Mad Max: Road to Salvation
Episode 25: Past and present concerns
[Hitler's Moustache: Yep, Nux is back.]
[Guest 1: Yeah it is cool, and it will hurt.]
[Ronmr: Yep and thanks dude!]
[Guest 2: not as much as you would think, and yes you are correct!]
[UndeadLord22: Yeah it's a big twist alright. Only time will tell what it is, and whether the road warrior will teach Jaune/Nux. Besides, all warboys are trained from childhood to fight.]
[Guest 3: I'm considering what you said, and If it doesn't work then I won't.]
[Review Dude: Aww shucks, I'm just doing the best I can and that's the result.]
[Charles: thanks man!]
[Guest 4: as much as like that, I have a different idea in mind.]
[SilentType1997: Yeah, but I couldn't come up with any other ideas on how to set it up, otherwise I would have.]
[Guest 5: We're close, but there are still certain significant events that have to occur first. Please be patient.]
-With Pyrrha Nikos-
"Witness me…" A mysterious voice whispered to Pyrrha while she slept in her bed. She could see a strange young man mouthing the words as he faded from view and she shot up in her bed. This had been another strange dream in a row of confusing recent experiences for her. She tried to tell herself it wasn't real, that it was just her mind playing tricks on her. But these dreams felt so real, they seemed almost like memories. How could they be, and if so whose were they? These memories couldn't be hers, she'd never seen these people, places, or strange things outside of her mind. Then there was that boy she saw in these dreams; his face was blurred like she wanted to remember, but she could only picture his blue eyes and ghost like skin. It was as if the harder she tried to remember, the more he seemed to fade into a blur. Some of the only words she could remember him saying the most clearly were, 'witness me.' What did they mean, what was he asking of her?
The long search for answers to these questions was daunting to be sure. She had kept this to herself in recent days because she inexplicably felt like this was a truly personal matter for herself to face alone. She pulled herself from her midnight madness, and went to the bathroom to wash the sweat from her face. As she did so, faint voices rattled in the back of her mind. Three times the gates were opened to me… I should be walking in Valhalla, feasting with the heroes of our time.' it was the boy's voice that came first. 'I'd say it was your manifest destiny not to.' Another even more familiar voice answered, so familiar it felt as if it were her own. She stopped walking, and shook her head to try forcing them to be silent, she was unsuccessful in her attempt. The voices persisted as she reached the door and wiped her face. But then when she looked in the mirror, instead of seeing her own reflection of the place she knew, she saw herself in another world. It was as if time froze for her as she gazed into the eyes of her reflection. The two versions of one person differed ever so much in their attire. One wore goggles and scraps of white cloth resembling a gown. While Pyrrha was strangely adorned in her own armor, yet she did not remember putting it on.
"Who are you?" They both said in unison.
"Is it not so obvious, young one?" A mysterious voice echoed.
"Who's there?" The girls asked with a hint of caution.
As if in response a hooded man in rags and jeans appeared beside them. "You wish to see that which you cannot remember. Griffa can help, I can take you to the places deep down within, places where you daren't go yourself. Do you truly wish to know who you are?" He spoke with a calming yet ominous tone.
"I know who I am, my name is Pyrrha Nikos." The redheaded beauty answered confidently.
"Yes and no. The answer is far more than what you choose to believe. What you see in front of you was your true self." Griffa shook his head and gestured to the reflection.
"That's not me, I-it just can't be." Pyrrha refused to believe what she saw.
"She is you, she is all that you were before, not as you are now of course." Griffa said in his usual tone, pointing to days passed.
"But I don't remember that!" Pyrrha shouted in panic and confusion at the influx of information that contradicted everything she knew about herself.
"Calm yourself young one, she wishes to be with the man she loves again, and you know this to be true. Deep within, you hear the voices, their attempts to claw their way to the surface that is you. You cannot deny it." Griffa soothed her and pointed to her chest.
"Then who was she?" Pyrrha conceded.
"Her name is simple, yet it is oh so elegant, Capable was her title. But within that world, the beauty she was gifted by nature was both a tremendous blessing and a mortal curse." Griffa explained stoically.
"What do you mean?" The invincible girl tilted her head in confusion.
