Chapter 3
Interlude: The Headmaster's Request
Ozpin stood as Glynda ushered their guest into the office before leaving the two men alone. Stepping around the desk, he offered a hand.
" Welcome back my friend."
" You asked and I came, as a friend should."
Gesturing with the ever-present cup, Ozpin asked " Would you like some coffee?"
As he poured, the headmaster glanced sidelong at the larger man.
" I would like you to...assess...some of our students."
Edda took the offered cup, staring down into the patterns the cream made.
" You have doubts about them?"
Ozpin shook his head slowly. " No. I need to know what they will be capable of. There are eight in total, though I believe you will only need to deal with six of them." Turning, he plucked a scroll from the desk. " Here is the list, with attached files for each. The staff has already been informed, so feel free to call them out of class if need be. All of the facilities are open for your use. As before, I would like a confidential report of your findings."
Setting down the empty cup, the big man nodded.
" Then I shall begin at once."
Despite the offer of all the school's facilities, all he truly required was an empty sparring room, two chairs, and a table.
Scroll open on the table, he perused the list that Ozpin had provided. Eight names with attached files. A thick finger flicked two of the names to the opposite side of the screen. These had already been 'tested', many years prior, even before they were old enough to attend a fighting school. He doubted if they even remembered when he'd done it.
As for the rest? This would be a long night of planning, he knew.
Starting at the top of the shortened list, he began opening files, studying histories of people he would soon know intimately.
Who first?
Tests and Burdens
A day passed before he approached the first classroom. Pausing in the doorway, he watched the doctor closely.
Green hair flying, the man zipped about the classroom, the cup in his hand a white blur. Edda watched it carefully, hoping to see a spot of brown that would indicate a spill.
'How does he do that? Twenty years and never a drop lost!'
He felt obligated to give it one last try.
" Doctor Oobleck!?"
Bartholomew froze, cup pointed at the doorway. The wicked smile on his face betrayed the thought. 'Give it up, old boy! You're never going to see it happen!'
Seeing no answering smile, he adopted a formal tone. " Yes, Mister Odson?"
" I require one of your students, please."
Knowing what was coming, the doctor waved his free hand towards the class.
" Anyone you choose will, of course, be excused for the rest of the day."
A gray eye scanned the rows of suddenly attentive students, settling on a blonde haired boy.
" Jaune Arc! You will come with me!"
With all eyes on him, the boy rose uncertainly.
A hand on his arm restrained him momentarily. He turned to see green eyes regarding him.
" I'm sure you'll be fine Jaune!" Pyrrha whispered
.
Jaune's arm felt like it was made of lead. The strain of the last twenty minutes was telling on him as he blocked the older man's overhead swing. He'd managed to stop everything that came at him, even getting in a few slashes of his own, but he'd forgotten the other man's shield.
The metal edge landed square in the diaphragm, lifting him into the air as the breath was driven out. He came to rest at the base of the far wall, gasping for breath.
A large hand helped him to stand. " I think that will be enough sparring for today." Edda commented as he lead the boy to the chairs. " Sit! We shall talk for awhile."
Still a little uncomfortable in the larger man's presence, Jaune edged his chair backwards as he sat.
" Is there something that disturbs you, boy?"
Unsure how to respond, Jaune opted to be straightforward. " Yang said you can see inside people. Is that true?"
Edda leaned back into the chair and laughed softly at the boy's confusion.
" In a way. Let me see if I can explain so that you will understand." he began. " my Semblance,my 'special ability' allows me to touch another person's Semblance, thus giving me insight to the whole person, their character or ' heart' as I call it. I also experience a small portion of what is best described as a major event in their future. Sometimes, though rarely, there is more than one. This does not mean I know all of what the future holds for everyone I touch, only a single instance." Jaune's hopeful face made him add a cautionary note. " I have found it best not to reveal what I have seen!"
" But...?"
The hand gripping his knee cut Jaune's question off. The gray eye looking at him was as hard as granite. "Tell me boy! Would you like knowing about the day of your own death!? Or that of someone you care greatly about, someone you love!? "
The death of his parents?...or Pyrrha?...or any of his friends? The idea made the boy's face pale.
Releasing his grip, the old Hunter sat back. " Believe me lad, I would not wish this burden on anyone!"
Jaune gulped as he realized what the man was talking about. 'Carry those thoughts around every day of your life? How does he stay sane?' " So..what now? "
Edda leaned forward and laid a palm against the pale cheek.
" Now we see what you will add to my burden."
The vision came quickly, and in greater clarity then most.
A no longer young Jaune stood on a small rise. In one hand he held the staff of a large flag. In the other was the hand of a redheaded woman with piercing green eyes.
A gust of wind spreads the fabric of the flag, revealing the symbol on it as a multitude of voices began cheering.
Exerting his will, Edda forced the vision to remain fixed as he studied the flag.
' Ozpin has no idea what this boy will be!' he thought. ' And I don't know if I dare tell him!'
As the palm touched his cheek, Jaune experienced an odd sensation. Not unpleasant, just..strange. He closed his eyes to concentrate better.
'It's kinda like when Pyrrha unlocked my Aura, but different!'
The touch lasted only a few seconds before dissipating. It felt like something intangible inside him had been taken, only to be replaced with a not-quite-identical but more solid copy of the original.
This was definitely the weirdest experience he'd ever had!
Edda sat back, gathering his thoughts for a moment.
Every time he did this, he knew that the next words he said would start a chain of events into motion. The visions always showed what would be, but not the path to travel. Early on he'd adapted to speaking in generalities, rather than particulars, to avoid forcing events to happen too early. The boy's eagerness to prove himself was going to make this all the harder.
" Jaune, do you think you teammates trust your judgment?"
The blue eyes narrowed for a moment in thought. " Yes..I think they do."
" Do they trust your skill as a warrior?"
Jaune blushed slightly, remembering the late night sparring matches with Pyrrha as she attempted to teach him the fundamentals of sword and shield.
" Umm..I hope they do!"
" Do you trust your team? Their belief in you?"
He thought about the battles they'd been in and how Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha had followed his orders without question when he'd given them.
" Yes! Absolutely!"
The boy's conviction about his team was the deciding factor.
" Then,~ you~ must believe in yourself! " He held a hand to stop any questions.
" Many can fight...few can lead! You are one of the few. It is time for you to open your eyes and see 'what is' instead of ' what might be' ! " Leaning forward, he grasped a shoulder and shook it lightly. " There is one who loves you that will guard with the warriors skill, but she is not the leader that you are! Open your heart and eyes, see what is real, see her, and you will become what others see in you!"
He rose and gestured towards the door.
" Now go. Take the rest of the day to consider what I have said."
Jaune turned when he reached the doorway. " Sir?"
Edda raised his eye to the boy. " Yes?"
" I just wanted to say thank you...and I'm sorry if I made your burden heavier."
The old Hunter smiled back at him. " No lad. I think you may have made it lighter, instead."