[X] Pyrrha Nikos, frankly, she seems more well adjusted than you would think for someone with such a carrier, but you never know…
Frankly, all four of them could use assistance in some form or another. Some issues are just more apparent than others.
[X] Cardin Winchester, the young man is probably going to be recalcitrant, but there are reasons to at least talk with him once.
Cardin would be a second choice since he happened to get sorted into the Big Shoes To Fill Team and to check how well he handles his new environment should be useful.
The strong desire of freedom she got gave her an uncanny ability to escape all restraints. Locked doors, aren't, grapples see her go through solid matter, shackles fall on their own, and restrictive programming… disappears.
I feel like the long quiet would be better to have a talk with Cardin, I feel like he's going to be a misogynist dick, possibly racist as well if he heard about our Lioness (not quite) Faunus trait and we'll snap him like a twig
I feel like the long quiet would be better to have a talk with Cardin, I feel like he's going to be a misogynist dick, possibly racist as well if he heard about our Lioness (not quite) Faunus trait and we'll snap him like a twig
Now, time to work on a thing that RWBY fics don't do as far as I'm aware:
Talking about bullying and racism in a situation where the bully is not repentant and the one not racist is in the position of power.
Closest I've seen is how Cardin is treated in Radiant Rebirth, most others either use Weiss (so: repentant), or Jacque (so: at best equal in relation if the other is a huntsman, yes, that includes with Ozpin), here, you are a teacher, and the bully is a student.
[X] Cardin Winchester, the young man is probably going to be recalcitrant, but there are reasons to at least talk with him once.
Just thinking about who you have scheduled next is enough to bring your mood down quite a bit. You have checked Cardin Winchester's dossier, and it doesn't paint a pretty picture. The young man is good enough to be here, of that there is no doubt, but there seems to be some growing Misogyny and Racism in his interaction according to it.
On its own, it would only require you to check him from time to time, but the current situation is bound to make everything worse. An average student ending up in a team made up entirely of young women, all of them prodigies from what you've seen, and the leader being two years younger than him?
This was enough to have you put Ruby on a lower priority, she will probably be able to bound with her fellow prodigy, Pyrrha, as well as have an emotional anchor in her older sister, to stopping the potential crash before it has a chance to even develop.
This doesn't mean that it will be easy, as demonstrated as soon as Cardin enters your room with a scowl on his face. Just having him in the room, you can feel his perspective on you, trying to make you dumber, more submissive, unworthy of your place. It is a good thing there is way more than one person influencing you right now, as you would have not been in a state to do your job correctly under this effect.
"I don't see why I need to go to the shrink. I'm not a weakling. This is a waste of time." He growls.
"Mister Winchester, you know full well that seeing someone to check your mental health regularly is mandatory for all huntsmen and future ones. Creatures of Grimms are attracted to negative emotions, and even the strongest person will break eventually under too much pressure." You calmly reply, all business to contrast his behavior. You would love to establish a more positive bound, but it will be impossible to do so fast, you will have to do it progressively.
"You should check that little girl I somehow got as a leader instead then. She is way more likely to need you than me. What is someone like this even doing here? She should be playing dolls, not trying to be a huntsman."
You raise an eyebrow on the remark, you did want to talk to him about Ruby, this seems like a perfect opening for it.
"Oh? Why do you think playing dolls is the only thing she could do? I have seen her records, as did Ozpin, do you think this man chose wrong in letting her in?"
"I should have been made team leader. That Pyrrha girl may be some good in a fight, if she wasn't cheating in those tourneys at least, too good to be true, but she definitely isn't able to lead. And that blond… she would just throw herself at anything, no thinking." He angrily replies.
"But I wasn't asking about these two, I was asking why you think that Ruby is not worthy of being the leader." You project an air of pure curiosity, no judgment, no condemnation, just asking a question. Internally, you are interested in the fact that he did put his hand on some actual reasons for why these two wouldn't make good leaders, but you don't show it.
"She's a little girl! I am sure she only got there because her parents are close to someone here, I'm sure of it! And even if she was legit, why would she be made team leader anyway?" He is getting agitated. Standing up to appear more intimidating, not yet to a point where you would stop him, but getting closer.
You only offer him your most unimpressed face, it is quite a good one from what your love told you, really convey how far below you you think the worms you're talking to are.
Strangely enough, it sends Cardin into a cold sweat, you don't understand why.
