Sometimes Ozpin really missed the simpler times just being a normal teacher.
But he knew it was a balance. Personal wants weighing against making sure more things were done the right way. And he had long ago forsaken any path to personal gratification. Yet as often as he could, the headmaster walked among the training rooms and classrooms. Beneath the tall arching hallways and through the bright sunbeams coming into his school. Just to drink in the nostalgic feel of simpler endeavors.
Sharp wooden cracks, metallic clangs and shouts of exertion echoed out from all of the little arenas indicative of heavy activity that would have drawn his attention on any other day. But Ozpin was looking for one specific room at the moment. The place where he had told James to meet him with this scientist and his project.
The headmaster's walking stick gently tapped along, bracing his weak left leg. Students moved to the outsides of the halls, warily watching him pass. The few professors offered a friendly wave before returning to what they had been doing. Mostly talking with their co-workers or students they had pulled aside for various reasons.
The training room he was searching for was easily the loudest, and he supposed that shouldn't have been a surprise considering which teams he knew were already present. Nearly two and a half dozen of his trainees were paired off and dueling each other all around the arena. Keeping themselves mostly to the sides.
Away from the bout dead center stage.
All of team CRDL, along with Alicia Redstone, Co'Balt, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren were jumping and weaving around the massive figure of Kad Amaranth. The giant student ducking dodging and leaning away from all their spinning jumping strikes trying to knock down his aura.
CRDL collectively backed away from the colossus who Ozpin knew could have easily laid them all out in one swipe, but Kad hadn't countered their attacks with more than a change of momentum to trip them into their temporary teammates.
Kad spun his steel chain back up around the orange leather right sleeve of his combat jacket. Stopping him from taking a direct hit from Co'Balt rolling forward and hacking down with Keila. The ax blade bounced off the black links, Kad twisted his wrist and ripped Co'Balt's weapon free of the Faunus' grip. Using that momentum he struck his open palm against Co'Balt's chest, who flew back and crashed against two other students who were simply minding their own business on the sidelines spectating.
Alicia and Nora shared a look then made their move, the ginger girl rushed to the left Alicia slid up to the right.
Nora jumped up, using the longer reach of her hammer to strike at Kad's head.
Alicia slashed up at the back of his knee with her Dust knife.
Her leader spun, lifting his leg over Detergeo. Left hand caught the hammer beneath its grenade launcher head. Then he swung the captured ax at the back of Alicia's head as he moved. Nora was thrown at her gawking teammate, knocking Ren back with the short girl now on his chest pinning his bladed pistols.
Alicia's aura broke the force of the hit, but she still fell flat skidding on her elbows knife clattering away across the floor with her head now pounding like a bass drum. Then team CRDL all rushed at the giant again, Kad's insane reaction time let him quietly sigh to himself. Lamenting their lack of coordination, if all eight of them just came at him at once they might have been able to accomplish something,
Might have, but doubtfully.
Brown armored Dove leapt, stabbing high with his sword. Kad threw Co'Balt's captured weapon straight into his stomach and he went flying backwards. Cardin ducked below his friend striking at Kad's legs planted on the ground again. But Kad was fast. He unspooled and whipped the black chain around his arm down. Tangling it around the ginger boy's feet tripping him face down to the floor.
Kad pulled up, dragging Cardin's feet into the air and getting chain links in the way of Sky chopping his halberd forward. Kad spun right, his chain pulled free from Cardin's ankles. Metal crashed into Sky's right arm when the giant team leader finished his roundhouse spin. Smacking the blue haired boy into Russel the last member of CRDL.
The two of them bowled over a couple more onlookers who hadn't learned the lesson yet of being to close yet. Kad spun his weapon back with a flourish as his opponents righted themselves and charged again.
Two other spectators who were not dangerously close to the fight both shook their heads cringing at their teammate's and their allies' performance. Jaune in pained sympathy having been sent down on that mat many times, Pyrrha in frustration at their lack of coordination.
The two of them were sitting on a low waist high ledge circling around the entire arena. They had been each slowly coming to grips with their lack luster performance in the tournament. Which after the twist of Pyrrha's unexpected defeat had worn off and some of the shock from the blast and Schnee kidnapping incident had gone away had both of them at various points with their thinking.
Ren tried to spring off of Kad's bent right knee and slash high with Storm Flower's blades. But the giant was too fast once again, elbowing JNPR's quiet gunslinger right down.
"Well," Jaune said attempting to start a conversation with a little levity, "At least we won't have to face him in the tournament."
