I looked between the two girls and explained, "You two have very different expectations placed upon you. Ruby, I am sure you feel a weight on your shoulders. Even if you haven't noticed, I am sure you feel the pressure. That comes with the position of a leader..." I paused and looked over at Pyrrha and continued, "A role model for all."
"For Pyrrha it is the opposite, she's on a pedestal. To the point that even the teachers don't know if you can improve with basic training. Its noted on file that you could have skipped school and just do the huntsman license exam. I wasn't even given any additional requirements for your project."
Pyrrha nodded, "I noticed that on the other students projects. They all had one or two required actions."
Ruby looked at her own project requirements. "Mine says something unrelated to my semblance. However it isn't a required part of my project."
I had remembered that note Glynda left, it was a request from Ozpin. He wanted her to overcome any mental blocks. A note that was left with me was that not all monsters look like grim. That I should make sure I get her ready to fight people and those that would do her harm.
It was interesting that he was advising only Ruby overcome the difficulty of killing someone. She wasn't the only one that would hesitate. I mean she had a teammate with the same problem, although a different shade. Ruby though, she was just good natured.
I figured I would just tell her and extension Pyrrha. "I am sure you know Grimm aren't the only thing Huntsman fight. The headmaster wants me to teach you how to kill." Ruby was about to speak, but I held up a hand. "You may think you could, but you aren't the type."
Ruby sputtered, "What about everyone else then? Why me?"
I pointed to Pyrrha, "She is willing to kill if it means protecting others. Even if it costs her life." I pointed to myself, "I will kill anyone I decide is an enemy. Your sister is actually similar in this regard. If she thinks someone is a threat to those she loves... She will put them down." It was why I liked her. With a little pushing she would be like me.
I gave them a smile. "This is why I am pairing you two up. Ruby, you are going to kill Pyrrha. As long as you don't behead her, I will be able to put her back together and heal her with my semblance. If I lack the aura I will just get Jaune or use yours. This will benefit Pyrrha who will improve greatly over such a pressure. Though I have some extra equipment for you two."
The girls were shocked to say the least. I tilted my head, "What's with that look?"
Ruby muttered, "You are a little more scary than I thought."
Pyrrha raised her voice though. "C-can you really heal any injury?"
I made a so-so gesture, "Just about, I can heal any wound Ruby could give you. So are you two ready?"
Pyrrha shook her head, "Sir! You can't be serious!"
Ruby nodded with Pyrrha, "I can't kill her, I can't even hurt Pyrrha. She's my friend, not to mentioned just overall better than me!"
I smiled, "Sounds like the perfect training for you then Ruby. You two will also be training your semblances. Ruby!" I pointed to some weights. "You will put those on. I am sure you can guess what you will need to do."
I looked at Pyrrha, and waved her closer. I long decided on how I would get Pyrrha to agree. I whispered to her, pinning the blame on Ozpin. "I don't know why the headmaster wants Ruby to train like this. Personally I think it is a good thing to have one or two good souls out there. Call this a favor Pyrrha. You understand right?"
She looked down in contemplation. I peered over to Ruby and she was inspecting the weighted gear. Pyrrha finally gave me a small nod. "Okay sir! I understand." Her face was full of resolve, I held back a sneer. I sighed and gave her a smile. "Thank you, Pyrrha. Don't worry I plan to help you train your semblance too. The others may not think you can improve at this level. However I believe otherwise. Ruby won't go all in, she just won't be able to."
I pulled out a blindfold. "You will put this on and locate Ruby with your semblance. Her weighted gear will help you in this regard. This will give Ruby confidence in fighting you fairly. As well as keep her on edge from actually hurting you. This is why I said I can heal you from any injury she could cause."
Pyrrha gave me a look of admiration, "You are so considerate, Sir! I will do my absolute best."
I gave her a light smile and waved her to go join Ruby. I backed off, I knew the real outcome of this sparring session. Despite what I said and my seemingly good intentions. This would push the two in the directions I want them while also pushing them in the direction Ozpin wanted.
Once this sparring session was done Ruby would come to me. She would come to me and ask me how she could succeed. For now though I just watched as I messed with my scroll. Pyrrha struggled a little, but she quickly started following Ruby's movements. Pyrrha was really a prodigy, even now she was slowly relaxing into perfect blocks. It seemed soon she would be able to just out right dodge.
Actually I don't think I would be able to beat Pyrrha if she fought me without my semblance. I could see why she wasn't given much thought. Just because she was a genius, didn't mean she was perfect. I've seen prodigies before, and they all run into the same problem when it came to fighting. They either fall into a pattern, or they couldn't stick to on.
Pyrrha had a pattern, she controlled her opponent's weapon. I had to debate if I should give her legitimate advice. If I did it would still steer her in the direction I wanted. However if I did give her that advice she might just become a serious threat if she ever were my enemy.
I sighed and when I saw Ruby slow down from exhaustion I called out. "That's enough! Ruby! You come over here, I'll address you first. Pyrrha grab the weighted gear from her and put it away."
