We do not own RWBY or any other copyright content. All rights to it go to Monty Oum, VIZ Media, and their original owners. All OCs are owned by us.
Writing credits go to Uzumaki Ricky, Monsterhuntergod, Sharad the hedgehog, Traines, and EDelta88, as well as Kima Whitehawk Jordan on Facebook. And a very special shoutout and thank you to 501awezome and Mega Ghost on Fanfiction.Net for all your support.
Tiger King and Dragon Queen: Year 1
Volume 1 Chapter 29: Rails, Refreshments, and Guards
"So Azura, got any plans for the weekend?" Yang asked as Team RWBY and AZRE walked out of the final class of the week.
"Not at the moment. I was planning on perhaps taking Azure Dragon down to the track." Azura explained with a smile.
"Well Yang, you could race him with your bike." Blake teased, poking the bear.
Azura chuckled a bit. "Oh, I would welcome it. It would be fun getting someone to race who is not a complete sucker." he added, going along with Blake's teasing.
"I'm sure he'd take her for a ride if she asked," Ruby added innocently as Yang choked on her own spit.
"Do you realize what you just said?" Weiss asked in disgust.
"No, why?" Ruby replied, not seeing what she said.
Yang sighed, then leaned in and whispered. Ruby paled at the realization of what she had just said.
"I didn't mean it like that! I'm not filth!!" Ruby yelled in disgust.
"It's okay, Ruby. We all make mistakes." Ember said as she put her hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"A-Anyway, why were you asking, Yang…?" Azura asked nervously, trying desperately to change the subject,
"Well, you know…. it's a free weekend and we got to do something." Yang replied, blushing a bit.
"Speaking of free, the blacksmith flew the coop." Rena said plainly.
Azura looked around. "Where did Zhan go…?" he asked, confused.
At that, Azura got a text on his scroll. Flipping it open, he saw the text was from Trivia. Curious, he clicked on it.
"Okay, so Trivia just sent me a text saying 'Missing your partner? He's been making a racket in your room.'" Was the message he read off from his older cousin.
"I didn't know the giant tub of lard could move that fast." Weiss said, before getting elbowed by Ruby. "OW!! What was that for!?"
"For the record, that's all muscle on him." Rena said offhandedly.
"And just how do you know that, exactly?" Weiss asked as she rubbed her arm.
Rena blushed a bit and looked away, the Atlesian Spartan refusing to answer. Azura chuckled and shook his head. "Well then, let's go see what the big guy is up to." He told his friends.
With that, the seven went off to Team AZRE's lair. When they arrived, they found a very annoyed Trivia banging at the door, trying to get in. She only stopped when she saw the group walk up to them. With a huff, she marched up to Azura and poked his chest before beginning to sign.
'Open that dumb door so I can kick some peace and quiet into your partner!' She angrily signed to her "little" cousin.
"Trivia. Let me handle this." Azura replied, unlocking the door, and opening it.
'Oh, you better! I need my cuteness nap if I'm going to maintain this level of perfection!' Trivia angrily signed.
At that, everyone stepped in to take a look at what Zhan was doing. To their surprise, he had set up a workbench and was working with a large metal rod. He did not notice them as he had earmuffs in as he worked to hammer a bolt out of one of the ends. Only when Azura tapped on his shoulder did he stop and turn around.
"What are you guys doing back so early?" Zhan asked after taking the earmuffs off.
"Wondering where you were. Now we are wondering why you are disrupting my cousin's nap by pounding on a rod." Azura replied, not seeing his accidental innuendo.
"To answer your questions. First, I was here. Secondly, she could have put in earmuffs. And three, this is a side rod for an engine. I hadn't had time to get this stubborn bolt out before tomorrow. And I'm not looking forward to the heating method." Zhan explained, as everyone looked at him like he was speaking gibberish.
"Right. And why are you working on… one of those?" Ruby asked, confused.
"Because if I don't get this done, then the foreman is gonna have my hide when I go do my railway volunteering shift this weekend." Zhan said with a sigh. "Can someone hand me the blowtorch; I have to do the heating method."
