Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A thousand silk curtains rustled.

I blinked, once, twice and kept blinking until I figured out it wouldn't change anything. Rubbing my eyes gave the same response. Quickly I did the only reasonable thing and slapped myself.

Pain receptors were apparently operating at full capacity, which was honestly kind of the problem.

Because none of my actions changed the reality in front of me.

A huge oil rig floating in the ocean, not that crazy. My father had worked as an oil engineer, and so I had been on oil platforms before. The fact that it was currently enveloped in a bubble, looking like what I would expect a sci-fi forcefield to look like…

That was a little more problematic for my brain to handle.

"What the fuck." I stated.

That wasn't quite what I meant.

"What the actual fuck." I stated again, this time doubling the disbelief.

Forcefields were unfortunately not real, which meant this had to be a dream. Unfortunately, it was a little hard to believe that, when everything was so lucid, and when pain didn't wake me up.

Dreams were sporadic and made no sense, which felt pretty accurate to the situation, but they also felt like… dreamy?

This felt all too real.

Lots of things were possible, but it couldn't be a dream. What did that even leave? Virtual reality? A really long coma? Cryo-sleep ala Futurama?

None of it really felt likely, maybe virtual reality was possible, but it still felt too real. Sure, we had oculus rift and other nifty gadgets, but this was far beyond that. This was like sword art online levels.

Pain felt the same, my hands looked the same, even the oil rig floating outside the city looked largely the same.

So that left…

What?

Alien abductions?

I knew that wasn't right, it didn't feel right. Instead, the most likely alternative seemed to be either sudden time travel, or sudden universal travel.

Glancing to the side I could see tourists standing around, taking pictures with their phones, smiling widely as they made peace sings, trying to get the rig into frame. It all felt so ridicules, like I was wildly out of place.

Most people were happy, smiling, with only an occasional unhappy teen spoiling the mood.

Meanwhile here I stood, about two seconds from a full-on panic attack. Taking deep breaths, I tried to stay calm. With an act of will I forced myself to not have a sudden and very embarrassing breakdown in public.

Instead, I shook off my confusion, trying to take stock of the situation. Though maybe it was more situations. Because on the crazy scale the oil rig with a force field could in fact only be situation 2. Situation 1 was that I seemed to have accidentally teleported.

One second, I had been walking to school, the next I was suddenly here.

Nothing in between, no signal, no nothing. It just sort of happened? I tried to think back, but nothing stood out. Then I tried to think of way's I could figure out where I actually was.

I ended up trying the defult solution to being lost in the twenty first century. I fished my phone up from my pants. Opening I saw the inevitable problem. No bars, no 3G, no nothing.

Which was bad, but not disappointing.

At this point, my phone having bars, would probably be more unlikely.

"Plan A failed, I guess its time for plan B." I muttered while steeling myself.

Then I started walking up to a person who stood alone, taking pictures of the rig with a smile on her face. In her hands was a large camera, too small for professional equipment, too big for it to be a casual hobby.

She was the perfect target, not in a group, happy and seemingly a tourist.

I could almost hear my friends laughing at me for my internal phrasing.

"It's beautiful, no?" I said, pretending to lean on the fence as I stared at the rig.

She jumped a little bit, before relaxing as she saw me.

"Sure is, about the only thing worth looking at in the city." She said, snapping another few photos before putting down her camera.

"True, you also just passing through?" I asked, fiddling with a piece of grass that had gotten stuck in one of the screws, hoping it made her sense my herbivour-ness.

"Yep, on my way to Boston, just stopping by to visit a friend." She said.

"Well, my sister is shopping with my mom and dad needed to visit the local office," I lied, before continuing, "so they dropped me off here and now they have been gone for like 30 minutes and I got desperate."

"So, you decided to chat up the only person who wasn't occupied." She finished for me, nodding towards the multitude of couples and families nearby.

I nodded in return, trying to ignore, well, literally everything about my situation.

"Pretty much."

"Name's Amber." She offered after a brief pause, extending her hand.

I hesitated for a moment before shaking it, plastering on a smile that hopefully didn't seem too fake.

"Aleksander." I said, letting some of my accent slip out.

"So, Aleksander," she began, her tone light and curious, "what do you think of it?" She nodded toward the oil rig. "Pretty impressive, isn't it?"

I blinked, caught off guard. "You know about it?"

The next second I kicked myself internally. Of course she would, this was the future or whatever, it had to be big news when it got constructed. She even said that it was the only thing worth checking out in this city.

"I mean more in-depth stuff; I only know like… like that it existed basically." I hurriedly spoke, trying to cover-up my slipup.

"Sure, you were probably a little young, but it was all over the news when it got constructed. The shining symbol of the PRT's presence in the city." She said, giving me an odd look.

"PRT?" I asked, feigning casual interest even as my brain scrambled for context. "What's that?"

Amber blinked, giving me a look like I'd just asked who the president was. "Uh, the Parahuman Response Teams? You know, the government agency? Deals with capes, protects civilians, all that?"

Capes. Civilians. Parahuman.

The words crashed over me, familiar but wrong. Parahumans? Felt like it was some kind of sci-fi term, not something people said in real life. And yet, Amber was saying it like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I swallowed hard, nodding as though this was all perfectly reasonable. "Right, right. PRT. I think I heard about them once. They're like… the military? Sorry, family just moved from Norway." I said.

Amber frowned. "Not exactly. They're more specialized than that. It's their job to keep things under control when powers get involved."

Powers. That word stuck out like a neon sign, but I filed it away for later. Asking too many questions would just make me look weird, weirder than I probably already did. Even so I could almost feel my brain start to make connections, connections it didn't like.
I forced a smile. "Makes sense. And they built that?" I nodded toward the rig, shifting the focus back to safer ground. "Why?"

"It's a regional HQ," she explained. "A place for their capes to train, plan, and deploy. And the bubble is supposed to be some cutting-edge tech for emergencies. My friend says it can expand and protect the entire harbor area if things get out of hand."

I blinked, trying to process that. Training capes? Locking down city blocks? It all sounded like something out of a movie, except Amber was dead serious. Which meant…

I wasn't just in another time. I was in another world. A world with parahumans, whatever that was, where people talked about them like they were just another part of life.

A world with powers.

I forced myself to laugh, masking the storm of emotions churning inside me. "Guess that's why it's the only thing worth seeing here."

Amber smirked, apparently satisfied with my reaction. "Pretty much. Honestly, if you're bored, there's a visitor center that talks about the history of the PRT in this region. It's kind of dry, but the holograms are cool."

Amber's voice pulled me back to the present. "So, I kind of got to go, but the center is just over there," she waved her hand at a nearby building, "free of charge and everything."

I hesitated. A part of me wanted to dig deeper, to ask her more questions and piece together this strange new world. But another part of me, the louder, more anxious part, wanted to figure things out on my own, away from prying eyes. Amber seemed nice, but there was no way she would stay only for my sake.

She didn't know me after all.

Though that seemed to apply to literally everyone in the entire world right now.

"I think I'll check out the center," I said finally, offering her a weak smile. "Thanks for the tip."

She nodded, slinging her camera over her shoulder. "No problem. And hey, welcome to America, hope you get settled right."

…

As I stared at the holograms, blue and exactly like you would imagine them to be, I couldn't quite contain my disbelief.

The holograms flickered to life, each one more surreal than the last. Blue-tinted figures rotated and gestured, their voices crisp and professional as they explained the history of the Parahuman Response Teams.

I leaned in closer to one, watching as it depicted a woman in a black costume, marked with the title Alexandria: Protectorate Founder. She looked like something straight out of a blockbuster movie, but the earnest tone of the narration undercut any sense of fiction.

"Alexandria," the voice said, "one of the original members of the Triumvirate, and a symbol of hope during the early days of parahuman emergence."

I blinked, feeling a headache forming as I tried to process the sheer scale of what was being presented. People with powers weren't just a thing, they were an organized thing, with teams, history, and honest to gods museums.

A nearby display caught my eye: a timeline that spanned several decades, charting the rise of parahumans, from the first one confirmed to the formation of the PRT. Little holographic bursts illustrated key moments, massive battles, dramatic rescues, and disasters that looked far too real to be special effects.

As I studied the images, one phrase kept repeating itself in my head. This can't be real.

I wanted desperately to tell myself I'd stumbled into some elaborate exhibit for a movie franchise or an alternate history project. But the longer I stared, the less likely that seemed. Everything was presented with such meticulous detail, down to the specific dates and names.

The realization settled in my chest like a lead weight. I wasn't home. I wasn't in a dream, or a virtual reality simulation, or a prank orchestrated by some tech-savvy mastermind. I was here. Wherever here was.

"This day cannot get any worse." I mumbled, taking a step backwards.

It was like I had walked backwards into silk curtains and as I felt my body brush past them the world changed.

Suddenly I was standing on a table, four people with weird costumes crowding around me.

The moment stretched, absurd and impossible, as my brain struggled to catch up with my body. I stared at my boots, currently applying some seasoning to their pizza.

The table beneath me creaked, and the food splattered as I quickly tried to find my balance, ending up in an awkward, ungraceful kneel. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my mind was too busy trying to process how the hell I'd gone from one place to another to think of anything remotely helpful.

I wasn't exactly in the best position to explain myself. These people were dressed in ridiculous costumes, all of which screamed superheroes. No one in their right mind would wear something like that for anything less than some sort of statement. Or a fight.

Maybe for a DnD night, but the point still stood.

The first one to react was a boy in a renaissance fair costume. "What the fuck."

"Uh, yeah, sorry about this," I said, my voice suddenly sounding far too high-pitched. "I wasn't planning on... this. I mean, I was just at a... uh, visitor center, and then" I paused. What was I even saying? "I just… ended up here. Literally just appeared."

"You know what, I'll just see myself out." I said, hopping off the table before anybody could react, testing if pretending really hard that everything was normal would stop them from reacting.

It did, in fact, not stop them from doing anything and the next second the black guy wearing a slapdash biker costume tackled me to the floor.

The impact hit me like a freight train, hard, sudden, and unforgiving. I had no time to process what had just happened before I was slammed to the ground, the air forced out of my lungs as the biker-costumed guy's weight pressed me into the floor.

"Alright, who the hell are you?" The guy growled, his voice sharp with suspicion. His hands were pinning my arms, and his breath was hot against my face as he applied some weight to my back.

It wasn't exactly the most comfortable situation, but at least he wasn't immediately trying to kill me.

I let out a delirious laugh.

He pushed, and I felt air leave my lungs.

For a second I almost just collapsed like a house of cards.

I wanted to cry; I wanted to scream.

Instead, some unknown, self-preservation instinct saved me, letting me know that reacting like that would almost certainly not be conductive to my future.

"I don't even know what the fuck is going on." I gasped out.

The pressure on my back intensified as he pushed down harder, his grip tightening. I could feel the muscles in my chest screaming for air, the overwhelming weight of the situation pressing down on me in every sense of the word.

"I said," the biker growled, "who are you?" His voice was calm now, but the menace behind it was unmistakable. He didn't seem to believe me, and I wasn't entirely sure I would have either. A guy appears out of nowhere while your eating and doesn't even know where he is? Yeah, that didn't scream 'innocent bystander.'

Shit like that didn't even happen in comic books.

I gasped desperately for air and felt him let up a little. Probably realizing I wasn't about to do anything, and that interrogating me would be hard while I couldn't make a sound. I took the moment to get some air back in my body, before I managed to say anything.

"I'm nobody! I swear! I'm just…" I choked for a second as he applied some more pressure, before quickly letting go. "I'm just confused, alright? One minute I'm…" My mind scrambled for an explanation, but nothing seemed right. There was no neat way to explain this. "I was just, there. At the PRT visitor centre and then I accidentally teleported, I didn't mean to land here, it was an accident!"

The silence was deafening. Even to my own ears the story sounded outlandish, but I was banking on the whole power thing working in my favour. Powers were usually somewhat random, so it wouldn't be too crazy here right?

"Let him go, he's telling the truth." A girl's voice rang out.

The relief I felt at her voice couldn't be described and slowly I felt the pressure on my back loosen as he got off me. I scrambled around and tried to get up, but a single foot kept me from getting off the floor.

The guy in the biker costume stood over me, his arms folded, eyes narrowed. Despite his earlier aggression, he seemed to be evaluating me now, trying to figure out whether or not I was a threat. He didn't seem like someone who was willing to take any chances, and that made sense.

I just wish he was a little bit more Superman and a little less Batman.

The girl who had spoken up was blond with medium long hair, her face wearing a smile. She was also the only one even somewhat masked, wearing a domino mask she seemed to have hastily put on. Even so her posture relaxed, with her eyes were assessing me.

"You're not from here. You don't know who we are, or what we were doing." She stated, like she knew it.

I still answered it like it was a question.

"No idea what here even is, or how the fuck I got here." I said.

She inspected me again, her eyes going over my clothing. Then they flicked to the ground, and I realized that in my scuffle with biker guy my phone had fallen out. She looked at it for a couple of seconds, probably taking in the model, before turning to her teammate.

"Ok, I believe him, he's completely lost Brian." She said to biker guy, Brian, whatever.

"Because your power told you that, you know it can be spoofed right?" He said sarcastically.

"Yeah, but I figured this whole guy in a second, psychic remember? When he says he is lost he's if anything understating things, this guy is from another Earth." She walked over and picked up my phone, handing it over to Brian.

"Does this look like literally any phone on the market, it doesn't right? Because its top of the line where he came from." She stated proudly.

She waved and it lit up, showing off me and my dad in sleeping bags. Then like she knew how to do it all along, she spammed a bunch of ones with her thumb.

It unlocked.

I grimaced.

Brian held my phone up, inspecting it like it was an alien artifact. I couldn't decide whether I was more amazed by the fact that the blonde girl had guessed my password correctly, or by the way Brian looked at me with utter disgust when he saw what said password was.

"Top of the line, huh?" Brian muttered, turning the phone in his hand. His tone was sceptical, but not hostile anymore. He tossed it back at me, and I caught it instinctively, still trying to make sense of everything.

"So, what now?" I asked, my voice sounding less confident than I would've liked. The fact that these people were so calm, like this kind of thing happened every day, didn't help my nerves.

"Now we figure out what the hell to do with you." The blond girl said, taking a step closer. She had a thoughtful expression on her face, eyes flicking between me and the others. "You're definitely not from here, and that," she pointed at my phone, "proves it. What's your deal? You some kind of teleporter?"

"To be honest I'm not sure, probably? I think I teleported to this Earth on accident to be honest. Then I teleported here on accident too." I said, feeling vaguely sheepish.

She looked at me and then took off her domino mask, revealing a face around my age. Pretty, in a very normal way, with green eyes a decent number of freckles.

"Okay, let's say for a second that we actually believe you," she started, her eyes narrowing as she sized me up. "We still have a problem on our hands. You've seen our faces, you know where our base is, and that's not something we can just brush under the rug. It's a huge risk for us, and you know damn well we can't have you can't just go running around telling people about us." She paused for a moment, her expression shifting into something a bit more calculating, a sly, knowing look crossing her face as if she'd already figured out how to play her hand. "So, here's what I propose," she continued, her voice steady. "To make sure you don't do anything stupid and start leaking details, you need to help us out with a job."

She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow, watching me closely. "Something small, nothing you can't handle. It'll keep you occupied, and we'll have some leverage over you. You scratch our back, and we'll scratch yours. If it goes well, and you want to, you could even join the team. If you don't, we set you up with some cash and you can go on your merry way."

The way she spoke made it clear she wasn't asking for my permission, she was offering me a deal I didn't have the luxury to refuse. It felt like a trap, but right now I wasn't exactly in a position to argue.

"Does it come with food and board?" I joked.

She didn't smile, just looked at me and even glancing at Brian didn't help the situation much, as he seemed to busy at staring daggers at her.

I looked down at the ground, my mind racing. Even if I tried to decline, what would happen to me? I could walk away, but where would I even go? What would I do? I wasn't from here; I wasn't even American. If I somehow ended up in the wrong hands, I would be fucked. Even the authorities weren't trustworthy, there was no guarantee they'd help me. Maybe if we were in Norway, but I didn't trust the American authorities further than I could throw them. In fact, they'd probably lock me up in some government facility to figure out if they could use me. No one would care about some random lost guy from another world.

Sure, these guys looked sketchy as shit, but at least they were my age.

That had to count for something right?

"Look, I'm not trying to make this harder than it is," I said, trying to stay calm. "But I don't exactly have a place to crash, or money to buy food. I can help you, but in the meanwhile, you need to help me stay alive."

She studied me for a long moment, her gaze flickering over my face as if searching for a lie, but I wasn't lying. And that seemed to break whatever tension had been hanging in the air.

"That's fine." She said, sounding supremely confident.

I nodded slowly, feeling the faintest sense of relief. Getting up from the floor I took I held up a hand towards the girl.

"Name is Aleksander." I said.

"Lisa." She replied, taking my hand.

I blinked.

The sound of dozens of silk curtains rustling flew past my ear.

Then we were standing in a forest.

Chapter Text

Lisa's reaction was instantaneous. The moment she realized we weren't in the same place anymore she pulled away like I was some kind of rabid animal. One second, she'd been cool and calculated, the next she was glaring at me with enough intensity to burn a hole through my chest. If looks could kill, I would've been in the ground already.

"What did you do?" She snapped, her body tensing like I was about to attack.

"Nothing!" I said, raising my hands in defensively. "I swear I didn't mean to!"

"Nothing?!" she repeated, her voice dripping with disbelief. "We're not exactly in Kansas anymore, are we?" She gestured around wildly, clearly unimpressed by our new surroundings. "Where the hell are we?"

"I don't know," I muttered, more to myself than to her. A sinking feeling settled in my chest. "But this isn't good."

It was the third time today. The third time I'd randomly teleported without warning. If I didn't figure out how to control it soon…

I swallowed hard, the thought hanging in my mind. I'd end up somewhere far worse. A volcano, maybe. Or deep space.

Of course, that assumed I could control it.

"You did this," Lisa spat, still eyeing me like I was a threat. "How did you do this? Your tricked me somehow, you weren't a threat, even if I can't…" She trailed off, the edges of her confidence unraveling.

Her composure was slipping, and for the first time, she looked rattled. It was odd, just moments ago, she had seemed like my best option: calm, in control, and even mature. But now her confidence was unraveling before my eyes, and it hit me. What she was feeling now was probably what I had been feeling just moments ago.

Strangely, I didn't feel the same panic anymore. Instead, a calm sort of acceptance settled over me, the kind that only comes after the rug's already been yanked out from under your feet. There was nothing left to cling to, no ground beneath me, so what was the point of panicking again?

"I didn't mean to," I repeated, raising my hands in defence. "It's not like I'm some kind of teleporting expert. If I could control this, I wouldn't have ended up crashing your party, would I? In fact, you said it yourself, I'm not even from your world. If I could control it do you think I would leave my Earth?"

She shot me a sceptical look, her lip curling. "Great, so I'm stuck with some idiot who can't control his powers."

I counted to ten in my head, trying not to snap, or snap at her. It wasn't her fault, I knew that, but it also wasn't mine. I was already about to lose my freaking mind, and now this? In the end I took a deep breath, for what felt like the thousandth time today, and forced myself to be reasonable.

"Look." I began.

She practically bristled, cutting me off before I could say more.

"No, you look," she shot back, her voice sharp and unyielding. "I don't know what you think you're doing, but right now, you're completely useless. So just shut up and let me figure out where we are. If we're lucky, maybe you sent us just outside the city. But I need to concentrate."

I took a moment and closed my eyes, steadying myself.

"Fine. Go ahead, focus," I said, keeping my tone even. I moved back slightly, giving her the space she needed.

Not that I was sure she actually needed space to work.

For a long moment, the only sound was her breathing. She stood there, scanning the world around us, her eyes darting back and forth before finally tilting upward toward the sky.

Her face paled.

Slowly her eyes widened, like she couldn't quite believe what they were telling her. I noticed how her shoulders tensed, how her fingers curled into tight fists at her sides. She had realized something.

"Lisa?" I asked, cautiously stepping closer.

She didn't answer. Her eyes darted around frantically, as though searching for something. Her lips moved, but whatever she was saying was too quiet for me to catch.

"What's going on?" I pressed, my heartbeat picking up speed. Something was wrong. I could see it in the way she was acting.

If a super… person? Acted like this, then the situation was probably not good.

Finally, her gaze locked onto me, wide-eyed and frantic.

"The moon is in pieces."

My stomach dropped.

I blinked, trying to process what she said, but her words didn't make sense. "What the hell do you mean, it's not…"

"I mean," she cut me off, her voice rising, "the moon was destroyed. Ages ago."

We stared at each other. Two virtual strangers having been teleported across space seemingly on accident.

"Ages ago? Is the moon destroyed on your Earth?" I asked hopefully.

"No." She said simply.

We stared at each other, and I could almost see the rage in her eyes. She was vibrating, looking like she was about two seconds away from trying to maul me with her bare hands.

I wanted to defend myself but wasn't even sure what to say. How could you defend yourself in this situation. Sorry I kidnapped you to another Earth, but it was an accident?

In the end I settled for the classics.

"Sorry." I mumbled, the word barely audible as a wave of dizziness washed over me.

I sat down, needing a moment to gather myself. Standing there while being torn into wasn't exactly appealing.

Lisa didn't reply, but I noticed the anger draining from her features. After a moment, she sat down too. For nearly a minute, neither of us spoke. We just sat there, staring at the forest clearing around us, the silence thick with unspoken tension.

"How did it feel when you teleported?" Lisa asked at last, breaking the quiet. Her voice had lost its edge, but there was still a sharpness beneath it, like a coiled spring waiting to snap. "Did you think of anything? Feel anything?"

I shook my head, running a hand through my hair. "No. So far it just… happens. One second I'm somewhere, and then I'm not. It's like sneezing, you don't realize it's coming until it's too late. I…"

I tried to think back, but every time so far had been unexpected. Even if there had been some sort of clue, the sudden shift in the environment had always been my focus.

Lisa's expression hardened, her jaw tightening. "Fantastic. So, you're telling me we're at the mercy of your sneeze-teleporting. That's just great."

snap

"Okay, that's enough," I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. "You want to be mad at me for dragging you into this situation? Fine. But how about you save the tantrum for when we're not this fucking lost?"

Lisa froze mid-step, her eyes narrowing dangerously. For a moment, I thought she might actually lunge at me. Instead, she took a deliberate breath, her lips curling into something halfway between a sneer and a scowl.

"You think I don't know what you're thinking?" she hissed. "You think I don't see how screwed you are? It's written all over you. You have no idea where we are, no idea how your power works, and you're about ten seconds away from losing your mind."

She stalked closer, jabbing me with an outstretched finger.

"Newsflash," she snapped, her voice trembling with barely restrained fury, "back in your old world, maybe you had a loving family. Maybe everything was just great for you. But guess what? This isn't your world. Out here, in the real world? People die."

Her voice cracked, but she pressed on. "You might not understand how bad this is—but I do."

Her chest heaved as she panted, her lip quivered, and her eyes started to flood.

Fuck.

"Lisa…" I started, only to be cut off when she hit me.

A fist to the chest. Then another. And another.

There wasn't an ounce of force behind them, but each hit landed like a metaphorical sledgehammer. Each one carried the weight of her frustration, her fear, and her desperation.

I just stood there, frozen, as she kept hitting me. My mind scrambled for something to say, anything, but she didn't give me the chance

"What do you think the chances are?" she pressed, her voice rising with every word. "Your power dragged us here, and you think it's just going to magically spit us back into our old lives?"

Her breath hitched, her eyes wild. "What if there are infinite dimensions? Infinite places like this, and your power can only jump around randomly? Do you even get what you've done?"

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I didn't have an answer. I didn't have anything. The truth was, I hadn't thought that far ahead. I was too busy trying to keep myself from falling apart, and now Lisa was tearing through the thin veneer of control I was clinging to.

I couldn't process the situation fast enough. I hadn't even begun to consider what it meant for me to be teleporting across alternate Earths. Today had been too fast, too much happening at once for me to catch up.

Lisa, though, was different. She was used to powers, understood their consequences. And when she realized I didn't understand what mine were doing, she also understood how screwed she was.

"I-" I started, but she cut me off.

"Do you even understand what that means?" she continued, her voice trembling as the floodgates opened. "No home. No safety. No way back. We might, literally, never even find another Earth with humans on it! That's not even considering the fact that you might just sneeze away and leave me fucking behind!"

"I didn't want this either!" I finally shouted, my own frustration boiling over. "Do you think I asked for this? I didn't! I didn't ask to ruin your life, or mine, or anyone's!"

She froze, her chest heaving as she stared at me, the fire in her eyes flickering. Tears streamed down her face. For a moment, I felt a lump form in my throat, and I could feel my own tears threatening to break through. I didn't know if I was angry, sad, or terrified. Instead, we just stared at each other, the silence between us deafening.

"I know you didn't ask for this," she mumbled, using her costumed arm to rub her tears away, "but you still fucked me over. If you don't figure out how your power works, then we're both screwed."

"I'll figure it out," I said quietly, the words feeling hollow in my mouth "I swear, Lisa, I'll fix this. I don't know how yet, but I will. I'll get you back home."

Lisa let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head.

"You fucking liar." She said, but the words were without heat.

I let out a low laugh, rubbing my eyes. She wasn't wrong.

….

Some part of me had expected that after our… disagreement we would look up at the sky and find that hours had slipped by, with the sun already low on the horizon. But no. With everything that had happened, it felt like time had stretched out endlessly. In reality, it'd only been maybe two hours since I started teleporting.

"You have any wilderness experience?" I asked.

"No, but you do right, with your father?" Lisa replied, smirking at me.

I frowned.

'Can you hear my thoughts?' I asked in my mind, wondering if she was reading it right now. She had mentioned being a psychic, but I had almost forgotten.

Her smirk widened, and her eyes shone with a strange intensity. They were bloodshot, and streaks of smeared mascara framed them like dark rivers, but none of that dimmed the striking green of her gaze. It was almost hypnotic, the way those eyes locked onto mine, filled with a mix of challenge and raw, unfiltered emotion. For a moment, I forgot to breathe.

"Stop staring idiot, I asked you a question." She said and I blinked.

"Right, I just forgot the whole… psychic thing." I mumbled.

In the end I looked around, the trees were all large with leaves that looked reddish. Which didn't signal great things, if that meant the seasons were heading towards winter then we would be more than dead on an extended stay.

Of course, that was assuming that desperation wouldn't get us to try and use my ability to jump again, which was more likely than us starving in this forest for months.

"Well, to be honest, this is worse than any worst-case scenario back home. At least people would eventually come looking for you if you went missing. But right now? No one would even know we're here. So, a lot of survival tips pretty much go out the window." I walked over to a nearby tree, trying to judge if the leaves were natrually red, or if they were dying due to some kind of sesonal shift.

"Okay, great," she said, breezing past me. "Was just asking if you knew anything beyond the basics. Right now, we need to find water, then shelter, right?"

I looked at her, feeling a little peeved, even if she was right. Most tips for surviving while lost in the forest came down to waiting to be found by other people. You shouldn't move far, mark the places you stayed, stuff like that. Right now, exactly none of that was applicable to us. After all, people wouldn't come rescue somebody they didn't even know existed.

"Might be the other way around, to be honest. If those leaves are that colour because its autumn, then shelter and a way to make fire is more important than water." I replied.

"Great, because I can tell you right now those leaves are completely fine. We find water." She said, taking off in a seemingly random direction.

I looked at the leaves again, they looked fine, but she hadn't even touched them.

"Wow, didn't know you were such an expert on otherworldly trees," I said, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you just know they're fine, huh? No need for a second opinion or anything?"

Lisa didn't even break her stride. She kept walking forward, the sound of her boots crunching against the forest floor as if she hadn't heard me at all.

I rolled my eyes and quickened my pace to catch up. "Seriously, how sure are you about this? Because, just so you know, if those trees are going red because it's fall, or something similar, I'd rather not find out the hard way that it gets freezing at night. I don't think my hoodie and jacket is going to keep me warm and your body suit looks about as warm as a wet towel."

She stopped, letting out an exaggerated sigh and turned.

"I am going to tell you this once," Lisa said, her tone taking on that smug, self-assured edge. "I know you think I'm some kind of psychic, since that's what I told you, but in reality, my power is less about reading minds and more like Sherlock Holmes... but better."

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical, but she didn't seem to notice. Or maybe she didn't care.

"So when I look at you," she continued, "I don't read your mind, but I can tell exactly what you're thinking. It's not some kind of telepathy. It's just that I can pick up on a million different micro-expressions, body language, and ticks you make without you even realizing it. It's like seeing a puzzle where all the pieces are scattered, and I can instantly recognize how they fit together."

She shot me a glance, clearly waiting for some kind of reaction.

"And it's the same thing with that tree," she said, pointing to the nearby foliage. "I didn't need to touch it, didn't need to test it. I just know it's healthy. I can tell from the way the leaves are, how the bark looks, how the branches are growing. It's the same thing as reading you. I'm just seeing patterns that you aren't even aware of."

I stared at her for a moment, trying to process everything she'd just said. "So, you're like a human lie detector, but for... everything?"

Lisa smirked. "Exactly. I don't need to read your thoughts to know what's going on. I just read the clues you're giving off without realizing it. And I'm really good at it."

I didn't know whether to be impressed or freaked out. "Okay, but how does that explain the tree? Are you saying you can do that for anything, just because you know it?"

"Yep," she said, a little too smugly for my comfort. "It's not mind reading. It's just... well, it's deduction. And you'd be surprised how much you can figure out when you stop assuming things and just pay attention to the details."

I shook my head, still not fully understanding, but at least it made a little more sense. "Alright, Sherlock, let's just get to finding water."

Lisa laughed, a sound that was more condescending than amused. "Sure, whatever you say. Just try not to be too impressed when I save our asses out here. Now, let's go. We've got a forest to conquer."

Then she continued walking forward.

I shot her a glance, still not entirely sure whether to be grateful or irritated. But the reality was, finding water was something I'd been dreading. The thought of spending the whole day wandering, praying that the forest contained some kind of drinkable water was almost enough to make the whole situation feel hopeless.

But as it turned out, Lisa wasn't wasting any time. She moved with the same purpose she always did, walking without hesitation, as if she knew exactly where she was going. I kept pace easily, even as she started slowing down.

Lisa might have been in good shape for a teenage girl, but I was used to walking in rough terrain. Even if I hadn't been in good shape myself, just knowing how to walk in a forest made me save way more energy.

Still, when Lisa finally stopped, I looked ahead, expecting to see nothing but more trees, but to my surprise, there was a clearing up ahead. Beyond it, a shimmering lake, reflecting the afternoon sun like a polished mirror.

I blinked, incredulous. "Wait, seriously? You just walked straight for an hour and found a lake?"

Lisa didn't even look back, already heading toward the water's edge. "Told you, I know what I'm doing. Not everything needs a complicated plan."

I could only shake my head. "That's… actually impressive," I admitted, though I wasn't sure I liked how easy she made it seem. "How did you…"

"I just knew," she said, interrupting me with a casual shrug. "Like I said, patterns. You'd be amazed at how easy it is to figure out where water sources are when you're paying attention to the land around you. It's not magic, it's just… logic."

I didn't bother disputing it. To be honest, for all I understood of her power, it might as well have been magic. Sure, I could wrap my head around reading micro-expressions or figuring out if a tree was healthy by looking at it, but that wasn't exactly an exact science. Observing a tree's leaves and deducing it was fine was one thing, but the way she'd led us straight to this lake in the middle of a random forest, with no other information to guide her? That was something else entirely.

It wasn't just impressive; it was impossible.

I mean, we started out with no obvious landmarks, no map, no direction. Just a dense forest, trees as far as the eye could see. Yet less than an hour later, we were standing at the edge of a lake. How could she know where to go, just by looking around?

I felt a little uneasy. Her ability wasn't just uncanny, it defied any logical explanation I could come up with. It wasn't like following the signs of nature and making educated guesses. This felt like something more. She called it super Sherlock Holmes, but this couldn't just be that. Her being a brilliant observer, catching tiny details that no one else could see, it wouldn't make up for knowing things she couldn't possibly know. Her power had to be less Sherlock and more… divine guidance?

I bit my lip, fighting down my urge to just dig into her. Real life superpowers I reminded myself, they didn't need to work the same way I believed them to work. We were jumping between alternating universes, what was just knowing things compared to that.

I bent down to the water, drinking deeply, the cold liquid filling me with a momentary relief. The coolness felt almost like a shock to my system, and I savored it. It was good, better than good considering how thirsty I was. I glanced at Lisa, who was busy trying to drink water from her cupped hands.

I smiled as she shot me an irritated glance. "Not everybody wants to look like a barbarian while drinking."

"I didn't say anything." I said, holding up my hands in surrender.

She snorted, but continued using her hands, even as they started to shiver.

After we'd both had our fill, I paused, a realization hitting me.

"Alright," I said, glancing toward Lisa, who was still scoping the water, looking as calm as ever. "We can't hang around here too long. If there's water, there's bound to be something else using it. We need to move." I stated.

Lisa glanced back at me; her expression still unreadable. "You're right. We'll keep moving, we need to find somewhere to camp anyway." She didn't even seem fazed, as if the threat of wildlife didn't concern her in the slightest.

We moved quickly through the forest, trying to spot somewhere that looked like a good place to rest.

I pushed aside the way her eyes seemed to bore into my back. Right now, I didn't even want to know what she was thinking. Instead i focused on keeping up a steady pace. The only break from the bird's chirping was Lisa speaking up, directing me to change direction.

I didn't even borther questioning her.

Soon I entered a trance like state, walking forward, taking in the nature and trying to think about nothing. It was an habit I had formed climbing mountain, made it feel like time raced instead of walked.

It was also a very stupid to do so right now.

By the time I noticed anything wrong, Lisa had already stopped. She was holding her head in her hands, her fingers digging into her temples. She didn't look like she was just tired, though, she looked pained.

"Lisa?" I asked, concerned, stepping toward her. "You alright?"

She shook her head, but not in the usual dismissive way I had seen her do. There was something more to it, like she was fighting off a headache or some kind of pressure.

"I'm fine," she muttered, though her voice didn't carry the usual confidence. She took a few shaky breaths and straightened up, still rubbing her temples. "Just need a minute."

I frowned. "You sure? You're acting like you're about to pass out."

She gave a weak smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm fine. Just... a little off balance, that's all."

"Look, we can rest for a bit," I said, trying to sound reassuring, though I wasn't entirely sure it was the right call. "We're not exactly making good time anyway, and we need to figure out our next move."

Lisa took another deep breath, finally letting her hands drop from her face. Her eyes met mine, and even though she was still a little unsteady, she was back to her usual sharpness.

"Yeah, alright," she said, her voice steadier now. "But just… not for too long. We still need to find a place to sleep."

We walked a few more paces, eventually finding a small clearing surrounded by trees with thick, dense foliage. It wasn't perfect, but it was the best we could do right now. As Lisa sank to the ground, I kept a sharp eye on the forest around us, still feeling like there was something lurking just beyond the trees.

She rested her head against a tree and tried to look like she wasn't about to die of a migraine. It wasn't working. Her face was pale, and the tightness in her expression said everything I needed to know about her current state.

I tried to think of nothing, but silence wasn't exactly the medicine I had needed so far. Until our stop I had managed to keep my mind off our situation, but right now… I clenched my fists, holding around myself as I strained my muscles, as if trying to hold back the overwhelming anxiety threatening to burst out.

To be honest I was almost sure that if I had sat there for another minute that I would have simply broken down. Folded like a house of cards.

Which was why hearing a growl almost felt like a blessing.

I didn't even think, I just reacted. My body was on autopilot as my legs shot me upright, and I instinctively grabbed for something, anything that might serve as a weapon. My hands found nothing, not even the knife I used to carry when I went on hikes with my dad.

Which was really, really, bad. The growl that hadn't just been close, that had sounded like it was at most 40 to 50 of meters away.

It also sounded wrong.

The noise had reverberated in the air, but there was something off about it. The pitch was too deep, the rhythm too slow. It didn't sound like anything I knew from the forests back home. Not a bear. Not a wolf. Not something I could identify from the wilds. It was a growl, but it felt unnatural, like the sound of something that didn't belong in the world I knew. And it was too close. Far too close.

We couldn't stay here.

I forced myself to breathe. To think. Panic wasn't going to help. But every instinct was screaming at me to run. We needed to get out of the clearing, now.

Find somewhere to hide.

"Move," I urged, my voice strained. "We need to go. Now."

Lisa didn't wait for a response. She pushed herself off the tree, stumbling slightly as her body protested the sudden movement, but she was up and moving, following me without hesitation.

She didn't say anything, instead she just looked pale.

"Can't you use your power, to see where it's coming from?" I whispered, even though I knew it was probably useless.

If that was an animal, it could almost certainly hear us from the distance. I was moving quietly, my steps light and controlled, but Lisa… well, she might as well have been an elephant in a China shop. Every step she took seemed to snap a branch or rustle the underbrush, making us far less stealthy than I would have liked.

The animal could provably hear me, say nothing of her.

"No, I overused it." She said back through gritted teeth, her voice tight with frustration.

I didn't need to ask what she meant, her powers drained her in some way. I could see the way her movements had slowed, how her shoulders hunched with exhaustion. She'd already pushed herself too far today. I struggled to hold back my irritation, she used it for our sake, but right now all I could think of was that she had wasted it. Finding water was needed, but after that… I had a feeling she had been using it while we walked.

And not on anything necessary.

I swallowed hard, fighting the growing panic threatening to take over. We needed her power, but there was nothing we could do about it now.

A branch snapped behind us.

I froze, every muscle locking up. My heart skipped a beat as I slowly turned my head, trying to spot whatever made that sound without alerting it to our position. The forest seemed to hold its breath.

Another snap, closer this time.

Through the clearing I spotted our pursuer for the first time. At first, it looked like a wolf, at least that's what my brain tried to convince me it was. But there was something wrong with it, something that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. It was misshapen, like a creature that had been twisted into something unnatural.

Its fur was dark, almost black, but it wasn't the soft, sleek coat of a healthy wolf. It was rough, matted, as if it hadn't been groomed in ages. The shape of its body was wrong too, too bulky for a wolf, with broad shoulders and a hunch in its back, as if it were built for something other than running. Its limbs were longer, gangly instead of natural. It even moved unnaturally, like it was mimicking something bigger than it was.

It was too big.

Way too big.

All of that should have demanded my full attention, but instead, my eyes were locked on its face. A bone mask obscured its features, but it wasn't the mask that froze me in place, it was the eyes. Red eyes, glowing faintly, peeking out from beneath the bone mask. They stared at me with an unnerving intensity, cold and predatory, as if they could see straight through me.

"What the fuck." I mumbled.

Lisa suddenly grabbed my sleeve, and I glanced at her in the corner of my eye. Her face was tense, but the look of a migraine was gone, replaced by a sharp focus, adrenaline probably kicking in and saving her from the pain.

"What?" she hissed, barely audibly, as if speaking too loud would agitate it.

I swallowed hard.

Speaking softly was always nice; it could avoid agitating wild animals.

I had a feeling it wouldn't help at all.

Chapter Text

The monster's eyes glowed with a cold, predatory hunger as it circled us, its bone-white spikes glinting in the fractured sunlight that filtered through the trees. Each uneven step it took sent shivers down my spine, the scrape of its claws against the bark of a nearby tree grating like nails on a chalkboard.

Every instinct screamed at me to run.

Unfortunately, running didn't seem to be an option.

Lisa's hand twitched as if she was preparing to move. But she didn't, and I realized that she was struggling, too. Her migraine was still there, lurking beneath her composed exterior. Even worse, we were both tired from our long walk.

"Lisa," I hissed, my voice barely more than a whisper. "Do you have a plan?"

She didn't answer right away, her eyes locked onto the monster. The creature was inching closer, its gaze flicking between us like a predator savouring the moment before the kill.

Finally, she spoke, her voice strained but sharp. "Stay close to me. We'll have to outsmart it. I can't do much right now, but if we work together…"

A guttural growl cut her off, vibrating through the air like a storm about to break. The creature lunged with terrifying speed, a blur of black fur and bone-white spikes.

Its claws lashed out, aiming squarely for me.

Without thinking, I stepped forward, my adrenaline pushing me into motion. My hand darted out, grabbing the closest thing I could find, a jagged piece of wood from a broken branch that had been abandoned on the ground.

With every ounce of desperation, I swung it at the monster.

The branch struck its head with a sickening crack.

And snapped in half.

The beast didn't even flinch.

Pain shot through my palms as splinters bit into my skin. I hissed through gritted teeth. The monster reared back, its maw opening wide. Time seemed to slow, stretching each second into an eternity.

I saw the other half of my branch flying uselessly into the air.

I heard Lisa scream, her voice distant and warped.

I stared into my death.

My pulse raced; blood pounded in my ears. I could see the monster's teeth, the glint of its saliva, and the way its tongue curled back in anticipation of sinking its fangs into my flesh.

I couldn't move. My body was frozen in place, locked in place by terror.

Then suddenly it wasn't.

My mind, the part of me that was still aware, felt the air shift. The world around me rippled, distorting at the edges of my vision. It was odd, like a distant tug at the edges of my consciousness.

For one fleeting moment, I was acutely aware of everything.

The empty air between me and the monster.

The feel of Lisa's almost overwhelming presence behind me, her hand outstretched in a futile attempt to grab me.

The trees, the clearing, the unnatural stillness of the forest.

And then, instinct took over.

I stepped back. Not away from the monster, but through something.

Curtains rustled.

The clearing snapped back into focus, but I was no longer where I'd been standing. I was several meters away, breathless and trembling, my body still buzzing from the adrenaline. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what had happened.

The monster's massive jaws snapped shut where I had been standing, and I could feel the force of the air that had been displaced. Its growl echoed through the clearing, but I wasn't in its reach anymore.

Wasn't in two pieces.

I had teleported.

Again.

Lisa's voice cut through the chaos, and I turned toward her, my eyes wide with confusion. "Alex!" she screamed, her voice raw with panic.

She didn't have time to register the fact that I wasn't dead.

I didn't have time to speak as the monster snapped its head toward her, its glowing red eyes locking onto her as it let out a deafening growl. In an instant, it lunged toward her, its massive jaws wide.

My mind locked onto the sensation I'd felt a moment ago, the warping of space, the feeling of curtains caressing my back. The world around me slowed again, not truly frozen but stretched, each moment expanding to give me room to think, to act.

She wasn't just a person standing there; she was a force. A sun burning brightly in the tapestry of space around me. Her presence was so heavy, so tangible, that it made space tremble. The world bent around her, a weight that pulled my focus like gravity

It made it impossible for me to miss.

Space bent as I reached for her with a thought. My hand stretched forward, not through air, but through the strange fabric of reality itself, brushing past unseen barriers like rustling through rows of hanging clothes.

And then she was in my arms.

Lisa gasped, tense and trembling. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her body rigid as if bracing for the inevitable. For death.

But she wasn't dead.

I held her tightly. She felt small in my arms, but I could feel her heartbeat against my chest, racing just as fast as mine. I could hear her shallow breaths, as if she had been holding them in.

The monster's jaws clamped down where she had been standing just moments ago and once again the sound of its teeth meeting nothing rang out.

Then it roared in frustration, its massive form snapping around until it found us. Glowing red eyes filled with rage bored into me, making my skin crawl. Every instinct screamed that we couldn't fight this thing, not head-to-head. We couldn't even hurt it.

We had to get out.

My mind locked onto the sensation of space again, that strange distortion that had pulled me away from the monster's jaws just moments before.

Curtain rustled, my breath hitched and my body trembled with effort as the air hummed with a strange energy. I held onto Lisa with an iron grip, like that would make it less likely that I would teleport without her.

It rushed us.

I stepped back, past the curtains.

And then, in an instant, we were somewhere else.

For the third time, I heard the monster's teeth snap shut on empty air.

We were somewhere else, much further than the meters I had teleported previously.

40 meters instead of 4.

It wasn't enough.

The monster didn't notice us immediately, but it would realize we hadn't gone far. The second we took a single step it would hear us again and I could feel exhaustion creeping in. It was like every jump had been a full sprint and my body strained as it struggled to keep up with the constant shifting of space. My heart was racing, not just from fear, but from sheer exhaustion.

This wasn't sustainable, if we kept doing this I would soon be looking worse than Lisa had been and then we would both be dead.

"Fuck." I mumbled.

"You need to go further." Lisa spoke up, she was pale, but her eyes were steadier than mine.

"I can't," I said, shaking my head. "This was the maximum distance. I…"

"You can," she cut me off, her tone fierce. "When you teleported into our table, you said you were at the PRT Visitor Center. That's a mile away from our hideout. You've done it before."

Her words struck me like a slap, I hadn't thought about that, how far away that had been. If I had teleported that far the first time it had to be possible. Of course that had been an accident, but it was possible. I just needed to do it on purpose.

The realization should have been encouraging, but instead it felt suffocating. The weight of intent, the pressure to do it again on purpose, made it harder to breathe.

Of course, no better motivation exited.

The monster's head snapped toward us, its ears twitching at the faint sound of our voices. It crouched, preparing to charge.

I barely had time to register the shift before Lisa gripped my arm tightly, her fingers digging into my skin. "Alex!" she hissed. "Focus! Don't think about the 'how', just get us out of here! Right now!"

As it closed the gap, creature's unnatural size seemed to consume my vision. Its claws tore through the ground, leaving jagged trenches in its wake. Each step shook the earth beneath my feet, the vibrations rattling through my body.

Time slowed again, and in that moment of stretched clarity, I noticed the monster's mask—the jagged bone face covering its features, the way its red eyes burned with something far worse than hunger. Hatred. It wasn't just hunting us; it wanted us to suffer.

There was no time for doubt.

Lisa was right, literally everywhere was better.

I closed my eyes, and the world stretched again, the sensation of space bending sharper and more forceful than before. What had been a gentle rustle of curtains now felt like getting struck by a whip.

Lisa's presence blazed like the sun, almost overwhelming distorting the world around here, but it wasn't alone.

There were others. Dimmer than her, but still tangible. They pressed against the edges of my awareness, heavier than the surrounding world.

I didn't think, didn't even try to choose.

The closest.

I opened my eyes.

I stared into the maw of the Monster.

And took a step backwards.

….

Lisa:

The raid on the Merchants had been a breeze, Coil turning what should've been a complicated operation into a walk in the park. The Merchants guarding the stash had folded so fast it was almost embarrassing, their attempt to stop us a disorganized mess of stupid. But hey, I wasn't about to complain. A win's a win, even if the guy making it happen was my boss by virtue of gun to the head.

For once, though, everything was going great. Alec even came up with a good suggestion for once in his life: pizza to celebrate. For a moment I actually thought we could make a real team, sitting around, laughing at his half-hearted attempts to scam the delivery guy.

And then Aleksander happened.

One moment, we're joking about how Alec "forgot" to tip, the next, there's a guy standing on our table. A tall, confused-looking stranger, just there. I wasn't going to lie, my heart jumped straight into my throat. In Brockton Bay, surprise appearances from teleporters usually meant you were seconds away getting stabbed.

Aleksander wasn't dangerous though, at least not on purpose. Confused, disoriented, sure, but not dangerous.

Not that I understood that at first, as trying to get a read on him, even with my power chugging along was hard. Normal people gave me a steady stream of insights, expressions, body language, tone of voice, all wrapped up in context. Reading people wasn't exactly a walk in the park, but it wasn't hard either. In minutes I would usually figure out at least one ugly secret.

With Aleksander, it was like someone had swapped out the text for a jumbled mess of physics equations and dimensional gibberish. Spatial distortions, weird energy fields, stuff I didn't even have words for.

Trying to force my power onto the right track felt like trying to steer a wild horse, only possible because it allowed me to. Insights about him, and not his sixth dimensional energy field, was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

In the end, when my power finally managed to spit out something useful, Brian was about two seconds from disembowelling the poor guy.

And what information it was.

He wasn't from Earth Bet, he didn't know us and didn't understand what was happening. Knowing all of that and not trying to recruit him? It would have been a crime. Teleporters were already rare. Dimensional travellers? Practically unheard of.

Helping him out was just the right thing to do.

Of course, I'd be lying if I said my motives were entirely altruistic. Sure, I wanted to help the guy, but the bigger picture was hard to ignore. If the PRT or any of the gangs got their hands on someone like Aleksander, the fallout would be ugly. This wasn't just teleportation; he could cross dimensions, jump to alternate Earths. That kind of ability? It doesn't just tilt the playing field, it flips the entire board upside down.

The Empire, ABB, even the Merchants would kill for someone like him, and the chaos that would follow… well, I didn't want to imagine it.

Getting him under our wing wasn't just the best option for Aleksander; it was the best option for everyone. At least with us, he'd be safe. Or safer.

It was perfect.

A lucky break of the ages.

I rubbed my temple, wincing at another sharp spike of pain from overusing my power today.

'Lesson learned: when miracles fall from the sky, don't catch them,' I thought bitterly.

And now, I was stuck with him. Lucky me.

Trying to pry his arms off me was almost an exercise in futility, I was in good shape, but Aleksander was built. I could feel his muscles like steel bands locking me in place. My annoyance was warring with the faint twinge of panic creeping up my spine. Aleksander was out cold, his breathing shallow and uneven. He wasn't crushing me anymore, but his grip was still stubborn, like his unconscious mind refused to let go. Great. Just great.

"Hey, let me go," I muttered under my breath, squirming against his hold. No response, not that I expected one.

With a grunt, I mustered what strength I could, managing to shift his arms just enough to wiggle free. As I stumbled to my feet, the room spun slightly, a sharp reminder that I'd been running on fumes for far too long. My head throbbed, a constant, irritating reminder of how much I'd pushed my power today. Even just the thought of activating my power made me feel sick, so instead I looked around.

The room we were in was… nice, I guess? Wooden walls, cozy furniture, a warm light overhead. It screamed "safe" in a way that made me immediately suspicious. My instincts were telling me we weren't lucky enough to just teleport back to Earth Bet, and the lack of windows wasn't doing anything to reassure me. Still, the electricity was a good sign. Whoever lived here wasn't completely in the dark ages.

I glanced around, spotting a bed shoved against one wall. Dragging Aleksander onto it was harder than I expected. For a guy who looked lean and agile, he weighed a ton. My arms burned by the time I got him settled, and I was half-tempted to just collapse next to him. But I didn't. Instead, I started rummaging through the room for anything useful.

Drawer after drawer turned up nothing but frustration. Clothes, some strange trinkets, and a box of what I guessed was medicine, except the words on it were completely unreadable. Not just in another language, it unlike anything I'd ever seen. Which was just great. Even the alphabet here was alien.

"Fantastic," I muttered, dragging a hand down my face. "Stranded in who-knows-where with Mr. Dimensional Jump and knocks himself out."

I glanced back at Aleksander. His chest rose and fell in uneven shudders, his jaw slack but his fingers twitching like he was fighting something.. For a moment, I hesitated. As much as I hated to admit it, I felt a flicker of concern.

"Come on, big guy," I muttered, tugging the blanket over him. "Don't go dying on me now. We've got enough problems without you kicking it."

His face, even pale and pinched, looked like something out of a modelling ad. Sharp cheekbone, messy hair that somehow looked intentional, lips just soft enough to make him seem approachable. If it weren't for the dark circles under his eyes and the tension in his brow, I could've almost believed he was fine.

Without thinking, I reached out, brushing a finger along the curve of his cheek. His skin was warm, almost too warm, like he had a fever. Normally, touching someone this long would've flooded my power with insights I didn't want. With Aleksander, even I tried right now, I would probably just gotten some weird insight about space-time. It was… oddly quiet.

I pulled my hand back quickly, frowning, trying to ignore the strange twist in my chest and the slight flush forming on my face. It was just the stress of the day catching up with me, or maybe the sheer absurdity of the situation.

"Focus," I muttered to myself, shaking off the moment and turning back to more pressing concerns.

Figuring out what this place came first, and if this place included people living here.

My head was still pounding as I leaned against the door, straining to catch the faint sounds drifting up from whatever was downstairs. Everything hurt, and I wasn't sure if it was from running around all day, the aftereffects of using my power, or the sudden dimensional travel. Probably all three. My instincts screamed at me to keep moving, to keep planning, but the truth was I felt like I'd been run over by a truck.

Missing things in this state, without being able to use my powers?

It was bound to happen.

That's what I told myself as the door swung open. Right into my face.

The handle grazed my cheek, not enough to hurt, but enough to make me stumble. Instinct had me reaching for a sharp retort, but the words died in my throat as I took in the person standing there.

She was tall, lean, and moved like she owned the place, or maybe like she was ready to take it apart if she didn't. Her eyes were sharp, but not hostile. Instead she was watching me the way someone watches a stray dog: curious but ready to act if I decided to bite.

I pursed my lips as I tried to refocus.

Her outfit was... odd. A frilly white blouse paired with what looked like armor, just a single pauldron, and some kind of split vest. Functional, worn, and looking more like a cape outfit than normal clothing. It reminded me of the kind of costume capes wore when they wanted to look "cool" but didn't have Tinker tech to back it up.

I smiled, my best, I'm-totally-harmless-so-please-don't-hit-me smile, and raised my hands in what I hoped was a universally disarming gesture. "Uh, hi. Sorry about the, um, abrupt entrance."

She said nothing, stepping past me like I wasn't even there.

I turned to watch her as she moved into the room. She glided, barely making a sound. It was unnerving, honestly, like she'd been trained to move like a ghost. Or maybe that was just her being naturally obnoxious.

'Makes sense I missed her,' I thought, my frustration mounting. Even standing in the same room, I could barely hear her.

Her eyes locked onto Aleksander, and I felt my chest tighten. She crouched beside him, studying his face like she was trying to solve a particularly tricky puzzle.

"So," she said, her voice carrying a faint accent I couldn't quite place, "you're awake now?"

I blinked. "Uh, yeah." Then, catching up: "Wait, you found us unconscious?"

I hadn't even realized I had been out of it, waking up had felt like it happened between moments.

"Yeah, you more or less dropped onto me when you popped into my hotel room," the woman said, voice carrying a faint accent. "I almost bashed your skulls in, but, well, seemed rude to kill unconscious people."

"Thanks, super generous of you," I muttered, even as a pit formed in my stomach. How long had we been out?

That earned me a smirk, but she didn't say anything else. Instead, she pressed a hand against Aleksander's forehead, her fingers light but deliberate. I tensed, resisting the urge to shove her away. If she tried anything... well, I'd figure something out.

"He's alive." She said after a moment. "Not great, but he'll live."

"Gee, thanks, Doc." I muttered, crossing my arms.

She didn't react to the sarcasm. "Aura exhaustion. He burned through too much energy, probably trying to protect you or something. Idiot move, really, but he'll be fine once it regenerates."

My brain screeched to a halt. "Aura what-now?"

I had to wonder if the girl was just spouting nonsense. The way she said it made it sound like she was talking about some medical term, but how could I know? It was a relief we were speaking the same language, if their medical terminology was anything like Earth Bet's, this whole conversation would be an even bigger miracle.

The girl gave me a confused look, like I had just asked what water is. "Aura, you know," she said, waving her hand vaguely. "The light of your soul? Your strength, stamina, life force. Whatever you want to call it. It's... you. And he's burned through most of his."

Sounded like metaphysical nonsense to me, but maybe he had teleported us to the early 1900s or something, where people threw around crazy theories about the body and energy.

"I'm going to guess you're not a doctor, then," I said, trying to hide my scepticism.

The girl smirked. "Not the kind you're thinking of, no. But I've seen it before. Overdoing it, pushing past what your aura can handle, it leaves people like him out cold. Looks worse than it is."

I crossed my arms, fighting the urge to question everything. "Right. Let's pretend for a second I have no idea what you're talking about. What happens if it doesn't just fix itself?"

"Ok, I get you're worried about your friend," she said, glancing at Aleksander. "Looks like you guys were in quite a scramble, but he'll be fine. Aura regenerates. And since he's not sliced into a million pieces, that means he'll be fine. The second his aura is back online, his healing factor will kick in, and it'll repair any internal damage."

That… that sounded less like medical terminology and more like power jargon. Part of me wanted to activate my own abilities to check if she was telling the truth, but my head was still pounding from whatever had happened earlier, and the girl seemed to believe what she was saying.

"And you know this because you have aura?" I asked, my gaze lingering on her.

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she simply smirked, and I froze as a yellow-orange barrier flashed around her body. Without warning, she stepped forward and twirled a staff that had been resting by the nightstand.

"That enough proof for ya?" she asked, her grin widening. "Everybody with aura has this. It's the fundamental expression of it. Your very own personal forcefield."

I took a step back instinctively, my pulse quickening as I watched the faint multicoloured glow shimmer around her. People with powers were as a rule, a little messed up and people who believed powers to be magic were as a rule, even more messed up.

She crossed her arms, clearly enjoying my reaction. "Yeah, I've got aura. Everyone does, technically. Most people just don't know how to use it. After all, if you don't get it activated for you, the only way to get it is by meditating for, like, a hundred years." She teased, though there was an undertone of pride in her voice that I couldn't ignore.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to focus through the ache in my skull. Her words weren't sticking. The idea that everyone had this kind of power didn't sit right with me. Powers weren't universal. Parahumans weren't like that. The closest thing to a "universal" ability were cluster triggers, and if she was telling the truth, that sounded like a Trump power, and those were dangerous. I had heard about people giving out permanent powers and that had been… I clenched my eyes shut as another wave of pain struck me. I grabbed the edge of the bed to steady myself.

"Okay, glowing barriers. That's new," I said, my voice a little shaky, trying to hide the unease creeping into it. "So, what? You just summon that thing whenever you want?"

She shrugged. "Pretty much. It's instinctive once you get the hang of it. Keeps you safe, helps you hit harder, and," she gestured vaguely to her chest, "keeps you alive. You could say it's your body's way of looking out for you. Your friend never told you how it works?" She glanced at Aleksander.

"He doesn't have it." My words came out sharper than I intended, a mix of frustration with her and the pounding headache intensifying my tone.

"Pretty sure he does, sweetheart. No other way to get aura exhaustion than, you know, exhausting your aura." She glanced at him, furrowing her brow. "That's a little weird, though."

She traced her fingers lightly over Aleksander's face, her expression shifting to one of curiosity. "Yeah, something's... off," she murmured. "It's like his aura is there, but it's... different. Not like anything I've seen before."

"Maybe that's because he doesn't have aura?" I snapped, repeating my previous statment.

The girl leaned closer to Aleksander, her face full of frustration as she studied him. She tilted her head, as if trying to make sense of something I couldn't see. "I don't know," she said, her voice low. "It's not like I've encountered everyone with an aura. It's different for each person, but... it's like it's not fully engaged. It's like there's something blocking it, like it's stuck in a half-activated state. That could cause some serious problems, or it could be nothing. Honestly, I don't know. It's kind of bizarre."

