Chapter 15: New Blood, New Will
The Courier sighed, tossing a couple little stones into the blackness below. Silence was dominant for the moment before the stones collided with something solid, sending a clattering sound echoing throughout the cavern.
"Damn…" the Courier muttered, "That's a long fucking drop."
"You are fully aware that we are not cut out to be teachers, so I'm still confused as to why you would offer us the position of a teacher. The most I could do for your students is evaluate their skills, perhaps point out there weaknesses, but I'm afraid that is the peak of my current capabilities."
Ozpin stared at Joshua for a while before replying, "Yes, you're right." The devastation Graham had promised the Courier would bring had the headmaster on the edge somewhat. He saw the Burned Man's eyes – eyes that wouldn't lie at a time like this.
"Now," Joshua continued, "If the Courier has managed to find passage back to the Mojave, there is little I can do for you other than tell you to run or fight; on the off chance that he hasn't, however, I may be able to provide a few words on the kind of technology he may be carrying around – though I suspect Ulysses would know more on the matter than I do."
Ozpin stayed silent for a matter of minutes before opening, "I would like to ask you to speak with Professor Goodwitch about combat training." She had left rather abruptly after the Courier had stormed out. "I will brief her on the situation."
"One last thing." Ozpin called to Graham as he walked away. The man turned back to face Beacon's headmaster.
"I would like to request that you keep your focus on Team RWBY. They are my most trusted team and I believe that, since this is most likely going to end with the Courier's death, they would be optimal for the job."
"I'm afraid I fail to see the reasons as to why those girls are your most trusted team." Graham responded.
"I have my reasons." Was Ozpin's simple answer.
Joshua Graham nodded, deciding against questioning the man's judgement, "I'll send for Ulysses."
Ulysses arrived ten minutes later; he let Ozpin speak first.
"I suppose you can guess why you are here."
"No need to guess," Ulysses replied, "If you already know."
"Very well…" Ozpin took a sip of coffee, "I would like to request that you teach a history class – teach your history."
"History is good in way of words; can't sway Courier Six with words though."
"I still believe that learning your world's history could prove to be an advantage over this new threat."
"Perhaps some… but children won't listen to an old man beat on about the past."
Ozpin sighed, "I would hope you'd be able to find a way about that."
"Never said I couldn't. You can try. They won't know the coming war until they witness its fruits first hand."
Ozpin was silent.
"Until the Courier gives a demonstration of his prowess, nobody will believe you."
"I'm afraid to say that I have no other option other than trying."
Ulysses stood to leave, "Then I'll play my part when the children realise the clash in history."
Joshua Graham had never been certain about Courier Six.
Ever since the Courier had convinced him to spare Salt-Upon-Wounds, Joshua had considered the Courier a close ally, perhaps even a friend. There was, however, a great extent of the Courier that remained shrouded in unparalleled mystery.
He rolled into Zion unexpectedly, tearing down each and every hostile entity in his path as if it were a walk in the park. He had taken a simple walk through Zion after watching his caravan fall to the Tribals, hardly batting an eyelid at their sudden demise.
Graham had expected another Courier to pass through Zion, one with whom he had an entangled history with; a deadly history. It was almost laughable how that very man he was expecting had been rallied along with him and had wandered blindly together into this new world. Their past shared horrid experiences, but their unclear rivalry had been swept through with the beheading of Caesar at Courier Six's hands.
From what Graham had learned, the Courier was a wanderer. Wandered the Mojave for a time after finally taking his revenge on the man who shot him in the head; the fancy man in the white-checkered suit.
The Courier seemed to have isolated himself on a melancholic hill, killing anything that looked at him with murderous intent and helping out where he could, disappearing off into the night when the day's end rolled about. The Courier had always kept his past in the dark, often refusing to mention a single thing about events prior to his time in the Mojave.
Joshua Graham wandered through the archway that marked the territory of Beacon's arena building. The hallway leading to the main hall was long and wide, lit by eerily dim lights and adopting a strange sense power. It almost made the Burned Man feel stronger.
The floodlights that marked the arena floor broke the ominous lighting of the hallway as Joshua Graham neared its end. The intense clash of metal-to-metal rang through the arena building, colliding with Joshua violently. The chatter and cheering amongst the crowd barely undermined the strength of the sound of clashing blades.
As he found himself on the outskirts of the arena floor, the intense lighting sparked irritation in Joshua as he circled around the arena floor, heading slowly towards Glynda Goodwitch who was currently overviewing the match from within the 'safe' crevices at the edge of the arena floor, opposing the elevated crowd. She hardly looked happy.
The Burned Man heard the tone of the crowd change from pleasant to somewhat suspicious as several students noted his new presence in the room. Looking up to the stands, he only recognised one set of girls, team RWBY, if he remembered correctly. It seemed as if they were passing words about him.
"Who's fighting?" Joshua asked Goodwitch as he came to stand by her side.
"Why are you here?" She quickly shot, throwing an intense glare his way.
Joshua sighed, "Ozpin sent you a message."
Goodwitch huffed, "Yes, ye she did." She went back to watching the two students duking it out in the centre of the ring. Joshua turned to watch them.