Pyrrha nodded as she took off the blindfold, "Understood!"
Ruby I prevented her coming to me herself. Except I needed to if I wanted to handle Pyrrha right. "Ruby, Don't worry too much about failing here. Pyrrha was controlling your weapon the whole time. You were never going to seriously injure her once she got used to using her semblance blind. I just wanted to see how seriously you would fight."
Ruby looked down, "So I failed?"
I waved my hand, "Yes and no. You didn't need to be that serious. Remember the whole killing thing was not actually required. Just a request from Ozpin, and honestly I think if it really comes down to it you will succeed in protecting others. On the side of your semblance however, that was fully disappointing."
She looked stunned, "Wh-what? B-but I could barely use it. That stuff was too heavy!"
I shook my head, I had purposely made it too heavy. That was not really my problem, nor hers. I was making it Ruby's problem though. "That's the point Ruby. If you used your semblance in bursts at the very last second you could've easily hit Pyrrha. Even if you didn't want to hurt her, you failed at controlling your semblance. The main goal of your current project, do you understand what I am saying. Even if you didn't just use bursts you didn't bother trying to extend the time you could use it or how fast you could move. I suggest you have your clothes tailored to have lighter weights in them. Spend daily life in heavier gear while using your semblance every now and again."
I paused, waited a second for it to sink in. Her face drooped and I continued. "Finally you need to sense aura. Honestly I don't know why that isn't a basic skill the students learn. However I can teach it to you if impress me with your project. I'll even give you a hint on a possible creative avenue for your semblance. Have you tried controlling the petals that your semblance creates when you move? They are created by your aura, so surely you could control them mid movement if skilled enough."
Her eyes glistened, and the silver reflected my face in her irises. Ruby nodded, "I understand sir... I'll try my best to impress you."
I smiled at the cracks that had formed in her attitude. I rubbed her hair making her mistake the meaning of my smile. "Stay positive, self-improvement and discipline are a huntsman's greatest weapons. After all a grim can't train like we can. Now run along, I need to address Pyrrha and her mistakes."
Ruby walked off and left me alone in the large space. Pyrrha was still putting the weighted gear back into storage. I chanted in a whisper, "Enchant: Invisibility, Night-Vision, Muffle, Camouflage." Each enchant was placed onto my very being, but I continued. "Enchant: Sharpen, Blending, Insubstantial." My dagger felt weightless and I held it in my hand with aura. I couldn't stop here however...
I moved into the room where Pyrrha was and continued. Whispering, "Enchant: Darkness, Silence, Chilling." Pyrrha jerked upwards, she didn't hear me. However she felt the change to the room. She was on edge, and her alertness spiked when I killed the lights. Pyrrha called out, "Sir? Professor Mars? R-Ruby?"
She readied her shield and spear. I threw my dagger and it shimmered in the air. Pyrrha jerked to block it last second. She used her semblance to move her shield faster than she could. The dagger passed straight through her shield cutting a chip straight through it and slashed into her arm. I yanked it back with my aura. I caught it from the air and stabbed forward at Pyrrha and she jerked again.
This time I cut straight through her shield. Slashing it in half, she caught both sides with her semblance though and slashed where I was with her spear. I slashed her thighs and her arms as I moved around her. She struggled to defend herself.
I finally decided to end this. I slammed a kick into Pyrrha, she managed to jerk her broken shield to block it. Despite no sign of the attack she managed to block it. It didn't matter much as the kick still slammed into her. She was pushed backwards and I saw her crash into the very training gear. I walked back to the lights and pulled back on my semblance. The enchantments I placed faded away.
I stared down at Pyrrha as she regained her thoughts. When she finally stared back at me I gave her a shake of my head. "You are as skilled as your semblance. A prodigy, a genius, extraordinary in every regard. Except you rely on your semblance to balance your skills. Several times you jerked your shield forward to defend yourself. However looking at your arm it seems you might have dislocated it."
She was gritting her teeth and I pointed at her. "Enchant: Regeneration, Pain-Suppression."
She struggled to stand and I held out a hand. She grabbed it and I pulled her up. She spoke in a low tone. "I understand what you are getting at Sir..."
I nodded, "Grim don't use metal. Your skills are practiced to beat them, but Beowolves and Ursas aren't the only Grim. That doesn't include those who don't use metal weapons like myself or those who use weapons that relate to their own semblances. You are strong Pyrrha, and I can honestly say if it wasn't for my experience, knowledge, and perspective. You would beat me, I was never a genius."
I stepped backwards and turned my back on the girl. "However I trampled enough of them to know the limits of one." I paused and sighed, deciding on some honest perspective. "Jaune is much like me, though he had family to change him. If you want more training like this... Ask it as a favor."
I walked off and left Pyrrha to sulk in her crushed ego. Pyrrha had humility, but her ego was fed all her life. She likely didn't even realize how high she thought of herself. I clicked my tongue, I felt some regret. Remnant, maybe Beacon? It was effecting me, changing me. I mumbled to myself, "I need a drink."