Aleksander groaned, his breathing erratic.

"Oh, I take it back. What I said about him getting better... this really isn't looking too good," she added, her tone shifting from playful to serious.

I felt the room tilt, my vision narrowing at the edges. I couldn't think straight. My thoughts were slipping, the world around me blending into a blur. I needed to focus, I needed to plan... but the pressure in my head was too much. I couldn't make it stop.

Then Aleksander coughed up blood, and I felt panic swallow me whole. I barely knew the guy, but he was my only chance to get back home, my only chance to not be stuck here. If he died, that was it.

But then... if the girl was right, and aura could be given, maybe... maybe it could help him. Aura supposedly gave people a healing factor. Even if all the bull shit about souls and life force wasn't true, that could save him.

"What about if you just activate it?" I asked desperately, my voice cracking slightly "You said you could, right? If the problem is that it's halfway activated, couldn't you just... fix it?"

The girl raised an eyebrow. "You know that just giving somebody aura is, like, super illegal, right? You become a beacon for Grimm. One person with aura while traveling will attract the same amount of danger as twenty regular people. But," she dragged the word out, "your friend here is already in the same danger. So, I guess it'll be fine."

She stepped closer to Aleksander, her face fully serious now. Her hand hovered over his chest, and her aura flared to life around her like a protective barrier. I could feel the pressure in the air, a crackling tension building with each passing moment.

Then she spoke.

Through trials we forge our resolve,
In the flames of loss, we find the path to rebirth.
By the light of the Maiden's power, I call forth the strength that lies within,
I release your soul, and by your grace,
Be free.

Her voice was rich with an ethereal weight, and for a brief moment, the air felt charged with something ancient. A crackling energy surged beneath Aleksander's skin, his body jerking violently. A blinding flash, like light refracted through a prism, rippled around him.

I watched, my vision blurring at the edges, heart pounding in my chest. Please let him be okay... Please.

I glanced at the girl. She nodded to herself, then turned back to Aleksander.

I could feel my eyelids growing heavy. My body was shutting down, my mind too exhausted to hold on any longer.

Through my slowly darkening vision I saw Aleksander's face clear up, his pained expression relaxing.

'Good, he wasn't allowed to die yet.' With that one last thought, my brain made an executive decision.

Everything went black.

Chapter Text

I gulped down the porridge with ferocious appetite, trying to fill my stomach. It was sorely needed after skipping both dinner and supper yesterday.

Glancing over at my not-so-friendly companion, I saw her doing much the same. When she'd woken up, she looked like death warmed over, still nursing a headache from yesterday.

Some food seemed to have helped though, and as we ate in silence she even took the time to scan the other people frequenting the breakfast hall. I didn't comment, even if I found it a little weird that she didn't focus on the one person that actually mattered.

Amber.

It was freaky. She looked literally identical. Same eyes, same hair, even her build was the same. Of course, this Amber was way more trained, and wore a different outfit, but they couldn't possibly be different people. I hadn't thought much about it before, but jumping dimensions probably meant meeting alternative versions of people.

"So, you gonna answer how you knew my name?" Amber asked, her voice dangerously casual.

I winced, not sure how to explain that mistake.

So I didn't.

"I didn't, Lisa told me." I lied.

Lisa's face snapped towards mine, looking distinctly annoyed by being brought up without her permission. I didn't even pretend to care; she had been bitchy the entire morning, and this was just some sweet revenge.

"Oh, because if I remember correctly, I didn't manage to introduce myself last night." Amber said, narrowing her eyes towards Lisa.

I felt my mouth curl into a smile, even as Lisa kicked me under the table.

Amber's narrowed eyes flicked between Lisa and me, her lips twisting into a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Lisa, clearly irked, leaned back in her chair with a sigh, her expression an exaggerated mask of disinterest. "Yeah, well, I had other things on my mind last night," she said coolly, swirling her spoon in her half-eaten bowl.

Amber wasn't buying it. "Sure you did." Her voice carried a note of amusement now, though it was laced with suspicion. "Funny how you seem to know my name without needing an introduction."

I blinked, the way she said that…

"We aren't the ones chasing you, just because you think you're so important doesn't mean the entire world is after you ass." Lisa said, glaring at her.

Yeah, fuck.

"I saved your friends ass; don't you think you owe me some kind of explanation, because right now I'm asking myself why I didn't just throw you out of my room when you arrived?" Amber stated.

Lisa snorted, "Do we look like friends to you? Just because you saved this guy's life doesn't mean I owe you anything."

I groaned inwardly, feeling the tension rising like the calm before a storm. Amber didn't seem the type to back down from a challenge, and Lisa had clearly decided she was spoiling for one.

Amber smiled sweetly. "Oh, so I saved your little boyfriend, then? Sorry, I didn't realize." She spoke in a tone like she was addressing a particularly slow child.

Lisa's face twisted into a mix of outrage and disgust, her chair scraping loudly against the floor as she leaned forward, pointing her spoon at Amber like a weapon. "Boyfriend? Are you kidding me? I'd rather my boyfriend be a rabid raccoon."

Amber's grin widened, as if she enjoyed watching Lisa lose her cool. "Could've fooled me," she said with a playful tilt of her head. "You were so desperate back then, makes a girl wonder."

Lisa's face turned beet-red, steam practically coming out of her ears.

I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Can we not do this?"

"All I was asking is why you knew my name? You were the ones suddenly deflecting." Amber replied, a smug smile on her face.

I could almost hear the last parts of Lisa's rational snap.

"Oh, you want to know what we were doing, maybe its just above your fucking pay grade. You think you're so important, but the reasons your out here is because your too scared to do anything right? You don't want that power of yours, your scared of it. So, you have nothing better to do than attack us while we are just sitting here, trying to eat our breakfast." Lisa spat out.

Lisa's outburst made Amber's expression falter, but she quickly recovered, masking her reaction with an icy smile.

Amber leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a dangerous softness. "That's a lot of talk for someone who's been dancing around my questions. Scared of power? Please. At least I'm not hiding behind cryptic insults and half-truths. What are you so afraid of, Lisa? That I might figure you out?"

Lisa's eyes narrowed, her fingers drumming against the table with barely-contained agitation. "Figure me out? Cute. You think you're clever, but all I see is someone projecting her insecurities onto everyone else. Maybe you're scared, Amber. Scared of what happens when people stop being impressed by your powers and start realizing you're just a scared little girl."

Amber stood up, and I could see the people on the other tables turn towards, wondering what the commotion was all about.

"You call me a scared little girl, but at least I wasn't crying in my sleep like a baby, mouthing off about my big bruther." Amber said, miming some tears.

I closed my eyes, I didn't even know what that meant, but seeing Lisa going white, then very, very red, I had a feeling that I really didn't want to know either.

"Yo…" Lisa began to speak, but before she could completely alienate the person who apparently saved my life I made an executive decision.

I stood up, grabbed both of them and took a step back.

Curtains rustled.

Suddenly we found ourselves in a nearby alley, the only one visible from the nearby window.

Lisa blinked, and before she could even begin to understand what happened I smacked my hand over her face. Not willing to even let her begin to talk.

"Ok, I'll explain, but you have to just believe us, because this is going to sound really fucking crazy." I said, even as Lisa fought with all her might to regain control of her mouth.

"Mhmh!" Lisa tried to say, eyes spouting dagger at Amber.

Amber seemed to calm down, taking a deep breath as she glared at Lisa.

"This is what I get for helping people I guess." Amber muttered, as she visibly composed herself.

"Ok, spit it out and I'm telling you right now I have a huntress licence, so if you're just bullshitting, I'm taking you straight to the slammer."

I took a deep breath and proceeded to employ a time-honoured tactic among the goody two shoes community.

"Ok, so we were in a cult, and they were trying to make superpowers. It worked, but we were attacked by a darkness monster, and it killed everybody. So, I teleported us out with my power. Lisa knows your name and all the," I waved my free hand around, "other stuff because her powers is super deduction." I lied, sort of.

Amber furrowed her eyebrows, glancing at me and then Lisa, who seemed to have calmed down… sort of. Instead of glaring at Amber she now seemed to think that I was the bigger traitor, and she was glaring at me with an intensity that promised revenge.

I ignored it and tried to gauge Amber's reaction.

"Ok, that…" Amber paused, chewing on my words some more, clearly not quite believing me.

To be fair, I would have called me a liar long ago, but I just didn't have enough information to craft a better lie. Lisa had given me the bare bones cliff notes of our previous situation. That people here had superpowers, that it was called Aura and that it was probably because some Trump had spread it around.

Whatever a Trump was.

After that Amber had come back from the toilet and well, the breakdown in communication happened.

"You were experimented on, and they gave you," She made air quotes, "superpowers."

I nodded with grave seriousness.

"A cult." She stated again.

I nodded with even graver seriousness.

"Worshipping what exactly?" She asked, sounding almost… afraid?

I opened my mouth, ready to craft a whole backstory, realizing too late that Lisa had slipped my grip. She was already looking at Amber with an unsettlingly calm expression. I could tell by the way she straightened up and subtly adjusted her posture that she was ready to take control of the conversation, she had sensed Amber's fear, and she was going to jump at it like a lioness sensing pray.

"They were worshipping some kind of… being of evil." She started.

"A man or a woman?" Amber asked, her eyes narrowing into pinpricks.

"A woman." Lisa stated, sounding deadly serious.

Amber's lips pursed and then she looked at me, her eyes almost blazing. Then she looked at Lisa and her face hardened.

"If that's why his aura was messed up, that makes some sense, but then why is your normal?" She asked, taking a slight step back.

"Isn't it obvious? I was the successful one." Lisa stated, lifting her chin haughtily.

Amber stared at us, then she looked at Lisa.

An orange-yellow colour flashed.

Then she moved.

Between moments she had passed me, grabbed Lisa by the throat and slammed her up into the nearby wall.

My feet moved on instinct.

I didn't even come within a meter of her, a tornado of wind smashing me into the floor.

The impact with the ground rattled my bones, the pain was quick, immediate and overwhelming.

Every breath I took felt like a shockwave through my chest… or it should have. Instead, the pain faded as quickly as it had come.

I scrambled off the ground, only to see Amber leaning forward whispering something to Lisa.

Then Lisa's body flashed a bright yellow and suddenly her frantic pushing against Amber's hand seemed to be working. Slowly and with seemingly great effort, she managed to pry Amber's hand off her throat.

Lisa dropped to the floor like a bag of potatoes, only barely landing on her feet.

Amber took a step back, a relived look on her face.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Lisa asked through gritted teeth as she got off the ground. She was coughing between every word and some spit was one her lips, but I wasn't really looking at that. Instead my eyes were locked on the yellow glow that surrounded her body, looking almost identical to the one Amber had.

Obviously, Amber's was some kind of mix between orange and yellow and Lisa's was as yellow as a sunflower, but the point still stood. Was that Aura?

"I needed to check." Amber stated simply, as Lisa coughed up some phlegm.

"Check what." I asked, rushing to steady Lisa.

"Check if she had a soul." Amber stated simply.

….

Amber paid for our breakfast; about the only reason Lisa hadn't tried to murder her with her bare hands. After that we ate the rest of our food and tried to ignore the whispers of the other guests.

It was, without question, the single most awkward breakfast of my life.

Lisa was only barely eating, too busy trying to develop sudden laser vison after being gifted Aura. Amber on the other hand, was texting somebody on her phone and looking supremely unserious about it.

I leaned closer to Lisa when she kicked me under the table.

"What?" I whispered.

She then proceeded to glare at me, like I was somehow doing something very stupid. Sighing deeply, she touched my leg and then without even asking she dug into my pocket, grabbing my phone.

It was only barely still alive, hanging on with a couple of precent left. Within seconds she had it unlocked and found the notes app. Then she started typing, still eating with the other hand.

she telln ppl abuot us

My eyebrows rose, and I looked up from where she had hidden the phone. I was pretty sure my face conveyed my confusion, because she glared at me.

vry important ppl

Oh, that didn't sound good.

"Ah, I forgot, super deduction right." Amber voice cut in sarcastically, apparently catching on to the fact we were somehow communicating. "Don't worry, I didn't tell them anything important, just that I met two interesting individuals."

I glared at Lisa as she tried to open her mouth, more than fed up with her inability to not escalate the situation. She glared back but looked a little abashed, probably realizing that her blowing up earlier hadn't exactly helped our situation.

In fact some people would even say that it lead directly to her being smashed into a wall.

"Now, I am going to lay it on you guys. Say I believe you about the cult, that still leaves you a little fucked, no?" Amber said.

I nodded slowly in reply.

"So, since I'm just that kind, I am going to help you out."

Amber leaned back in her chair, her eyes scanning over us, and lingering on Lisa's face of clear disbelief. "Look, I'm not a saint or anything, but I did kind of screw you over." She nodded towards Lisa, "by unlocking your aura you're going have a really tough time moving around. You probably don't know this, considering you were raised in a cult and all, but unlocking your Aura really isn't all that it's cracked up to be."

"Why, I mean aura is that shield right? It seems like the kind of thing people would want to have?" I asked,.

Lisa was the one who answered, "Because it attracts those black monsters to you."

Amber nodded at her response, but followed up.

"Those black monsters, Grimm, aren't normal animals. They don't hunt or attack other animals, instead they only want to kill people. They hunt by detecting your negative emotions, pinpointing your location. When you activate your aura, it broadcasts your emotion about twenty times more intensely than a normal person.".

"Which would lead to a Grimm tracking you down much more easily." I stated, understanding the problem.

"And from further." Lisa followed up.

"Right, so we have laws against unlocking people's aura, because it just puts them in more danger." She said, apparently feeling not even a smidgen of embarrassment of her brazen illegal deed.

"So, if you want, I'll help you get to one of the bigger cities. In fact, I can even get in touch with some people that can help you get some identities." Amber finished, waving a spoon like in celebration.

"What's the catch." Lisa stated, cutting in before I could even begin to speak.

"No catch." Amber stated easily.

Lisa cycled through various emotions, annoyance, disbelief and anger, before settling on a sort of stubborn nonacceptance. I didn't know what she was going to say, but I had a feeling it would be some kind of version of I-know-your-not-telling-the-truth with a healthy addition of personal attacks.

So instead, I cut in.

"Can we talk about it first?"

Amber nodded and then proceeded to leave up towards her room, but before she left our vicinity she turned, "If you decide to join, just knock on the door, but I am leaving in a couple of hours." She stated, and then walked up the stairs, probably to pack.

I turned towards Lisa, who had already folded her arms.

"No."

"What do you mean?"

"We are not accepting her offer, she isn't doing this because of some sort of guilt, she just wants to keep an eye on us." Lisa stated.

"Then what do you want us to do? We know nobody here; we don't have any ID or any way to get a job. Even more than that, apparently, we can't even leave town without being hunted down by monsters." I argued back.

Lisa sat quietly her face intensely obstinate. Her cheeks were puffed out, and I suddenly found her a little… cute? It was like looking at a child understanding something was correct, but still not wanting to go along with it.

"I get it," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "But I don't know what else we can do. She's offering us a chance. We could have new identities, a place to stay, and at least some kind of safety. I'm not saying we trust her completely, but I don't think we can afford to turn it down just because we might be watched a little extra."

"And how much will all that even help." Lisa spoke quietly.

I lifted an eyebrow.

"You seem like you're forgetting the reason we have all these problems. What does having an ID help if you might just shake somebodies' hand and end up in Narnia." Lisa continued, her voice slowly picking up heat.

My stomach dropped. She was right; I had forgotten. Yet, that didn't change the situation. We couldn't live our lives assuming I would just teleport us somewhere else.

"You picked up teleporting in a couple of hours and figured out how to get to this town in two seconds. Why don't you try figuring out how to get me home before planning our new life here?" Lisa spat.

I pursed my lips. In some sense, she was right. After teleporting on purpose to escape the monster, it had become almost instinctive. Feeling the world around me, slipping through the curtains of space to end up somewhere else.

But…

"Lisa, I just don't know. I could figure out how to teleport you home tomorrow, or it could take me ten years. I have no idea how I even teleported us here in the first place. I can't even imagine how to go that far right now. Right now, I do it by feeling. If I wanted to teleport us across dimensions…" I trailed off, unsure how to explain something that seemed beyond my comprehension.

Lisa's eyes narrowed; her arms still crossed over her chest. It was like she was waiting for me to figure it out, waiting for me to come up with something that could solve everything.

I couldn't blame her for feeling that way. After I woke up and realized I could teleport on command it wasn't like I hadn't tried to get us back home. But I wasn't even sure where to start. How could I possibly control something like that? Teleporting was instinctual, sure, but that didn't mean I knew how it worked, let alone how to replicate it on demand or cross dimensions.

"You're telling me you can feel it when you teleport. That's what you said." Lisa's voice broke through my thoughts. "So why can't you feel your way home?"

I hesitated. "It's not the same. When I say feel… maybe spatial awareness would be more right? Right now, the way I do things, I need to know that a space is clear to teleport there. Teleporting is instant, but before I teleport it's almost like I can feel myself slipping behind the curtains of space."

I took a breath, trying to explain the sensation in a way that made sense. "It's like around me there is a room where time doesn't work the same, where you're not really bound by distance. I can go into that room, focusing on where I want to go and I just… shift. If I try to think of your Earth, or even mine, it just doesn't work."

"But you teleported on accident the first time, and when you met me, you teleported without even meaning to." Lisa pointed out, not wanting to give up her point.

"Yeah, but I can't even begin to imagine how I did it. That's the problem, right now I can feel the drain every time I teleport meters away, but when it's on accident I can jump dimensions? I just don't understand it yet Lisa, give me some time and I'll figure it out, but right now I have no idea." I confessed.

"So, you want to take her offer, what if I say I'm not going to?" Lisa asked.

Even though she didn't say ask, I could see the writing on the wall.

"I'm not leaving you," I said, a small smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. "I promised, didn't I?"

I wasn't sure if it was a trick of the light, but for a moment I thought I could see Lisa's cheeks turning a little red.

Chapter Text

Horse riding was stupid.

No, I wasn't going to change my opinion. The rhythmic clomp of hooves against the dirt trail was oddly soothing, sure, but it didn't even out my legs feeling like jelly. Movies lied about this stuff. Riding a horse wasn't glamorous. It was painful. It was awkward. And it was a constant battle to stay balanced on a creature that clearly hated me.

Joke's on it, the feeling was mutual.

Lisa, of course, looked annoyingly comfortable. Her posture was perfect, back straight and reins held like she'd been riding her entire life. She smirked at my struggle, her horse obediently trotting along with an air of smug superiority that mirrored its rider. It was almost infuriating, how quickly she just got it.

"Having fun there, cowboy?" she called back, her tone dripping with amusement.

"Loads," I grunted, adjusting my grip on the reins for the hundredth time. The saddle creaked under me as the horse gave a half-hearted snort, probably mocking me too.

It felt like something this stupid animal would do.

Amber rode ahead, looking like she'd stepped out of some epic fantasy. Her horse moved with a confident grace, and she occasionally glanced back to check on us, though she said nothing. Even after a days of traveling she didn't seem to fully trust us.

Of course, Lisa didn't seem to trust her back, so maybe it was deserved.

After a while, the trail widened, and Amber slowed her horse to a walk, waiting for us to catch up. "We'll stop up ahead," she said, gesturing toward a clearing visible through the trees. "You two look like you could use a break."

Lisa snickered.

I threw her a nasty look, but considering she didn't say anything I wouldn't either. Amber led the way into the clearing, where a small stream trickled through the centre. Birds chirped in the trees, and sunlight filtered through the leaves. It was all like added up to a scene that felt straight out of a painting.

Or a Disney movie.

Somehow, I had a feeling that Disney movies didn't have man-killing monsters desperate to rip us limb from limb.

Amber dismounted smoothly, tying her horse to a low branch. "Listen up. We're close to Mimal, and I've taken on a contract to deal with a small pack of Beowolves. It's nothing I can't handle, but negotiating the terms of my payment will probably eat up most of the day. While I'm busy with that, you'll have time to do as you like."

Beowolves... great.

The last time I'd faced one, I'd nearly been eaten, twice. Amber had claimed it was an Alpha, far stronger than most, but the memory still made my stomach twist.

"And while you do have some training, you wouldn't be anywhere near ready for a job like this… but you also have your abilities." She continued with a grimace, probably not wanting to get into another argument with Lisa. I could almost hear them debate if our abilities were simply forcefully activated semblances or not.

"Lisa." I began and she threw me a dirty look but also didn't say anything, so I counted it as a win.

Amber let out a sigh as she saw the byplay, but continued without a comment, "As I was saying, normally I wouldn't have you coming anywhere near Grimm yet, but by all accounts, it's a very small pack. So, I'm asking you right now if you want to join, I'll take care of most of the pack and then you guys can try and fight one or two on your own. It could be useful experience for you, and about as safe as you can get."

Lisa didn't say anything, her lips pursing and instead she looked at me. It wasn't the first time, but somehow, I felt a little surprised every time she asked for my opinion. Then again after a couple of days she had mellowed out significantly. She was more at peace with the situation, and that meant she was less likely to simply blow up at me.

It almost made me feel like I was on some kind of camping trip with a couple of friends. Ignoring that said friends were a former supervillain and a huntress.

"When you say that you wouldn't let us fight Grimm without our powers, does that mean you think we can handle a couple of Beowolves just fine?" I asked.

Amber's gaze was calculating. "With Aura, a couple of Beowolves shouldn't be an issue for an civilian, but most people still die when encountering one. Know why?"

"Because they don't know how to fight?" I guessed.

Amber nodded. "Partly. The real reason? They freeze. They feel pain through their Aura and panic. Instead of standing their ground, they run and unless your semblance is really awesome, you aren't outrunning shit." Her voice hardened. "Fear and hesitation will get you killed. That's the reality."

"You're underestimating us, what we have been through." Lisa said quietly, though I understood she was really taking about her experience.

In the time we had gotten alone she had slowly filled me in on her life. Not all of it, of course, she wasn't the type to offer that up for free, but the cliff notes version. From the outside, her life seemed like a mess, a series of unfortunate events leading her down paths she hadn't chosen. Getting used by her family, running away only to get recruited at gun-point and having to become a criminal. It didn't seem like the kind of life you would want to go back to.

It didn't make sense to me, but I couldn't ignore the way she spoke about it, like it was something that still meant something to her.

To be honest, though, it didn't really matter. I had made a promise.

"I might be, I don't know exactly what this cult of yours did to you after all, but I do know your skills in a straight fight is shit." Amber stared into Lisa's eyes, daring her to disagree.

She didn't, probably because it was accurate. Lisa might be brilliant, her power might be way more useful than even Amber really understood, but a natural fighter she was not. In the words of a great fighter, everybody has a planned until they got punched in the face, something that summed up Lisa's situation rather well.

To be honest I was almost convinced all she needed was a gun or really any kind of ranged weapon, but Amber didn't have any to lend us, so all our training had been done with hastily crafted staffs.

Amber let the silence hang in the air for a moment before continuing, her voice lowering slightly, as if reconsidering her tone. "Look, I'm not trying to put you down. I'm just being honest. Out here, the Grimm don't care about your potential, or how clever you are. They don't care about your past. They care about one thing: killing you. And if you freeze, even for a second, you're as good as dead."

Lisa didn't respond, her expression hard, but the tension between her and Amber was palpable. Amber clearly wasn't pulling punches, but it was clear she wasn't trying to get under Lisa's skin either. Still, that didn't stop the anger from flaring in Lisa's eyes.

I tried to shift the conversation, hoping to break the tension. "So, what's the plan once we're in Mimal?"

By the way Lisa and Amber looked at each other, it didn't work.

…..

As we rode into Mimal, the tension between Lisa and Amber simmered like a pot about to boil over.

The town was lively, its market filled with the chatter of vendors and laughter of children darting between stalls. The scent of woodsmoke and fresh bread filled the air, giving the place an almost surreal charm.

But none of that stood out. All I could really focus on was the feeling that I was riding between a cat and a dog, both ready to fight. The way Amber and Lisa interacted was almost comical in its animosity, like watching two animals trying to establish dominance. The first day had been tough, sure, but I could chalk most of that up to Lisa being angry with me, then directing that frustration toward Amber. The second day had made sense too, nobody's going to cozy up to the person who choke-slammed them into a wall.

But by the third day, I had a feeling it might just be a personality clash.

That, or the things they said to each other on the first day was way worse than I really understood.

We stopped at a makeshift stable near the edge of town to park our horses. As we walked into the heart of the bustling market, it was obvious there was some kind of festival going on. Children ran around, chasing each other, while vendors shouted their wares, trying to attract customers. The town felt like a postcard, untouched by the world.

Nestled in a valley, surrounded by towering mountains, Mimal felt safe. The river that curved around the forest surrounding the city working as a makeshift barrier towards most Grimm.

"We'll meet later, when the sun starts to dip. Don't do anything stupid, you're under my watch." She instructed, before promptly walking away.

As Amber disappeared into the crowd, the silence settled between Lisa and me like a heavy blanket.

Lisa's silence was heavy as we walked into town. Finally, I broke it. "So…"

"You want something, I got some money from Amber?" I said, raising my hand to reveal a couple of bills, motioning towards the nearby stalls.

Step one to bring up a bad topic, try to bribe the person first.

"Spit it out," she muttered, clearly not in the mood for small talk.

I let out an awkward smile.

I swallowed, trying to ease the awkwardness. "Look, don't you think we could be a little more… grateful? Amber's doing us a huge favor, training us, escorting us to Vale, even giving us money. I know you don't like her, but do you have to be so…" I trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentence.

Lisa didn't immediately answer. She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and for a moment, I thought she was just going to keep walking, like she always seemed to do when she didn't want to talk. But then, she turned to face me, her eyes colder than usual.

"You think so?" she said, her voice flat but with a bite that I could feel in my gut. Her arms were crossed tightly in front of her, the posture defensive, like she was bracing for something. "Do you know what I see when using my power on her?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the question. "What do you mean?"

Lisa's eyes flickered with something darker, a simmering frustration that I couldn't fully place. "Every time I read her, every time I look at her, all she's doing is winging it. You're blinded by her being an adult, but she has literally no idea what she's doing."

Her words kept tumbling out, almost like she was speaking to herself more than to me. "You remember what I said about her, about her being scared of her own power? It's more than that. It's like she's scared of everything. She craves freedom, but she's too afraid to fight for it. And then she acts like she's some authority, like she knows better, lecturing us about how to survive, how to fight. The reason I'm so pissed, Aleksander, is because she's a hypocrite. And it's not a little bit, she's a hypocrite all the damn time."

She took a sharp breath, and before I could respond, she continued, her voice thick with frustration. "She's hiding something, you know? She tells what to do, how to do it, but she's the one who can't even face her own demons. She acts like she's some authority on everything, but inside? She's just as lost as we are, maybe even more. She's a mess, Aleksander, and she doesn't even realize it."

Lisa's eyes darkened, narrowing with growing anger. "She's using us. Using us as proxies for her own issues. And you know what? The worst part is you're just going along with it." She spat the words out like they were poison, her fists clenched by her sides as if she were trying to hold herself back from more.

I bit my lip, because it was sort of true. Not everything else, I didn't want to rely on Lisa when it came to deciding what sort of person Amber was. But the stuff about just coasting along, letting Amber make the decisions without really having any input?

It felt true.

Mainly because it was.

It was easier that way, wasn't it? Just following Amber's lead. She wasn't old, maybe 26 at most, but that still put her a good 10 years ahead of me. It was simple to just agree with what she said, let her call the shots. She had experience, a plan, and all I had to do was follow.

But we weren't in a normal situation and, I couldn't simply hand over the responsibility of my life to some random girl I met a week ago. No matter how comfortable that would feel.

"Maybe I am letting her make the plans," I admitted, running a hand through my hair. I took a moment to gather my thoughts. "But what's the alternative, Lisa? You think I should just start questioning everything she does? I don't know where that would get us. She's the one out here training us, explaining how this world works. Without her what would we be doing? We would be stuck in that small town we woke up in, probably have to steal to survive."

I could almost see Lisa wrestling with her urge to blow up at me, but something told me she knew I was right, at least a little. She seemed to soften, though just barely.

"I get that, you want some structure, fine, but you're not seeing the full picture," she said finally, her voice softer, but still sharp. "Amber's not some knight in shining armor. She's just pretending to be one. You can't follow her blindly, Aleksander. Eventually, that's gonna catch up to us."

"I'll think about it," I said, the words feeling hollow in my mouth.

Lisa snorted, clearly unconvinced, but she didn't press. Instead, she glanced at a nearby store and gave me a pointed look.

She didn't need to say anything more.

….

We didn't get a chance to discuss the Grimm situation because, instead, we stumbled upon Amber in the middle of a conversation with an elderly man.

The old man stood just outside his oversized house, his gnarled hands gripping a smooth black cane, while Amber listened intently, her arms crossed.

"Alright," Amber was saying, her voice firm, "We'll head out at dawn, take the eastern trail through the woods. If we're lucky, we'll catch the pack before they get too far into the territory. But we need to be quick, no distractions. Once we engage, I'll take the front and draw their attention, while you two flank from behind." She glanced at Lisa and me. "Keep your distance until I've drawn them out. We don't want to be caught in the open if more show up."

"We haven't even accepted yet." I pointed out, raising a finger.

"Are you going to say no." Amber asked bluntly.

I lowered my finger.

The old man, leaning heavily on his cane, nodded but seemed distracted, his eyes darting back to the forest, as if scanning for something.

"One pack," Amber continued, her gaze focused on the old man. "That's what we're dealing with, right? You said they were all clustered up together, near the clearing?"

The man nodded again, but his expression was uneasy. He faltered for a moment, glancing toward the forest as if double-checking his own words before speaking. "Yes... yes, that's right. They're all together. But..." His voice trailed off, his gaze lingering on the trees with visible unease.

Lisa, standing quietly by my side, seemed to notice the shift in his demeanour almost instantly. Her eyes flicked toward the old man, and I could see her mind working.

Amber, still talking to the old man, was completely unaware of Lisa's shift in focus. "So, we take them out, and then we move on. Simple, right?" She said while turning to us, her tone confident and almost dismissive.

"You're lying." There was no hesitation in Lisa's voice, no question. Just cold, quiet certainty.

Amber's posture stiffened. Her eyes narrowed, a flash of irritation crossing her face. "What did you just say?" Her voice had that dangerous edge, the one that signaled an impending confrontation.

Lisa didn't flinch. She wasn't afraid of a fight. "Not you Amber," she said, her voice unwavering. "He's lying, there definitely more than just a small pack in the forest."

Amber's irritation flared again. "Lisa, stop wasting time. If he says it's one pack, it's one pack. Why do you always have to…"

But Lisa wasn't backing down. She took a half step forward, her eyes never leaving the old man. "I'm not picking anything. You're just too blind to see it." She turned her attention to the man, narrowing her eyes. "Tell me again," Lisa said, her voice calm. "How many packs are there really?"

The old man hesitated, his hand clutching the cane just a little too tightly. "I… I told you. There's one pack. All together. Just one."

"You're scared, aren't you?" Lisa said, stepping closer to the old man. Her voice was quieter now, almost gentle, but it only made her words more cutting. "It's not just one pack. There's more out there, isn't there? And you didn't tell us because you didn't want to pay more. You figured we'd handle it, or die trying, and either way, you'd get off cheap. Am I wrong?"

The old man paled visibly, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I… I… that's not-"

"Don't bother lying again," Lisa snapped, her voice turning icy. "You're bad at it. And I don't have the patience to play nice." She crossed her arms, waiting, her expression daring him to deny it again.

Amber looked between Lisa and the old man, her irritation starting to give way to doubt. She frowned, taking a step forward. "Wait. Is she right?" she asked, her tone lower. "Did you lie about the size of the pack?"

The old man stammered, the cracks in his composure widening. "It's… it's not what you think! I didn't mean, look, I didn't want to scare you off, alright? Yes, there's more than one pack. But they're scattered! It's not like they're all together or anything!" He was talking fast now, desperate to justify himself. "I just… we needed this to be dealt with. If you knew how many there were, you might've refused to come!"

Lisa let out a sharp, humourless laugh. "Wow. So you were fine with sending us into an ambush just to save a few coins? Fucking typical."

Amber's expression darkened, her anger now directed at the old man. "How many are we talking about?" she demanded, her tone hard.

The man faltered again, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "Four… maybe five or six, but they don't always stay together, I swear! It's not like I wanted to lie to you, but when we posted the mission, we didn't know. It's just, suddenly we found traces of other types of Grimm and we realized that there was more than one pack out there."

Lisa didn't miss a beat, her scoff cutting through the thick tension. "Sure, because that makes it better," she said sharply. Her gaze flicked to Amber, and for a moment, her expression held that trademark smugness of hers, tinged with the satisfaction of being proven right. "See? Told you he was lying. This is why-"

I followed her line of sight to Amber. She wasn't meeting Lisa's glare. She wasn't even listening. Her eyes were fixed on the forest, her face eerily still. It wasn't anger anymore; it was something colder, something I hadn't seen from her before.

Lisa frowned, the smugness draining from her face. "Amber?" she said, her voice quieter now, tinged with unease.

Amber didn't respond.

"Amber," Lisa said again, and when there was no reaction, she turned to me. The pale look on Lisa's face sent a jolt of fear through me.

"Fuck." Lisa's voice was barely above a whisper. Her hand reached out instinctively, like she wanted to grab my sleeve.

My chest tightened, my anxiety spiking.

"What?" I asked, my voice breaking slightly. "What's going on?"

Amber spoke before Lisa could answer, her voice low and shaky. "We need to leave."

Her words barely registered.

"Leave?" I repeated, trying to make sense of it. "Amber, what…"

Amber cut me off, her voice sharper now, laced with urgency. "Grimm packs of different kinds don't converge together. It just doesn't happen. And when it does, it's at most two, maybe three packs, and even that's rare." She paused, her eyes flicking back to the treeline, "But five or six? If what he's saying is true, it means something's drawing them here."

Her voice dropped slightly, almost as if she was trying to convince herself. "Hopefully, it's just a really strong alpha, but if it's not…"

"You can't! If you leave, you'll doom Mimal!" The old man cried out, his hands trembling as he held his cane in a tight grip. "Your huntsmen, right? How could you leave us to die?"

Amber turned toward the old man, her expression hardening. "You lied to us," she said, her voice sharp and controlled, but I could hear the anger simmering beneath the surface. "You downplayed the danger to trick us into taking this job, and now you expect us to just march into a death trap for your sake?"

The man flinched, his grip tightening on his cane as if it were the only thing keeping him upright. "I… I had no choice! At the rate their gathering Grimm could overrun the village soon!"

Lisa, standing off to the side, let out a dry laugh. "Wow, guilt-tripping us now? Classic." Her voice was laced with sarcasm.

Amber's eyes flicked to Lisa, then back to the old man, her jaw tightening. She was done with the back-and-forth. "Lisa, stop. We're leaving, right now," she said, her voice firm, betraying no trace of hesitation.

Then she turned back to the Major, "For you, I'll call some nearby huntsmen and contact vale, but don't get it twisted. You've cheated us, lied to us, and put us in danger. So that's all…

It was at that point the situation seemed determined to go from bad, to downright disastrous. A man came running through the crowd, wearing what could loosely have been called a hunter's outfit. He ran up to the old man, not even bothering to hide his panicked expression. The other festivalgoers threw us odd looks, and I could feel the situation becoming tense, people murmuring as they looked at us.

"Major, the bridge," he gasped out, "the bridge has collapsed."

Amber's gaze snapped toward the man, her posture rigid. "What do you mean, collapsed?" Her voice was calm, but there was a sharpness there that made it clear she was already preparing for the worst.

But the man didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked at us, his eyes shaking, his face pale. He was trembling so much it was hard to believe he was still standing.

"It's an elder Grimm," he muttered, his voice barely more than a whisper. His words made the air feel colder, heavier. "There's going to be a Grimm wave."

Chapter Text

"Teleport us away." Lisa demanded, her voice sharp and clipped.

I shook my head, fastening the sword the Major had given me to my belt. The blade gleamed unnaturally in the dim light, heavier than anything I'd held or used back home. This wasn't a sword for duels or practice; it was built to kill monsters.

"No."

In the corner of the room, I caught my reflection in a battered mirror. The leather jacket I'd been given was scuffed and well-worn, paired with a dark blue undercoat that looked more ceremonial than functional. Together, they gave off an impression it might protect you.

I knew better though.

Against a Grimm, it was my Aura, or nothing. Amber had made that more than clear.

Lisa's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, no?"

"A negative answer," I quipped, flashing her a grin as I turned to face her.

Her arms crossed tightly, her foot tapping against the wooden floor with impatient staccato beats. "Do you ever not joke?" she snapped. "The Grimm are coming, and the only bridge out of here? Gone. Destroyed. They'll be here by nightfall, Alex. We're cut off. You think that sword is going to change anything?"

I shrugged, keeping my tone light. "Well, it's not not helping my odds."

Her glare was molten magma, yet sharp enough to pierce steel. "Impossible," she muttered under her breath.

"I try," I said, but the grin faded as I sobered. "Seriously, though. We're not just running away."

"Why?" Her voice rose, matching her mounting frustration. "Give me one good reason. The Grimm are already past the river, Alex. The defences here are, let's not sugarcoat it, a joke. They were built to stop wildlife, not the fucking apocalypse. People are going to panic, and you know what panic draws. If we stay, we're dead. Period."

"Because teleporting away has to be the last option," I said, forcing my voice to stay even. "Lisa, you're smart. Smarter than me. But you're so focused on what my power could do that you're ignoring its limits. You remember what happened the last time I made a long-distance jump? I passed out for hours."

"And what happens when you stay here and also pass out, huh? You think I can fight an entire horde of Grimm on my own? Amber's out there, sure, but we're not Amber. Our Aura isn't going to save us, we don't even know how to use it!" Lisa spat back.

I held up a hand to stop her, meeting her gaze head-on. "And what happens if teleporting doesn't work? Or worse, if it does but drops us into the middle of the Grimm? It's not a guarantee, Lisa. It's a gamble, one that's objectively worse than just trying to fight first."

She stopped mid-step, whirling on me, frustration radiating from her in waves. "So, what? You want to stay here, play hero, and die for nothing? This place's finished, Alex. We're outnumbered, outgunned, and boxed in on all sides. Even if the Grimm don't kill us, the people here might tear each other apart before reinforcements can even dream of arriving."

"The point," I said, stepping closer, "is that we're not just anyone. We have Aura. There are eight people in this entire city who can say that. You and me? We're two of them. If we leave, that drops by a quarter. This isn't about being heroes. It's about helping when we can."

Her lips pressed into a thin line, her eyes narrowing with incredulity. "You seriously think us staying are going to change anything? Amber's out there somewhere, moving like a fucking ghost, and we, what? We're a little faster than normal people. You think that matters to thousands of Grimm? The Major gave us weapons because he's desperate. He's hoping we buy him seconds. That's it."

"Then we buy seconds," I snapped, frustration bleeding into my voice. "Lisa, we don't know if leaving is the better option. What if we teleport away, and Vale's reinforcements show up an hour too late, an hour we could've bought? What if our presence here means the difference between Mimal surviving or not? We don't know!"

Lisa stared at me, her jaw tight. Her hands balled into fists at her sides. "You heard Amber. Vale's reinforcements won't come until tomorrow. This town? It'll be gone by then. You're gambling on a miracle."

"And you're gambling on what feels certain," I shot back. "I'd rather take a chance than abandon them."

For a long moment, silence hung between us, broken only by the distant sounds of shouting and people running outside the room. Finally, Lisa exhaled sharply, her shoulders slumping as the fight drained out of her.

"Fuck, you're an idiot," she muttered, though her voice lacked the venom it would have had before. "We stay? Fine. But no heroics. The second it's clear this isn't working, we go. Agreed?"

I extended a hand, meeting her gaze with as much confidence as I could muster. "Agreed."

She ignored my hand, brushing past me toward the door. "You'd better not get me killed," she said over her shoulder. "If you do, I'm haunting your ass."

I chuckled faintly, following her. "No promises. That sounds kind of hot."

She flipped me off without breaking stride. "Fuck off, Alex."

….

The room was dimly lit, and the air was thick with a tense kind of energy. The table in front of us was covered with maps, hastily drawn plans, and small wooden figurines marking the town's defenses. The Major stood at the head of the table, looking every bit the tired man who'd been holding this city together on the brink of collapse. Amber stood beside him, scanning the map with a focused intensity.

It was a little odd how they just handed her the reins of planning the defence. It was as if being a Huntress automatically gave her the highest rank, even above the soldiers tasked with defending the town. Guess superpowers just had that kind of pull around here.

"The pass is our only real choke point," Amber said, her tone calm but firm as she gestured to a narrow gap in the mountains on the map. "If we can hold them here, we can keep the Grimm from flooding into the city. But we need to be prepared if there are Nevermore. If they get past, they'll cause chaos, pick off civilians, which will draw the rest of the Grimm over like a moth to flame."

I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching the discussion unfold with a sort of surreal feeling off not really being here. I felt like I was watching a movie. Five days ago, I was a high school student, ready to take my first exams. Now, I was about to walk into a war zone.

It felt like a joke, but it was deadly serious.

Doubly so considering I was the one who wanted to be here.

"We have enough guns," the soldier with dog ears spoke up, his ears flicking as he surveyed the table. "But we're running low on Dust. Once that's gone, it'll come down to you guys with Aura, and whoever wants to try lobbing spears at the Grimm."

Just another part of this world that suddenly crept up on me. I glanced over to Lisa, but she hadn't even noticed, way too focused on looking at the plan laid out. It was a little funny, but that was kind of how she was, Sherlock Holmes on crack, sure, but easily obsessed. I wondered if that was because of her power, if it forced her down deep spirals of analysis. It was scary, how accurate it was, and I didn't want to think what she saw when looking at me. I guess I was lucky she liked me enough not to dissect me, plucking at my insecurities.

I already felt more than insecure enough on my own, thank you very much.

Lisa's eyes narrowed as she leaned over the table. "We don't have enough Dust, enough ammo, or enough trained people," she said, voice sharp. "We're betting everything on that choke point. If we can't hold it, it's over. What if there are more Nevermore than we thought? Or they have Grimm that can climb the cliffs?"

The room fell silent for a moment as the others processed her words. No one questioned her authority. Even at sixteen, Lisa had earned the respect of everyone in the room just by speaking up. They thought she was a Huntress in training, and in a way, they were right. Being with Amber had given us that much clout, just by association. It was almost surreal how much weight they placed on her every word.

The soldier with dog ears shrugged, "Then were fucked." He said simply.

Amber's gaze flicked to Lisa, her expression unchanged. "The cliffs are too steep for them to scale, and Nevermore are rare in this area. We'll hold them here," she said, pointing once more to the narrow pass. "The choke point is our best shot, and it's the only option that gives us a fighting chance."

I studied the map. The town was a small, isolated dot, surrounded by steep cliffs. There was only one way in, a narrow pass carved through the mountains. Beyond the town stretched the forest, and then the river. The entire place was essentially a natural fortress, which was probably the reason they settled here.

Of course, now it was essentially a trap, but it was hard to account for everything.

Glancing at the forest I...

I felt myself pause as a thought flashed across my brain.

During our ride here, I'd noticed how dry everything seemed. The day I'd teleported, I had wondered if it was fall, but now I knew it was summer. It showed when we had moved around, and Amber had warned us to we be careful when creating campfires.

"Can we light the forest on fire?" I asked, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Suddenly, all eyes turned to me. I could feel the weight of their gazes, but I pushed forward anyway. "Look," I said, pointing at the map, "The pass is the only real entrance, right? The forest is on the other side of it, but there's almost no vegetation near the pass itself. If we light the entire forest on fire, it'll take out a bunch of the Grimm before they even reach the pass."

The soldier with dog ears studied me for a moment, as if weighing my words carefully. "It's not a terrible idea," he said slowly, "but we have no real way to make sure the fire doesn't get out of hand and put the city at risk." His tone was measured, but I could hear the hesitation there.

"I can control the fire," Amber said, her voice calm but certain.

I blinked.

A semblance, if I remembered correctly, was a unique ability tied to a person's Aura. Everyone had one, but it was different for each person. So, it was a little strange hearing Amber say she could control fire, especially considering I'd already seen her control wind.

Amber the Avatar, it almost had a nice ring to it.

Lisa's eyes flickered to Amber, probably noticing the discrepancy, but she didn't comment. "We still need something to start the fire," she said. "We need a way to spread it fast enough over a large enough area to catch the Grimm off guard."

"I think we might have enough Fire Dust left," Amber said, "But using it would mean cutting into our already limited supply."

'Some kind of burnable fuel.' I thought, taking it from context. As far as I could tell Dust was a sort of catch all term, used to describe all kinds of fuel.

"It's better than wasting it as ammunition," the dog-eared soldier interjected. "The quality of the Fire Dust we have is crap anyway. Not sure it'd even do much to the Grimm."

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone absorbed the plan. Amber's gaze shifted from the map to the people around her, assessing. "Alright, we'll use what Fire Dust we have to set the forest ablaze. We'll need to move fast before the Grimm reach the choke point. Once the fire's started, those of us with Aura will focus on holding the pass. When we can't hold it any longer, we regroup at the town. The soldiers will take over with gunfire. No heroics, just do what we can to slow them down."

…

The forest burned.

Flames licked up tree trunks and leapt between branches, painting the sky an eerie orange. The crackling roar of the inferno drowned out all other sounds, a wall of heat and smoke that stretched as far as I could see.

We stood at the edge of the pass, watching the fire spread. Amber stood with her arms outstretched, her eyes closed in concentration as she guided the flames. The fire obeyed her will, surging forward in great waves that consumed everything in their path.

It was awe-inspiring and terrifying all at once. The sheer destructive power on display made my stomach churn. This was our plan - to burn down an entire forest in hopes of slowing the Grimm. The scale of it felt unreal.

Lisa stood beside me; her face illuminated by the flickering light. She was pale, her lips pressed together in a thin line. "It's working," she said quietly.

"It is." I looked at her, and she met my gaze.

In her new outfit she looked beautiful, unlike her old sleek catsuit, she now wore what Amber swore up and down was a "combat dress". It left behind by a previous huntress, one who had forgotten to grab it before leaving town. Apparently, it was even more protective than my current attire, having been infused with dust to make it more durable.

A sleeveless shirt, dark and almost form-fitting, bore intricate violet accents that shimmered faintly under the glow of the fire. A short, layered skirt, adorned with sharp purple detailing, flared out slightly. All of it topped off with black, fingerless gloves wrapped tightly around her hands.

I called bullshit on the more protective than my outfit, especially when it left most of her arms exposed. Somehow, I doubted the paper-thin tights would protect her from a Grimm claws, but then again, my armour wouldn't exactly fare any better.

In any case it was eye catching, and on our way here it made every soldier she passed stand a little straighter. It made Lisa's feeling about the outfit turn from, not-really-liking-it, to secretly-in-love-with-it-but-can't-say-it.

Though to be honest, I wasn't sure why I even had to argue with her to change from her previous costume. The second I had been given change I had dropped everything, just to get into some fresh clothes.

It made me feel human again, after walking around in the same stuff for almost a week.

Though maybe it would have made everything a little bit more… final.

Lisa gave me a weird look as she noticed my attention was on her, and not the roaring flame, but I shook my head, turning towards the flames again.

It was odd and unnatural, the way it seemed to wash over the forest one way only. Amber directed the fire like it was an unruly child, and it made me wonder how powerful a semblance could be in this world. I had imagined that they were power boost for sure, with the way Amber had described them they had seemed like useful, but not crucial abilities. Looking at her now, I wondered how she could ever think that.

"They're coming." Lisa suddenly said, her eyes still locked on the great fire.

Marcus, the faunus soldier, straightened at her words, his canine ears twitching in response. His squad followed suit, their movements sharp and practiced despite the mounting tension. They were the town's last line of defence, Aura-users, yes, but not Huntsmen. Still, they didn't need to be, at least not for the usual threats the town faced.

Their training had been focused on handling a handful of Grimm at most, just enough to deal with the occasional creature that wandered too close to town. Their strategy was simple: overwhelm and eliminate any lone Grimm with superior firepower.

This was the opposite of that.

I heard the Grimm before I saw them, the grating, haunting howl of a Beowolf ripping through the smoke-filled air, a primal sound that sent chills down my spine. Then, through fire and brimstone, like demons straight from hell, they emerged. Their figures were barely visible through the dense smoke and the crackling heat, but I could make out their glowing red eyes and the shape of their massive, misshapen forms. They weren't too many, but they were in better shape than I'd hoped. The fire had to be hot enough to melt a human's bones to sludge, but I couldn't even see their fur being singed. It was like they were immune to the heat.

Amber had told me that Grimm wouldn't catch fire, that most of them probably wouldn't even die. Burning down the forest would make some of them disoriented, make them run towards the river, but the ones that wouldn't almost certainly make their way here.

Towards the only source of negative emotions nearby.

I hated her being right.

This was just the initial wave, the first Grimm to push through the inferno, but already, I could count more than two dozen Beowolves charging toward us. Their jaws snapped and claws scratched the earth, each one more vicious than the last.

"Fuck," I mumbled, even as I unsheathed my sword, my knuckles tight on the hilt. I wasn't ready for this. None of us were.

"You got my back?" I asked, my voice low as I glanced over at Lisa.

She didn't respond right away, her focus locked on the charging beasts. My heart skipped a beat, and I turned fully toward her, catching her green eyes, emeralds shimmering with determination, but there was something else, too. Something in the way she gripped her weapons, the slight tremor in her stance.

Her gaze held mine for a moment longer than I expected, and then her lips parted.

"If you die…"

I smiled.

"You're haunting me." I finished.

With a final glance at her, I turned and charged.

The first Beowolf I met was already injured, its movements slowed and erratic. Marcus and his squad were laying down suppressing fire, their rifles blasting in rapid succession. The fact it was injured probably saved my life, as the Beowolf sped up at the last second, a blur of teeth and claws.

I threw myself backward, my heart pounding as the massive limb swiped just inches from my face. The force of the attack sent a shockwave through the air, missing me by a hair. I stumbled, my feet skidding on the dirt, barely managing to stay upright.

When it snapped its head towards me I suddenly decided that maybe just testing things out wasn't my best decision.

Curtains rustled

Then I was falling.

In the blink of an eye, I teleported above the beast, its growl of frustration rising beneath me. Time seemed to slow for a brief moment as I descended, sword already raised. I slammed the blade into its skull with a satisfying, bone-crushing thunk. The Grimm howled once before its body went limp, crumbling into nothing but dark, dissipating smoke.

I landed almost gracefully on my feet, breath heavy in my chest. That was close. A little too close.

I didn't let myself linger, though. There was no time. My eyes flickered, more Beowolves were closing in.

Before the fight, I'd worried about overusing my teleportation. I wasn't sure how many times I could push myself without risking exhaustion. But now, as I saw the chaos unfolding around me, I realized just how foolish that thought had been. I couldn't afford to hold back. Not now.

And I was definitely done underestimating their speed.

I charged the Beowolf leading the pack, smashing my blade into it's face, before spinning around and stabbing another in the stomach.

I didn't let myself stop moving.

Curtains rustled

I teleported left. Suddenly I was between two of them, and without thinking I swung my sword in a wide arc.

One swing severing two legs.

They both collapsed, but before I could finish them off another lunged at me from the side.

Curtains rustled

I teleported, barely in time, appearing behind it just as it swiped with its claws. I swiped back, cutting open its stomach.

It collapsed, already starting to disintegrate.

With two more swings I then killed the two Beowolves that had lost their limbs.

Getting a moment to breathe I glanced up, just in time to see a Beowolves that had charged past me fighting Marcus.

Curtains rustled

In an instant I appeared beside the Beowolf, right as Marcus lost his balance. My blade flashed out, cutting through its neck in one smooth motion. The creature crumpled, collapsing in a heap.

Marcus looked at me, his sword trembling in his hands. The soldier who had once seemed so steady was now barely holding on, his body shaking as he struggled to maintain his composure. I could see it in his eyes, the weight of it all was getting to him.

He barely fought, but his entire body was shaking like a leaf.

But me? I felt a strange clarity settle in. Fear still lurked at the edges of my mind, but it didn't cloud my thoughts. Everything was sharp, precise, like I was seeing the battle in slow motion. It was like it all just clicked, like this was what I was meant to do.

I felt like everything just made sense.

I nodded to him, then I looked towards my next target.

Curtains rustled.

I appeared next to another Beowolf, it snapped towards me the second I registered, but I was faster, my sword plunging deep into its eye. It let out a horrified screech before it crumbled into nothingness, leaving only dissipating smoke in its wake.

Curtains rustl

I snapped my knee into the jaw of another Beowolf, the sickening crack of its bones reverberating through the air as its mouth shattered.

Curtains rus

I turned just in time to intercept the next Grimm. My sword met its neck, cutting through flesh with effortlessly, its head tumbling to the ground with a thud.

For an instant, I was everywhere. Every step I took, every move I made, I killed a Grimm. It was like I wasn't just fighting but flowing with the battlefield itself. Each slash, each strike felt seamless.

With each teleportation, I could feel the very space around me, giving me perfect awareness for a split second. It was the world's most perfect flow state.

Curtains r

I cut off the claw that was reaching for Lisa, the Beowolf's swipe thwarted before she could even draw her knife.

Curtains

The second Marcus looked like he might be overwhelmed again, I appeared, taking down the Beowolf that had slipped through his squad's suppressive fire.

Curtain

I had somehow imagined I would play a backup role, shooting from a distance with Lisa. Marcus and his squad were the experienced ones, the ones who knew how to use their Aura. They were the ones who had any king of training. But now, as I watched them struggle, I realized how wrong I had been.

Curt

It felt like their hands were unsteady, shaking with every shot. Their rifles fired, but the Grimm kept coming, relentless.

It hindered them, slowed them down, but none of them went down.

Compared to Lisa it felt glaring. Her aim was unnerving, laser-focused, each bullet punching straight through a Grimm's eye.

Each shot made a Grimm topple over.

The moments flowed together. Every time we got a second to breathe more Beowolves would appear, like trash mobs in a bad video game.

Cur

Teleport

Fight.

Breathe.

Cu

Teleport.

Fight.

Breathe.

C

Teleport.

Sweat dripped down from my hair, a drop hitting my eye.

I blinked.

I paused.

It was only for a moment, but the moment had cost me. Instead of sinking my sword into its skull, the blade dug into the Beowolf's shoulder. It howled in rage and turned on me with sickening ferocity.

I had no time to react, didn't even have time to instinctively teleport.

It's its massive claw swiped through the air, crashing into my Aura with a sickening force.

My aura flashed white, every ripple a different colour.

Pain shot through me like electricity. I screamed, the sound ripping from my throat as my Aura dipped sharply. The strike had felt like getting run over by a truck, sending shockwaves through my entire body. I staggered back, my balance faltering, my vision blurring for a split second. For a moment, I thought I might fall.

I grabbed my sword again, my fingers curling around the hilt like a vice. Strength that felt beyond human surged through me, and with a roar, I forced the blade sideways. It tore through its shoulder, then its throat, and finally, with a sickening crunch, up through its skull.

I panted for a second, the rush of battle still coursing through my veins, but my perfect awareness began to fade, the clarity of each movement slowly slipping away. The teleportation's no longer came with the same ease, and I felt the exhaustion creeping in. I pushed it back, but it was there, pressing at the edges of my mind.

I let myself lean back slightly, catching my breath for the briefest of moments, and then I was next to Lisa. Her eyes narrowed into slits of focus as she took another shot, the bullet punching through the skull of the last Beowolf present.

For a brief moment it was quiet.

And then, from the edge of the burning forest, a different shadow began to emerge. Each step it took made it appear clearer, until it lumbered out of the fiery forest. It was a bear on steroids, massive, black and covered in spikes.

'Ursa.' I thought, remembering Amber describing it.

It moved slowly, not fazed by the chaos around it. The size of a van, if said van was coated in a layer of razor-sharp bone and armored with spikes, every movement it made felt like watching a train slowly, inexorably, heading straight for us.

"I need to kill that thing," I said, even though it felt like a question.

Lisa's eyes flicked toward the Ursa, then back at me. There was a brief pause before she spoke. "It's a lot faster than the Beowolves, you shouldn't attack from the front."

My head turned like it was on a swivel.

"It's faster? It looks like a trailer truck!" I said incredulously.

Lisa's lips twitched into a tight smile. "Trust me, it's faster than it looks. And you don't want to test that theory from the front."

Amber, who had silently been controlling the fire all this time, suddenly spoke up from the first time. "She's right, that's not a common Ursa, it's an evolved one, an Ursa Major. It's probably as fast as the Alpha Beowolf you met."

My eyes snapped toward Amber. "An Ursa Major?" I asked, trying to make sense of what she just said. For all that she had told us about most common Grimm, it seemed she'd forgotten to mention that Grimm could evolve.

Pokémon was apparently realistic, who knew?

Amber's eyes never wavered from the fire. "Yeah. Stronger, faster, and a whole lot smarter. It's not something you just charge at and hope for the best. If you think it's a slow-moving mountain, you're going to regret it the second it hit's back. A single swipe, and suddenly you're flying through the air, your life a distant dream."

Lisa opened her mouth, but I snapped my attention over to the burning forest again.

More Beowolves suddenly burst through the flames and my heart raced. I glanced from the forest to the Ursa, suddenly realizing that I had to take down the Ursa now.

Taking off sprinting I ran straight towards the Ursa.

Curtains rustled

I was suddenly above it, hanging in the air for just a moment, and in that brief instant, I saw the Ursa's massive head snap toward me. Its glowing eyes locked onto mine, a mix of rage and instinct.

Despite the warnings, it was faster than I'd expected, its enormous body pivoting in a split second. The air rippled as its jaws parted, ready to eat me alive.

Instinct saved me.

Curtains rustled

Teleporting, I avoided its giant maw.

Instead, I appeared into the path of its arm, the limb already swinging at me.

I barely had time to react, only instinct saving me once again.

I twisted to the side just in time, my heart in my throat as the massive claw swiped past, almost grazing my arm. The force of the swing sent a shockwave through the air, and I felt the rush of it against my skin like a gust of wind, my Aura flickering in response.

I swung back, but my sword dinged off its white armour, not even leaving a scratch.

The Ursa didn't even seem to notice my attack.

It roared, the sound hitting me like a wave and leaving me dizzy.

The Beowolves had been lamb to the slaughter, unable to react to my teleportation. Against them I had felt almost invincible. Now I realized the element of surprise had just masked my complete inexperience.

Unlike with the Beowolves my teleportation didn't seem to throw it off. It wasn't panicking or reacting blindly; it was calculating my every move, tracking my shifts in space with terrifying precision.

