Out With Glynda

"What?"

Penny nodded helping him dress. "I said, you need to take one of them out on a date."

Walt blinked. "Well... you're not wrong but I wanted to relax a bit at home and help Jubilee, Gwen and Jen settle in-"

"Don't you worry about that!" Jubilee said tucking in his shirt. She grinned and quickly fondled his cock giving it a pat but went right back to seriously dressing him. "We'll manage you let us worry about that... and you have duties to continue with the others, mister! If you let us get in the way of that then people will really start getting upset... including us! Understood?"

Walt sighed playfully jokining. "Work. Work. Work," he said but saw them both give him a serious look and so he nodded. "Yes, I understand. I haven't forgotten all the advice I received on the subject lately. I'm aware I'm fighting an uphill battle against a stacked deck. The only two things I've had on my side lately are the fact that you all are wonderful at keeping me on track and momentum."

They both smiled. "Good," Penny said. "So who is 'next'?"

Walt sighed. "Honestly I don't know." He quickly raised his hands. "I didn't mean I'm clueless. I just meant the dance card is full and I'm not sure who exactly is next. There maybe a few on there y'all ain't expecting... or maybe you are. I seem to be the one who's half clueless. I know I was surprised by some of them."

"Is it really as bad as all that?" Jubilee asked Penny.

Penny nodded. "A bit. The general consensus amongst us is there's seven or eight that need 'progress' or at least attention/tending too and there's nearly that many behind those as well. Not counting the others already in our little group needing attention but he is very good at attending to that with assistance."

Jubilee chuckled shaking her head and fetching his hat. "If that's true you're right. You need to keep momentum going and making progress for all you're worth! Saddle up, Cowboy!" She giggled. "You really have no idea though?"

Walt nodded and chuckled ruefully. "Believe it or not, I'm not a playboy like Tony... I'm just making this all up as we go along for the ride and holding tight." He popped his hat on his head. "Speaking of... Friday what's next on the 'to do' list of things to take care of?"

(("The usual, I'm afraid... shopping."))

Walt sighed. "Yee haw... my favorite," he said with no conviction making Jubilee and Penny laugh. "Well... better git'rdone, I reckon..."

*Well this is a bit awkward...* he thought driving down the road. "Would you like some music?"

Glynda adjusted her glasses. "Not necessary but suit yourself if you'd like."

Walt nodded and tried to decide if that was the best course of action to take or not. Glynda was... a tough read. Always with the pokerface until someone or some situation let her drop it. She opened up when provoked... but he didn't want to anger her. Opposite infact. She relaxed a lot when she drank... but she'd likely not approve of stopping of for a few drinks on an errand. Maybe on the way back?

He shrugged and turned on the music anyway. The folks from Remnant and RWBY liked music generally and Glynda had enjoyed dancing at the party's and the wedding. "Friday can you play us something soft?"

(("Understood."))

The sounds of one of Mozart's Seranades started playing through the speakers. Glynda Goodwitch simply sat there with her arms crossed looking slighly away out the passenger side window... but the toe of the foot on one of her crossed legs started to tap in the air to the musical piece. Walt smiled. Gotcha. Bluff called. Point for him.

They drove along in comfortable silence down the mountain towards the base through Mozart, then Chopin and then J.S. Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major. Finally Glynda relented. "This is quite lovely," she said softly with a hint of a smile.

Walt nodded smiling. "It is. I rather like this composer myself. He dedicated his life to music and studying it, immersing himself in it. Believing that there was something greater, divine, in all music."

Glynda nodded. "Admirable. He was like you then..."

Walt blinked. "How so?"

She gave him a shrewd look but then saw the genuine surprise on his face. He honestly hadn't a clue. That made her smile just a bit more. "Dedicated improvement towards something greater. Never settling for simple 'mastery' but pushing towards something more and greater..." she blushed just a tiny bit before looking away again. "It's one of your better qualities."

