The Ghosts Of The Past
Chapter 4
She opened her eyes to a cold and sterile room, attempting to move her hands she wasn't bound by anything for once and tested out her strength by flexing her fingers a few times. After ensuring that she had full function of her arms she decided to try sitting up, this was a mistake however when the world started spinning and she found herself right back on the table. Pinching the bridge of her nose she felt a headache coming on and made the decision to rest a bit, closer her eyes again she drifted off into a peaceful sleep just as the door opened.
James and Ozpin both walked into the room with stone faced expressions on. After the last mishap that ended with Glynda passing out after crying out in pain they were both understandably worried about her and pissed at her treatment.
"James, I know you said you didn't order the actions that led to her being restrained like before, if that is the case then who did?" Ozpin carefully looked over his former subordinate as James pondered the question.
The general scratched his stubble thoughtfully as his mind raced with the possibilities of culprits. He thought he had trusted people in place to handle the situation but it seemed as though he would have to do some reevaluation of his staff.
"I don't have the answer yet Oz, give me a week and I'll have a list of names of people we can trust. In the meantime she stays in a location that only the two of us know about, agreed?" Looking at his old friend with curiosity in his eye he waited for what seemed like forever.
"Yes, let us hope that we can find a solution before things get out of hand. I feel a terrible presence preparing to make its move soon." Ozpin was as cryptic as ever but he was rarely, if ever, wrong.
As the pair closed the door and made sure it was secure the mysterious figure in the shadows watched them slowly make their way down the hall. After they left the figure watched for another ten minutes, when no one was passing by and no guards showed up the figured made its move. Taking a careful look at the door it was heavily reinforced, no normal lockpicking would do for this. With no guards here either it would just take someone curious and skilled enough to get in the room, that couldn't be allowed to happen. They'd make sure of it.
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Fist met shield in a clash that sent a high pitched squeal through the room and a shiver down the spectators spines. The energy in the room could almost be seen as Yang Xiao Long, the blonde berserker, fought against the second in command and resident healer of the HSP squad, Jaune Arc. The fight had been going on for no more than ten minutes but with each blow the two traded the excitement grew in the room. They both took a moment to breath, their shoulders raising and falling with the exertion of the fight.
"Damn you've gotten good Jaune, just how have you been practicing against?" Yang got out between pants for air, her arms felt heavy even after such a short battle. She really was out of practice, or Jaune was just that good now.
"Oh you know, Weiss, Blake, Nora, Ren, Cardin, Ruby, Pyrrha. I've learned alot from each of them, never have won though. I'm hoping that this marks a victory, you're pretty out of practice if I stand a chance."
Weiss sneezed three times fast.
Jaune smirked as Yang was getting flustered. While she was distracted Jaune made his move, moving his sword so that it was facing behind him he raised his shield to block Yang's vision of his movements. Jaune charged at his fellow blonde while keeping low to the ground and bashed Yang with his shield then followed up with a strike to her temple with the pommel of his sword. Seeing the flash of yellow that was Yang's aura gave a boost to Jaunes resolve.
Yang's vision was blurry after the well placed strike by Jaune. Knowing that he would be pressing his advantage after that, Jaune's next strike with Crocea Mors was blocked with the remaining gauntlet of Ember Celica. She got in closer under Jaune's guard as she slid down the length of the blade, seeing his eyes go wide at her proximity she cocked her right hand back and landed a solid blow to Jaune's unguarded stomach. His aura flashed a brilliant white and Yang backpedaled to gain some breathing room.
"Well well, looks like we're both at one hit till we're done huh?" Yang was rubbing the stump where flesh met metal to work out the soreness.
Jaune seemed to give up as he folded his shield and secured it on his belt, gripping his sword with both hands he spaced out his stance and just stopped. Yang stopped talking and looked carefully , he looked ready to spring into action but he didn't move. Yangs raised her fists, her pain forgotten, sizing up her opponent. She never saw Jaune like this, she was in uncharted territory from here on.
Ruby watched carefully, studying both Yang and Jaune. Yang still fought the same way, rough and all out, not really considering strengths and weaknesses. Just charging in head first and trying to overpower her opponent. Jaune was much more refined from his Beacon days, always searching for that one slip up from his opponent, luring them in through baiting then finishing them in a decisive blow. At least that's what it had looked like, Yang was no ordinary opponent she was Jaunes former lover and he still had feelings for her clearly. He made critical mistakes and now they were both one shot from finishing the fight and ending up in the infirmary. Shaking her head Ruby turned to leave, one or both of those fools would end up in her care anyhow so she went to go prep the medical beds for the idiots.
