RWBY: Innocence

A Coward Can Never Attack

"Well maybe if you would just listen to me, then maybe you would understand!"

"But you are safe here!"

"I hate it here!"

"It's the only way to protect you!"

"Keeping me against my will!? That counts as safe!?"

The back and forth argument between Ozpin and Kenzo had been going on for hours. Ozpin was desperately trying to get his nephew to understand, but Kenzo refused to listen. To even conjure up the absurd thought that his uncle was trying to protect him repulsed Kenzo. He had been stuck in the Academy for weeks ever since the night he tried to escape and it was slowly driving him insane.

"Please just listen to me!" Ozpin begged him.

Kenzo shook his head furiously and felt beads of sweat trickle down his forehead as rage filled every portion of his mind. He threw his head back and screamed:

"YANG WOULD UNDERSTAND!"

Ozpin was taken aback at what Kenzo had just said. There was a beat of silence in the office.

"Yang? Your trainer?" He enquired.

Slowly calming himself down, Kenzo lowered his head and brought his gaze back to his Uncle.

"Yes...She'd understand..." He mumbled.

There was a moment in which Ozpin, now perplexed by what his nephew had said only a moment ago, felt somewhat mystified by Kenzo. He knew that Kenzo was stubborn and wouldn't dare listen to any comment claiming that Beacon was a good place, but this was something new. It was a chance to connect.

"Well then...What about her?"

*******

"Three..."

Kenzo gripped the small knife in his hand with terror.

"Two..."

There was no way he could defeat his opponent.

"One..."

One hit and he was dead.

"Begin!"

"I surrender!"

Kenzo dropped his knife, fell to his knees and cowered before the young Huntress, who looked at Kenzo with pity on her face. There was a collective sigh from the class in the amphitheatre and some jeering from the less caring students on the benches. Miss Goodwitch shook her head with dismay at Kenzo's terrible performance.

"Kenzo, we've been over this before... There is no surrendering to your opponent!"

Glynda Goodwitch was a middle-aged woman with a tendency to take everything seriously. Her regular outfit was a White Pleated Top with a high-waist Black Pencil Skirt and Black Boots. Always seen with her Riding Crop, her Semblance of Telekinesis made her a tough teacher. She took charge of the Combat Lessons and took her work very seriously.

"I know Miss... I'm sorry Miss..."

Kenzo nodded, ashamed of himself. He had been dreading his Combat Lessons ever since he arrived at Beacon. Even when he told Miss Goodwitch that he didn't have a weapon, his hopes of skipping the lessons were ruined when she handed him the tiny knife. And now he was on the floor, ashamed of his terrible attempt to engage in combat.

Goodwitch then told the Huntress to go back to her seat and scanned the class for a new student. Kenzo slowly pulled himself to his feet and looked at Yang, who was waving at him with a caring smile on her face. He smiled back feebly, but he was incredibly embarrassed that he failed to fight in front of her. However, he couldn't understand why. He wasn't embarrassed to fail in front of everybody else, but why Yang was the only exception was shrouded in mystery.