously weighing on the girl alot more then she initially let on.
"It's okay, Ruby! T-That's why I'm here to help you. We'll figure this out together.," Aiko said attempting to calm Ruby down.
Ruby sighed and nodded.
"Thanks, Aiko.," Ruby said to her friend.
"O-Oh it's really no problem. That's what friends are for.," Aiko said as her tail was seen to be subtly wagging in happiness behind her.
Ruby then looked towards her friend, determined to get started with their training.
"So um... what should we start with?," Ruby asked.
Aiko chuckled before answering.
"Normally I'd say with your energy, but... you seem to already have a firm grasp on that. How about... we start with mastering your flight?," Aiko suggested.
Ruby nodded as they began the lesson.
With Nova and Turuk....
The saiyan siblings arrived in the clearing where they were instructed to meet Tarro in. The brothers noticed that their professor had purposely chosen a wide open space for their training. That was probably smart, due to the specific type of training they were about to go through.
"This is the place I guess.," Nova said.
Turuk agreed. He was about to point out their fellow saiyan instructor was nowhere to be seen, only they heard a rather familiar voice call out to them.
"Good, it seems you two made it.," a voice said.
The brothers turned and noticed that Tarro had descended from above them as he now made his way forward.
"Professor Koizumi.," Turuk said.
The fellow saiyan raised a hand before speaking.
"Just Tarro, please. I am the same as you two, just a saiyan warrior.," Tarro said.
This put Turuk on guard as he suddenly tensed up.
"How do you know about that?," Turuk asked suddenly on edge.
Tarro just shrugged.
"It wasn't hard to guess. There are very few with our unique features among the faunus, and furthermore... It's your power. No normal Faunus would have quite the amount of power that you two possess.," Tarro explained.
Turuk relaxed as he saw the logic in Tarro's response to his inquiry.
"Fair point.," Turuk said relaxing his guard.
The Art of Warriors: Training Under Tarro
The morning sun cast long shadows across the clearing as Nova and Turuk faced their instructor. Tarro Koizumi stood before them, his own Saiyan tail wrapped securely around his waist - a warrior's stance they recognized well. The wide clearing he'd chosen suddenly felt more purposeful than just a training ground.
"Now that we've established what we are," Tarro said, his eyes studying both brothers carefully, "we can begin the real training. Tell me, have either of you ever wondered why your power feels... different from other warriors at Beacon?"
Nova and Turuk exchanged glances. It was something they'd noticed but rarely discussed outside their small circle.
"Our power comes in waves," Nova answered thoughtfully. "Like it's trying to break through a barrier."
Tarro nodded, a knowing smile crossing his face. "Exactly. What you're feeling is your Saiyan potential struggling against the limitations you've unconsciously placed on it. Your time on Remnant has taught you to fight like Huntsmen - but you're not just Huntsmen, are you?"
He moved with sudden speed, appearing between the brothers. Neither had seen him move. "You're Saiyans. Warriors born with the potential to break any limit, to grow stronger with every battle. But you've been holding back, afraid of your true nature."
Turuk bristled slightly. "We've had good reason to be cautious. Our power-"
"Could be dangerous if unleashed without control," Tarro finished. "Yes. But that's why I'm here. The events in Tenkawa proved one thing - you need to understand your true nature before it manifests in ways you can't control."
Nova stepped forward, his expression serious. "Like what happened with Yang?"
"Precisely." Tarro gestured to the clearing around them. "This space isn't just for training - it's reinforced with special barriers. Here, you can let go. Show me your full power."
The brothers shared another look before nodding. They moved to opposite ends of the clearing, their stances widening as they began to focus their energy.
"Don't think like Huntsmen," Tarro instructed. "Feel the warrior's blood in your veins. Let it rise naturally."
The air began to crackle with energy as both Nova and Turuk tapped into their power. The ground trembled slightly as golden auras began to flicker around them.
"That's it," Tarro encouraged. "But this isn't your limit. Push further. Remember every battle, every near defeat, every moment you wished you were stronger!"
Nova's aura flared brighter, his thoughts turning to Ruby, to protecting her. Beside him, Turuk's power surged as he remembered Yang's berserk state in Tenkawa, the helplessness he'd felt.
"Your Saiyan power responds to emotion," Tarro explained, walking between them. "But unlike Yang's uncontrolled transformation, you can learn to channel it. Direct it." He suddenly shot a ki blast at Nova, who barely managed to deflect it.
"Hey!" Nova protested, but Tarro was already moving, engaging both brothers in combat simultaneously.
"Don't think!" Tarro commanded, his movements fluid and precise. "Feel! React! Let your Saiyan instincts guide you!"
The training ground erupted into a fury of exchanges, ki blasts illuminating the morning air. Tarro moved between the brothers effortlessly, correcting their form with sharp jabs, pushing them to respond faster, hit harder.
"Your power isn't just about raw strength," he lectured as they fought. "It's about evolution. Every hit you take, every limit you break - it makes you stronger. That's what it means to be a Saiyan!"
Hours passed like minutes as they trained. By the time the sun had risen high overhead, both brothers were covered in sweat, their breathing heavy but their eyes alive with new understanding.
"Good," Tarro said, lowering his guard. "Very good. You're starting to understand. The power you felt today - that's just the beginning."
"There's more?" Turuk asked, somewhat incredulous.
Tarro's expression grew serious. "Much more. What happened in Tenkawa was a warning. There are others out there - other Saiyans who haven't learned to balance their power with wisdom. You'll need to be ready."
Nova wiped sweat from his brow. "Is that why you wanted to train us? Because you knew what was coming?"