"Mister Winchester, calm down, now." He instantly sits. Seems like he remembered you are a teacher here, even if your job means you are willing to tolerate some things for a little longer than most as long as it leads to some productive thoughts after. "Your argument is that she cheated her position then, and did so by the bias of a privileged parent… or is it the pretense you are using to hide the fact that you do not want to accept that someone younger than you, a woman at that, was considered worthy of a place you thought you were owed? Do not look at me with such a surprised air, I both know of the reputation of the Winchester family, and the fact that your father is probably putting pressure on you. I also have a Semblance that helps me in knowing how you feel about me…." Cardin's face goes pale at that. "Yes, Mister Winchester, I know you were thinking something along the lines of me being nothing but an upstart woman not knowing her place when you entered this room."
"You can't prove anything…." Cardin manages to say.
"Why would I want to?" That answer seems to take him by surprise. "I said I know the general direction you were thinking in, but I didn't say I wanted to arrest you or throw you out of the school. Mister Winchester… what do you think my role is when it comes to this kind of cases?" At his lack of response, you continue. "I am not there to condemn you for it, I am here to help you grow past it. If you had been deemed irredeemable by my colleagues, you would not even have been able to take the entrance exam. The simple fact that you are here now means that they thought you could change. For the moment, nothing you have said is telling me that they were wrong, there are reasons to be unhappy at being denied the place of team leader, and in these conditions, it is normal for you to try and lash out, reinforcing old prejudices. You have not passed the line, yet." You emphasize the last word, making sure he does understand that while you are willing to work with him, he will have to work with you too.
"My father…." It seems he is still defiant, impressive, but really badly timed.
"Your father will not be able to intimidate Ozpin like he might have done in your old school." Cardin's jaw clacks at your interruption. "And if he tries, he will find that I am perfectly able to defend my own career if need be." A lie… for now. You want Cardin to think you are unassailable, that simple treats will not be able to make you break. After all, if everyone is sure you can handle being attacked in justice over a case of hurt pride, it will be true, simple as that.
You sigh.
"Listen, this will not be a thing that will be resolved easily, and you will have to learn to work under or at the very least with Miss Rose or your grades will suffer simply due to the fact that teamwork is part of it. Can you agree?' A simple nod from him. "Perfect. Now, what do you think is the worst part of miss Rose when it comes to leading? You can be honest, as long as it is more articulated than *she's too young*."
Cardin begins to tentatively list actual reasons. She's behind in a number of subjects, not a surprise given she skipped two years, and he even remarks that just this first day was enough for him to see she would quickly correct that. She's not mature, not just in meaning that she is too young, but that she is still naïve and maybe too trusting.
He continues for a little while, giving some very interesting insights on the girl. All the while, you are marking him as an intelligent young man that is letting some prejudices spoil his potential. He may well have been made leader had he not an history of being too prone to little abuses of power.
You deconstruct his thoughts too, why does he think her being behind right now is a problem if she already proved she is more than able to change that? How is she naïve?
The second one ends up allowing you to segue to another important subject:
"Wel, for one, she believes that drivel about the Grimm fang the Faunus are trying to use to hide their crimes."
"Oh? And what part of the story is a lie then?" You calmly probe.
"All of it, or course. As if the Red Fang wasn't the cause of all the attacks, and that Adam guy a convenient scapegoat. My father explained it all to me, don't you think it strange they are telling that the one responsible is not in a state that allows judgment? And of course, they are telling the mass that *the members are mostly innocents that were manipulated, and only some members are actually responsible for their actions*. Pah, I'm sure he got a nice vacation, and they are preparing to try and kill other innocent humans again."
"So you believe Ozpin lied about it?"
"What does he have to do with it?" Cardin asks incredulously, it seems the young man genuinely doesn't know as much as he thinks about the whole story if he is asking this.
"You didn't know? He was the one that announced the victory against the Grimm Fang in the first place, the Red Fang only gave their talk about what they hoped going forward later."
This seems to make Cardin pensive, a small victory.
"You can take your time to think about this, ask some teachers, a good number of them where there for it. Now, we were talking about Miss Rose?"
Cardin thinks some more, then accept the opening for what it is and continue on Ruby's faults. Due to most of his premise being false, he is still persuaded that she got there mostly due to nepotism, instead of actual skills, the few actually correct part stand out all the more.
You end up concluding the session with a Cardin that is at least more willing to come back than he was at the beginning.
The next big highlight of the day comes from Weiss Schnee's visit, where you have the occasion to touch the subject of the Grimm Fang once more.