I had one trick, and when that didn't work I had no plan B.

My mind raced, trying to figure out what to do next.

There was no time.

The Beowolves I had seen earlier had already rushed past me and without being able to run interference I saw Marcus desperately trying to hold them off.

Curtain rustled

I teleported behind the Ursa, my sword sinking into its thick back. The strike barely seemed to faze it, the blade only managing to scratch through its fur. It was like hitting a wall of muscle and bone. My heart sank as I realized how ineffective my weapon was. Suddenly I remembered what Amber had told us, when she had first started training us.

A huntsman most important skill was keeping their aura up.

A huntsman second most important skill was reinforcing their weapon.

If Amber had been here, in my place, her sword would've cleaved through the Ursa's entire back. But I wasn't her. I wasn't ready for this level of combat, and it hit me all at once. My weapon wasn't strong enough to take down something this powerful.

I wasn't strong enough.

A scream cut through the chaos, and my head snapped toward Marcus. His Aura shattered in a flash of bright, jagged light, and he stumbled back, his face contorted in pain. He tried to raise his weapon again, but his body was already too weakened.

The nearest Beowolf didn't give him another chance.

His head disappeared.

For a split second, I just stopped.

The entire world seemed to quiet slightly, as I saw his body start to tilt. A person in his squad screamed, another turned around, starting to run.

His Aura shattered as a Beowolf smashed into him from behind.

Amber's words rang in my head.

Civilians run.

I threw myself backwards as the Ursa smashed its arm into where I once stood.

In the corner of my eyes I saw Lisa, dodging a Beowolf swipe as she unloaded her gun into its side. She had already drawn her knife.

Her words rang out, the warnings I had pushed aside.

You're playing hero

I only barely managed to move out of the way of another blow from the Ursa. Straight ahead I saw what was left of Marcus's squad scramble past Amber.

Her arm, the ones she had held extended to control the fire had already fallen to her side.

Her eyes were open, looking at Marcus corpse.

Amber looked pale, like she couldn't quite believe what she was looking at.

Lisa's words flashed through my head once again, like the whispers of a devil.

She has no idea what she is doing

The moment seemed to stretch.

"No." She mumbled, the words felt heavy and somehow, even dozens of meters away, could I hear them loud as day.

Curtains rustled

I grabbed Lisa's hand, finishing up the Beowolf with my other.

"Let's get out of here."

I didn't wait for her response. There was no time. No more time for heroics, no more time to fight battles we couldn't win.

Lisa didn't respond, didn't get to respond, because instead the sky rumbled. In an instant the weather darkened, the stars disappearing behind clouds that had formed from nothing. The air seemed to shift, growing heavy, the very atmosphere charging with energy.

Amber rose into the sky, her form wreathed in flames that twisted and danced around her like a crown of fire. Her eyes burned with a fiery intensity, matching the inferno surrounding her. The heat radiated outward, and for a moment, I thought the very earth beneath our feet might crack under the weight of her power.

"That..." Lisa mumbled; her eyes locked on Amber's form.

Amber raised a single arm into the sky, then dragged it down. Her motion was slow, deliberate, like a Roman emperor judging a gladiator's fate.

Die.

The word reverberated through the air, a single command that cut through the chaos.

The world flashed and my vision went white.

The world went white.

The sound was too loud, the noise too much.

I couldn't hear the Beowolves scream, couldn't see the Ursa react.

It took seconds before I could blink my vision back, and when I did only dissolving Grimm remained.

My eyes ran up toward Amber, who had turned toward us, her entire form blazing with fiery energy. The crown of flames around her head flickered, casting a fiery glow on the surrounding destruction. Her presence was overwhelming, a force of nature in its purest form.

It was overwhelming.

Lisa's grip tightened around my hand, and I could feel the tension in her fingers, as if she were holding onto me not just for support, but for something much more urgent. Her eyes were wide, a mix of awe and fear, locked on Amber with a look that suggested she knew far more about what had just happened than I did.

Then the fire around her disappeared, snuffed out like one might a candle. She floated down to us slowly, back to normal again.

"Get up," she said, her voice low but commanding. "We need to move, we can't hold them here anymore."

I glanced towards the forest clearing, or what remained. The trees had already fallen, the roaring fire now more like heated coal. The fighting had felt brief, but in my flow state, I had been fighting multiple waves. Each one had downtime; it just hadn't registered.

It had felt like minutes, but it had been hours.

Now, with time to think, exhaustion hit me like a ton of bricks. My limbs felt heavy, each breath felt harder to catch, and my mind began to fog over with weariness. The adrenaline that had kept me going through the chaos drained away, leaving behind a bone-deep fatigue that I wasn't prepared for.

Lisa had gone from holding my hand to holding me up.

I had a million questions for Amber, why she hadn't done that earlier, why she hadn't told us she could, why why why.

In the end I nodded at her words.

Glancing at the clearing, I could make out more Grimm, emerging from former forest. We had killed over a hundred Grimm, but that was just a drop in the bucket. A hundred more were making their way towards us.

The thought of fighting them all, again, sounded impossible.

I grabbed Lisa and Amber.

Curtains rustl

'I missed', that was my only thought as we landed in the market square.

The festival was still ongoing, the townspeople not informed that today might be their last. I stumbled over to a nearby bench, not even thinking about how the laughter stopped, how the atmosphere died.

It didn't matter anyway; everyone here would need to pick up weapons anyway.

The Grimm had broken through, and they were heading straight for us.

Chapter Text

"What." The man's voice came from somewhere in the crowd, flat and disbelieving. His eyebrows knit together like the words hadn't just been spoken but instead spat out as a jumble of nonsensical sounds.

I let my power run over the crowd, testing the waters.

Scared. Unsure if you're telling the truth. Can't process the information fast eno—

I cut my power off before it began, the information it provided was more than just useless, it was maddening. How stupid people could sometimes be, when the truth just didn't suit them.

"Grimm are coming. You need to prepare," Amber said. Her voice came out cold, mechanical, more like an automated system than a person.

No buildup, no softening the blow. Just the facts, dropped on them like a bomb. Maybe if she'd taken a moment to fire them up first, to get them ready for the hit, they'd have moved. But she was too busy being shell-shocked, unable, or unwilling, to compartmentalize. So instead, her words hit the crowd like a wave washing ashore. And nothing changed.

They were frozen, stuck in that same stupid denial. After everything. After we'd stayed, after we'd bled, after we'd held the line for them. And for what? So, they could stare at us while Grimm were bearing down?

I wanted to scream at Aleksander. Look at these people you want us to die for.

We could have been a miles away, safe, but instead I was here, trying to force people into believing that they were in danger. Trying to help even after the person who convinced me to stay had given up.

It was enough that I almost just wanted to leave, turn to Aleksander and convince him to just teleport us away, but some part of couldn't. Maybe it was the festival, the way I saw the people I would leave to die, or maybe it was…

Marcus's body, falling sideways. A stump where his head had been.

The memory hit me like a sucker punch. My stomach twisted, threatening to rebel, but I forced it down. The bile burned at my throat as I snapped my focus back to the present. I couldn't afford to break. Not now. Not here.

Focus

I forced myself to turn to Aleksander, hoping for... something. A spark, maybe. A reminder that this wasn't all falling apart. But one look at him and I knew better.

At a glance, you might believe he was fine. His Aura had held up. He didn't have a scratch on him, not really. His shiny new armor was maybe a little dinged up, but nothing you'd blink at.

But mentally? He looked wrecked. His face was pale, his eyes vacant, barely tracking. His arms dangled at his sides, his hands twitching, like they were reaching for something to hold onto. A minute ago he had looked almost invincible, now?

He looked familiar.

I bit down on the impulse to say anything, to ask if he was okay. He wasn't, and we both knew it. Pointing it out would only make things worse.

If my power worked on him like normal, maybe I could find the right words. Maybe I could say something to keep him from shattering completely. But as it was, I'd just as likely push him over the edge.

I had tried to help somebody without understanding before, and...

I turned back to the crowd, jaw tight. Forcing my brain to focus on the problem that was actually solvable.

Maybe.

"She's right." My words rang out sharp and clear, cutting through the murmurs.

The crowd turned to me, eyes wide.

It was strange. Not the sort of attention I was used to. Back with the Undersiders, keeping a low profile was the point. But now? Having their focus, seeing them hang onto my words, it was... nice, I decided.

At least something in this mess felt like it made sense.

"About five hours ago, a scout discovered a Grimm wave amassing outside the city," I said, injecting as much authority as I could into the words. "That smoke you've been seeing? That was us, trying to stop it before it got here."

That got their attention. Murmurs rippled through the crowd, people exchanging nervous glances. They still weren't moving, but at least they were listening. Progress. I just had to keep pushing.

"To be honest, we held out longer than we should've, bought you hours you shouldn't have had. But the Grimm are coming. At first, it'll be just a few. Easy enough to hold off, but once the rest sense you? It'll be hell on earth."

Anxious energy was spreading through the group like a brushfire. People glanced toward one another, searching for reassurance and finding none.

It was almost satisfying, in a way, that they were finally realizing the gravity of the situation. But if there was one thing worse than denial, it was panic.

"You've got two choices," I continued, my voice cutting cleanly through the noise. "You can sit here, play dumb, and wait for the Grimm to break down your wall." I held up a finger, before adding another, "Or you can start moving, get the vulnerable somewhere safe, arm anyone who can hold a weapon, and prepare for the fight of your lives."

In a twisted sense, it was lucky that the town was holding a festival. Everyone was already gathered in the square, filled with liquid courage, and able to the word of the situation around.

That, and festivals usually had someone in charge.

For a second I used my power to scan over the crowd. My head whipped from side to side as my power fed me information.

Not you, not you, not you…

My gaze stopped on a burly man wearing a ridiculous costume, something between a circus host and a superhero. It almost made me feel almost at home. I walked up to him, stopping right in front.

"You," I pointed at him, "You're in charge of the festival? Then you're also in charge of organizing the defence."

For a moment, he froze, his face twisting into a comical expression of disbelief. Me? he seemed to ask. He even pointed at himself, like my finger pointing straight at him could be a mistake.

I nodded, not even bothering to ask for his opinion. A familiar face in charge would be better, people were at least a little less likely to just question him.

"Name?" I asked.

"Dane," he said.

"Great, Dane." I gestured toward the edges of the square. "Get to work. Set up chokepoints. Get the movable stalls to block off places we can't defend. Figure out where you want to fight. Remember, you've got guns. Pick spots where you can aim and shoot."

He hesitated, jaw working as though he wanted to argue. I leaned in, voice dropping.

"If you don't, you're dead. If the people don't, they're dead. Do you understand me?"

Something flickered in his eyes, fear, maybe, or resignation. He nodded sharply and turned, his face mimicking something resolute.

"People, this might be unexpected, but…" He started.

Pandemonium.

The crowd erupted into noise, shouting and panicking loud enough to drown out any attempt to organize. Dane tried, but panic wasn't something you could talk down.

I didn't try.

Instead, I unholstered my gun and fired a single shot into the air.

BANG

The gunshot cracked like thunder, silencing the square. All eyes snapped to me, fear and shock freezing them in place.

I lowered the gun, keeping it at my side but not holstering it. I wanted image of it to linger, a sharp reminder of the reality we were facing.

"Listen to me." I swept my gaze over them, locking eyes with as many people as I could. "You're scared. I get it. You should be. But running around like headless chickens isn't going to save you. It's going to get you killed."

I took a step forward, the weight of my words pressing down on them. "You're not just protecting yourselves. You're protecting your families. Your kids. The people who can't fight. Do you want the Grimm to find them while you're too busy screaming to think straight?"

That struck a nerve. A woman near the front clutched her child closer, her face pale but resolute. Others began to murmur again, softer this time, more focused.

"Dane!" I barked, my voice sharp enough to snap him back into action. He looked at me, eyes wide but determined. "You've got a job to do. Do it."

Then I snapped to Amber. She was standing there, looking lost. It might've been funny if it wasn't so predictable. She wasn't really a Huntress, just a girl too scared of her own power. And now? She wasn't helping anyone.

At first, I didn't get it. But after a few days here, I could tell: her abilities weren't normal. Not even close. Aura wasn't like the powers back home. It wasn't extraordinary in the same way. It was studied, understood, dissected like a science.

Uniform, in the ways that counted anyway.

Amber's powers, they were different. You couldn't merely explain it by calling it a semblance, not when my power had already seen semblances in action.

Marcus's semblance, some kind of strength boost, had caused his Aura to drop with every usage. Even considering he had way more than the others in his squad, his Aura had drained the fastest.

When Amber used her power, her Aura didn't even dip.

I didn't need to be a rocket scientist to figure out what that meant.

The real kicker was how my power reacted to hers. When I tried using it on Aleksander, it was like sitting through a physics lecture from the future: dense, confusing, a logic bomb. But still... logic.

On Marcus? It was like a PowerPoint presentation explaining exactly what his power could do. Straightforward. Logic.

Amber, though?

She was chaos.

When her powers flared up, trying to read her was like staring into the sun through a kaleidoscope. My power threw out twenty different answers, each one contradicting the others. Nothing lined up. Nothing made sense.

At least with Aleksander, my power seemed to understand him on some level, it gave me answers, just not ones I could use. With Amber? It didn't even try.

So maybe her being so unsure made some sense, she was always treated like she was special, told that she was special. She was spoiled and naïve, powerful, but without real experience. She kept us around not because she was nice or guilty, but because she thought we were similar. Like a little girl looking for friends, maybe tolerable, if she didn't treat us like we didn't know anything.

But now? She wasn't doing much better than Aleksander. Hell, she was doing worse, worse on every possible level.

Aleksander had fought monsters for the first time in his life and looked like he was dancing while doing it. No breaks, just moving, learning on the fly. Even a blind person could see him improving, getting faster, tapping into more of the power Aura gave him. Amber was right about one thing: Aura responded to your own perceived limits. The real difference between a person with Aura and a true Aura user was the ability to push those limits.

How fast you moved was up to how fast you thought you could move. Knowing wasn't enough, which was the reason Aleksander had moved like a mirage towards the end, while I was still stuck with moving at the speed of a bicycle.

While he fought, he didn't have time to do anything but react, limits didn't enter the conversation.

I, on the other hand, had to use my power with every shot.

Either way, it was infuriating, how much Aleksander seemed to look up to her, how eagerly he listened to her, even when she made decisions she'd never even made for herself.

And yet, even after everything, she was possibly our biggest hope.

Which meant I needed to keep it together, play nice.

"Are you helping out Amber, or do you plan on just flying away?" I snapped.

Fuck.

Her eyes snapped toward me, and like a switch had been flipped, life returned.

Angry at herself, unable to cope so redirecting her anger onto you

Gee, thanks power, couldn't see that one coming.

"Shut up." She ground out; her words icy.

Unsure. Doesn't know if she did the right thing using her power.

Well, I wasn't good at not making people angry anyway.

"You want me to shut up? Fine, but then you're going to tell me if you're actually going to be useful. Are you going to fight, or just play around?" I spat back.

"I wasn't playing. You don't understand the danger that comes with me using my power…" she started, voice shaking.

Hates herself for not acting faster. Feels sorry about the death of Marcus.

I cut her off, my words biting like a sharp blade. "Well, I guess that's just great. It's dangerous for you to use your power? Well, I better tell Marcus that when I see him at the end of this, how sorry you are that your power is too dangerous to use. Maybe he'll be comforted knowing you were too scared to save him."

Amber went pale. She opened her mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. Half a day ago, it would have brought me satisfaction to see her so vulnerable, caught off guard. But right now? It felt like ash in my mouth.

'Look at ye hero and despair Aleksander.' I thought bitterly.

"I didn't," she whispered, her voice tight. "I didn't mean for him to, I didn't think h…"

"You didn't think he would die?" I cut in, my voice rising, each word like a hammer. "When he was fighting with no preparation? You didn't think we could die? Newsflash: I've been out here for five days, and I already knew we could die!"

Her face crumpled, and she stepped back, like she was trying to put space between us, between the anger, between the truth I was throwing at her.

I couldn't stop myself. "People die, Amber! This isn't some game! You think you're the only one who's scared? You think you're the only one carrying the weight of this? Marcus gave his life because we weren't ready. Because we didn't have a choice. And you, you, are sitting here playing pretend, acting like you're the only one with anything to lose! I thought Aleksander wanted to play Hero, but it was you all along! You know I wanted to just leave, try to teleport out of here because this entire place is just FUCKED." I screamed.

A grown woman, about to burst into tears as a sixteen-year-old dug into her, it would have been funny if it wasn't so pathetic.

In the end there was only silence, my words lingering in the air. I tried to force myself to calm down, to stop myself from continuing, but I realized I was shaking.

I took a step forward, not even sure what I wanted to do to her.

Aleksander stopped me, grabbing my arm from behind. I turned to him, feeling anger roll off me, but his face was an impassive wall. His blue eyes, looking at me, weren't angry, just... sorry.

"I'm not going to ask why you didn't use your power from the start, or why you didn't tell us about it," he began, his voice shaking with emotion. "You probably had your reasons, you judged you didn't need them before the end."

He looked at her, his eyes stone cold. "I'm not angry that you didn't save Marcus. I could've saved him, too. But I'm only going to ask you one thing."

"Are you going to use your power to help the city, or are you going to do nothing?"

The world seemed to still, and as the wind blew over the festival square it seemed to carry the question along. None of the people running around us had noticed, none had really paid attention to our conversation, too busy planning a desperate defence.

They didn't understand that this one question would determine if they would live or die.

"Well, seeing as how everyone here is dead if she doesn't, as her teacher, I think I'm making that decision for her." A voice rang out from above, relaxed and joking.

Amber eyes lit up as Aleksander spun around, sword unsheathed before I could really register what just happened. He stood before me, eyes trained towards the sky.

For a second, everything seemed to freeze. I stared up at the figure standing atop the lamppost, struggling to process what was happening. My brain simply couldn't catch up with the reality of the situation.

There, perched like some kind of oversized bird of prey, stood a man. The first thing I noted wasn't even his weapon; instead, it was his outfit. A grey dress shirt, black dress pants, and a faded, tattered red cape, it looked like something someone had dug out of a container. Yet, somehow, it suited him. His red cape matched his red eyes, and his face was handsome enough that people would still like him, despite the oddity of it all.

Swapped places with a crow? No, was a crow. Can transform into a crow. Just arrived. Is tired, has flown here.

I blinked, trying to focus my power on the things I needed to know.

Has aura. Weapon is a sword. Sword can transform. Sword is a gun. Sword is a scythe. Extremely capable fighter. Body trained to human limit. Veteran Huntsman.

He smiled at me, then took an exaggerated step before dropping straight down onto the ground, landing beside Amber, whose eyes were already filling with tears. It looked like she had found an oasis in a desert, someone to save her from her own bad decisions.

I didn't know if it filled me with wrath or envy.

He raised his arm, and Amber raised hers, moving in to hug him.

SLAP

The sound of the slap echoed across the square, sharp and jarring against the frantic backdrop of movement. For a split second, everything froze. Amber stood, her hand raised to her cheek, eyes wide with shock. The hand that had once reached out to embrace him now dropped limply to her side, her body trembling slightly.

I felt Aleksander tense, like he was about to spring into action. It felt typical, that he didn't like seeing a woman get slapped. In comparison, I felt a surge of vindication, like someone had unloaded a weight from my chest.

For the first time today, I felt myself let out a smile, real and unforced.

"Why?" Amber asked, looking more confused than hurt.

"Because you needed it," he simply stated, turning toward us. "Sorry about Leaf-brain here. She likes to pretend she has everything under control."

I looked at Aleksander, who gave me an exhausted look. It didn't dampen my spirits, and I smiled like the cat that ate the canary.

"Yeah, I know." Aleksander said.

"I didn't say anything." I smiled back.

He gave me a look that told me that I didn't need to.

"Well, if Foxy's has gotten enough satisfaction from the situation, it seems we're in a bit of a pickle, aren't we? Reinforcements are still half a day away, Grimm are knocking at our door," he said, then paused before slapping himself on the forehead "Shit, almost forgot to introduce myself. Name's Qrow. Q-row, with a Q."

I blinked. Foxy?

I heard Aleksander let out a snort, and when he spoke, amusement crept through his voice. "You know, when you say it, Foxy is perfect."

I was about to voice my offense, but he bulldozed right through my objection by simply continuing.

"Name's Aleksander, and this is Lisa."

"Well, that's nice, but Leaf-brain kind of told me about you already," he pointed towards Aleksander, "You teleport," then he pointed at me, "and you know things."

Confident, sees the situation as dire but not unsolvable, veteran of similar situations

"Which is great, because it means we have a pretty good chance of stopping this entire thing." Qrow said.

"How?" Aleksander asked, letting some doubt creep into his voice.

It wasn't as bad as earlier, when he sounded like he given up, but it was still a far cry the confidence he had before the fight, or even during it.

"Do you know why Grimm waves form?" Qrow asked instead, his gaze landing on Amber.

She opened her mouth to answer, but I cut her off. "Right now, because of the elder Grimm right?"

Qrow spun around, an impressed look on his face. "I thought you guys were newborn kittens, freshly sourced from the nearest cult. But I guess that power of yours is more useful than I thought."

I felt a slight annoyance creep in again. His dismissive way of speaking was grating, different than Amber's, at least he was confident and knew what he was talking about. Still, annoying.

I suddenly understood where she got her way of talking about thing from.

"Well, you're right," Qrow continued, "except for a huge burst of negativity. The way Grimm waves form is because of the presence of an Elder Grimm. In that sense, the situation is still better than it could have been, because it means that if we take it out, the Grimm will disperse…" He paused for a moment. "Well, maybe not disperse, but at least they'll have less direction, and they won't continue to gather."

"Anyway, " he began, suddenly holding up three fingers, "the big problem with dealing with Elder Grimm is this: One, you can't easily find them in the middle of a huge horde. Two, even if you do find them, you'll have to fight your way through the horde just to get close enough. And three, even if you manage to reach them, killing them is damn near impossible without overwhelming firepower."

Qrow pointed at Amber first, letting one finger drop.

"Three."

Then he pointed at Aleksander, dropping a second finger.

"Two."

Lastly, he pointed at me and let the third finger fall.

"One."

He stared at his closed fist, as if surprised by his own counting, before looking back at us.

"Hell, would you look at that."

Chapter Text

"So, you got anything, Foxy?" Qrow asked, perched atop the tallest building in town, his gaze fixed on the passage to what had been a forest.

I followed his line of sight. Without the festival lights or the enhanced vision granted by my Aura, the scene would have been an inky void. Instead, I could see each individual Grimm, their distorted proportions more suited for a horror movie than real life.

They weren't attacking yet. That should have been a relief, giving us more time to prepare, but something about their behaviour felt wrong. They moved in unison, eerily synchronized, as though guided by an invisible hand.

Grimm weren't supposed to move like this.

From everything I had learned about them after coming to this world, they were almost mindless.

Crude, animalistic imitations of real creatures. Beowolves weere fairy-tale wolves, imagined by someone who'd only ever had a wolf described to him. Even the Ursa Major I'd fought earlier had the same distorted, almost cartoonish quality.

But this? Watching them now, creeping closer to the city in unison, letting their numbers swell, it didn't seem like something Grimm should do.

They were less than animals, not a functioning army.

An Elder is a leader

"If you could stop talking for about 5 seconds so I could actually focus, maybe I would have something." Lisa snapped, before taking a deep breath and turning back towards the gathering horde.

Foxy

The more I looked at her, the more the nickname seemed to fit. Her sly, sharp wit. The clever glint in her eyes. Even her features had a vulpine quality, angular, with a mischievous curve to her lips. It suited her to a T.

My eyes traced over her lips, before falling down to her neck.

Her hair, tied in a ponytail, framed it, and I realized I was staring

Amber was stunning, supermodel stunning, even. The Amber from this world was a heightened version of the one I'd met in Lisa's world. Her skin was flawless, her features perfectly symmetrical.

So why was I staring at Lisa?

During our trip, I hadn't even thought about how she looked. There had been too much going on and my mind had been focused on just trying to survive. And now, right before we were about to make a desperate last stand?

It should have been easy, to not stare at my friend.

But it wasn't.

Instead, my eyes lingered on her face. On the way her brows furrowed in concentration, the subtle flickers of thought that played across her expression. For a fleeting moment I couldn't help but stare, wondering what she saw.

Exhausted sweaty her eyes shone.

Beautiful.

The thought hit me like a bolt, sudden and uninvited.

A hand clapped onto my shoulder, breaking me out of my thoughts, and nearly sending me jumping out of my skin.

"So," Qrow said, his grin practically radiating through his tone, "I heard my apprentice trained you a little. How far did she get?"

"Eh." I managed, my mind scrambling to catch up with the question.

"Ah." I continued, trying to form words that seemed to have escaped me.

Qrow looked at me, playfully miming knocking at my skull, as if to ask, hey anybody in here?

"Amber trained you, right?" he asked again.

"Yes, Amber trained me. I mean…" I faked a cough, trying to organize my thoughts. "To be honest, we didn't get very far. We mostly just sparred with sticks, and she focused on training us to keep our Aura up all the time…" I trailed off, not sure how to continue.

"That's it?" Qrow asked, sounding incredulous. "So, she didn't actually train you, then."

I chuckled awkwardly, trying to brush off the awkwardness. "I mean she tried, she taught us some basic stuff, but we just didn't have time for anything more."

"So, you're telling me you fought Grimm for hours, and you haven't even really figured out how to actually use your Aura?" Qrow whistled, sounding impressed, though his tone carried a touch of disbelief. "I guess she wasn't lying when she said you were a natural at combat."

Maybe I should have felt proud, but the reminder of my recent fight with the Grimm hit me like a gut punch.

Natural at combat?

It felt like a joke.

Not a funny one either.

Without being able to teleport? Without what was in function basically an unlimited get out of jail free card? I would have managed to take out three, maybe four Beowolves before going down myself. And even then, I had tunnel visioned on killing the Ursa. I could have saved Marcus. I could have done a million different things to save him.

And the worst part?

I had enjoyed it.

I'd loved it. The adrenaline. The rush of cutting through Grimm. The surge of power every time I moved faster, struck harder. In that moment, I'd felt unstoppable. Like a hero. Like some damn champion.

I pushed all those feelings down and into a small box in the corner of my mind. There was no time to unpack them right now.

Instead, I forced my mind back to the conversation, trying to find the right words.

"When I fought," I started, hesitating for a moment, unsure of how to phrase it. "I was in this kind of flow state, right? Every time I stopped thinking, I realized I was getting faster. It was like… when I stopped thinking, I just kept speeding up. Is that how you're supposed to use Aura?"

Qrow looked at me, his expression unreadable, like he wasn't quite sure what to make of my words.

"What you're talking about is the speed boost you get from Aura," he said, breaking the silence. "Aura is an all-around boost, but there's a big difference in how much people can actually pull from it. Our brains", he tapped his temple, "aren't really designed to handle speeds beyond a certain point. So, when you first unlock your Aura, pushing yourself to move as fast as you're theoretically capable of is... difficult."

I nodded, that was more or less in line with what I knew already.

"Strength's a bit easier." He continued. "You can figure out your limits by simply pushing against something, lifting weights, testing yourself. It's tangible, you can feel the progress when you push past what you could do before. But speed?" He shook his head, "Speed's trickier. It's not as clear-cut."

He gestured vaguely, as though searching for the right words. "Most people train for it over years, carefully, methodically, little by little. You refine your movements, sharpen your reflexes, and gradually build up to your actual potential. It's a grind, sure, but it's consistent."

Then he shot me a wry, almost scolding look. "What you're describing? That's the kind of nonsense people who don't know how to train Aura users think will make you faster. 'Go with the flow'? Fight your way to speed and hope you'll improve by sheer survival instinct? That's not training, that's gambling. And nine times out of ten, it gets you killed."

"So, I'm doing it wrong?" I asked, frowning a little at the thought that everything about the previous fight had been a waste.

Qrow shrugged, a knowing smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "No, you're not doing it wrong. You're just not doing it the normal way. What you were doing works too, technically, but most people don't live long enough to see it pay off." His eyes flickered to me, and there was a glint of amusement in his gaze. "Then again, talented people usually do things a little differently anyway."

I blinked as he finished.

It was all praise, yet somehow, it didn't feel like it.

For the first time, I realized I might actually hate a word. Hearing him call me talented… it burned.

"Got 'em," Lisa muttered. My head snapped towards her.

"You found the Elder?" I asked, feeling some hope rise in my chest.

"Yup," Lisa said, popping the P with a sly, vulpine grin. "Fucker was hiding in plain sight."

Qrow raised an eyebrow, looking both impressed and slightly amused. He clapped his hands together. "Great, where is he?"

Lisa gestured toward the left flank of the horde, where dozens of Beowolves prowled. Even with my enhanced sight, they all looked indistinguishable, some slightly larger, some smaller, but nothing stood out.

"He's right there," she said, her tone smug as she grinned impishly.

Amber, breaking her silence, asked, "Which one?"

"Oh, he isn't one of the Beowolves. He's laying in the middle of them," Lisa replied, her smirk only growing.

I squinted, trying to make sense of what she meant. The only area that could be described as "in the middle of them" was... empty. Completely devoid of anything but Beowolves milling around.

"Well, that's really annoying, isn't it?" Qrow said suddenly, his voice flat as his hand came up to rub his temple. He looked more than a little pained.

"You see it?" Amber asked, her tone sharp, her eyes still locked on the scene, straining to catch a glimpse of what Lisa had apparently spotted.

I didn't blame her, I couldn't see anything either. My newly Aura-enhanced senses should have picked up something, anything, but all I saw was a mass of Grimm shifting restlessly.

"No." Qrow said simply.

'Huh?' My thoughts managed.

"What our dusty old crow here is trying to say," Lisa cut in, her tone dripping with amusement, "is that the Elder is invisible right now."

…

"That won't work." Qrow said casually, stretching his arms above his head as though we weren't on the brink of an encounter with an invisible Elder Grimm.

For a second, I imagined this was sort of how Amber had felt when Qrow had slapped her in the face.

Amber couldn't just blast it? Then what could we do? My gaze flicked to her, but she remained quiet, her lips pressed into a thin line. If she had a rebuttal to Qrow's statement, she wasn't voicing it.

I shifted uncomfortably, trying hide the way I kept adjusting my stance. Aura helped stave off exhaustion, but it couldn't make time stop or undo the physical toll. And today had gone on too long.

It wasn't just the endless fighting against the Grimm, though that was part of it. Before that, we'd been riding and walking for hours. After all of that? Every step, every moment, felt like it had added another layer of lead to my bones.

For some reason, even though Qrow had stated we needed to reach the Elder to fight it, the words hadn't really sunk in. I had seen what Amber could do, seen her power in action. Even if the thing was an Elder Grimm, it couldn't possibly survive her power.

Right?

My eyes flicked to Qrow, then back to Amber. "It can survive that?" I asked, my voice betraying more doubt than I intended.

Amber's lips twitched into a small frown, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I don't know," she admitted after a pause. "Elder Grimm are rare. They've survived for hundreds of years, getting stronger little by little. Even the weakest of them have special abilities and are far faster than regular Grimm." She glanced up, her expression grim. "To take one down, you'd usually need a small army of veteran Hunters."

"Either way, no way I am able to hit it from this distance, it's going to dodge and then it might disappear again." She continued.

"And you want us to take it down?" I asked, exhaustion creeping into my voice.

"No," Qrow said, his tone firm as he rolled his shoulders. "Me and Amber are going to take it down. You're running keep-away."

I blinked. "Keep-away?"

Qrow nodded, pointing toward the edge of the horde. "Your job is to keep the rest of those Grimm from piling on while we deal with the Elder. Tie them down, distract them, make it messy for them to move."

My exhaustion flared into irritation. "So, you want us to hold off an entire horde of Grimm? Just the two of us?"

"Just the two of us? When did I ever say that?" Qrow shot back, giving me a lazy look. "You're holding off the horde of Grimm. Foxy here," he gestured at Lisa with a smirk, "is going to be our eyes on the battle, making sure nothing slips past me and Amber."

Lisa gave a mock salute, not even trying to contest his words. "Guess that makes me the team brain. Don't worry, I'll keep you two from doing anything too stupid. Or getting eaten. Probably."

I looked up into the sky, at the broken moon, its jagged edges casting an eerie light over the landscape. The thought hit me, one I couldn't shake: Could I just teleport up there?

With a final crack of his neck, Qrow gave me a look. "You ready? We should probably attack before they attack the town, if you catch my drift."

I turned to Lisa, a single glance that asked the question I didn't dare to voice out loud. Is this really what you want?

Her words echoed in my mind, about no last stands, no heroics, no "going down swinging." But if this wasn't a last stand, then it was pretty damn close.

Lisa didn't say anything, instead she grabbed my sleeve. Her eyes were firm, and some part of me felt it: if we bailed, even if she might want to, she'd never trust me.

It was enough. She didn't have to say a word.

This wasn't heroics. This wasn't some grand, noble sacrifice. This was survival.

My own words suddenly haunted me, and it felt almost ironic. How we suddenly switched out positions on the matter.

Teleporting out of here? The odds of me fainting and landing straight into the Grimm horde were just as likely.

Qrow raised an eyebrow, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Well, are we doing this or not?"

I didn't answer.

I grabbed Amber and Qrow, as Lisa tightened her grip on my sleeve.

Curtains rustled

Then we were in the clearing.

The first one to react wasn't me, or even the Elder Grimm.

Qrow disappeared in a blur, and in the next second, his sword swung through the air with a vicious crack.

CLANG.

The sound of metal hitting metal rang out sharply in the night, reverberating through the stillness of the clearing. The force of the blow was so powerful that the grass under my feet bent backwards, blown over by the shockwave.

Some part of me would have believed it could have ended just like that.

It didn't.

Qrow was sent flying, hurled backward by an overwhelming force. He hit the ground with a loud thud, skidding across the dirt for several meters before coming to a stop. A wave of heat rose from Amber as she took the opportunity, her body shifting with a sudden burst of movement.

In the blink of an eye, a crown of fire erupted atop her head. She shot into the sky like a comet, her flames distorting the air around her, scorching the night with their intensity. Her form, suspended above the battlefield, was as majestic as the last time I had seen it. The crown blazed, casting erratic shadows that seemed to dance and writhe with every motion.

"Burn."

Her voice was a command, cold and powerful, an empress casting down her judgment. And with it, the world seemed to react.

A torrent of fire exploded from her hands, bright and fierce, shooting out toward the spot where the Elder Grimm had forced Qrow back a second ago. The flames lit up the surrounding clearing, scorching the ground beneath her, but that was all it did. She aimed for the spot where the invisible creature had been, but her flames only washed over the grass.

Lisa's voice rang out just as Amber's fire hit the area.

"RIGHT!"

Amber adjusted her aim without hesitation, the flames following her lead. The Elder Grimm, even while invisible, couldn't escape. The fire raked across it, and for a moment I could make out its shape.

A beast on four legs.

Then the air exploded, and it was gone from her blast. Only the smell of burnt flesh lingering in the air.

Lisa, was already moving, scanning the battlefield with razor-sharp focus. Her eyes caught something that I couldn't quite see. "He's going to jump! Watch out!" she called out, pointing toward the area where the Elder was.

Qrow reacted instantly, his body a blur as he launched himself into the air, sword raised, ready to intercept it.

Two seconds, maybe three. That was how long I just watched.

An eternity in a fight.

Long enough that the other Grimm noticed I wasn't doing my job.

A Beowolf raced past me, it's red eyes fixed on Lisa, ignoring me completely. Another leaped toward me, its maw wide and ready to tear into me.

It was the kick I needed.

Curtains rustled

I appeared next to the first Beowolf, letting my sword glide along its throat. With its momentum, it crashed to the ground, its body skidding to a halt.

Turning, I was just in time to see the second one jump towards me again, mouth open and ready to snap my head off my shoulders.

I leaned back, my body falling, and just before it landed on me, I felt the veil of reality part beneath me.

Curtains rustled

Spinning like a backflip, I appeared above it, the momentum carrying me as my sword descended into its back.

The Beowolf howled in agony as my blade cleaved through its spine. The impact drove it into the ground with a sickening thud, its body twitching, then falling still. I didn't wait to see if it was truly finished.

I jumped of its back, twisting in mid-air, letting my sword fly right.

Curtains rustled

Then I appeared next to a third Beowolf. Before it could turn, I drove my sword into its side, the blade sinking deep into its flesh with a satisfying squelch.

A burst of pain shot through my arm as I yanked the sword free, the motion jerking my body. My Aura still held strong, but my arms were shaking.

Earlier today, I had teleported dozens, maybe even hundreds of times without issue. All of them had felt quick, clean, and seamless.

Now? Each jump already felt heavier, less like falling behind curtains and more like having to throw myself into them.

BANG

A shot rang out, and a dull thud rang out as a Beowolf collapsed behind me.

"Alex." Lisa's voice sliced through the chaos. It wasn't a command. It wasn't a question. It was a reminder, plain and simple.

Qrow was a blur of motion, a grin on his face as he staggered around the battlefield. When Amber fought, she was a ghost, fluid and graceful, but Qrow looked more like he was stumbling through a dance he barely knew. His sword swept through the air like he was brandishing a beer bottle, cutting through Beowolves with chaotic abandon.

He collided with the still-invisible Elder Grimm, its shadowy form warping and twisting in the chaos. Every moment seemed like it could be his last. Beowolves threw themselves at him relentlessly, but every time it looked like he was cornered, something strange would happen. A Beowolf would crash into another, Qrow would slip past a deadly attack that should have hit, or he'd dodge at the last second, as though the universe itself was conspiring to give him a way out.

Amber had abandoned her flames, opting instead to hurl lightning bolts at the Elder Grimm whenever Lisa called out its position. But even her attacks weren't at full strength. She was distracted, her focus shattered by the relentless assault of a dozen Nevermore diving at her from above. Black wings flickered through the air, their constant barrage of feathers and screeches making it hard for her to concentrate. Every few seconds, a lightning bolt would veer off course, aimed at the birds instead, trying to make them stop their incessant harassment. The birds were a constant distraction, breaking her rhythm and forcing her to split her attention between them and the invisible beast.

Everybody was doing their job.

Or at least they were trying to.

I wasn't.

The weight of the battle pressed in on me, suffocating in its ferocity. The Grimm were relentless, and every time I killed one, two more seemed to take its place.

Every teleport drained more of my energy, leaving me struggling to orient myself with each use. Each second, I felt the sword grow heavier, the effort of wielding it growing more taxing. Eventually, I stopped swinging it altogether, instead letting the Grimm kill themselves on it.

I could hear the chaos around me, the clang of metal on metal, the crackle of Amber's lightning, the growls and screeches of the Grimm. But it all felt distant, muffled, like I was moving through water.

I was supposed to be fighting. I was supposed to be helping.

But every time I blinked, I ended up somewhere else in the clearing. A Beowolf fell, another rose in its place, and nothing seemed to change.

I killed a Beowolf.

I teleported.

I killed a Beowolf.

I teleported.

The Grimm kept coming.

Right now?

We weren't winning this fight.

We were stalling.

This wasn't working.

There was no way we would kill the Elder before it exhausted us. We could hit it, but it was armoured in some way, resistant to Amber's normal attacks. Her fire, as powerful as it was, just seemed to sear the air around the creature without leaving a mark. Every bolt of lightning Amber sent, seemed to wash over it, the Elder not taking any kind of significant damage.

Qrow wasn't faring much better. His sword cleaved through the smaller Grimm like they were made of paper, but it bounced off the Elder with an almost dismissive force.

"Alex, when you rescued me, can you do that now?" Lisa shouted, her voice strained, her small knife flashing as she fought off a Beowolf, her words sharp with urgency.

My mind stuttered, processing the command too slowly, but instead of answering, I teleported to her. A quick strike, and the Beowolf fell dead at her feet.

"Easier... to teleport... to you..." I panted, each word punctuated by a breath as I tried to catch my bearings.

"No, I mean to the Elder." Her voice was tight, hurried, sweat dripping down her face. "Can you teleport it next to you?"

Her words cut through the fog in my brain, and I noticed then, her Aura was visibly dimmer than when we'd first arrived. She wasn't just out of breath, she was weakening. It hit me like a punch to the gut. I hadn't realized it at first, but Lisa had been fighting up close, taking blows when she couldn't dodge. Aura might make you tougher, but it didn't do anything for the pain.

Then I processed her request.

"No?" I answered, killing another Grimm that moved too close.

"Actually, forget I asked. That wasn't a question, you're going to do it." Lisa's tone was sharp, leaving no room for argument. She shouted next, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Qrow, let Alex take care of the Elder for a second, focus on killing the Grimm distracting Amber! Amber, you need to take it out in one hit!"

Qrow didn't hesitate. In an instant, he let the Elder send him flying backward, disengaging with practiced ease. He landed effortlessly on a nearby tree, using it as a springboard to launch himself into the air. With lethal precision, he cut through the swarm of Nevermore, flying between them like he was a protagonist in a quick time event.

The change in momentum gave me no time to react, until it did. The Elder, thrown off balance by the sudden absence of resistance, stumbled. Its intended target now gone; the creature crashed into a nearby tree with a thunderous crack. It was a lucky break, an opening I couldn't afford to waste.

I didn't teleport. Instead, I charged, slamming into the beast with all the force I could muster. Pain flared through my arms as I collided with it. It felt like slamming into a steel wall rather than a flesh-and-bone creature. My Aura absorbed most of the impact, but the shock still rattled my bones. It was stupid, reckless, but my brain didn't have enough juice to do something better.

"It stumbled." Lisa shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos.

I scanned the clearing, seeing nothing. Suddenly, I wondered how Qrow was even fighting this thing. The situation felt eerie, my brain knew it had to be right in front of me, scrambling to get back on its feet and ready to tear me apart, but I saw nothing.

"Dodge left!" Lisa screamed.

I didn't hesitate. I threw myself to the left, and the sensation of something rushing past me sent a chill down my spine, my heart pounding in my chest.

Cold sweat crawled up my neck in an instant.

This was insane.

How the fuck was Qrow making this look easy?

I spun around, trying to scan the area for any sign of the Elder. Instead, I only heard Lisa's voice again.

"Help!"

My eyes widened. Suddenly, I understood. That's why Lisa kept moving. Why Qrow had to keep clashing with it.

The elder was smart enough to understand that Lisa kept giving away its position.

There was no time.

Turning around I saw Lisa trying to throw herself right.

She wasn't fast enough.

Without thinking, I thrust my arm through the curtain, and in that moment, the sensation of total control over space flooded me once again. The weight of the situation settled in, and for an instant, everything snapped into focus.

Amber was a deep well of energy, inexhaustible and heavy.

The Elder was like a pool of oil, its very presence corrupting everything around it.

And Lisa was a sun.

Time seemed to freeze, and my vision blurred. My sense of space, the one that allowed me to teleport even without seeing my destination, suddenly sharpened. In that instant, I understood: Lisa wasn't the sun; she was the canvas on which its light cast its glow.

There was something behind her.

Then, the next instant, she was in my arms.

And I suddenly realized how cold I had been.

It was odd. We had been in this situation before. It even felt the same, fighting against some overwhelming force, trying desperately to survive. But back then, I didn't know her, didn't consider her my friend.

Last time I had saved her because I could, because I should.

This time, I wasn't sure what I would do if I didn't.

"I'm ready." Amber's voice rang out, her voice strained.

I glanced up, in her hands was a ball of pure light. To the part of me that was still connected to that other sense, it felt like decline.

The changing of seasons, the end of plenty and the start of lack.

"Aleksander, you teleport the Elder to right here, then you teleport out." Lisa said. Her words were simple, precise. Like it should be easy.

Then again, maybe it was.

"Fire on us!" Lisa shouted, not hesitating for a second.

Without a beat, Amber released the light, firing it straight at us. It wasn't like a lightning bolt, powerful and overwhelming. Wasn't like her fire, enough to scorch the ground until it was cinder. It was almost slow, moving down toward us with overwhelming brilliance.

I closed my eyes, and once again, the world slowed. Time bent around me, stretching and warping as I slipped into that other space.

It was odd. Ever since I'd first discovered my power, I had imagined it as slipping behind real space, like moving into a dimension where distance simply didn't apply. That was how most people in comics teleported after all.

The more I used it, the more I realized something. It wasn't like I was moving behind space.

No. It was like stepping behind the curtain of reality. A stage, a set built from the world itself, and all I had to do was step behind the velvet drapes of it all. The audience couldn't see me disappear, couldn't understand how I moved from one side of the stage to the other.

When I grabbed Lisa?

I simply dragged her behind the curtain, then came out on the other side.

And right now?

I didn't even need to see it. I reached out with an arm and pushed gently.

Curtains rustled

The Elder fell behind the curtain, and at the same time, I stepped behind it too.

Curtains fell

The world shifted. Reality folded around me as if I were simply rearranging the set, darkening the stage and pushing the set pieces around.

The light turned on.

I opened my eyes, staring at the spot we had stood a second ago.

I saw a white orb touch air.

It didn't explode, instead it popped like a soap bubble.

That didn't change it's effect.

It washed over the invisible beast, and it roared as if to ask what we were trying to do. Then it took a step, and its invisibility simply broke. The space it occupied shimmered for a moment, like a mirage breaking apart. Slowly, colour washed over the shape, and the air seemed to bend around it. Suddenly, there it was, in all its glory.

It looked like a dragon.

That was my first thought.

The Grimm was massive, its body covered in jet-black, almost oily flesh, and its skeletal frame was protected by thick, jagged bone plating. Said plating being almost completely tight, like huge, oversized scales that wrapped around its body in a jagged unnatural pattern.

It should have been terrifying.

But then it took another step, and the plating began to dull and crack, the fractures spreading like spiderwebs. Every movement seemed like a tree transitioning from summer to autumn. Its once invincible armour was falling away, like leaves turning orange and crumbling to the ground.

The creature's movements became sluggish, each step a little more laboured than the last, as if the weight of the world itself was pressing down on it. Its mighty roar faltered into a guttural growl, the sound hollow and desperate. The black oily skin dried up, the burning fire in its eyes died.

It stared at me for a brief, eternal moment, its gaze filled with the kind of loathing only something truly ancient could possess.

Then, with a final shudder, it collapsed.

For a moment, the world felt quiet, the chaos of the battle around us almost muted. Even Qrow, cutting down a dozen Grimm in a single motion, seemed distant, as if the sound of his strikes had been swallowed by the weight of the moment.

I fell to my knees, coughing desperately.

My mouth tasted like acid.

Or maybe blood.

Qrow appeared next to me, speaking words, but they felt far away. Like they were drowned out by water.

I had nothing left.

A hand squeezed mine, and I squeezed back desperately.

Qrow's voice cut through the haze, more urgent this time.

"Can you get—"

"We need to—"

"Get back to town."

I nodded, feeling like I was more a bobblehead than human. Every movement was heavy, sluggish, as if the very act of moving took every last ounce of my will. I grabbed Qrow's arm, my fingers clumsy and uncoordinated.

Curtain rustled

Chapter Text

Ozpin couldn't help it; he felt nervous as the Bullhead flew forward at a breakneck speed.

It was strange, he mused, for an immortal to feel this way. Most people believed beings like him, who had seen and endured so much, would have outgrown fear.

They could not be more wrong.

With age came perspective, and with perspective came worries. Endless, unrelenting worries. Worries that flowed like a river, carving deeper channels with every passing year.

No, in his thousands of years, his worries hadn't lessened; they had only multiplied.

And so, instead of feeling confident or detached, Ozpin was gripped with a deep unease as he thought about what awaited him at the end of this journey.

A Grimm horde was dangerous even under the best circumstances. Even with multiple teams of hunters, such an assault could only be slowed, never stopped. And if the horde had truly swept through Mimal, the outcomes were limited, none of them promising.

One, the people of Mimal had somehow repelled the attack.

That, he knew, was impossible. Even fortified cities like Vale, with their battalions of skilled hunters, could be overwhelmed by a Grimm horde of sufficient size. Mimal was no fortress; it was a small, isolated settlement with little in the way of defences. At best, the town might have boasted a few guards or an overworked officer. Not a single hunter called it home, Ozpin would have known.

Two, the Grimm had simply annihilated the town and moved on.

Ozpin grimaced at the thought. Loath as he was to admit it, this was the most likely scenario. When a Grimm horde descended on a settlement, it rarely left survivors. Towns like Mimal didn't just fall, they disappeared, swallowed whole by the destruction.

Three, they had somehow killed the Elder Grimm commanding the horde.

This was the most hopeful, and at least plausible. Elder Grimm were ancient, cunning, and monstrously powerful. But they weren't invincible. Without Amber's presence, he would have said killing one have been unthinkable.

With her…

In the old days, such creatures could only be defeated by the greatest of mages. And even then, it was rarely a solitary effort. Armies were often required to finish the job.

And Amber?

For all her promise, Amber was still young and inexperienced in her role as the Fall Maiden. She lacked the skill, the control, and the raw power needed to face such a foe alone. Her spells were elementary things, and she had continuously refused to learn more advanced ones.

Which meant there was a very real chance that when Ozpin stepped off this Bullhead, he would find only ruins. The townspeople would be dead, the Fall Maiden's powers lost, the mantle fallen into unknown hands.

And that.

That wasn't just a worry.

That would be a catastrophe.

The Bullhead began its descent, the ground rushing up to meet them. Ozpin tightened his grip on Long Memory as the engines whined, slowing for landing. The hum of the aircraft was steady and familiar, almost soothing, but it did little to quell his worries.

When the latch finally opened, Ozpin stepped onto the ramp and froze.

This was Mimal?

He had not set foot in the town for nearly a century, and yet he struggled to reconcile his memories with the devastation before him.

'Or perhaps', he thought grimly, 'it was more accurate to say what remained of Mimal.'

The air was thick with ash, sharp and acrid as it caught in his throat. The jagged, blackened ruins of homes jutted from the earth like skeletal remains, turning the once-bustling town into a wasteland. Scorch marks crisscrossed what few structures still stood, their charred frames sagging under the weight of destruction. From the sky only the town hall had looked relatively intact, though its battered appearance offered little comfort.

Ozpin's heart sank further with each step.

The Grimm were gone, or so it seemed, but their corruption lingered. The land bore their scars: claw marks etched deep into stone, the faintly sour tang of decay hanging in the air, and an eerie stillness that felt alive, oppressive.

The only sounds were the faint whisper of wind and the occasional crackle of distant flames. It was the kind of stillness that wasn't empty but alive, watching, waiting.

A scene ripped straight out of a nightmare.

All of it so hauntingly, so disappointingly, familiar.

Ozpin glanced back at the Bullhead pilot, who met his gaze for a brief moment before quickly looking away. Ozpin couldn't blame him; this kind of desolation had a way of clawing at one's soul, sapping the strength of even the most steadfast.

The thought that this had been a thriving settlement just a day ago, a town alive with laughter and celebration, was probably almost too much to bear. Even Ozpin, burdened by centuries of weariness, felt the ache.

He tightened his grip on Long Memory and turned to the young hunters disembarking behind him.

"Spread out." He commanded, his voice calm but firm. "Search for survivors or clues as to what happened here. Be cautious. The Grimm may seem gone, but they often linger, waiting for those who wander too close."

The young hunters nodded; their movements brisk, edged with uncertainty. They were freshly graduated, their eyes still sharp with hope and determination. Whether they'd faced something like this before, Ozpin didn't know. He only knew that if they hadn't, they would now.

He watched as they fanned out, scanning the area for signs of life. Instead of following them he turned, letting his gaze fall upon the forest they had flown over.

The last time he had been here, the outskirts had been lush with forests, a natural barrier that gave the town its charm. But now, those same woods were a charred wasteland, their skeletal remains standing as mute witnesses to the carnage.

'They must have set the woods ablaze,' Ozpin thought grimly. 'A desperate attempt to buy time.'

It wouldn't have worked. Fire was no match for most Grimm, whose twisted forms were resistant to such mundane elements. It might have slowed them, but nothing more.

Then again, a town such as this needed every advantage it could get.

Ozpin turned back, walking into the town, his boots crunching against scorched earth and rubble. At first, his focus remained on the destruction, his gaze cataloguing every mark, every fragment, every grim reminder of what had occurred. But gradually, another realization began to take shape, gnawing at the edges of his awareness.

Something was wrong.

The thought came quietly at first, a whisper in the back of his mind. But as he moved deeper into the ruins, it grew louder, more insistent. There was something off about the scene, something that didn't align with the devastation around him.

Ozpin paused, his sharp eyes scanning the area again with renewed focus. The wreckage told a clear story: shattered walls, clawed earth, scorched remnants of homes and lives torn apart. And yet, amidst all this destruction, something was missing.

Bodies.

He had yet to see a single body.

Grimm didn't eat people, Grimm killed people.

Some people believed Grimm fed on flesh, but that wasn't true. Grimm weren't normal creatures; they didn't need sustenance. When a horde passed through, there was always a grim trail left behind: broken bodies, blood staining the earth. But as Ozpin's gaze swept over the ruins again, he realized there was nothing. No human remains, no traces of life, just the desolate landscape.

It didn't make sense.

Before Ozpin could gather his thoughts, his eyes snapped to one of the young hunters who had accompanied him. The boy was running at top speed, his aura flaring with a faint shimmer of blue, just strong enough to protect him from the force of his own movements.

The young hunter skidded to a stop, his face pale, eyes wide with shock. "Headmaster." He said, panting slightly, "you need to see this."

"Lead the way." Ozpin instructed, stepping forward with a measured pace. The hunter turned and led him through the debris, past what remained of collapsed homes and mangled carts. The destruction only seemed to deepen as they ventured further, but Ozpin kept his attention on the young man leading him, trying to gauge his reaction.

The devastation seemed to grow worse with every step, the air thickening with ash and the lingering acrid scent of smoke. And then, faint at first, Ozpin began to hear it: the unmistakable murmur of voices. It was faint, indistinct, but undeniably human. Too many voices to belong to just the small group of hunters he had brought. His pace slowed as he listened, his sharp mind sifting through possibilities. If this had been half an hour later, those voices might have belonged to soldiers or a relief force, combing the ruins for survivors.

But no reinforcements had arrived. Not this quickly, and not without his knowledge.

No, these had to be the townsfolk.

His suspicions solidified as they rounded the corner, and the town hall came into view. Unlike the rest of Mimal, which lay in ruin, the building stood firm. A last bastion of defiance against the destruction.

It was the oldest and largest structure in the town, built of heavy stone, its thick walls a stark contrast to the now-charred wooden homes surrounding it. The windows had been barricaded hastily with planks and furniture, and the massive stone doors were closed, guarded by two of his hunters.

"How many?" Ozpin asked, his voice quiet.

"Most of the town." The hunter who had guided him replied. "Maybe a hundred, give or take. Some were injured, but they're stable for now. A few of us have been keeping watch to make sure no Grimm have followed."

Ozpin nodded, his gaze lingering on the stone doors for a moment longer. "Good work. Stay vigilant." He placed a hand on the massive door, the cool stone under his palm grounding him for a moment. He pushed lightly, and the door shifted just enough to allow him to slip through.

Inside, the murmurs became a chorus, growing in volume as the heavy stone doors slowly let light into the hall again.

Ozpin took a step into the hall, his movements deliberate and measured as he surveyed the scene before him. The muted glow of lanterns cast flickering shadows over the walls, highlighting the faces of the gathered townsfolk. Exhaustion clung to them like a second skin, their hollow eyes staring out from beneath layers of grime and soot. Yet, even through their weariness, there was a spark, a fragile, defiant flicker of life.

The unmistakable sight of dozens of Dust rifles pointed squarely at him was far less encouraging. The men holding them, uniformed, battered, and trembling from fatigue, were clearly the remnants of the town guard. Their weapons shook in unsteady hands, their eyes wide with lingering fear and desperation.

Ozpin met their gaze with calm authority, his expression softening just enough to ease the tension in the room.

"You can lower your weapons." He said gently, his voice carrying over the low hum of murmurs. "I am not here to harm you. My name is Ozpin, and I am the headmaster at Beacon."

The guards hesitated, their rifles wavering. One among them, a man wearing some kind of costume, spoke up. "It's fine, that's Ozpin alright, I've seen him before on the scroll before."

That was all they needed apparently, dropping their weapons in pure relief.

As the guards stopped pointing their rifles at him, Ozpin took the opportunity to let his eyes sweep the room. The doors were reinforced with makeshift barricades, tables, chairs, and even parts of shattered carts piled high to block entry. Every window was sealed in the same way, leaving no point of vulnerability unaddressed.

The hall was vast, a monument to a time when Mimal had been more than a small, isolated settlement. Its vaulted ceiling soared high above, and the sturdy stone walls radiated an air of steadfast endurance, a stark contrast to the shattered world beyond. The room's sheer scale allowed hundreds of survivors to huddle within its embrace.

They clustered together in tight-knit groups, whispering in hushed tones, their faces carved with lines of exhaustion and grief. Though the hall felt full, it couldn't account for everyone.

Mimal, even in its decline, had housed almost a thousand people.

All of it felt tragic, but it wasn't quite tragic enough to stop his gaze from being drawn, almost irresistibly, to the centre of the hall.

There, surrounded by a reverent emptiness, were four figures. The people in the room had given them a wide berth, creating a natural clearing that framed them. The scene had an almost surreal quality to it, the surrounding crowd fading into the background like the strokes of an unfinished painting.

His eyes swept over them, and he felt his eyes widen as he saw not one, but two familiar faces.

"Took you long enough." Came a rasping voice from the tallest among them. The words were punctuated by a dry cough, but their delivery was unmistakably casual.

Ozpin's lips twitched into the faintest of smiles. "And I'd say it's unexpected to see you here, Qrow." His eyes didn't linger on his old ally for long, already flicking to the others.

"It's not every day you finally track down your charge," Qrow replied, shifting his weight and crossing his arms with practiced nonchalance, "only to find she's decided to throw herself into the middle of a Grimm invasion. Figured I'd stick around to see how this little show ends."

"And what a drama it appears to be." Ozpin remarked, his tone measured but with an undercurrent of concern.

"Well, it wasn't exactly the plan you know." Amber spoke up, brushing away her auburn brown her.

Ozpin raised a single eyebrow, his expression betraying a mix of amusement and exasperation. Amber had a remarkable talent for finding, or creating, trouble. It was the reason he been surprised to see Qrow here after all. The last time he had heard from Qrow, he had lost her, again.

Amber was safe, that was obvious, so instead his eyes slid over to the two unfamiliar faces sitting beside Qrow.

They sat slumped in a pair of chairs; their postures heavy with exhaustion. The girl, unremarkable at first glance, had blonde hair that framed a freckled face. If she possessed Aura, it must have been a recent development; her features still bore the subtle imperfections that Aura typically smoothed away over time, small scars, uneven tones, and the marks of a life lived unshielded.

