Carmine jumped backward and dropped her sai. But it remained floating in the air where she’d been holding it a moment before, and then it spun toward Velvet.

Velvet brought her hands together and caught it in midair, inches from her face. Carmine’s Semblance tugged at it, but Velvet held on tight.

“You need to take better care of these.” Velvet turned the weapon around as Fox’s tonfas wore out. She attacked Carmine with her own weapon, using her own moves against her.

“You’re a quick study,” Carmine said. A ring of rocks circled her head as she parried the short blade with stone projectiles. “You’re doing better than your friend over there.”

Velvet forced herself not to fall for Carmine’s obvious attempt at distraction, but it sounded like Octavia was having a rough time now—she was fighting three powerful Huntsmen on her own, and they were powered up by Gill’s Aura.

“We don’t have time for this,” Gill said. “Clear the rubble, Carmine.”

Carmine made an exasperated sound. Then she smiled. “Bye, Velvet.”

- RWBY: Before the Dawn, Chapter 18