Pyrrha didn't respond, she looked around the arena again. Noting duels, how the way her fellow trainees moved and struck. Her sharp green eyes spotting their slips and over stretches were she could have seized advantage. If the doctors had given her the okay to train again. They wanted her off her feet as much as possible for at least another week. But another week of just watching the tournament news feed was going to drive her insane. She needed to figure things out. A return to routine and what she knew best was what Pyrrha felt would most expedite the process.
Not her concussion, physical injury was nothing new to her. She won her first Mistral tournament with a knee dislocated, and head spinning from whatever ultrasonic semblance the other girl had. She wasn't sure what being knocked out of the Vytal festival tournament would mean for her in the long run.
Jaune noted her silence and his left arm over her shoulder, "Hey, it's all right." He said trying to comfort his partner and tutor. She leaned into his shoulder a little bit,
"You know," She told him, "I think it is actually."
"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked in confusion,
"Just… You know how things end and you suddenly just feel. Kind of relieved," Pyrrha explained as she huddled closer to her team leader.
"What do you mean?"
Pyrrha smiled, "I'm not sure yet… But at least I'm not on that pedestal anymore."
Kad had Cardin by the throat holding him high off the floor looking at the other team, daring them to try anything else with an amused smirk. Dove snarled in frustration and struck the floor with a fist. Behind APRC's leader Ren was helping Alicia to her feet once again while Nora leaned on Magnhild panting heavily.
But the sound of one person slowly clapping brought a pause to everyone. Kad dropped Winchester down and turned to the sound.
Professor Ozpin was walking forward applauding the display of skill Kad had just shown. He balanced his walking stick in the crook of his arm. All the other students in the arena stopped to look at the headmaster. Surprised by his sudden appearance.
He addressed the nine fighters as one, "Well fought all of you."
The boys of CRDL looked aside, sensing a lot of false sentiment from the old man. Nora managed to smile like always, and Ren just hung his head exhausted. Wondering why he agreed to fight the giant in the first place.
Ozpin looked to Kad, "Mister Amaranth a word please, with your team."
The chain links clinked together as APRC's leader stepped forward following in the steps of the professor winding the weapon back around his waist. Alicia sheathed her Dust knife back on her left hip before she bent down to pick up Co'Balt's shotgun ax from the ground, then moving over to where its wielder was rising up off his side. She patted the Faunus' shoulder for a good try before she gave him Keila. The Faunus didn't really appreciate it, huffing irritated once before stepping in line.
Some other students stepped onto the now vacant stage, unlimbering their weapons before they began their own bouts.
Pyrrha noticed the three's sudden departure and that actually got her interest. She shifted and tracked the trio as they followed Ozpin back out near the entrance.
"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked, having failed to grasp the significance of the headmaster's appearance.
She half replied, "Nothing, just thinking."
Alicia and Co'Balt flanked their leader on both sides, as he hiked up his belt and pants looking down on the much smaller professor who was not intimidated by the giant's size.
"Are you three well?" Ozpin asked,
Each of them nodded in turn. Whatever their feelings after Jaxon's murder they were all mostly keeping them quiet and just attempting to move on.
"Now," Ozpin brought his cane back down to the floor and placed pale hands on top of the detailed silver handle, "I know that this may not be the best time for this, but I have a consideration for you."
After a second of shared confusion Alicia spoke, "What would that be sir?"
"Team Apricot does have an empty position…"
Co'Balt objected before Ozpin could even finish,
"No! No way!" He emphasized his outrage with a short swing of his hands and a menacing step forward. Kad's left palm slapped down against his teammate's chest stopping him cold.
The professor met his angry gaze, "Such temper is unwarranted young man, and this is merely something to keep in mind for the future. I see no difficulty in having team APRC operate with merely three members. Each of you have proven yourselves to be more then capable of overcoming adversity."
"But," Ozpin raised a hand and twitched his fingers beckoning their eyes over towards the doors he had stepped through moments ago, "Regardless I would like you to meet your potential new team member."
The door latch clicked open, two Atlas soldiers pushed the tall portal open and stood ramrod straight to the sides holding the handles.
The next man through was easily recognizable. The supreme commander of the northerner's armed forces General James Ironwood. White suit pressed and spotless, no wrinkles to be found and not a single button out of place with his steely hair neatly slicked back.
Who followed the soldier was quite a surprise to Kad.