"Her beauty is what kept her alive and healthy, but 'twas also what made her a prized possession of a man who ruled with a demonic fist, the immortan joe." Griffa continued his explanations which shocked the young girl. She witnessed the truly nightmarish evil that was the immortan and his sons.
"Then who was the one she loved?" Pyrrha asked after gathering her thoughts.
"That's a question she'll answer on her own if she is allowed to. For you are standing in your own way, all you need do is allow her to speak. Hear her voice, let it sing through you, and perhaps she will tell you the secret of the identity of the one she holds dear. You feel it in your heart, a yearning for something, for someone." Griffa told her the truth of the matter and urged her to allow her past self to speak. Pyrrha did so and patiently waited while silence rang though her mind.
"Nux, his name is Nux." The reflection said after a short moment of peace.
"See, now that was not so difficult." Griffa said cheekily. "Soon enough she will speak more and reveal to you the tales of the past you have yet to remember."
"But what if she doesn't?" Pyrrha asked the shaman.
"She will, for her very soul has made its way here to inhabit you, all in seeking the mirror image of the one she cares for. He is alive once again as well, and in time you two shall meet, for it is destiny. That being said, you are still the maker of it if you so choose your path, but to do so would be to deny something you wish for most of all. This is a fact you know you simply cannot deny." He said calmly to her.
"*sigh*Then I accept it." Pyrrha sighed to herself.
"Do you truly believe that?" Griffa asked quizzically.
"I do." Pyrrha said confidently.
"Then my work here is done." Griffa smiled and turned to leave.
"Wait, will I see you again?" Pyrrha asked him, and he stopped to give her an answer.
"Perhaps, if the universe or myself deem it to be. Fare the well." Griffa replied and then disappeared. Pyrrha then woke up to mysteriously find herself in her bed again. She surveyed her room and it seemed like nothing had changed at all. It didn't make sense, a dream within a dream? The more she thought about it, the more her head seemed to hurt in excruciating confusion. Her mind remained confused and muddled, causing her to decide to return to sleep once more, and ponder what had transpired in the morning. It had all felt so real, yet she had begun to feel as if her own sanity was slipping away from her.
-TWO WEEKS LATER-BEACON-
It had been very eventful in the first two weeks of the new school year for everyone at the academy, but even more so for Max. Today especially, for today he'd be finally instructing students on combat, rather than survival. Everyone was seemingly happy not to be dealing Max's extreme methods. Even Ozpin beforehand, for the very first class, had told Max not to do certain things such as force feeding the students dog food or maggots. It was a school after all, not the Vale Defense Force, which would have allowed it. That had stifled Max's lessons slightly in the very beginning, but it did not stop him from finding other alternatives
"Today you'll learn unarmed combat, and anyone who already knows how to use their fists will have me to contend with." Max bellowed to his class who erupted into a chorus of 'pick him/her.' The constant noise of the students bickering finally got to Max and he drew his trusty double barrel shotgun. He pointed it at the roof, and fired the weapon, the sound deafening the occupants of the room, bringing a welcome silence. "You've forgotten my rules, again. After the fight is over, you'll all have a one-mile run." This was followed with another chorus of awes and cursing. "Someone will either volunteer now or you will all run now until I get tired, or the class ends." The first student to actually volunteer stuck her hand up patiently. Max noticed this and pointed to her out of the sea of students. "Grab your gear, and leave your weapon." Max ordered and she did as she was told. After a few minutes She returned and Max began his instruction on the basics. He pointed to her stance and showed her the correct posture.
"Now attack me." Max ordered, and the student tried to blitz him. Max saw the telegraphed assault and quickly parried it, bringing her in close and following up with a choke hold. The girl nearly turned blue before tapping out. Max let her go and she breathed heavily after reaching the floor. "That was sloppy, all of you learn from her mistake. What did she do wrong?"
"She came straight at you!" A random student shouted.
"Yes, she was too eager, and that leads to an opportunity for a parry if your timing is correct for a novice. The best-timed parry can lead to a successful retaliation which can be devastating, if you know what you are doing besides simply jabbing and blocking." Max agreed and relayed the faults of his student.
"Hey how many people have you fought at once?" Another random student asked.