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A warrior with flaming red hair was making her way down the hall, her weapon securely on her back and her stride suggested she had places to be. She always walked with a purpose such was her training from a young age. She wore a red hoodie with gold trim around the edges, following the color scheme of her hoodie her sweat pants were a red and gold and she finished off the outfit with red tennis shoes. She normally caught flak for how much red wore but today the base was empty, not seeing a single person in the otherwise crowded base was eerie. Her stomach growled making her stop in her tracks and place a hand over her stomach. Looking around to get her bearings she started in the direction of the cafeteria.
After she turned the corner she spy her destination at the end of he hallway. Making good time she slowed down and wore a smirk on her face. Passing by a doorway they came a flood of sound that made her pause, taking a look inside she could see what looked like a crowd formed around something. Using her elbows to cut a path in the crowd she finally got to the middle only to catch the remnants of an explosion directly in her face. Now normally she was calm and cool, always thinking situations through, the voice of reason for anyone who asked for advice.
This was not the case when anyone messed with her face.
Much like Yang's hair back in the days of beacon Pyrrha's face was a thing of pride. She took extra special care to ensure she looked presentable to anyone at any given time of day or night. For someone to have the gall to cause an explosion to wipe away her makeup, darken her face with soot and gunpowder, and decorate her natural flaming red hair with the black of the aforementioned gunpowder. She was not the pleasant sparring partner that most people knew.
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Yang had fucked up, that was the nicest way to phrase the series of events leading up to Ruby taking care of her sister in the hospital. Pyrrha was normally a calm and controlled fighter, always stopping herself before going to far and beating her opponent senseless. That's where Yang came in.
*Yangs flashback*
Yang could see this was her last shot, her aura was low and her right arm was killing her. Jaune came in for a lunge at her right side, the side he knew was her weak spot. Leaving the opening for him she let it get a bit to close but it passed without scratching her side. She twisted herself around and landed a vicious left elbow on his shield and prepared to follow with a right hook since he was open from the block. Jaune saw this and ducked under her fist as Yang let a round from the built in shotgun in her arm go off directly into the crowd. Both fighters looked at the occupation of the sace and the first thing they saw was bright red hair. Then bright green eyes flashed and everything went black for the two fighters.*End of flashback*
Ruby got up and tended to her two newest patients, Pyrrha standing over her shoulder apologizing profusely.
"I am so so sorry Ruby." The champion kneaded her hands frantically over the unconscious forms of two of her friends as her mind raced a million miles a minute trying to think of ways to make it up to them.
"It's fine Pyr, I promise, this is my job. Besides it's the only company I really get anymore." Ruby casually slide over to her desk as the small jab processed in the champion's mind.
Pyrrha stopped all of her fidgeting at that comment. She knew Ruby hadn't meant the words to hurt but they nevertheless did. Her mind turned sluggish as she tried to come up with reasonable excuses, as quickly as she thought them up she shot them down. Balling her hands into fists she turned around and started her apology to the smaller woman but was cut off by a cup and an overwhelmingly pleasant scent.
"I told you, it's fine. I'm honestly ok with being lonely considering my job here. If i had more work to do it would mean that you all were taking too many risks and getting hurt. I couldn't stand for that at all. So you stay nice and healthy ok?" Ruby's steel eyes had shadows of a time long past or premonitions of the future, which they were couldn't be told but Pyrrha would do her best to keep everyone safe.
"Pyr."
Her emerald eyes glowed with a renewed determination to get back to the missions.
"Pyrrha?"
Clenching her fists over her chest and gritting her teeth one could almost see fire in her eyes. That might have been what worried the reaper.
"Pyrrha!" Ruby shouted loud enough to wake the dead but barely loud enough to snap the amazon out of her stupor.
"Yes, Ruby?" Saying nonchalantly like nothing was wrong.
"Your coffee?" The smaller redhead stared at her counterpart with a worried look and holding the coffee before her as if it were a shield against the spartan like woman.
Smiling Pyrrha took the cup delightfully and beamed at the kind younger woman. "Thank you Ruby!" Taking a small sip of the brown liquid she hummed contently to herself. "So good! You always make the best coffee, better than Ozpin ever made."
On the other side of the base where the former professor and his old friend were playing chess, Ozpin suddenly sneezed and knocked the whole playing board over much to the displeasure of one James Ironwood who was about to win for once.
"Hey, you got anymore of the smelly good stuff Rubes?"
