Chapter 41, Auron's Hope
Pyrrha, Auron and Blake emerged from the Colosseum's changing rooms. Having donned their regular combat attire a nd their weapons, they made their way to the center of the stadium. Auron glanced around the stadium, curiously.
"Okay, Pyrrha, you mind letting us in what this is about?" He asked, turning to her.
"Yeah, are we even allowed to be here during Hours?" Blake asked, curiously.
She glanced back to them.
"I just thought we could use this time to do some more training." Pyrrha insisted to him.
Pyrrha came up to the very center of the stadium. With a wave of her hand, a blue holographic pad appeared before the Prodigy. She then proceeded to type in one of the training codes, she usually practiced with in the past.
"Our final test is only a few months from now." Pyrrha reminded them.
"And you are still lacking in some of the basic training needed. We need to use all the time we can get to improve."
"Shouldn't we wait for Hanako and Keith?" Auron asked, curiously.
Pyrrha turned back to Auron, shaking her head. There was little time for them to wait for the rest of their teammates. After all, they were already properly trained well enough to use weapons more accustomed for a knight to use. Auron still lacked in that regards. If he was to improve by the time they would be called to service, she needed to help train him.
"I'm sorry, but we can't." She insisted to him.
"Basic training takes years to learn. And if we continued how we are, you'll never be ready in time. We need to take every chance we can to train."
Pyrrha then turned back to the holographic control pad, where she finished typing in the code. The holographic pad gave a small accepting sound before suddenly disbursing. It was then that a holographic form appeared before the three of them. Pyrrha came forward as she drew Milo, currently in it's sword form.
"Lets start with some sword play." Pyrrha insisted, holding her sword in both hands.
"You must be swift and anticipate your opponent's moves. Your sword can be used for both offence and defense."
As the timer indicated it's final second before the holographic form came forward. Raising it's large blue blade, she swung it down over Pyrrha. Only for her to raise hers own and block the hologram's blade. The hologram continued to swipe it's sword at her as Pyrrha counted each attack with her sword. As their swords met once more, Pyrrha then pushed the hologram back before coming forward to deliver several slashes, causing the hologram to disburse.
Pyrrha then turned back to Auron.
"Now you try." She said to him.
Auron came forward, drawing his blaster rifle from her back.
"Be sure to use your sword form." Pyrrha insisted to him.
Auron held up his blaster rifle as it then transformed into it's plasma blade form. He then turned to face the holographic form which then appeared before himself. The Hologram raised it's large sword to Auron. Auron in turned held his sword at the ready and at the sound of the timer, the hologram charged forward as it raised it's large blue sword to him. Raising his sword, he quickly blocked the holograms blade with his own. It then raised it's sword again and proceeded to slash at Auron, who deflected it with his plasma sword as he was forced back.
From the side, Pyrrha and Blake observed Auron's duel with the hologram. While his skills with a sword were serviceable at best, he seemed to be holding his own against the hologram. He was also taking in to account all that she had shown him.
"He's doing well for the most part." Pyrrha insisted.
Blake came up to her glancing to Auron.
"I guess so." Blake said, shrugging.
"But he's not exactly, you know."
Pyrrha nodded her head in agreement. He may be doing well for the most part. Yet even still, his lack of experience with a blade and skill was still apparent. As evident from his struggle against the hologram.
The strikes came swifter with every blow the hologram struck against him, causing him to faulter back. As their swords colided once more, the hologram began He kneeled down, trying desperately to hold back the hologram blade. The Hologram in turned continued to push his sword down over him. Before it then shoved his plasma blade to the side before swinging it down at Auron, knocking him down over him, knocking him down over the ground.
"Auron!" Pyrrha exclaimed.
"End simulation!"
Similation ended!
The hologram then disbursed as Pyrrha rushed over to him. She kneeled down next to him as he leaned up over the ground.
"Are you alright?" She asked, curiously.
Auron groaned, rubbing the back of his head.
"Yeah, yeah I think so." He said, rubbing the back of his head.
Pyrrha glanced back at the spot where the Hologram was standing.
"That was good for your first try." Pyrrha insisted to him.
Auron narrowed his eyes, frowning.
"Yeah... thanks he said, glancing to the side.
Pyrrha turned back o him and was met with that same look of dismay. By now it was clear to her. Auron must feel resentment from losing the fight. He must take compaction seriously. Not surprising, considering the rivalry between him and Cardin. Thus failure was not something he was willing to accept.