"I still can't believe it is real, you know? I did actually do some research, and I know that a numbers of attacks on the company where outliers, and that they were all attributed to the Grimm Fang, I also have followed the recent happenings and there hasn't been any of those cases since the announcement. But still...." Weiss Schnee still manage to look proper even while talking semi casually with you, though she did relax more and more as time passed. "My father continues to insist it is a feint to make him look bad, and I still remember some of the stories that came out at times. Plus, there is this strange thing about the leader, Vale is saying he cannot be judged in his condition, but they aren't saying the details, and all that makes me fear the worst."
"You are divided between relief and fear then?" You take some notes on her general state of mind.
"Yes… no… not just that?" She seems to be working on a thought, so you let her have a little time. "I think… I want to believe that Faunus are not the monsters that haunt my nightmares, but I also have to acknowledge that the Red fang, for all that they are targeting only the worst parts of my father's business, did still kill people at some point."
"I see." You nod then begin to explain gently. "You are trying to be rid of some of your reflexive reactions to people that you do know can be dangerous, because you know that they aren't monsters, but hurt people then?"
She frowns.
"Maybe? This is all quite complicated."
"Of course it is, if it was an easy subject, the White and Red fang would not exist, and the world would probably be quite different." You loo at the clock. "It seems I will soon have to meet the next student, why don't you think more on it? Discuss a little with your teammates? You told me Penny was quite refreshing in her lack of reaction to your lineage, maybe that lack of bias would help?"
"Yes, I think I will do that. Thank you, Miss Panoply." You catch her stopping before she begins a curtsy, the girls will really benefit from an environment that is less formal than whatever she has at home.
"I told you, you can call me Stella if you want. I will see you next week, take care."
"Goodbye."
After an entire afternoon dedicated to seeing first year students, you finally have the time to meet Ozpin. Glynda is already expecting you, giving you a knowing look and a single remark of "Penny?" before calling him to tell you are coming.
"Aunty Stella! Uncle Sable!" Opzin's new daughter, Dorothy, happily go to hug you and your love as soon as you enter the office.
"Welcome, I assume you are there to talk about Penny?" Ozpin acknowledges from behind his desk.
"How much did you infer from seeing her?" You cut to the chase, knowing that he at least saw your resemblance with her. In the background, Sable is taking Dorothy to play a children card game with her.
"Not much. Ironwood is tight lipped on where she comes from, and she doesn't have any magical aura. But given how agitated you are, I can see that there is more than just a physical link." The man says while sipping on his latest cup of cocoa.
"She…" You stop a moment to put your thoughts together. "I will not give the entire story, as it is hers, but I can confirm to you that she was strongly influenced by what happened when me and Sable showed our true self to you. She sees me as a mother." You cannot help but avert your eyes on that. "And I accepted it." You affirm, drawing your eyes back to Ozpin's firmly. The man is smiling and looks at Dorothy.
"I know how having a child can change you." You snort. "Yes, yes, I know you don't need such momentous events for that, but all the same. I will not pry further on what relates you, I hope you will tell me in due time…." Ozpin grows hesitant at that, seemingly taking a decision. "There is an important thing I will have to say to you and my followers. I fear how they will react, and I will need to explain you to Ironwood for this decision. I want you to be able to enjoy a life as humans, but there are factors that will have to be taken care of sooner or later. Take care of your daughter and friends, grow just like you wanted to when coming to Remnant. I will at least wait until we are closer to the Vytal festival."
You let the pensive man after that, recovering your love from *the shadow realm* (The corner) where he is pretending to be trapped in after losing the last game against Dorothy.
At least one of you enjoyed this visit….
You will have to begin teaching your apprentices tomorrow, how do you approach this?
[] Normally, with some basic psychology.
[] Personal method: You take a form, they try to deduce the kind of circumstances that led to it.
-[] Use only your five gifts, minus the Stranger.
-[] All your five gifts, let them scratch their head on the Stranger too.
-[] Make it a game, them against Sable, they are trying on other forms than your gifts.
--[] Which forms if last version?
[] Write-in.
A/N:
This chapter fought me a little, changed the end of the Cardin conversation three times (including a way more agressive version for Stella, scrapped due to being out of current character, not on the job), as well as the part before the Ozpin one.
I wonder what is Oz's big revelation?
Also, an interesting thing:
I have remarked that I tend to write a lot of votes about how you present yourself on a first impression in this quest. How to present to the world, to Beacon, to Team CFVY, to Glynda, to Ozpin….
I say this because the vote almost ended up being one about this for Gepetto, before I decided to wait a little.
Then again, it is quite in theme for Slay the Princess, that is a game about how you are seen and the consequences thereof.
You let the pensive man after that, recovering your love from *the shadow realm* (The corner) where he is pretending to be trapped in after losing the last game against Dorothy.