"I wanted to train you because I recognized what you could become," Tarro corrected. "Your potential is extraordinary, even by Saiyan standards. But potential without guidance can be dangerous - to yourselves and others."
He looked at both brothers intently. "This is just the beginning. If you're willing to continue, I can teach you to master techniques that few Saiyans ever achieve. But you must be certain. Once you start down this path, there's no going back to simply being Huntsmen."
Nova and Turuk stood straighter, their decision made before the question was even finished. Their experiences in Tenkawa had shown them the cost of being unprepared.
"When do we start?" they asked in unison.
Tarro smiled, a warrior's pride gleaming in his eyes. "We already have. Same time tomorrow. And..." he added with a knowing look, "you might want to bring Yang next time, Turuk. She'll need this training as much as you do."
Turuk's face flushed slightly, but he nodded. They all knew the importance of mastering their Saiyan heritage now. The future of Beacon - and perhaps all of Remnant - might depend on it.
# Overcoming Weakness: A Saiyan's Pride
"One more thing before we end today's session," Tarro said, noting how both Nova and Turuk were catching their breath from their intense training. His eyes focused on their tails, which like most untrained Saiyans, were loosely swaying behind them. "Those tails of yours - they're more than just appendages. They're both your greatest weakness and potentially your greatest strength."
Nova and Turuk exchanged glances, their adopted sister Blake had often worried about their tails being vulnerable in combat. Being a cat Faunus herself, she understood the importance of protecting such sensitive appendages.
"Blake's always telling us we should keep them wrapped around our waists during fights," Nova mentioned, his tail unconsciously curling closer to his body at the thought.
Tarro nodded approvingly. "Your sister has good instincts. But simply wrapping them isn't enough - not for warriors of your caliber." He moved suddenly, faster than either brother could track, and grabbed both their tails simultaneously.
The effect was immediate - both brothers collapsed to their knees, strength draining from their bodies.
"See?" Tarro released them, allowing them to recover. "One grab and you're helpless. Any enemy who knows about Saiyan physiology would exploit this weakness. We need to fix that."
Turuk stood shakily, remembering how Blake had helped them train to resist tail-grabbing when they were younger. "Blake used to help us practice, but..."
"But it wasn't enough," Tarro finished. "Because she was being careful with you. Real enemies won't show such restraint." He walked around them, his own tail now unwrapped and moving with precise control. "Watch my tail. Notice how it moves - not randomly, but with purpose."
The brothers observed as Tarro demonstrated various tail movements, each fluid and controlled. "A Saiyan's tail contains numerous nerve clusters that, when properly trained, can actually enhance your combat abilities rather than hinder them."
"How do we start?" Nova asked, determined to overcome this weakness.
"First, we condition the tail to withstand pressure." Tarro gestured for them to sit cross-legged. "Meditation might seem unusual for Saiyan training, but it's essential for this. You need to establish a stronger connection between your mind and your tail."
The brothers sat, following Tarro's instructions as he guided them through the meditation.
"Focus on your tail. Feel every muscle, every nerve. Now, gradually channel your ki through it," Tarro instructed. "Your tail should be an extension of your power, not a separate entity."
Hours passed as they practiced. Gradually, both brothers began to gain better control over their tails' movements. Tarro would occasionally test their progress with swift grabs, noting how they became progressively more resistant to the paralyzing effect.
"Good," Tarro praised as Nova managed to remain standing after a particularly strong tail grab. "You're learning to maintain your ki flow even when your tail is under pressure. Turuk, your turn."
Turuk had been watching his brother's progress intently. When Tarro grabbed his tail this time, he managed to stay on his feet for several seconds before dropping to one knee.
"Better," Tarro noted. "But you're still thinking too much. Let your body's natural ki flow do the work." He released Turuk's tail and stepped back. "Both of you have made good progress, but this is just the beginning. By the time we're done, your tails will be as much a weapon as your fists."
Nova's eyes widened. "A weapon? How?"
Tarro demonstrated by using his tail to deflect a small ki blast he'd thrown into the air. "A properly trained tail can block attacks, aid in balance, and even enhance your striking power. But first, you need to complete the basic conditioning."
He tossed them each a small weight. "Attach these to your tails. Wear them whenever you can - during classes, training, even while sleeping. Gradually increase the weight as you get stronger."
"Blake's going to have a field day with this," Turuk muttered, remembering how protective their sister could be.
Tarro smiled knowingly. "Ah yes, your Faunus sister. Her concern for you is admirable, but she needs to understand that this training is necessary. Perhaps..." he paused thoughtfully, "you should invite her to observe our next session. Seeing the progress might ease her worries."
Nova nodded, already imagining how to explain this to Blake. "She did always say we needed to be more careful with our tails."
"And she was right," Tarro agreed. "But being careful doesn't mean being weak. By the time we're done, your tails will be as strong as the rest of you." He looked at both brothers with pride. "You've already shown remarkable progress today. Tomorrow, we'll begin incorporating tail movements into your combat forms."
As they prepared to leave, Tarro had one final piece of advice. "Remember - your tail is part of your Saiyan heritage. Don't think of it as a weakness to be protected, but as a strength waiting to be unleashed. And..." he added with a slight smirk, "do try to explain that to your sister gently. Faunus can be quite protective of their family members' tails."
The brothers laughed, knowing all too well how true that was. As they headed back to Beacon, their weighted tails swaying with new purpose, they couldn't help but feel grateful for Tarro's guidance. Their sister had helped them protect their weakness, but now they were learning to transform it into a strength - truly embracing every aspect of their Saiyan heritage.
To be continued in Chapter 24: Relaxation and Training part II