Trivia, immediately perking up, smiled brightly. 'You work part time at the railway station too!? I work as a guard!' She signed happily.
"Shut up! Really? Well, you're in luck, Trivia! Because last year I got my Vale Engine Driver permit!" Zhan said, turning around with excitement akin to a kid in a candy store.
Trivia squealed with joy while the others looked on in confusion. "Wh… what am I watching here? Are you two bonding?" Azura asked in confusion.
'Azura, don't ruin the moment. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I found another volunteer?' Trivia signed in a sassy way.
"Fair enough. Bond away." Azura replied, stepping back a bit.
"What are you two bonding over?" Ruby asked confusedly.
"We both work at the St. Walkern Railway up in the hills. While it's still a business, it's mostly run by volunteers. Its main attraction, other than the gorgeous scenery of that part of Vale, is the fact that it is still mostly operated by steam engines." Zhan explained, a near childlike joy leaking through with every word.
"Fascinating. So, I take it your schedule is booked for this weekend?" Azura asked, genuinely interested.
"Yeah, because this Sunday is the biggest event of the year. The Walkern Mountain Race." Zhan answered with a nod as Azura and Yang's ears perked up.
"St. Walkern. Why have I heard that name before…?" Rena pondered, visibly racking her brain for something. "Ice Queen, you got anything?"
"Don't call me that. Also, I'm not native to Vale. I'm Atlesian, just like you." Weiss replied in annoyance.
"That's why I asked you. I remember being taught something about the Great War involving someone named that." Rena annoyedly answered.
"St. Walkern is a local Valian hero from the Great War. He was a mountain shepherd who time and again caused Atlesian incursions to fail. All without lifting a single hand in combat. Afterwards, the locals canonized him as their hero and still give prayers to him in thanks and to ward away Grimm. Which must work to some degree, as you're really unlucky if you find a Grimm in those parts." Zhan explained.
"I remember hearing about that in History class. Thought it was all a bunch of bull at the time," Yang replied, amazed at what she was hearing.
'The locals are gonna eat her alive.' Trivia signed to Zhan, which got a chuckle out of Azura.
"What did the Ice Cream Short Stack say about me this time?" Yang asked Azura, a bit annoyed.
"She said you have very nice thighs." Azura answered politely.
"Well, you do know what they say about thicc thighs…" Yang said with a grin.
"YANG!!!" Ruby snapped at her big sister, covering her mouth to cut her out. "Have some shame!"
As soon as she removed her hand, Yang grinned. "What is this 'shame' you speak of Rubes?" Yang asked playfully.
"Of course she's illiterate. It all makes sense now," Weiss muttered.
"Explains why you cling to Azura like a snake." Rena threw the golden pugilist's way.
"Focus, people. What's this about a race?" Blake asked the tall blacksmith.
"Every year the railway hosts a foot race. You have to race one of our locomotives up the 10-mile line on footpaths. You do get an hour head start, however, and get to choose which station you stop running at." Zhan explained.
"That sounds like it could be fun. We should talk to the others and see if they want to go." Azura said, smiling at the idea of a race as his competitive spirit began showing.
"If the engine passes you, you're out of the race. And very few make it to the final station. It's a badge of honor really. And the fastest runner gets a medal." Zhan explained further, but at that point… it was too late.
"A medal? We're entering that race!" Weiss declared, surprisingly fired up.
"I don't think they'd let Ruby enter though." Zhan said with a sigh.
"Why not?" Ruby asked, confused.
'They got a rule about speed-based Semblances. Well, Semblances and other techniques in general, but if you use one, you're automatically disqualified.' Trivia signed out the answer.
"Then I just won't use my Semblance,' Ruby replied simply, getting looks of '... Really?' from the others.
"Uh huh. And remember the last time you tried not to use it, Ruby?" Yang asked with a skeptical look on her face.
"Hey, that lunch lady had it coming! Go to the back of the line, my butt…" Ruby replied, grumbling.
