Chapter 39, Deception Among The Team

It was at the sound of the afternoon bell that the students came pouring out through the entrance of the Academy. The long day having seen it's end. The classes having concluded with their lessons. The Students now free to enjoy what remained of the day. Whether that was to simply return to their dorms or to go into town.

Auron, Blake, Hanako and Keith had come from study session, making their way back to the dorms. Keith uttered a yawn.

"Man, I'm beat." Keith said as he threw his arms behind his head.

"I thought study session would never end. I was gonna loose it if I had to read another book."

"I actually found it quite informing." Hanako said.

"You could learn much from it."

"Oh Yeah, what's that?" Keith asked, curiously.

"The only thing I learned is that a book can have so many words. Honestly, I don't know how you guys can read them."

His comment earned an annoyed glance from Blake, raising an eye brow at him.

"It's easy when your brain isn't in your biceps." Blake said.

Keith glanced back at her.

"Hey, what's that suppose to mean?!" he said, angerly.

Hanako glanced back at Blake with an amused smirk.

"She has a point, Keith," Auron said, smiling.

"Your heads always kind of been in biceps."

"Hey man, come on." Keith said.

Blake smiled amusingly, glancing down to the side. When she suddenly felt her scroll vibrating in her pocket. She then paused, pulling out her scroll and as she opened the screen, where she saw the number Adam the others used to contact her. She looked up at Auron, Keith and Hanako, who continued walking ahead toward the dorms. Shifting her eyes to the side and back to them, she then snuck off toward the nearby dorms.

Auron came up the steps of the dorm building, where he glanced back at Hanako and Keith. He then paused, squinting his eyes in confusion.

"Hey, where's Blake?" He asked.

Hanako and Keith glanced back and saw that Blake was missing.

"Hey, where did she go?" Keith asked, curiously.

"Do you think she got lost?" Auron asked curiously.

Hanako shook her head. It was hard to imagine anyone losing their way like that, considering how easy it was to see the dorms. She wondered if she might have gone to look for Pyrrha. She glanced back at Auron.

"I'll go look for her." Hanako said.

"We'll meet you in the dorm."

Auron nodded his head as she went off to look for her. Hanako made her way across the courtyard as she glanced around for Blake. She then turned to the dorms across from her, where she spotted Blake walking over to the corner of the structure. She then paused for a moment, glancing around at the courtyard in a suspicious manner.

Hanako squinted her eyes, curiously. She came behind one of the trees, peering over at Blake, curiously. She then watched as she disappeared around the corner of the dorm. Hanako then emerged from behind the tree as she made her way over to the dorm.

Turning back down at her scroll, Blake pressed the answer button over the screen, accepting the call.

"Adam?" she said.

"Blake?" Adam's voice said from the other side.

"Adam." She said back.

"Blake, God, your alright." He said.

"Did you find anything yet?"

Blake shook her head.

"No, nothing yet." Blake insisted to him

"Headmaster Rueben has been keeping the Vault under warps. Some of the staff believe that we're here at the academy."

Blake heard Adam utter a groan of frustration. Although he couldn't say that he was hardly surprised at the news. It only made sense that the Academy would be on alert for any potential spy on the grounds. Headmaster Rueben would not be as reckless with what was kept within the vault. He was just as cautious and perceptive as the King himself.

"Have they caught on?" He asked, curiously.

Hanako came up to the edge of the corner of the dorms. She heard Blake's voice from around the corner, sounding as if she was talking to someone. Along with another which sounded as if it was coming from a scroll. But it was so faint that she could only catch several glimpses of what they were saying.

"No, no one suspects a thing." She insisted to him.

Hanko squinted her eyes, curiously. She came up to the corner, where she peered around to see what was going on. It was there she saw Blake, talking on her scroll.

"Good, just try to remain low for the time being." The voice said over the scroll.

"But keep your eyes on the Headmaster. He'll have to let his guard down at some time. As soon as he reveals the vault, contact us."

Hanako turned forward as she squinted her eyes, pondering.

"Vault?" she said, curiously.

Hanako once more peered behind the corner at Blake.

Blake paused for a moment.

"Right." she said before pressing the button on the screen.

