Chapter 4 Release
Pyrrha was worried about her partner. Even with Nora's constant nagging for information, Jaune hadn't said anything about what had happened yesterday.
He'd been introspective all evening, occasionally looking at her as if seeing her for the first time.
What had that old man done to him?
Professor Port was in the middle of describing another adventure when Edda came into the classroom. Seeing the class suddenly sit up as if to pay attention was enough to stop the professor midsentence and turn to the doorway.
The bushy moustache was lifted by the smile beneath it. " Odson! My dear friend! I'd heard you were back."
Edda shook the offered hand. " Still telling tales of the old days, Stout Heart?"
" A tale, well told, teaches as much as any book! "
Knowing how the man told, and re-told, his stories, Edda refrained from commenting. Friendly criticism was not to be done in front of strangers, even if it might relieve everyone's boredom.
" I require one of your students, if you will allow it."
" Of course!" Port stepped back, wondering who it would be.
Edda took a moment to look over the group, letting the suspense build. Some of the students seemed to shrink back in their seats as that gray eye swept over them. One girl, though, boldly met his gaze. " Pyrrha Nikos! Come with me!"
The respectful " Yes Sir" made him wince internally.
'Some days I hate what must be done.'
She'd started to move away from the desk when Jaune's hand caught hers.
" Pyrrha, please be careful!"
The worried look in those blue eyes justified the way she felt about him. Patting his hand, she replied " I will."
As she passed her other teammates, Nora whispered loudly " And tell us what happens! "
' A warrior maiden' was the best description he could come up with as he stood facing the armored girl across the training salle. What he had to do would be difficult, but not impossible. The videos of her in combat were impressive, to say the least.
' You knew the job was dangerous when you took it old man!'
" Show me your best, girl!" he challenged.
She got within a sword length before a sudden strike with the face of his shield sent her flying backwards.
His laughter filled the room. " This won championships!? " The sneering tone brought a frown to her face. " Surely the quality of students has dropped!" Crouching, he slapped the flat of his sword on the shield. " Again!"
Dodging the thrown shield, he blocked the first swing of that bronze blade, watching her hands closely. He'd studied the videos enough times to recognize when she would convert the weapon to one of its other forms.
Seeing the shaft begin to lengthen, he threw his own shield at her, simultaneously converting his own sword into its spear form. A swift blow to the rear of the legs with the shaft dropped her on her back, the return slammed into her belly with all the force he could muster.
He hated himself for a moment. The girl's Aura hadn't been much help when he put his full weight into that last blow. Watching her writhe in pain as he retrieved his shield, he pondered what it would take to get the response he wanted out of her. Sighing inwardly, he decided to go all or nothing.
" Get up, you puling weakling!"
The glare of those green eyes as she retrieved her own weapons was all he'd hoped for.
" You and that blonde baby deserve each other! The way you play mommy to him disgusts me!"
Lips curled up in a snarl, her eyes closed to slits. Had the sword been made of a lighter material, it would have been crushed in that clenched fist.
" If you're the one he's learning from, he's doomed!"
'I may have gone a ~bit~ far with that last line' he thought as the blood from the cut on his cheek slid down the blade of the sword. One or two inches to her left and he wouldn't have been in any shape to be bothered by it.
The scream of rage had paralyzed him for a moment. She must have put every ounce of her power behind the attack, pushing him back against the wall before stabbing with force enough to drive the blade several inches into the stone behind him.
Her harsh breathing began to slow as she opened her eyes. Seeing the blood dripping on the floor, she released her grip on the sword and stepped back quickly. Hugging herself, she began to weep.
" I'm.. so sorry!"
Edda stepped away from the blade and allowed his Aura to quickly heal the cut before taking the girl into his arms.
" Miss Nikos...Pyrrha. I'm the one who should apologize. You've been bottling up your emotions for so long that I feared you would explode. Talking wasn't going to help, so I decided to give you a physical release. You are not to blame, I take full responsibility for what has happened." Leading her to the table, he settled her into a chair before sitting opposite her. Holding her chin in one hand he dabbed at her wet eyes with a kerchief, meanwhile letting his semblance sink into her.
The boy's hair is red, but he has his father's features. The child smiles at his mother as she teaches him to dance while the father stands nearby. The blonde head nods in time with the music as he watches them, the two people he loves most in the world.
The vision makes him feel better about what he'd done.
" Pyrrha, your friends care a great deal about you. And, I think you care a great deal about them, yes?"
She nodded while wiping away the last of the tears.
" But, the one you care for most has to open his eyes on his own. The test of love is the greatest challenge that any of us will face. Be patient with him and it will happen!"
Her eyes widened at his words. " Really? But I..want..!"
He gripped her hands for a moment. " He is still young, as are you. You both have a great deal to learn about life. Be patient enough, and the reward will be greater than you can imagine."
Standing, he drew her up with him. " If you catch her alone, you might ask Professor Goodwitch about how patient you have to be with men sometimes!" Striding to the wall, he withdrew her sword and handed it to her.
" Some of us take a great deal more patience to deal with!" Leading her to the door he concluded with " If you hurry, she's usually in her office about this time of day."
He waited until she was out of sight before putting his back to the wall just inside the doorway. Letting weak knees relax suddenly, his butt hit the floor with a solid thump.
" ..ouch? "
The cane tip tapping his knee a moment later was enough to break his train of thought.
" Problems, my friend?"
The eyes under that mop of gray hair were worried when Edda looked up at him.
" I would rather fight a herd of Goliaths than do that again!" the old Hunter assured him. A look of wonder crossed his face. " That girl is...amazing! She was more than I could handle!"
Ozpin smiled gently. " I know. I was watching the monitors." The smile disappeared, replaced by a frown . " Although I was worried by the method you chose. If she had less control..!"
" We wouldn't be having this conversation. I know!" Odson finished for him. " But, it was the only way I could break through that shell she's built around her emotions."
The headmaster took a sip from his cup before replying.
" I see. If you had been mistaken, then I wouldn't have bothered making a fresh pot of coffee for you!"
Edda grinned as he climbed to his feet.
" And that's why I like having you as a friend. You know what the priorities are!"