While it was admirable, it was something that he had to overcome if he was to better himself.
Pyrrha stood up as she offered him her hand. Auron took hold of her hand as she pulled him up onto his feet.
"Your technique was good. Just got to work on it a bit more." She insisted to him.
"You also need to work on you stance. You need to be lower and wide to the ground. Lets try that again."
Pyrrha and Auron continued to practice sword play well pass the time of the sounding of the Academy bell. But even as the day's classes had reached their end, it was only the beginning of the two's training. At the very center of the colosseum, where they exchanged several blows with their swords. Auron continued to counter Pyrrha's sword with his plasma blade. Having become much quicker at responding to her attacks.
While off to the side, Blake sitting atop the ledge of the stands, reading a book she had taken from the library. Glancing up from the book she was reading, she looked over at Pyrrha and Auron continuing to spawl against each other.
Pyrrha being sure not to hold back as to make he becomes quick at deflecting. Pushing forward, she swiped her sword from side to side. Forcing Auron back as he raised his plasma sword as he blocked her swords. The two forcefully pushed their blades together in an attempt to force each other back. Pyrrha glanced up to him, smiling.
"Not bad." Pyrrha complemented.
"Your getting better at this."
Auron smirked.
"Thanks." He said, with a gesture of his head.
Pyrrha then smirked. She wasn't about to let him grow arrogant in a battle. Such actions would most likely lead to ones defeat against an opponent. Breaking off their swords as she pushed him back, she once more came at Auron. Swiping her blade with such force, causing him to faulter as he blocked it with his plasma sword. With a massive blow from her sword, sending him back. Though he was quick to recover from her strike. He glanced up at her, curiously.
"A rule of Combat, never let yourself become blinded by arrogance." Pyrrha insisted to him.
"Arrogance can lead to anyone taking a path that can lead to their undoing. Or one much worse."
Auron stood up, nodding his head.
"Right." He said.
Hearing the words uttered by Pyrrha, Blake shifted her eyes to the side. Fearing that she and her people may have already fallen down that path. And one that was much worse. Which was why she need to somehow convince Pyrrha to somehow help the White Fang and her people. But after everything that she and Adam and The white Fang had done, would she be willing to? After all the death? The suffering they had caused?
"Hey!"
Blake glanced down to the entrance of the locker rooms, where he saw Hanako and Keith emerged from below.
"You guys didn't wait for us." Keith said, flinging his hammer over his shoulder.
"And why didn't anyone tell me we were starting early? You mean, I could have been training instead of looking at all those books?
Hanako rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Pyrrha and Auron turned to them.
"Sorry. Me and Auron were just practicing some sword play." Pyrrha said, smiling.
"Still, you could have let us in on it." Keith said.
"Why don't you guys get started, I'm gonna have break." Auron said before walking off toward the locker rooms.
Much to the dismay of Pyrrha, she glanced over at him, frowning. While he did not win against her, it couldn't be said that he had lost either. Even though this was just training, his competitive nature was still prevalent. Or so she thought.
Perhaps it wasn't about that at all.
Perhaps there was something else that was troubling him. But what could that be?
Pyrrha turned back to Blake and the others.
"I'll be back." She said.
It was then Blake leaped down from the stand above, glancing back to the two, curiously.
"Oh, I think I like where this is going." Keith said, glancing back at Blake and Hanako, smirking.
Auron came up to the entrance to the Academy courtyard. Placing his arm over the side of the entrance, he leaned against the wall, his head narrowed. Pyrrha came up to him, seeing him seeming to be pondering about something. What it was, she could only expect that it was what was troubling him.
"Auron?" Pyrrha asked.
Auron glanced back at her.
"I- I just wanted to see if you were okay." Pyrrha insisted to him.
"You've been... um..."
Auron simply shifted his eye to the side before turning forward without uttering a single word back. All but a clear indication that whatever was troubled him was not a simple rivalry. Rather it was something more... deeper then that.
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes. She didn't wish to pry as she knew it was not her business. But even still, she needed to help her teammates regardless.
"I understand that you might not want to talk." Pyrrha said.
"But... we're teammates. We have to be there for each other. And I want to help... if you'll just let me."
But still Auron said nothing, continuing to stare forward into the courtyard. Only for the moment to follow was him uttering a sigh. Pyrrha came up to him, placing her hand over his shoulder. He glanced back at her, seeing her gesture a nod to him. All but to encourage him to tell her.
