Classes
Author's Note: Another Long one, sorry.
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Following his talk with Ozpin, Ryder has been thinking about his Semblance and how special it was. Amplify, as it was named, can boost his abilities, but he wants to know more about it. He wants to know what it's truly capable of. He wants to train it to get stronger. The battle with the Warden showed Ryder that he wasn't some helpless boy anymore. Sure, he still wasn't confident in his abilities, but now he possessed a superpower that gave him a little bit of confidence. When the next day hit, Ryder immediately got ready for the day. Once classes were done, he was going to start training. Though, he honestly didn't know where to start. He felt like asking Kairos but he's getting major Vegeta vibes from him. He still doesn't know if that's good or bad. To start the day off, Ryder looked over what Classes they had thanks to the schedule that was provided to all First Year Students after Initiation was over. Kairos just wanted to get the day over with and Ryder couldn't blame him. Ryder wasn't a school lover kind of guy. He was more of a No School kind of person. He never liked being in school.
he's hoping the schooling here it's different. So he and Kairos head off to their first class which is being conducted by a teacher named Professor Peter Port or just Professor Port. The class was all about Grimm. Ryder wondered if Port would talk about the Warden, probably not since it was a recent discovery. When Ryder and Kairos arrived, they were among the early ones. Team RWBY and JNPR were almost late but managed to get there about 2 minutes before the bell. Kairos scoffed at them while Ryder was relieved that they made it. The classroom was large as it had a small set of stars that led to each level of seats. It wasn't a big height difference, but it was enough so that no one was obscuring the vision of another. On the wall behind Port's desk were various boards that held the images and details of various Grimm types. King Taijitu, Deathstalker, Beowolf, Boarbatusk, Nevermore and Ursa. In front of his desk and in front of everyone else is non other than Professor Port.
"Monsters! Deeemons... Prowlers of the night!" he said dramatically. "Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names. But I merely refer to them as prey. Ha-ha!"
While everyone was paying attention, Weiss was taking notes while Ruby was taking a nap due to being bored from Port's words. She is woken up by his poor joke. Following the bad joke a cricket-filled silence consumes the room as no other sounds are made. Port realizes his joke wasn't that good and tried to regain interest.
"uuuh, and you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy! Now, as i was saying: Vale, as well as the other three Kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world! Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces! And that's where we come in. Huntsmen! Huntresses..." Port gave a slight wink to Yang which made her uncomfortable.
Ryder was also uncomfortable as that raised many red flags. He even cringed from that little comment.
"Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves! From what, you ask? Why, the very world!" Port said, still dramatic as ever.
"Ayyy-yep!" one student shouts while raising their fists.
This student gets a bunch of strange gazes before he sits back down, embarrassed. Ryder honestly felt bad for him.
"That is what you are training to become. But first: a story. A tale of a young, handsome man... me!" Port declared. "When I was a boy...."
Ryder zones it out as he really didn't want to hear him ramble. He was mainly focused on his Semblance and how to improve it, but also the Warden. He wondered if any other new type of Grimm where out there and wondered if they were as strong or stronger than the Warden. While he wasn't necessarily pushed to his absolute limits thanks to Kairos, it was still a tough opponent. The ability to release Sonic Waves and Flames from its mouth definitely makes it a high-class threat. It's almost unbreakable armor made it difficult to land any lethal blows. Ryder had to literally overpower it with his Semblance to cause some serious damage. Thanks to Kairos, he was able to kill the thing. This time he was sure of it. Grimm usually disappear into black mist or just disintegrate upon death. He doesn't know why honestly but believes it has to do with the Grimm not possessing souls like other living creatures. Grimm are basically demons. Monsters of evil and chaos. They live for destruction and there's no negotiating with a hurricane. Ryder is drawn out of his thoughts when he notices Kairos gaze. It was like Kairos was silently scolding him for not paying attention.
"What?" Ryder whispers.
"Tch, getting distracted so easily? It's a wonder you stood a chance against that Grimm." Kairos whispered back, referring to the Warden.
"That warden was tough. I'm just stuck on that topic." Ryder said.