Ruby looked past her guest as the familiar voice of her older sister filtered through to her ears. Pyrrha saw hat the blonde fighter was awake, alibet half-way, and decided then was as good a time as any to make her exit.
"Pyrrha, Don't think you're going to get away with putting me in the hospital without payback." Yang gave a small smirk as Ruby handed her the coffee. Not to be outdone however, Pyrrha had her own retort.
"To be fair, you shot my hair into an unrecognizable mess. I'd say we're even and nothing more needs to be done, however if you would like a rematch I'm more than willing to take you up on that." Turning her head to look at Yang over her shoulder with a malicious grin and fire in her eyes that made the brawlers spine tingle with the hint of a good fight again.
"Just say when Pyrrha, I'll take you anytime." She raised her fist towards her companion and Pyrrha responded by bumping her fist against Yangs and walking away, satisfied with the promise of a good fight.
Jaune chose this moment to make his presence *consciousness* known.
"So, can I sideline watch?"
Ruby calmly walked up to him and smacked the back of his head with her free hand then shoved the cup of coffee in his face.
"Bad timing, worse response Jaune. Next time just keep quiet."
Jaune took the advice and sipped his coffee as Yang stared him down at his comment.
"No, just for that comment you can fight the winner." Yang said smugly as she expected Jaune to act like how she knew him, however she got a shock with his response.
"It's gonna be Pyrrha, that woman always gets what she wants." He mumbled into his cup but both of the women in the room heard what had been said and both had wildly different reactions.
Ruby paled and disappeared from view only to poke her head up behind her desk to watch what was about to unfold. She knew from experience that Yang had always had and always would have a short fuse that would make firecracker flint look like trail of dynamite.
Yang, up until a moment ago, had a smug grin on her face. After Jaunes snide comment a vicious tick made itself apparent just above her right eye. Her fingers tightened to the point her nails almost broke the skin on her biceps, the temperature of the room started to swell much to the displeasure of her sister while Jaune was never the wiser.
Jaune tugged at the collar of his hospital gown in an attempt to fan himself but failed miserably. Looking around he failed to notice Ruby cowering behind her desk and couldn't spot Yang anywhere. Suddenly a chill slowly made its way up his spine and a towering shadow encompassed him, the waves of dark energies and killing intent made themselves more than apparent to every being in the room.
As Pyrrha was walking away she was smiling happily at the prospect of the fight Yang had promised. She took another sip of the brilliantly made coffee Ruby had made for her and shivered delightfully as the warm liquid made her feel back home in Mistral some twenty years ago. As she rounded the corner she ran into none other than the former professor Ozpin.
"Ah, sorry sir I didn't realize you were right there." Pyrrha barely managed to keep from spilling the god given liquid that not even the greatest of baristas could make.
"No worries Miss Nikos, Nothing was spilled and no clothes ruined so I think it's safe to say that….." His sentence was cut short as he inhaled the aroma drifting from the cup in the young woman's hands.
"T-that wouldn't happen to be a cup of Miss Rose's coffee would it?" He stared at the cup with a look of the purest desire in his eyes.
"Why yes, Ruby just made some. If you hurry the pot should still be the.." All of a sudden an ear splitting squeal erupted all around them and startled Pyrrha enough where she dropped her cup and ran back in the direction she just came from. Ozpin looked sadden for a moment at the loss of perfect coffee but quickly followed behind Pyrrha.
As the crimson haired spartan threw open the doors to the hospital wing she gasped as she saw the sight before her. Jaune was crying out in pain as his leg was bent in a direction that it clearly shouldn't and his elbow was pinned directly behind his neck, which looked absurdly painful. Yang was on top of him digging her knee into the middle of his back and the harder she pressed the more Jaune screamed.
"Say it! SAY IT!"
"Fine, fine YOU'RE THE BEST!"
"I DON'T THINK THE PEOPLE IN MENAGERIE HEARD YOU!"
"THE COFFEE!" Everyone had stopped and the room grew eerily quiet as Ozpin could be seen crying as he held the broken coffee pot.
A/N: Not much to say this time however I am planning on a Christmasrelease for chapter 5 and as my bro/testing platform for ideas tries to kill me I sadly have to go offline for a while to catch up with everything I've been slacking on. I wish everyone a good rest of the year and happy holiday season and all that. any words from reviewers are still greatly appreciatedas I write these stories for you all and they develop accordingto you. Something to bear in mind, also Blaiseingfire and myself are still publishing works but they are on our first then released a month later. /kcfire4229