Authors Note: New chapter, enjoy.
The Emerald forest was no stranger to the sounds of combat. The area played host to the initiation of every year of students to have passed through the halls of Beacon, and it was the only place where people could go to train against actual Grimm. As such, many people sought it out for training, meaning their little group had the perfect excuse for going there without anyone being suspicious. If they traveled a little deeper into the woods than most, none would ever know to comment. Any Grimm that approached were swiftly dealt with to hide what it was exactly that they were doing.
Penny hovered in air, for a moment, shaking rather aggressively as she attempted to steady herself with the use of her powers. Flight was something Pyrrha had only just started to get a hang on, and even then she only used it when needed. Penny was making good progress however, faster than she had at any rate.
Her powers cut out suddenly, and Penny dropped. Rather than crashing into the ground however, she managed to land in a controlled crouch, panting all the while.
"It is… quite tiring." Penny said in between breaths.
"How does that even work?" Coco asked from a nearby tree. Team CFVY had been more than happy to come watch the training session, partly to help Pyrrha keep the area devoid of Grimm, but more likely to see the Maidens in action. "I thought you said you don't get tired like us fleshy mortals?"
"I didn't-" Penny quickly tried to correct Coco, stopping only when Pyrrha put a hand on her shoulder.
"Coco, don't pick on Penny." Pyrrha chastised her friend. "You know she isn't good at picking up on jokes."
Both of the girls managed to look embarrassed at that, Penny for having missed the fact Coco had been teasing, and Coco for having done so in the first place.
"I am not capable of building up exhaustion." Penny decided to answer the question. "I am a synthetic being, and as such my body does not require rest like everyone else does."
"I get that, but like…" Coco gestured towards Penny, who was still bent double over her knees, breathing harshly.
"I… don't know." Penny explained. "Magic is… different. I am not physically tired, as I am not capable of feeling such, but I am… spiritually tired."
"Magic doesn't run off of the soul, but it does seem to run alongside it." Pyrrha tried to help, so much as anyone could. Even Ozpin didn't fully understand it. "Physical body or not, it's her soul that is getting strained."
"Is now really the time for a lecture?" Fox sent.
"It's not like there's any Grimm nearby." Velvet added.
It took Yatsuhashi a moment to respond, and that became clear as to why when he stopped through the tree line. "It is quite interesting, many philosophers and wise men have tried to trace the origin of Aura, it is incredibly intriguing to learn that there is something else inside of us."
"Something else that we can't use." Coco muttered.
"Pyrrha could turn you into a bird you know." Velvet added as she too stepped into the clearing alongside Fox. The three had been quick to spread out when they arrived, leaving only Coco close enough to actually watch the training. "Or maybe a frog."
"How about a penguin?" Fox sent. "It would clash with her whole fashion style, I'd love to see her forced to go shopping for a change."
Coco glared at Pyrrha. "If you turn me into anything, so help me, I will never talk to you again."
Pyrrha chuckled softly. "Don't worry, I won't…" She couldn't help the smirk that came to her face, nor could she hold back the desire to mess with her friend. It was only fair considering how rarely Coco was on the back foot. "I don't suppose you have a favorite color of fur?"
Coco's glare didn't lessen, nor did she dignify Pyrrha's words with a response. Her face might have turned the lightest shade of red however when everyone laughed.
"How would you?" Penny asked.
"Hm?" Pyrrha turned to regard her.
"I understand that there is a difference between your powers and mine, but… I do not understand how such a difference could allow for such drastic changes in abilities." Penny tried to explain, though from the expression on her face it was clear she wasn't certain if she had done so well enough. Thankfully for her, Pyrrha was able to.
"Magic and the Maiden powers aren't the same thing." Pyrrha shook her head. "You can't look at one as a progression of the other."
"But it comes from the Headmaster's Magic, does it not?" Penny tried to reason, and the look of confusion on her face was honestly adorable. "I don't understand how they could be different."