Lowering her phone to her side, Blake pondered for a moment. She once more felt conflicted about what she was doing. Between the loyalties she had for both the white fang and to... Pyrrha. Blake felt herself twitch at the thought of Pyrrha. The only human who showed her such kindness. Even when no other human would.

Blake shook her head. It wasn't like they were friends. They had only knew each other. Which was why it confused her that she felt so guilty about what she was doing?

She sighed.

Hanako quickly came back around the corner as she pondered. Shifting her eyes back to the edge of the corner, squinting them in suspicion. Whoever she was talking to, it sounded as if they were looking for a vault. Could they be referring to the one rumored to be on the Academy grounds?

If that was the case, it would explain why there was a major presence here at the academy. Which could only mean that the one who were after the vault were...

Hanako glanced back for a moment, where she saw Blake walking up from behind the corner and make her way back to the dorm. Hanako glanced to her with the same suspicious look, squinting her eyes to her. Could Blake really be a spy for the White Fang?

Pyrrha emerged from the lamp with a bright white flash. She then glanced around to get her bearings, finding herself back at the center of the colosseum. She then turned back to Qrow, who walked up to her.

"Your back." He said.

"How did the lesson go?"

Pyrrha shook her head.

"It's only just started." She insisted to him.

Qrow raised an eye brow to Pyrrha.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Qrow asked, curiously.

"Akara wants me to help train Auron and the others." Pyrrha insisted to Qrow.

Qrow continued to glance questionably to his young prodigy. As to what did her Teammates have to do with her training with Akara was a question in of itself.

"What, but why?" Qrow asked, curiously.

"What does that have to with your lesson?"

"If I am to be a Knight of Opara, then I must put the needs of others before myself." Pyrrha proclaimed to him.

"Especially those who will follow me into battle."

It was true that to be a Knight Of Opara, one must always put the needs of others before themselves. For the greatest responsibility of one trusted with Matnauas's power was to protect all the realms. Though that was to be said for every knight in general. The duty of a knight for any kingdom was to protect their people and their realms. As well as for their teammates.

"Auron's been trained in Lotharian special forces, but he's not formattable in the same way as I am." Pyrrha insisted to him.

"And with the lack of training the other received, they could use some more training before the tournament."

"The tournament is three months from now." Qrow insisted to her.

"The training they would need to be able to compete like you takes years."

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes, knowing that was true. It takes years for one to become a formidable fighting in the basic training of Knights like she was. And that was time that they didn't currently have. Not with the War happening now. Though regardless of whatever time they may have, she had to do something. Even if it wouldn't have the outcome that she hoped for.

She glanced back up at Qrow, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter," she insisted to him.

"A couple months of training is better then nothing."

Reaching down to her side, she pulled out her scroll and opened it, where she called Auron.

"Auron!" She said.

"Pyrrha, hey, what is it?" Auron said on the other side.

"Come by the colosseum and bring your armor and weapons." Pyrrha insisted.

"But why?" Auron asked, curiously.

"Just come, okay." Pyrrha insisted to them.

"Okay." Auron said before hanging up.

"You sure about his, Kid?" Qrow asked, curiously.

Pyrrha glanced up to her, smiling as she nodded her head.

"Hey, we're here."

Pyrrha turned, where she saw Auron, Keith, Hanako and Blake walking up to her. Having changed from their school uniforms and now wearing their regular armor and with their weapons. Qrow walked up from behind the four, glancing worryingly to Pyrrha. No one was allowed in the colosseum while they were training. While they may be her teammates, they couldn't afford to have them find out she was the prodigy.

Pyrrha gestured a nod of reassurance to him. All but asking for him to trust her on this. Though he was far from convinced.

"So, why did you bring us out here for?" Blake asked, curiously.

"Yeah and are we even allowed to be here right now." Keith asked.

Pyrrha turned to her.

"I just thought we all could take some time to do some training." Pyrrha insisted to them.

Auron and Keith glanced to each other, curiously.

"Training?" Auron asked, glancing back at her.

"Awe man, more training?" Keith groaned.

"Didn't we have enough for one day?"

Pyrrha shook her head to them.