Walt was surprised but smiled. Point for Glynda. "I... never thought of it that way... thank you, Glynda." He nodded. "I shall take that to heart... against my many defects." He winked and laughed when Glynda was about to say something. "No don't. In truth I like that about you, Glynda! You're not afraid to speak your mind about something. Infact I appreciate that quality very much. You aren't as blunt as Tsu but just as direct and perhaps more penetrating. You're an honest person in your way."

Glynda sighed then shook her head. "No I'm not... like you saw the other day and several times already I'm very "dishonest". I put on a front or a brave face. I've often worked for 'dishonest' but good men. I'm a frau-"

"Friend," Walt interrupted. He wasn't going to let her run herself down. "A damn good friend! And a caring person. Trying her hardest to be a good teacher and role model for younger huntsmen and huntresses. A right hand woman for Ozpin. A teacher of Beacon and a defender of Vale. If anything you're too caring and giving."

Glynda blinked. She didn't deny it and instead asked, "How so?" Point for him.

Walt nodded. "That much was obvious really. You took on the role of taskmaster and disciplinarian as well as a voice of reason and being the opposing view point quite often. The 'counterpoint' to Ozpins little 'god' drama... but I seriously doubt any of those roles were things you wanted for yourself, were they?"

Glynda frowned. "You presume much... and I'm not sure I like your tone regarding Ozpin. He was a great-"

"Fool," Walt said shaking his head. "I know. Watching the stories it's obvious. I'm no better either. It's the fate of all 'wizards' really. Study our tarot sometime. A lot of people use it as divining tool but what it really is a story of archetypes. The 'Fool' is where it all begins really in an archetypal story. The 'Fool' starts his journey and path towards enlightment as the 'Fool' trying to change along the way. Thats their blessing of being a zero. They can become anything. They can take many paths along their journey. 'Magician", "Priestess", "Emperor" and "Empress," he smirked, "Lovers" and eventualy "Strength" and so on leading to "Justice" and the "The Hanged" then eventually into "Death", "The Devil", "Tower" and eventually "Judgment". If the journey doesn't end after taking a turn, then it all eventually ends one of two ways for the Fool's journey."

Glynda swallowed. He acknowledged that he was a 'Fool' as well. He was talking about himself as much as Ozpin. "How does it end?"

Walt chuckled. "Obvious really. Either they inherit the "The World" or become the "Fool" again... because that's the true secret. The "Fool" was always the "Fool" after all no matter how much they changed. That's the lesson of the "Fool". Momento mori is a saying in this world in an old ancient language. Remember that you shall die. Remember thou art Mortal... there's another old proveb that the fool who knows they are a fool has attained true wisdom. I try to be wise while remembering that I will always be, just a fool."

Glynda thinks a longwhile quietly. "That's what makes you similar yet different... you accept that as your truth and don't let that stop you. Oz tries to rise past it and it drags him down anyway. Always starting from zero. From nothing..."

Walt nods his head but then shrugs. "I suppose I could be Zero... just a fool. No better than Oz."

She smiles. "A Zero could be anything or nothing?"

Walt shrugged. "I've known a few "Zeros". It's not an easy way to be. I'm not actively trying to be that but if it's what I am, that's what it shall be."

Glynda laughed then covered her mouth surprised. That made Walt laugh. She started back laughing again.

"Okay," she said. "You're a fool. Well at least you're somewhat cognizant and entertaining."

Walt lifted an eyebrow but smiled. "I think I'll take that as a compliment. I'm glad you're entertained."

She smiled. "You maybe similar in some respects but your both very different."

Walt shrugged. "I think you're right. Ozma might be a touch older." He winked.

Glynda laughed and touched his arm. "Your talent for finding trouble makes you a bit more like Qrow only without his less charming tendencies."

Walt nodded. "Well you're not wrong... I'm good with the ladies but I've never been a skirt chaser. Seems lately they're chasing me... and now I'm well caught. Plus I... used to drink too much after my wife died."

Glynda blinked. He really wasn't like Ozpin. Just like that first morning on the porch he was still sharing with her. "May I ask-"

Walt shook his head. "You don't have to ask. I was trying to die. I'd had a bit of a nasty brush with death once in a dark alley in my youth. Still carry the scar. I got low enough... was trying to repeat that sort of thing. That's when they found me. RealDreams... dangled a suicide mission while temptimg with the promise of myths and legends," he smiled. "As far as deals with the devil go it wasn't too bad. Even became one myself... but yeah... no luck."