It was the little ginger girl Penny, who he had met at the tournament while sitting out the first few rounds. She had her head tilted slightly down avoiding eye contact, obviously nervous and holding the hand of an older man to her right.
He was certainly interesting looking Kad thought, long thinning grey hair combed back and slicked over his scalp. Slightly dark skin starting to show the first signs of old age. Thin rimmed round glasses over his light brown eyes. Wearing a dark brown and green patterned sweater beneath a long white lab coat that reached down to his ankles, hugging the sides of his grey pants above thick brown leather shoes.
Ironwood looked to his old friend up in front of the three students "Professor,"
"General," The Headmaster replied dryly.
The dark haired Atlesian, stamped his heels together and folded hands behind his back, "May I present my chief scientist Doctor Geppetto and of course I believe you already have met his daughter Penny."
The old scientist stepped forward holding out a friendly hand to Ozpin with a greeting, "It is my pleasure Professor."
Ozpin shook with him, "The pleasure is mine. I have heard much about you and your wonder girl as well."
Geppetto chuckled, brushing the front of his shirt with the hand now free from Ozpin's grasp. Penny looked up and met Kad's unflinching gaze. He crossed his burly arms up, staring right back.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Alicia whispered in mild shock at their potential new teammate. She acknowledged the skills of the other talented girls in their class but from first looks Penny didn't appear promising to Alicia. The two Atlesian adults didn't hear her remark. Kad did however, Co'Balt too. And they were inclined to agree with her sentiment. Ozpin merely frowned and motioned for Penny to step forward so he could introduce her.
"This is Penny Polendina. Doctor Geppeto's,"
Kad bluntly interrupted the professor. "We've met."
Eager to make a good first impression in the only way she knew Penny turned her attention to the taller girl Alicia. Taking her hand from her father's and threw up a quick salute, "Salutations. I'm combat ready!"
"Ha!" Co'Balt laughed once, giving her a pointed look.
Her father glanced at General Ironwood, "James is this really the best team poss,"
The other Atlesian cut him off, "You said she was ready, now this is in Ozpin's hands. It's his school late comers are placed at his discretion… If you would prefer to wait a semester and take your chances."
Penny spoke up, "I would like to join his team, if possible."
Kad pondered her choice of words, not this team.
His team.
The headmaster's fingers drummed against his cane, "We shall see miss, now follow me please."
The old doctor sought to break some of the icy mood he sensed around these three for his daughter's sake. He looked up to Kad with a slight smile, "And what do they feed you?"
"Under-performers…"
Only a few other students dropped everything to come and see the new comers. Most of the others wary of the sudden increase in supervision, quickly made their way out of the arena.
Kad walked over to Jaune and Pyrrha, giving the new couple a quick nod before leaning against the wall beside them watching the center stage. Waiting to see what would happen.
Co'Balt walked past, giving his leader a quick word, "I don't want her with us."
"Me neither," The giant replied, "But I don't think we're gonna have a choice."
"Bullshit," The Faunus cursed quietly.
"Co'Balt…"
"You're not insulting Jaxon like this. You're not going to forget about our friend."
Kad's growing scowl only deepened, "No, I'm not. But what are you doing?"
Co'Balt's stormy look turned into a malicious grin. Pyrrha sensed ill intent in his words, "You should be careful, she must have some skill. She was held back from the first tournament rounds."
"Oh yeah?" Confidence oozed from his voice, "So was I."
"Father…"Penny said in a quiet voice.
"Not now Penny focus please," The good doctor caressed his chosen daughter's cheek gently, "Our little mystery can wait for another time."
General Ironwood and Professor Ozpin walked side by side to the rear of this arena stage, taking the place of where CRDL once stood against Kad. The old teacher gestured for Penny to come forward. She stepped up confidently, pale hands folded near her waist.
"Now this is just a small formality," The general began, "Ozpin…" he bowed his head slightly to the side subtly giving him the proverbial floor.
The old professor would have preferred to do this formality in the formal way at the start of a new term. Let the general try and impress him with his scientific miracle properly. But Ironwood just continued to insist time was of the utmost essence in his ever so polite way and so here they were.
"Students have always taken a rigorous entrance exam before they are allowed to train in these halls," Ozpin said, "And despite glowing recommendations,"
Penny smiled a little at that remark,
"I feel it would be prudent to test your mettle against one of our current freshman."