He didn't recognise either of them, but they were certainly good melee combatants – a girl with long, red hair dressed in some sort of bronze-plate armour (though it barely covered half her body, her limbs blatantly exposed) with a shield in her left hand and a small blade in her right was engaged with a cowboy-esque looking boy who adopted the look and stance of a typical western gunslinger, a fancy revolver holstered on each thigh and a one-handed sword firmly in his grip, its scabbard strapped firmly to his back.
He had a linen wrap covering the lower half of his face and his wide-brimmed hat shaded the upper half. His other attire consisted of what seemed to be metal-plated tight-fitting vest that clearly exposed his arms. He seemed larger than the average male student Joshua Graham had seen wandering about the campus and elsewhere and was, admittedly, impressively built.
The two had locked blades in the centre of the arena and simply stood leaning their weight against each other. Joshua's eyes caught the linen wrap on the boy's face shift slightly as he uttered a few inaudible words before their blades parted and the battle continued. Joshua turned back to conversing with Goodwitch, ignoring the battle.
"If I'm going to be reviewing your students I suppose I'll need some sort of introduction, unless you declined?" Joshua said
"It's not as if I had much of a say in the matter." Goodwitch replied sternly before sighing. "I'll introduce you after this match, and then I'll allow you to get acquainted with the students." She stared at him for a while before finishing, "Please don't interfere with anything important."
Graham huffed out a dry, heartless chuckle as he turned back to face the ongoing match. Something seemed odd about the cowboy-esque boy; he almost seemed familiar. Graham shook off the feeling.
"Who's fighting?" Graham pressed once more, this time receiving a direct answer from Goodwitch.
"Pyrrha Nikos and Ivan Kiss." She replied simply
"Kiss?" The name was strange
"Yes," Goodwitch replied, "Second place in the Mistral Regional Tournament last year; Miss Nikos has won said tournament four years in a row."
"Combat tournament?" Joshua questioned
"Annual." Goodwitch answered
Joshua Graham was silent for a short time before opening, "Semblance?" Goodwitch stared at him in mock surprise.
"My my, been studying have we?" She scorned
Joshua's tone was far from amused, yet he kept his emotions in line and let Glynda's mockery pass over.
"Is it wrong that I have been researching?" he replied dryly
Glynda just 'hmph'ed in return and began addressing the students. The apparent outcome of the match had been the victory of Pyrrha Nikos, if just barely. She helped her opponent to his feet and they exchanged a few friendly words before dispersing and returning to the stands, joining their friends and teams.
"Quiet please," Glynda requested loudly towards the crowd as they quickly silenced themselves. "Due to forthcoming events, we have been required to employ a new teacher here in our Combat Training department." She looked over to Graham, urging the man forward. He stepped to the centre of the arena.
"I am Joshua Graham." The Burned man introduced. Murmurs went through the crowd.
'Why does he have all those bandages?'
'Where is he from?'
'Never heard of him'
'He looks like a tramp'
Most of these were simple repeats from the murmurs that he elicited from them when he had initially made his presence true in the building.
"I pray to God that the forthcoming events will hold little negative impact on you as people, but I'm afraid I cannot guarantee the safety of the people in this room." More murmurs came.
'What is he talking about?'
'I'm so confused'
"I am here to attempt my best to train you for these future events; I shall not make promises that I cannot keep. It is likely that many will die."
'This guy sounds a bit… crazy'
"We all go through periods of dark times, and one such is dawning on us as we speak. In such times we can turn to the Lord, but it is good to have friends. I look at you and I see you have made strong friendships in your short time here."
'Oh, that's one of the guys who did their initiation late!'
"I see you all have friends to turn to and I would like to wish you all my luck," He slid out A Light Shining in Darkness and began inspecting it with fluent motion, unloading the magazine and removing each round from it and checking the empty clip, "for my judgement is simply the beginning of your preparation." He cocked the pistol, checking the barrel before reloading the magazine and slipping it back into the gun, loading it and casually popping it back into its holster, "The road is a difficult one, and many of you will fall when we reach the end of our road."
"I will observe your performance in multiple combat scenarios and evaluate your performance, from there we shall work forward. Questions?"
With the crowd's silence, he dismissed himself.
"God be with you."
Whilst he made his way out of the arena to his and Ulysses' provided residence, Goodwitch directed a few more words to her class before dismissing them from the room. Chatter picked up as the students rose from their seats, most eager to find rest in their beds or just in their dorms.
"U-umm… excuse me?" Joshua turned his head. Ruby Rose.
"Mister Graham?" She asked nervously
"What can I do for you?" Graham replied. The girl was far ahead of the rest of her class. She was fast.
"Well, I was just wondering, y'know… if I could maybe… see your weapons?" She stuttered out
Graham remained silent for a moment, thinking.
"Oh. I remember you. You seemed rather intrigued by the Courier's weapons." Ruby simply stared at him.
"You stole them." More staring
"I suppose there is little harm in showing you. Just please try to refrain from stealing again."
She jumped joyously, hyperactively, "Thank you!" She squealed
"Invite some friends. This is a good learning opportunity."