She stared at him with piercing green eyes, their intensity cutting through the weariness etched into her face. It wasn't the vague wariness of someone thrust into chaos; it felt sharper, more deliberate, as if she were sizing him up. Her gaze carried a personal edge, as though she had a grudge against what he represented. Or perhaps, more pragmatically, the authority he wielded.

Being Headmaster of Beacon came with its share of scrutiny. People often didn't like how much power came with the title, especially when so much of it was cloaked in mystery.

Even so, he doubted he had ever crossed paths with this girl directly. No, the edge in her gaze, the sharp suspicion that hardened into something more defensive as he stepped closer, likely had little to do with him personally.

More likely, it had everything to do with the boy slumped beside her.

The boy leaned heavily against her, his head resting on her shoulder as though she were the only thing keeping him upright. His breathing was shallow, his body slack, his skin unnaturally pale and damp with cold sweat.

'Aura exhaustion', Ozpin assessed instantly. To Ozpin, the signs were unmistakable: the tremor in his limbs, the drained, almost lifeless posture, and the faint but strained rise and fall of his chest. The toll it had taken on him was obvious.

It was equally clear why the crowd treated them with such reverence. The pair, these unassuming teenagers, were almost certainly some part of the reason Mimal wasn't a mass grave.

And yet, one detail stood out starkly in Ozpin's mind.

Their age.

Sixteen, perhaps seventeen, barely old enough to begin formal training at Beacon. It was almost inconceivable that their actions could have in any way helped turned the tide, especially considering how recently their Aura seemed to have been activated.

And yet, it seemed that to the townspeople, their actions had been as central to the defence as those of Amber or Qrow.

'Interesting.'

"So," Ozpin began, his tone calm yet laced with curiosity. He took a measured step forward, unfazed by the way the girl's piercing green eyes sharpened further, her expression hardening as though bracing for a threat.

"Who are our new friends?"

Amber moved to respond, her mouth opening as if to explain. But before a word escaped her, Qrow stepped forward, all but metaphorically pushing her aside. He placed himself between Ozpin and the pair, his posture subtly defensive.

That reaction gave Ozpin pause. Qrow, of all people, knew he had no intention of harming children.

"We'll explain." Qrow said, his voice calm but firm. "But let us get some rest first."

Ozpin let his gaze linger on the pair, his eyes sweeping over their exhausted forms one last time. Each detail seemed to spark more questions, the puzzle growing more intricate the longer he observed them. But instead of pressing further, he allowed a practiced, reassuring smile to slip onto his face.

"Of course." He replied smoothly, stepping back and gesturing with a light wave of his hand.

…..

A day. That was how long he had to wait to get his answers.

Though Ozpin had been eager to ask his questions earlier, the girl had proven elusive. Whenever he tried to approach her, she seemed to vanish, always just out of reach. It was almost as if she were deliberately avoiding him. No matter the moment or location, whenever he sought her out, she would be elsewhere.

Apparently, she wasn't willing to speak until her companion was awake, and Ozpin couldn't help but admire that loyalty, even if it was a bit frustrating.

Of course, Mimal was once again bustling with activity, with the Military having arrived. Though, maybe slightly understaffed. They had thought they would find a smouldering wreck, and at most a handful of survivors.

Not a couple of hundred people, all needing food and water.

Still, it didn't change the situation. Mimal was almost certainly done for, which meant that most of these people would have to be relocated. That meant taking them to Vale first, which meant waiting for transport airships to arrive. At first he had been the one that organized this, but with the arrival of senior officers they had taken over the task.

This should have given him time, time to interrogate Qrow or, if necessary, Amber.

If not for the fact that they seemed to have just packed up and left.

It was maddening, and so completely in character that Ozpin didn't know how he hadn't seen it coming. Amber, no matter how much she pretended, hated responsibility. It was one of her more annoying traits, how she seemed to run away, not finishing anything if it got too hard.

And Qrow?

Well, Amber had to learn it from somewhere, right?

Either way, Ozpin could still sort of form a picture of the situation from talking to the locals. Qrow wasn't traveling with them from the start, he had just showed up during around the same time the Grimm horde had. It was Amber who had been leading them, with the locals assuming the boy and girl were her apprentices.

Asking about what they had actually done, gave mixed results. The locals seemed to think they had set the forest on fire, held the pass into town for hours, and somehow, improbably, killed the Elder.

It all sounded completely insane.

But it wasn't entirely impossible.

Which made Ozpin itch to get information from a firsthand source.

And now, as with the boy awake, it seemed that opportunity had come knocking.

Ozpin dismissed the young soldier who had delivered the news and hurriedly made his way to the medical tent, where they boy had slept.

He found the girl there, talking to the boy with a small smile on her face. One that disappeared as she turned around to see him.

"You don't like me." Ozpin noted.

The girl wasn't the one to respond, instead, it was the boy who answered. He flashed a wry smile, his voice casual.

"Don't take it personally, pretty sure she just doesn't like authority figures." He said, letting out a faked ouch as the girl haphazardly punched his arm. It didn't seem to hurt, going by the way his lips struggled to contain a smile.

"I see, but not to worry, I have about as much authority over you as any other average citizen. Unless you are hunters, I can't even order you stand up." Ozpin joked.

The boy chuckled softly, but the girl's expression remained guarded. The silence between them lingered for a moment before Ozpin gave a slight nod.

"Well then, perhaps we can talk now that you're both awake?" he asked, his tone shifting just enough to signal that he was eager to hear their side of the story.

"You want us." The girl answered instead, her face passive and tone neutral.

For a moment Ozpin paused. It was odd, how hostile the girl was, most people he met fell over themselves trying to please him and the ones that didn't usually had a more personal hatred for him. The girl seemed to simply not like him instead, which was new.

"I'm not sure I follow?" Ozpin replied carefully.

"You're the headmaster for that academy of hunters, right? You want us to join." She was asking, but her tone was certain.

He let the silence sit a little trying to figure out why she would accuse him of that. It was odd, since they didn't even have the chance to speak yet, even more odd since she was right.

"I'm not sure I want anything from you." Ozpin replied, maintaining his calm demeanour. "But it's hard to ignore what you've done here. You showed remarkable strength, resourcefulness…" He trailed off slightly, his gaze shifting to the boy, then back to her. "You've earned more than a passing glance, certainly."

"And that's enough to get into the most prestigious school in the world." She answered back sharply, like it was a clever rebuttal.

It wasn't, simply because their accomplishments were more than enough to get into Beacon. Even if they didn't have Aura for long, any of their feats, if they were even remotely like what the locals had described, would have immediately allowed them to try out.

"Yes." Ozpin answered calmly and was surprised to see the girl suddenly loose some of her aggression. Like the wind was taken out of her sails as she realized she had misread the situation somewhat.

"What you accomplished here, it's nothing short of miraculous. Do you know how many towns have survived a Grimm horde in recent times, how many elder Grimm that we have slain in the last years?" Ozpin asked.

Neither of them spoke up, it was obvious they had no idea.

"None." He answered his own question.

The silence was deafening.

"A Grimm horde is the kind of thing that can destroy a kingdom. An Elder Grimm? Killing one is a once in a lifetime event. You can see how what happened here could be of some interest?" Ozpin tried again.

The boy glanced at the girl, who was staring at him again, like she was trying to figure out how she read him wrong the first time. Letting out a small sigh, the boy stared into the ceiling of the tent, before hardening his face.

"Ok, I'll explain what happened, but you have to promise that you will not…" He trailed off, like he wasn't sure what he wanted to say.

"If we explain." the girl interjected, "you let us on one of those planes to Vale. If we want to leave after that, you let us go. No questions asked."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow, it was clear she wasn't looking to be manipulated, but he could respect that. It wasn't unreasonable to want a guarantee, though he would probably still keep an eye on them.

"I can promise that" Ozpin said, his voice steady. "If you choose to leave after explaining, you'll have no trouble getting to Vale, and no one will stop you."

The girl scrutinized him, her calculating gaze searching for any trace of insincerity. After a long pause, she nodded.

Then the boy began to speak.

It was a story of ignorance, desperation, and the impossible—a tale Ozpin absorbed in attentive silence. Much of what the boy described defied belief, but in his centuries of life, Ozpin had learned that the line between improbable and impossible was often blurred.

The locals' accounts had sounded implausible enough, but hearing the events recounted firsthand made it clear that what truly transpired had been even more extraordinary.

And then there were their abilities.

The boy spoke at length about his teleportation, detailing how he'd used it during the chaos. He described his early struggles with control, the disorienting sensation of moving through space, and the precision he was only just beginning to grasp. Despite his modesty, it was clear the ability had been instrumental in saving lives.

The girl, however, was another mystery entirely.

She had said little, her responses sharp and sparing, but the boy mentioned, almost in passing, that she could find things. He didn't elaborate, and Ozpin was careful not to press just yet. Still, the implication lingered. Find things. What did that mean? People? Objects? Pathways through the Grimm?

While most would naturally focus on the boy and his striking ability, Ozpin's instincts told him otherwise. The girl's gift, vague as it seemed, might be even more valuable. Semblances that provided information, insight into what others could not see, were among the rarest and most powerful of all.

And yet, the possibilities extended beyond semblances. If their story was true, if this supposed cult had indeed discovered a way to grant extraordinary abilities, it raised profound and troubling questions.

Ozpin couldn't ignore the tantalizing possibility that the cult had unearthed remnants of the old civilization. A relic of the gods could possibly do what they spoke of, after all it was an relic of the gods which granted humanity the ability to activate Aura.

For now, Ozpin kept his thoughts to himself, his expression calm and unreadable. Whether their abilities were born of semblances, magic, or something else entirely, these two represented an enigma. And enigmas, Ozpin knew from long experience, often held the keys to unlocking far greater mysteries.

Aleksander finished his story with a casual shrug, his tone deceptively light given the weight of the tale he'd just told.

"So that's more or less it," he said, leaning back slightly, "a couple of hours ago, I woke up, and Lisa caught me up."

"I see." he said finally, his voice calm and measured. "Thank you for sharing that. It couldn't have been easy to relive."

The boy tilted his head, watching him warily. "You're taking this pretty well." He noted.

Ozpin allowed himself a small smile. "You'd be surprised at the kinds of stories I've heard over the years. Still, yours is… quite unique."

"Because it sounds insane." Lisa interjected, her tone flat.

"Because it's extraordinary." Ozpin corrected gently. His gaze shifted between the two of them. "What you've accomplished is nothing short of remarkable, no matter how one chooses to frame it. Whether it was luck, skill, or something else entirely, you both saved lives. That is not something to dismiss lightly."

Lisa's posture softened slightly, though her expression remained sceptical. The boy, on the other hand, seemed more at ease, his earlier wariness giving way to cautious curiosity.

"So, what now?" he boy asked.

Ozpin straightened, his expression turning thoughtful. "That depends on you. As I mentioned before, no one will stop you if you wish to leave. A transport to Vale will be ready soon, and you'll be free to go wherever you choose."

Lisa narrowed her eyes. "But you'd rather we join you."

Ozpin met her gaze evenly. "I believe your potential is worth exploring. Whatever the source of your abilities, they could be honed and perfected. Beacon Academy exists for precisely that purpose, to train those with extraordinary gifts to protect the world. If you were willing, I would offer you that opportunity."

The boy exchanged a glance with Lisa, who seemed to be silently weighing his words. Finally, she spoke, her voice sharp but quieter than before.

"And if we say no?"

"Then you leave." Ozpin replied simply. "No questions asked."

Lisa studied him for a moment longer, her piercing gaze searching for any hint of deception. Finding none, she relaxed, though only slightly.

The boy leaned forward, his eyes flicking between Ozpin and Lisa. "What do you think?"

Lisa didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned her attention back to Ozpin. "If we do agree, what happens next? You just ship us off to your fancy school and expect us to fall in line?"

Ozpin chuckled softly. "Hardly. Everyone follows their own path, Miss Lisa. My role would be to provide guidance and opportunity, not to dictate your choices. But that is a decision only you can make."

The room fell silent once more as the two of them exchanged another glance. Finally, the boy exhaled deeply, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Well," he said, turning to Lisa, "it's not like we have a better plan, do we?"

Lisa rolled her eyes, like they have already had this discussion once before. But after a moment, she gave a reluctant nod.

"Fine," she said, her tone begrudging. "But if you try anything, we're gone."

Ozpin inclined his head, his smile warm, but restrained. "A fair arrangement."

Chapter Text

My back hit the training mat for what felt like the billionth time today, the impact jolting the air from my lungs. I didn't even try to get up. Instead, I splayed out like a defeated octopus, my limbs sprawled in all directions as I stared blankly at the ceiling. The world spun lazily, a carousel of dizziness and exhaustion.

"Better." Came the dry, unimpressed voice of my new personal devil.

I didn't bother answering. Instead, I let out a groan that felt like it came from the deepest, most tired part of my soul.

"Want a break? Or are you too comfortable laying there." The voice continued.

Comfortable? I could barely tell which way was up. I wanted to lay here forever.

Of course, I knew if I tried to communicate that, things would go to shit really fast.

With monumental effort, I clawed myself off the ground, groaning as my body protested every movement. My arms felt like lead, and my legs weren't much better, but I managed to sit up. I threw a glance toward Lisa, my so-called partner, who was currently lounging in a nearby chair like she had just won some sort of victory. Her face still glistened with sweat, proof that she'd been through the same punishing session as me.

Of course, she wasn't so tired that she couldn't give me a taunting smile.

"Enjoying the view down there?" she teased, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.

I narrowed my eyes at her, forcing myself to stand despite my shaky legs. "Don't get too comfortable in that chair. You're next."

Her grin widened even further, like a fox that had cornered a mouse. "Next? But that was only your second round. You still have another one left before we switch."

Before I could fire back, our trainer's voice cut through the room, smooth and unrelenting. "Oh, I see you seem full of energy Lisa. Well, in that case, how about you fight me together?"

Both Lisa and I froze. I turned to her, and she looked back at me, the smugness vanishing from her expression in an instant. Her mouth opened like she was about to protest, but no sound came out.

To be fair, I was my face was probably stuck in the same expression.

When I first arrived at Beacon, I thought my teleportation ability would give me an edge. Sure, my fighting skills weren't polished, but I figured I could just blink out of trouble faster than anyone could catch me. That illusion had been shattered faster than I could even blink. Fighting against Glynda? It had been a humbling experience. Fighting a Beacon first years afterward? That was downright humiliating.

And even after almost two weeks of backbreaking training I was still convinced any random Bacon first year could still smack me around.

"Uh," Lisa started, her voice unsteady, "you sure about that? I mean, we're barely standing, and, uh…"

She trailed off as Glynda's smile widened. The smile was far from reassuring, instead it was the kind that promised pain. I think she might have patented it, because it happened to be the only smile, she ever really used.

"Do you think the Grimm will give you time to rest? Or criminals, for that matter?" Glynda's tone was razor-sharp, cutting through any excuses we might come up with. She raised an eyebrow, her presence towering over me like a storm cloud. "You are already behind. The semester starts in a week, and you'll be up against students who have trained their entire lives for this."

I glanced at Lisa, trying to gauge her reaction. Her expression had shifted, her features hardening with determination. If there was one thing I knew about Lisa, it was this: while she might hate being told what to do, she downright despised being underestimated.

The idea that we might have been let into Beacon through some kind of backdoor deal, and that it might show during initiation? That thought alone would probably eat away at her more than any harsh words Glynda could throw at us. Lisa's ego wasn't just about pride, it was her armour, the thing she wrapped herself in to push through whatever came her way. And right now, I could see the steel forming in her green eyes.

Her jaw tightened, and her lips pressed into a thin line. "Fine," she said, her voice steady but sharp. "Initiation, training, whatever. Let's go."

"Excellent." Glynda's eyes glinted with a sharp approval that somehow managed to feel both encouraging and utterly merciless.

It was almost funny.

Lisa could read people like they were open books. With her power, she could figure out someone's deepest, darkest secrets in seconds. She had to know Glynda was provoking her on purpose.

And yet, somehow, she fell for it every damn time.

A mystery of the ages, to be sure.

"You got a plan Foxy?" I asked.

….

My face was planted firmly on the cafeteria table. Not resting on my arms, not propped up in some semblance of human dignity, no. Just full-on-cheek-to-wood contact like the defeated heap of exhaustion I had become. If the table could absorb my soul and let me drift into oblivion, I would gladly let it.

Across from me, Lisa barely managed to lift her head high enough to shovel food into her mouth, her arms trembling like leaves in the wind. Whether it was from strength training or Glynda's telekinesis slamming her into the wall too hard, I couldn't tell.

I stared at her menacingly, supremely annoyed that she was even managing to eat. What gave her the right?

"You know," she muttered between bites, noticing my look, "maybe next time, don't teleport into the wall."

Her comment was fuel to the smouldering fire of my irritation. Slowly, painfully, I lifted myself off the table and shot her a glare I liked to imagine could melt steel.

"Maybe," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "if you didn't scream every time a projectile came your way, I wouldn't have had to teleport at all."

Lisa raised an eyebrow, pausing mid-chew. "Excuse me? That projectile was the size of a boulder and headed for my face. Forgive me for wanting my skull to stay intact."

I rolled my eyes. "It was a training exercise. Glynda wasn't actually going to let you get hit."

"Oh, right," Lisa shot back, her voice rising with mock indignation, "because the woman who slammed me into the floor like a ragdoll definitely knows the meaning of restraint."

"That was your fault for dropping your guard!"

"Oh, I see how it is, blame the victim."

I groaned and let my forehead thunk back against the table. I was out of arguments and, frankly, out of the will to live. "You're impossible."

"Um... can I sit here?"

A timid voice broke through our bickering. I turned my head, very slowly, because fast movements hurt, to see her.

A bunny Faunus?

My face turned pale.

Instantly, I was transported back to one of our first days here, when Glynda had taken one look at our lack of training and declared, "Since teleporting will apparently keep you alive, let's test that against a first-year student."

It was her, the Faunus from that sparring match. The one who'd knocked me out cold and made me question all of my life choices.

Lisa, of course, was now openly snickering at me, leaning back in her chair like she was savouring every second of my horror.

Her large, floppy ears twitched as she shifted nervously under my scrutiny. It felt ridiculous, considering that the last time I'd seen her, it was right before she hit me hard enough to knock me out.

And that was through the rest of my Aura.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry…" She began softly, before trailing off.

"Sorry?" I repeated, unsure if I had heard her right. "For what?"

She looked down at her hands, her ears twitching nervously. "I, I just felt bad about the sparring session," Velvet said, her voice quiet and apologetic. "I mean, I know I was a bit… overwhelming." She winced slightly at her own words. "I didn't mean to make it so hard for you, but Glynda..."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words caught in my throat. Overwhelming? I mean, she had been polite about it, but I was pretty sure my Aura hadn't been the only thing that got overwhelmed during that match. My ego still hadn't recovered.

Even so I didn't think she had to apologize for trying her best. If Glynda had told me to not go easy on somebody, not listening sounded like a profoundly stupid idea.

Lisa jumped in before I could respond, clearly relishing the moment. "Oh, he's totally fine," she said with a smirk, "he needed those face-plants to really get in the groove, considering how much faceplanting he has done since."

Our new friend blinked, properly registering Lisa's presence for the first time.

"Oh, you're here too! I wanted to apologize to you too…"

I slammed my palm against the table hard enough to make the cutlery rattle, cutting her off. Back home, that would've drawn stares from everyone. Here? No one even blinked.

"I knew it!" I practically shouted at Lisa, my finger jabbing toward her. "You didn't have to fight my ass!"

Lisa looked at me, her face a picture of confusion. I wasn't falling for it.

"Don't play innocent!" I jabbed a finger at her again. "You told me Glynda 'understood your value' and that you didn't have to spar because your skills 'lay elsewhere.'" I air-quoted aggressively. "I knew that was bullshit!"

"What are you talking about?" Lisa asked innocently, glancing at Velvet. "We didn't have to fight, right Velvet?"

Velvet looked hopelessly lost, her eyes darting between us. Lisa, staring at Velvet, wore the most innocent expression I'd ever seen on her, one that screamed I-am-gaslighting-you-but-you-better-agree-if-not-there-will-be-consiquences.

"Are you bullying our poor bunny?"

The voice came from behind me, and I turned to see three people joining us.

'Velvet's team.' That was my first thought.

They walked together with that unconscious ease of people who trusted each other, following the lead of a girl in a beret. Berret girl didn't waste a moment, sliding in next to velvet, making the whole thing look completely casual.

"No!" Velvet jumped to our defence, after a beat, flapping her hands. "They're just joking!"

"Joking with my bunny? How dare you," the beret girl teased, then smiled at us. "Mind if we sit here? Cafeteria's pretty packed."

Lisa and I raised an eyebrow in unison, looking at the way she had already sat down.

"Sure." I shrugged.

Beret-girl smiled, motioning for her two teammates to sit. "Fantastic! We're Team CFVY, by the way. I'm Coco. That giant over there is Yatsuhashi. The serious one next to your friend is Fox. And of course, you've already met our precious Velvet."

Velvet made a noise that could only be described as an embarrassed squeak and Lisa gave her a look of mock sympathy. "Don't worry, Velvet," she said with a smirk. "I'm used to being embarrassed by my companion too."

I shot her a glare that could peel paint.

"I'm Lisa, and the surly one is Aleksander." She continued.

"Ah," Coco said, adjusting her sunglasses as she appraised us. "You two must be Glynda's 'special projects.'"

Lisa froze mid-sip. "Special projects? That's what we're called now?"

"Among other things." Fox said, his voice calm but laced with a dry humour.

Lisa bristled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Relax. Nothing bad. Just that Glynda's been running you two through the wringer. Word gets around. Everyone's wondering what you're doing that's got her so worked up." Coco said, smirking.

"Maybe we're just that good." Lisa said cockily.

Coco glanced meaningfully at Velvet, who shrank.

"Right." Coco said sarcastically.

Lisa glowered, and I sensed the impending disaster before it could even get off its feet.

"You know anything about Initiation? Glynda keeps talking about it, how we need to be prepared." I jumped in, trying to find a more innocent line of questioning.

Apparently, it wasn't the right line, because all of them glanced at each other uneasily.

"Not much we can say, but it's how your team for the next four years gets decided," Coco said slowly, her voice dropping slightly. "You've probably noticed by now, right? How most people sit in groups of four?"

"Groups of four?" I echoed, glancing around. Now that Coco mentioned it, it was obvious. The cafeteria was a sea of tight-knit clusters, each table hosting its own quartet. Sure, there were exceptions, but the pattern was unmistakable once pointed out.

We'd been here for weeks, and somehow, I'd missed it. I'd just assumed it would be Lisa and me together when it mattered. She clearly hadn't shared that assumption, judging by the way she didn't even flinch at Coco's words. Figures. She probably already knew and decided it wasn't worth bringing up.

Lisa's scowl faded slightly as her gaze followed mine. "Wait… so Initiation isn't just some trial? It's, like, team-building?"

"I mean, kind of?" Fox answered, before muttering, "Though team-building is a really strong word."

"What do you mean, 'a strong word'?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at Fox, before turning towards Coco. "Didn't you say that was the whole point? To form, 'the team you'll be on for the next four years?'" I finished, adding air quotes.

Fox was the one who answered again, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Team-building sounds... cooperative. Initiation's more like throwing you into chaos and seeing who survives."

Yatsuhashi chuckled softly, his deep voice almost soothing. "It's not that bad. But it's definitely a test. You'll be judged on how you adapt, how you interact, and, most importantly, how you contribute. You don't just get to pick your team. The test picks it for you."

Lisa shot him a sceptical look. "The test picks it? What, is it a personality quiz? 'What weapon matches your aura?' 'How do you feel about the colour purple?'"

"Not quite. Think less 'personality quiz' and more 'trial by fire.' You make split-second decisions, and those decisions will define who you end up with. You'll know it when you see it." Coco said.

"It's not just about skill, though. It's about trust. A team can't work if the members don't trust each other. So usually, you get put on teams with people that it seems like you would be able to work with." Velvet earnestly added.

Lisa raised a sceptical eyebrow, probably wondering how you were supposed to trust a team that was formed for you. And as she opened my mouth my Lisa-sense went off, sensing another impending explosion.

"So, we're doomed, then," I said dryly, "since some people," I jerked my thumb at her, "are obviously not to be trusted."

Team CFVY cracked a smile while Lisa, ever the professional, stuck her tongue out at me like a five-year-old.

Coco smirked, resting her chin in her hand. "Honestly? In the beginning, trust isn't really the problem. Lack of respect is." Her gaze sharpened with interest as she leaned forward slightly. "But hey, I'm curious, what's your whole deal?"

Lisa stirred her cocoa nonchalantly, her tone far too casual to be anything but trouble. "Oh, you know. The usual. We got superpowers from a cult, stopped a Grimm horde, and killed an Elder Grimm."

Coco's smirk wavered, her sunglasses slipping down slightly as she tilted her head. "Uh-huh. Right. So what's the not-bullshit version?"

She turned to me, like I was the sane one. I met her gaze with a deadpan expression and shrugged.

"Yeah, no, that's pretty much right."

….

The days blurred together, and as Initiation loomed closer, I found myself sitting on the roof of our dorm again. The cool night air wrapped around me, carrying the faint hum of crickets and the soft rustling of leaves.

It had taken nearly a week of practice, but I had finally managed to get comfortable in a meditative position. Tonight, I closed my eyes and let the light of the shattered moon wash over me.

Slow, deep breaths.

Focus on nothing.

And then, I connected.

I didn't teleport. I didn't force anything. I simply felt. Felt the space that allowed me to teleport, the fabric of reality shifting ever so slightly as I brushed against its edges.

The sensation of unreality greeted me like an old friend. Vast and empty, yet teeming with potential, it was a space between spaces, a world outside of time. It felt infinite, capable of everything and containing nothing. Like standing on the edge of a chasm, unsure whether to leap or step back.

A world just behind reality, which didn't contain anything real.

A world just behind reality, which contained everything real.

I let myself drift. Not teleporting, not reaching. Just exploring. My awareness sharpened, and I began to notice the currents around me, subtle, faint, always shifting. It felt like running my fingers along the surface of water, sensing its pull without diving in.

But every second I stayed connected, I fell deeper.

It was like stepping behind the curtain of a play, then walking further, towards the back of the theatre. Eventually I reached the backdoor, which led outside.

I touched the handle, slowly, cautiously.

That was a mistake.

The moment I touched the handle, a jolt shot through me, raw and electric. The vast space around me shuddered, rippling like disturbed water. The stillness turned alive, thrumming with chaotic energy that clawed at my senses.

I tried to pull back.

It was way too late.

The void fractured, not like breaking glass, but like a ripple distorting reality.

Suddenly, the air felt thick, pressing against me as if it wanted to suffocate me. My pulse quickened, panic rising in my chest.

I didn't know what I had touched.

The door opened, just a sliver.

I looked at the glimpse.

It was enough.

I saw everything.

A million planets.

A billion galaxies.

A trillion universe.

A quadrillion timelines.

Something staring back.

My eyes bled.

I tried to close them, but they weren't open to begin with.

I tried to claw my way back to the meditative stillness I had cultivated.

It slipped through my fingers like sand.

There was only me, myself and everything.

'I need to close it', The last conscious part of me thought desperately.

I reached for the handle, trying to summon all my focus against the roaring storm.

A voice rang out.

Ḯ̸̲͈͇̝̺̩͇̼̮̫͍͍͉̍̃̄͛͗̀̔̏̇͝ͅͅn̵͚̻̯̬̟̻̹͑̀̓͗̏̒͆̒͒̉͂̂̓̚͜͝q̷͇̞̭̊̌̈͐͒̇̿̑̀͌͊͗̚ͅű̴̞̤̪̭̤͔̮̙̫̳̬͖͕̌͊̄͊̐̍̓̌͂́͘̕͠ì̷̛͉͚̞̪̼̲̓̉͒͂r̶̢̧̠̫̜͓̘̥̮̜̹͉̱̲̩̔̕͝͠y̸̟̳̬͕͕̤̲͍͕̠̅̈́̅̄͂͒̀̽̇̓͆

Q̶͕͓̱̊̈̇́̈̈́̄̂̓͒́̎̅̋̓u̷̢̨̗͓̗̱͓̘̯̝̟̘̽̓̒̊̄̓̄̄̾͆̇̀̓̕͝e̶̢̘̭̱̥͒̀̾͂̍̍̌͌͌͋̏r̵̛͇̀͋͂̀̂̐̄̇̓̑̽͝ÿ̶̙̙̫̙̙̹̣͙͍̣͓͎̙́̈͆̍̐̂̇͑̑

C̵̱̔̈́͝ͅö̶̡̳͖̲͈̜̈́n̸̛̛̗̱̪̖̱͑̊̋͛͂̄̓͛́̆ͅn̵̦̿ë̵̢̲́̅̂̌̿͠c̵̼̟̠̖̪̈́̈͊͆ͅṱ̵̝̗̭̪͍̎̈̀̆͑̿͑ị̷̻̍́̊̀̿͂͒̾̌̽̋̅̓͗ó̸̡̘̙͎͉̼̩̜̥̝̄n̸̻̝̣̭̗̖̐̂̏͛͝?̶̛̻̓̅̓͗̆͌̏̓͛̅̽͒̒́

It wasn't mine.

It wasn't familiar.

And yet, it somehow was.

The voice hit like a sledgehammer to my brain.

My willpower gave out, and I let myself go.

For a moment I was sure this was the end.

It wasn't.

A hand landed on my shoulder.

The fractured world around me snapped back into focus. The sharp edges of the void faded, the oppressive energy evaporating like a storm cloud dispersing under sunlight. My pulse, still racing, began to slow. The suffocating pressure lifted, and I felt my feet reconnect with the ground, grounding me back in reality.

I blinked rapidly, my eyes dry.

Less than a split second. That was all it had taken. Less than a moment, and yet it had been enough to almost tear my mind apart.

I blinked again, as if willing the feeling to leave. Then, slowly, I turned to look at the person behind me.

Lisa.

She stood there, her green eyes tinged with rare concern. My hands trembled as I realized what I had almost done. What had almost happened.

"Hey," she said softly, her usual smirk absent. "You doing, okay?"

I stared at her, trying to ground myself in the present.

"Earth to Alex." She waved a hand in front of my face, her tone light but her eyes searching.

Without answering, I sat down, having no idea when I even stood up. Lisa followed suit, sitting beside me without another word.

For nearly a week, I'd been meditating on my powers, as Glynda had suggested. This was the first time I had connected so deeply, and the first time something like this had happened.

"I think I found it." I said suddenly, breaking the silence.

Lisa tilted her head, confusion flickering across her face.

"I think I know how to teleport between worlds." I clarified.

She didn't respond immediately. We just stared at each other for a moment. My blue eyes locked with her green ones, and for a second, I couldn't read her expression. It was a mix of guarded curiosity and something else, something I couldn't place. Back when we first arrived, she'd asked over and over if I'd figured out how to get her home. But over the weeks, those questions had tapered off, like she'd stopped believing I could do it... Or maybe, like she wasn't sure she even wanted to go back anymore.

"Oh." She said simply, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"Yeah." I responded, feeling the need to do something, say something more, but instead I simply felt…

I wasn't quite sure what I felt.

Sadness?

Happiness?

Maybe it was just uncertainty.

"So, you have a way to go back to Earth Bet?" She asked, her voice carefully managed.

"Not yet, but I think I am getting closer." I tried not to think about what that meant.

Lisa didn't respond immediately. Instead, she leaned slightly against me. My arm twitched, unsure if she wanted me to put it around her or just stay still.

"You know," she said after a long pause, "the more I think about it… the more I realize my life back home was pretty shit."

A wry smile crept onto my face. She wasn't wrong. Everything she'd told me about Earth Bet painted a picture that was less superheroic and more dystopian. Recruited off the streets by a manipulative mastermind. Living in a city torn between Nazis and a human-trafficking dragon. It all sounded more Watchmen than Marvel.

"If…"

The question hovered on the edge of my mind. If I asked you, would you stay in this world?

I didn't say those words.

Lisa was complicated. Trying to understand how she felt about things? It was like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands.

Even when she talked about her old team, I sensed the doubt in her words, the underlying belief that they'd drop her the second something better came along. Sometimes, I wondered if that was how she felt about me too.

I might have been the person she trusted the most in this world, but that wasn't saying much. The trust I had with her felt fragile, like it could shatter if I pushed too hard. And asking her about staying here? It would feel like a betrayal, like I was breaking my commitment to help her get back.

"If?" Lisa murmured, poking my thigh with a finger.

I flinched, my carefully managed thoughts scattering. "Eh…" I stammered. "If I could send you back right now, what would you do?"

Lisa let out a low laugh, almost sinister. She had that way about her, two-thirds supervillain, one-third girl who might kill you for fun. The fact it looked good on her annoyed me more than I would like to admit.

"Step on a snake."

"Do you mind if I help?"

"I mean, I wouldn't exactly complain if you teleported him to the moon."

"Him?"

"I wouldn't exactly complain if you teleported it to the moon." She said smirked, her expression like a challenge.

I grinned. "Sounds like you're trying to get me to send some poor guy to the moon. How could you ask me to do such a thing?" I paused, pretending to consider it. "Actually, the sun sounds like a better place."

"You might be right." She said with a half-smile, her eyes locked on mine.

Then, without warning, she let her head fall onto my shoulder as she stared up at the broken moon.

Chapter Text

"What do you mean, sleep in the gathering hall?" Lisa asked, her voice dangerously low as she glared at Glynda, eyes narrowed in sharp defiance.

"Initiation is tomorrow," Glynda replied coolly, entirely unfazed by Lisa's withering stare. "Until now, you've been permitted to occupy an empty dorm, but that ends today. Your room needs to be cleaned and prepared for the incoming first-year students. We have already been more than generous in allowing you to stay here, for free, I might add. That ends now."

Lisa looked ready to argue further, but I had already tuned them out. Instead, I quietly started packing my things. I knew how this would play out. Lisa might have been good at a lot of things, but convincing Glynda Goodwitch to change her mind wasn't one of them.

…..

About ten minutes later, I felt a small sense of vindication. I was right, of course.

While I stood outside her room, my bag already packed and slung over my shoulder, Lisa sulked inside, dragging out the inevitable as she shoved things into her bag with exaggerated annoyance.

"You know, we're going to miss Ozpin's speech if you don't get a move on." I said lazily, leaning against the wall.

Lisa shot me a withering glare as she shoved another shirt into her bag. "Oh no, how could I live without that guy's speech?"

I raised an eyebrow. For all the headmaster's accommodations, Lisa really didn't seem to like him. So much so, in fact, that she'd gone so far as to shove me into explaining, very badly, I might add, that we had no idea where our completely made-up cult had been located.

Of course, as typical of Lisa, she never actually explained why she didn't like him.

I'd chalked it up to her digging up some kind of dirty secret on him. That was just her style. Find one thing, then never really give the guy a chance after that.

"Glynda said that if we weren't there, we wouldn't even get the chance to join the Initiation." I pointed out.

Lisa let out a long, exaggerated sigh before shoving her old costume into her bag. She still had it, unlike my clothing, which had been turned ash to during the Mimal incident.

"Fine." she muttered, clearly not happy, but resigned to the situation.

She dragged her bag over her shoulder and walked past me, straight out the door. I gave the room a once-over, just checking if she had actually cleaned it, before I heard her call out to me.

"You coming, Mr. Teacher's Pet?" Lisa's voice rang out.

"Oh, you want to start that game?" I asked, an amused grin tugging at my lips.

"What game?" She shot back, her eyes narrowing.

"Well, then foxy." I said with a sly smile, leaning against the doorframe.

"No." She said, her voice flat. "Lets get going Alex."

I walked past her with exaggerated flair, bowing as I tipped an imaginary hat.

"After you milady."

…..

Even after being warned by Coco and her team, I was still a little shocked by just how many people were in the gathering hall. Beacon was supposed to be a school, but I'd expected something more like a high school assembly of a single grade level, maybe a hundred people, tops.

Instead, the massive hall was nearly packed. Two, or three hundred people, all quietly murmuring as we waited for Ozpin to step onto the stage. Lisa stood next to me, her gaze sweeping over the crowd.

She was probably using her power to gauge who was the most capable, or, well, maybe just trying to find some dirt. I gave it about a fifty-fifty chance.

When I tried to speak to her, she merely hushed me and went back to scanning the crowd.

Maybe I should have felt disrespected, but her hushing face was just….

I cleared my thoughts, turning my attention to the crowd instead.

The first thing I noticed was how colorful everyone looked. If somebody had told me this was a gathering of superheroes, I would've probably believed them. Nobody wore similar outfits, each one was unique, functional, and color-coded. Red, blue, yellow… it was like a living canvas of individualism, each outfit telling its own story.

I felt a little out of place, wearing what was essentially a leather jacket, a black t-shirt, and jeans. It was as if everyone else had effortlessly nailed their personal flair, while I was still trying to figure out what mine even was. Even Lisa stood out in her sleek black outfit, the one she had gotten in Mimal, with purple accents, purposeful and effortlessly cool.

It was like I was the only person who wasn't actively trying to stand out.

The second thing I noticed was that one of our future classmates was apparently famous enough to be on my cereal. She stood a little apart from the others, clearly uncomfortable with the stares people were sending her way.

Red-headed, wearing some kind of bastardized hoplite armour, she was pretty enough to be a movie star back home. Though, to be honest, that statement didn't say much, considering almost everyone in the room could've qualified.

Even so, she had that kind of presence, one that made people take notice, even if she didn't seem to want the attention. I wondered if she felt as out of place as I did.

For a moment, our eyes locked, before she hurriedly averted hers. I felt Lisa pinch my arm, and I looked down to see her glaring at me, her lips pressed into a thin line.

"Great job, but I don't think Miss Famous over there is going to fall for you if you keep staring." Lisa muttered, her tone tight, a hint of irritation creeping in.

I blinked, letting her words wash over me. "Huh, no I was just…"

I didn't get the chance to defend myself, as the lights suddenly dimmed. The buzz of quiet conversations in the room faded as the atmosphere shifted. People straightened up, anticipation filling the air.

I glanced at Lisa, but she was already focused on the stage, her earlier irritation gone, replaced with an intense focus.

Ozpin took the stage, Glynda walking along behind him.

"Welcome to Beacon," Ozpin began, his voice amplified through the speakers, which crackled slightly as he spoke.

"I'll keep this brief." Ozpin continued.

"You've all come here seeking the skills to become Hunters, to hone your abilities and craft new ones. But when your time at Beacon is over, your true purpose will begin: to protect the people of Remnant." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing.

"It's a noble path, but don't fool yourselves. When I look at you, I see children. You stand at the beginning of a journey, uncertain of what lies ahead. You think Beacon will provide the answers, but understand this: our time here will shape you, but it won't define you. Becoming a Hunter isn't a job. It's a calling. And it's not a path for the faint of heart." For a moment, his gaze seemed to linger on a nearby girl in red, but he quickly moved on.

"You will need more than skill. You will need courage. You will need conviction. And above all, you will need to want this, truly, deeply want it, if you hope to succeed."

A long pause followed.

"That's all." He added.

There was no applause.

Ozpin took a few steps back, allowing Glynda to take the mic.

"Initiation will take place tomorrow morning, so be prepared to wake up early," she announced, her voice firm and clear. "For tonight, you will sleep here in the gathering hall. You are free to explore the campus, but make sure you're back here by eleven o'clock sharp. We expect everyone to be ready for rest. That is all."

….

I wish I could say we did some exploring, but honestly? Neither Lisa nor I really needed to. We had been on campus for a while, and by now, we knew most of the ins and outs.

Of course that didn't mean we were just standing around. No, Lisa had apparently decided to embrace her inner spymaster. She spent her time sneaking around, eavesdropping on conversations, joining groups where she could, and meeting new people as she went.

It was almost amusing, watching her play the role of the nice girl. She wore it like a second skin, sweet, approachable, and friendly, while underneath, I could almost see the wheels turning, gathering information, analysing people's answers.

Though this did mean that while we weren't just standing around, I was, in fact, just standing around. I glanced around the room, but people had more or less grouped up and I didn't have the energy to try to intrude.

Instead, my eyes drifted toward the girl in the red hood, who looked almost sick with anxiety as she scanned the crowd desperately. It was like she was looking for someone to talk to but couldn't quite summon the courage to make the first move. Her eyes darted from face to face, her posture stiff as she kept mumbling something under her breath.

She also happened to be the same girl Ozpin had seemed to linger on earlier and I wondered why. Unlike the redhead, who had genuinely seemed famous, this girl was being ignored by everyone around her. Even her blonde friend had left her to flounder, going off with others to explore.

Before I could think too much about it, my feet were already moving, driven by some impulse I couldn't quite explain. In no time, I found myself close enough to her for her to realize I was approaching. She froze, her eyes widening, and I could tell she was trying to decide whether to run or engage.

"Crowds are a little overwhelming, huh?" I said casually, leaning against a nearby pillar, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible.

"Y-yeah," she stammered, her hands fiddling with the edge of her hood. "It's just… a lot of people, you know? I'm not really used to all this… attention. Or talking to people, really." She gave a nervous laugh, shifting on her feet like she was about to bolt.

"Yeah, I get that." I nodded, trying to offer some comfort. "Feeling a little out of place to be honest. Everybody seems to have their entire look planned, and here I am, looking like I'm about to crash on a sofa." I joked, trying to break the tension. "Even you have your entire get-up, like your about to star in an action movie or something."

I paused.

"I'm Aleksander, by the way."

Red-riding-hood blinked, clearly surprised by the comment. She looked down at her outfit, her red hood, the combat skirt, and the large red metal brick strapped to her back. She gave an awkward laugh and adjusted the hood a little, looking sheepish.

"Ruby Rose, and I mean, I think you look fine…" She trailed off, her words falling a little flat.

I paused, wondering if she had more to say, but the silence stretched on. Suddenly even I felt things turning awkward. I opened my mouth to say something when she suddenly jumped in, eager to fill the gap.

"But how's your weapon? Even if your outfit isn't super cool, I bet your weapon's crazy, right?" Ruby asked quickly, her voice rising with excitement.

Before I could even respond, she barrelled on, "Do you have a gun-sword? Or maybe your sword turns into two guns?" Her voice pitched up eagerly, her hands gesturing as if she could already see it unfolding in front of her.

I blinked and glanced down at my side, where the old sword I'd brought from Mimal hung, worn and scuffed. Honestly, it was starting to show its age. The blade had taken more punishment than it should've, and despite my best efforts to maintain it, it wouldn't last much longer.

"Uh, not quite that fancy," I admitted. "Just a regular sword, really. Though I guess it's held up okay so far."

Ruby's face fell into a look of genuine disappointment, her excitement deflating like a popped balloon. "Just a sword?" she echoed, as if she couldn't believe such a thing was allowed.

"Yeah," I chuckled, shrugging. "I'm still working on the 'cool factor,' I guess. To be honest, it's more of a temporary thing anyway."

Her disappointment didn't last long. In an instant, her enthusiasm returned, her eyes practically sparkling. "Well, that's okay! Maybe I can help you design your new one! I mean, swords are classic, right? I'm like, kind of a weapon expert, so I would love helping." She said it so earnestly, it was hard not to smile.

"Weapon expert, huh?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded enthusiastically, puffing up a little with pride. "Yep! Crescent Rose is my baby. It's a top of the line Mecha-shift weapon." She patted the massive red weapon on her back like it was a loyal pet.

"Mecha-shift?" I asked, remembering the weapons the upper years had been carrying.

Ruby continued enthusiastically, her head bobbing up and down like a wind-up toy. "Yep! Mecha-shift! Crescent Rose switches between a scythe and a sniper rifle! Super versatile and super cool."

"To be honest, that does sound pretty cool…" I muttered, letting my imagination get the better of me. I pictured myself for a second, charging forward with a sword, only to teleport away and have the weapon seamlessly transform into a gun, allowing me to rain shots down on my opponent from range.

"Yeah, exactly!" Ruby said, apparently not needing much to keep going. "Imagine the versatility up close, long range, you're ready for anything!"

Her excitement was infectious, and I found myself nodding along. "That would make a fight a lot more interesting."

"And flashy," she added with a wink. "You can't forget about style points."

I chuckled. "Style points, huh? Guess that's important, too."

Ruby folded her arms, smirking. "Of course! You've gotta look cool while saving the day."

There was no arguing with that logic.

….

"So if I would want a sword that can shift, a rife would be best?" I asked.

"Pretty much," Ruby answered seriously, her expression thoughtful. "You could do a sword transforming into two guns or something, but it's rough to maintain since it needs so many moving parts."

I nodded, looking down at my scroll and hurriedly typing her words into my notes.

"I see you're having fun."

"You chatting up my sister buddy?"

Two voices overlapped, and I turned to see not one, but two blondes walking toward me. They glanced at each other in surprise, clearly not expecting to speak in unison. For a brief moment, I ceased to exist entirely as they exchanged a look.

"You this guy's friend? Any idea why he's interested in my little sister?" The unknown blond asked, eying me suspiciously.

"Yaaaaaaang!" Ruby whined from the sidelines, clearly exasperated but equally completely ignored.

Lisa raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "Alex? He's about as dangerous as a broken toaster. Sure, he looks like he could do something, but let's be real, he's more likely to just sit there and disappoint you."

Yang barked out a laugh, looking thoroughly entertained, while Ruby frowned at Lisa.

"Hey!" I protested, scowling.

Lisa didn't let me get any further. She stepped up, smirking, and pressed a single finger to my lips. "Shh. Perfectly harmless. Like a goldfish, but with slightly better memory."

I narrowed my eyes at her, unamused. Sure, maybe she'd diffused the situation, but this wasn't over.

This would be remembered.

Yang grinned from ear to ear, all the while making whipping motions with her arm. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ruby's eyes widen, as if she'd just figured something out.

'Great,' I thought, glaring at Lisa even harder, who looked supremely at ease with everything going on.

"Ah, whatever." I muttered, and before Yang could open her mouth and add anything she undoubtedly found way too funny, I made an executive decision.

And threw Ruby under the bus.

"You're Ruby's," I said, air quotes and all, "'backstabbing, people-leaving, dummy of a sister,' I take it?" I asked, glancing at Yang.

Her eyes narrowed as she turned slowly towards Ruby, who was busy looking at me with an expression of pure betrayal.

"Ohohoh? You talking behind my back now?" Yang asked, taking slow, deliberate steps toward Ruby.

Ruby took a step back, only to bump into the wall behind her.

"No! I didn't say that!" she squeaked out, panic creeping into her voice.

"That's not what my unbiased witness reported," Yang replied menacingly, grabbing Ruby's head. "Noogie attack!"

Ruby squirmed, trying to escape Yang's grip, but it was hopeless. Big sisters tended to have that sort of power over you.

Lisa stared at me, looking almost impressed. "Didn't know you had it in you."

"What do you mean?" I said, grinning. "This was completely in character for me."

Yang ended up dragging Ruby away, apparently determined to find a proper place to sleep. Though, not before Ruby managed to shoot me a glance, one that promised a swift and very embarrassing revenge.

Lisa watched them go, her gaze lingering on Ruby and Yang as they made their way across the room. Then, without skipping a beat, she turned toward me, her lips curling up into a faint smirk.

"I have our team." She said, as though the matter was already settled.

I raised an eyebrow, leaning back slightly. "Didn't Coco say we had, oh, let me think," I paused dramatically, "Just about zero say in that?"

Lisa waved her hand, like that was a minor problem.

"They can't just decide teams by random, right? There's got to be some kind of logic behind it," she mused, crossing her arms. "I'll figure that logic out, and then we just use it to get the team we want." She said it with such confidence, like she was talking about getting the perfect coffee order.

"Okay, sure," I said, my lips curling into a slight smile. "You figuring out what they're testing for, I can see it. So, who's on our team?"

Lisa's finger shot out, pointing across the room toward the redheaded girl I had noticed earlier. The one who was clearly trying to avoid all the attention. Now, she was talking to a boy in a hoodie, her face lit up in a wide grin. The stark difference in her mood from earlier was striking.

"The girl from the cereal box?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I looked in her direction.

Lisa nodded, her gaze sharp. "Yep. Pyrrha Nikos. She's famous, known for being the invincible girl." Her voice held mixture of mocking and slight admiration. "She's also incredibly easy to work with. Complete walkover."

I frowned, suddenly feeling that Lisa might actually be picking her on a wildly different basis than for her strength.

I didn't comment though, instead I simply asked. "Ok, who else?"

Lisa's finger darted across the hall, stopping on a slender figure in the corner, dressed in a green martial arts uniform. Without her pointing him out, I wouldn't have even noticed him, his presence almost blending into the background compared to the girl next to him.

My eyes wandered as they focused on her. She had a bright, energetic smile and an almost contagious enthusiasm about her. But my gaze was caught for a different reason.

...My eyes were also bouncing.

Lisa's shoe slammed down on my foot with all the subtlety of a freight train. I let out a strangled yelp, almost tripping in surprise as I glanced back at her.

"Focus," she hissed, her eyes narrowing at me. "I said that guy."

"Right." I hissed back, forcing my focus back onto the guy in the martial arts uniform.

"That's Lie Ren," Lisa said, her tone still slightly heated. "Not flashy, but he's got the skills. He's quiet, disciplined, and knows how to stay out of trouble. And honestly? You need someone like him on a team. Doesn't draw attention, gets the job done."

"And a complete walkover?" I asked, as the girl climbed on him like a koala.

Lisa gave me a pointed look.

I shrugged. Not my fault I realized what the real criterion was.

"So, if I have this right," I continued, "your plan is to figure out what the teachers are judging us on, then make sure we show that we'd work best with Lie Ren and Pyrrha, so we get on the same team…" I paused, letting the words sink in. "What if the Initiation isn't something you can just manipulate?"

Lisa gave me a look that clearly said are you serious?

"How else would they group us?" she retorted. "By random chance?"

Chapter Text

Walking up the hill, I noticed Lisa's stride falter as we crested the slope, and the cliff came into view. The jagged edge loomed over a sprawling forest below, the sky streaked with the soft hues of morning light. Over a dozen square metal pads were arranged in a line along the cliff, their sleek metallic surfaces glinting faintly in the sunlight. Nearby, Ozpin and Glynda stood with their usual composed postures, as though this was just another ordinary morning.

Lisa's expression shifted the moment her eyes landed on the metal pads. Her usual sharp confidence melted into a guarded wariness, her gaze narrowing as suspicion took hold.

"No way…" She muttered under her breath, like she couldn't quite believe what her power was telling her.

I turned slightly, catching her glaring at the metal pads as if they'd offended her personally.

Ozpin raised a hand in a measured gesture, motioning for us to step forward.

I hesitated, glancing back at Lisa. She stood frozen, her expression teetering between disbelief and outright incredulity. The others didn't though, stepping onto the pads without a second thought.

Yang turned toward me, one eyebrow raised as if to ask, What are you waiting for?

I shrugged before taking my place among the others, leaving Lisa behind. Her head snapped toward Ozpin, her gaze darting rapidly between the pads and the cliff edge.

Ozpin returned her look with cool indifference. He raised a single eyebrow, the subtle challenge clear in his expression.

"I would appreciate it," he said, his tone even, "if you would take your position alongside the others."

There was a quiet warning there, but Lisa didn't budge. Instead, I saw her tense, fingers twitching as she clenched and unclenched them. She took a breath, her jaw tightening as she glanced between the pads and Ozpin, lips pressed into a thin, stubborn line.

"You're kidding, right?" She asked, her voice just a bit more pitched than normal.

Ozpin tilted his head slightly, as if considering her question. "Do I look like I am?"

Lisa's jaw worked as she held back whatever retort had come to mind. Instead, she exhaled sharply, her gaze flicking once more to the cliff's edge, the forest below, and finally the metal pad directly in front of her.

"You're insane." She muttered under her breath, before she finally stepped forward, her boots making a reluctant clank against the metal.

As she took her place, Ozpin gave a small nod, his expression almost approving. "Good. Now, let's begin."

I glanced down at the metal pad beneath my feet, wondering what had Lisa so worked up. It was smooth, just large enough to stand on, and completely unassuming. Nothing about it seemed worth the tension radiating from her.

My eyes flicked to Lisa. Despite her composed expression, her rigid stance betrayed her unease. Her fingers tapped out a restless rhythm against her thigh, and her gaze kept drifting toward the edge of the cliff. In that moment, she looked less like a confident supervillain and more like a doe about to step onto thin ice.

She wasn't the only one on edge, though. The others seemed anxious too, but for more normal reasons. Ruby, for instance, looked like she was teetering on the edge of a panic attack, but her eyes were focused on Ozpin, not the pads beneath our feet.

Ozpin stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back, his calm yet commanding voice cutting through the crisp morning air.

"Welcome to Beacon's Initiation," he began. "I will, as always, endeavour to keep this brief."

He gestured toward the sprawling forest below. "Your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest beneath us. Your objective is to fight your way to the northern side of the forest, where you will locate relics in an abandoned temple. You must retrieve these relics and bring them back here." His tone remained steady, but his next words carried a sharper edge. "The forest is teeming with Grimm. Do not hesitate to slaughter them."

My mouth quirked weirdly, suddenly realizing how odd this was. Beacon was functionally a high school, and the headmaster was standing here talking about slaughtering Grimm.

Before I could continue my thoughts, Glynda stepped forward, her sharp gaze scanning the group. "I am sure many of you have speculated on how teams will be assigned during your time at Beacon. That will be determined today, during your Initiation."

Ozpin nodded. "Each team will consist of four members, and within those teams, you will have a partner." He paused, letting the words settle. "It is vital that you can work with your teammates, as they will be your companions for the next four years."

Then, with the faintest hint of amusement, he added, "That being said, your partner will be determined by the first person you make eye contact with."

I saw Lisa tense, like she was slowly realizing her perfect plan was about to have some problems.

"This seems very not random." I muttered sarcastically, just loud enough that Lisa would catch it.

If her expression had been annoyed before, now she was practically seething

"Not another word." She hissed at me, and I snapped into a sharp salute.

Ozpin continued to speak, but I didn't really pay attention, since I was occupied with fighting down a smile, and losing it quite badly. It took probably around half a minute before I could regain my calm, and by that point Ozpin's speech was winding down.

"Are there any questions?" Ozpin's voice rang out.

'Can you repeat, like, all of that.' I thought, feeling a little left out.

"I've got one." A voice called out.

Ozpin didn't even flinch. "Good, take your positions."

"Wait, I was just wondering what a landing st…" The question was cut off by a sharp crack, and suddenly, without warning, Lisa vanished from beside me. Her startled, girly, scream filled the air, cutting through the morning stillness as she was launched into the sky.

'Huh, I guess that's why she didn't trust it.' I thought slowly.

Then I glanced down at my own feet.

'Oh fuck.'

That was my last coherent thought before the ground beneath me gave way, and I was yanked into the air, following Lisa into the unknown.

…

Watching Lisa plummet slowly, her limbs flailing desperately like a bird trying to take off, I couldn't help but smirk.

I didn't want to say I took satisfaction from it.

So, I didn't say anything.

Curtains rustled

I teleported forward, appearing right next to her. Her eyes were shut tight, her arms bracing for impact, an impact that was still about ten seconds away.

"You doing good?" I shouted over the wind, but she didn't respond. The only thing I could barely make out was the distant echo of her scream, swallowed by the rush of air.

Instead, I tapped her arm. Her eyes snapped open, wide with shock.

For a second, she just stared at me, confusion written all over her face like she couldn't comprehend how I was suddenly right there. Then her brain kicked back into gear, and her fear was immediately replaced with annoyance.

She latched onto me, arms wrapping tightly around my midsection like a koala. Her face pressed close to my ear as she shouted:

"TELEPORT!"

I pretended to think, even as the ground rushed up at us with alarming speed.

"I DON'T KNOW, I THOUGHT YOU SAID IM LIKE A BROKEN TOASTER?!" I yelled back, barely hearing myself over the wind.

For a split second, I felt her still. Then, without warning, her grip tightened, and she pressed her face even closer, close enough that her cheek almost touched mine.

"please." Her voice was soft, almost vulnerable.

Curtains rustled

In the blink of an eye, we were on the ground.

Her arms were still around my back, her chest pressed against me. In another world that would have filled my mind, but right now? My mind was busy with trying to force my heart to beat normally. It didn't listen, instead it was pounding so loudly it felt like it was going to burst out of my chest.

Lisa dropped slid off me, before quickly standing up. I didn't, instead I sank to my knees, suddenly feeling drained.

I didn't dare turn around. If she saw my face right now...

Slowly, I felt my heart rate steadying, the frantic pounding slowing to a more normal rhythm. I managed to push myself up to my feet just in time to see Lisa, her hair miraculously fixed, tapping her foot in annoyance like nothing just happened.

It was like nothing had happened.

"You ready or are you going to make me wait?" She asked cooly.

I glared back, her trick might have won the battle…

"Kyaaa." I said slowly, dragging out the sound into it almost resembling a girlish scream.

Her face twitched, her eyes narrowing. Then she closed them, took a deep breath, and slowly calmed herself.

"How about we just focus on what we are actually supposed to be doing?" Lisa asked slowly, like it pained her to do so.

"Sounds good to me." I answered back.

"Great." Lisa said.

"Fantastic." I echoed.

We stared at each other, before I felt a smile crack across my face. Then Lisa's face broke, and she snorted, trying, and absolutely failing, to keep a serious expression.

"Whatever." She muttered, even as she fought down a smile.

Then she spun on her heel, looking around the forest. With just about zero hesitation, she pointed at a seemingly random direction and stated with absolute confidence:

"North is that way."

….

I let my sword slice through a Beowolf's head, dodging under a second's claw…

Before I had to teleport anyway.

A third Beowolf bit air as I sank my blade deep into its neck, then, without missing a beat, I spun around, letting my sword cut through the seconds arm like a hot knife through butter.

It was insane, the difference between being able to channel Aura into your weapon or not. Without aura, cutting into Beowolves had felt like trying to slice through leather; with it, my sword practically slid through them.

I glanced at Lisa, who was holding a gun in one hand and a knife in the other. She dodged back just in time for one Beowolf to bowl into another, then fired two clean shots, each one finding its mark in a Beowolf's eye socket.

Without even looking behind her Lisa jumped over another Beowolf's head, spinning like she was doing a pirouette and firing three shots.

Each one hit their mark.

Without any kind of leverage Lisa righted herself in mid-air and with all the grace of a dancer, she landed with a single foot on the Beowolf's back, sliding down.

I raised an eyebrow, as the Beowolf head fell from its body, not even sure when that happened.

When we had started training, Lisa had struggled with close combat. Her power could perfectly predict what most opponents would do, but she didn't have the instincts to actually react to any of it. Like a person new to games facing their first quick-time event, she had the prompts to carry her through, but not the built-up skills.

