pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq
I had a routine at Beacon. It was good for me. First thing in the morning I ran the dog. Red needed the exercise and I was his caretaker. It was healthy for me too but it wasn't the point. Then I lifted weights at the fine gymnasium at the school. I was up early enough that nobody else was there. It was peaceful. I even had time to shower and all that jazz.
Sleep was my enemy, however.
I was up at four and in bed at ten. The less time I spent sleeping the less time my mind was vulnerable. As a result I was fairly tired come the end of the day. But I kept up the routine and slept as little as possible. Sleep was when I got got. It was to be avoided as much as humanly possible. She attacked my subconscious mind while I was sleeping. I dreaded that. This worked out fine for my teaching schedule. I was up early enough to work with any early risers who needed my attention and I was up late enough to work with anybody during those time slots too. Few people had taken me up on my offer of private tutoring but I wanted to be open and available if that should change.
I had four two hour blocks of classes that I taught every single week day. One for each year of students. They went by too fast. I hardly had the time to set up matches and grade them. It was difficult. I had to spend an extra hour at the end of the day just grading the students and setting up the class standings.
It was only two weeks into term and I really couldn't see my job getting easier from here. There would be missions eventually. I would have to do even more. I couldn't really say that I regretted it, but it was a lot of work.
I wrote a letter to Ruby and Weiss telling them I took on a teaching position at Beacon. I think that they'll be pleased. If nothing else it was a safe job for a hunter - the safest, in fact. I expected the satellite to launch any day now unless Robin Hill got in the way some more. But she was just a nuisance and would only delay the project, not shut it down. I was sure the satellite would be on its way with Atlas support soon. That would render my letter obsolete but I sent it off anyways. I told them about my new responsibilities and some of the trials I faced. I assured them I had tried nothing offensive against my Mother. I worked hard on my defense instead.
I entered the teacher's lounge before anyone else but Goodwitch. I still couldn't muster the strength to call by her first name. It felt too weird to put us on the same level though I managed it with my other colleagues. I scratched my dog's head as it followed me into the lounge. I said good morning to Goodwitch and I took a seat to begin to plan today's matches. It didn't take me long so I brewed some coffee and sat back in quiet contemplation with the warm cup and my dog's head in my lap.
"Cloud, how are you finding your work here at Beacon? We haven't had the chance to talk amongst the chaos that begins every year." She took a seat at the table a few spots down. She was talking as my employer, just checking up on things but I could still probably be honest. She had done this job too.
"It's hard. It's a lot of work. Especially finding the time to work with anyone else beyond the classes in private lessons. It's difficult being a teacher. In a lot of ways I feel like a student still. Maybe I should be."
My dog let out a little sigh and turned in a circle to lay down.
"I think it's very noble of you to work extra hours with anyone who comes to you. Gods only know how you find the time."
"Not many students have come to me. But if I save just one more life it'll probably be worth it. It isn't easy. I've confessed that much but I'm sure you already know that. You did this for years as well. And I have to live with knowledge that I'm sending most of them off to die. The faces I see will pass on. That's hard to stomach. Sometimes I can't stand it and I want to tell them to quit and to save themselves. But I can't do that either. It's a lot all at once all the time."
"And so you have discovered the hardest part of the job. Usually it takes a little longer for someone to see it. We are preparing them to fight for their lives. Sometimes they will lose and each year each class will shrink and dwindle."
"Yikes," I mumbled. I took a drink of coffee. "I don't think I'll be able to handle that. You should keep looking for someone to replace me."
"Should I have been looking for someone to replace you?"
"Well I'm at the top of my Mother's shit list. How many people survive very long there? Really? I'd like to know." I smirked. "I'm going to join that group of disappearing students. I'm sorry to have to tell you. I also need to leave at some point to track down Merlot's next move. He has to be stopped and it looks like I'm the one to do it."
"I recall… well, I wish for your good health." She sighed. She leaned her head on one hand and she set her elbow on the table. She looked at me from over her glasses.
"The outlook is bleak. If something else doesn't kill me I'll die from my Mother's plots. I'm in a bad way."
"Perhaps I could assist you."
"With my Mother? You probably are doing as much as you can against her. What more could you be doing? She's a mostly invulnerable demigoddess. That's how I left team RWBY."
"And how is your relationship with team RWBY? Did you leave on good terms?"