"Many of us lack some of the skills we usually learn from basic training." Pyrrha insisted to them, her gaze mainly fixed on Auron.

"And if we are to improve, we need to better prepare ourselves. Especially with the war."

Auron narrowed his eyes, pondering. It was true that he was exceptional fighter in regards to Lothadarian special forces, which meant that he was well capable of holding his own in the war they would be inevitable recruited into. Though he still stood no chance against one who was better trained in the basic skills of a properly trained knight.

"Pyrrha right, this is more then just training," Auron insisted to them.

"When we do end up being recruited, we need to be better prepared."

Hanako and Keith glanced up to each other. All while Blake shifted her eyes to the side, pondering. Everything that Pyrrha had said were indeed as she had said. Most of them lacked in basic training due to war. Being so, they would defiantly benefit from some more training. Especially with Cardin and his gang now on the war path after what Pyrrha had did.

Keith glanced to the side, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have some extras training." He said, glancing to them.

"Especially if it means we can beat Cardin and his thugs in the tournament."

Hanako nodded her head in agreement.

"It would be beneficial for us to us to improve ourselves." She said.

Pyrrha smiled, nodding her head. She then shifted her gaze to Blake, who was glancing off to the side, frowning.

"Blake?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.

Blake glanced up to her,

"Uh, yeah, we're follow your lead, Pyrrha." She said.

Hanako shifted her eyes to Blake, where she glanced sternly to her.

"Right, let's get started." Pyrrha proclaimed to them.

The Team trained long after the sun's decent and the stars took their place over the night sky. Hanako practiced against holograms of Grimm, swinging her swords as she slashed the blue programs which then disbursed. All the while, Keith was practicing firing against moving targets with his launcher.

"Booyah!" He exclaimed, firing two shots.

Two targets erupted in a massive explosion. Keith grinned as he held up his launcher. He glanced to Blake with a cocky grin.

"Hey Blake, up for some friendly competition?" He asked.

Blake raised an eye brow to him.

"You sure about that?" She asked.

She raised Gambol Shroud, currently in it's pistol form. Without even looking, she fired several shots at the targets and hit them all point blank. Earning a look of shock and awe on the part of Keith.

"What?!" Keith said, glancing to her.

Blake just turned to her with that same smug smirk.

All the while, Pyrrha and Auron dueled swords at the very center of the stadium. She mainly on defense as Auron practiced making position strikes. Though she delt several attacks to him, as a means of helping him defend against attacks. She backed away, blocking his plasma blade with her sword, leaning back as he pushed forward. Pyrrha grinned.

"Not bad." She said, impressed how good he was taking to this.

Auron nodded his head in agreement. Only for Pyrrha to then pushed him back, breaking their swords apart in the process. She then charged at Auron before delivering several blows with her sword. Auron tried desperately to block them with his plasma blade. Only to then lose his footing upon the massive blow from Pyrrha. He leaned off the ground, rubbing the back of his head.

"Awe, Man." He said, glancing up to her.

"But you need to work on your defense. Also your stance is still all wrong." Pyrrha insisted to him.

She reached down her hand and offered him her hand. Auron took hold as she helped him back to his feet.

"Remember to be wider and lower to the ground." Pyrrha insisted to him.

Auron sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced to the side, frowning. Having to once more be bested for the fourth time by Pyrrha. While it was not the aspect of being beaten that was upsetting him. Rather it was a more being reminded by a more personal matter.

"Yeah, I got it." He sighed.

"Don't worry, it's takes time to learn." Pyrrha insisted to him.

"My father used to always say, A knight always sharpen their skills as they do their weapons."

"Yeah, but I think mine are too dull." Auron said before uttering a sigh.

"I need to take five."

As he turned and walked over to Keith, Pyrrha glanced back to him, frowning. They had been at it for hours now and while Auron was improving, it was still taking some time. He was still not as skillful as she was. Though she could tell that there was something troubling him.

Auron passed by Blake, who glanced back at him, curiously. She came up to Pyrrha, who narrowed her saddened gaze.

"You alright?" Blake asked, curiously.

Pyrrha glanced up to her.

"Uh, yes, I'm just..." Pyrrha said.