Before he could call out his choice for her opponent Ozpin paused. Stormy eyed Co'Balt took a place far across from the little ginger girl. All the three adults present turned to the boy. He crossed his ax with his fallen partner's rifle spear, collected from a storage locker just a moment ago. Co'Balt had never asked how Jaxon had acquired the Mistral styled blade, and one of his greatest regrets was now he would never know.
Ironwood attempted to speak, "Excuse me, young man,"
"She wants to fight with us," Co'Balt growled. "She'd better fucking prove she's good enough, personally."
He ground the sharpened weapon edges together threateningly then spread his brown boots apart taking his fighting stance. Ozpin and Ironwood both shared a concerned look about the young Faunus' blatant hostility. The Professor glanced at Gepetto, before waving his hand indicating it was his call whether or not to let this happen.
He briefly adjusted his glasses, "Penny?"
"I'm combat ready!" She shouted again, grinning wildly.
Taking that as a go ahead, Co'Balt shouted and charged.
Keila came down high from the right, Uzipho swept up low form the left. Penny was stunned by his ferocity and speed. And Co'Balt was even more stunned when she reached up and blocked his ax below the blade with just a flick of her bare wrist.
It was an all too familiar feeling. A feeling of indomitable strength.
Like when he fought Kad.
Co'Balt was stunned but undaunted. Months and months of training with the top students of Beacon had him watching his opponent. He knew right now she wasn't nearly as focused as his team leader. All her attention was on the ax striking.
The wide edge of Uzipho smacked into her upper thigh. Penny stumbled back and gasped, letting the other weapon continue its course. He wasn't going to let minor surprise slow him down.
Arms and weapons crossed then swept back again, aiming for the ginger's neck and throat. She leaned backwards. Now fully focused on the duel easily dodging the razor steel, but forced to block a sudden straight kick to her stomach with crossed arms as Co'Balt pressed his attack.
"Come on!" The Faunus yelled, swinging his weapons again in circles. The little crowd cheering on their fellow, shaking fists in encouragement. Co'Balt jumped and spun cutting down. But from out of nowhere a trio of slender blades blocked the fall of his personal weapon.
Penny's arms mirrored the movements of her swords. More sprang out and unfolded from the small backpack she wore. Seeming to float down by her left, which she flicked up catching Co'Balt off balance.
The swords struck his shoulder and skidded off one of his horns, but that only infuriated him even more. Realizing he was being outclassed in speed as well with another shout, Co'Balt swung both weapons right. Penny brought the half dozen swords close together barely a fingers length apart. The blades flew in circles brushing Co'Balt's strikes aside as she quickly backed away with a short jump.
The boy hooked the bottom edge of Keila up, binding all Penny's swords together between the steel and shotgun barrel.
As he looked closer to judge her response and reaction, Co'Balt finally noticed how she was using all those weapons. Not by a semblance like he first thought. Very fine wire connected all of the hilts to the thing on her back.
Uzipho flashed up, but the wires proved stronger then he thought. Penny quickly jumped, kicking both of her feet against Co'Balt's chest and flipping away. More blades sprouted up from behind Penny. Arms moved like clock hands as the dozen swords rotated behind her. The Beacon students around them whispered in awe.
Those voices instantly morphed into shocked shouts when she spun and flung the whole circle of spinning metal right at off balance Co'Balt.
His aura was nearly drained in one hit from that one massive hit which sent the Faunus sprawling backwards, weapons falling out of limp hands. Students cringed and shouted ooohhs of various notes. Jaune laughed a little.
"Did you see that?!" He said to Pyrrha. Even the Mistral champion was in awe of this display, Kad just shook his head, checking his scroll for his teammate's aura level.
"Well now he's pissed…"
Co'Balt sprang up to his feet with a great angry roar. His semblance reacted making the Faunus almost impossible to track as he leapt once again at his opponent. He cut down, moving both weapons in his hands as one. Knocking Penny's swords aside, the keen edge steel still cut at his arms and body but he didn't feel it. Penny tried to give ground, but she was quickly running out of room to maneuver. Every other strike she tried, Co'Balt brushed away or dodged.
Penny had never fought a duel against anyone other than the combat instructors General Ironwood had brought for her. Despite his attitude she was starting to have fun.
She spun away from the frenzied boy. Uzipho and Keila bit deep into the floor where she once stood. She clapped her hands forward, stabbing her swords up and forward trying to catch him off balance again. Co'Balt smiled as opportunity appeared. On one last turn, he deflected the weapons and punched straight at her face left handed, his knuckles braced across his partner's weapon.
