Chapter 20: Know Thy Enemy

Location: Beacon Academy, Vale Year: Unknown

Me, along with teams RWBY and JNPR, was watching Pyrrha fighting against team CRDL, and... let's just say that Pyrrha was winning, 'cause of her ability to control polarity and the fact she's very skilled.

As the match ended, Pyrrha came out victorious and Glynda concluded, "And that's the match."

Cardin, while groaning, said, "Lucky shot. Ugh." and falls over.

Glynda continues, "Well done, Miss Nikos. You should have no problem qualifying for the tournament."

Pyrrha replied, "Thank you, professor."

"Alright, now I know that's a tough act to follow, but we have time for one more sparring match. Any volunteers?" Glynda asks out.

Then a hand rose up and replied, "I'll do it."

As Glynda adjusted her glasses, she replies, "Mercury, is it?"

I look at him and noticed the same guy who was with the two girls that I didn't really trust.

"Very well. Let's find you an opponent." Glynda said.

"Actually, I want to fight... him." Mercury said as he pointed towards me.

Glynda looks at me and asks, "So? What do you say, Mr. Vaughn?"

I shrugged and said, "Eh, fuck it. Why not." as I stood up.

As me and Mercury walked up to the stage, I stared at him as he approached. He made his combat stance and I just stood there, popped my neck, continued to stare at him.

Mercury asks out to me, "Ready to get your ass kicked?"

I simply said, "Oh please. Like you can stop me. A bullet to the head didn't kill me, so I doubt you can even take me on."

He raised an eyebrow at my response and charged at me and tried to kick me. I simply ducked and punched him in the gut. He staggered back and I stood my ground, unflinching.

He back-flipped away from me and stood there, as if analyzing me. I simply asked, "Come on, I ain't got all day, ya know."

He charged again and attacked by kicking me, but I kept on blocking him and punched him again, but to his chest, and flew back.

I yelled out, "Is that all you got or are you holding back on me?"

Then he jumped into the air and attempted to kick me as I thought, 'What's with him and kicking?'

Again, I kept on blocking and then was able to kick me, staggering me. But I stayed my ground and taunted, "Oh come on, you gotta do better than that."

He charged at me again and tried to pull up a swing kick, but I ducked again and punched him in the gut yet again.

He staggers back and I began to walk towards him, fist clenched, and was about to pull off a punch until...

"I forfeit."

I stopped in motion and lowered my fist. I then walked away, replying, "Next time, choose whoever you want to fight against, wisely, or else you'll end up embarrassing yourself. Also..."

I paused as I stopped walking, and glanced over my shoulder and finished, "Do not waste my time again." Then I continued to walk away.

I overheard Mercury growled at my statement. Then classed ended and Glynda spoke up, "That is all for today. And remember, the dance is this weekend, but you all have your first mission on Monday. I will not accept any excuses."

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'3rd POV...'

As Mercury walked out, Emerald saw clearly that he was frustrated. Emerald asks, "So... it looks like you gotten your ass handed to you by Vaughn, huh?"

"Shut up! That stupid piece of shit was taunting me!" Mercury replied.

Emerald said, "You should know that he doesn't trust any of us, right?"

"Yeah, I know. I was trying to figure him out. It turns out he's really that experienced. It's like he knew before-hand on what I was about to do." Mercury stated.

Then they both glanced at Edward, who was with Team RWBY and JNPR, and Emerald stated, "I can see why Cinder thinks of him as a threat. He really is dangerous."

XXXXXX

'Edward's POV...'

I proceed to the balcony to meet up with Pyrrha and Jaune for our combat training. Jaune made some really good progress. Both me and Pyrrha can see potential in him and we continued to teach him, for he has much more to learn.

After we trained Jaune, I stated to him, "Well done, Jaune. You're getting the hang of it. Keep this up and you might be one of the most skilled warriors in history."

"Well, I learned from two of the best, afterall." Jaune replied back.

Pyrrha smiled gratefully as I nodded, grinning. Then Pyrrha asks Jaune, "So, are you ready to move on to Aura?"

Then Jaune answered, but hesitantly, "I'm actually thinking maybe we just skip Aura tonight. Might go on a jog or something."

"Come on, I know you get frustrated, but you must keep trying. I'm sure we'll discover your Semblance any day now." Pyrrha said.

"Yeah, Jaune. You just gotta keep working on it. If you're dedicated enough to be a skilled warrior, then you must continue to train in order to do so, no matter what." I followed up.

"That's... not it. It's just, *sigh* it's dumb." Jaune said.

Pyrrha asks, "What is it?"

Jaune remained quiet and Pyrrha walked up to him, "Jaune, you know you can tell us, right Edward?" she asked as she turned to me.

"Yeah, Jaune." I responded.

Jaune sighed and said, "It's... it's Weiss."

I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Uh, what about Weiss, Jaune?"

"I asked her to the dance and... she shot me down. Big surprise, right?" Jaune answered with a chuckle.

I then began, "Wowowow, hold up. Since when did you have a crush on Weiss?"

"Uh, since the first day when I first meet you and Ruby." Jaune answered.

A brief moment of silence came, then I started to laugh at myself, saying, "Oh my God, how could I have been so fucking dense?! And I'm the most observing person!"

At first, Jaune and Pyrrha frowned when I began to laugh, but then after they heard my statement why I was laughing, they began to laugh with me.

Pyrrha began after our laugh, "Yeah, I guess you were dense about that."

I nodded, still chuckling, and Pyrrha turned to Jaune, "Well, I believe the saying goes, 'There's plenty of fish in the sea.'"

"Yeah, that's easy for you to say. I bet you've probably got guys clamoring each other just to ask you out." Jaune said.

Pyrrha chuckled and said, "You'd be surprised."

"Oh please, if you don't get a date to the dance, I'll wear a dress. Heh." Jaune said as he walked away from us.

"Wait, what?" I asked in confusion.

XXXXXX

'3rd POV...'

"...There's Pyrrha Nikos, and finally... Edward Vaughn, aka, the 'Courier'." Emerald listed.

"Ah, the invincible girl and the Veteran spook." Cinder said.

Mercury stated, "Nikos' smart, but I wouldn't say invincible. But Edward, on the other hand, he might be. He seemed to be holding back when I fought him in a sparring match. He didn't even use a weapon and he didn't even struggled, what-so-ever."

"Do tell." Cinder replied.

"Nikos' Semblance is polarity, but you'd never know it just by watching...well, we can. Edward is just very experienced. He didn't even use his Aura at all. His reaction timing is perfected, he can somehow read your next move before-hand, and... well... he's a mixture of a wise man and an either cocky or confident young man, plus adding Veteran combat experience. He's going to be a much more bigger problem." Emerald concluded.

"Hmm, so people assume Miss Nikos' fated for victory when she's really taken fate into her own hands. And Edward has experienced violence his entire life AND is still sane enough to not break down from it. Interesting... add them both to the list. I do not know what Edward's Semblance is, but I bet it would be powerful." Cinder said.

As Emerald added Edward and Pyrrha to the list, Mercury said, "You should be able to take her no problem, but I still don't know about Edward. He's still a mystery to us all."

"Oh, Mercury, it's not about overpowering the enemy, it's about taking away what power they have. And we will, in time." Cinder responded.

To be Continued...