A few weeks of intensive training later, and she was even better than me. According to Glynda, I was talented, but normally talented. Lisa?

She was monstrous.

Well, as long as her power didn't overload her brain, at least.

Still, it grated a little bit.

Not that Glynda called her more talented than me, but rather…

Lisa flicked her hear away from her face and sent me a bratty grin. It was the kind of grin of somebody who knew they were better than their opponent.

That, that, was the problem.

"Watching the show?" She asked, sounding cocky enough to knock the moon out of orbit.

"Yeah, you should see the clown though. Really funny," I shot back, before I took off.

Just in time for Lisa to register my words and chase after me.

….

I wasn't sure how long we'd been running through the forest, slaying any Grimm that crossed our path, but eventually, we reached the temple.

It was… empty.

And beautiful.

The structure reminded me of an ancient Greek one, crafted from some kind of marble-like material that seemed as old as the ruins themselves.

"How old is this?" I asked, running my hand along the cool stone of the wall.

Lisa walked ahead, moving toward an open space where multiple pedestals stood in a half circle. At first glance, I'd guess there were about a dozen of them.

"Around two thousand years, give or take a century." Lisa said, focusing on the pedestals.

I moved closer, inspecting the relics. They were shaped like chess pieces, each one in a different colour.

As I studied them, I slowly realized: they looked like they were in in pairs. Two red horses, two black bishops… the pattern became clear the longer I looked. My eyes lingered on the arrangement for a moment…

I slowly turned, my movements stiff like a robot with cranky joints, to Lisa. Her grin looked positively menacing.

"Oh!" She said, faking surprise and picking up a golden knight piece. "Look at what we have here, two pieces of the same kind! I wonder how their going to assign the teams?"

She turned to me, vulpine grin in place.

"Oh wait, what was it you said. It's not random? That's so smart of you!" Lisa continued.

I rolled my eyes, accepting defeat.

"Well, I guess we are on the team with the other golden knight then?" I asked, pointing to the pedestal next to it.

Lisa frowned, looking at the golden piece in her hand. Before she could say anything, a click rang out, and the empty pedestal slowly started to sink into the floor. Lisa looked at it, then at the piece in her own hand.

Probably realizing the same thing, I did, that it might have been smarter to pick after seeing what the other teams were picking.

…

Around ten minutes later, Yang and a girl in a bowtie burst through the forest. Yang was rocking a pair of aviators, grinning as she waved like a princess while sliding down a small hill toward the temple.

The girl in the bowtie sighed, looking at her almost-certainly-partner-for-the-next-four-years in complete dismay.

"Damn, thought for sure I'd be first," Yang called out, jogging over to us.

I shrugged, giving her a cocky smile. "Well, teleportation does have its perks."

Yang gave me an impressed look before whistling, her gaze wandering over the temple's crumbling facade. "This place looks freakin' ancient."

"It should be," Bowtie Girl replied in a cool, raspy voice. "The ruins in the Emerald Forest are said to be over two thousand years old, so if this is one of the originals, that would track."

I jumped a little, startled; I hadn't even noticed her move from her spot at the top of the hill. She was already examining the carvings on one of the walls, her focus intense.

"Damn, you're a history buff too, Blake? I thought you only read thos…" Yang started, but before she could finish, Blake's eyes widened and in an instant, she vanished and reappeared, having somehow been able to clamp Yang's mouth shut.

"You said you wouldn't talk about that," Blake hissed, her face flushed with irritation.

Yang gave her a shit-eating grin through Blake's hand but nodded cooperatively.

I raised an eyebrow, even after only having met Yang twice I felt like she was probably a person who opened her mouth, spoke and then thought.

It reminded me of…

Poking Lisa to bring her attention back from wherever her thoughts had wandered, I gestured toward the temple relics. She caught on quickly and waved the golden knight chess piece she'd been fiddling with.

"Anyway," Lisa stared, dragging out the word. "Have you guys noticed something about the relics we are supposed to pick up." She asked, waving her golden knight piece around.

Blake let go of Yang, who gasped dramatically as if she'd been suffocating. Blake scoffed, and began examining the relics, apparently trying not to feed Yang.

"They're paired?" she asked after a moment.

Lisa nodded, clearly about to elaborate, but her explanation was cut off by a blood-curdling scream coming from the sky.

And, like fate wasn't done, Cereal girl and Hoodie boy crashed through the treeline, running like their lives depended on it.

"RUN!" Hoodie boy yelled, his voice cracking as the ground behind them exploded in a shower of dirt and debris.

I froze. Just in time to see Yang leap into the sky, shooting up like a rocket. She caught a flailing figure, a screaming blur spiralling out of control.

Landing in a roll to soften the momentum, Yang revealed Ruby in her arms.

Who immediately clawed her way free and began to dry heave over the grass.

Lisa and Blake sprang into action, bolting toward cereal girl and hoodie boy. The earth trembled as a massive scorpion Grimm burst from the ground, its glowing yellow tail whipping toward Hoodie boy like a death sentence.

Blake acted instantly, throwing a black ribbon around him and yanking him out of harm's way just in time. Meanwhile, Lisa opened fire on the scorpion's eyes, each shot hitting, and then bouncing off harmlessly.

Of course, the Grimm still screamed in anger, it's eyes suddenly focusing on my partner.

I probably should have joined the fight, but my gaze had drifted skyward to a dark, ominous shape blotting out part of the horizon. If the Nevermore we'd faced earlier were juveniles, this one had to be an Alpha, massive, menacing, and cutting through the sky like a stormcloud.

Below it, a white figure dangled precariously from its talons.

"Lisa! I'll be right back!" I yelled, not waiting for her to respond before teleporting.

Curtains rustled

Appearing mid-air on the Nevermore's back was… not my best idea. The moment I materialized, it bucked violently, almost flinging me off in an instant. My hands shot out, grabbing at feathers for dear life.

It was fast.

Way faster than I'd anticipated.

The wind was a physical force, tearing at my aura and making it shimmer visibly. I reached for my sword, hoping to anchor myself by stabbing into its back, but the Nevermore had other plans. For a moment, it slowed, then tilted sharply.

Straight down.

It dive-bombed like a jetfighter, accelerating from a breakneck speed to an impossible one.

My grip slipped.

If anybody later heard a scream, it was the other person who had been on the Nevermore.

Even so, the sudden acceleration made it feel like I was floating, giving me time to look at the person I was trying to save.

She was flailing in mid air desperately, before stopping, apparently realizing I was right next to her. For a surreal moment, we were suspended mid-fall, staring at each other. She blinked, pointing at me as if to say, What are you doing here? Then she glanced downward, paling as she took in the sheer distance between us and the ground.

Before I could speak, she closed her eyes. Slowly. Resignedly.

Gravity reasserted its dominion and we instantly started to plummet.

She screamed.

I grabbed her just before we hit terminal velocity and teleported us back to the temple grounds.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Her scream rang out over the clearing, loud enough to make Blake flinch mid-fight. Unfortunately, that split second of distraction earned her a direct hit from the scorpion's claw, sending her flying.

Lisa's head snapped toward me, her expression a mix of disbelief and annoyance. "What the hell are you doing?!"

I ignored her, trying to process the situation. The girl I'd just saved was still screaming.

"Hey!" I shook her gently. "You're not falling anymore!"

Her eyes snapped open, blazing with indignation. "What is wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me?" I gestured toward the sky, where the Nevermore was circling back for round two. "You were riding a Grimm! What's wrong with you?"

"That! I had that under control!" She huffed, before her eyes moved over to Ruby, who was stumbling towards us like she was drunk.

Her eyes lit up in pure fury. "You absolute dullard!" She screamed.

"Ah!" Ruby jumped, before paling, suddenly realizing who was here.

"You left me! This whole thing was your plan, and you left me!" The white girl screamed.

Cereal Girl hurled her lance at the scorpion Grimm, its razor-sharp claws batting it aside like an annoying fly.

"I told you to jump! Also, nobody could have predicted my plan wouldn't work!" Ruby defended herself.

Yang caught one of those massive pincers mid-swing, preventing it from crushing Lisa, who had been scrambling for cover. Hoodie Boy screamed as he raised his shield, blocking the stinger that came dangerously close to skewering Yang.

"Everybody could have predicted that!" White girl shouted back.

Hoodie Boy was launched into the air, smashing into the temple wall with enough force to leave cracks in the stone. His Aura flickered faintly, somehow holding.

The scorpion Grimm let out an enraged roar, its glowing tail whipping through the air with deadly precision.

For a moment all the people fighting paused, looked at each other and collectively decided that fighting the thing was no longer a viable option. With remarkable synchronization, they turned on their heels and bolted.

Blake dashed into the temple, with Cereal Girl right on her heels, as they both snatched a relic before sprinting out the opposite exit.

Ruby and White girl paused their shouting match long enough to notice the situation had gone from bad to worse. Their eyes met in a silent truce, and without another word, they bolted toward the temple, each clearly aiming to secure a relic for themselves.

I watched them sprint away, their argument momentarily shelved, and then turned my gaze back to the scorpion Grimm charging directly at me.

Oddly enough, I didn't feel fear.

Not even a drop.

Then again, maybe that wasn't so odd.

Ever since I'd started fighting for real, I'd begun to understand something fundamental about myself, something I wasn't sure I wanted to admit out loud.

I might actually love this.

The Grimm's glowing yellow tail lashed out, a blur of deadly intent. I kicked off the ground, just barely dodging its strike, the sting grazing my boots as I vaulted upward. Its pincers followed immediately, snapping toward me with precision. Trapped mid-air, with no room to maneuver, I twisted, just enough to meet its many, gleaming eyes.

For a split second, it felt like the world slowed.

Curtains rustled

I stumbled into a sprint as Lisa glanced at me, her expression a familiar blend of irritation and exasperation. She'd seen me teleport like this too many times to even flinch, but her narrowed eyes made it clear she wasn't thrilled.

I opened my mouth, ready to throw out some half-hearted explanation, but hesitated.

Her glare deepened. Yeah, she was definitely angry.

"What?" I asked, already hearing the scorpion Grimm's thundering pursuit behind me. Its claws tore through the earth, and the massive Nevermore above let out a deafening caw, its shadow sweeping across the battlefield.

"You didn't feel like, I don't know, helping us?" Lisa asked, her tone sharp enough to cut steel.

"Oh." I blinked, glancing back at the chaos unfolding behind me. "Yeah, I guess I could've done that."

Her deadpan stare spoke volumes.

Slowly we formed a formation as we ran at top speed through the forest. I glanced at Hoodie guy, who was panting up a storm as we ran. He was trained but looking at his build I had a feeling it wasn't for long distance running.

If we kept this up, he'd burn out fast.

And leaving him behind wasn't really an option. Which meant we'd have to fight, and soon. before exhaustion dragged us down.

I clenched my jaw, stealing another glance at the scorpion Grimm tearing through the trees like a battering ram. Its claws snapped open and shut, cleaving through branches with terrifying ease. The Nevermore's shadow swept over us again, its piercing caw echoing through the forest like a warning bell.

"Guys," I called out, my voice just loud enough to carry over the cacophony of our escape. "This isn't going to work."

Eyes flicked toward me, all of them focused and without fear.

"We can't outrun them," I added, already slowing my pace. "We'll have to make a stand."

I turned my head towards Lisa, and she began even without my prompting.

"The Deathstalker is practically invincible where it's plated," she began, her tone all business. "But its joints are vulnerable. If you can distract it, hold it down, and apply enough force, you could cut off its legs and tail one by one. And don't get any ideas about its eyes, they're coated in something tougher than steel. Stabbing them won't work."

Her gaze shifted upward to the Nevermore circling ominously overhead. "The Nevermore…" She trailed off, clearly weighing her words.

"We can take care of the Deathstalker." Hoodie guy suddenly spoke up, "But I need Ruby and Weiss to do it."

Ruby and Weiss exchanged quick glances before nodding.

I nodded, then looked towards the rest of us.

"Okay," I said, my eyes scanning the group as I tried to formulate the best plan. "You guys take down the Deathstalker, which leaves us with…"

A bone-chilling caw split the air, cutting me off. I looked at Lisa, whose expression said everything about how thrilled she was with this matchup.

"Right."

…..

It was surprisingly easy to split up the two Grimm. All it took was a quick division of our group and some well-placed shots at our respective targets. Simple in theory, chaotic in execution.

We kept running, the forest blurring past us as the Alpha Nevermore trailed behind, like a leashed puppy. If, of course, that puppy were the size of a ship, capable of swallowing us whole, and currently raining down giant, razor-sharp feathers with murderous precision.

A shadow swept over me, and I ducked instinctively as another volley of feathers crashed into the ground around us. Dirt and debris exploded into the air, forcing me to swerve to avoid a jagged plume lodged in the ground like a spear.

"This thing's relentless!" Yang shouted over the cacophony.

"Yeah, I noticed!" I called back, weaving through the trees as I racked my brain for a solution. The Nevermore wasn't coming down, that much was clear. It hovered above the treetops, wings beating with enough force to rattle the ground, keeping its height advantage while making it impossible for us to engage directly.

That was a problem. We couldn't exactly fight it in the sky.

I glanced at Lisa, who was already firing off shots to keep the creature's attention on us. Her aim was sharp, but the Nevermore's hide seemed impervious to the hits. "Any ideas?"

"Besides running until it gets bored?" She quipped, before shaking her head. "Not really."

I bit back a groan, dodging another feather that embedded itself in the trunk of a nearby tree. The impact split the wood with a deafening crack, sending shards flying everywhere.

We couldn't keep running forever. The Nevermore was tireless, and we weren't. I needed a plan, and fast.

I glanced at Blake, who was silently firing her weapon when she got the chance. Then my eyes trailed towards the thin line that seemed to connect her weapons together.

"How strong is that ribbon." I asked, pointing towards the thin line connecting her weapons.

Blake glanced at me. "Strong enough to hold up a house." She answered tightly.

"Good enough." I muttered to myself. I turned back to the Nevermore, my brain clicking into overdrive as I tried to figure out how we were supposed to get that thing to land.

"Lisa, Yang, when that thing crashes, I need you to finish it off," I said, my voice steady despite the urgency. Then I turned to Blake. "We are going to wrap up that bird like a present, you take left, I'll take right."

She had just enough time to look at me before I grabbed her arm.

Curtains rustled

In an instant, we appeared in the sky. I grabbed one half of Blake's weapon, and with a swift push, sent her downward, giving her the momentum she needed.

It was just on time, as the next second the Nevermore collided with the thin line between us.

I had no time to think, I acted instead.

The moment the wing hit the line, I felt it snap taut, but I refused to let go. Instead, I let the momentum carry me, swinging in a wide arc around the bird's massive body like a pendulum on steroids. With each swing, the tension in the line grew, and I could feel the bird's wings losing their fluidity, its once effortless movements becoming sluggish and strained.

Clenching my teeth, I swung again, using every ounce of strength in my arms and legs to pull myself closer to the bird's side. The tension in the line grew stronger, and the Nevermore's frantic flapping became weaker and more desperate.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Blake, she had harnessed the same momentum, her line now snaking across the other wing, anchoring it in place.

The Nevermore let out a screech of defiance, but it couldn't move its wings as freely as before.

I twisted and swung one last time, forcing all my weight into the pull. With a violent jerk, the line tightened one final time, and the Nevermore's wings flared outward, caught between our combined efforts.

Then, like a slowly sinking ship, the Nevermore began to dip, its mighty form unable to stay aloft. It plunged toward the ground like a falling airplane. Even as we descended, I held onto the line, my muscles straining, my Aura flickering, but I refused to let go.

We crashed into the earth with enough force to throw me off. One moment I had been holding the line, the next I was sent flying through a nearby tree, my body skimming along the ground like a skipping stone before slamming into another tree, which finally stopped my momentum.

My Aura flickered like a dying light, and I clawed myself up from the ground to see how Yang, Lisa and Blake were doing.

The answer to that was apparently pretty horrible.

Yang was engulfed in flames, her entire body burning with an intensity that made her look like a living inferno. Lisa was firing her gun furiously, but not at the Nevermore. Instead, her shots were hitting... Yang?

Yang?

I blinked, trying to understand what was happening.

The Alpha Nevermore was struggling to get back into the air, its massive wings flapping wildly, trying to shake off the weight of the fight. But Yang wasn't about to let it. She moved with terrifying speed, her body a blazing inferno as she surged toward the bird.

With a roar of defiance, Yang smashed her fist into the Nevermore's beak. The force of the blow was so immense that it cracked the bird's skull like glass, sending a shockwave of splintering bone and feathers flying.

The Nevermore screeched in pain, but tried to smash it's bound up wing into her. Yang dodged under it almost casually, before smashing a fist into it's side, making it stagger.

When it had been in the air the Nevermore had been more dangerous than the deathstalker, a stalking death that you couldn't escape. On the ground?

Yang shot forward like a meteor of burning fury. Her body collided with the Nevermore's head, slamming into it with the force of a freight train. Her knee landed on it's skull, sending cracks spider-webbing across the bird's bone-mask.

Then, with a deafening crack, the Nevermore's skull shattered. Its beak splintered, and the bird's entire head caved in under the force of Yang's blow.

It's head fell to the ground with a dull thud.

When I had finally managed to get close enough to speak, I suddenly realized that Blake was fiddling with her weapon, trying to detach it from the wing. A job which would probably be easier said than done.

I glanced at Lisa, who still looked relatively fresh despite the chaos.

"You know," I said, my voice dry, "I feel like my condition is always worse than yours at the end of fights."

….

Ozpin's voice echoed through the speakers, a dull throb that seemed to settle into my skull. We were back in the auditorium, arriving just behind Hoodie guy, apparently called Jaune, and the others. Since we'd been among the first to take the Initiation, we had to sit through the long wait while everyone else finished.

Which meant I was running on empty.

Ozpin's voice cut through the haze, announcing the next team in some bizarre, a-chronological order. I couldn't quite grasp his reasoning, but it meant we were the absolute last team to be called.

It also meant I had spent the last two hours staring blankly at the ceiling, my patience wearing thin.

Lisa nudged me, and I lazily turned my head to acknowledge her, signaling that I was aware of her attempt to catch my attention.

"We're next," she said simply, straightening up a little.

I blinked, snapping out of my daze, and finally focused on the stage.

"Congratulations, Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Ruby Rose, and Weiss Schnee. You will be Team JWPR , pronounced Juniper, led by Jaune Arc."

"Pyrrha, that's her name." I mumbled to myself, making sure to memorize it this time.

Then I blinked, as Jaune had to be dragged off stage along with Weiss. Before long we were called up and as I walked towards the stage, I glanced at Yang and Blake, who had ended up grabbing our matching piece.

"And finally, Aleksander Meili, Lisa Wilbourn, Yang Xiao-Long and Blake Belladonna. You will form team ALYB, pronounced Alabaster, led by Aleksander Meili." Ozpin said, giving us a half-hearted applause.

I leaned in towards Lisa, who stared at the holographic screen containing our pictures.

"Wow, this was really not random." I said as sarcastically as my tired brain could manage.

Chapter Text

The room was barebones.

Four beds were neatly arranged against the walls, each accompanied by a small desk. Two lockers stood in the corners, functionally divided into top and bottom compartments so that two people could share them. It was identical to the room I had been allowed to use earlier, yet somehow, it felt… different.

Maybe it was the knowledge that this wasn't temporary, that this room was supposed to be my home for the next four years.

Or maybe it was the fact that I'd be sharing it with three girls.

I glanced at my three new roommates, all still fast asleep. The gentle rhythm of their breathing filled the quiet room, a stark contrast to the chaos of yesterday.

After the Initiation, we'd barely managed to stagger into our new dorm, too exhausted to even think about organizing or figuring out logistics. Any plans to unpack or establish order had been abandoned in favor of immediate sleep. It had been the smart choice, given how drained we all were.

But right now?

It left me feeling a little uneasy.

Before I hadn't really felt like I could slow down. There was always something pressing, trying to figure out a new world, saving a town or even training for the Initiation. Every morning, I woke up with a sense of urgency, knowing there was something I was supposed to do, some task I had to accomplish.

Right now?

I only felt the sombre stillness of a day without much to do.

Sure, classes were supposed to start, but Ozpin had said the first few days would be a gentle introduction. Time to recover from the Initiation and ease into life here.

That meant I didn't actually have much on my plate, aside from familiarizing myself with my new team and a couple of classes.

Speaking of which…

Carefully I swung my legs out of bed, the springs creaking faintly, and crept over to my bag. It wasn't much, there hadn't been time for much. A few changes of clothes, toiletries, and…

I paused.

My phone lay nestled at the bottom, inert and lifeless.

It felt normal.

It wasn't.

Not here.

Not in this world.

To anyone except me and Lisa, it would just seem like a strange piece of junk. Its black screen was unresponsive, and people probably wouldn't even recognize it as a communication device, much like I hadn't understood what the Scrolls Glynda had handed us were supposed to be.

'A piece of junk.'

It really wasn't, though. In some ways, it was probably a priceless artifact. Tangible proof that worlds beyond this one existed.

Even dead, it still carried pieces of my past, photos, messages, notes, and a glimpse of the technology my world had created. Information that, in this place, could be worth a fortune.

Not that I would try to sell it.

I had a feeling the "cult" story wouldn't quite hold up to scrutiny if someone managed to get their hands on it.

In some sense, it was lucky the battery had long since died, over a month ago. It wasn't going to turn on anytime soon, even if someone curious found it.

In fact, it was probably safest to throw it away. Just get rid of it, erase the last trace of my old life.

But I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Not when there was still a chance someone here might be able to power it up again.

Not when it could be useful.

Not when it held the last connection to everything I'd known.

Letting out a quiet sigh, I placed the phone back into my bag and tucked it away like a secret. It might be useless now, but if I ever decided to tell somebody the truth…

I glanced at Blake and Yang.

So far, we hadn't even told them the lie. The one about coming from a cult. About the cult giving us abilities that were different from normal semblances.

I wondered if I would ever trust them enough to try and tell them the truth.

Shaking my head I cleared my thoughts, right now we had barley even spoken after all. Instead, I fished out my scroll, the thing I'd actually been searching for.

In its collapsed state, it looked like a thin stick, oddly reminiscent of a Nintendo Switch controller. With a flick of my wrist, I motioned it open, the holographic screen flaring to life.

I stared at our schedule for the day, the soft glow illuminating the darkened room.

….

"You sure you don't want any space?" Yang asked, pinning a poster of some kind of boy band on the wall.

Blake was busy organizing her books, her ears twitching occasionally as she adjusted their order with meticulous care. Meanwhile, Lisa crouched on the floor, attempting to reconfigure the shared locker setup to her liking.

It was, of course, supposed to be our shared locker, but I had a feeling I would be lucky if I ended up with twenty percent.

I glanced at Yang and Blake's half of the room. The walls were plastered with posters, while Blake had added multiple new shelves to house her collection of books.

"You've got a thing for posters, huh?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She smirked, stepping back to admire her handiwork. "What can I say? A girl's gotta' make this place feel like home."

"Home isn't usually this loud." Blake muttered.

Yang mimed twin guns with a dramatic flourish. "Hey, my boys bring the vibe. You'll thank me later."

Blake raised a sceptical eyebrow, and Yang grinned back. For a moment, they just stared at each other, each daring the other to break the silence.

Yang lost the staring contest, her grin faltering as she sighed, deflating slightly. She threw herself down onto her bed with a dramatic sigh. "Fine, fine, but I'm telling you, the vibe's essential."

Blake let out a helpless smile.

"We'll see." She said, returning to her books.

I let out a sigh, glancing at Lisa who had finally managed to get her head out of our closet.

"We've got to make some ground rules." She stated, dusting off her hands as though she'd just completed a monumental task.

I raised an eyebrow, eyeing the way she had clearly staked her claim on my part of the locker. Instead of sharing it like we were supposed to, she had apparently decided that all I needed was a single shelf. Said shelf, of course, was the smallest one at the bottom.

"No." I stated simply.

Lisa shrugged unapologetically. "We'll workshop it. Locker rules later. Ground rules now."

She didn't seem phased by my lack of enthusiasm or consent.

I had a feeling it was because she knew she would eventually win.

"You can't seriously think I can fit…"

"Actually," Blake said, her voice cutting me off, "I think we do need to talk about some ground rules."

I paused, my eyes flickering to Blake.

Yang didn't say anything, but gave a slow nod, confirming Blake's sentiment.

The moment dragged on, and eventually Lisa spoke, seeing we didn't seem to be going anywhere.

"Alex, you're supposed to be team leader, right? You should at least try to start the discussion." She said, sounding a little too genuine.

I grimaced. For once, she might actually have a point.

"Okay, fine. Anybody have any suggestions for how we should do this?" I asked.

Silence followed.

Three pairs of eyes simply stared at me, waiting, as if the fate of our dormitory's rules rested entirely on my shoulders.

In lack of a better option, I defaulted to a true and tested way of leadership.

Democracy.

"How about we just give suggestions for things, and then we just vote, majority wins." I tried.

There was a long beat. Then, to my surprise, everybody except me exchanged a knowing glance, a silent understanding passing between them. Lisa slowly walked across the room, until she was standing between Yang and Blake.

Her eyes glinting with mischief.

"How about we talk about shower times first?" She started.

Blake and Yang nodded eagerly.

For some reason I had a feeling that the democratic model was about to encounter some serious corruption.

……

"How is stuff going on your end?" Jaune whispered to me, his voice barely audible over Professor Oobleck's high-speed ramblings about the syllabus.

It took me a second to register he was talking to me, with Oobleck having absorbed my attention by imitating the frantic energy of a caffeinated squirrel trying to cram an entire first lecture into ten minutes. His voice practically ricocheted off the walls as he rattled off information at a pace that could only be described as breakneck, his arms twitching like a pair of electric wires laying in water.

I turned to Jaune slowly, making sure to give him the most serious expression I could muster. It was, admittedly, a bit difficult, considering we were in the middle of Oobleck's lecture and trying to survive the storm of his constant, unfiltered excitement about everything.

Still, the moment called only for the most serious of expressions, so I managed.

"I think I should have instituted a rule that said you need to be at least…" I trailed off, motioning with my hand in a dramatic arc. "...tall to vote."

Jaune blinked, confusion flickering across his face as he stared at me, his expression blank for a few seconds.

"Huh?" he asked, furrowing his brow, clearly trying to follow the conversation but coming up short.

I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice to a near-whisper, as if I were imparting some deeply profound wisdom, and couldn't afford to let anyone else hear it. "Young hero, you might not understand today," I said, hollowing my voice to sound appropriately old. "But one day, my words will haunt you."

Jaune opened his mouth, like he wanted to ask what I meant, but then suddenly stopped. Like he thought better of it.

Instead, he glanced towards his left, a half-smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He laughed nervously. "Actually, I think I might get it."

My eyes widened as I followed his gaze to Weiss, who was sitting rigidly at her desk, scribbling furiously in her notebook. In her other hand, she was holding Ruby down by the shoulder, trying her best to keep her from bouncing off the walls like an overcharged pinball. The poor girl was practically vibrating in her seat, her legs swinging restlessly beneath the desk.

If that was all, maybe I wouldn't get it.

But it really wasn't all.

The devil seemed to inhabit Weiss's face as she glared at Jaune. Her eyes were narrowed into slits, as if she were trying to burn a hole right through his skull. I had thought Lisa had the glare closest to activating sudden laser vision, but I had to admit, Weiss had her beat.

"Oh." I simply stated.

Jaune gave me a helpless shrug.

"It's going to be an experience." He muttered, sounding about as exhausted as I had felt after fighting for dear life earlier.

I glanced towards my teammates, who had, for some inexplicable reason, decided to sit together during the first couple of classes. Naturally, they had booted me from their little group, leaving me to fend for myself in the far corner.

And that wasn't really even the thing I found weird, instead it was…

Lisa giggled at something Yang said, with Blake hiding her face behind her book, using it to obscure a smile.

Somehow, someway, by screwing over me they had decided that they were well on their way to becoming friends. Even Lisa, who usually kept her guard up, had dropped it just slightly, laughing in a way that was so...normal. It felt so surreal to see her like this.

Her face lit up as she tried to stifle a laugh, her rosy cheeks flushing as she bit her lip, fighting to keep the laughter from escaping completely. The effort only made it worse, and she let out a soft giggle that was pure and unguarded.

I stared.

Beacon was a school. I had knew that, but somehow, I hadn't quite understood what that meant. How it would make us relax our guards, how it would make things feel normal again. It was almost like the past month was a lie.

Jaune felt like the kind of guy I would be friends with back home.

Lisa felt like the kind of girl I would only have the balls to stare at.

Before I could fully process that surreal thought, Oobleck's voice finally snapped me back to reality, rattling off something about how knowing the historical background of the battle of Fort Miller could make us understand the "proper strategies for Grimm encounters in densely populated urban environments." It sounded important, but then again, everything he said sounded important when delivered at a thousand miles per hour.

I glanced back at Jaune, who looked like he was trying to scribble down notes but had only managed a series of disjointed lines and squiggles. His notebook looked less like a repository of knowledge and more like the victim of a particularly aggressive seismograph.

"Don't worry," I whispered, "you're not alone. I'm pretty sure the rest of us are just as lost."

Jaune gave me a grateful, sheepish grin. "Good to know. I thought it was just me. How does he breathe?"

"No one knows," I replied with mock solemnity. "Some say he doesn't."

"Who is some?" Jaune whispered with a wry grin, still trying to take notes.

For some reason I had a feeling it wasn't by choice, but rather a way to try and get Weiss to not develop thought-based weapons.

"Me, myself and I." I whispered back.

We grinned at each other like we were stupid teenagers.

Huh

…

It was almost a relief when the bell rang and we moved into the cafeteria.

The cafeteria buzzed with activity, students jostling for space in line or squeezing into packed tables. Trays clattered, conversations blended into a loud hum, and the faint scent of overcooked pasta wafted through the air. It was chaotic but alive, a stark contrast to the lecture hall's strained attempt at order.

Jaune and I trudged in, still recovering from the mental marathon that was Oobleck's class.

"Do you think they build these cafeterias on the principle of maximum discomfort?" Jaune asked, surveying the crowd with a mix of trepidation and resignation.

"Only the strong survive," I replied, grabbing a tray. "It's all part of the training, or," I paused for a moment as I saw the food, "at least that's what Coco told me."

We both eyed the food options warily. Some looked edible; others, less so. After some hesitation, we settled for something that resembled chicken and something else that insisted it was mashed potatoes but could have been plaster in disguise.

Then we made our way to the table where both our teams had decided to sit down. Ruby was animatedly talking with Yang, while Lisa was poking at her food with barely contained distaste.

Some part of me wanted to say something about it, but considering how well it had turned out all the other times I instead kept my mouth shut.

Or keep my mouth shut about that, at least.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Senator Palpatine herself," I said, sitting down across from Lisa.

She shot me a funny look, and it took me a moment to realize that she was trying to communicate, without words, that I probably shouldn't be using pop culture references from my world. A quick glance around the table confirmed that nobody else was catching the reference.

"Who's that?" Blake asked, and I felt my smile falter.

'Well shit.'

"Well, uh, he's-" I fumbled, my brain scrambling to come up with a plausible explanation that wouldn't start poking more holes in our cult story than Swiss cheese. My eyes darted to Lisa for backup, but she just smirked faintly, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

A comic, book or tv show?

They could check that and then we would have some explaining to do.

Somebody we knew?

But then again why would we know a Senator?

I gave up. There was no good way to explain.

Instead, I just sank together, pretending that the attention was overwhelming me. Jaune threw me a commiserating glance, like he understood what I was going through.

"Never mind." I mumbled awkwardly.

For a moment, the entire table fell silent, with only Lisa grinning from ear to ear.

"Ehm! How are you guys settling in?" Jaune tried, clapping his hands to draw attention away from me.

I threw him a glance of pure gratitude and he stealthily gave me a thumbs up.

"It's… different from what I thought it would be." Pyrrha started.

That drew a slew of nods around the table. Slowly people started speaking again, and the conversation picked up.

I didn't say much, simply observing instead.

As Blake threw in a comment at Weiss, who flushed red in outrage after trying to explain why the Schnee company wasn't actually that bad.

Yang laughing at Ruby, having snorted milk out her nose after hearing Pyrrha was apparently a three times tournament winner.

Jaune animatedly explaining how they used his strategy to take down the Death Stalker, with Lisa looking completely bamboozled, as she realized they hadn't used a single one of her tips, and instead somehow managed to use Ruby as a bullet to pierce through the Death Stalker hard shell.

It felt like a normal school.

It felt like home.

…

I had been sitting on the dorm roof for almost an hour when Lisa arrived, her footsteps soft against the gravel and her gaze as relaxed as ever when she spotted me, legs dangling off the edge.

"Bold move," she remarked, sauntering over with her hands stuffed into her pockets. "What if you fall?"

I shrugged, staring out at the starry filled sky. "It's not that far down. Besides, I'm more worried about the metaphorical fall than the literal one. The embarrassment would kill me before anything else."

Lisa quirked an eyebrow, settling down a few feet away from me, though she kept her legs firmly planted on the roof's surface. "Deep. What's got you waxing poetic, Shakespeare?"

I paused looking up at the broken moon for a moment. It was the thing that was the most clearly different about Remnant, thanks Oobleck, and how we had even realized we weren't on our Earth anymore.

"You know where I was going when I first teleported to your Earth?" I asked, my voice steady, but carrying a weight I didn't expect.

Lisa remained silent for a moment. I couldn't help but notice the way her gaze flickered toward me, the edge of curiosity piquing her interest. I wasn't sure what I had expected, but I had assumed her power would let her instantly understand what I meant.

But she didn't.

After a long pause, I cleared my throat and pushed aside the thought that had been nagging at me.

"To school," I finally said, my eyes returning to the campus before us. "I was supposed to be there early to register. But instead, I ended up in front of that oil rig. I mean, you should've seen me, I was freaking losing my mind there for a good minute."

Lisa let out a low chuckle, but there was a hint of something else in her expression, something thoughtful. I couldn't tell if she was processing what I'd said or just enjoying the absurdity of my situation.

"Now we are at a school, safe again and everything feels…" I trailed off, unsure of how to continue, feeling like the words weren't coming out right.

The entire day had felt that way, like I was just floating through it, disconnected from everything. Like I wasn't sure whether I was existing in this world or just passing through it.

Then again, that was a real worry when it came to me.

And maybe that was what this was about, the fear of just suddenly disappearing again, leaving people without an explanation.

The feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Thanks," Lisa suddenly said, her voice quieter than usual.

I blinked, taken aback. "For what?"

She hesitated for a moment, her eyes momentarily darting away as if she didn't quite know how to put it into words. "For not leaving… for helping me out. For… being here, I guess."

A warmth spread through me at her words, and I laughed softly, feeling my face flush. It wasn't something I was used to hearing from her, especially not in that way. I glanced over at her and saw her freckled face turning even redder, making her seem suddenly younger. More vulnerable. It struck me how much I didn't know about her, how many walls she kept up.

Even after a month, I didn't really know more about her past than I had after the first few days. I had gotten the cliff-note versions, and that was it.

Even so, while I might not know her, I felt like knew her.

Maybe not all of her.

But I knew she could be vicious. I knew she didn't like to be underestimated; how much she hated it when people looked down on her.

I knew how much she enjoyed messing with people, drawing out their reactions, playing with their expectations.

But at the same time, I knew how careful she could be when it mattered. How she could be there when someone needed her, even if she didn't show it.

I knew how funny she could be, how her sarcasm could shift into genuine humour that would make even the most serious person crack a smile.

And I knew how much she cared, even though she'd never admit it. How she buried that side of herself, not wanting anyone to see.

"I'm going to get you home," I said seriously, my voice steady, "even if it rips me apart."

Even if I didn't want to.

She froze for a second, eyes widening. Then she busted out laughing, a full, belly-shaking laugh that made me do a double take. Without warning, she shoved me lightly, and I only barely managed to catch myself, the edge of the roof pressing against my back.

"God, you're so cheesy," she gasped between fits of laughter.

I opened my mouth in mock outrage, but the absurdity of it hit me too. I thought back to my own words. I had just sounded like the protagonist in a bad romance novel.

Even worse that that really, I had sounded like a character in a bad fanfiction.

And then, just like that, I joined her in laughter. We both ended up leaning against the roof's ledge, trying to catch our breath between giggles. The tension that had been hanging over me all day, all week really, it felt miles away, like it didn't matter at all.

Once we calmed down, Lisa wiped a tear from her eye and shot me a sly smirk. "You know, you really should quit while you're ahead. That was bad. It's not every day I make a mistake, but calling you Shakespeare? Lisa shook her head, like the very thought offended her. "I made a grave error there."

"Hey!" I protested, still smiling. "Don't sell yourself short. You make mistakes all the time."

Lisa shoved me again.

…

When I opened the door to the dorm, I expected to find Blake and Yang already settled in for the night. After all, we'd unanimously voted to start getting to bed earlier, at eleven. And by unanimously, I mean that Blake, Yang, and Lisa all agreed, while my opinion, shockingly, was not part of the decision-making process.

But that wasn't the case.

Instead, both Yang and Blake were sitting on the floor near the door, their eyes wide with that familiar, mischievous spark. The one I had seen in Lisa's eyes before she started needling me.

"So, you guys went out for a late-night walk, huh?" Yang asked, trying to sound casual.

While sitting on the floor.

While grinning like the Cheshire cat.

This was going to be a whole thing, wasn't it.

Chapter Text

Watching Aleksander fight was like watching someone play whack-a-mole, if the mole could teleport, was borderline obnoxious about it, and had a grudge against the hammer. Every time it looked like he was cornered, he'd disappear and reappear somewhere else, usually behind you, trying to stab you in the kidney. It wasn't about being the strongest or fastest. Aleksander didn't need that. His style was all about making you feel like an idiot for trying. Death by a thousand cut, if those cuts were delivered via the world's most obnoxious game of hide-and-seek.

Of course, every strategy had it's limits.

Like right now.

Pyrrha threw her shield backward in a move so fluid it looked rehearsed, ricocheting it off the ground, the ceiling and then straight into Aleksander's back. He stumbled forward as he barely managed to block her follow-up strike with her sword.

But Pyrrha wasn't just fast; she was ruthless. She dropped low, sweeping his legs out from under him. He disappeared mid-fall, teleporting away before she could finish him off.

I cringed.

'She knows where you are, toaster.' I thought, letting my power run for a second.

Can sense him, can sense metal. Knows he appeared behind her. Ready for him. Can manipulate met

I cut off my power just in time for Pyrrha to pivot from her sweep into a roundhouse kick that cracked him square in the face. Even with his teleportation, there was no time to dodge. His aura absorbed the blow, but the damage was done. A glance at the screen confirmed it: his aura had dipped into the red, signalling his loss.

Meanwhile, Pyrrha's aura was practically untouched, because of course it was. The invincible girl strikes again.

It would be annoying if she was any worse, as it was?

Well, it was still annoying.

"Hell yeah!" Yang hollered beside me, her voice booming over the general noise of the arena.

Even annoyed as I couldn't help but smirk at her enthusiasm. For someone who wore her emotions on her sleeve, Yang had a very specific reaction to Aleksander losing, unrestrained happiness.

Then again, I didn't really blame her.

She had been cheering on him until their first fight.

A fight which happened to be her first loss.

Aleksander's entire strategy against Yang had been a masterclass in patience, one built on careful manipulation. He baited out her semblance, letting her burn through her energy with relentless attacks. Then, once she was visibly exhausted, he spent ten straight minutes teleporting around, dodging her swings, and taking just enough swipes to chip away at her aura. Eventually, Yang ran out of steam, exactly as Aleksander had planned. It was the kind of strategy that showcased his calm, methodical nature.

It was also frustrating to watch, thinking about being her, swinging her first at somebody who kept disappearing and the reappearing behind you?

Well, there was a reason why I didn't want to think back to our first fight.

I paused for a second. "You rock, Pyrrha!" I screamed too.

Aleksander, who had been picking himself off the ground, threw me a mock hurt look. The expression barely fazed me, though. If anything, it only made sweet, vindictive satisfaction bubble up inside of me. His stupidly handsome face, with all that effortlessly charming idiocy, couldn't stop me from revelling in his defeat.

"Try to actually stand your ground next time." I yelled back, miming a stabbing motion.

After throwing me another glare that promised revenge, he scrambled back into the changing room.

I snorted at him.

"Guess that's why he's not the Invincible Boy." I muttered under my breath, earning a snicker from Yang.

Still, for as funny watching Aleksander get crushed was, I still had to prepare.

My eyes wandered over to Ruby.

The youngest person here, even a year younger than me.

It had taken me a hot minute to figure out that Qrow had trained her, but once I did, a lot suddenly made sense.

Her precision, her adaptability in the middle of a fight, the way she handled her weapon as if it were an extension of her body, it all screamed experience far beyond her years. She wasn't just good because she was a prodigy; she was good because someone had taught her to be. Someone who knew the difference between raw talent and tempered skill.

Somebody who could polish both.

She even beat Aleksander, because she had in spades what Yang lacked. She was just that goddamn fast. Fast enough to dodge his surprise attacks and fast enough to land her own before he could even think about reacting.

Aleksander had even tried changing tactics too, engaging her without teleporting too much, hoping to take her on in a straight fight.

It was probably even more stupid than hoping to just tire her out.

Aleksander was talented, but his talent was raw, jagged, shaped more by desperation than instruction. His skills were the byproduct of chaos, built from patchwork tricks and last-second improvisations. It was messy and unpredictable, sure, but it also meant he'd never been trained out of his bad habits. His strengths weren't focused; they were scattered.

Impressive? Absolutely.

Polished? Not even close.

When it came down to just skill?

Ruby had him beat. She'd probably beat me too if we just fought like a couple of idiots. Luckily, Ruby had a bad habit when facing someone who couldn't keep up with her speed.

Soon the holographic screen changed, showing two new people.

I was still one fight away from going up, which meant that I would usually have enough time to watch for a while.

Then again this wasn't most fights.

"Who do you think will win?" Yang asked, wearing the kind of grin that said she already knew the answer.

I tapped my chin, playing along. "Hmm. Tough call."

Cardin vs. Blake. Yeah, that wasn't exactly fair. Cardin was a brute, a big, dumb tank who only won when his opponents were stupid enough to stand still and trade blows.

Like Jaune.

Then again, everybody won against Jaune.

Against Blake? Blake might be hardheaded, but she was also slippery, fast and more than able to dodge his blows.

"Hundred Lien on Blake?" I asked.

Yang snorted.

"No, thanks. My partner is going to slaughter him."

The outcome felt so obvious it wasn't even worth sticking around to watch, not without incentive anyway. With a shrug I stood up, and started heading toward the girls' locker room, grabbing my things on the way.

I had just enough time to change into my combat outfit when the the door slammed open.

Yang and Blake walked in, moving with the kind of speed that practically screamed "victory lap." I raised an eyebrow at them, barely pausing as I closed my locker shut, holstering my gun at my side.

"This is why you don't leave when a teammate is fighting, Lisa," Yang announced, smirking like she'd just won the lottery.

I glanced over at Blake. Her satisfied expression made it clear Yang wasn't exaggerating. Blake practically radiated happiness, her bow twitching with so much barely contained excitement it was a wonder nobody had pieced things together yet.

Not damaged, not tired. Did not win by combat. Won by ringout.

"Yeah, it was pretty obvious Cardin was gonna charge in like a bull and dive off the ring, wasn't it?" I said, keeping it casual, shutting my locker with a little more force than necessary.

Blake flinched, while Yang stared at me with wide eyes.

"Lisa, I swear, one of these days you gotta tell me how you do that shit. Spy camera? Future sight? Because you still haven't guessed a fight wrong yet, and for half of them you aren't even there." Yang asked, sounding vaguely flabbergasted.

I flashed her a sly smile as I holstered my gun, spinning the knife in the air before casually catching it.

"I'm just that good." I answered, tossing a final glance at them and walking out without looking back.

…

The arena was quiet as Ruby arrived in a blaze of fake petals.

She took a moment to gather herself, and I could see some panic in her eyes as she turned to Glynda. Though, to be fair, anticipating how fast Blake vs Cardin would end was probably hard for most people. Glynda raised a single eyebrow, but she was, as much as I hated to admit it, about the fairest person in the entire school, and so didn't hold it against her.

"Normal rules apply." She said simply, before making her way out of the ring.

As Ruby stood there, waiting for the timer to count down I could practically hear the gears in her head turning, already calculating her first move. Most people would probably do the same.

I didn't need to.

Because I already knew her first move.

She lunged first, using her speed to close the distance between us in an instant. Her scythe swept toward me with a fluid motion, aimed at my midsection.

She was fast. Too fast for my eyes.

But relying on my eyes had always been my mistake.

I let my power guide me instead, stepping just out of range. The edge of her scythe whistled past me, close enough that I felt the wind on my skin. Ruby's surprise flickered in her eyes as I sidestepped with ease, but she recovered quickly, spinning to face me again.

Without looking, I pointed my gun behind me and fired.

Gun aimed at her.

I shot.

The shot clipped her hip, throwing her off balance. She yelped but recovered almost instantly, leaping high with her scythe poised to strike.

Sound from above. Aiming for your head.

I bent backward at the last moment, Ruby's blade slicing through the air so close that it nicked a few strands of my hair.

You had to give it to her, she was fast. It wasn't a wonder why most people couldn't fight her when they could barely even see her move.

She landed, closing the gap with another blur of movement. Her scythe arced toward me again.

Arm.

I shifted sideways, parrying with my knife. The clash reverberated up my arm, but I didn't let it slow me down. I returned fire with my gun, but Ruby twisted midair, the bullet grazing her Aura. She capitalized on the momentum, swinging her scythe around herself in a feint.

Fake attack. Will fire her gun at close range instead. Predicting you to dodge backwards.

Instead of dodging, I closed the gap further. Her eyes widened as she realized too late that her swing had slowed, the scythe losing its lethal momentum. I caught the blade with my knife, gritting my teeth as the impact numbed my arm. Even slowed, the force of her swing was immense.

But now?

She couldn't dodge.

I fired point-blank into her stomach. Her Aura shimmered, absorbing the blow, but she stumbled back with a pained groan.

I aimed for another shot, but before I could pull the trigger, Ruby disappeared, a crimson blur streaking around me, towards the edge of the ring.

I had enough time to turn.

I didn't.

Instead, I gave her enough time to commit.

Well, I also gave her enough time to hesitate.

But she didn't.

Charging you. Aiming for your legs.

Her semblance made her fast enough to vanish from sight, but speed didn't make her unpredictable.

Without looking, I raised an eyebrow.

"Again?" I asked, my voice flat.

As she closed in, I twisted and leapt at the last moment. Ruby couldn't adjust her trajectory in time, crashing headfirst into my knee with a sickening thud. Pain shot up my leg, but I gritted my teeth and landed smoothly, while her momentum sent her sprawling.

She rolled, forcing herself up with sheer willpower, wobbling as she tried to orient herself.

I didn't give her the chance.

Rushing forward, I closed the distance in a flash. With a sharp motion, I pinned her to the ground, my knife pressed lightly against her throat.

"Game over." I said coolly, the fight already decided.

Ruby's breath came in quick gasps, her wide eyes betraying frustration as much as exhaustion.

I patted her cheek, before getting off her.

"Maybe think about not just rushing people, yeah?"

The arena was silent, the air buzzing with tension as Ruby stood up, brushing fake petals off her cloak.

When the light turned on and we could see the rest of the people she barely even glanced at me, keeping her focus on Glynda, who stood off to the side, clipboard in hand.

Glynda stepped forward, clipboard in hand. "Well done, Miss Wilbourn. Using your opponent's speed against herself was a smart tactic. However, I think you know what I'm going to say."

I sighed. "Work on my base abilities. Outwitting my opponent won't always work, yada yada?"

Glynda's glare was sharp. "Precisely. If you could track Miss Rose better, you wouldn't need tricks. You could engage her in a straightforward fight and win cleanly."

She turned to Ruby. "As for you, Miss Rose, I believe the lesson here is self-evident."

Ruby tugged her hood over her head, mumbling something inaudible.

I didn't care, my eyes finding Aleksander's.

Then I grinned victoriously at him.

…

"You could be a little nicer, you know?" Yang's voice was cool as she glanced across the room at a defeated Ruby, who was sitting off to the side. "Ruby's two years younger."

I leaned back, arms crosse. "I don't see the problem. If she wanted the fight to last longer, she should start using her head a little."

Yang's eyes flashed red, and her jaw tightened. I raised an eyebrow as she began to open her mouth. Yang was easy to get along with most of the time, but her overprotectiveness toward Ruby?

It could be cute.

Right now it was just annoying.

Sees herself as responsible. No mother in the picture.

'Well duh, you already told me that twenty different ways.' I thought, rolling my eyes.

Yang wasn't amused. "You…" she started, her voice low, words laced with irritation.

Before she could continue, Aleksander dropped his tray on the table with the grace of a charging boar, the loud clatter cutting through the tension.

"Wow, Yang, when your team leader loses you celebrate, but when your sister loses it's game over? That hits me," Aleksander pointed at his chest, "right here you know."

Yang hesitated, caught between defending Ruby and apologizing. Aleksander shot me one of his "you're being too harsh" looks.

I scowled.

His eyes softened, blue eyes staring at me with an almost pleading look.

"She's too fast." I mumbled, almost feeling physical pain explaining something so obvious to someone who should already know.

Yang's confusion deepened, her temper simmering down but not fully cooled. Aleksander sighed heavily, stepping in before I could say something less diplomatic.

"What Lisa means," Aleksander explained with exaggerated patience, "is that she can't afford to hold back. If Ruby focuses on hit-and-run tactics instead of trying to end it in one big move, Lisa can't keep up. Right now, Ruby's holding herself back by playing into Lisa's hands."

I frowned at how easily he boiled it down, even if it was true. Of course, I could still win if Ruby played smarter.

It would just be harder.

A little bit harder.

Yang mulled over his explanation, her posture relaxing slightly. "Sorry, just… yeah, I shouldn't have snapped," she admitted, though her tone was still tinged with frustration.

"Well, it's whatever. It's not like you've had ten years of practice fighting her or anything," I said, dripping sarcasm.

Yang let out a strained laugh, the tension easing a little.

For a moment, silence settled over the table, awkward and heavy. Then Aleksander clapped his hands, startling us.

"Wow, that actually worked!" he said, grinning.

We glared at him.

"You don't need to stare, girls, I'm not going anywhere." He joked.

We glared.

"Wait, wait, I had a point," Aleksander said quickly, holding up his scroll. "You guys want to sign up for the Vytal Festival tournament? Looks fun, no?"

I glanced at the screen. The idea of fighting in front of a massive crowd, all of them cheering my name, wasn't exactly appealing…

Cheering my name.

"I guess it could be fun." I said slowly, my eyes reading about the cash price for the winners.

"Hell yeah! I've been waiting for this," Yang said, her mood lifting. She turned to Blake. "What do you think, Blake?"

Blake was hunched over her scroll, reading while absently picking at her food. At the sound of her name, she jumped, nearly dropping the device into her soup.

"Huh?" She mumbled, blinking at us.

I used my power slightly.

Reading about the dust robberies. Worried they're connected to the White Fang. Doesn't want them to be…

It wasn't anything new, just the same old worries with her. Almost amusing how she kept herself so guarded. Every time we even commented on animals, she'd flinch like we were about to cross some invisible line.

Still, I wasn't about to comment on it. The last thing I needed was her jumping down my throat. Racism seemed to stick to the Faunus like glue in this world, and Blake? She had a hair-trigger when it came to anything resembling prejudice. Even now, when we met with Jaune's team, she spent most of the time sniping at Weiss.

It was almost funny, the fact nobody had noticed her being a Faunus.

"Blake?" Yang prompted again, pulling her from her thoughts.

Blake blinked, then glanced up at us. She gave a noncommittal shrug. "Sure, why not?"

"Nice, I'll sign us up later then." He said, grinning.

For a second, I almost used my power on him, wondering why he was that excited. Then I pulled back, not wanting to usual string of nonsense that surrounded him. If I wanted anything on him? It would probably take the entire lunch break, and all I would figure out was something stupid, like how he wasn't used to eating without some kind of placemat.

"You thinking about something Blake?" I asked, trying to figure out if today was the day she would finally decide to open up.

"No, I mean I was just looking at the dust robberies, it's crazy how they keep blaming the White fang." She said angrily.

"I mean, it's not that crazy, right?" Yang said casually, leaning back. "They've seen people in White Fang masks at the scenes."

Blake's head whipped around, outrage flashing in her eyes.

Blake's golden eyes narrowed, her grip tightening around her scroll. "That's the problem, Yang," she snapped. "People see a mask, and they assume it's the White Fang. No proof, no investigation, just blame them outright. It's not like it's hard to grab a mask and rob somebody, they could be anyone."

Yang raised an eyebrow, taken aback by Blake's sudden intensity. "Okay, but it's not like they're saints, Blake. The White Fang's been involved in plenty of stuff like this before."

"They're fighting for survival!" Blake's voice rose, and a few heads turned in our direction. She lowered her voice, glancing around the cafeteria nervously. "Not everyone in the White Fang is a criminal. Have you ever read about the difference in pay between a Human worker and a Faunus one? The White Fang is fighting for equality."

Yang crossed her arms, her expression firm. "Desperation doesn't justify hurting people."

Blake slammed her hands into the table with enough force to rattle the dishes, drawing a brief flicker of attention from the surrounding students. It was almost funny, if someone had done this back home, the entire cafeteria would be abuzz with whispers and speculation in seconds.

But here? People barely even turned their heads.

It was one of those small cultural shifts I wondered if Aleksander had noticed. Physical gestures carried less weight here; maybe it was because everyone had Aura, making them so much harder to hurt. It lent a strange, casual indifference to moments like this, as if everyone unconsciously knew the stakes were lower.

Aleksander, ever the peacemaker, cleared his throat dramatically, the sound cutting through the lingering tension. "So, have you guys thought about our upcoming mission yet?" He started, his voice carrying a forced lightness that didn't quite land.

Blake shot him a glare so sharp it could've cut steel, her golden eyes narrowing as if he'd personally wronged her. For a moment, I thought she might snap at him outright, but instead, she stayed silent, her jaw set tight.

Aleksander floated an awkward smile, his confidence visibly shrinking under Blake's gaze. He fidgeted slightly. It was annoying, how he seemed so unsure about how to handle being team leader for her and Yang.

It was almost pitiable. Almost.

Watching him, I felt a pang of guilt. Maybe I shouldn't have ganged up on him, but how was I supposed to know he'd react like this? It wasn't like he wore his insecurities on his sleeve.

It wasn't my fault my power didn't seem to work on him.

'You don't have the right to glare at him.' I thought, feeling some irritation bubble up, slowly burning at the edges of my patience. Blake had her issues, sure, but Aleksander wasn't the one she should be taking them out on.

Without a second thought, I reached across the table and snatched her scroll from her hands.

"Hey!" Blake's head snapped toward me, her eyes wide with shock and fury. "What do you think you're-"

"Just "Relax," I interrupted, my tone flat as I kept my grip on the scroll. "Just checking something."

Her fury was practically tangible, but she didn't make a move to snatch it back. Maybe she realized causing a bigger scene wouldn't do her any favors. Yang and Aleksander exchanged wary glances, clearly unsure whether to intervene or let this play out.

I ignored them all, letting my power hum to life as I scrolled through the footage Blake had been obsessing over. The grainy images showed figures in White Fang masks breaking into a dust shop, their movements precise and efficient. They weren't just smashing things at random; this was a well-planned hit.

Organized. Knew where the dust was. Scoped out the…

I cut off the train of thought, forcing my power down another track. Anyone with a shred of common sense could see these criminals were organized; that wasn't the question. What I needed to know was if they were really the White Fang.

It took a moment before my power finally cooperated.

Not Faunus. Showing obvious aggression towards Faunus staff. Is not White Fang.

I blinked, momentarily thrown off by the realization. The last time I'd checked out these robberies, they'd been clearly linked to the White Fang. But this? This wasn't them. Just a group of criminals using their name as cover.

"Huh," I said, tossing the scroll back onto the table. "You're right, Blake. These people aren't the White Fang."

Blake stared at me; her mouth slightly open as if she couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Like she was sure I would argue against her.

To be fair, I would have, if these people actually were the White Fang.

"What?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.

I leaned back in my seat, crossing my arms as I explained. "They're not Faunus. Look at how they're treating the staff, they're openly hostile to the only Faunus workers in the shop. That's not how the White Fang operates. These guys are just crooks wearing masks to throw people off."

Blake's expression shifted, her anger softening into something more like relief, or maybe vindication.

"I told you." She muttered, though her voice lacked its earlier heat.

Yang leaned forward, scepticism written across her face. "How can you be sure? Maybe the Faunus worker just wasn't cooperating or something? I mean, I know you're smart, Lisa, but actual police have been looking at this, and they all seem pretty sure it's the White Fang."

Her tone was casual, but I didn't need my power to know she didn't have much of a stake in the argument. Yang wasn't trying to prove a point; she was arguing for the sake of it.

She didn't seem to understand how personal this was for Blake.

Then again, how could she?

Blake turned again, her anger visibly reigniting as her golden eyes narrowed. I could practically see her ready to launch into another tirade.

I opened my mouth, a sharp retort for Yang already forming on my tongue. A dozen biting possibilities swirled in my head, each one more scathing than the last. But before I could speak, Aleksander's voice cut through the rising tension.

"Enough," he said sharply, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The table fell silent. Even Blake's simmering rage seemed to pause, her glare flicking toward him in surprise.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, and fixed each of us with a pointed look. "Lisa knows because her ability is super deduction," he began, his voice calm but firm. The edge softened slightly as he continued. "She can literally analyse a crime scene and figure out if the criminal was right-handed, ambidextrous, or even flying for that matter. That's why fighting her is like going up against someone who's reading your mind. She knows what you're going to do before you've even planned your next move."

Yang opened her mouth, likely ready with a counterpoint, but paused. Her eyes narrowed in thought, her expression shifting as she seemed to work through Aleksander's words.

Then, suddenly, her eyes lit up, as though a lightbulb had just flickered on above her head. She pointed at me, raw excitement in her voice. "Wait, that's why you always know who's going to win fights! Your semblance isn't just fighting skill; it's, like, the ability to analyse people! That's crazy!"

Blake seemed to pause, her eyes widening. It was like she suddenly realized something. Her gaze flickered toward mine, and I could see the desperation in her eyes as she searched for any sign that I knew.

Fuck.

I could feel the weight of her stare, the sudden spike of tension in the air.

I kept my expression neutral, but I could already feel her probing and questioning look.

Trying to find something, anything.