"Well don't be. We're supposed to be Huntsmen, not children." Kairos said in a scolding tone.
"I do, sir!" Weiss shouts.
Ryder and Kairos looked over confused. Kairos scoffs in frustration as he realizes he got distracted.
"Well then, let's find out!" Port said before gesturing to a nearby cage.
The cage had a Grimm inside and Ryder saw what it was, it was a Boarbatusk. It's essentially a boar with large tusks. The typical pitch-black skin that accompanies all Grimm and small scattered pieces of bone armor. Not like the Warden's, but similar in concept. Whereas the Warden's armor covered its entire body leaving no semblance of its skin, the Boarbatusk had small pieces of it, a majority of it focused on the back of the beast.
"Step forward and face your opponent!" Port declared.
The Grimm inside the cage growls while shaking the cage. Weiss merely looked on in confidence. Weiss left the room to go grab her gear and fighting attire. Oh yeah, Beacon has all its students wear uniforms. I forgot to mention that didn't I? Alright now, were we? Oh yeah. When Weiss returned, she was in her clothing, the same clothing she wore when she, Ryder and Ruby first met. Ryder questions the practicality of such an outfit. After all she wears heels and a skirt in battle. Not very practical to him. But that's Weiss's decision. Each member of Team RWBY cheered her on.
"Gooo, Weiss!" Yang cheers while raising her fist.
"Fight well!" Blake said, while waving a small flag that had the letters 'RWBY' on it.
"Yeah, represent, Teeeam RWBY!" Ruby cheers.
Weiss then lowered her rapier and gave Ruby a glare.
"Ruby! I'm trying to focus!" Weiss barked.
Ryder looked surprised. Weiss didn't reprimand Yang and Blake so why Ruby? He didn't like it. As Port opened the cage, the Boarbatusk burst out in an instant and sets its sights onto Weiss immediately. Without hesitating, the Grimm beast charges at her leading to Weiss to roll to the side dodging it. She stands at the ready, prepared for the Grimm's counterattack. The Grimm turned around and faced her.
"Ha-ha! Wasn't expecting that, were you?" Port comments.
"Hang in there, Weiss!" Ruby called out.
Using her semblance, Weiss calls forth a white Glyph beneath her feet. This glyph accelerates her speed to high levels as she speeds towards her prey. The Grimm stands there waiting for her. But Ryder noticed it was purposely waiting. He was about to call out to tell Weiss, but she was too fast. When her rapier made contact with the Grimm's skull, it seemingly bounced off before getting lodged in the Boars tusks. Weiss maintains a firm grip onto the hilt of her weapon and is tossed around by the Boarbatusk.
"Bold new approach. I like it!" Port comments, enthusiastically.
"Come on, Weiss! Show it who's boss!" Ruby called out.
Weiss turned to glare at her, but the Grimm turned its head and ripped the sword out of her grip. The Grimm tosses her weapon away and it lands far away from Weiss's reach. Weiss was also knocked back by the tusks of the Grimm before her. Weiss has to roll out of the way of the speeding Boarbatusk to avoid getting trampled on. She then rushed for her weapon and reclaimed it.
"Weiss! Go for its belly! There's no armor underneath-"
"Stop telling me what to do!" Weiss barked, harshly.
Ruby looked hurt from that harsh rebuttal. The Grimm leaps into the air and rolls into a ball Sonic style, spinning rapidly and then landing on the ground. It gains immense speed before charging at Weiss like Sonic. Weiss grins before she points her finger forward creating a slanted glyph that blocks and catches the speeding Grimm. Weiss jumps up onto a black Glyph which acts as a platform before the glyph turns blue and she is shot forward like a bullet. Her rapier pierces the stomach of the Grimm and pins it to the floor. It squeals in pain before dying shortly after. Weiss sighs in relief before standing up off the ground.
"Bravo! Bravo! It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Huntress in training!" Port said. "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings and.... stay vigilant! Class dismissed!"
Weiss glared at Ruby and turned away before hurriedly walking out of the room.
"Sheesh. What's with her?" Jaune asks.
The other members of Team RWBY looked at each other with the same question in their minds. Kairos didn't seem to care in the slightest. Ruby gets up and rushes off after Weiss. Ryder sighs before standing up.