"It's complicated. Things got… confusing before the end. And I think so. I write them letters. And the General wants to get communication back up which would mean I would get to talk to them again directly. That would be nice. I can't speak to their emotions. I want the best for them. I'm not sure that's me."
"I think you may be a bit hard on yourself. You've done well so far. You have gotten further than I thought you would."
"You probably thought I was going to die at the first opportunity. I deserved that lack of faith." She gave me a slightly guilty look that said it all.
"Well… I've seen your trophy collection now. The weapons you've collected off of murderers and Salem's agents in your office are symbols of how wrong I was."
"I'm nothing like Pyrrha and nothing like what she would have wanted for me."
"Slightly harsh, again. You don't have anything to live up to and seem to be doing your best. At least as far as your job is concerned."
"It's not enough. They'll still die. You know what I mean?"
"Yes I do. You will have the trip to Forever Fall soon. There will be danger. Students have gotten hurt before. All you can do is set up a safe zone for them to retreat to. You cannot be with them at all times. It is our role in this as their teachers to be able to watch and not to interfere. At some point they will succeed or fail on their own merits. Just as at some point they will live or die."
"How am I supposed to live with so much regret? That's all that I struggle with currently. You can document that other than that I'm doing fine. Things are alright as far as I am concerned and Beacon has been good for me so far."
"I see. You're settling in just fine? No complaints?"
"My room and office are more spacious than I need. I have hot showers every morning. My diet is fine and I get plenty of exercise. My life is not so bad."
"But you are planning on dying. And leaving."
"I am indeed. There's not a thing I can do about it though. I just have to live with it. Everybody has to die. Mine is just coming up sooner than you might think. I have to pack my life with as much good as I can manage before that point. That's really why I'm doing this job. That's really why it's good for me. Do you understand me?"
"I think I do. It's not unlike my own motivations for teaching. Back when I was a teacher, of course. Now I have different responsibilities such as dealing with the council and other officials. But I take them on with that same spirit. It's for other people that I do what I do."
"I'm not so selfless."
"No? Could have fooled me."
"I must have. I'm teaching for selfish reasons. It's what I want to do. And it's because I want them to survive. I'm greedy and it's all about my desires."
"I think we shall have to agree to disagree. And at any rate I must be off. And if I'm not mistaken you'll have your first set of classes soon."
"Until next time, headmistress."
"It's Glynda."
"That's too much for me, I'm afraid. I would struggle to put us on the same level."
pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq
My fist class of the day was with the third years. I was barely their senior and I wasn't in one interpretation. I did have experience over them, however. I had seen some shit and done some stuff. I wouldn't recommend it.
"Braun and Aka. You two are up first." I made my voice heard up at the third year class.
"I don't get it. Why do we always have to fight our partners?" Chrome's voice boomed loud enough that I heard it. The crown prince had trouble with my authority. He spoke up frequently.
"If you have a problem with my teaching style please take it up with me directly, Mr. Gainsborough."
"Okay. Why do we have to be taught by someone barely older than us?"
"I seem to recall kicking your teeth in when we scrapped at the Valean tournament. You can't hold a candle to me. I have a great deal of real combat experience. Something that you as a student lack. That's why I am here despite my age."
"You caught me by surprise. That trick won't work twice. If we were to fight again I'd kick your ass."
"Detention, Mr. Gainsborough. I won't be spoken back to like that. Bring your gear and we'll go a couple of rounds at the end of the day. We shall see how well you fair against someone just a few scant years older than you indeed. It will be a good and humbling experience for you but for now shut up and watch the match. Is that clear enough for you?"
Chrome reclined with a cocky grin and his arms folded. It wasn't the first time the boy had tried to undermine me in class but it was the first time I felt I could actually give him detention. I was going to enjoy this evening when I beat him to a pulp over and over again. Perhaps I would be able to force him to respect me.
pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq
"Won't it be embarrassing when I beat you, Professor?" Chrome asked as he stepped into the ring with me.
I drew my broadsword.
"Prepare yourself," I murmured.
He pulled his enormous spear from his back in his white and silver tunic and dark grey pants. He had the same heart shaped face and bright blue eyes as Rosé did but his hair was a blue-ish silver.
"Ready?" I asked.
He nodded.
"Then let us begin."
I stood in place and flexed to begin charging my semblance. He just watched me curiously and didn't approach. His mistake. I activated my semblance and I took the fight to him.