Yang continued talking, oblivious to the shift, but I wasn't listening. My focus was entirely on Aleksander. He seemed to sense my irritation, his eyes darting away as if he'd realized he'd said too much.

The silence between us stretched, thick with unspoken thoughts, like we were all caught in a game of chicken. The atmosphere felt charged, taut, waiting for something to break it.

It was almost funny.

Blake staring at me.

Me staring at Aleksander.

Aleksander desperately trying to pretend he was listening to Yang's rambling.

Yang rambling on about nothing that mattered.

A team?

It was funny. Sometimes we seemed to be the most functioning team around. We worked together well, fought together smoothly, and didn't have any huge issues with leadership.

Other times?

We could barely even have a single conversation without fighting.

I wasn't going to lie though; it felt almost nostalgic.

….

Blake didn't confront me right away. She waited until classes were done. As I walked down the hall from the gym, I spotted her standing near a pillar, her posture a forced casual.

"You got a minute, Lisa?" She said, probably trying to sound casual.

She really didn't, doubly so considering how out of character this was.

I let out a sigh, knowing exactly what was coming. "Sure."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to speak a little more privately. Maybe we could go to the roof or something?"

I nodded at her words, even as I ran my powers.

Want to talk. Wants to see if your semblance can tell she's Faunus. Afraid of how much you know.

'Well, at least she didn't seem willing to kill me to silence me, so that was a step up from Earth Bet.' I thought, thinking back to how Coil felt about me trying out his secrets.

We moved quickly, the hum of conversation from the halls fading behind us. Within minutes, we reached the roof, the place Aleksander always seemed to retreat to when he needed to escape. I glanced around, half-expecting to find him there, his legs dangling over the edge as he stared into the night.

Instead, I only found Blake, already standing at the far side of the roof, her back straight.

"Your semblance, how does it work?" Blake asked, the question coming out sharp and direct.

If she'd meant to sound casual, she'd missed the mark. She'd done a perfect job of making it clear that this conversation was far from ordinary.

Or maybe a bang-up job at making it ordinary.

"First…" I trailed off, realizing I was about to start arguing about whether my power was even a semblance or not. Even after over a month, my debates with Amber still felt like they were lingering, like I couldn't shake the residue of those conversations.

"First?" Blake raised an eyebrow, her patience clearly thinning.

I sighed, feeling a bit exasperated with myself. "No, hah. Whatever you think I can tell with my semblance," I spat the word out like it was a dirty taste, "I can tell you it's wrong."

"So, it works worse out of combat?" She asked, her voice betraying a hint of hopefulness, like she was already picturing some weakness in my ability.

I glanced up at the sky, trying to figure out how to approach this. The sun was dipping low, casting a muted orange glow across the roof. It wasn't the kind of inspiration I was looking for. So, I decided to go with the band-aid approach.

"I know you're a Faunus, Blake. I can tell you were part of the White Fang, or at least have some connection to it. I know you have a bad habit of pirouetting left when you deploy your semblance. And that you tend to jump into the air too much. What do you want me to tell you?"

I let the words drop, heavy and unfeeling, watching her face for any sign of recognition, any flicker of surprise.

I couldn't say I felt bad about it when her face paled dramatically.

She was the one who wanted this conversation to happen.

I would have been perfectly happy with just ignoring everything.

The moment seemed to drag on, as she opened and closed her mouth, struggling to find words. I couldn't bear to watch it, so I turned to walk away.

This whole thing was a waste of time.

I already knew how Blake would react. I could see it coming from a mile away. She was going to run off, too scared to face any of it, too terrified to trust anyone. At least Yang was the type to blow up when something unexpected happened.

Blake just ran.

It disgusted me.

Running away from your problems, just hiding your head in the sand?

It solved nothing.

"Then help me." Her voice rang out, small and lonely.

I stopped mid-step, my hand curling into a fist. I snapped around to face her, my frustration rising to the surface.

"What do you mean 'help'? Help keep your secrets? Because I'll tell you right now, I don't give a fuck about you being Faunus or a former terrorist. It's not like I can throw stones at you, hell, you were fighting for what you thought was right..."

Blake cut me off, her words coming out in a rush. "No, your semblance can figure out me, right? Then you can help figure out the White Fang case. Help me find out who's framing them, and in return..." She paused, as if unsure what she had to offer me.

I laughed, the sound harsh and bitter. "I didn't say the White Fang was innocent, did I? I said the people committing that robbery are criminals, not that the White Fang isn't doing anything."

Blake's expression tightened, frustration flickering in her eyes. Her posture shifted, but she didn't back down.

"I don't care," she spat, voice laced with bitterness. "Do you think I don't know they're involved in some way? Of course, I do." Her fists clenched, her gaze dropping like the weight of her words was almost too much to bear. "But the White Fang can't be behind this. They have no motive. We help Faunus, we attack mines, yeah, sure. But why would we start a robbing spree? There's no reason for it. This is different. There's someone else at play."

Her words landed harder than I expected. It wasn't just the White Fang she was defending, it was a whole belief, a cause she still clung to. And the more she spoke, the more I realized she truly believed it.

And damn it, she was right. Everything I had learned about the White Fang made it clear: they wouldn't resort to something like this.

For a moment, I let the silence stretch between us.

The idea of robberies, heists... it didn't fit their usual MO. They focused on protests, sabotage, striking at corrupt businesses.

This felt different.

"You really think someone else is behind them?" I asked, hesitation creeping into my voice. "Or do you just not want your former workplace to be as bad as it probably is?"

Blake's shoulders tensed, her eyes narrowing as she nodded, unwilling to back down. "I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

I stayed silent, letting the moment stretch out. I wanted to argue, to push back, but something stopped me. Blake wasn't just asking me to believe her, she was asking for help.

And we were a team, or at least supposed to be.

Finally, I looked her in the eye. "Okay. I'll help you. But just so we're clear, I'm not doing this to clear the White Fang's name. I'm doing this because something's off, and I want to know what that is."

Blake's expression softened, relief washing over her. She nodded, understanding the fine line I was walking. "That's all I need."

I turned, walking toward the edge of the roof, letting the cool breeze ruffle my hair as I thought about the mess I'd just agreed to get tangled in. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I didn't have much of a choice.

I didn't care about if the White Fang was innocent or not.

But not knowing what was going on in my city?

That just wouldn't be my style.

Chapter Text

"What do you think about Blake and Lisa lately?" I asked, deflecting an incoming punch from Yang with a sharp motion of my sword.

She didn't pause, following up with a jab that I only barely managed to twist away from.

"Not sure," she said, sidestepping my counter and effortlessly shoving my stab aside with her gauntlet. "But you felt it too, huh?"

For a moment, we circled each other, both waiting for an opening. I narrowed my eyes, trying to predict her next move. My focus didn't last long, as Yang charged without warning, her fist going directly for my head. I ducked just in time, only to see her knee surging upward, aiming for my face.

Instinctively, I brought my sword up to intercept.

It didn't go quite to plan.

Instead of blocking the strike the force forced my blade backwards. I wasn't even close to being able to block, instead all I managed was to smack myself with the flat of my blade. The impact sent me tumbling backward, landing unceremoniously on the mat.

"Good fight," Yang said, smirking as she offered me a hand. "You're getting better."

"Yeah, well, you still keep smacking me around, so excuse me if I don't feel it." I muttered, taking her hand reluctantly and letting her pull me to my feet.

Brushing myself off, I glanced toward the clock on the wall.

'Half an hour left, huh.' I thought.

Beacon had a lot of great perks, and the rentable training rooms were one of the best. Simple, private, convenient, and perfect for sessions like this. Of course, there were limits: two hours max per day, shared across the team.

Usually, that was enough time.

But when half the team decided to skip out on the scheduled training? That limit started feeling a lot shorter.

Which brought us back to our earlier talking point.

"So, Blake didn't say anything to you?" I asked, not even bothering to ask if Lisa told her.

It wasn't worth the extra words.

"Nope." Yang answered, wiping her face with a towel.

I frowned, rolling my shoulder to ease the ache from my tumble. "Figures. She's been dodging questions all week."

Yang shrugged, tossing the towel onto a nearby bench. "Blake's always been kind of withdrawn, to be honest. Lisa, though? That's new." She gave me a pointed look, crossing her arms. "I thought you'd have the inside scoop."

I sighed, dragging my hand down my face. "If I had the scoop, do you think I'd be asking you?"

"Fair point." Yang's smirk returned, but there was a hint of concern behind it. "You think something's going on?"

"With Lisa?" I shot her a glance before letting my gaze drift toward the clock again. The steady ticking seemed to echo louder in the quiet room. "There's always something going on with her."

Yang exhaled sharply, half a sigh and half a laugh. "Yeah, that tracks. Still, this feels different. Don't you think?"

I didn't answer immediately, instead busying myself with adjusting my jacket. There wasn't much point in arguing. She was right, this did feel different.

After we came to Beacon, Lisa had started to get more time to herself. As much as I could see how that was probably a good thing for her, it also meant we spent less time together. And that felt a little... off. After all, when I had teleported us to Remnant, we'd been inseparable for over a month. It had been natural, felt natural even. But after that initial month, things had started to change, slowly at first.

Now?

Thing weren't slowly changing; I had barely spoken to her this week.

She used to tell me when she was up to something. We'd talk, catch up, or even hang out on the rooftop a couple of times a week.

Talk about anything.

This awkward radio silence…

It left me feeling uneasy, like there was something she was hiding. Well, hiding something more than she usually hid. Lisa had always kept her cards close to her chest, but now… it was like she wasn't even trying to include me anymore.

"Well, let me know if you figure it out," Yang continued, leaning back against the bench, but her face seemed almost… uncertain. "Like, I'm okay with them skipping training every once in a while. Hell, I do the same. But this is twice this week already. We should be preparing extra hard for the upcoming mission, not... whatever they're doing."

"I know." I muttered, gripping the hilt of my weapon tighter than I meant to. "You don't need to tell me."

We stared at each other in silence for a moment, like we were both wondering the same thing.

"Alright, let's make the most of the time we've got left. Ready for another round?" Yang said, throwing her mane out of her eyes.

I forced a smirk, trying to push my unease aside. "Winner drags Lisa to training tomorrow?"

"Sure, as long as the loser drags Blake here." she said, grinning wide.

Curtains rustled.

"Hey! You said you wouldn't do that shit."

I poked her in the arm.

"ALEX!"

….

Sometimes, it was funny how much Beacon reminded me of a regular school.

Nobody embodied that feeling more than Professor Port. He was, as his name suggested, a portly man, with the kind of presence that made you imagine him harumphing loudly while shaking his fist at "those darn kids."

But that wasn't quite accurate.

In truth, he was one of the most enthusiastic professors we had. As the teacher of Grimm Studies, he was a veritable fountain of knowledge, his lectures packed with obscure facts about the creatures of Grimm.

And yet, despite that, he was also, without question, the worst professor here by far.

It wasn't that he didn't teach us anything useful, he often began classes with genuinely valuable insights. The problem arose when he'd inevitably derail himself, diving headfirst into "an interesting anecdote" about the Grimm.

Those anecdotes?

They always seemed to turn into long-winded stories about his youth, back when he was in his prime, hunting Grimm for sport.

Once those stories started, the classroom would quickly descend into a scene that could only be described as massacre.

Students sprawled across their desks, heads buried in their arms, groaning softly in agony. It was like watching an entire army succumb to a silent, invisible foe. Only the most disciplined students managed to soldier on, continuing to take notes.

I had long ago abandoned any pretence of trying to figure out what he was saying.

Instead, I'd mastered the noble art of looking like I was paying attention. Sitting upright, eyes fixed on Professor Port, I tried to project an air of rapt fascination, as if his every word were a divine revelation.

A carefully crafted illusions, years in the making.

Middle school Spanish classes had prepared me well.

Of course, that meant my real attention was elsewhere, locked onto the conversation happening a few seats over.

Blake and Lisa were huddled together, speaking in hushed tones, their heads bent over a scroll carefully hidden behind a book.

It had taken me about four days to notice the change, how much closer they seemed. Blake, who had always seemed most comfortable with Yang, now gravitated more and more toward Lisa.

Yang, for her part, looked… off. She wasn't sulking outright, but there was something subtly wounded in her expression whenever she glanced their way. A flicker of something that might have been confusion, or maybe even hurt. It was as though she'd been left behind, no longer part of whatever world her friends had moved into.

It echoed back to our conversation yesterday, and I realized that even back then she hadn't really known what to make of it.

It annoyed me.

Because Lisa had to know. She couldn't just not see it.

But I had a feeling she was convincing herself it was fine, that she could deal with it later, after she and Blake finished whatever they were working on.

As if patching up a friendship was that easy.

Or maybe it was, when you could peer straight into someone's deepest secrets, but for all her power, Lisa sometimes seemed to underestimate people.

And Yang?

Yang's fighting style might have been brutish, but she wasn't dumb. She might not have figured out exactly what was happening, but she had to feel like she was being excluded.

None of that boded well for our upcoming mission.

I strained to catch bits of Blake and Lisa's conversation, leaning slightly forward in my seat. But Professor Port's booming voice drowned out their whispers, leaving me with exactly nothing to work with when it came to broaching the topic.

The bell rang suddenly, cutting through the lecture like a blade. The shuffle of chairs and relieved sighs of students filled the room as everyone rushed to escape another of Port's meandering stories.

I stayed seated a moment longer, steeling myself.

I had to talk to them.

Whatever was going on, it couldn't be ignored any longer.

Still, I couldn't shake the sinking feeling in my stomach.

This wasn't going to go over well.

….

To be honest, I wasn't even sure who I should talk to. Discussing it with both of them at once? That was completely out of the question and a team talk was the nuclear option.

But both Lisa and Blake felt like bad options, and again, I desperately wished they'd include Yang in whatever they were planning. Not just for the sake of the team's overall health, but because she would've been the obvious choice to talk to.

Blake?

She was, without a doubt, the person I had the worst relationship with on the team. Not because we disliked each other, but because we just didn't… click.

Common interests?

We didn't have anything in common.

She didn't even laugh at my jokes, like, not even a giggle.

Crazy.

Either way, it left me with very little to work with if I wanted to pry into her business. Which, logically, should have made the choice easy. Lisa was, after all, more or less my best friend. Talking to her was usually a no-brainer.

Usually.

But this wasn't a normal situation. This wasn't just about strategizing or hashing out a plan, it was poking into her personal business. And I had a sinking feeling she wouldn't exactly appreciate it.

In the end, I took a deep breath and opened the door to our dorm.

I'd expected to find everybody inside, but only Lisa was there. She was sprawled across her bed like a lazy cat, her mouth curved in a smirk as her fingers lazily swiped at her scroll. From the looks of it, she was scrolling through the news, not that there was much else on the scroll.

"Welcome back." Her voice rang out, casual and light.

I glanced toward the bathroom. The door was open, and the light was off. That meant it was unlikely either Blake or Yang were back yet.

"Where's everyone?" I asked, just to be safe, tossing my Grimm Studies book onto my bed with a dull thud.

"Blake's shopping, Yang's visiting Ruby," Lisa replied, barely looking up from her scroll.

Shopping. It was almost like a codeword these days for the "excursions" Blake and Lisa kept going on. They'd leave straight after classes and come back late, never looking particularly tired, or with any new clothes, for that matter.

Normally, it wouldn't be a big deal. But when it happened almost every day for a week straight?
Well, you started to notice.

I sat down on my bed, my gaze lingering on Lisa for a few seconds.

Her hair was down.

It wasn't all that common for her to let her hair down outside of combat, and I found it a little funny. Normally, you'd expect people to tie their hair back before a fight and let it down when relaxing, but Lisa did the opposite.

I always thought she looked nice with her hair loose. It framed her face in a way that softened her usually sharp, angular features. It made her look… gentler.

And then I realized I was staring.

Again.

"You want something?" Lisa asked, breaking the silence. Her sharp eyes flicked up from her scroll, catching on the fact that I'd been zoning out, blatantly looking at her.

"Eh, no, I mean…" I stumbled over my words, my mouth running ahead of my brain.

For some reason, I kept expecting her to just know what I wanted to talk about. When she spoke with anyone else, Lisa always seemed to anticipate what they wanted to say before they said it. She would use her power to understand what was on their mind, bringing it up before they had a chance to bring it up. Then she would seamlessly guide the conversation in whatever direction she wanted.

"Do you never use your power on me?" I blurted out.

Then I paused.

That wasn't even close to what I wanted to talk about.

Lisa paused. The smirk on her face faltered, and for the briefest of moments, her eyes narrowed as she processed what I'd said. Slowly, deliberately, she set her scroll down on the bed beside her and met my gaze fully.

"Why would you even want to know that?" She asked sharply, and I could hear the hint of a warning.

After spending so much time with Lisa, I'd picked up on a few things about her, things you didn't bring up, boundaries you didn't cross. Her brother, her family, her intellect… all were solidly off-limits.

This?

It felt like that.

It should have made me back off.

I should have.

"No, I mean…" I stumbled, trying to clarify. "You never seem to use it on me. Not even when we fight. In theory, I should be a good match-up for you, since you can just anticipate where I'll teleport, but…"

I trailed off, leaving the words hanging in the air as the realization hit me.

"Wait. Does your power not work on me?"

Lisa practically leapt off the bed, her eyes narrowing into a glare that could've melted steel. It was a look I hadn't seen since our first day together.

"Why wouldn't it work?" She snapped, her voice sharp with irritation. "Do you think you're that special? I just don't go poking around in your head for no damn reason."

There were a million things I could say, but most of them summed up to one idea.

I didn't believe her.

Her explanation felt wrong.

I didn't say any of that.

Even so, it had always been odd, how her knowledge about me felt so...

Lacklustre?

She might respect me enough not to probe into my mind normally, but when we fought?

Lisa was a lot of things, but she wasn't good at holding back.

Yet she hadn't ever used any personal attacks against me.

Against others? She was ruthless, she would tear them apart, exploiting every insecurity like it was a weakness. The most vulnerable part of them, the things they wanted to hide the most were simply juice targets.

But with me?

She never crossed that line. She would be harsh, sure, but nothing more than that.

"Stop thinking right now!" Her eyes were wide, almost animalistic, as she moved closer to me.

Yet the words?

They were so childish.

I had thought she'd seen through me, that she somehow understood me, and that was why she trusted me. That I was somehow special enough for her not to attack me like that.

But now?

I realized that wasn't it.

Our relationship wasn't special, at least, not in the way I had thought. No, it was the opposite.

Her relationship with everybody else was special.

I was the only normal relationship she had.

She stared at me, and I could almost see the realization dawning in her eyes, like she was figuring out what I was figuring out. And with every second, I saw her panic more, like she hadn't even considered that possibility.

"You, fucking dick." Her voice was trembling, like I had just done something unforgivable.

"Hey, I mean it's fine." I began, stretching out to catch her trembling arms.

She didn't let me, grabbing themselves around herself instead. Her expression was wild and unguarded, like she didn't trust me.

"Don't touch me."

I froze, slowly pulling my arms back.

"It's fine. So what if your powers don't work on me, right? Like, it shoul…" I trailed off, unsure of what I even wanted to say.

It shouldn't change anything?

Things had already changed, the second I realized things changed.

It felt surreal, that she hadn't told me earlier. I didn't know whether to feel like she'd violated my trust or not.

Was she even obligated to tell me?

Why did it hurt that she didn't?

How many signs had I missed?

Thinking back on it, I realized I'd never questioned it before. When we first met, she had seemed so sure, saying things that she couldn't have known. But looking back, all she'd really said about me was that I was from another world.

But that was only after my phone had fallen out of my pocket.

Hah.

My phone.

It was felt like getting struck by lightning, the sudden clarity that came over me.

She had never really read me, she had known from my phone. Even the comment about going camping with my dad?

It was my lock screen, a picture of me and my dad in sleeping bags.

She'd been like a magician, pulling the wool over my eyes. Using tricks instead of magic, stringing me along while I bought into the illusion.

"Why didn't you just tell me." My voice felt far away, like it belonged to somebody else.

It felt stupid, so incredibly stupid, to feel hurt about something like this.

What had I expected? For her to lay everything bare, to share her weaknesses like they didn't matter?

"Why should I ever tell you? So that you can hold it over me? So that you can…" Lisa's words came out sharp, trembling with anger. Her whole body seemed to vibrate with it, as though her emotions might tear her apart from the inside out.

Maybe that was it, I had shared almost everything with her, because I didn't think there was any point in hiding.

I cut her off.

"So that I could do what? What exactly do you think I would do with this information Lisa?" I hissed out.

She didn't say anything, just stared.

Like this was my fault.

"Do you think I would hold it over you? Tease you with it? Because I wouldn't. If you said to never mention it? I would never say a single word. If you told me to pretend that you could read me? I would be the best actor you have ever seen." I spat out the last line, my fist tightening for every second that passed.

She still didn't say anything, but with every word I saw her head sink. Like she could bury her head in the sand, pretend I wasn't talking and make everything go away.

"Do you think that little of me? That I would use this like some kind of weapon." My voice was a mix of frustration and pain.

My nails dug into my palms, sharp and grounding.

When she looked up, her eyes bloodshot. Tears ran like two streams from her eyes.

She didn't look sad.

She looked furious.

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW?!" She screamed, the words tearing through the air. "I HAVE NO FUCKING IDEA HOW YOU'LL REACT, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Her voice cracked with each syllable, tearing through the dormitory and echoed off the walls like a gunshot. They hit my like a physical blow, painful in a real way.

How was she supposed to know?

How could she not.

I shot to my feet, grabbing my book like a lifeline, my hands shaking as I clutched it.

I needed to hold something.

Anything.

"Oh, I don't know? MAYBE BECAUSE YOU'VE KNOWN ME FOR ALMOST THREE MONTHS?" I shouted back. I sucked in a sharp breath, my chest heaving, but the words wouldn't stop.

"Because I thought we trusted each other?" And. My. Voice. Cracked.

Lisa's eyes were wide, a mixture of tears and fury. She stood there, fists clenched, her entire body taut like a bowstring ready to snap. Her face was flushed, her anger so raw it almost seemed to take up the whole room.

For the first time in forever she didn't look so composed.

Whoever said people looked beautiful when they cried?

They lied.

My anger left me like a bird fleeing the storm, all that remained was an empty sky.

One minute, we were just talking. I had been fumbling through something I didn't even know how to say, and now?

Now, it was like we were about to tear each other apart.

Fuck

"I didn't even want to talk about this." I mumbled, my voice faltering as my eyes swam with frustration.

I hated getting angry. I wasn't good at it. It wasn't really in me. When I got angry, it never felt satisfying. It just left me feeling hollow, empty, like something was slipping away that I couldn't quite catch.

"Yeah, well, maybe you should've just stopped then!" Lisa's voice broke again.

"Stop what?" I shot back, my words growing tired, drained. "You can't possibly think I wouldn't figure it out eventually, Lisa. I know you well enough by now, this was always going to happen. I don't know what you were thinking, but I'm not stupid."

The words left me, and it felt like I had used up every ounce of energy. I took a step back, almost collapsing onto the bed. Nothing seemed right anymore. Everything felt wrong, twisted in a way I hadn't anticipated. I had been ready for a bad conversation, for her to get angry at me, not…

Whatever this was.

"You think you know me?" Lisa spat, her eyes burning with fury. "You don't know a damn thing. You never did."

I didn't say anything back.

I wasn't sure what there was to say.

In some sense it was inevitable, how could I not figure it out?

This discussion was bound to happen.

The fact that Lisa didn't seem to see it?

What did that say about her thoughts on me?

"I don't need your pity," Lisa said, her voice low but fierce. "I don't need anyone's sympathy. So don't look at me like that."

"I…" I had no idea, my mind felt blank.

Without another word, Lisa pushed past me. She didn't even glance back, just marched out of the room, slamming the door behind her with a force that made the walls shake.

What had just happened?

…

Lisa didn't come back that night.

Chapter Text

"Hey."

The blackboard blurred before me, Professor Oobleck's rapid-fire lecture fading into background noise. My gaze stayed fixed on nothing; my mind a million miles away. The day passed in a haze, each moment sluggish and insubstantial, like I was wading through water. I hadn't felt like this since my first day at Beacon, but even then, it had been different. Back then, it was homesickness, a pang of missing the familiar, mixed with the dizzying change of it all.

Now?

"Aleksander, you home?"

I just felt empty.

My mind kept circling back to my last conversation with Lisa. The image burned in my thoughts, her eyes, sharp and accusing, glistening with tears that carved angry streaks down her face. The memory made my stomach churn. I didn't know if I wanted to punch something until it shattered or just curl up somewhere and vanish.

"Helllllllooooooo?"

Even the end-of-class bell barely registered, pulling me from my seat only because everyone else was leaving. My feet followed Yang and Blake out of the room on autopilot, the motions mechanical, instinctual.

"They had a fight?"

"No, I think they just calmly talked at each other until one of them ran away and the other got mental boomed. Of course they had a fight, Blake!"

The arena seemed to appear around me without warning. One moment I was in the locker room, changing into my combat gear, and the next, I was standing on the field, sword in hand. I couldn't remember walking there, didn't even recall grabbing my weapon.

Weiss was already in position, her posture immaculate as she saluted with her rapier. I mimicked the gesture clumsily, though I'd never done it before.

"Are you ready?"

I should focus on the fight.

Ready?

I had never felt less ready in my life.

My mind kept drifting, thinking about everything except for what was happening right here. Was it my fault? Should I have let it go? Pretended I hadn't noticed the way Lisa reacted; how off-limits the topic clearly was?

"Ready." Weiss said, her voice crisp and unwavering.

"Yeah." I muttered.

Weiss launched the first attack, a flurry of ice shards streaking toward me. My body moved on its own, instincts taking over as I danced to the side, the shards shattering harmlessly against the wall.

"You think you know me?" Lisa's voice echoed in my head, biting and accusatory.

I had thought I did.

That was what made the argument feel so surreal. I could even understand why she'd reacted the way she had. Lisa needed control like oxygen. She thrived on knowing everything, on being the smartest in the room. Holding secrets close was her armour, her weapon, her way of shutting down threats before they could take root. With me, I thought it was different. I thought she could let that go. I thought she could just… talk.

I teleported behind Weiss, aiming for a quick strike. She anticipated it, a glyph blooming to slow my blade just enough for her to deflect it. A burst of fire erupted between us, forcing me to retreat, my feet moving as if on autopilot.

That wasn't the case, she did that because she had to talk things out with me.

Lisa didn't, couldn't, have the same kind of control over me, so she pretended she did. By letting me think she knew everything about me, she maintained the illusion.

It would have been hurtful, if it wasn't so hilariously in character.

In some sense, I should be the one who blew up. The one who felt my trust got shattered into a million pieces, the one who ran.

But I didn't really feel bad about that.

That was just Lisa being Lisa, doing what she thought she needed to survive.

No, what hurt wasn't her need for control, that was self-explanatory. It was realizing she didn't trust me.

Weiss fired another volley of ice shards, and I threw my sword toward her in response. It crashed through them, its sheer mass shattering the lightweight projectiles with ease.

Curtains rustled

She sidestepped neatly, but I teleported behind her, catching my still-spinning sword mid-air and swinging it down in one fluid motion.

It struck a glyph that had bloomed to life just in time. And even though I smashed through it in a split second, the momentary resistance was enough to slow my blade. Another glyph appeared instantly, its colour shifting as it flared to life and propelled Weiss forward. She dodged my slowed swing with perfect timing, landing gracefully and resetting her stance.

Still, I didn't quite understand why Lisa had just left. A dozen of options flew through my mind, all of them likely.

Maybe, after our conversation, she didn't think we could work together anymore. My knowledge of her power not working on me could have tipped the scales too far.

It wasn't like she needed me. Lisa could probably thrive anywhere, on Remnant or beyond. As an information broker, a bodyguard, or any number of roles, her abilities would be invaluable in all of them.

But that didn't feel right.

No, the real reason was probably something much more Lisa.

She didn't want to apologize.

An apology would mean admitting she was wrong, and Lisa didn't do wrong.

She wanted me to find her, to beg her to come back. That way, she could reassert control, restoring the balance in our relationship on her terms.

I considered that thought for a moment, rolling it over in my mind. It was infuriatingly on-brand for her.

And the worst part?

I could do it.

Weiss lunged at me.

My sword crashed against hers, the impact ringing out as I slid my blade off hers, resetting my grip. She retaliated instantly, stabbing toward me in a blur of silver. I twirled my sword back into position, forcing her strike off course with a sharp deflection.

Sensing her overextension, I stepped in and swiped towards her. But just as my blade neared its mark, a glyph bloomed under her feet. In an instant, she accelerated, the burst of speed letting her regain her footing as she slapped my sword aside with precision.

The exchange turned into a flurry of blows, a half-dozen strikes traded in the blink of an eye. Each movement came faster than thought, my instincts guiding me as my mind considered other things.

It didn't feel right. I could do it, just get onto my knees, grab her feet and say that I couldn't live without her.

But I didn't want that.

I didn't want her to feel like she needed control over me to stay. I wanted her to trust me, to feel like she could rely on me.

That had always been the point of my promise. When I said I'd bring her back home, it wasn't about wanting her to return or thinking she should. It was about proving I would do it. That I could be counted on. That she could trust me to carry it through.

A glyph roared to life beneath my feet, locking me in place. Four or five more appeared behind Weiss, the same colour as the one that had allowed her to dodge moments before.

Then she vanished.

I didn't think.

Or well, I didn't think about the fight.

Curtains rustled.

I reappeared a meter ahead of where I stood, a single foot stretched out. Weiss slammed into it like a locomotive, the impact nearly wrenching my leg out from under me as she stumbled forward uncontrollably.

I wanted to say it was like watching a train crash in slow motion, but she was far too fast for that.

Instead, I only registered the sound, the sickening crunch as she collided with the wall. The stone and metal buckled slightly under the force, her form almost smashing through it entirely.

Glancing up at the monitor, I saw what I already knew. My Aura was still half-full, enough left to take a few solid hits before slipping into the red.

Weiss?

A thin sliver of red was all that remained. The crash had wiped out the rest of it neatly.

"Fuck." I wasn't sure if I was talking about my thoughts, or the way Weiss picked herself out of the wall.

….

I wanted to say I'd gathered my thoughts after the fight, but that would've been a lie. Even as we moved into lunch, only half of me felt present in the real world. The rest was still stuck, running through scenarios in my head.

What I would say when I saw her, how I'd react, how she'd react.

"Aleksander, seriously, what happened?" Yang's voice cut through the haze, pulling me out of my thoughts for the first time all day.

"Huh?" I blinked a few times, as if that would help drag me back to reality.

"You fought with Lisa, didn't you? It couldn't have just been about Blake's little hunt, right?" she pressed, her tone a mix of exasperation and genuine concern. She gestured toward Blake, who was quietly picking at her food like she wanted to disappear into it.

"Hunt?" I echoed, turning to Blake. The word felt out of place, disconnected from everything else on my mind.

Then it clicked. I hadn't been focused on Lisa's abilities when this started. I'd wanted to figure out what they were planning, what they were doing behind everyone's backs.

"What do you mean, hunt?" I asked again.

For a second, silence settled over the table. We stared at each other, the tension thick enough to choke on.

"Wait, you're telling me you two blew up on each other before you even got that far?" Yang asked, incredulous. Her expression wavered between disbelief and frustration. "Seriously?"

"No, what do you mean hunt?" I asked, turning to Blake.

Blake hesitated, her eyes flickering to Yang as if searching for backup. Yang still seemed preoccupied, muttering something under her breath about the stupidity of boys.

"I… I asked Lisa to help me look into the Dust robberies," Blake finally said, her voice quieter than usual. Her discomfort was palpable, a flicker of distaste crossing her face like she'd just bitten into something sour. "I wanted to figure out how the White Fang is connected to them…"

I blinked, that wasn't at all what I had been expecting. Though, to be honest, I wasn't sure what I had expected.

"How they're connected? I thought you said there's no way they're connected?" I asked, the memory of Blake's anger surfacing.

Blake's expression stiffened, her gaze dropping to her plate as if the answer might be hiding among the uneaten food. For a moment, she didn't respond, the silence dragging on.

"I did," she admitted finally, her voice low. "But… I was wrong."

"Wrong," I repeated dumbly, the word hanging in the air as I tried to process what Blake had just said.

Blake admitting she was wrong felt almost surreal, she had been talking people's head off with the impossibility of White Fang involvement. It had gotten to the point where we had simply banned all talk of dust robberies from the dorm. And now here she was, saying she was wrong?

My mind scrambled for footing, but instead, I just felt more and more out of my depth.

Yang and Blake exchanged a glance, a silent exchange I couldn't decode, and that's when it hit me: I wasn't just out of my depth, I was completely out of the loop.

"Wait," I said, narrowing my eyes. "You guys talked?"

Blake looked like she was about to answer, but Yang beat her to it, leaning back with an exaggerated shrug. "Well, yeah. While you were busy working up the courage to talk to Lisa, I figured I'd be the responsible one and talk to Blake." She smirked slightly. "You know, splitting the tasks and all that."

I frowned. "You didn't think to, I don't know, clue me in?"

"I thought you had it in hand!" Yang threw her arms in the air dramatically. "You guys are literally attached at the hip most days. How was I supposed to know you could screw up the conversation badly enough that Lisa would run away?"

I clenched a fist, feeling the urge to snap at her.

The jab stung more than I cared to admit. Sure, Lisa running away might have been partly my fault, but Yang had no idea about the specifics. She didn't know how any part of that conversation had gone; she didn't really understand why I could screw up a simple conversation with Lisa

From the outside, all Yang ever saw was how close Lisa and I seemed, but in truth, I'd only known her for about a month longer than they had. Yes, I'd seen more sides to Lisa, but that didn't mean I had her figured out. Lisa didn't exactly come with a manual.

"First off, can we not talk about that right now?" I said, my voice sharper than I intended. I exhaled, trying to calm down. "Second, what exactly were you guys working on?"

Yang's smirk faded slightly as she exchanged a glance with Blake. Blake sighed, pushing her plate aside. "As I said earlier, we've been looking into the Dust robberies," she said quietly. "Trying to figure out how the White Fang is involved, or well, at first at least."

"I thought Lisa said they weren't." I pointed out.

"Lisa said that group weren't White Fang, not that the White Fang wasn't connected." Blake bit back, and I had a feeling those had been Lisa's words, not hers.

"Okay, so what's the problem? You guys figured out the White Fang is involved, right? Case closed, then?" I asked, though I knew that wasn't the end of it. If Lisa had been involved, there was no way she wouldn't dig deeper, figure out not just who took the Dust, but how, why, and for what purpose.

Yang and Blake looked at each other, for what felt like the hundredth time today.

"How about we head back to our room? I'll explain the rest there." Blake spoke again, her voice quieter now, almost hesitant.

I raised an eyebrow, glancing at the time. We still had two more classes today, and lunch break was about to end. But honestly? Professor Port could wait.

I grabbed my tray, dumped the remaining food into the bin, and turned to head out of the cafeteria without another word.

Yang and Blake exchanged glances, again, clearly surprised by my sudden decision to walk out without hesitation. It was like they hadn't expected me to just drop everything so quickly.

"What?" I said, frowning. "I thought we were going back to the dorm?"

….

We made our way to the dorm as quickly as we could, without outright running, but moving at the pace of hunters. It wasn't exactly a sprint, but it was faster than a normal person could manage without running at full tilt.

Once we reached the door and stepped inside, I didn't waste any time.

"Alright, spill it. What exactly has you two so worked up? You're telling me the White Fang are involved, and I know that's not the result you wanted, but why the hell did you guys keep investigating after that?" I asked, trying not to sound too accusatory.

Yang closed the door behind her and glanced over at Blake. Blake seemed to steel herself, walking past me before meeting my eyes. Her gaze was sharp, yet there was something guarded in it.

"To be honest, this was just supposed to be a temporary measure. I didn't want to hide it from you, but I just didn't know how to tell you guys. And after so many months it felt wrong to just reveal it…" Blake trailed off, took a deep breath, and then reached up to untangle the ribbon from her hair.

As it fell away, she revealed a pair of black cat ears.

I froze for a moment, staring at them, watching as they twitched in the same way her human ears did when she was focused. The room seemed to hold its breath, and Blake's golden eyes found mine. There was a nervous vulnerability in her gaze, as if she was bracing for any sign of distaste or judgment on my face.

"Okay, can you now tell me what you found out about the White Fang thing?" I asked, my hands clenching together in a quiet effort to keep my patience from fraying.

Blake's expression tightened, but before she could answer, the moment was completely shattered. Yang suddenly burst out laughing, a loud, honest laugh that rang through the room, almost tipping her over as she collapsed into a fit of giggles.

"Hahahaha, oh man," Yang gasped between laughs, "this is too good."

Blake's face turned crimson, a mix of anger and embarrassment. Her eyes narrowed, and she fixed me with a sharp look. "You knew?" She asked, her voice edged with disbelief.

I raised an eyebrow. "No, I didn't know," I said, trying to ignore how Yang's laughter made everything feel more ridiculous. "But, uh… can we get back to you telling me what you found out?"

Yang, still struggling to catch her breath, hammered the floor with her fist, wheezing between bursts of laughter.

Blake shot me a look that was part confusion, part irritation.

"Then why aren't you reacting at all?" She motioned to her ears, her voice rising. "I lied to you for months, even made you blow up your friendship with Lisa, and your reaction is..." She paused, her eyebrows furrowing as she dropped her voice into a mock expression of indifference, "Huh?"

I let out a frustrated breath. "What do you want from me, Blake?" I shot back, my voice sharper than I intended. "You want me to congratulate you? 'Hey, you were born with night vision and better hearing?' Because I just don't care. You've got extra ears? Fine. It doesn't change who you are. And if it does, why should I have to know? What right do I have to know something like that about you? It's your body. If you want to do... ear bondage, that's your choice." My words spilled out faster than I could control them, a mix of anger and confusion bubbling up as I realized how far off-track we'd gotten.

"Ear bondage?" Yang wheezed, barely able to catch her breath through her laughter.

If Blake was red before? I swear, even her cat ears flushed at Yang's words.

"Can you shut up, Yang?" Blake hissed, her voice low and sharp.

Yang took a few deep breaths, managing to push herself up from the floor. She looked like she might collapse again at any moment, but she still managed a grin. "You were so worried about it, too," she gasped between chuckles, "how Aleksander would react."

"You were worried." I frowned, feeling vaguely exhausted with the way everybody seemed to doubt my character.

Blake snapped toward me; her face flushed with panic. "Not like that!" she blurted, waving her hands as if to calm me. "I was worried about your reaction, sure, but I was also worried about telling Yang too!" She hurriedly clarified, her voice tinged with frustration and a hint of embarrassment. "It's not just you, okay?"

I looked between Yang and Blake, then let out a sigh.

"Whatever, can we get back to the Lisa and Blake investigation, please."

It took a few moments for both of them to settle down. Blake, still a bit flustered, shuffled over to her desk. Yang, still snickering a little, leaned against the wall. Soon enough, we were all gathered around Blake's desk, a map of Vale spread out in front of me.

There were several crosses marked on the map, scattered across its surface, along with hastily scribbled notes along the edges. My eyes scanned the map, trying to make sense of it all. To be honest, it just looked like a map with a bunch of doodles. With what I knew? The crosses obviously marked the locations of recent robberies, but beyond that, there wasn't much to go on.

"Okay," I said, trying to focus. "What am I looking at here?"

Blake took a deep breath, gathering herself, and pointed to the map. "These are the spots where Dust has been stolen. Some of these locations are connected to the White Fang, and others… aren't."

I nodded, feeling almost astonished at the amount of them. I knew about the robberies, but not their scale. There had to be hundreds of crosses on the map. "So what's the connection?"

Blake's expression tightened as she continued, her words slow and deliberate. "This is where it starts to get strange. There's no logical reason for the White Fang to be working with someone like Torchwick. There's no incentive for us to be involved. Menagerie has plenty of Dust deposits, we don't need it. The real issue there has always been food, not resources like this. And even if we wanted to sell Dust? We aren't allowed to by the global trade agreements."

She paused, letting the weight of her words settle. "That means they're not stealing it for profit. But then, what's Torchwick's angle? If there's no profit to be made, why would he help? He's not the type to do anything unless it benefits him directly. So, all of this?" Blake gestured to the map, her hand trembling slightly. "It just doesn't add up. From the White Fang's perspective, it's a complete disaster. All it's doing is turning people against the Faunus living here."

Her voice had grown sharper, edged with frustration, and I could see the conflict written plainly across her face

I frowned, trying to follow the thread of logic. "But the White Fang are working with Torchwick?

Blake nodded reluctantly, her gaze darkening. "Yeah."

I glanced at Yang, hoping for some insight. "Torchwick… that name sounds familiar."

Yang chimed in, her tone light but with a hint of seriousness. "Ruby fought him before she even got into Beacon. Torchwick's pretty much the face of Vale's underworld."

We stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the problem settling over us.

"So," I asked, my voice tinged with hope, "have you guys figured out why they're doing this?"

"No, but we have figured out where they seem to be keeping it, they are gathering it here," Blake said, pointing towards the blue X that seemed to be in the middle of the city.

I blinked, feeling my confusion deepen. "The Ozriel District? The middle of Vale? How are they hiding a kingdom's ransom of Dust right in the heart of the city? That's the main shopping street. People are always out there."

Blake hesitated for a moment before answering. "Lisa didn't know about it, so I'm guessing you don't either, but there used to be another settlement the size of Vale. It was built on Mount Glenn."

A chill ran down my spine. "Mount Glenn?" I echoed. The name tugged at vague memories from class, nothing substantial, just fragments of a tragedy we hadn't covered yet. "The city that fell?"

Blake nodded gravely. "Yeah, but here's the thing. There used to be a high-speed underground train connecting Vale to Mount Glenn. When the settlement fell, the tunnels were sealed off, and everything was shut down. No one's used them in years."

Yang's eyes narrowed as she processed the information. "Wait, are you saying the Dust's being hidden in those tunnels? Under the city?"

I stared at the map, my mind racing.

This?

This felt serious, the kind of serious that could spiral far beyond just Lisa getting hurt. The kind of thing that could disrupt the city, or even worse.

"Fuck," I said, the word escaping me before I could stop it.

Yang and Blake both turned to me, their eyes questioning.

"Lisa's in those tunnels, isn't she?" My voice was tight, the realization having hit me like a freight train.

Blake's strained smile was all I needed to know. "We were supposed to go down there today."

"Double fuck."

Chapter Text

The streets weren't just busy, they were packed, a living tide of bodies surging in every direction. Back home, I'd seen bustling shopping streets, but this was on a completely different scale. Then again, Vale itself was on a completely different scale, a megastructure that cradled an entire kingdom's population within its towering walls and sprawling districts.

I glanced down at the asphalt beneath my boots, its smooth, dark surface unassuming.

It was almost surreal to think about how much dust hidden right beneath the street. Then again, maybe that was the point. The crowds were so dense that adding a thousand more people wouldn't raise an eyebrow. Even if an army passed through Ozriel Square, it would be little more than a ripple in an endless sea.

It made it easy for Torchwick and the White Fang to smuggle the dust down.

Blake led us through the crowd with practiced ease, weaving her way toward one of the subway entrances like she had been here before.

From the centre of the square, it took us barely five minutes to reach it. The transition was almost laughably simple: one extra turn off the main path, a quick duck under some sagging yellow caution tape, and suddenly, we were there, standing at the boundary between the bustling present and the forgotten past.

I shivered as the air grew cooler, the lights of the modern subway fading behind us. The hallway widened, and the pristine tiles gave way to the cracked, dust-covered floors of the abandoned section.

Soon enough, we found ourselves standing before the long-unused train tracks. The sleek high-speed trains that had once raced through here were now nothing more than memories, their absence leaving behind silence and decay. An empty ticket booth loomed in one corner, its glass cracked and smeared with grime. Rusted barriers stood like ancient sentinels, guarding nothing.

It was eerie, how easily it had all been left behind.

"They didn't even bother to demolish it," I muttered under my breath, the words echoing faintly. "Just slapped on some tape and called it a day."

Blake paused for a moment, looking at me.

"Yeah." She muttered, before slinging her backpack off her shoulders. From its depths, she pulled out a pair of white masks, holding them towards us.

I paused, then grabbed the mask and flipped it over. "We need disguises?"

"Yes, now put them on, we are going to need to have them on later." She said, not really explaining, grabbing her own mask and slipping it over her head.

I looked over it, noting the almost bonelike whiteness and the black lines that acted as eyeholes. It was odd, like something a Grimm would wear. Everything about it screamed menace, and I wondered why the White Fang had chosen it as their symbol. Didn't exactly seem like the best way to win people over.

Then again, maybe the fear it inspired was the point instead.

I shrugged, slipping the mask over my face just as Yang did the same. Of course, unlike me, she managed the task one-handed. Her other hand was busy flying across her Scroll, fingers a blur as she texted furiously.

"Just let me do the talking," Blake instructed, her tone clipped and serious. She adjusted her own mask, taking a deep breath like she needed it to steady herself. "And if anyone asks what kind of Faunus you are, just glare."

Her voice softened slightly as she added, "This might get dangerous. Are you sure you're up for it?"

I nodded without hesitation. Beside me, Yang shoved her Scroll into her pocket with less finesse, her expression suddenly frazzled. She flashed a smile, bright, broad, and completely fake.

I raised an eyebrow. It was that face, the one I'd seen her wear every time Professor Port tried to call her attention in class: the classic I-wasn't-paying-attention-but-I'm-going-to-pretend-I-was face.

Even when considering the tension swirling around us, Yang looked completely at ease, like walking into a den of criminals was just another day on her calendar.

Maybe it even was.

That kind of confidence seemed to come naturally to hunters, even ones still in training. Amber had it, Qrow had it, and Yang? She wore it like a second skin.

I wasn't quite there yet. Lisa was closer, probably because her power told her exactly how much better she was then most people. But honestly?

Regular criminals couldn't even touch me if I didn't want them to. They were too slow, too clumsy, and way too predictable. Even those with Aura were leagues below the skill of someone who had trained at a proper academy, and I could reliably beat plenty of those, too.

Yang, though? She didn't need tricks. She could probably take on a small army as long as they didn't have anyone operating at hunter level.

Of course, I had beaten Yang before, but well, it hadn't exactly been in a straight fight.

"Yang?" Blake's sharp tone broke the moment, and my thoughts along with it. She'd clearly noticed Yang's focus drifting.

And mine, for that matter.

"Yeah, sorry, you were saying?" Yang asked sheepishly, adjusting her mask.

Blake sighed, exasperation slipping through her usually composed demeanour. "Just let me talk."

Yang snapped off a lazy salute.

Blake took that as confirmation that we were ready and jumped down onto the train tracks. Me and Yang didn't hesitate to follow; at this point, turning back wasn't exactly an option.

The tunnel loomed ahead, dim and unwelcoming. We started walking, the sound of our footsteps echoing faintly in the heavy silence. I glanced uneasily over my shoulder. Walking on train tracks felt wrong.

Still, when we rounded the first corner, the unease gave way to understanding of why they just taped off the area. A mountain of rocks blocked the tracks ahead, jagged and impassable, a deliberate barricade. Probably enough to keep any Grimm from even thinking about getting through.

"What now?" I asked, looking around at the dead end.

There was nothing here but the rocks and a few mice scurrying along. Blake didn't answer immediately. Instead, she followed the mice forward, stepping carefully toward the edge of the wall where a single mouse was sniffing around.

I raised an eyebrow. There was nothing there, just a plain wall with a single piece of rebar sticking out at a strange angle, almost parallel to the surface. It looked like someone had twisted it halfway out of place.

"You think the wall will tell you its secrets if you stare at it long enough?" I quipped.

Blake shot me a sharp, irritated look but didn't bother with a reply. Instead, she grabbed the protruding rebar and yanked it firmly, the metal groaning as it shifted.

"Oh," I said, watching as a concealed door slid open with a faint rumble. "I guess it did."

Beyond the door, my eyes met those of a man seated casually at a small desk. He held a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a Scroll in the other, his attention split between his drink and a video playing on the screen. A White Fang mask obscured the upper half of his face, but his demeanour was relaxed, almost indifferent, as he glanced up at the three of us.

"How much?" He asked, voice flat.

Blake answered without hesitation, as if she knew exactly what he'd say. "Not much. Just some vials. Easy targets gone by now." Her voice had a bitter edge to it, as though she resented the whole situation. The grunt grunted in sympathy.

"Well, you wouldn't be the first. Feels like it's been days since we got a decent haul." He muttered, pressing a button on his scroll.

Then he stopped, opening his mouth. "Almost forgot, feels too stupid, but I guess orders are orders Dust Falls?"

"Summer rises," Blake finished, grimacing like it pained her to say it.

The grunt paused, his gaze sharpening. He studied her with a little more intensity.

"What chapel are you from?"

My lips pursed.

"Why do you want to know?" She asked back.

I felt my jaw lock.

"Just answer the question." The grunt bit out again, I could see his hand tense on his scroll.

Something we had said was wrong; he had gotten tipped off somehow. I almost made an executive decision, but Yang stopped me, grabbing my arm.

I glanced at her, and her violet eyes met mine. The look she gave me was clear: Trust Blake.

I exhaled quietly and turned back to Blake. She didn't seem rattled. Her expression remained composed, even casual, as she finally spoke.

"Old Briar," she said, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Did the passcode change again?"

The grunt's shoulders relaxed at the name, the tension draining from his posture. "Oh, well, that makes sense. Old Briar is... sorry for saying, shite at this sort of thing."

"Don't I know it. You know, once he literally forgot to tell us we were supposed to be attacking a Dust convoy? We ended up getting there late, having to watch the train pass us." Blake chuckled like it was a fond memory.

"Oh, I heard about that! Adam was pissed, right?" The grunt barked out a laugh.

Blake nodded, her tone light and conversational. "Livid. Took him days to stop glaring at us."

I watched the exchange with quiet amazement. She was good, better than I'd given her credit for. This had to be something Lisa found out beforehand, which chapel leader the most likely to make a mistake, but the ease with which Blake pulled off the act made it seem like she had been there.

Still, the guard gave us the go ahead and with that Blake walked ahead, motioned for us to follow her. We stepped into the makeshift path that had been carved out, a mine shaft with wood beams supporting the ground around us.

"Oh, wait," the grunt called out.

We all froze.

"The new password is 'winter withers.' Spread the word to the rest of the chapel, okay?"

Blake gave him a lazy salute. "Got it."

As soon as we were out of earshot, Yang leaned in close, a wide grin plastered across her face. "How did you do that? That was insane!"

It was too easy, almost unnervingly so. The guard didn't even ask us to lift our masks. Blake didn't break her stride though, maintaining a steady pace as we moved forward, speaking only when she was sure the grunt couldn't hear us.

"Lisa's Semblance is scarier than you think," Blake said quietly, her voice low. "She can look at you and figure out things you barely knew about yourself. Piecing together stuff like their mode of operation or identifying the weak link? That's child's play for her."

Yang's grin faded into a curious frown, her brow arching. "What do you mean? Her Semblance can't be that crazy…" She looked between us, her face suddenly growing serious. "Can it?"

I held up a hand, my tone firm as I cut in. "We can talk about it later. Right now, let's focus on figuring out how we're going to find her."

Blake and Yang both paused, like they just realized that what I had a moment ago. We had rushed here as quick as we could, but that came at the expense of making an actual plan.

For a moment we just looked at each other, but nobody said anything. Lisa was usually the one who handled this kind of thing, but well... she was the very person we were trying to find.

After a beat, I sighed. "I guess we wing it then."

It only took a couple of minutes to reach the exit of the constructed tunnel. Stepping out, we once again found ourselves on the tracks. A quick glance around, and my eyes widened in surprise. Low lights hung overhead, casting a faint glow over two massive trains parked on the tracks.

But it wasn't the trains that caught my attention.

It was the Dust.

All of it.

It felt like walking into a bandit's den. Small mountains of backpacks were scattered across the area, each one packed to the brim with ground-up dust. In another corner, crates were stacked all the way to the ceiling. Even inside the nearest train, every seat seemed to be filled with more backpacks, like some twisted storage unit for the volatile powder. My stomach churned at the sight.

A single sneeze, and somebody could send half of Vale to kingdom come. This wasn't just madness, it was pure recklessness, a disaster waiting to happen.

And Lisa?

If she was here if this place blew?

She wouldn't even be dust in the wind.

I was barely keeping myself together, trying to suppress the anger that surged beneath the worry. But then Yang poked my arm, pulling me out of my spiralling thoughts.

"What?" I almost snapped.

"Chill, just going to say that this confirms it," Yang whispered, motioned towards some of the people loading the train with bags, "The White Fang have some part in this mess."

I moved my gaze from the dust to the people loading it. Half of them wore black suits with red ties; the other half wore white masks, most with obvious Faunus features. If there had been any doubt left, this confirmed it.

The White Fang was in on it.

Then again, the guard outside should have been enough to confirm that.

My eyes flickered over to Blake. She didn't say anything, just grimaced, as if the very sight of it disgusted her. Yang laid a hand on her shoulder, and I clenched my fist. It couldn't feel good to see a group you'd once advocated for, people you'd spent time supporting, turn out to be as corrupt as everyone had feared.

The only thing worse would be if she were an actual member of the White Fang, watching the façade collapse from the inside.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

Yang opened her mouth, probably about to offer the same consolation.

"Hey, you there!" A high-pitched voice rang out instead.

A man in a bowler hat waved his cane in our direction.

"You deaf or something? I said I needed you animals to get a move on it." He continued, his tone dismissive.

Blake tensed, like she was about to react, but Yang grabbed her hand. It was the right move, considering starting a fight here was not in the cards. The dust might not kill us, not with me able to teleport us out, but we still hadn't found Lisa.

And it would certainly atomize her.

Well, her and a lot of civilians above us.

The man in the bowler hat snickered, clearly enjoying himself. "You don't feel like following the orders of a dirty human, huh?" He chuckled, then pointed directly at me. "You! If you don't move forward, I'm going to swat your two friends."

I stepped forward, forcing myself to look like just another grunt, stoic and unbothered.

"Not a talker, huh? Well, that's fine. I can talk for both of us," the man continued, his voice dripping with mockery. "What kind of Faunus are you, some kind of crow?" He laughed to himself, grabbing towards my black hair.

I pursed my lips but didn't answer, choosing instead to meet his gaze with a cold, unflinching stare. He stepped up to me, swatting my leg lightly with his cane.

I grimaced, but didn't react.

"You think you're so tough, huh? Standing up for your fellow animals?" He asked, smacking my leg harder this time.

The hit was strong enough that I had to force my Aura not to flare up. If I wasn't careful, it would've been visible by now.

Still, I said nothing. I simply stared ahead, catching the eyes of a few other White Fang members. Some of them seemed to look at me with a measure of respect. Maybe even understanding.

When I didn't respond, the man let out a frustrated sigh.

"Tch, I swear you animals are no fun." He muttered, making a shooing motion with his hand.

He then turned toward Blake and Yang, his voice shifting to a command. "What are you just staring for? Help load up the train! We've got a schedule to keep!" His roar echoed through the area.

I didn't hesitate, grabbing a sack from the nearest pile. Blake and Yang followed suit, each taking a bag. For a while that was what we did, moving in silence as we kept loading the train. I couldn't even whisper to them, not without the other White Fang member's hearing.

Even so, I wasn't doing nothing. My eyes were constantly scanning, hoping to spot Lisa. If we could just find her, we could teleport out of here. No one could stop us then.

Time seemed to blur as I tried to keep an eye out for her, one sack becoming two, then three, then what had to be forty.

With a grunt, I lifted another sack and tossed it into the train. The train let out a mechanical whine as another White Fang member closed the cabin door. I stood there for a moment, watching the train start to shift.

I felt a strange, conflicted sense of relief wash over me. Sure, the loss of all that dust would certainly be a problem for the economy, but when the alternative was an explosion killing hundreds, maybe thousands of innocent people, that felt like a trivial problem.

I couldn't suppress a chuckle. We came here to find Lisa, and now we were stuck helping criminals.

As the rest of the White Fang members took a breather, I moved into the second train, the one that hadn't been filled yet. It seemed like something Lisa would do, blending in with the others, hiding in plain sight among those who were resting. Avoiding work and getting to chat up the people resting. The train felt quieter than the first, with only a few White Fang members lounging in every other cabin, using them as makeshift break areas. Their low murmurs and the occasional grunt filled the air, but it was mostly just the sound of my own footsteps echoing off the metal floor, punctuated by the occasional creak of the train.

"Finding something, brother?" The voice that broke through the silence was low, almost a growl. I turned sharply to see a huge man standing in the doorway of one of the cabins, a chainsaw slung casually under his arm.

He looked like a hunter, that was the first thought that popped into my head. Then my eyes widened as he seemed to focus on me, sizing me up, like he tried to place me.

"What chapel are you from?" He asked again, before I even had a chance to respond.

Shit.

I scrambled for an answer, trying to remember what Blake had said before. Old… something? For every second I didn't respond his eyes seemed to narrow, and I could sense his doubt start to grow.

I opened my mouth, ready to just try something, but before I could respond, a familiar voice cut through the tension.

"He's part of Veronica's crew," Lisa said smugly, stepping forward from behind a pile of crates. "Fresh from the last rally. I initiated him myself. A little dumb, a little ugly, but loyal. Don't trust him too much, though. Too stupid for that. People call him 'Toaster', and not for his bread making abilities."

I turned to see her, her bottle-green eyes gleaming with her usual condescending smirk behind her white mask. The giant eyed me again, his suspicion still evident as he sized me up.

"I thought this guy said he was part of my crew, and that I hadn't told my people the password." He growled, his voice hardening.

"The girl he came in with was Kati," Lisa replied smoothly, not missing a beat. "You know how she is, always blaming you for everything. The only reason he's running with her is because she's taken a real shine to him... but don't mention I said that." Her grin was mischievous, her tone light, as if she was letting him in on some kind of private joke.

"And you are?" He said slowly, turning towards Lisa.

Lisa let out a vulpine grin, holding out a hand. "Name's Lisa, Veronica haven't mentioned me yet?"

The big guy gave her the same once-over he'd given me, before shaking his head. "Can't say she has, but she doesn't tell me much…" He hesitated, glancing between us.

"He keeps looking around. Make sure you keep him focused, alright?" He grunted, before lumbering off.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was keeping as Lisa walked up to me.

I didn't know what I felt.

Gratitude for her helping me out?

Relief at her for being fine?

"Oh, who do we have here? You came to rescue poor, helpless, little Lisa? And now I find you here, crying for help?" She asked mockingly, her tone dripping with condescension.

Oh, almost forgot, I was just freaking angry.

I clenched my jaw, swallowing back the retort burning at the back of my throat. For all that she might deserve it I had a feeling it was not the time to bring up exactly who had been crying last time.