At that moment, they all saw Zhan cringe up at that. Ember then spoke up to ask him about it out of concern for her friend.
"Is something wrong, Zhan?" Ember asked.
"That just reminded me of the first trip I made with the engine." Zhan sheepishly said, which got everyone immediately interested.
"Go on. Spill the beans, big guy." Rena pressed.
"Of course you would." Zhan growled.
"Well out with it." Weiss said a bit impatiently.
"I hate that you two have started to team up. You two are a real piece of work." Zhan growled at the two Atlesians.
"Please tell us…" Ruby said with puppy dog eyes.
"It was my first day actually pulling passengers. I was really excited after three years of working as a fireman, I finally got to drive an engine. And it would have gone smoothly if it weren't for the refreshment lady." Zhan said, ending with a scowl.
"What happened to the refreshment lady?" Blake asked, confused.
"I left her behind…" Zhan muttered embarrassedly.
Trivia giggled hysterically at that. 'You left her behind? Somebody got over excited!' She signed in amusement.
"It was the fucking bus driver's fault!" Zhan snapped at the tiny creature daring to step on his pride.
'Sure, it was.' Trivia signed with a playful grin.
"How did you leave behind a refreshment lady because of a bus driver?" Weiss asked, raising her eyebrow.
"He said that, if I was late on the return trip, he'd leave my passengers behind. I took that personally, as I wasn't about to be late, especially in front of that jackass. However, stupid me didn't know he was a guaranteed connection. So even if I was late, he would have to wait." Zhan growled in embarrassment and annoyance.
Trivia nearly fell over from how hard she was giggling. Zhan, annoyed, smirked as he got an idea. A smirk that Azura saw immediately.
"What are you smiling about, Zhan?" Azura asked, confused.
"Because I heard about a guard who left a very important Sōtora's vacation luggage behind." Zhan answered smugly.
Trivia immediately stopped giggling and looked at him seriously. 'You wouldn't dare…' She signed, daring him to try to tell the story.
"Come on, Trivia. It cannot be much worse than what Zhan did." Azura said, curious at what happened. With that, Trivia knew she was sunk and had to tell.
'Don't you do it, Fun Size!' Trivia signed in furious embarrassment.
"I'm pretty sure he wants you to spill the beans, Trivia." Zhan said with a smirk.
"Come on, Short Stack." Yang teased, as everyone eagerly began to wait for the story.
Trivia sighed in frustration. 'I accidentally left my sister Aoi's luggage behind because of how excited I was for my first day as a guard.' She signed, blushing in embarrassment.
Azura snorted, holding back laughter. "You left Aoi's luggage behind on your first day…?" he asked, trying desperately not to laugh.
'You laugh; you die.' Trivia signed, glaring at him with daggers in her eyes.
"Laugh? Me? Why would I laugh at my precious little older cousin doing something so hilarious…?" Azura snickered, holding back laughter.
'Slowly and with a grapefruit juicer,' Trivia added.
"... Fair enough. Shutting up now." Azura replied, paling a bit.
"So, you guys really want to run the race on Sunday?" Zhan asked.
"I am up for it. This could be fun. Is anyone else in?" Azura asked, a smile on his face.
"Let's do it!" Yang yelled excitedly.
"FOR THE GLORY!!!" Weiss called out, fist in the air.
"Whatever we do, we cannot let her win." Blake whispered into Rena's ear.
"On that, were agreed." Rena whispered back.
"We'll never hear the end of it from her if she does." Azura whispered back.
"What was that?" Weiss asked, turning to look at them.
"Oh, nothing, Weiss. Nothing at all." Azura replied.
"Alright, people. Get packing. We got a bus to take tomorrow morning!" Zhan yelled.
With that, Team RWBY rushed off to their room to pack, with Trivia following behind. Soon Team AZRE was packing in their room as Zhan got back to work with the side rod. However, not too long into packing, Ember turned to look at her team.
"What did Yang mean earlier about thick thighs?" Ember asked innocently.
"... We'll tell you when you're older, Lady Hedda." Azura replied uncomfortably.
To Be Continued…