Auron turned forward, sighing.
"Do you know what it's like?" He asked.
"For what?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
Auron turned back to face her.
"For you family to be defined by War." Auron insisted to her.
"For it to be the only thing you ever know. What you prepare for your entire life. And to have be what separates your family... or what takes them away."
Hearing Auron's description of war sounded all too familiar to her. As it was, she knew it was all so. For it was what had happened to her. Her father always off serving in the war and the attack on Arthamore that separated her from them. Yes, she knew well of what he was saying.
"Y-yes, I do... in a way." She insisted to him.
"Not the way I do." Auron insisted to her.
"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
Auron turned to face her.
"When I came here, I wanted to show everyone that Knights and soldiers are one in the same." Auron reminded her.
"That we all fight for the same thing. But..."
"But what?" Pyrrha asked.
"How can I... when I can't even fight like a knight?" Auron insisted to her.
Pyrrha came up to him, placing her hand over his shoulder.
"But you are a knight, Auron." Pyrrha insisted to him.
Auron shook his head.
"I'm more of a soldier then I am a knight." Auron said, glancing back to her.
Pyrrha shook her head as she came up in front of Auron.
"I don't believe any of that." Pyrrha insisted to him.
"Well you should." Auron proclaimed to her.
"It was how I was trained. Dad was the only one around to actually train me. Mom she..."
Auron then paused for a moment. He the sighed, shaking her head.
"She wasn't around much. But it wasn't really her choice." Auron proclaimed to him.
"I was never really to be trained as a Knight. And there's no way I will in the time we have. How can I prove myself if I can't even fight with a sword?"
Pyrrha squinted her eyes in disbelief. Though most of what he had said did bear some truth. As training was indeed rushed with the war that was happening. So it stood to reason that he did not receive the basic training need to be a knight. Yet even still, she would not believe that he could become a Knight. They may only have a few months time, but it dd not meant that he could not better his skills.
Pyrrha reached up her hand and placed her hand atop his cheek, causing him o glanced up to her. She smiled up to him, before exchanging a look of encouragement.
"You may not have been trained as a Knight. But I know that you are one at heart." Pyrrha insisted to him.
"You said you wanted to prove to everyone that soldiers and Knights are the same. And you still can. If you'll willing to. I know you can do this and I want to help you. You can't give up now."
Auron shifted his eyes to the side, pondering what she had said. Pyrrha narrowed her eyes, knowing she had done all that she could. Now it was up for him to decide. She then turned and made he way back into the Colosseum, leaving him alone to his thought. All with the hope that he would make the right choice.
Pyrrha came up to Blake, who had finished dueling with a hologram. She glanced over at Pyrrha, who seemed upset about something. Seeing her frown as she glancing off to the side.
"You okay?" Blake asked, curiously.
Pyrrha glanced up to her, nodding her head.
"Yeah, I'm okay." she said.
"I hope."
Though her claim was not to be so, as Pyrrha felt her worry and contempt come seeping back. Hoping that Auron would make the right decision. She narrowed her eyes, shifting her eyes to the side.
"What is it?" Blake asked.
Pyrrha glanced up to her, glancing back toward the entrance to the locker room corridor. and then sighed.
"Was there ever a time when there was someone who needed your help?" Pyrrha asked, curiously.
"But... you were so helpless to do anything."
Blake's glanced to the side. She knew well what Pyrrha was talking about. As there was someone she knew that she hoped but also fear it was too late to save.
"This is about Auron, isn't it?" Blake asked.
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes, nodding her head. Blake came up to her, placing her hand over her shoulder. She glanced up at Blake, who smiled to her
"Don't worry, he'll come around." Blake insisted to her.
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes, hoping Blake was right.
"Hey Teach!"
Pyrrha then turned, glancing back to see Auron walking up to her. He was holding his blaster form. Though it was not it's usual form. Rather it was in it's plasma sword form, flung over his shoulder.
"Think we should get a move on with our training," Auron said.
"We got to use all the time we can get."
Pyrrha turned to him, smiling, gratefully. As the hope and faith she had placed in Auron proved to be well placed. As too did Blake, Hanako and Keith. Sharing the same feeling of relief as she did of Auron's choice.
The days to follow that night, Auron was sure to keep hiss word to his decision. From study sessions to their free time, Team Eagan were wise in spending them in the colosseum, training. Pyrrha had mainly focused on helping with Auron's training along with Keith, Hanako and Blake's. Though she was also sure to keep up with her own training.
