Project: RWBY

Ch 34: Excuses Excuses

Underneath the setting sun, I trail behind an anxious Pyrrha who walks toward a large clock tower. I'm glad that the adrenaline is keeping the yawns away, but it's also keeping me curious as to how long it's been since I slept.

If I'm yawning then the answer is at least a week which doesn't seem right. Surely I slept at some point...

But I should ignore my problems, for now, Pyrrha is the priority.

I follow her into the building and toward an elevator. There's a moment of hesitation as she enters and I slip past her into the elevator, pressing myself against one of the walls.

The elevator isn't the largest but there's far more than enough room for me to stand and avoid brushing against Pyrrha. She fidgets with her hands and shuffles in place staring distantly into a wall.

On occasion, her shoulders relax and a small smile appears on her lips like she's momentarily entering a happy place or looking back on a pleasant memory. I have an idea about what, or I should say who she's thinking of.

With nothing else to do, I continue to observe her features and subtle actions as we rise up the floors.

Alt's in here too, silently observing me despite my invisibility. He's as still as a rock and exhibits as much expression as one too while he stares right at me. It makes me slightly uncomfortable but I can sense the good intention behind his unapproving gaze.

Which only makes things feel weirder.

One unnecessarily long awkward elevator ride later I hear a ding and Pyrrha takes a deep breath as the door slides open.

"Good evenning Pyrrha. Please, take a seat." Ozpin gestures to the seat in front of his desk.

I follow Pyrrha in and shift to the side to scan the room. The atmosphere feels tense and Qrow is here too for whatever reason. Looking at him now he seems nothing like the jovial man from before.

"It's of no surprise to me your team chose you to move on to the final round of the tournament. Your performance has been exemplary." Ozpin begins cordially.

"Thank you professor Ozpin, but I would never have made it this far without my teammates," Pyrrha replies with a slight smile.

"Personally I think it's the other way around." Qrow calls out with brutal and reasonable honesty leaning on a pillar off to the side of the elevator.

Pyrrha turns around and locks eyes with him, getting up from her chair and impressively holding back the offended look on her face. "I'm sorry, but I do not think we've been introduced."

He takes a moment before introducing himself. "Name's Qrow." 

"Qrow is a trusted colleague of mine," Ozpin assures her.

She turns back around to face him. "Professor, if you don't mind me asking, why have you called me here?" She asks in a steady voice.

"Please, take a seat." He gestures to the chair again. "What is your favorite fairy tale?" He asks once she sits.

"...I'm sorry?"

"Fairy tales. Stories from your childhood. Surely you remember some of them." 

Pyrrha hesitates again. "...Well, there's 'The Tale Of The Two Brothers', "The Shallow Seas', 'The Girl In The Tower'-"