"You left Lisa, the rest of the team grew worried." I hissed back, only barely managing to stay diplomatic.

Lisa tilted her head, her green eyes glinting. "Oh, the rest of the team grew worried, huh?"

I had wondered how it would feel to see her again, whether she'd even want to talk to me, or if she'd just turn and walk away.

Walking away? The fact I even considered it spoke to how worried I really felt.

With Lisa, I knew the answer was bound to be predictable: she'd attack instead of acknowledging any weakness

Ignoring me, walking away, would feel too much like admitting defeat.

"I was worried, Lisa," I whispered, my voice cracking slightly despite myself. "Is that what you want to hear? Because this," I motioned towards the dust outside, "Isn't just some kind of game, you were literally a sneeze away from blowing up half of Vale. You want to get back at me? Then maybe don't do it by trying to kill yourself." I bit out.

Her grin faltered for the briefest moment, a flicker of something unreadable passing across her face before she recovered, her mask of mockery firmly in place.

"I have everything under control, Alex." Lisa shot back, her voice sharp. "You're the one who seems close to screwing up. If I hadn't stepped in, let's just say Old Briar doesn't mess around with that chainsaw. He isn't the type to think things through if he thinks you're a spy. He'll try to kill you, you fight back and then who's really going to be blowing up half of Vale?"

I exhaled through my nose, trying to rein in my frustration. "Whatever," I muttered, waving a hand dismissively. "We're getting out of here, Lisa. Then we're telling Ozpin, or anyone else with actual authority, about this…" I gestured vaguely at the chaotic scene around us, "…entire mess."

Lisa crossed her arms, her expression tightening. "Oh, and that's your grand plan? March out of here and snitch to Ozpin? Do you even realize what you just poked you nose into?" She hissed.

"No. I have no freaking clue, and I wonder why that is?" I shot back, my voice rising slightly alongside my anger. "Maybe because the one time I tried to talk to you about it, you blew up on me? And then you, I don't know, ran away?"

Lisa's glare could have burned a hole through steel.

"You…" She began, her voice dangerous.

I didn't let her finish. "What? You expected me to grovel, well I would have Lisa. I don't mind, but it wouldn't exactly solve anything would it? The problem is that you," I jabbed my finger into her face, "don't trust me at all."

"And why would I?" She snapped, venom dripping from her words. "What have you done to earn my trust? Alex, I don't know you! You haven't told me anything about yourself!"

It was odd, I had been angry before.

I had been angry when I last talked to Lisa.

I had been angry when Marcus died.

I had been angry before.

But I don't remember feeling this bitter.

Not telling her about myself?

I laughed, the sound sounding strange even to my own ears. "What have I done? What more can I do?" My voice cracked, and with it, the last of my reason seemed to shatter. "What the hell do you want from me, Lisa?"

Lisa opened her mouth, probably to say some kind of smart-ass line, but I cut her off again.

"You want to know my secrets, Lisa? Fine. You want to know why I don't mind being stuck here? My parents died, alright? And that's why I don't give a damn about staying in places I don't belong. You want to hear about my best friend, the one who just vanished one day? I still don't know if he's dead, kidnapped, or worse. Or do you want to hear about how I worry about teleporting away, leaving everybody? Because the last time it happened on accident it was because I couldn't handle changing schools." I almost shouted the last sentence.

Lisa's eyes started to widen, but I didn't let her speak. The anger coursing through me wouldn't let her.

"I don't mind telling you Lisa, because I trust you with that information! But none of that matters, right? Because you can use your power to dig into everybody else's past. You can ferret out their deepest, darkest secrets, and somehow, in your infinite wisdom, you still don't trust a damn soul!"

She froze, her sharp retort dying on her lips as my words hit home.

"You want me to grovel? To beg for forgiveness? Fine." I stepped closer, my voice low, raw with emotion. "I'm sorry, Lisa. I'm sorry I couldn't save my parents. I'm sorry I couldn't find my best friend. I'm sorry I don't even fully understand how my teleportation works. I'm sorry I don't know what the hell I'm supposed to do next. And I'm sorry-" My voice cracked, and I clenched my fists to keep them from trembling. "I'm sorry that after everything, after risking my neck, after promising I'd get you home, that all of that still isn't enough for you to trust me even a little."

Lisa opened her mouth, then closed it. For a long moment, she just stood there, her mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. I almost thought she might finally apologize.

Then again, that wouldn't be Lisa.

"That's not fair," she muttered instead, her voice suddenly small, almost vulnerable. "You think it's so easy? You have no idea what it's like… to see people at their worst. To know exactly what your friends would betray you for." Her voice rose again, trembling with anger. "You think you're trustworthy? You think you wouldn't betray me? I promise you, Alex… you would."

I held her gaze, my voice quiet but unyielding. "How do you know?"

"You don't know, Lisa," I continued, my voice soft. "Because you can't know. Your power doesn't work on me. So how can you say I'll betray you?"

"How do you know?"

Her lips parted, and I could tell she was about to snap back, but the words never came.

Or, rather, those words never came.

"Alex!" She screamed instead, her eyes having just enough time to dilate as she stared into the window behind me.

I grabbed her.

Curtains rustled

We crashed onto the train tracks; the explosion having hit us with a deafening force before I could properly teleport. A sharp groan of pain escaped me as I felt the remnants of my mask shatter over my face, the pressure of the blast crushing it to bits.

Behind us, the train window exploded, showering us with jagged shards of glass that glittered like deadly confetti. My heart skipped a beat as I got off the ground, but somehow nothing else seemed to be damaged, the explosion somehow completely contained to the train cart we had been standing in. I didn't dwell on the fact we hadn't been blown to smithereens by the dust blowing up, instead my eyes already scanning the area for the immediate threat.

First I found Bowler Hat man.

Unlike before, the Bowler Hat man was almost bowing, his fake smile stretched far too wide across his face. He rubbed his hands together, like a sycophantic follower to some dark lord. Everything about his posture was theatrical, as if he were playing a part.

I followed his gaze and my attention quickly shifted to the woman beside him. She stood there casually, her posture relaxed, as though she had no care in the world. Her hand was raised towards the train, and I realized with a cold jolt that she had been the one who caused the explosion.

"That's what I can do to you Torchiwic…" She trailed off, her gaze drifting downward, narrowing as she saw us.

I pursed my lips. The suddenness of everything hit me like cold water, dousing my thoughts and leaving my head numb.

The anger, the bitterness, the fight with Lisa?

It all faded away.

"She recognizes us, doesn't she?" I asked Lisa, my voice tight.

"Yup," Lisa replied, her tone dry and unflinching.

Chapter Text

It was an odd feeling that bubbled up inside me as I eyed Bowler Hat man and the woman, somewhere between wanting to laugh and wanting to beat the hell out of them. Frustration, exhaustion, or maybe just the kind of day it was. My mind had been running full tilt, overthinking every little thing: what I should do, what I couldn't control, and the ever-present weight of my past… of Lisa.

I felt done.

It took real effort to pull myself back into the present. I glanced at Lisa, catching her expression as she prepared to respond.

The way the woman looked at us, it was obvious she knew who we were, or thought she did, but I couldn't place her. Beacon? Mimal? No clue. She wasn't a Faunus, and I'd never heard of Torchwick having a superior.

Yet, there he was, deferring to her.

My gaze flicked to Bowler Hat man, Torchwick. His smirk was absent; instead, he opened and shut his mouth repeatedly, his eyes darting between his grunts and the woman. She, on the other hand, looked like she was enjoying herself, amused, not annoyed.

And that was the thing. This standoff didn't feel right.

Sure, we could probably get out of this. I could grab Lisa and teleport us both, but I didn't think Torchwick knew that. There was no reason for him not to swarm us with his men. I didn't think his grunts could take us down, but with Torchwick here and other near-hunter-level threats around, we'd be overwhelmed eventually.

But he didn't.

Because the woman wasn't doing anything.

Which meant she didn't feel the need to.

I could feel my body tense. Criminals didn't grandstand like this. They didn't waste time explaining their plans and waiting for someone to come save you. They shot you and ran.

They didn't wait politely for you to gather yourself.

That was the sort of things supervillains did.

"You two," the woman began, her voice smooth and curious, "you were the ones who followed her, weren't you?"

Lisa, standing rigid beside me, narrowed her eyes in return. "And you were the one that chased her?" she asked, throwing a question right back.

The woman's lips curled into a slow, calculating smile. It wasn't warm or inviting, no, it was a smile that suggested she enjoyed the defiance in Lisa's tone. But beneath the veneer of calm, there was something unsettlingly forced about it. It was as if she thought she had mastered the art of cunning, but the falseness was almost palpable. I could sense it, the irritation she tried to mask, the way her composure cracked every so slightly Lisa's retort.

"Well, we were," she admitted, her tone as calm and unhurried as before. "But it seems meeting you... derailed her little trip. So, I had to find other options. Though, I'd be very interested in knowing why she would derail her plans for two…" She smiled again, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Nothings." She paused. "No offense, of course."

"Ah, so you wanted something from her, something only she… no something only very few people have." Lisa said, totally ignoring her actual question.

The woman paused, her calculating eyes narrowing as she studied Lisa again, this time with greater interest. Her smile cracked a little bit more.

"Only what belonged to me." She replied coolly.

I wasn't paying attention anymore. My mind had shifted to escape routes. Teleporting was an obvious choice, but where were Blake and Yang? If I could spot them, this ordeal could end fast. I'd grab Lisa, teleport to them, and we'd vanish before things escalated.

It should've been simple. Blake might blend into a crowd, but Yang? Her bright blonde hair stood out like a beacon.

Except... I didn't see them anywhere.

A sinking feeling churned in my gut as I realized I hadn't seen either of them in a while. My mind backtracked, trying to pinpoint the last time I had spotted them. We had been loading the other train before everything with Lisa went down. I'd seen Yang... before the other train had left.

'There was no way, right?' I thought.

"What belonged to you? That's funny," Lisa said instead, stepping forward. "That shit belonged to you as much as all this," She lifted her hands, gesturing around us, "Dust belongs to you.

The woman's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Oh? But I think both belong to me. If you're too weak to hold onto it, then don't you think it natural that it should go to someone who can?"

Lisa snorted. "Weak? Oh, I see how it is. You got beat up as a kid, and now you're taking it out on the world? Mommy didn't like you enough, so she swept you away into some backroom or what? Well, I guess I can sympathize. You and dust do seem to have some sweeping in commonalities after all."

I let my eyes flicker to the train where we had been, maybe they….

Lisa paused for a moment, then continued slowly, enunciating every word, "Everything you have, it's stolen isn't it?. Other people's stuff, other people's glory, other people's power."

My thoughts screeched to a halt.

My eyes snapped to the woman, watching her face darken with fury.

For some reason, I had thought Lisa was stalling, buying us time. But clearly, that wasn't what she had in mind.

Of course, it wasn't. That just wasn't her style.

The woman smiled again.

It was a broken twisted mess of one.

"I came to you expecting civility," she said, her voice dripping venom, "but I see you're far beneath that." Her hand rose, and the air seemed to thrum with tension. "Never mind, then. I'll just burn you alive until you tell me what I want."

The air seemed to tense around us as the woman raised her arm. Her presence was like a shadow that had stretched just a little too far, and I could feel the heat of her anger even before she did anything.

I didn't wait for Lisa to speak, I didn't even consider it.

I grabbed her.

Curtain rustled

In an instant, we were on top of the train. Fire roared past where we'd just stood, striking the tracks and turning the metal to sludge. From our vantage point, I could see the aftermath. That fire wasn't just hot, it was plasma hot. Even from here residual heat washed over me, and I could hear the screams of grunts caught too close, their voices shrill with pain.

The woman's voice, loud and unmistakable, rang out.

"You think you're allowed to get away?!"

In an instant I got hit by a sudden sense of Deja'vu.

The woman rose into the air, flames wreathing her body in a hellish crown. Her molten eyes burned with fury, and the sheer heat radiating from her made the air ripple. It felt as though her anger alone could ignite the entire cavern.

Lisa didn't need to speak. She didn't need to say anything. I already understood just by looking at her.

"She's like Amber," Lisa muttered, her voice low but grim.

The woman raised a single arm, a cruel smirk twisting her lips. "I gave you a c-"

I didn't let her finish, pushing myself off the train roof.

Curtains rustled

In the blink of an eye, I appeared next to her, my knee flying into the side of her skull.

I would like to say it worked.

It didn't.

Her face snapped toward me, unfazed. That wicked grin widened, her molten eyes glinting as if amused by my effort.

Before I could register her movements, her hand shot up, flames gathering.

Instinct saved me.

Curtain rustled

I reappeared next to Torchwick, driving my knee into his face instead, feeling the satisfying crack ring out. He crumpled to the ground, but the momentary victory was short-lived. Flames erupted where I'd been hovering a moment ago and the heat so intense it sent me stumbling. My aura flared against the onslaught, protesting the suffocating wave of scorching air.

Torchwick wasn't out. Rolling to his feet with practiced ease, his cane lashed toward me. I barely managed to unsheath my sword halfway to parry. Twisting at the last second, I caught the attack, his blade glancing off mine.

"You should surrender," he said, his voice quiet, almost calm. "If you do, I might be able to talk her down."

It was the kind of thing a bad guy would say, and even in my situation I almost smiled at the cliché.

The only reason I didn't?

He sounded sincere, like he thought that was the better option somehow.

We disengaged, his weight shifting back, and I didn't notice the pressure curling around my ankle until it yanked me off balance. His cane whipped me upward, slamming me into the ground hard enough to make my teeth rattle. My aura absorbed the brunt of the impact, but it still left me dazed.

He whipped his cane around, almost casually, pointing it towards me.

"Sor-"

Curtain rustled

BANG

I stumbled upright, appearing next to Lisa. One glance was enough to tell me she wasn't faring well. The train carriage we'd stood on moments ago was now a half-melted slag heap.

The woman's attention had shifted entirely to Lisa, and even with her skill at anticipating attacks, dodging an inferno aimed at everything was impossible.

Lisa grabbed my arm. "The dust!"

Fire roared.

Curtains rustled

We landed among the Dust bags just as the carriage we'd been on got vaporized. A second later, and we'd have been ash.

The sheer insanity of the situation hit me like a hammer.

When going after Lisa I had known this entire operation was fishy, but I hadn't expected this.

This was completely out of control.

The plan had never been to fight, and definitely not like this. Even before this chaos, my aura hadn't been in top shape. After everything that had happened? I was slowly running out, maybe sixty percent, possibly fifty.

The woman turned, her eyes molten pools of liquid magma as they zeroed in on us. Her hand rose slowly, menacingly, like she was about to end everything in one explosive gesture.

I glanced down at the bags beneath us, enough Dust to level the entire street.

For some reason I had thought she wouldn't attack us when standing here. Obviously, she didn't share the sentiment.

"WAIT!" Torchwick's voice cut through the chaos, a panicked scream.

The flames in her hand flickered as she hesitated for a split second, glancing down at him and the scattered grunts below.

Then, her face twisted in disdain. "No."

The flames reignited, roaring to life.

I tightened my grip on Lisa.

A black blur shot through the dim light, slamming into the woman midair. Blake's sword struck her back, but her Aura barely flickered. The blade bounced off harmlessly, the impact merely forcing the woman to stagger. Her fire wavered momentarily before roaring back stronger.

A second.

That was all Blake had bought us.

I didn't know if I felt terror or relief at the sight of her.

Terror I decided, as the woman spun, a torrent of fire surging toward Blake. The attack tore through her like paper and for a second, I almost screamed, only for her form to shimmer and fade like a mirage.

Blake reappeared a dozen feet away, unharmed, already firing her gun to keep the woman's attention off us.

That wouldn't last for another second if the woman attacked, Blake was slippery, but if she didn't want to she didn't have to aim.

Curtains rustled

I appeared next to Blake, grabbing towards her.

"You dare-" The woman began flames rushing out of her palm towards us.

Me teleporting to Blake had caused the woman to fully focus on us for a second.

But sometimes a second was enough.

Yang shot across the passage like a missile, her punch landing with a thunderous crack. The woman's aura flared, and I almost thought Yang might just bounce off.

That was not the case.

The woman shot forward into the wreckage below. Dust and debris exploding outward as she crashed into it. The pure force of the impact snuffed the flames, and I blinked.

"Is she-" Blake started.

Then the wreckage erupted in a fiery explosion. Flames spiraled toward the ceiling as the woman rose again, more fire than flesh. She was a blazing inferno, her flames alive, snapping and coiling like serpents.

I glanced at the Dust bags all around us, then at Torchwick, who was sprinting down the tunnel as fast as his legs would carry him. Finally, I looked back at the woman, the fire gathering around her forming enough fire to drown out the cavern.

"You disgusting rats." She hissed.

This was completely out of hand.

"We're getting out of here!" I yelled.

Lisa and Yang didn't need further prompting. They bolted toward me as I prepared to teleport.

The last thing I saw as Lisa grabbed my hand and Yang tagged my shoulder was fire.

And only fire.

Curtains rustled

…

We landed in a heap, our singed clothing and hair still steaming.

I barely had time to breathe before the ground beneath my palms began to tremble. Heat radiated upward, thick and suffocating, as though the air itself had turned to fire.

'Fuck.'

The dust had exploded.

People stared at us like we were aliens, children, men, women, frozen in shock. None of them moved.

Yang acted first, rolling to her feet and igniting her aura, flame-like energy dancing around her fists. Her voice thundered across the street like a cannon blast.

"GET OFF THE STREETS, NOW!"

Her command shattered the crowd's paralysis. They scattered, breaking into a panicked sprint.

A second later, the ground began to split beneath us. Cracks spiderwebbed outward as chunks of concrete broke apart, jagged edges glowing with molten heat.

"You know," I muttered, my voice dry as I watched fire bloom from the fractures, "this wasn't how I expected my day to go. I thought it would be more interpersonal drama, and less demon from hell."

"To be honest?" Blake chimed in, dry as ever, "I think I might prefer the demon. Interpersonal drama sucks."

I couldn't help the wry grin that tugged at my lips, even as the vapor from my breath stopped escaping. The November air, brisk moments ago, was now steadily heating up. My grip tightened around my sword as I scanned the cracking ground.

Even without looking, I could hear it all.

Screams rang out as civilians fled nearby stores. People shoved and tripped over one another, frantic to escape.

It was pandemonium.

'Would that have been me?' I wondered.

The thought felt foreign, wrong. I wanted to tell myself I'd have handled it better, that I'd have stayed calm and escaped while helping where I could. But I wasn't sure. Without everything that had happened to me, without the powers, the battles, the pain… that could have been me.

"Well…" Lisa trailed off, biting her lip as her wide eyes stayed glued to the ground fracturing before us.

I glanced at her pale face, her freckles standing out like constellations against her skin. Coming to pick up a Lisa, ending up uncovering a plot guarded by a demon from hell.

Why did that sound like something she would stumble into?

"We probably have to fight her, don't we?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "At least to buy time for people to get out while we wait for other hunters to show up?"

Lisa nodded weakly.

"Your words?" I pressed.

"Pissed her off more than I meant to," she admitted. "I think I hit a button I didn't even know existed."

I groaned, though my lips quirked up in irony. After everything we'd discussed, the power she wielded and how she knew exactly what to say to people, she'd still managed to piss her off this badly?

It was so freaking stupid.

Another explosion rocked the street, causing some of it to simply fall straight down into the subway beneath us.

From it fire erupted upward, spiralling into the sky like a living entity. At the heart of the inferno, the woman emerged, her body wreathed in flames, her molten eyes burning with fury as they locked onto us.

Without a single word everybody instinctively spread out. Lisa moved to the right, Yang to the left, and Blake had already somehow made her way to the opposite side.

"You think you can surround me?" the woman sneered, her voice dripping with scorn. "Fight me as a team? Do you even know what you've ruined? What's coming for you because of this?" She laughed, harsh and bitter. "You'll all die painfully, and I'll walk away knowing you made no difference."

Her words tumbled over each other, veering between contempt and anger. Ruined plans, grand projects, whatever she was talking about, none of it felt like it mattered to me.

I slicked my hair back and let out a casual smile, shrugging as if we weren't all standing on a literal battlefield. Arguing with Lisa, worrying about how to escape, wondering if we should fight or not. It had all felt like weights, dragging me down, making everything seem so complicated.

This?

It was simple.

"Honestly?" I said, letting my tone drip with humour. "I have no idea what you were doing. But you know what?" I pointed at her, my grin sharpening like a blade. "I don't care. Right now, I just want to hit something. And your ugly face?"

I twirled my sword in one hand, its edge gleaming as I pointed it directly at her.

"It looks really punchable."

Blake groaned.

Yang cracked a smile.

Lisa facepalmed.

And the woman?

She screamed.

It was a guttural roar that shook the air, flames erupted around her, a storm of fiery wrath that surged outward in all directions. The heat was suffocating, a tangible force pressing against me as I tensed, every muscle coiled and ready.

'So, how the fuck am I attacking that?" I wandered

The air shimmered with the intensity of her fires, and despite my bravado, I had no idea how to even approach her. The flames that wreathed her were searing, a living inferno that made the idea of closing the distance feel suicidal.

Then-

BANG

The sharp crack of a gunshot shattered the firestorm's roar. The woman staggered, her flames faltering, flickering like a candle in a storm.

Before I could process what had happened, a wave of frost surged toward her, spreading out like a glacier come to life. It surged over the scorched ground, hissing violently as it met the heat, filling the air with thick, blinding vapor.

I squeezed my eyes shut against the searing mist, but the sounds of combat were unmistakable: the clang of metal on metal, the scuffle of rapid movements, the crackle of flames.

"You didn't invite me bro? I'm hurt."

Jaune's voice cut through the chaos, light-hearted despite the place looking like the world was ending.

I jumped, startled by his sudden appearance. "How? Wha, how are you he-"

Before I could finish, a shockwave of wind exploded outward from the woman's position, scattering the vapor. Pyrrha moved like a blur, her shield intercepting a black blade mid-swing, sparks flying as she parried the strike.

The woman seemed to briefly get pushed off balance, and I wasn't the only one who saw it.

Yang was already rushing in, her fiery fists blazing as she closed the gap. The woman snarled, snapping her arm forward, and a wave of fire surged towards Yang.

She dove low, sliding under the blast with ease. For a moment, it seemed like she might make it, but with a sickening crack, the ground beneath her gave way. She disappeared into the crumbling debris with a startled yelp.

"Yang!" Blake's voice rang out, her form blurring into motion. She hurled one half of her weapon, the blade spinning in an arc toward Yang

The woman sneered, her molten gaze briefly turning toward Blake. Flames gathered in around her.

That distraction was all Weiss needed. She darted forward, her rapier glowing with icy energy. A precise thrust forced the woman to twist and retreat, her flames swirling defensively around her.

She didn't get half a moment to breathe as Lisa appeared in the blink of an eye, her knife a flash of steel as she drove it into the woman's back. The woman screamed, a sound of rage and agony, as flames erupted violently from her body, forcing Lisa to jump back. The knife fell, its blade glowing red-hot as it clattered to the ground.

The woman staggered, blood dripping from her side.

That knife attack hadn't hit her Aura; she had run out.

I didn't say a single word to Jaune.

Curtains rustled

I appeared just as she was about to swing her sword at Lisa. Swiping my sword at her leg, hoping she wouldn't notice.

She didn't.

My blade sank into her calf, and she stumbled forward with another scream of rage.

She didn't try to attack me, instead she exploded. A shockwave of fire radiated out, sending me hurtling into the side of a building.

A beat passed before I could gather myself, just in time to hear her voice.

"You pests, you think you are saving your friends? You are all going to die."

Her voice wasn't just angry, it was cold, like the simmering embers of her fury had hardened into something crueller.

I shoved a fallen mannequin off my chest, my arms trembling as I pushed myself upright. I was just in time to see her searing her wounds shut. Flames danced erratically around her, licking the air as the heat surged again, a relentless wave that stole the breath from my lungs.

Walking out of the store I glanced around, assessing the aftermath of her attack. The blast had hit everything. Scattered debris, twisted signs, and broken mannequins littered the street like the remnants of a storm

We'd taken down her Aura, that much was clear. But as I looked down at my hands, trembling and streaked with bloody scratches from my struggle to get free I realized the situation wasn't that good.

Taken down her Aura should have been important.

But my Aura was gone too, the usual protective barrier shattered, leaving me feeling exposed and vulnerable.

And I had a feeling I wasn't the only one.

Yang lay sprawled on the ground, barely moving. She'd climbed out of the collapsed hole only to be sent flying into a nearby street sign, hitting it hard enough that it bent in half.

Blake wasn't faring much better. She was slumped not far from Yang, blood dripping steadily down her face, her weapon resting limply by her side.

In comparison Team JWPR was still on their feet, but even they looked worse for wear. Their stances were shaky, their movements laboured. We'd all had combat class earlier today, and I could tell it had taken a toll. Not everyone had walked away victorious, Weiss had barely managed to stand after her match, and Jaune… well, Jaune was Jaune.

That left Lisa, Pyrrha, and maybe Ruby, if she was even here, as the only ones with any real amount of Aura left.

The woman stood amidst the chaos, untouched and unyielding, her flames a cruel mockery of life as they twisted and surged around her.

She wasn't invincible anymore.

A single good hit would take her down.

But looking at her now, I wasn't sure if a single good hit was even possible.

I touched my cut lip, feeling blood trickle down. In all honesty, I should've been grimacing. The situation was disastrous.

But I wasn't.

My heart raced, blood roaring in my ears, and despite the carnage, my face twisted into a wild grin.

I felt alive.

Curtains rustled

I appeared next to the woman, trusting towards her. She didn't even look at me, just threw her hand backwards, a wave of fire rising from the ground to swallow me whole.

Curtains rustled

I teleported out of the way to give Lisa some space to attack.

Curtains rust

Fire rushed towards her, and I grabbed Lisa, teleporting her away.

Weiss used the moment to stab towards the woman, but she wasn't fast enough. Fire exploded out of the ground, causing her aura to flicker.

Curtains ru

I dragged Weiss out of the blast with a thought, feeling a pang of effort.

But there was no time.

Curtains

I was above the woman's head, watching Pyrrha shoot at her to no effect. Fire rushed around the woman, both defending and attacking. Some of it rushed me before I could even try to attack.

Curtai

I felt my arm burn as fire glanced me, the heat enough to melt my skin. In return I used my sudden repositioning to nick her arm. She didn't even seem to notice, her arm snapping towards me.

Curt

I teleported away, almost falling to my knees as I felt the pain of the last blast of fire on my legs. This entire thing wasn't working, we were killing her, but she was killing us faster.

An idea, half-formed, entered my head, and I took my attention off the battlefield. Before I had managed to teleport the Elder Grimm, could I do the same to her?

I dove into the other realm in an instant, trying to push her like I had done the Grimm. If I could get her into this place I could probably throw her straight out of Vale.

Subduing her would be great, but with the way the fight was going?

Just getting her out of here would be good enough.

Reaching out through the curtains didn't even take a moment.

It therefore took exactly that long to realize I had made a mistake.

It felt like trying to grab the sun, and for a second, it felt like I was getting burned alive.

I got kicked out with enough force that I almost puked on the spot. Instead, I dry-heaved feeling my power screaming in protest. It took all my effort to keep my eyes on the fight.

Lisa ducked under a half molten stone just in time for it to be turned to slag. Her Aura flickering even behind her cover.

I raised my hand, wanting to teleport her to me.

If before it had been like grabbing her and dragging her toward me, suddenly it felt like I was trying to pry a huge stone from the ground. I grappled with it, unable to even budge it.

Lisa got swallowed whole the next second.

"N-" Was all I manged.

Because Pyrrha was faster, spinning her sword until it became a spear, stabbing toward the woman from behind. It would have dug into her right flank, but the woman still managed to pirouette, causing it to glance off instead.

An explosion rocked the street, sending Pyrrha careening into a lamppost. It shattered on impact, and she crumpled to the ground, her Aura flickering.

I closed my mouth and glanced over the entire street.

It was a battlefield of charred remains. People who hadn't escaped lay burned into ash, their shadows etched into the ground. My friends were scattered like broken dolls, bloodied and beaten.

A sword dropped to the ground, and glancing downwards I suddenly realized.

It was mine.

My arms trembled, red and swollen, patches of dead skin peeling away. They should've been screaming in pain, but adrenaline kept me numb.

At least somewhat numb.

I wanted to teleport back into the fray, but I couldn't.

My body burned with exhaustion; my power felt like it was ripping my in half with just trying to use it.

Weiss sent a couple of ice shards flying, only for them and then her to get swatted out of the air by the fire. Jaune charged, before the woman swatted let out a blast of fire, one that caught his shield and sent him skidding backwards.

Lisa rolled out from cover, just in time to realize the same thing I did.

For the first time, there was nobody close, nobody who could distract her. The woman's gaze snapped to Blake and Yang, fire flickering in her hands. A cruel smirk spread across her face. She didn't look refined or beautiful anymore; her composure was gone, lost ten minutes ago when Lisa started mouthing off.

'Truly, that had been a genius move.' I thought.

Just in time for Lisa to open her mouth.

"Wow, how typical, can't hit the people fighting so you target those unable to hit back? Servant complex much?" Lisa words rang out.

For a second, I was sure I'd witness fire rush toward Yang and Blake, turning them into one of the many husks present. For all Lisa had a way with words, there was nobody who would just stop attacking because of them.

The woman stopped, her entire body cracking slowly towards Lisa.

"I am not a servant." She stated.

I blinked, feeling my lips twitch.

'What.'

"Oh?" Lisa tilted her head, her grin as sharp, "Could've fooled me. I didn't see it at first, but you're not even the big bad, are you? You're somebody lapdog, running around doing the dirty work. We mess up your plans a little, and you suddenly want to kill us? Its not even because I made you angry, it's because you're afraid of your freaking boss."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Pyrrha shakily rise to her feet, her weapon shifting into gun mode. But the woman's attention remained fixed on Lisa. For a fleeting moment, I thought Lisa might actually succeed in distracting her. Then, with a snap of the woman's arm, fire surged toward Pyrrha.

Pyrrha screamed as the flames seared toward her, her Aura splintering like glass. The fire bit into her skin. My mind screamed to act, but my power fought back, refusing to cooperate. I staggered in place, powerless, as Jaune threw himself in front of her, his shield raised in a desperate attempt to absorb the flames.

Jaune screamed as the fire rushed over him. His Aura bloomed outward, growing to shield them both. The flames devoured it, but instead of fading, Jaune's Aura surged, becoming stronger, more resilient, pushing back against the fire's relentless assault.

Lisa didn't waste her shot.

BANG

Somehow, by some miracle it didn't turn to ash like the other, instead it went straight through her. The woman stumbled forward, the fire in her hands flickering to a stop. Jaune collapsed almost instantly, just toppling over as his Aura too shattering like glass.

The woman, like a broken puppet, slowly turned to face Lisa. Her expression twisted in silent fury, her body moving with unnerving mechanical precision.

Lisa kept firing, each shot ringing out, but with every blast, the woman's attention made the projectiles turn to ash before they even reached her. The woman moved closer, each step purposeful and terrifying.

I wanted to act, to move, to help, but my body screamed in protest. Every inch felt like fire, like I was being pulled apart from the inside.

I tried to teleport, but my power didn't respond, like an overstrained muscle, it simply couldn't bear the weight anymore.

Instead, I had to watch as the woman slowly but surely moved close to Lisa, whose Aura kept flickering as the heat grew.

The woman's voice was chilling, a soft whisper amidst the chaos: "I will burn you alive. Then, I will burn your friends, and no one will ever know you tried to stop me."

The woman's voice carried over the battlefield like a death knell, her words slicing through the air. Lisa didn't flinch, though her Aura flickered like a candle in a storm. Her sharp grin remained fixed, even as the heat seemed to sear the air around her.

"You're making a lot of promises for someone who's looking like they faceplanted into a moving truck." Lisa retorted, her voice dripping with mockery.

I could hear the slight quiver in her voice though, see the way she clenched her other hand into a fist…

My body trembled.

My eyes blurred.

The woman arm stretched out, like she was about to lay her it upon her head.

I screamed.

Curtain exploded

In an instant, I appeared next to Lisa, grabbing her and tackling her to the ground. The impact shattered her Aura in a flash, leaving both of us exposed. I lay on top of her, the desperation to save her overwhelmed me. I reached out, tried to teleport again.

I couldn't.

Instead, I felt something wet trickle down my face. Blood. My blood.

My eyes were bleeding.

I coughed, tasting the blood that splash onto Lisa's face.

"Get off me, toaster," she muttered.

I rolled off her, my arms splayed out like a starfish as I stared up at the woman. She looked... shattered. Her once imposing figure now resembled something broken and bruised. Her dress was torn to shreds, her skin marred with blood and burns. Every inch of her was leaking some kind of injury, a testament to the violence we'd just unleashed on her.

But despite it all, she still stood, unwavering, like nothing had truly touched her. Even the bullet wound from Lisa's shot had been seared shut.

"I'm sorry Alex." Lisa mumbled, her voice small and vulnerable.

I looked into the sky.

"Huh, miracles do really happen at deaths door." I muttered, a wry grin sneaking onto my face. "For what it's worth? I forgive you."

The woman's voice cut through the silence, slow and deliberate, like she was savoring the moment. "How cute. At least you get to die together." Her voice twisted with dark amusement. "I would say I'll make it quick, but I think for you two? You'll burn slowly."

Her hand rose, flames flickering in her palm, casting a flickering, almost mesmerizing glow across her battered face. She seemed to revel in the power she held, her gaze lingering on Lisa as her mouth curled into a cruel, predatory grin.

I grabbed Lisa's hand, trying to connect to my power one last time.

Nothing happened.

"Goodby-"

A red blur flew by.

The woman paused, her eyes blinking in confusion.

And, under the harsh light of the afternoon sun, her head slowly slid from her neck.

Chapter Text

Ozpin wanted to claim he had felt it before he was informed, that he still possessed some lingering sensitivity to the currents of magic. But that would have been a lie. It had been ages since he could perform such feats. After splitting his magic, what remained had dwindled to mere embers. What he possessed now was not true magic but a faint semblance of it.

'Ironic' He thought bitterly, that after countless incarnations, he had never managed to unlock his own Semblance.

None of that changed the reality: splitting his magic had left him irrevocably weakened. He had made the choice long ago, after a particularly tragic series of failures. Moments when he had been unable to act, times when he, and therefore humanity had suffered because he couldn't be in more than one place at once. In his distress he had devised a solution: if he could not multiply himself, he would multiply his reach by bestowing his power on others.

The ritual had taken decades, but as an arch-mage… well, former arch-mage, Ozpin was able to succeed. He split his magic into its four fundamental parts.

It was supposed to be temporary blessings.

He had planned to bestow portions of his magic and then reclaim them once the need had passed. The fact he believed it would be that easy? It showed his mental state at the time, how gone he was. Magic, by its very nature, was wild, an untamed force that bent reality itself. Even at its most controlled, it was unpredictable.

Such rituals?

The fact it had only resulted in the creation of the Maidens could almost be considered a stroke of fortune.

But the consequences had been far from simple. The power he had relinquished never returned, leaving him diminished. Now, after all this time, he was again forced to confront the full weight of his choice.

Another one of his mistakes.

One of the Maidens had appeared in the heart of Vale, her arrival not heralded by some deep magical sense or premonition, but through the flicker of a news broadcast. Ozpin hadn't felt the eruption of magic that surely accompanied her usage of her powers.

He hadn't sensed her at all.

Like everyone else, he had learned of her existence through a screen.

The footage of the battle was shaky, filmed through the lens of an unsteady camera, its instability matched only by the chaos it captured. Ozpin had clenched his hands into fists, his knuckles pale, as he forced himself to remain calm. Charging into the fray himself was out of the question. Even if he moved with all his remaining might, he would never make it in time.

He could send Huntsmen and Huntresses to assist, of course. But how many could he truly call upon? Few made their homes in the centre of Vale. Most were scattered across the wilderness, fighting Grimm far from the city's streets. The police? If they dared to approach, they would only add to the body count. In the end the battle would far before any reliable hunter could even come close to joining, after all, Beacon was supposed to be the base for hunters stationed in the city.

So, he had been left with no choice but to watch.

To watch his students, young, brave, and talented beyond their years, fight a desperate battle against a force they couldn't possibly comprehend. The screen flickered with chaos; their movements valiant but increasingly desperate. One by one, they fell, their Aura shattering, their resilience pushed to its breaking point.

Ozpin felt himself sink deeper into his headmaster's chair, the weight of his own impotence pressing down like a crushing tide.

By the time the battle had truly unfolded, he already knew which Maiden they were facing. He had seen the telltale signs in her movements, the overwhelming force in her attacks. And, in many ways, it was the worst possible foe for his students to encounter.

The Maidens all carried fragments of his magic, but they weren't equals to his former self. They were embodiments of specific facets of his power, reflections of the magic's raw essence.

The Summer Maiden?

She was the pinnacle of his potential, a manifestation of his magic in its purest, most unyielding form. Strength, destruction, and overwhelming might. She was his magic at its most primal, a relentless storm that could obliterate anything in its path.

His hand drifted to a nearby button, pressing it lightly.

"Glynda, is the Bullhead ready?" Ozpin asked, his eyes fixed on the screen as chaos continued to unfold.

"Yes, Headmaster. If you make your way to the landing pad, we can take off immediately," Glynda's voice came through, as steady and composed as ever.

But Ozpin knew her too well to be fooled by her calm exterior. Glynda Goodwitch was many things, but cold-hearted wasn't one of them. She might have been the strongest Huntress of her generation, but there was a reason she had chosen to teach at Beacon while still so young.

She wasn't cut out for the sacrifices that the life of a Huntress demanded. She never had been. When her team perished, she had nearly walked away from it all, ready to abandon the life she'd once believed in so strongly. Only his offer to her, to train other hunters so they could avoid her fate, kept her in the business.

He had no doubt that those memories were resurfacing now, as she watched the two first-year teams battle against a Maiden. The sight of those young students, barely more than children, fighting against an ancient force must have cut her to the core.

The camera cut off, the screen fading to black as the daring reporter was caught in a stray blast of fire. The last image lingered in Ozpin's mind, the Maiden about to attack one of his students who was already out of the fight.

He almost smashed his fist into the desk but managed to control himself. Instead, he took a deep breath and stood, reaching for Long Memory. Deliberately calming his mind, he began the walk to the landing pad, praying he would not find two dead teams when he arrived.

……………….

He did not find two dead teams.

But it was a near thing.

The battlefield stretched out before him like the aftermath of a firestorm, a grim tableau of chaos and destruction. His students were scattered across the street like broken toys, their bodies battered, their strength drained.

But all of them were alive.

Ambulance workers and first responders moved among them; their voices hurried but steady as they worked.

Only three remained relatively unscathed.

Lisa, the girl with the power to know almost anything, sat next to her companion. She held his hand, her face pale, eyes red from tears. Ozpin remembered their first meeting, the way she had looked at him. After slowly piecing together the nature of her power, he had come to understand that she had probably seen something when looking at him, something that made her hesitate.

He hadn't confronted her about it yet, not sure how to broach the subject, but in the grand scheme of things, it seemed like a matter of little consequence now. The chance of them being attached to Salem had fallen dramatically after killing what was probably one of her most important pieces. Any other option simply didn't matter in comparison.

Ozpin moved his gaze to the white blanket that covered the Summer Maiden's body.

When he arrived, he almost couldn't believe what he was seeing. It wasn't as they had no chance, if he changed them with eight veterans, he might even believe they could win. After all, numbers were a power of their own. Fighting multiple opponents at once, especially trained ones, became exponentially harder.

But the Summer Maiden was practically made to fight multiple opponents. Her power was overwhelming, nearly impossible to counter without the right preparation. Fighting such a being without a direct counter was a fool's errand. How could you combat a sun, a force of nature that burned everything in its path?

It all meant the Maiden, for all of her raw and untamed power, had been far less experienced in her abilities than Ozpin had anticipated. Not a Summer Maiden having had her powers for years, but somebody unused to their abilities, maybe even relying on them as a crutch.

It still shouldn't have mattered.

They were first-year students, not even halfway through their first semester. It was almost lucky, that the two teams contained some of the most talented people in their year. Any other teams? He was certain he would only find their ashes.

Ozpin's gaze shifted back to Lisa and the boy. When he had watched the fight, the boy had been teleporting himself and others to safety, clearly playing a pivotal role in their survival. It was likely they all had to thank him for their survival, as without the ability to keep his teammates from being taken out the battle would have been a much shorter affair. It made Ozpin reevaluate his importance.

Teleportation was not a rare Semblance, but it was also not something you saw every day. Ozpin would maybe meet two or three with a similar power each incarnation, with Raven coming to mind during this one. Of course, it was clear to him that his ability was not a semblance, but rather a power, to use their terminology.

He just didn't realize what having a power meant,

Ozpin had focused most of his attention on Lisa, as in comparison to the girl's power, the boy's power seemed almost average. But now he realized he hadn't considered how few restrictions it truly had. It wasn't limited to just him; it could affect everyone around him. His ability to reposition both himself and others perfect to avoid the Summer Maidens overwhelming power.

Ozpin made a mental note: he would need to speak with them, to understand exactly how their so-called powers differed from Semblances. It was something he had put off, distracted by the pursuit of their cult origin and the possibility of godly involvement, but he could put it off no longer. He needed answers, better ones than he was given the last time he inquired. Of course, it would have to wait, considering the boy's condition was probably the worst out of everybody.

His attention shifted once again to Glynda, whose soothing voice broke the silence as she comforted Ruby, the young girl crying into her chest.

"It's fine, you did the right thing," Glynda said, her voice soft but firm.

Ruby's beloved weapon, a large scythe, lay discarded by her side, the blood staining its blade a stark reminder of the price of their fight.

Ruby, trembling, looked up at Glynda, her voice muffled by tears. "I didn't know."

"You did the right thing," Glynda reassured again, her tone almost motherly as she tried to dry the girl's tears.

Ozpin only needed a single glance to understand what had happened, as Ruby had burst into tears at the sight of them. The act of taking a life was something all Hunters had to grapple with at some point, even those who primarily fought Grimm. In Ruby's case, it had come far too soon.

According to young Weiss, she had too little Aura to fight directly and so had been positioned in a supporting role. Covering fire, as well as helping civilians. A Job far more important than most realized, and it would by her hands that there were so few deaths.

She had joined the engagement when she realized the battle was lost, wanting to save her friends. But without having fought she did not realize the Maiden's aura had already been broken.

A single strike felling a Maiden, a single strike to stain a young woman's hands with blood.

It was the right choice, of course, he could only agree with Glynda on that. Even if the Maiden had been taken into custody, he would have to kill her. With her almost certainly being a lackey of Salem the choice was simply obvious; she could not be allowed to live.

It still hurt, to see a young woman's innocence shatter, but he was sure she would recover.

That left only the last question, the one he had avoided thinking about.

Where had the Summer Maidens power gone?

Ozpin tapped his cane, his thoughts clouded. His face remained impassive, not letting a single expression creep up.

As always when a Maiden fell unexpectedly there seemed to be a million options.

The situation was disheartening, to say the least. One of the side effects of splitting his magic had been a perversion of his original intent. When he had split his power, the idea was simple: give it away temporarily to others who could wield it, and then, when the time came, retrieve it.

But that had not happened. He should have been able to return his magic with a thought, to draw it back into himself. Instead, the magic passed on easily, with a simple finishing gesture, a thought... and never returned.

It was no longer his.

Instead, when a Maiden passed, her last thought would be the woman who now received the power.

For a while that had led to Maiden dynasties, now it simply made it likely one of the young women present would be the new Summer Maiden.

Two stood out as likely options, but it was impossible to know if he was right.

The absence of immediate answers left him feeling vaguely uncertain. In decades past, when he still wielded more than the embers that remained of his magic, he could have simply touched the candidates, Ruby, Lisa, or any of the others, to feel the magic pulse through their veins, its power immediately settling in. It would have been a simple matter of knowing, of feeling the alignment of the forces within them. He could even have expedited the transfer process, skipping the waiting period.

But those days were long gone.

Now, he was left with nothing but the remnants of his former power, a faint echo of an echo of what once was. Without the ability to sense the current of power as he had in his previous lives, Ozpin was forced to wait, wait for the magic to take root, wait for the new Summer Maiden to be revealed.

And that, he knew, would take time.

The transfer would be far from seamless. He had never intended for this kind of delayed awakening, never planned for the magic to grow and adapt slowly, like a seed finding its way into the soil. Never intended for any of it.

It didn't change the facts, when a Maiden passed her last thought would be the one who would receive her power. It could be made faster, if a Maiden acted with purpose rather than mere fleeting thought, the process would have been much smoother. But the Maiden had been defeated in a more chaotic fashion, probably unable to even truly understand she was dead before she died.

It could take months before the magic revealed itself, before the chosen vessel understood and felt the force now within her.

Even so Ozpin felt his mouth quirk up, it might take time, but it was likely that he had once again regained control over the Summer Maiden's power.

Time passed slowly as the aftermath of the battle unfolded. Ambulances were packed with the injured, most of them his students, and got ready to drive off. The bystanders, those who had witnessed the chaos, stood in stunned silence, processing the destruction around them. Ozpin was prepared to move on, to ensure the area was cleared, when a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"You know what she is, don't you." Lisa's voice was a whisper as she watched the Ambulance carting her friend away.

"Yes." Ozpin didn't deny it. There would be no point in doing so. She already knew far more than he was comfortable with, and any attempt to sidestep the truth would only be futile.

The silence between them stretched out, and Ozpin considered her carefully. He wasn't entirely sure just how much Lisa could see with her power, but over the months, he had come to understand a great deal about the abilities of those under his watch. Lisa's power, much like Aleksander's, seemed to transcend the limitations of a typical semblance. There were few, if any, restrictions on what she could perceive. It was more akin to a form of magic than anything else, a magic that allowed her to understand and see things that others couldn't.

In some ways it reminded him of the Diviners of old, who could read your secrets from the heavens. Just the thought of them caused the hair on his neck to rise, their uncanny ability to just know things about you.

"The same as Amber?" Lisa asked again.

"Of a similar nature, though different on some levels." He answered.

Lisa pursed her lips, her eyes looking into his. Like they would reveal his secrets. Ozpin wasn't sure what she saw, but in the end, she looked away.

"At least you care." She mumbled, just loud enough for his ears to catch.

……

Salem felt it long before anybody would inform her. That Cinder, before she could even begin to act on her plan, had fallen.

She hadn't expected that.

The girl, ambitious and reckless in her pursuit of power, had always been a wildcard. After having acquired her new power that recklessness seemed to only have grown, but Salem had never anticipated the reality of her defeat, let alone death.

She was not the strongest Maiden, but Cinder was a force in her own right. Her power was still in its infancy, yes, but it had been more than enough to set her apart from most. She had the raw potential to wreak havoc, to carve her name into history with the magic of the Summer Maiden.

Yet, here she was, gone.

It shouldn't have been possible, not with most of Ozpin's loyal pawns scattered.

For a moment, Salem's thoughts strayed.

The sensation she'd felt through the Beetle Grimm, now merged with Cinder's own body, had been unusual, unsettling even. It had reminded her of something... ancient. Something she hadn't encountered in quite some time.

The gods.

The way their magic didn't just bend reality to their will, but dived deeper, twisting the very fabric of existence. Operated on a deeper layer somehow, did things that magic simply could not. She had seen their power before, in person and in echoes, beings far beyond the comprehension of mortals. That the same kind of power had resonated within Cinder's body merely minutes before she had ultimately fallen…

It was unexplainable.

The power had been too weak to have come from the gods themselves, the second it had touched a Grimm she was bound with she could easily force it out of Cinder. Even so, it had the same flavour. It reminded her of…

Her curse.

Not in degree, but in kind.

It caused her to feel cold, for the first time in forever.

More than that it caused her to feel curious.

The gods had been gone for millennia, to feel something so similar to their presence here? It made her want to look at it, to poke and prod and see how it operated. She wanted to pull it apart at the seams, use her magic to dissect it until she could replicate it.

Maybe with that power she could finally understand why she couldn't die.

Or well, it could simply lead nowhere.

It didn't really matter.

Just the thought of something new was enough for her mouth to curl up. She would have it, even if she had to drown the world with Grimm to get it.

After all, it wasn't like Ozpin could stop her.

Chapter Text

The bathroom mirror wasn't somewhere I usually spent a lot of time.

I wasn't the kind of guy who cared much about appearances, not in others and definitely not in myself. Most days, I'd throw on whatever was clean, slap on some gel if I remembered, and call it good.

But today, I lingered.

My eyes traced over my arms, watching how they moved, how they looked. Stronger than before. Way stronger. My whole body looked like it belonged in a fitness magazine, lean, defined, powerful. Like someone who'd been on a dedicated workout plan for years or, more likely, someone on steroids.

Of course, I was on something way better than mere steroids. Aura enhanced your body. It fixed everything, muscle tone, symmetry, even my face looked better.

I should have felt good about it.

I didn't.

Instead, I flexed, and my focus went straight to the scars. My skin stretched tight over my bicep, and the patchwork of pale lines pulled taut with the motion. Burn scars. The doctors had said they were permanent, a souvenir of the fight I'd survived. They told me I was lucky that my hands had come out almost untouched.

Lucky.

I stared at those scars, and the word felt wrong in my head. Sure, the bad guy was down, Lisa was back. My friends, our whole team, made it out alive. Nobody on our side had died. By all accounts, that was a victory.

My stomach twisted, the nausea creeping in again as I thought about the civilians who'd been caught in the flames.

I was lucky for sure, but a ton of people hadn't been.

I flexed my arm again, and the scars stretched under the harsh bathroom light. Maybe some other guy would call them badges of honour. Badges showing that he had survived, that he had won.

That he had been a hero.

That guy wasn't me.

Because I sure didn't feel like one.

Instead, they felt like brands, a reminder of how we got slapped around, of how out of our depths we had really been. It woke me up like a cold shower, how far I had to go before I could say I was anything approaching strong.

"Fuck." I mumbled to myself.

Bang, bang.

"Stop taking your sweet time Alex! You're going to be late." Yang's voice rang out, impatient.

I blinked, her voice pulling me from my self-misery. Then I took a deep breath and shoved those thoughts away, locking them in a box with all my other problems.

"Coming, give me a sec!" I yelled back, throwing on my uniform.

….

We didn't get reprimanded or face any real consequences for our actions. Not officially, anyway. The government instead seemed keen to tout us as heroes, somebody who stopped a great threat.

No matter how much we were the ones that provoked said great threat.

Either way, the official stance didn't change how we felt about it. And sitting in the cafeteria, poking at our dinners, it was clear the fight still weighed on everyone's minds.

Not that it was surprising, it had only been a couple of days since then.

I ate slowly, my eyes drawn to the person who had taken the most obvious damage in the fight. Pyrrha sat on the other side of the table, speaking softly with Jaune, but my gaze kept drifting to her left eye. The star-shaped burn scar that surrounded it stood out starkly against her fair skin.

It felt like a permanent mark on her record, a blemish on her reputation that would stick around forever.

Even then…

She'd been lucky.

Lucky to avoid vision loss.

Lucky.

The word felt like ash in my mouth.

Every time I thought about it, every time I heard it, it felt like it lost a little more of its meaning.

Pyrrha smiled, trying to do what everyone else seemed to be doing, pretend that everything was fine. But I could see how her hand kept hovering near her face, her fingers brushing close to the scar, as if checking it was still there, or perhaps, wishing it wasn't.

Like she wanted to rub it away, but knew it would only irritate it.

I forced my eyes away as she shot me an unease smile, catching me looking.

"Well, do you guys know who your accompanying Huntsman will be for the end-of-year mission?" Jaune suddenly asked, his voice a little too upbeat.

Like he was trying to force us into the same mood by giving away enough excitement.

It didn't seem to work.

Instead, the question hung awkwardly in the air. And as the silence dragged on, no one answering, Jaune shot me a pleading look.

I sighed and decided to throw him a lifeline.

"Not sure, but I'm hoping for someone who could teach us something a little extra," I said, forcing a shrug. I poked at my food, trying to sound casual. "Or maybe someone who doesn't make us feel like baggage they're stuck babysitting. Or, you know, not Professor Port. I don't think I could survive a week of his stories."

That got a reaction. Everyone at the table nodded or murmured in agreement, some even cracking small smiles. For all his enthusiasm, the thought of going on a mission with Port was enough to unite us. His constant reminiscing was bad enough in class; I wasn't sure I'd even survive if he got to actually relive them.

Of course, when nobody spoke up the silence appeared again. I felt my entire body shrivelling up, as I shot Yang a look, probably looking just as desperate as Jaune had looked.

Yang rolled her eyes, but opened her mouth anyway.

"That's not likely," Yang said, leaning back in her chair a tad too far. "Most of the Huntsmen they use for those Missions are hired in. Dad used to do it sometimes, helping teams on their first missions. You remember, right, Ruby? How Dad would just up and leave for a week or two?"

Ruby didn't say anything. She stayed hunched in her hood, muttering something that sounded like agreement before shoving her plate away.

The entire table stared, and she seemed to feel our eyes on her.

"I'm going," she said abruptly. "Need to, uh, work on Crescent Rose." Without waiting for a response, she got up and power-walked out of the cafeteria.

Like her words had been a good enough explanation.

The table fell uncomfortably silent. Yang's eyes lingered on Ruby's retreating figure, a mix of frustration and worry flickering across her face. It looked like she wanted to follow, but something held her back. Maybe she knew better than to push right now. Or maybe she didn't know what to say.

I glanced at Lisa, half-expecting her to offer some insight. She was usually the first to say something in a situation like this, that Ruby was dealing with things in her own way, that she'd be fine, that she just needed time to process what had happened.

Really, she usually jumped on any opportunity to look like she knew everything.

But Lisa didn't say anything. Instead, she sat with tight-lipped frustration, stabbing at her salad with far more aggression than it deserved.

"Lisa," I whispered, leaning in to keep my voice low as the conversation around the table slowly, and very awkwardly, picked up again. "Is Ruby doing okay?"

Lisa didn't answer immediately. She stopped poking at her salad, her gaze drifting toward the cafeteria door where Ruby had disappeared. Her lips pressed together, and for a moment, I thought she wasn't going to respond.

"It's not… great." She said with a sigh, but her eyes had already moved to Pyrrha.

It made me notice how off she was.

It was strange to see Lisa like this. Her usual grin was gone, replaced by a grim, tight line. Even her eyes seemed duller than usual, losing that ever-present spark of something she always seemed to have.

Or well, that wasn't quite accurate, it was more like she lost it every time we spent time with Team JWPR. Just glancing at Ruby or Pyrrha was enough to make her look like the wind got knocked out of her sails.

"She still feeling guilty?" I asked quietly, my eyes flickering to Lisa's.

Lisa's expression faltered, her brow furrowing as she searched for the right words. "Guilty's probably not the right word," she said slowly, as if she was weighing each one carefully. "She just... doesn't know how to deal with everyone telling her she did a good job. She didn't really get what being a Huntress meant, and now she's coming to terms with the fact that the world isn't... pretty."

She stabbed a tomato, punctuating her last word with a sharp jab.

"You…" I began, then hesitated as she looked at me.

I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. It felt strange, both Ruby and Pyrrha were clearly affected by what had happened, hurt in ways that went deeper than the surface. But for some reason, I couldn't shake the feeling that Lisa might have been the one who got the most affected.

Because, as much as she pretended she didn't feel guilty about the entire situation, I had a feeling it was eating her alive.

….

I meditated on the rooftop.

It had become a habit, spending a couple of hours at the end of each day exploring my power. Usually, I just tried to connect to that strange realm, experimenting with things I hadn't tried before.

Like teleporting my sword back to my hand.

Or teleporting bullets out of a loaded gun.

Fun things, cool things.

Things I thought might be possible.

Things I really thought weren't, but at the same time were too awesome not to try.

Sometimes, I'd even have Lisa help, so I could try more complex things, like teleporting bullets away mid-flight… or teleporting Lisa so she was upside down on arrival.

One of those things worked.

It wasn't the bullet thing.

Of course, her laughter at my failure had directly led to figuring out the other was possible, so I chalked it up to a win.

Then there were the things I didn't quite dare try yet.

Teleporting into objects, teleporting just one part of me.

Crazy stuff, stuff that I thought might be possible, but felt too dangerous to try.

That category also included trying to unlock the door.

Ever since that day, a little before the Initiation, I hadn't dared to travel that deeply into my power again. Even now it scared me, the way it had almost consumed me, almost ripped me away from this reality.

Just my memories of it felt like it hurt my brain.

'Dammit.'

Sharp pain caused me to grit my teeth, as I unconsciously pictured the scene I had seen back then again.

A glimpse into Eternity, an infinite amount of universes, all of them close enough to touch.

A reality behind Reality, infinite layers that seemed to consume me.

The Thing, packing its words with enough information to fill a thousand books.

I hurriedly opened my eyes, taking in the real world instead of those images.

It took almost a minute for the sight of the school grounds to substitute those memories.

One day, I'd need to figure out how that part of my power worked. After all, it was most likely the reason I'd ended up here, and learning to control it might be crucial to ensuring I didn't accidentally just leave again.

But that day was not today.

Or tomorrow for that matter.

Really, just the thought of the door was like thinking about touching a hot pan.

Could I do it?

Sure, but it still felt like a profoundly stupid idea.

Too deep in my self-justification, I didn't even notice her before she spoke up.

"Had a feeling I would find you here." Lisa said, before softly continuing, "You have time to talk?"

I paused for a beat, before untangling my legs from my bastardized lotus position and prepared to hop off the ledge.

Lisa beat me to it, jumping up to my ledge before I could get down… or answer her for that matter.

I raised an eyebrow as she brushed some of her hair out of her face. She raised an eyebrow back when she noticed, as if to ask what mine meant.

I let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Well, I guess I do. Though, for your information, people don't usually assume silence equals consent on my Earth." I snarked.

Lisa rolled her eyes sky high but replied without missing a beat.

"Well, on my Earth, toasters don't talk back."

I grinned, having missed some of our familiar banter.

She tried to return it, but only managed a half-hearted smile, before that too faded.

My smile slipped from my face at her awkward response.

It had been like that lately, a little bit more awkward. The familiar ease, the unconscious connection that we had, seemingly having faded slightly. Instead, it was replaced by something quieter, heavier.

Pensive.

Like she had been the last couple of days.

The silence dragged, and she opened her mouth, then closed it. It was like she was unsure how to begin. I shifted my weight at her behaviour, but before I could say anything she let out a sigh.

"I think I might be a mess." Lisa muttered.

I blinked, but my mouth worked faster than my brain, defaulting to my regular backtalk.

"You only figured that out now?" I said, almost biting my tongue the moment the words slipped out.