"That's Magic." Pyrrha could only smile. "It's something beyond our understanding."
"Maybe you'll figure it out." Fox sent. "You're the first synthetic life form to have it, maybe you'll notice something the rest havent."
"Maybe…" Penny responded, and, ironically, that fact she could do so at all only helped to reinforce Fox's point. It had taken Penny interacting with him once to figure out how to use his Semblance for communication. It had taken Pyrrha months and almost dying to achieve the same.
"For now it is best to not dwell on it." Yatsuhashi said, rather than for philosophical reasons however, he looked down at his scroll to check the time. "We have a reservation to make."
As their group started the trek back to Beacon, Pyrrha slowly found herself towards the back of the group. Penny was currently holding a conversation with Yatsuhashi about something no doubt philosophical, judging by the way Velvet had slowly drifted back towards Fox as the two watched on with morbid curiosity. It was, however, good to see Penny relaxed. She had been nervous when Pyrrha first introduced her to Team CFVY, but they had all helped her open up in much the same way they had with her. Namely, they refused to let her sit back and avoid conversation.
"Going for the proud mentor look?" Coco asked, smiling as Pyrrha regarded her. "I suppose you should be proud, Penny is coming along quickly."
"It's all her." Pyrrha insisted. "I just gave her a few pointers and tricks."
Coco rolled her eyes at that. "You are teaching her how to do Magic, and not some crappy card tricks either. I think there's a bit more to it than 'the power was within her all along.' You don't give yourself enough credit."
Pyrrha smiled awkwardly but tried to play it off. Coco meant well, and she was probably right. Figuring it out for herself hadn't been easy, but she was confident that Penny would have been able to in time as well. Or if she had been forced to as Pyrrha had. There was something to be said about learning under crisis. She was just glad that it wasn't necessary. Penny deserved better than that.
"Are you ready to talk about the other day yet?" Coco's voice was quiet, though not so low that Fox and Velvet wouldn't be able to hear. The fact they sped up their walk just enough to create the extra distance necessary made it clear this hadn't been a spit of the moment decision on Coco's part.
Pyrrha sighed. "Not really." The mission had been a disaster, and while the details of the mission had been kept out of the news, Team CFVY had been the team sent after to clear out the bunker. They had seen it first hand. Coco had tried to corner Pyrrha about it later that day, but she hadn't made mention of it in the few days that had followed. "Things didn't go as planned."
"I've done a bit of research on that Taurus guy." Coco replied, earning the slightest bit of amusement from Pyrrha. Coco had good grades, sure, but she wasn't what anyone would have called studious. Not unless they were referring to the latest fashion trends. "He's a pretty dangerous guy from what I read."
"He was strong." Pyrrha agreed. She was certain that she could have won in an out right fight, her Maiden Powers and Magic were simply too versatile, and while he had clearly been skilled, Pyrrha was confident he wasn't too much stronger than her. Her powers would have given her an overwhelming advantage. Whether he knew that or not, he had attacked with a plan that had removed her from the fight, rendering all of those advantages moot. "He caught me off guard with his Semblance."
"Something he won't be able to do again." Coco said. "He's apparently pretty high up in the White Fang though, so he'll usually be surrounded by some above average fighters for the White Fang. His group is stronger than the ones we faced. More successful."
"Where did you find that out?" Pyrrha asked. Research was one thing, but that seemed like a bit much.
"Specialist Schnee told me." Coco said confidently. "I was trying to find any information I could on the guy, but there's apparently an information block on him by the council. Anything aside from his wanted poster and some camera footage is pretty much impossible to find."
"How did you convince her to do that?" Pyrrha asked. "And when for that matter?"
"It was when you were off at the gym." Coco sent her a stern look. "Directly after the mission, once you got back from fighting Grimm, you started focusing on the gym again. Like you did before…" Before she had met Coco and them, before she had realized just how much strain and pressure she was putting on herself.