"Between one dozen to twenty, at worst. The best fighters maintain their level head to avoid being swarmed. If they all charge you at once disabling one can be an asset as it can buy you time, since the others risk injuring their comrade attacking you. Now for more evasive opponents-" Max began his lecture but was cut off by the intrusion of Mari.
"Hey Killer." Mari said in a cheery voice.
"I'm busy Mari, go away." Max didn't even turn to look at her.
"I can see that, but Oz needs 'you' to see 'him', now." Mari told the road warrior.
"Fine, take over for me." Max growled as he walked to the door.
"Can do, you're lucky I don't start 'til next period." Mari sighed.
"Teach 'em then run 'em, one mile." Max ordered as he disappeared.
"Count on it." Mari replied as she turned to face the students, who all wiped their brows now that Max was gone. Max walked the halls to Ozpin's office and got on the elevator, grumbling all the while. Max seemed to have changed slightly, he seemed more like a grumpy old man in recent days, rather than a hardened fighter. In truth this was due to the influence of both his daughter and Glynda. That bossy witch seemed to know the old black magic to soften his heart. In the time he had to think, he recalled the first time they had really taken the opportunity to speak with each other. Things were tense, but they reached common ground with ample time. Max had to admit it, there was just something about her. He also recalled the woman he'd met in the desert, Winter. The slap she gave him back then seemed unforgettable for whatever reason. The elevator reached its stop and Max stepped out to see Ozpin sitting at his desk sipping from his mug as usual.
"Good morning mister Rockatansky, I'm sure you have questions as to why I interrupted your class, which I apologize for." The wise headmaster greeted the grizzled wasteland veteran.
"This had better be good, Ozpin." Max growled impatiently.
"I know you may be familiar with an associate of mine, general Ironwood, through his subordinate specialist Winter Schnee." Ozpin dug up some sordid history.
"We fought, I won." Max replied bluntly.
"Yes, you did, and the general has requested for you to visit Atlas academy as a temporary consultant for at least one month. He even sent along a small token of good faith to convince you." Ozpin spoke calmly and gestured to a small crate next the desk. Max brought out his handy crowbar and opened the container to reveal a work of high caliber atlas weapons tech.
"An assault rifle, high quality…" Max said as he removed the sleek yet weathered appearing rifle from its container and examined it. The barrel had multiple spiky studs across the handguard, and was painted a metallic grey with a bloody splash of red on the hand guard, and a bayonet. The weapon was seemingly rugged and violent, yet durable, still retaining the flair of Atlas technological perfection.
"I have decided to put the decision in your hands if you wish to go. If I know James, there's no doubt he wants to keep you there since he has heard of your… extremely militaristic methods." Ozpin spoke after taking a sip from his mug. Max put down the well-crafted rifle and sighed.
"He wants soldiers." Max deduced the most likely reasoning behind the request.
"Yes, and apparently he sees you as a means to forge them from moldable Atlas students. I have spoken with him heavily on the matter, and it was difficult to come to an agreement, which is why I leave this choice up to you. He seems to hold you in high regard since the rumors have spread that you act far more 'decisive' than even his best instructors. I can promise that if you do, your classes will be taken care of until your return, as you have proven to be one of this academy's finest combat professors."
"Is that all he knows about me?" Max growled to the wise headmaster with his serious expression.
"If you are referring to your past, then yes. No one who was not in that room has been granted the privilege to know. It's your past, only you can choose who knows what you have suffered." Ozpin reassured the road warrior that no one else would know unless he allowed it.
"Good, I'll take up his offer to visit Atlas. There's one thing I should mention." Max accepted without further hesitation.
"Oh?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow.
"Have you taken care of that bounty on my head?" Max hadn't forgotten Ozpin's end of their arrangement.
"I've tried, but Jacque Schnee, himself arrogantly refuses to listen to the facts, and even my political influence only goes so far. Once you leave the kingdom of Vale and enter Atlas borders, it will up to the general to keep the SDC, and its bounty hunters, out of your way." Ozpin sighed and told Max the truth.
"Fine, I can deal with them as they come." Max grunted stoically.
"I'll call the general and make the arrangements then." Ozpin said as Max returned to his class.
-END CHAPTER-