I charged him and he tried to thrust his spear at me but I dived over it easily with my flight. Then I swung horizontally with my blade and hit him like a locomotive. I flattened him to the floor hard. Then I stepped in and Cross slashed his body where he lay on the ground and I caught him in the five hit attack.
I let him sail through the air and stood back to charge my semblance.
He looked up to see me charging with wisps of golden light around my body.
"That's your semblance, then. That powerful attack. But you have to charge it."
"I do. And you had better stop me."
"But if I approach you then I'm just playing your game," he cut in.
"And if you don't approach me you're still playing my game."
"So no matter what I'm playing into your hands. That seems unfair."
"That's not my problem. You had better come up with something."
He sprinted at me and I stood still until the last second and I flung my body to the side to dodge his thrust. Then he swung his spear around his body in a wide semicircle. I blocked it, stepped inside slightly and swung my sword so that the edge bit into his aura in a tremendous, narrow diagonal downward swing. I put my hips into the motion and knocked him back with a satisfying sound. Then I side-flipped and brought my blade from low to high and swung it behind my body. I clipped him in the chest. He stumbled back and I paused to charge my semblance once again.
"What if I don't want to approach?" He asked me.
"I'll take the fight to you as soon as my semblance is charged. See if you can stop me then," I informed him.
He swung his spear in a mighty slash that I blocked. I tried to step in but was debited by a stab of his polearm. He kept me at bay so I stepped back and continued to charge.
"I don't need my semblance to beat you," I told him. "But it helps. You had better find a way to work around my power."
He came at me once more. I blade-beamed at him and it hit him in the chest.
He shook it off and came through it in a giant thrust. All I had to do was punish his approach options and wait for Limit Break and I would have this in the bag. I jumped and as I fell I swung upwards in a blow that caught him in the chest. It popped him into the air. I hit him with another upwards swing and juggled him. I flew quickly above him and stabbed my sword downwards and spiked him hard back into the floor. I came flying at him and with my back to him swung my sword diagonally upwards and across my body behind me. He blocked it but he had to grit his teeth from the force of it. I jumped again, back-flipping towards him like I was going to hit him with a falling aerial and instead I whipped around and caught him in a triple swing that I was fond of.
My semblance activated and I came at him blindingly fast.
I slashed my blade in a quick 'x' and he blocked both hits. I jumped over him and swung my blade downward on him in a massive two handed attack. He blocked it but I saw it rattle him. I was shaking him up and I had strength to spare. With one hand I lowered my blade down towards him and he struggled against my strength with both of his hands quivering behind his spear.
"You still have so much to learn about fighting. If you don't take this seriously you'll die. You do get that don't you? Aura and a weapon don't make you invincible."
"I have a semblance…" he managed as I lowered my blade onto him easily. In the elevated state I was strong enough to bench press train cars and I could probably break one hundred twenty kilometers per hour when I flew. Nowhere near as fast as Ruby with her sound breaking speed but she didn't get close to my strength.
"Well then you had better use it."
His body turned a silvery purple. He changed states and slammed me with his shoulder. It knocked me on my back for a moment but I was levitating to my feet in a heartbeat. He came charging at me with his body glowing slightly in silvery shades of purple. I deflected his spear to the side and made to closeline him with my sword but my weapon just bounced off of him.
I flew back twenty feet in less than a half second. I took actual slow steps on the ground, dragging my massive blade behind me.
"Fight me!" Chrome demanded.
"You can't keep what you're doing up forever. I should simply wait. Your super strength will wear off and I can beat you. I've seen you use this power in class. You're running out of time."
Then he suddenly switched gears and it was a light blue and silver aura that covered him. He sprinted at me and was exceptionally fast. I'd seen him enter this mode as well. It made him much faster but still not as fast as I was with Limit Breaker active.
I dodged his swing easily. He turned it into a thrust and I parried it.
He jumped and swept his spear around his body in an enormous circle. I blocked it, stepped inside and lit him up with a gentle Cross slash.
On the last terrific blow I knocked his aura to absent. I flew up and over to him and picked him up by the collar and swung him into the air. I shook him.
"You think you're hot shit and that's going to get you killed. Pay attention in my class and get the most out of it or you will die. I don't want you challenging my abilities or my teaching style anymore. Is that understood? Rest up. We're going to go again and again."
I shook his whole body with each word. He tried to reach out and grab a hold of my arm to stabilize himself or push me away but my grip was too firm.
"Get your act together," I ordered. I tossed him to the floor where he lay panting and out of sorts.
pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq pq
-WG