She then turned, shifting her eyes back to Auron, who was firing at targets with Keith. The two of them making it a friendly competition as to who could hit the most amount of Targets. Auron raised his blaster and fired at several targets which were shredded at the rapid firing of plasma laser bolts. His aim seeming precise and accurate compared to his use of his plasma sword.

Pyrrha then shook her head.

"I'm just wondering if I'm pushing Auron too much." She said, turning to her.

"I know we just started and all. But he just seems so... you know."

Blake glanced back at him, nodding her head in agreement, having noticed it too. Auron did seem to be aggravated about something. She was certain that if had something to do with what happened today in class with Cardin. She could already tell the two had a sort of rivalry with each. As evident from the first day at the Academy.

"Yeah, he does." Blake said, glancing back at her.

"You think it has something to do with what happened in class today?"

Pyrrha narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe, but I think it's about something else." Pyrrha insisted to her.

"Like what?" Blake asked, curiously.

Pyrrha shook her head, turning to her.

"I don't know." She said.

The two then heard Hanako from off to the side. The two glanced over to her, where she saw her finishing off the last of the hologram. Leaping up into the air, she slashed one of the holograms before swinging her sword to the one to her right before turning and impaling the hologram behind her which disbursed. Hanako twirled her Katana in her hand before flinging it down to her side.

Pyrrha and Blake walked up to her as she sheaved her Katana to her side.

"That was grand, Hanako. Where did you learn to fight like that?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.

Hanako glanced to to them.

"I trained with my mother a lot at our dojo." Hanako insisted to them.

"Our family comes from a long line of Masters in the ways of Sai-Jitsu."

"Your family knows Sai-jujitsu?" Blake asked, curiously.

Hanako gestured a nod of her head.

"Yes." she said.

"I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with Sai-Jujitsu." Pyrrha said, shaking her head.

"It's an ancient martial arts from the Kingdom of Tatewara." Hanako insisted to her.

"Passed down through the many generations of my home realms. And can only be truly mastered by one who has mastered not just their skills and weapon. But their inner being."

"Inner being?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.

"It basically means one's spirit." Blake insisted to her.

"Sai-Jujitsu is of the belief that ones greatest conflict resides within oneself. And that to be a true Knight is to overcome what's within. Only then are they worthy to be a protector of the people."

Hanako looked at Blake with a intrigued expression, impressed to say the least at how well she knew of her culture. Though behind her expression was that of contempt and resentment of the one which hid so much deception. One as her was not fit to even speak or even know so much of Sai-jujitsu. But she kept it to herself.

"You know much of Sai-Jujitsu." Hanako said to her.

"I practiced some Sai-Jujitsu skills." Blake insisted to her.

Hanako felt her anger rising from within. Though she was not as foolish as to reveal it. Not until she learned the full truth behind what she had saw.

"So it would seem." She said.

Pyrrha glanced to Hanako, having noticed the strange tone to Hanako's voice. While seeming odd at first, her fascination with this martial artistry from a far off realm was enough to become a passing thought. Perhaps it was nothing an that the two were just being competitive with each other. Nothing more.

"Well, that sounds very grand." Pyrrha insisted.

"I'd love for you to show me some skills."

"Pyrrha, I thing you five have done enough training for tonight." Qrow insisted to!"

The three glanced back and saw Qrow coming up to them.

"It's getting late, you all should head back to the dorms." He said.

Qrows insistence caused Pyrrha's gaze to then shift to the Night sky above, where she saw that it was indeed late. She had been so preoccupied with training that she hadn't realize

"Oh right, I didn't realize." Pyrrha said.

"We should go back to the dorms now and get some rest."

"Way ahead of ya!" Keith proclaimed as he and Auron made his way over to the entrance.

Pyrrha and Blake followed suit. Hanako being the last to leave as she once more exchanged a look of suspicion to the two of them. Pyrrha did of course seem a bit odd in of herself. Given the amount of training she had seemingly received and being able to access the colosseum and all. As well as what happened during the trails.

Though it Blake who she was the most suspicious of. She squinted her eyes at her. Never could one with so deception be worthy of the honor of Sai-Jujitsu.