RWBY: Child of Grimm - Reloaded

6: The One Who Watches [Part 1]

Deep within the expansive cavern, the young boy and his father went over the day's lessons. While the massive dragon detailed the intricate equations humans called mathematics, Ryu seemed somewhat distracted. "Ryu, have you answered the question?" The boy didn't respond, lost in his own world. "Ryu." Still no answer. The dragon groaned, not in anger but understanding annoyance.

The great grimm crept forward as silently as a creature his size could and let out a long, powerful breathe from his nose. The strength of the simple breath alone was enough to both snap his son out of his distracting thoughts and send him rolling across the stone floor with a yelp.

The dragon chuckled as his son slowly sat up in annoyance and faux anger. "What was that for!?" Ryu's shout reverberated through the cavern. "You weren't listening." The dragon responded bluntly, with a hint of amusement in his tone. "I was!" "Really?" Ryu nodded vehemently. "Then perhaps you might answer the question?" Ryu's fervent expression soured as he realised he had been caught. With a dry throat, he anxiously gazed at the ground in fake thought, hoping to trick his father while he tried desperately to figure out the answer to a question he never heard.

"It..." "Yes?" The dragon's eyes gleamed with victory even before the boy had given him an answer. After all, it was a new day and a brand new lesson. "Three?" Ryu hung on the word, wincing as it left his mouth. He hoped against all else that he had, at the very least, struck near the answer, regardless of the infinitesimally small chance. "Close." The boy's face brightened, only for concern to overtake his moment of joy as he noticed his father's grin. "Negative eighteen."

The boy dropped his shoulders, surrendering himself to whatever punishment his father saw fit. "What is it that has you so distracted, I wonder?" The boy gazed downwards, somewhat loathe to admit and embarrassed by his reasoning. "I... was trying to name my swords..." For a moment there was silence between the two. Ryu's face heated up in embarrassment while his father blinked in surprise.

The corners of the massive dragon's mouth lifted to form a wide smile before he let out a massive, bellowing laughter that shook the air around them. "Father! It is not funny!" The dragon momentarily ceased his laughter and looked down at his son. Unfortunately, the massive creature was unable to hold back any longer and once again began laughing, louder and more animated than before. "Why are you laughing!?" Ryu's shouts were nearly completely drowned out by his father's laughter.

The boy truly had no idea why his father found it so amusing. "I-I apologise." His father raised a single claw to his masked face to wipe a nonexistent tear from his eye. "I sometimes forget that you are still a child." "What is that supposed to mean?" The flustered boy responded to his father with his head tilted in confusion. "You have always seemed so mature. When you hunt or craft, I always feel as though you have grown without my notice. It is at times like this when I realise you are still that newborn from all those years ago. Still my child. My son." The boy let a smile show on his face as he listened to his father's warm-hearted reminiscence. "I will always be your son, father. No matter how old I am."

The great dragon let a wide, toothy grin from, showing off a set of pure white teeth that could carve their way through steel with ease. "That's it." The dragon's expression became inquisitive as he overheard the short muttering of his son. "Pardon?" "I figured it out. The name." Ryu smiled gleefully while his sight shifted towards his father's mighty maw. "Oh? Well, do not keep me in suspense." After a moment of silence, the boy answered. "Dragon Fang."

~~~~~

"Dragon Fang, Huh? Not the best name if I'm honest but it's better than some others I've heard." Qrow lackadaisically teased the boy for his naming sense as they clashed blades. "Oh yeah? What would you have called it?" Ryu swung, hitting nothing but air as Qrow stepped back. The professional huntsman stepped back into the boy's range and twisted his body, sticking out his foot and forcing the boy off balance. He followed up with a light, open-palm push to the boy's back, knocking him to the ground, face first. "No clue."