"I needed a distraction." Pyrrha said simply. After everything that had happened, she needed something to get her mind off of it. That first night she had been unable to sleep, the image of Meadows' head rolling onto the floor plaguing her dreams. Tragedy wasn't something she was unfamiliar with, in their line of work it was inevitable, and she had seen more than her fair share. That didn't mean she dealt with it any easier than others though, it still kept her up at night. Staying in Team CFVY's dorm helped though, and she hadn't been subjected to anything like this since she first arrived back at Beacon. "How did you convince Winter to tell you? If the council has put a ban on the information, they probably have a reason. I'm surprised Winter would tell you anything."
"I told her I was worried about you." Coco shrugged softly. "She opened up pretty quickly after that."
Ah, that explained it then. Despite her frosty exterior, Winter was a very kind person when she needed to be. It was easy to see where Weiss got it from, and Pyrrha couldn't help but wonder if their mother was the same. Everything she had heard about their father made it clear he hadn't been the one to pass it on.
"I'm fine." Pyrrha smiled softly to try and reassure her friend. Coco didn't look convinced, but she couldn't blame her. "The first couple days were hard, but I'll survive."
Coco's glare expression softened. "You shouldn't have waited a couple days. We would have helped." She gestured towards the rest of her team ahead of them. "I would have helped."
"I know." Pyrrha nodded, she didn't doubt her friend's words for a second. "I didn't want to talk about it though."
"We still could have helped, words or not." Coco insisted. "Movie night tonight. Your turn to pick."
"It sounds perfect." Pyrrha smiled. "I have one in mind act-"
Beacon academy was truly a wonder, not just for its grandeur but how seamlessly it was integrated into the landscape of the forest and cliffs that surrounded it. In order to get down to the Emerald forest, one simply needed a landing strategy and then they could jump; getting back up wasn't so simple however. There was only one actual staircase that led up the cliffside, meaning if you knew someone was down below you knew where to wait for them, and it was clear that the General had been waiting for a while.
"Pyrrha, do you have a moment?" The General regarded her differently than the last time she had seen him. Rather than with the indifference and disappointment of their post mission brief, there was clearly more life in the way he looked at her, and especially the way he was unable to meet her eyes. He looked to the rest of her friends, who had formed a sort of shield in between them. "I promise to not keep her for long."
Pyrrha hesitated only because of her last conversation with the man, even if that had been days ago now. He hadn't sought her out, nor had she felt the need to speak with him. The fact he had apparently suddenly changed his mind did little to sooth her concerns. Another mission was a distinct possibility, but judging by the lack of urgency in his voice and posture, she doubted it. Still, she was hesitant. Coco made to speak for her, likely planning to make some excuse so that Pyrrha could avoid him. She stopped when Pyrrha placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll catch up." Pyrrha smiled bravely, though the look in Coco's eyes made it clear she would be expecting that to be the case.
"We'll be in the dorm, do you mind if Penny picks the movie instead of you?" Team CFVY stepped aside.
"Go for it." Pyrrha turned to regard the General. He gestured for her to walk beside him and she did so, even as they simply followed the cliff edge.
They walked in silence for several minutes, and though they never strayed from line of sight of the academy, Pyrrha felt that the General was trying to find a secluded place to talk. That had been her thought at first, anyways. Now, she wasn't so sure. They were alone, that much Pyrrha was certain of, and yet he hadn't spoken yet. Until suddenly, he withdrew a small file she hadn't realized he'd been hiding in his jacket.
"These are the compiled after action reports from the mission." The General didn't look at her as he handed them over, nor did he stop, and Pyrrha had to be careful as she took them and opened the file, lest she spill its contents on the pathway.
At the top was a section for personal information, names and ranks that helped identify and categorize the report, and she recognized the names easily enough. They were all written by the surviving members of Winter's team. She skimmed the first few lines; they were surprisingly thorough, recounting the mission in great detail. She stopped reading before she got to anything important, not wanting to relive the particular details of how the mission had ended.
"I don't know what I am supposed to be looking at, sir."