But Penny quickly stepped inside of his guard, and grabbed onto his swinging arm with both hands. The swords around her folding back like a set of wings. Co'Balt barely had time to cry out before he was thrown to the mat stunned and out of breath pinned on his back. Penny's knee on his stomach while she crushed his arms together immobilizing him.
Draining the last amount of aura necessary to send him into the red zone.
Ragged applause followed her actions. General Ironwood and the Doctor both clapped their hands, evidently pleased. Penny released his arm and stepped back. Her swords once again dancing through the air following her waving arm in a flashy display.
Kad quickly snuck another glance down at his scroll. Co'Balt's aura was on the verge of failing completely. Choking fury twisted the Faunus' guts. Raging at how this girl was humiliating him.
"Do you wish to continue?" Penny asked, genuinely concerned.
"Well, are you pleased General?" Doctor Geppetto asked.
"You know I am," Ironwood told his chief scientist, "The question remains, what does Ozpin think?"
"Yes very impressive James." Ozpin said, having overheard the two of them whispering. While he admitted their girl had some talent and potential. Ozpin was far more concerned with his student, whom he knew to be a very calm young man. But the blind rage, and unwarranted hatred of this girl Co'Balt didn't know concerned the old professor deeply.
He could sense it now, down from his tower.
Just what his adversary had done to the collective psyche of Vale and Remnant. Placing it a razor's edge from chaos.
But his thoughts were interrupted. The post duel calm shattered as the Faunus decided he hadn't had enough yet and resumed his attack.
Co'Balt snarled, shooting up onto one knee to spin Keila and Uzipho like the blades of a fan. Always of the mind the best defense was a good offense he launched himself back at Penny. Trying to knock an opening in her impenetrable defense as she once again gave ground almost floating across the floor.
Her grin never faded. His attacks never slowed. But Co'Balt's pitiful amount of aura continued to be dropped by a thousand restrained cuts while Penny's remained strongly in the green. Only taking minor glancing hits from the two weapons.
Again Co'Balt was knocked from his leaping strike down to the practice mat. This time his aura gone completely. Uzipho spun out of his hand to the edge of the crowd.
But still, Co'Balt tried to get back on his feet. Bound and determined to beat Penny into a pulp. Panting and raising his ax in an almost shaking fist.
"Enough!"
That one word from Ozpin stilled everyone in the room. Penny let her swords collapse back into her backpack. Co'Balt stood his ground tension still heavy in his stance, until he saw the look of condemnation that Ozpin was giving. Ironwood cleared his throat and called out to the Professor, "So Ozpin…"
The general was cut off without another word as Ozpin started to move towards the exits, "If you'll excuse me Doctor, General. I have an appointment to make."
The old headmaster knew this was just a distraction. Ironwood trying to get him to take action again where it could only lead to disaster. He had to find Qrow and hope that the Huntsman finally had news for him. Time was running short.
No one spoke as Ozpin left. Most students shrugged and went back to minding their own business. This event just another piece building up the mystery and legend of their headmaster. Geppetto and Ironwood shared a glance and broke into a storm of quiet whispers. The doctor demanding to know what was going on and the general attempting to form some sort of reasoning behind his old friend's actions.
Co'Balt still stood glaring at the back of Penny's head as she looked towards her father. Kad quickly redirected the Faunus's focus with a quick whistle and a flick of his head back. He knew his friend would need to talk. Kad had seen the blind rage too.
The rest of team APRC quietly moved over to the side of the training room, their towering leader going down to one knee as he listened to his teammates and tried to come up with words of reassurance.
But in the midst of this all, Penny was left alone in confusion and fear, wondering what had she done wrong...
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A/N Not gonna fix the whole Penny's dad name issue. Seeming as how even in Cannon the subject seems to have been dropped with everyone heading right to Mistral. And I plan to be off Remnant by the time vol 6 comes around.
So I thought it was clear by now I have no Idea what the fuck I am doing here.
Anyway. For those of you who remember the previous, "Penny Bashing." Chapter. (Please forget it.)
Some how I tricked myself into thinking there had to be a reason Kad didn't want Penny on his team. So she had to look bad. Yes that is dumb and completely OOC. But I was one of the ones who kept wondering why RWBY had so little time spent and depth built on the characters with their names in the fucking title. (off topic.)
Mah... This chapter may still not be good. Or that's just my crippling low self esteem talking. But at least now it is not bullshit. I hope, there I go again.
Share if you care. Review as you do. You know the spiel. Some body motivate me.