Glynda smiled. "Doomed hero."

Walt snorted. "Oh, I'm no 'Hero'. Just a man. I try and my track record is better than most I suspect but ain't no heroes. I learned that long, long before everything changed, in my army days. Hero and villain are just labels or fictions. They work in your realities but not necessarily this one."

Glynda shrugged. He hadn't disputed the 'doomed' part though which was an admission. Her point. He was open about it but- "Do you need to talk about it?"

Walt shook his head and smiled. "Thank you. Kind offer but not necessary. It took a longtime but I worked through all of that... do you?"

Glynda was quiet and thought about that. "I... It was hard." She said and paused for a bit. "After Beacon fell... I tried to hold on. Tried to just... make things as they were even though that was impossible. I was... stuck."

Walt nodded and took her hand. He didn't say anything except, "That's a tough way to be." He didn't have to say anything else. He knew what being stuck in despair was. He'd been there. He'd eventually made it this far. To something and someplace better. He waited while Glynda analyized the unspoken question. Holding his hand.

Beacon was gone. Vale had fallen. Nothing she had done could have changed that. That part of the story was doomed from the very start... didn't make it suck less. Infact it was kind of irritating to think about that. That the school and kingdom had been doomed to fall. That Cinder would triumph in that moment. That Penny and Pyrrha would both fall. That her students would get hurt and maimed. All those bad things... and she'd just... been powerless to stop it. Any of it. And in the aftermath she'd been unable to...

"It's been hard," she whispered. "Letting go... moving on. I was stuck there... probably would still be stuck there..." she squeezed his hand. "And then I was abducted. Captured. Powerless again. But you came... you brought us here. Returned some agency in our... in my life. Asked for my help and guidance. You've been a decent friend to us time and again." She smirked. "You have your flaws and odd behaviors and not everything has gone perfectly and certain situations could certainly have been handled differently or better-"

"But," Walt said smiling. "My many defects and failures aside..."

Glynda smiled back. "You haven't let them stop you from doing what's right and succeeding... so far. A-"

He chuckled but nodded. "A surprisingly generous grade! Thank you. I would have went with a C myself but I'm always a hard judge on myself. But honestly... I don't care about my grade." He gave her look. "I care more about the teachers notes and the extra credit equation. How am I doing?"

Glynda smiled and blushed... but squeezed his hand. "Pays attention in class. Good student. Good work ethic. Shows improvement. Attendance needs work... and you got the extra credit equation correct."

Walt smiled. Two points for him and he has won! And most importantly of all... Glynda was fine. She wasn't despairing anymore... and... "I shall work on being even more attentive and my attendance. If I require further guidance may I... seek the teacher in her office?"

Glynda smiled looking out the window. "An eager student? That's... commendable. You may. Perhaps some additional assignments and personal instruction are in order."

Walt smiled too. "I'm glad to hear that! I'd very much like to make the honor roll and will try my hardest to do so."

"Is that so?" She asked breathily. This was definitely flirting. They'd done it before but mostly her and usually when she'd been tipsy. He'd always gently rebuffed her before... but now! "You'll have to work extremely hard... but it is possible..."

Walt grinned. "Maybe graduate Summa cum laude, perhaps?"

Glynda's head jerked up blushing. "Cum loud what?"

Walt chuckled. "Graduating "Summa cum laude". It means "with the highest distinction". Do you think there's a chance, professor?"

Glynda felt warm. Almost flushed. It was a bit like she'd been drinking except she hadn't... not a drop. She twined her fingers in his. "Possibly... you'd have to work extra hard and be a diligent student... but with the proper guidance it's possible..."

Walt nodded. "If that is what the teacher wants her pupil to do then he'll give it his best effort!"

She smiled. "A good answer... a very good answer ideed!"

They drove on for quite awhile like that. Holding hands. As friends... and possibly the promise of more.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee and Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters

Will Return In

TBD

Coming Soon]