"Where are you going?" asks Kairos.
"To calm things down before something happens to tear apart Team RWBY." Ryder said.
"Tch, you shouldn't waste your time with other people's squabbling. It's their business not yours." Kairos said, scoffing at him.
"Well, what kind of Huntsmen am I if I don't help others?" Ryder asked rhetorically before walking off.
As he walks past Team RWBY, Yang stands up and grabs his wrist making him look at her.
"Make sure they don't get into a fight." Yang asked.
"No promises." Ryder said before walking off.
As he stepped outside, he looked around and saw Weiss walking away from a dejected Ruby. Ryder walked over and Ruby heard his approach. She turns to him as he got closer and stopped beside her. His gaze locked on Weiss.
"Is she right?" Ruby asks.
"Hm?" Ryder looked at her.
"Did Ozpin make a mistake by making me leader?" she asks, on the verge of tears.
Ryder hide his deep anger seeing his friend get hurt. He shook his head.
"No. He didn't."
"How do you now?" Ruby asks.
"Ask him yourself." Ryder said before walking off.
Ruby then took notice of Ozpin. Ryder walked after Weiss and found her on a balcony that overlooked the rest of Beacon Academy. He walked onto the balcony and Weiss heard someone approaching her so she turned around. Her face frowned when she saw Ryder.
"Oh, it's you." She said.
"Can we talk?" Ryder asks.
"Why should we?" Weiss asks.
"Because were classmates and future Huntsmen and Huntresses. Besides, this place is meant to be an arena of learning. Not in fighting." Ryder explained.
Weiss looked at him for a moment before sighing. She turned to the many rooftops of beacon and leaned on the railing.
"I Think I should be the leader of Team RWBY." Weiss claimed.
"Why? Because you want to?" Ryder asks as he walks to the railing and rests a hand on it.
"What? No! I'm only saying that because I believe I'm more than prepared to lead a team than Ruby." She argued.
"Why's that?" Ryder beckoned.
"You saw how exceptional I was during class." Weiss proudly boasted.
"Knowledge of Combat is very different from Knowledge of Leadership Weiss. Knowing how to kill someone isn't like know how to lead people." Ryder explained. "Besides, with that attitude of yours. I doubt you would rally anyone to your side."
"What!? How dare you!" Weiss retorts.
"My point proven." Ryder comments with a smile.
Weiss huffed and crossed her arms while looking away.
"You wanna know what i see before me right now?" Ryder asks. "I see a girl who lived a life of luxury. Someone who's been handed anything she wants on a silver platter."
Weiss turned and looked at him.
"That's not even remotely true!" Weiss said.
However, seeing Ryder's expression. She unfolds her arms and reluctantly corrects her sentence.
"Well... not entirely true." Weiss said. "But why should it have been Ruby?"
"Well. I don't know that one." Ryder said, before looking off at the rooftops. "But here's what I know. A Leader isn't chosen by themselves, they're chosen by those around them. A Leader is someone who people rally behind, a person who others listen too for advice, strategy and guidance."
Ryder looked at her.
"While I didn't see what happened during Initiation. I'm sure that whatever happened told Ozpin all he needed to know." Ryder said. "Ozpin is the strongest Huntsmen in the world. So, impressing someone like him is an accomplishment."
Weiss stood there, listening to him.
"Listen. You may not be the Leader you hoped to be, but maybe. You can help shape Ruby into the Leader you want to see." Ryder said, smiling at her. "Leaders aren't invincible. They allow others to help them, to nurture them. To grow. You can be one of those people for Ruby. Show her the ropes, teach her something new. Give her the knowledge she needs to be the person you rally behind."
Weiss looked at him astonished. She never expected Ryder to have such wisdom in him. Seems there's more to him than she previously thought. She actually smiles a little at his words.
"But hey, i didn't say these things to diminish your abilities. You did well against that Boarbatusk. Just next time, take the advice your teammates give you. Information from other sources can help, as no one knows everything. That's why it's called cooperation." Ryder explained.
The two now just stand there, looking out at the beacon rooftops.