All the while, they were sure to keep their grades up in classes and whatever assignments they were given. Though that would sometimes results in long nights of studying. Qrow would often return from town to find them fast asleep in the living room. He would often times have to tuck them into bed. Not that he minded.
Pyrrha and Auron were practicing sword play at the center of the stadium, the two clashed swords. Pyrrha being sure not to let up on him, as to better his response time and blocking. With a slash of her sword, Pyrrha had once more knocked Auron down. She rushed over to him worrying. Only for him to lean up and gave her a sly smirk, nodding her head to her. Pyrrha smiled, helping him up onto his feet. After of which, the two took combated stances as they continued their training.
Though it was not just sword play that the two practiced in their spare time. She had also helped him practice with his shield. Holding his plasma shield before him, Pyrrha came at him with her sword as she proceeded to slash her sword at him. He raised his shield and proceeded to block her blade, trying hard to hold his ground against her.
Pyrrha smirked, seeing how well he was reacting to each of his strikes. He was definitely improving countering strikes. He was must swifter then before and had become must stronger. She stood up, gesturing a nod of her head to him.
"Good work." She said.
Auron stood up, smirking.
"Thanks." He said.
Pyrrha sheathed Milo behind her as she drew her shield to her with her semblance. She then held her shield before her as took a defensive stance.
"Okay, now you try." Pyrrha insisted to him.
Auron smirked, drawing his plasma sword from behind as he charged forward toward her. He swung his blade at her shield. Only for her to counter his attack, blocking his plasma blade. While the point of this training was to help better Auron's skills, it did also serve to help better hers as well. Though she was fully trained in the basic skills of a knight, she was not above improving herself.
It was not just them, the other members of Team Eagan had also used this time to better themselves. Hanako was focused on using her secondary weapon. Her Katana, currently in it's bow form shot several energy arrows at the targets. Drawing back the arrow, she released the arrow with precise aim. The arrow struck the very center of the target.
Keith smirk as he came up next to her with his launcher over his shoulder.
"Not bad, now watch a pro show you how it's done." Keith said, earning an eye roll from
He then aimed at the target and fired. The Target of which erupted in a massive explosion which earned a boyeah from him. Only for the next moment for the smoke to clear and reveal that a chunk of the left side of the target had been destroyed. Though the Centre remained intact.
"Awe man." He said, bowing his head in disappointment.
All while, Blake was facing off against the hologram trainers. As the blue virtual form charged at her with a swing of her sword. Only for her to block it with her own and leap back, leaving a shadow clone in her place, which then erupted in a sudden blast of fire. She landed in a narrow stance, glancing up at the other holograms which then charged forward toward her. With Gambol Shroud in hand, she leaped forward, slashing through each of the Hologram with her katana. She came up behind them, glancing back at the three which then disbursed.
She then stood up as the announcer came over the speaker.
Simulation ended, Time: 30 seconds.
Blake smirked as she sheaved Gambol Shroud behind her.
"Nice work, Blake." Pyrrha said.
"I guess I have some competition."
Blake turned to her before smiling, nodding her head to her.
"Uh, thanks." She said to her.
Pyrrha smiled back at her. The two of them oblivious to Hanako, glancing back at them with a stern expression. Mainly directed at Blake. Still quite suspicious of her so called "Teammate" through the months. Having observed her through that time, awaiting the moment Blake would reveal her true intentions. Especially with Akara's prodigy.
From the corridors of the locker rooms, Qrow had been watching the team train for the better half of the afternoon. He smirked, seeing how well they were progressed in their training. They had only a week before the finals and they almost seemed ready to face the finals. There was little doubt that Pyrrha wasn't ready to face the trials. But now it seems that team might just have a fighting chance in the final trial and when they are called to service.
Though with the final Trials soon at hand, it would also bring a reality that he feared would come. Being called to service for the Kingdom of Lothadare would bring to life a certain truth. If King Larr would to ever discover they were from different Kingdoms, from Ataria no less, they would surely be arrested and tried for treason. And there was further training to proceed the final trial. Which meant that they would ultimately have to leave Lothadare and find another safe haven where they could proceed with her training.
But it would ultimately mean they would be committing desertion. The worst crime one could commit to any Kingdom, especially in times of war. And with news of the advancing Grimm forces, they would run the risk of being discovered by the Empress.
Whatever the future held for them, one thing was certain...
The journey ahead would be a dire one.