Grimmling (RWBY)

Chapter 20 - Argus - Building Ties

Garek, Selene, and Cinder sat in front row seats with Helena at a small sparring arena, watching Pyrrha Nikos and others competing. Selene was sipping on a glass of wine. The crowd was not overly large, but it did set Selene on edge.

For Garek, as a Huntsman, watching the matches of the 6-7 year old bracket initially made him feel queasy. The movements were more like clumsy choreography, the opponents heavily padded and coached through the moves.

But as they moved up in age brackets toward tweens, he could see that there was method to it. The movements became more fluid. Padding disappeared as aura had been unlocked. There was skill and grace being developed there.

But he still didn't like even that. It was too clean. Too nice. It wasn't designed to fight Grimm, it was designed to provide a spectacle.

That kind of training, if applied to Grimm, would get a Huntsman killed.

But these aren't Huntsmen in training, he reminded himself. These are kids participating in the Tournament Circuit. Huntsmen training started at Haven, Beacon, Atlas, or Shade around age 17. No, that's not right either. For most kids, it started around age 13 or so at the combat schools like Signal, Pharos, Sanctum, Oscuro etc. Some of those ended up in the tournament circuit too, deciding that the life and death fights against Grimm and bandits wasn't what they really wanted out of life.

Still, he and Selene clapped encouragement along with Helena over Pyrrha's first match, which she won. For the others, he did so more just being polite. Selene did with more honesty, appearing to actually enjoy the displays of growing skill.

Cinder seemed completely unimpressed. He could feel her silently judging and finding them all wanting. That reaction wasn't lost on Helena. "I was the same way when I first finished Specialist training," she confided to Garek, "watching new Atlas recruits. Kids with toys, playing at being real soldiers. Trust me, I understand."

The patriarch of the family, along with his wife, sat in a VIP box at ringside. There hadn't been room for the Nikos family and all three guests there, so Helena had opted to sit with her new friend instead. They got a few dark looks from her father over that, but he was in a better mood after Pyrrha won her age bracket.

Afterward, Alexander Nikos invited them to join them for dinner at a restaurant. Selene quickly agreed, though Garek and apparently Helena were wary, possibly for different reasons.

Cinder listened good-naturedly as young Pyrrha chattered about weapons and pantomimed various moves. Selene had warned Cinder against being openly critical about the skill levels of the participants, and she had apparently listened and was making an effort. Despite the five year age difference, they shared a love of sparring, and many of Cinder's experiences had left her both more and less mature than her physical age.

Helena and Selene spent much of the meal quietly chatting as well. That left him the target of Alexander and Athena Nikos. Alexander was a barrel chested man, with a personality to match.

"A Huntsman, eh? What did you think of the matches?"

"I can see the progression of the training. The upper levels are like watching a well-choreographed dance," he answered both diplomatically and honestly. "Do they often transition to combat schools after this?"

"Bah. Those who can't afford professional coaches, maybe. But we are Nikos! Only the best for our children." He eyed his youngest daughter with a thin smile. "She will have the best training possible. Keep your eyes open, Huntsman. She will be something to watch." Alexander's then drifted over to Cinder. "And what of your daughter, are you training her personally?"