"The final section of Fairfire's report." The General stopped and reached over, pointing to a section at the bottom designated for final notes, one line specifically was highlighted.
Despite lack of training and preparation, the SIC composed herself with distinction and to the best of her ability.
"SIC means Specialist In Command." The General correctly recognized her confusion. "She's referring to you."
"I don-"
"I was wrong." The General stated before she could continue. "I was wrong to blame you, I knew that before these reports were even compiled. I was out of line to place such faults on you. I hope you can forgive me." He was looking at her now, and despite how he was older, she felt that she could see the regret in his eyes. Along with the shame.
"You weren't entirely wrong, sir." Pyrrha defended. "Were I a real Spec-"
"But you are not, not truly." The General replied. "You lack the training and experience, and I failed to account for that. Winter was right."
Winter had stood up for her? That fact didn't surprise Pyrrha as much as it might once have, but the fact Winter hadn't mentioned it certainly did. She made a mental note to thank her for it.
"This failure is my burden to bear." The General said. "As is the shame of my trying to place that failure on you."
She wanted to say it wasn't, but she didn't believe for a moment that he would accept that. "I understand, Sir."
"There have been many decisions lately that I have been uncertain about, but granting you that position of trust has not been one of them." The General smiled softly. "Not when I am of sound mind. I hope you can forgive me."
Pyrrha nodded. "You're under a lot of stress, sir. I think it's understandable."
"That is no excuse for a leader to do as I did." The General replied. "And please, call me James."
"Did Neo hold up her end of the bargain?" Pyrrha asked, hoping to change the subject away from who was to blame for the mission's failure.
"She did." The General nodded. "The scroll she provided has been quarantined and confirmed to contain a sample of the code Watts used to hijack my forces at Fort Malik. My engineers are already working on ways to counteract its effects, or to prevent it from being used in the first place."
"So we can count on there not being an A.I. uprising anytime soon?" Pyrrha joked.
"Not unless Penny decides she wasn't to use her Magic for evil." The smile on the General's face made it clear what he thought of that. It really was funny to imagine, sheerly due to its impossibility. It would be like Ruby suddenly proclaiming that she wanted to work for Salem. "So long as the Council agrees to grant me control of security for the festival, then my forces will be ready for whatever Cinder throws at us. It's… simply a matter of moving all the pieces into place."
"I'm sure they will." Pyrrha tried to calm his nerves. "They did in my time. It's not like they have many other options."
Despite her words, the look of doubt on the General's face was clear. "We shall see."
"I trust you, Sir." Pyrrha replied easily.
Ironwood retrieved the file from her hands before turning away from her. "You should get going, before those friends of yours come hunting for me."
Pyrrha chuckled awkwardly. She was sure Coco wouldn't jump to such extremes, mostly sure anyways. The dismissal was appreciated however, and she couldn't wait to see what Penny had picked out for them to watch, but she was glad this time that she departed on better terms at least. The General was difficult to understand, mostly because there almost seemed to be two different versions of him. She knew she couldn't even begin to understand the stress such a position would entail.
Stepping into the crowded dorm room, she let such thoughts wash away. Now wasn't the time for that. Pyrrha wanted to relax, even if only for a moment, and focus on the people she cared about. Speaking of, she pulled her scroll up to regard the message there with a soft smile. Jaune had finally reached back out to her it seemed. If Team CFVY noticed her good mood, they refrained from commenting on it, and thankfully Penny was just socially awkward enough to not pick up on it. It was for the best, for just a few hours, she could think about nothing more than what to wear on her date the next day, or what she was going to do with her hair.
The things people her age should have been worried about.
Author's Note: Obviously there's more going on here with certain things than meets the eye, but I'm curious to see if any one will be able to pick it up or if I didn't lay it our well enough. We'll just have to wait and see, I suppose.
I hope you've enjoyed it and as always I encourage you to review and let me know what you think. I always love to hear what I'm doing right, wrong, and what I can do better.
Sincerely SE