She didn't react. No sharp comeback, no roll of her eyes. Not even a hint of a grin.

Shit.

Instead of doing anything she just paused, her gaze settling on me, the expression on her face hardening into something unreadable.

"To be honest, I didn't think I would see you when I was down there…" Lisa continued, like she hadn't really heard me. "I expected you to, I don't know, maybe wait?" She shook her head, "Though, honestly, that was stupid. You're too fucking heroic to just leave me."

Her eyes locked onto mine, unflinching.

"No, you just had to prove me wrong, prove you're exactly the kind of person I should know you are. Trusting, kind, loyal. Without even thinking," She glared at me, her gaze sharpening into something almost accusatory, "you ran into a base of criminals, risking your life, just because you thought I might be in trouble. And somehow…"

Lisa broke off, taking a shaky breath, like the next part physically hurt to say.

"Somehow, I still can't seem to trust you. I know-" she paused, pressing her lips together before continuing, "I know, in my head, that you won't just drop me, that you won't just teleport away if you find somebody better. That you're not going to turn out to be some kind of hidden criminal mastermind. But no matter how much I know that, I can't make myself feel it."

Her words hung in the air, her voice trembling.

"What kind of bitch does that make me?" she asked, her voice cracking as her composure splintered. "That I can't even trust someone who'd throw away their life to save mine?"

I paused, my eyes meeting hers, and saw the way her eyes shimmered with barely unshed tears. The moment felt special somehow, like she was admitting to something she would never usually do.

"A huge one." I said simply.

There was a beat of silence as the words registered.

Her head snapped up, and my reflexes kicked in. I barely had time to lift my arms to shield myself before her fist slammed into my arm, hard enough to send me flying off the roof. I hit the patio below, rolling to my feet in one fluid motion, Aura flaring to absorb the impact.

I opened my mouth before she could even think of a response.

"And that's fine."

Lisa froze, staring down at me, her entire body trembling. "How is that fine?"

"Well, then what do you want me to say?" I tried to make it light, but the words came out heavy.

Lisa leapt down to join me, her glare cutting through the tension in the air like a blade.
"I'm trying to be serious, Alex," she hissed.

"You don't think I am?" I countered, my voice rising before I caught myself. I paused, forcing a deep breath to calm down, and softened my tone. "Lisa, I get it. No, actually, I don't get it, because I haven't been through the kind of bullshit you have. Your parents manipulated you, and your first boss? A murderous psychopath pretending to be some kind of James Bond villain. I mean, let's face it, people you're supposed to trust don't exactly have the best track records."

She flinched at the words, but I pressed on, careful to keep my tone steady.

"So yeah, you not fully trusting me yet? It's fine. It makes sense. I'm not going to just leave you because of that. As long as you're trying, really trying, then that's good enough for me."

Lisa just stared at me, her posture still taut with tension. I held her gaze, willing her to see how serious I was. Did it hurt, hearing her say she didn't trust me?

Yeah.

But after a long day stuck in the hospital with nothing but my thoughts, I'd started to understand. You don't go through what she did without scars.

"It's not fine," Lisa said, her voice firm.

"It's fine." I said simply.

"It's not fine," she repeated, stubborn, as if sheer repetition would make her argument stronger.

"Lisa, it's fine."

"It's not fine!" she screamed, the word exploding out of her like a child mid-tantrum.

I braced myself for her to blow up, to lash out like she did when she was cornered.

But she didn't.

Instead, Lisa turned away, her hands coming up to rub at her eyes with the edge of her blazer. It took me a moment to realize what she was doing. She wasn't angry, she was trying to hold back tears.

I clenched my fists, feeling a tightness in my chest. Watching her like this... it made me feel utterly helpless.

Because I knew.

This, her trust issues, her walls, the pain that shaped her, wasn't something I could fix. It wasn't something anyone should fix. It was her past, her reality. The scars she carried weren't just wounds; they were woven into her, part of who she was now. And trying to erase that? To undo all the hurt, all the history that had made her who she was?

That would mean trying to erase her.

I took a step towards her.

She took a step back.

Last time I'd let her retreat. I'd given her space, thinking it would help.

How fucking stupid hadn't that been?

Curtains rustled.

Without a second thought, I teleported right in front of her, and before she could react, I pulled her into my arms, holding her tight. For a brief second, she froze, stiffening as if she might pull away.

She didn't pull back.

She just stayed there.

Then, slowly, her body softened against mine. The tension in her shoulders began to fade, her trembling frame leaning into me. She buried her face in my chest, hiding it from view. I felt the fabric of my blazer grow wet and heard the muffled sounds she tried so hard to suppress.

I closed my eyes.

I didn't say anything. There was nothing I could say, I had tried words, they hadn't worked.

Her problems weren't something I could just solve.

That didn't stop me from wanting to do something. Anything.

Minutes passed as I held her, letting her rest against me. Lisa always seemed like the biggest person in the room, but right now? She felt tiny, fragile even, as though I could break her with a single careless move.

Eventually, I felt her shift. The tension in her body loosened as she pulled away just enough to look up at me. Her eyes were red, her cheeks streaked with half-dried tears.

And then, slowly, Lisa's lips quirked into a half-smile.

She pushed at me.

I didn't anticipate it, not even a little. Taking a step backward I tried to stabilize, only to tangle my feet.

I went down, dragging Lisa down with me.

I let out a low groan.

Lisa let out a low giggle.

"You can't even carry my weight, huh?" She teased, propping her chin up on my chest.

"Hey, that was not my fault." I shot back.

"How am I supposed to trust you if you can't even carry me?" She mused, ignoring my protest entirely.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Well, maybe I can't carry you, but at least I caught you, no?"

She rolled her eyes, but the warmth in her gaze was undeniable.

I stared back, and for a moment the world seemed to slow down.

My brain, always lagging behind, caught up. I realized how close we were. I could see every little detail of her face, the way her long eyelashes fluttered, still wet from tears.

Last time she had cried I thought she looked ugly. Her face red from screaming, a mess of tears and anger.

This time?

She looked beautiful.

It wasn't a thought I should have head right now.

My heart picked up speed.

She had just confided in me.

I shouldn't have thoughts like this.

That knowledge didn't seem to help.

Suddenly I felt her weight on me. Soft, the way her…

I forced myself to focus on her eyes instead, and felt my body warm up at the sight of her bottle green eyes.

Desperately I moved them only to lock onto her mouth, the way it had quirked up slightly into her signature sly smile.

I tried to zoom out, taking in her entire face.

Her blond hair fell around her like soft curtains, framing her face like a painting. A small movement of her head, and it felt like the world went from slow to frozen.

She looked... real. Like a regular girl, messing around.

A soft blush formed on her face, as she spoke.

"Thanks." Her voice was soft, tickling my ears.

She was close enough that I could feel the warmth of her breath, its rhythm brushing against my face.

My heart pounded, the strange fluttering in my chest made it hard to breathe.

'I might be in trouble.' I thought.

"Are you okay," Lisa said quietly, a little more serious, "Earth to Alex?" The teasing had slipped away, replaced by something softer. Maybe concern?

Something else?

I couldn't tell.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

I swallowed hard, trying to sound casual. "Yeah, I'm fine," I said, though the words felt foreign coming out of my mouth.

I didn't feel fine. I felt like my body was betraying me, like every instinct was telling me that I needed to pull her closer. Hold her so her body melted into mine.

Fuck.

Lisa shifted slightly, her hand brushing against my chest as she sat up. Then she paused, glancing at me with an expression I couldn't quite read.

Without thinking, I reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. My fingers lingered for a fraction of a second too long.

"Looked off, distracted me." I said quickly, as her eyes widened slightly.

Then her mouth twitched again, but this time it wasn't a smirk. It was something more genuine. Something warmer.

"Give me some time," she said softly. "It's not like I don't trust you at all. It's just… hard."

For a moment, it felt like I had her power, like I could see her hesitations, the structure of her defences, and the weight of her past pressing down on her.

She wasn't used to trusting anyone, so she defaulted to trusting no one.

And yet, here we were.

For some reason, it felt like everything was falling into place and shattering at the same time.

I felt dirty.

So instead of saying anything, I simply nodded.

She needed time.

I could give her that.

She needed to work through it in her own way.

I could wait.

Fuck.

And I was supposed to be lucky?

How was this being lucky?

….

Ozpin's gaze bore into us, as he leaned slightly forward in his chair.

"And how exactly did you get your powers?" he asked, his tone measured but unmistakably sharp. "Was there any kind of device that granted them? Some kind of process?"

I glanced at Lisa, then looked back to Ozpin.

For some reason, even though we had told him the bullshit story about the cult, I had forgotten about it almost entirely.

My stomach twisted.

I had been sure this meeting would be about the fight, about damage control, about explaining how things had gotten out of hand. I'd run through a dozen scenarios with Lisa, crafting plausible answers, weaving through potential traps.

The cult story?

I hadn't even thought about it in weeks.

And now Ozpin was staring at us, waiting.

Shit.

Chapter Text

Ozpin was the Butcher.

Or maybe Victor.

It came down to his habits, his ticks, the way he moved. Most people had patterns, little consistencies they didn't even notice. The way they sat, talked, stood. All of it tied back to one cohesive personality. One set of mannerisms.

Ozpin?

He didn't have that.

Or, no, he had twenty of those.

At least.

The first time I met him, I wanted to turn and run.

Even before I understood that Aura and Semblances were fundamentally different from the powers I was used to, Ozpin stood out as the first person I thought might have a genuine, bona fide power. After learning just how varied Semblances could be, I adjusted my thinking. He probably just had a particularly strange one.

Probably.

So, it came down to two solid possibilities.

One: he had a knowledge-draining semblance. Absorbing traits, skills, and quirks from the people around him and mimicking them without realizing it.

Creepy, sure, but manageable.

Two: he was a body-snatcher.

A parasitic soul-jumper, who hopped from one poor sap to the next. Oh, and he also happened to run a school for the most promising young Hunters in the kingdom.

Was it weird that I didn't want to be in a room with him after figuring that out?

No. Not even a little.

The less time I spent near him, the less likely he'd notice that I was noticing. That seemed smart.

Except, well, he cared.

That was the first crack in my theory in my evil headmaster theory.

It wasn't a mask, either, he genuinely didn't want us to get hurt. For a headmaster running a school that trained teenagers to become professional killers, he cared a lot more than I expected.

When he had arrived after our fight with the woman, seeing us all hurt?

He had felt genuinely terrible.

It made me think that if he was a body-snatcher, he probably wasn't targeting the students.

And then there was Glynda.

She was a stick in the mud if ever there was one, but she was also fair. Fair in that brutally honest, no-nonsense way that made me want to both respect and throttle her at the same time. If she knew her boss was some kind of parasite, some entity that survived by stealing the students' bodies? There was no way she wouldn't fight him to the death to protect them.

And Glynda wasn't exactly hard to read. She knew he was different, that he wasn't human in the usual sense. Yet, for whatever reason, Glynda was sure, absolutely certain, that he wasn't that kind of monster.

And that certainty?

It meant he might actually be the kind of guy I could talk to.

It meant that for once, telling him the truth might be easier.

The lie had been a convenient stopgap, a good on-the-spot explanation to stop people from digging too much. It covered nearly all our bases and left no room for questions.

No knowledge of anything? The cult controlled our information.

Where are they? Well, they all died in a Grimm attack.

It's location? We didn't know, since Aleksander teleported us out randomly.

Special powers? The cult gave them to us.

It made everything easy. All our mistakes, all our inconsistencies could be pinned on the faceless, nameless "cult." Ozpin had eaten it up, and Glynda, for all her suspicions, hadn't been able to come up with a better explanation.

It seemed airtight, like a lie that we would never get caught in if we just kept telling it.

It wasn't.

Lies never are, not when you have to keep telling them. The whole "we're from a cult" story had been useful at first, covering the gaps and inconsistencies. But it was eventually going to start cracking under its own weight.

I glanced at Aleksander out of the corner of my eye. He gave me his best puppy-dog look, silently begging me to speak up, spin a new web of lies. Something vague enough to give Ozpin nothing useful but detailed enough to make him think he was getting what he wanted.

I could do it, a glance with my power working showed me what Ozpin wanted to hear.

Wants to know where your power came from. Thinks it came from something familiar.

His hand had brushed his cane for just a second, but it was enough.

Cane holds something important. Something inside the cane. It's a thing. It's connected to what he thinks gave you powers. Thinks you got power from something.

An artifact, then. Some kind of object. I could say it was an old chalice, a staff, or literally anything out of the myths back home. Ozpin would believe it, he had already half convinced himself he knew what gave us our powers after all.

Aleksander knew this, knew my answers would be better than his, straight up, no contest. It was just that right now?

We didn't need to lie; we could take a chance.

Aleksander just didn't see it, blinded by his own lie.

It was a little funny, for all that Aleksander sometimes felt like a shining hero type person, it wasn't like he was a perfect boy scout either. He liked lies. Harmless ones, mostly. Ones he thought were funny. But that also meant he didn't know when to stop. He'd double down, triple down, until eventually he'd blurt out something stupid and blow the whole thing wide open.

Most of the time, it was harmless. Cute, even. He'd freeze mid-sentence, his face caught somewhere between wide-eyed horror and sheepish regret as he realized he'd said something he absolutely shouldn't have.

When it came to this, though?

It felt like a ticking time bomb. Sooner or later, he was going to blurt out something that would unravel our entire "cult" story.

Which meant it might be better to come clean now, while we still had goodwill on our side. While Ozpin still valued us.

Which was why, as Ozpin studied us across his desk, I decided maybe we didn't need to lie.

Worst case?

Aleksander would have to teleport us out, and we'd flee the kingdom.

I took a steadying breath. "We didn't get our powers from an artifact." I said, voice steady, ignoring the way Aleksander froze beside me. "But I won't tell you where they came from unless you tell us what's going on with Amber. And that woman."

Ozpin's response was subtle. He froze, his eyes narrowing just slightly. He wasn't expecting that.

Debating on telling you. Thinks he might have to tell anyway. It's an important secret, but people he doesn't want to know already knows.

Finally, he stood. "Since coming to Beacon." he said slowly, "have you read any fairy tales?"

I blinked, thrown by the apparent non sequitur. "Fairy tales?" I echoed.

'Seriously?'

Aleksander, however, nodded quickly. "Yeah, we got a recap of some of the famous ones, ones Professor Oobleck thinks might have historical relevance. The Hunter's Children, The Girl in the Tower, stuff like that."

I frowned. When had Oobleck gone through those?

"You were too busy talking to Yang, Lisa," Aleksander said, his tone smug as he shot me a sidelong glance. "Pay attention to class sometimes, yeah?"

I scowled, heat rising in my cheeks, but before I could retort Ozpin set a book on the desk with a soft thud.

Its cover was ornate, like something out of a collector's vault. But the illustration was unmistakable, a children's book. Four girls in colourful dresses, posing whimsically beneath the title: The Story of the Seasons.

Interesting, but not something that seemed immediately relevant.

I raised an eyebrow. "And this is connected to Amber and that woman… how?"

Aleksander flipped it open, reading aloud. "'Long ago, four girls visited an old hermit. They were all very different, but all of them were kind.'"

Ozpin's voice joined in, reciting as though he knew it by heart. "The old man was not kind. He was bitter and lonely, betrayed too many times in his life."

I watched as Aleksander turned the page, revealing a vivid illustration of a wizened man hunched in his dark, decrepit home. Four girls, vibrant and full of life, stood before him.

"The first girl," Ozpin continued, "was a careful maiden named Winter. She encouraged the hermit to reflect and taught him to meditate. She gave the hermit peace." His finger traced the image of a girl cloaked in icy blue.

"The second girl," he said, "was a cheerful one named Spring. She brought him fruits and flowers every day, tended his garden, and showed him the beauty that could bloom with care and effort. She gave the hermit hope."

I barely heard the rest. My power hummed in the back of my mind, piecing it together faster than I could process it.

He isn't talking about random people. The hermit is Ozpin. The girls are real. This fairy tale happened a long time ago. The fairy tale is over two thousand years old.

Ozpin's voice deepened as he spoke of the third girl. "Summer was fiery and emotional. She dragged the hermit from his house, forced him to see the world as it truly was. Her blazing passion showed him the beauty that had thrived without him. She gave the hermit passion."

My stomach tightened, and my breath hitched. Something cold and sharp settled in my chest.

"What…" I whispered, the word slipping out before I could stop it.

"And the fourth girl," Ozpin continued, his tone softening, "was the wisest of them all, though she was still a child. She didn't try to teach the hermit, didn't bring him gifts or show him wonders. Instead, she asked him a question.

"'Hermit,' she said, 'you have everything a man could ever want. You have the means to seek inner peace, a beautiful garden to relax in, and a magnificent world to explore. Should you not be thankful instead of bitter?'"

Ozpin fell silent, his gaze heavy as he watched us.

"She gave the hermit everything."

I glanced at Aleksander, who seemed to be just listening, not realizing what Ozpin was actually telling us.

"The old man," Ozpin said, his voice almost mournful, "was moved by the girls' kindness. He decided to give each of them something in return. With a single wish, he split his power into four, because he no longer needed it, and gifted each girl a piece. In exchange, the girls promised to visit him, spending their namesake season with the old man."

The silence stretched as his words settled over me.

Aleksander finally broke it. "So… what?"

Ozpin's faint smile didn't reach his eyes. "What do you think?"

Their words felt faint in my ears, as I stared at Ozpin. I had thought he was like the Butcher, but I was too biased. Powers, where I came from, were a lot of things. Powerful, eccentric and impossible, but they were above all new. The first parahuman appeared only a couple of decades ago, back when my parents were young.

It never occurred to me how old someone with a power to never die could truly be.

"You're the hermit." I said, my voice slow, testing the air.

Aleksander's sudden stillness beside me was palpable.

Ozpin's faint smile didn't reach his eyes. "I am."

The tick of the pendulum clock filled the room, loud and jarring in the silence that followed. The steady rhythm seemed to echo in my skull, as I processed the weight of Ozpin's admission. Aleksander looked between Ozpin, me, and the book.

"How old is this? Aren't most fairy tales ancient history?" He asked, his tone still tinged with disbelief.

"It is," I answered, forcing the words out, feeling as if they were made of lead. "It's thousands of years old."

Aleksander didn't miss a beat. "Well, holy shit, you look good for your age."

The tension shattered, and I had to bite down on a laugh.

"Thank you," Ozpin said dryly. "Though this body is merely fifty-something years old. For a Hunter, I'm still in my prime."

It felt absurd, that Aleksander merely looked a little impressed at that, before simply moving on.

"So, what you are saying is that Amber is one of those girls, and that you made her immortal or something?" Aleksander continued, totally ignoring the magnitude of the person in front of us being millennia old.

Ozpin's expression shifted slightly, a hint of something more serious beneath his calm exterior. "No. The power of a Maiden passes on upon a Maiden's death, the power I gave them was my magic, not my curse." He said simply, as though that explanation should clear everything up.

I raised a hand, signalling for Aleksander to hold his thoughts for a moment. For all his ability to just accept whatever came his way was useful I had actual questions.

"Magic?" I asked, still trying to wrap my mind around it. "You're telling me that Amber is using magic?" The words felt somewhat unreal even as they left my mouth.

Before Ozpin could answer, Aleksander jumped in. "Is that so hard to believe? I mean, isn't Aura basically magic in its own right? My power's like magic too, right? How is somebody teleporting on command any different from magic?"

I opened my mouth to answer why simply defaulting to something being magic was freaking stu…

My mouth shut with a click, he sort of had a point. If a place like Remnant could exist, with Aura seemingly being a natural phenomenon, why couldn't magic?

Back home, it was accepted that powers weren't magic, it was just common knowledge. Magic was something fanciful, unscientific.

That didn't mean it was like that everywhere, and even if his power wasn't magic, but rather some kind of natural phenomena?

They called it magic. Fine. Debating it wasn't useful.

"Your power isn't magic," Ozpin said, cutting through my thoughts. "If it were, I'd be far less interested in its origin. So, I would very much like an answer to my question. I've answered yours, after all. You said there was no artifact, so what was it?"

Aleksander glanced at me, and I pursed my lips.

This…

This was the part I wasn't sure about. The truth wasn't just a hard pill to swallow—it was a boulder lodged in your throat. I glanced at Aleksander again. He looked serious, his easy confidence dimming as the silence stretched.

"Wait, you actually want to just tell him?" Aleksander asked, sounding almost like he couldn't believe the words were coming out of his mouth.

I raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me that if I make something up right now, you won't eventually blurt out something that ruins it later? That you wouldn't keep making movie references no one here's ever heard of?"

He blinked, caught off guard, before raising a finger, as if to make a counterpoint.

"Star Wars. Jurassic Park," I snapped, letting frustration slip into my voice. "James Bond. Indiana Jones. Top Gun."

Aleksander slowly lowered it again. "Okay, point taken. But still…"

Ozpin watched this exchange with a piercing, patient gaze. Then, he narrowed his eyes. "I suppose we can rule out the story of you being from a cult, then?" His voice was cool, sharp, like a scalpel.

I pinched my scalp, feeling a headache growing from Aleksander's sheepish grin. Exhaling slowly, I tried to find words that could convince him. Using my power I should be able t…

"We're from another universe." Aleksander blurted out.

I froze.

"Well, Lisa's from one universe, and I'm from another," he continued, completely ignoring the growing horror on my face. "My power? It can cross dimensions, or universes, or whatever. When I first activated it, I accidentally dragged Lisa along for the ride. Now we're stuck because I don't really know how to use it properly. Which sounds insane, I know, but that's why we lied about the cult thing."

I closed my eyes, willing myself not to scream. My power reached out instinctively, gauging Ozpin's reaction.

Completely unnecessary.

Does not believe you.

Ozpin's response was as dry as sandpaper. "While that is a fascinating story, I've heard many people take refuge in audacity before."

I opened my eyes, half-hoping I'd unlocked the ability to shoot lasers through sheer frustration. Aleksander, meanwhile, looked confident.

"Give me a sec." He said, and vanished.

Ozpin didn't flinch, just turned his unimpressed gaze back to me. "The multiverse." he said flatly.

"It sounds insane." I muttered, still staring at the empty space where Aleksander had been.

Ozpin sighed and adjusted his glasses, only for Aleksander to reappear, holding…

His phone.

"And this is?" Ozpin asked, glancing at the mirrorlike object.

I blinked, momentarily dumbfounded. Aleksander held it out like a puppy offering a favourite toy. His grin was infuriatingly self-assured, and despite myself, I felt the corner of my mouth twitch.

"It's my phone," he said, his tone casual. "Think of it like a scroll from back home. Tons of stuff on here that doesn't exist anywhere on Remnant, photos, architecture, even videos. You'll believe me once you see it."

"A phone," Ozpin repeated, testing the word. "And this runs on electricity?" His gaze shifted to the sleek, unfamiliar device.

"Yeah, but if you overcharge it, you'll fry it. Be careful."

"I can get it to work," Ozpin interrupted, extending his hand. "How long has the battery been dead?"

Aleksander handed it over without hesitation, giving me a quick thumbs-up. I had to fight the urge to bury my face in my hands at his obvious pride. "A couple of months ago, around when we first got here. But like I said, if you try to charge it using Beacon's grid, you might…"

Aleksander trailed off as Ozpin's hand began to glow with a soft green energy. The strange light swirled around the phone, and I had to force myself to look away, resisting the urge to use my power to examine it.

It was the same kind of energy Amber had used. The same kind the woman from before had wielded.

Magic.

A soft hum filled the air, and suddenly, the phone's screen came to life, its familiar boot sequence glowing brightly. Aleksander let out a triumphant "Ha!" while Ozpin's eyebrows shot up, a rare crack in his ever-calm exterior, as though he hadn't expected it to actually work.

With cautious fingers, Ozpin pressed on the phone's screen, watching intently as it responded to his touch. His movements were hesitant, almost clumsy, and I realized how foreign the sleek, glass interface must have felt. It was nothing like the hard-light dust projections he was used to.

Aleksander quickly stepped in, tapping in his passcode, the laughably simple "1111." The phone unlocked with a soft click, revealing the picture of Aleksander and his father, tucked into sleeping bags under the starry sky.

He navigated the device with practiced ease, clearly used to helping others with it. His thumb tapped the camera icon, and a gallery of photos sprang to life.

Slowly I saw Ozpin's eyes widen as pictures of unfamiliar sights appeared. The Colosseum, Ankor Wat, the Empire States building and some places I didn't recognize. All of them featured his family, hugging with smiles as they posed in ridicules ways.

"This was when I was eleven," Aleksander said, pointing at a photo of a sprawling ancient temple. "We visited Cambodia. It was wild, our guide got kidnapped by the government. And this one?" He pointed to the Colosseum. "That was a dueling arena thousands of years ago. And that huge building? It's one of the tallest on my planet. Well, on Lisa's planet too, but that's because our worlds are pretty much alternates of each other."

He kept talking, his voice bright and animated, but I barely noticed. I was watching Ozpin, who looked like the floor had been pulled out from under him. For a man who'd lived centuries, this was something new, something unimaginable.

Is shocked. Has seen all corners of the world. Knows these places cannot exist on Remnant.

And yet, even though it should have been, my attention wasn't entirely on Ozpin.

Aleksander scrolled further through his photos, his excitement dimming. Every picture was the same: him with his family.

His parents and him.

Smiling, hugging, always together.

Every picture featured his family.

There wasn't even one of just him, and for some reason, that didn't surprise me. Aleksander didn't seem like the kind of person to take selfies or stage moments for himself. Instead, it was more likely his parents had taken these photos, maybe even sent them to him later, knowing he'd never think to capture the moments himself.

It was obvious they loved him, painfully obvious.

You didn't grow up to be someone like Aleksander without good role models, without people who made it safe for you to make mistakes. Who made it safe to trust people, who could always catch you when you fell.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to be envious or not, that he got to have parents like that.

Because for all they might have loved him?

They were also dead.

They had been for a while now.

When Aleksander had screamed it in my face, it hadn't felt like a big deal. I was too busy being angry to think about it. My brain had defaulted to the assumption that his parents didn't really matter to him. After all, plenty of people had dead parents. Hell, most of the people in the Undersiders wished their parents were dead.

But now?

Now, I clenched my hand into a fist, feeling something twist in my chest.

Aleksander continued to force a smile, but I could see how it slowly turned fake.

It hadn't hit me before; just how little he talked about his parents. How little he said about his past. He was an open book about everything else, his powers, his stories, his feelings. But his past?

His family and friends?

There was always this vague, empty space.

I hadn't really bothered with it before. Too busy pretending I knew everything there was to know about him, too busy maintaining the illusion of confidence.

Now, the absence felt glaring.

Aleksander forced a laugh, loud and cheerful, trying to fill the air with something other than the weight of whatever memory had been dragged up.

It didn't work.

The room felt heavier.

Or maybe that was just me.

Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed his hand.

Aleksander froze for a moment, his eyes snapping to mine, wide and startled. His face flushed a deep red, the kind of embarrassed reaction I might have teased him for in a different situation.

His hand was warm, calloused, hesitant. He squeezed back gently, like he was afraid I'd let go.

I didn't.

Because after all he did for me?

This was the least I could do for him.

….

Ozpin believed us. Or at least, he wanted to. More than I expected, really. He looked at us like a lifeline, a miracle pulled from thin air. His composure stayed intact, every reaction carefully measured, but my power cut through the façade.

Beneath it all, there was desperation.

At the same time, he let us go, hurried us out the room as he forced himself to keep calm.

Promising to call us back soon, to really explain what was up with the maidens, and why their power stuck around after the originals died.

It wasn't what I'd expected, though honestly, I wasn't sure what I had expected. Back home, we had knowledge of alternate dimensions, hell, our planet's real name was technically Earth Bet, since Earth Aleph was where Professor Haywire had originated.

I walked through the hallway, as I tried to figure out why he had reacted like that. Sure, us being from another dimension was a big deal, but he was thousands of years old.

At first, I thought maybe it was just boredom, he wanted to see somewhere new, and Alex could provide that.

But it didn't quite fit.

No.

He was too attached to Remnant, too deeply rooted in it. He didn't want to flee. There was something else there.

It was more likely that he saw us as variables, something completely outside the logic of Remnant. And that, somehow, catapulted us to being the single most important people in the world.

I showed up at the dorm still lost in thought, and Aleksander opened the door for us. Yang stood there, all geared up and clearly ready for the gym.

She blinked at the sight of us, and before I could even react, her eyes trailed down. For a second they stilled, they widened, then that unmistakable shit-eating grin spread across her face.

"HOLY SHIT, YOU GREW SOME BALLS?" Yang nearly yelled, her voice filled with that mix of teasing and excitement. "When did that happen? No, wait, I gotta tell Blake!" Her eyes lit up with mischievous excitement, and she spun on her heels, practically shouting, "BLAKE, I FREAKING KNEW IT!"

Aleksander flushed instantly, his cheeks going scarlet as he tried to move out of the way, looking entirely uncomfortable.

I raised an eyebrow, confused at first, wondering what exactly she was going on about…

Then, I glanced down at our hands.

Oh.

Oh.

I yanked my hand away as if it had suddenly caught fire.

"Yang, it's not what you think I…" The words died in my throat as Blake appeared from the bathroom, her casual stance somehow more intimidating than anything else.

Her eyes darted to our hands, then immediately to our faces, before that lazy, amused smile tugged at her lips.

"Congratz," Blake said, her voice dripping with amusement, and the smug satisfaction in her grin was almost too much to bear. It was like she had been waiting for this moment, and now she was savouring it

I glanced at Aleksander, whose face was practically glowing red.

"Yang, Blake, please," Aleksander pleaded, his voice strained, but there was no stopping them.

I couldn't help but stare at his face.

Normally, I recognized that Aleksander was handsome, well-built, with sharp features that could've belonged to a teenage model. But it always felt distant, like admiring a particularly striking piece of art.

Now?

It was stupid.

It was just because I felt embarrassed about their stupid misunderstanding.

It didn't matter.

I looked away quickly, trying to hide how red my face had turned.

Chapter Text

Team combat always felt a little like cheating.

The other teams had to spend countless hours carefully choreographing manoeuvres, learning how to fight as a single unit instead of four separate individuals, all while making sure they didn't trip over each other's feet. It was harder than it looked, especially when everyone involved moved as fast as speeding cars.

Our team?

We didn't need that.

My hand reached out into nothingness but somehow found Lisa's.

Curtains rustled.

Lisa vanished from her spot, reappearing next to me just in time to avoid Jaune and Weiss's pincer attack. The sudden lack of resistance threw Jaune off-balance, and he careened straight into Weiss, who had been charging in from the other side. Her startled yelp was cut short as he barrelled into her, momentum flinging her clean off her feet.

The pair landed in a tangled heap, groaning.

Lisa didn't hesitate for a second, charging toward them again with laser focus. You had to give Jaune and Weiss credit though, they reacted instantly. Weiss raised her rapier from under Jaune and conjured an ice wall to buy them precious seconds.

I reached out again, letting my hand dip into the void-

"Duck!" Blake's voice rang out.

I didn't think. I dropped into a crouch just as Ruby's sniper shot screamed overhead.

I glanced back, catching sight of Ruby dissolving into a flurry of rose petals, fleeing yet another one of Blake's relentless attacks. Her harrying strikes were relentless, keeping Ruby on her toes and a smirk tugged at the corner of my lips watching it.

Our team's fighting?

It was messy. Chaotic.

Most teams thought we looked like a joke.

It shouldn't have worked.

But it did.

Every. Single. Time.

We weren't some sort of well-oiled machine, we didn't need to be. There was no precise synchronization, no carefully rehearsed strategies. Compared to the choreographed brilliance Jaune's team pulled off, we barely even looked like a team. Honestly, we probably seemed like a slapstick routine most of the time, just skilled enough to avoid crashing into each other.

The only ones who looked like they had any clue how to fight as part of a team were Lisa, and maybe Blake, if you counted her sneak attacks.

That was enough though. My teleportation ability could handle the rest.

Yang's fist slammed into Pyrrha's shield, the impact reverberating as Pyrrha staggered back. Of course, Yang's attack left her wide open, and Pyrrha twisted with impossible grace, her spear already slicing toward Yang's exposed flank.

I stomped.

My foot slipped into nothingness, connecting with Yang's back.

Curtains rustled.

Yang reappeared behind Jaune, who had just gotten up, her smile positively devilish.

"Behind you." She purred, her voice dripping with menace.

Then her fist smashed into his back with a sound like a thunderclap. He shot forward like a bullet, shattering Weiss's ice wall into a million shimmering fragments. His Aura flared before dipping into red.

One down.

Pyrrha didn't hesitate, charging straight at Yang, completely ignoring me. It was a smart move. As much as teleporting people I wasn't touching took my full concentration, making me unable to actually move, it didn't mean I couldn't teleport myself elsewhere.

"See you soon." I mouthed to her, as she stormed past me.

Pyrrha had learned that lesson the hard way last time, chasing me around the entire fight, only to get cornered and ganked four-on-one in the final moments. She wouldn't waste her time on me again.

Her ignoring me gave me a brief window to check on Blake.

Ruby's face was red with frustration, her movements growing sharper, more frantic as she desperately tried to gain distance. But Blake wasn't giving her an inch. Maybe she wasn't as fast as Ruby, but every time Ruby tried anything, she inevitably had to stop using her semblance for a moment.

That gave Blake time to close in again, turning this ridiculous game of cat and mouse into an increasingly one-sided chase.

"Can."

Ruby dodged under a swiping attack, petals flaring around her in a blur of motion.

"You."

She retaliated with a wide slash, but her weapon connected with a clone. Blake was already above her, her sword turning into a gun.

"Stop." Ruby screamed in frustration as her scythe hit nothing.

A single, clean shot rang out.

The bullet struck Ruby's Aura, sending out another sharp flare of red light as Blake landed smoothly, already closing the gap again. Ruby stumbled back, petals scattering around her like a shield, but it was clear she was running out of options, and patience.

Satisfied, I turned to check on Lisa.

Her relentless assault had kept Weiss off balance from the moment she got up. Every time Weiss conjured a glyph, Lisa moved faster than seemed humanly possible, striking it down before the glyph could even fully form. Watching Lisa fight was always a strange experience, equal parts mesmerizing and unsettling.

Her movements looked too perfect, too precise. Like a scene from a choreographed action movie, Lisa's every attack flowed seamlessly into the next. It almost made her fights seem scripted, because she always seemed to know exactly how her opponent would react and countered them like they had practiced together.

She only ever struggled against people who could directly overwhelm her raw power. In fact, Lisa was the first person who had ever forced Pyrrha to really rely on her semblance in a one-on-one fight.

Not obviously of course, but in the sense that Lisa ranted to me about it after the fight.

It almost made me wish her power worked on me, so we could have a proper fight.

The power to perfectly understand a person didn't seem all that terrifying, until you saw her calmly dismantle a fighting style, one move at a time.

For a moment, I just watched my team fight. Blake picking away at Ruby, slowly whittling her down. Lisa keeping Weiss from doing anything, waiting for her to make a mistake so she could finish the fight decisively. Even Yang was doing unusually well, having tossed away her gauntlets to fight more effectively against Pyrrha.

It didn't look coordinated.

It didn't look polished.

We were supposed to be fighting as a team, not splitting up fights into one-on-ones with my teleportation.

Then again, fighting wasn't about looking good.

We just needed to win.

Curtains rustled.

I appeared next to Weiss, who had just decided to lock her rapier with Lisa's dagger.

"Hello there." I said, my voice just a little too upbeat.

Then I stabbed Weiss in the back.

….

"And then, just as I had her, Aleksander," Weiss spat out my name like it was a curse, "just had to appear."

I held my head low, trying to avoid her wrath. She had been prickly with me ever since I fought her last time, apparently having taken me not paying attention to her during said fight as a personal slight.

Lisa however, ever the instigator, casually pointed a fork at Weiss, cutting into the barely concealed conversation between her and Pyrrha.

"First of all, you did not have me," Lisa said sharply, before her expression turned smug. "Second, what do you want Alex to do? Stand still and cheer while you flail around? If you want to win, maybe don't, oh, I don't know, pretend to be a human tripping hazard."

Weiss's face flushed a deep red usually reserved for danger signs, and for a moment I half-expected steam to shoot out of her ears.

"Well, you try to fight with an utter buffoon for a leader!" Weiss snapped back, waving a hand in Jaune's direction.

"Hey!" Jaune protested, looking wounded.

Weiss, predictably, ignored him.

Lisa raised an eyebrow and gave me a deliberate once-over. "I am fighting with a buffoon for a leader," she replied matter-of-factly. "That's why I work so hard to keep him from tripping over his own feet."

I paused at her words, keeping my expression neutral as I carefully set down my cutlery.

"Well," I said, leaning back in my chair, "you're the one who keeps calling me a broken toaster, Lisa. Maybe I should just sit things out next time. Really, have you ever seen a toaster move on its own? Besides, if you're going to win that fight anyway, I've gotta let you pad your stats against Weiss, right?"

Lisa froze mid-bite, her fork hovering like a weapon waiting to be deployed. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, but I grinned at her, having long since grown immune to her signature death glare. Weiss, on the other hand, perked up, her lips curving into a triumphant smirk.

A grin that was a little too triumphant for my liking.

My grin faltered. Alarm bells rang in my head as I realized I might have handed her a little too much ammunition.

"Oh, I see how it is," Weiss said, her voice dripping with mock understanding. "You simply wanted to experience what it's like to finally win against me? Perfectly understandable, given our…" She paused, savouring the moment like a predator circling its prey. "…track record in the arena."

Lisa's face flushed crimson, her earlier smugness evaporating into a stormy glare aimed at Weiss. I, meanwhile, realized I had made a terrible mistake.

This was not going to end well.

Lisa could hold her own against most opponents, dismantling them by using her power to read them like a book. But there were three people in our year she consistently struggled with.

The first was me, for obvious reasons.

The second was Pyrrha, whose control over metal made fighting her a nightmare for anyone using conventional weapons.

The last, and most surprisingly, was Weiss.

Lisa might be able to analyse an opponent down to their favourite childhood snack, but none of that mattered after Weiss figured out she could just overwhelm her with an unrelenting barrage of elemental Dust.

After Weiss leaned into that strategy, their previously even win-loss record tilted heavily in her Favor.

And being reminded of that?

Of the fact that she could be figured out like that?

There was no way more surefire to piss her off.

"Alex, sometimes you should learn when to kee-" Lisa's voice cut through my thoughts, low and ominous.

I hurriedly cut her off, plastered on an overly wide grin and turned to the table, desperate for backup. "So! Have you guys thought about what kind of mission you want?" My voice came out just a little too high.

Lisa smiled at me, her lips curving into a pleasant arc.

Her eyes on the other hand…

I threw a desperate look at Yang, silently pleading for backup.

Yang leaned back in her chair, flashing her patented shit-eating grin. She didn't even bother saying anything.

She didn't need to.

Her intentions, or lack thereof, were abundantly clear.

She wasn't going to lift a finger.

Panicking, I turned to Jaune and Pyrrha. Jaune gave me a sympathetic grimace, while Pyrrha just shook her head. Her expression practically screamed, You dug this hole. Good luck climbing out.

My eyes flickered back to Lisa, who somehow seemed to have forgotten Weiss entirely. Instead, her focus was locked squarely on me. Slowly, methodically, she dragged her thumb across her throat, her smile never wavering.

'Well shit.'

I was so focused on her that I almost missed Ruby's sudden arrival and squeal of excitement.

"Yang! Have you heard?" Ruby practically vibrated with enthusiasm as she slid into the seat next to her sister.

Her mood was oddly cheerful despite her team's loss. Probably because, in the end, she'd managed to take out Blake, a wild, lucky backhand had sent Blake's Aura crashing into the red.

"Huh? What's up?" Yang asked, nearly tipping over her chair as she turned toward her sister.

"Dad's coming!" Ruby announced, beaming. "He's one of the people leading the end-of-semester mission! And do you know what that means?"

Yang tilted her head, curious. "What?"

"He's bringing Zwei!" Ruby chirped; her grin as wide as the weapon she carried.

Yang's relaxed posture vanished in an instant. She leaned forward, slamming her palms onto the table with a force that made the cutlery jump. Her expression shifted from playful to laser-focused determination.

"He's staying at our dorm," Yang declared, as though the matter was already decided.

Ruby blinked, then her eyes narrowed. "Wait, what? No, he's staying with me!"

"Oh, no, no, no. He's staying in our dorm," Yang shot back. "Zwei and I are going to bond like never before. Big sister privilege! You can have him when we leave for the mission."

Ruby slammed her hands on the table, matching Yang's energy. "You can't just claim him, Yang! He's my dog!"

Blake, who had been quietly sipping her tea, suddenly perked up. Her ears twitched, her expression shifting from detached to horrified.

"We are not having a dog in our dorm." She said firmly, her tone brooking no argument.

"Blake?" She mouthed, sounding like she meant to say 'Et tu, Brute?'.

"No."

Yang shot Blake a look, then her gaze swung to me, desperation in her eyes.

I sighed. "Don't look at me. Dorm rules are democratic. If Blake doesn't want a dog there, you'll have to convince Lisa to get a majority."

Yang's gaze darted to Lisa, full of hope.

Lisa smiled sweetly. "Whatever Alex wants, I vote the opposite for the foreseeable future," she said lightly.

Ruby cheered.

Blake let out a sigh of relief.

And Yang?

She turned back to me again, like this was somehow my fault.

….

Missions were Beacon's way of teaching us what it really meant to be a hunter. Sure, you could learn to fight Grimm and criminals in the arena, but what about negotiating contracts? Planning a journey to the outskirts? Handling the entire thing going to shit?

Some things couldn't be learned through theory alone, and in those cases the only thing that really mattered was experience.

Which was why, during every mission in our first year, we'd be shadowing an experienced hunter. They'd show us the nuances of the job, the small but vital details that textbooks and lectures could never fully cover.

It was also why getting someone responsible was far more important than someone strong. Why getting an experienced veteran beat getting a flashy new hotshot.

At least, that's how Coco had put it after I'd managed to bribe the information out of her. And considering how bitter she sounded; I had a feeling she spoke from experience.

'And we are off to a fantastic start.' I thought dryly.

Qrow waved at us lazily, looking like someone who'd been yanked out of bed by a hurricane and didn't bother fixing the damage. His scarf hung crooked, his shirt was wrinkled, and his spiky hair seemed to have gotten into a fight with gravity and won. Sharp red eyes scanned the group, his smirk practically daring someone to question his credentials as a mentor.

"Morning, kids," Qrow drawled, giving us a lazy wave as he approached.

I glanced at Lisa, but then felt my eyes snap to Yang instead. Yang, who was usually a well of unshakable confidence, now looked like she'd rather fight an Elder Grimm barehanded.

Qrow's gaze flicked between us, his smirk deepening when looking at me and Lisa. "Ah, so this is Ozpin's surprise," he said, his tone amused. "Sorry about last time. Had to bounce when Amber tried to make a run for it."

His eyes landed on Yang next, and his expression softened into something resembling fondness. "Though it looks like things worked out okay for you. Hell, you even ended up with my dear niece!"

I blinked, glancing at Yang. She groaned softly, her shoulders slumping even further, as if trying to melt into the ground.

"Great," Yang muttered under her breath. "Just my luck."

Qrow grinned, completely unfazed. "Hey, with me as your mentor, I'd say your luck's finally turning around."

Yang snorted, her lips twitching into a reluctant smile. "Didn't you once say you have the world's worst luck?"

Qrow patted her shoulder, mock serious. "I never said I was lucky, did I?"

Yang shook her head, but the tension in her posture eased. She punched him lightly on the arm. "You're impossible."

"I'm completely normal. Your dad, though? Handling you two troublemakers daily? That's impossible." He gave a wink before turning to the rest of us.

Yang stuck her tongue out at him, and I couldn't help but chuckle at their banter.

Even so…

"Did you know Yang's uncle was Qrow?" I whispered to Lisa, leaning in as close as I dared.

Lisa didn't get a chance to reply because Qrow's sharp gaze zeroed in on us. "Well, how're you doing? Joined any new weird cults since last time? I hear ex-cult members are the most likely to fall for another one."

Yang and Blake's heads snapped toward us, their eyes wide as they simultaneously mouthed, Cult members?

I froze, my mind scrambling. 'Had we ever actually talked about where we came from?'

Huh.

'Actually, did it… ever really come up?' I thought, surprised at my own realization.

It wasn't that we were trying to keep secrets, well we were, but after Blake had shut everyone out for a week following questions about her past, it felt like certain topics were unofficially off-limits. I knew more about Yang and Blake's personalities than I did about most of my best friends back home, but their histories?

That was another matter entirely.

It was a little funny, we had been so prepared to share the lie, but in the end we didn't even need it.

Before I could process that, Lisa stepped in with her usual razor-sharp tone. "I heard alcoholics are all about forgiveness these days," she said, her smile sweet like honey, but her eyes gleaming with malice. "So, how about you forgive us for lying to your face? Considering you've already been filled in by Ozpin on the real story and all. "

Qrow stopped smiling for a moment, giving us a one over. "You know, I don't exactly appreciate-"

Yang made a loud noise, cutting through the tension. She stepped forward, throwing her arms into a T-shape in front of her like a referee. "Bzzt! Timeout! What do you mean cult members? I didn't even know you two had met, and now you're telling me you guys never mentioned that you used to belong in a cult?! What's next? Blake secretly being some sort of princess?"

Blake coughed, choking on air.

"No, we're not cult members," I said quickly, "We lied to someone Qrow knew about being cult members, and then that person told Qrow our lie…" I trailed off, realizing how convoluted it all sounded.

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Whatever, let's not turn this into a whole discussion. The Bullhead's waiting for us."

Yang paused, opening her mouth to argue.

"Yang, stop it. You can interrogate them after the mission," Blake said firmly, though her eyes were just as curious as Yang's.

Yang gave a final, dramatic huff, but the tension passed as she shifted into serious mode.

"Yeah, yeah," Yang muttered, throwing up her hands in mock surrender. "But don't think this is over. I'll get the full story eventually." She shot me and Lisa a look that was half playful, half serious.

Qrow stepped forward with his usual lazy swagger. "Alright, you might have a point Foxy, enough drama. I've got a mission to get to and you guys have learning to do. Grab your gear, kids. If we're lucky, we'll be back in Vale before the bars close."

….

A couple of hours by Bullhead, that's how far away the village that had posted the request was. According to Qrow, it was the most standard type of assignment. Not glamorous, not exciting, but absolutely necessary. It even made sense, exterminating a pack of Grimm that had wandered too close to an outpost town was just the sort of task a first year would be assigned.

That didn't really matter though, because when he explained what our missions was, I still felt a shiver run down my spine. Not because the Grimm themselves were terrifying, far from it, but rather because the entire situation felt eerily like how the Mimal fiasco had started.

The disquiet made me retreat once Qrow finished his rundown. I didn't want to say I ran, no, I just needed to do some last-minute maintenance on my sword.

"Maintenance" was a generous word for it, though.

In truth, I was just rubbing it down with a rag and a drop of oil. My dad used to say it prevented corrosion when I was a kid, but Ruby had taken one look at me doing it a few weeks ago and, in her gently enthusiastic way, explained that Dust-infused blades didn't need that kind of care.

I kept doing it anyway.

Nowadays, it was more of a ritual than anything practical. A moment to collect my thoughts, ground myself, and feel the comforting weight of the weapon in my hands.

A reminder of how things used to be.

I was lost in the task when Lisa appeared next to me, settling down without a sound, I almost didn't notice. It wasn't unusual for her to move so quietly, but I still tensed at the sudden presence. She didn't say anything though, just leaned back slightly and watched me work the oil into the blade with practiced motions.

"You think we should tell them too?" I asked after a minute of quiet.

Lisa's lips quirked upward, forming a slight smile that deepened into dimples at the edges. It was a small thing, but it drew my attention like a magnet. I had to force myself to focus back on my sword, as if the simple task would keep my thoughts from wandering.

"Tell them about what?" She asked, her voice light but with an edge of teasing, like she already knew exactly what I meant.

I rolled my eyes, holding my silence. After another beat she broke first, shrugging. "It's not like they've asked."

"Yeah, but…" I trailed off, frowning slightly. "It feels weird, doesn't it? Keeping something like that from them?"

"Why?" She asked simply.

"Why?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "I don't know, because we're from another universe? Because keeping that sort of thing hidden isn't exactly the kind of thing that fosters trust in your team? I'm just saying, if this were a TV show, this kind of secret would come out at the worst possible time, or when we've got no time to explain.

Lisa paused, studying me with an intensity that made me almost uncomfortable. "You know," she said quietly, "sometimes I forget."

"Forget what? That you should trust people? Because believe me, I know." I joked.

She bumped her shoulder into me, "Not that, you toaster."

I grinned at her, and her lips twitched into a reluctant smile.

"Whatever," she mumbled, rolling her eyes before continuing. "I mean I forget that you don't see what I see. If you think we're the only ones on our teams with weird stories, you're dead wrong. Yang and Blake have their own secrets, things they don't tell us. Trust isn't about dumping your life story on people; sometimes that just makes things worse."

I glanced at her, her green eyes shining with certainty. It was easy to forget how much her power told her about people.

"And when did you become the expert on trust?"

Lisa honest-to-God pouted, blowing up her cheeks. "Is this going to be your thing now? Questioning me on stuff like this? Because I'll tell you right now, I might not be the best at trusting people, but I do know how to get people to trust me."

"Touche," I said with a grin before pressing on. "Then why tell Ozpin, what makes it fine to tell him and not the teammates we have known for half a year?"

Lisa hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Ozpin had a chance of finding out. Yang or Blake? Even if we told them we were from a cult, or whatever, they'd have no way of confirming it. But Ozpin? He was bound to get suspicious eventually. If he found no evidence backing up anything we said, he might've assumed the worst."

I paused, frowning as her words sank in. "What do you mean, assume the worst?"

"You know the woman? There was somebody behind her, someone Ozpin really doesn't like. When we told him the cult story was a lie, his mind immediately went to her." Lisa's tone was casual, but the implications hit hard.

"So, we accidentally took out one of his enemy's pawns?"

"Something like that," she admitted. "To be honest, from the way he looked at us, I thought he wouldn't let us go on this mission. He didn't show it, but he's desperate…" Lisa hesitated before continuing. "At the same time, it's weird. I don't think he expects his enemy to retaliate, even after she lost a Maiden. Ozpin doesn't seem to think she'd move. Qrow's here to ward against Grimm, not revenge."

I processed her words, nodded, and circled back to my original point. "So what you're saying is, you told Ozpin because it was easier?"

"Not easier," she corrected, "more practical. If he knows, he can cover for us. Having someone in power behind you is always useful."

For a moment I just looked at her, the serious expression one her face as she let her words sink in.

I almost cracked. My throat felt tight from holding back laughter. The fact that her decision was based on everything but actual trust, it was just so... so like her.

Lisa glared at me, her cheeks colouring. "What? I'm not wrong!" she said indignantly.

I waved her off, grinning from ear to ear. "No, I get what you mean. But when do you plan to tell the others? After a year? Two? Because I have a feeling this secret, if we don't tell them soon, is going to feel like a betrayal eventually. And if we tell them a lie first? That'll just make it worse in the end. You know Yang's going to press us for answers after what Qrow said."

Lisa leaned back, electing to ignore my minor moment, her smirk softening into something almost gentle. "We don't lie, we just don't tell them anything, pull a Blake."

"And when should we tell them the truth?" I asked.

"When it stops feeling like a confession and starts feeling like a story." She replied, as serious as she ever got.

I looked at her.

She looked at me.

Her serious demeanor slowly cracked, and her ears started to colour.

"No." She said stubbornly, apparently recognizing her mistake.

I felt my lips wobbling.

Her face flushed deeper, and she snapped, "Don't you dare."

It was the straw that broke the camel's back, I burst out laughing.

"Alex!" She hissed.

I didn't stop.

"I hate you." She huffed.

I managed to gasp out my words between laughs, "And you call me cheesy?"

Her glare deepened, and her eyes promised revenge. Maybe if I'd been in a better state of mind, I wouldn't have kept going, but it was too late. Every time I caught sight of her beet-red face, I broke down again.

It took me nearly four minutes to stop laughing.

Chapter Text

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Qrow's voice barely rose above the hum of the Bullhead's engines as it began to ascend.

I stared blankly at it as it soared away, my thoughts catching up to the reality of the situation. I'd somehow imagined it would stick around, be there when we were done. After all, it would only waste resources if it was going to pick us up later that day.

"I thought you said you wanted to be back before the bars closed." I asked, looking back at Qrow as he began to move toward the village on the horizon.

Qrow shot me an amused glance over his shoulder. "Did I?" He paused, tapping his chin with mock thought. "Huh, I guess I did. But hey, I didn't say which day. Grimm extermination isn't always a quick job, you know."

I frowned, but he had a point.

I had been assuming this entire thing would only take a couple of hours. After all, every time we went out on an excursion, Grimm seemed to be everywhere. Even the initiation had been the same, the problem had never been finding Grimm.

But as I looked at Qrow's casual face, I realized that was probably the exception, not the rule.

I kicked myself a little for not realizing, but it made sense.

If everywhere were like the Emerald Forest, humanity would be doomed, or at the very least, there would be far fewer settlements outside the cities. Sure, there were plenty of Grimm, but there was even more open space.

It might be different if we had all been depressed or something, but as it was Grimm wasn't going to come running to us.

Which meant we would have to track them.

Still… I couldn't help myself. "But we have Lisa. She could find every Grimm in this place in like, ten minutes." I pointed out.

Qrow paused.

"Fuck, I forgot about that." He mumbled.

Then he spun around, a grin stretching across his face. "Well, we can't have her do all the work, can we? What if you need to track down Grimm on your own one day? She might not need it, but the rest of you sure do, right?"

I glanced at Blake and Yang, who both shrugged in unison, then turned to Lisa. Their expressions said it all, like I'd forgotten something pretty important.

Slowly, I faced Lisa, and her deadpan expression met mine.

Yeah, this whole "Lisa does everything" idea isn't going to fly, is it?

She raised an eyebrow, like she was daring me to ask her to just do it for us. I gave her a strained smile before spinning back toward Qrow.

A flicker of something between amusement and nostalgia passed across his face, before he gave me a smirk.

"And?" He asked tauntingly.

"You're right, we do need the practice."

Qrow slapped a hand onto my shoulder, looking at me like I was his long-lost son. "You're learning quickly, my disciple. First rule of training under Qrow? Qrow's always right."

…

Rindale was utterly unlike Mimal or any of the other settlements we'd passed through. For one, it was much smaller, barely a hundred people lived there, if that. The tightly clustered homes and lone market stall gave it a cozy, insular feel, though the surrounding walls hinted at its vulnerability.

That wasn't the first thing I noticed though.

Instead, that would be the fact that the town was made up entirely of Faunus.

Everywhere I looked, there were twitching ears, swishing tails, and sharp eyes that tracked us curiously.

To be honest, it felt strange to see so many in one place.

Faunus were common enough in Vale. One in ten, maybe one in twenty, but they weren't exactly everywhere. From Blake's rants most were forced to the outskirts of Vale, living in the more rural areas.

I wanted to call it odd, but really, it wasn't. People always found something to discriminate against, and on Remnant, Faunus seemed to be the go-to target.

It didn't make it right, though.

I forced my mind away from that thought and as we the crowd around us slowly dispersed a single man stood out.

He was a bunny Faunus, dressed in a tailored black-and-blue suit that managed to look both practical and elegant. More than that, subtle padding made it clear the outfit was designed for combat. Slung across his back was a massive glaive, its blade catching the sunlight with a faint gleam.

"It's good to see you," he said, his tone calm but laced with relief. His faint smile grew as his gaze swept over our group. "I almost thought Haven wouldn't send anybody at all. I'm Ferin, Rindale's local exterminator and, apparently, the major-in-waiting. At least until someone better comes along." He chuckled at his own remark.

Qrow responded with a grunt and nothing more, his expression unreadable.

Ferin's smile faltered, but he recovered quickly. "Well then, welcome to Rindale," he said, gesturing around the village. "Hope you don't mind the stares. Some of the kids here haven't ever seen proper Hunters before."

Silence stretched between them, thick with something unspoken. Then Qrow broke it, and I couldn't shake the feeling that Ferin had just passed some invisible test.

"Well, I'm not sure you can categorize these kiddos as proper Hunters," Qrow said dryly, his lips twitching into a smirk. "But I guess they're close enough. So, heard you've got a Grimm problem?"

Ferin's smile faded as he straightened, his expression growing serious. "Right," he said with a nod, motioning for us to follow him toward a nearby house.

Inside, the door clicked shut behind us, muffling the distant sounds of village life. Ferin's face shifted from serious to downright grave.

"At first, it wasn't a big deal. I'm not a real Hunter, but I can usually handle the Grimm that wander too close. Packs of Beowolves, the occasional Ursa, that kind of thing. Almost went to Beacon myself once, but… didn't quite make the cut. Ended up here instead."

He cleared his throat, a faint blush rising to his cheeks as if embarrassed by the admission. Then his gaze hardened, the hesitation gone.

"Anyway, I was out culling the local Beowolf population when I… found tracks. Big ones. At first, I thought they were horse prints, but they were too deep, way too deep to be normal."

Qrow's expression darkened. "Horse tracks, and you're thinking?"

Ferin nodded grimly. "I think it might be a Nuckelavee. If it is, I can't fight it. Not alone."

I blinked, the name tugging at something in my memory. It wasn't one of the common Grimm, but…

"Wait, you're telling me Beacon sent us on a mission to hunt down a Nuckelavee?" Yang's voice shot through the conversation; her surprise palpable.

Qrow's frown deepened at her words, but it was Ferin who reacted first.

"Wait, you're students?" He blurted, blinking in surprise. "I thought you looked young, but…" Ferin trailed off, his gaze flicking between us. His brow furrowed, and his voice took on a tone of faint disbelief. "Are you… fourth years?"

Qrow's expression soured as he stared at Ferin, and an awkward silence stretched between them. Ferin fumbled with his scroll, muttering to himself.

"I'm sure I, huh?" Ferin's face paled as he held the device up. The words displayed on the screen were crystal clear:

Veteran Huntsman team requested.

"Well, this is going to go to shit, isn't it?" I mumbled as I read the words.

Lisa, who had been silent up to this point, finally spoke up. Her tone was calm but edged with suspicion as her sharp eyes scanned the message. "This wasn't sent to Beacon, was it?"

Ferin hesitated, his ears twitching nervously. "Well… it was meant for Beacon, technically. But there's no CCT tower near Rindale, and the last time I was in range was when I visited family in Shion. That's when I sent the message, and, well… I routed it toward Haven instead."

"Haven?" Qrow said, stepping forward to snatch the scroll from Ferin's hands. He skimmed through the message, his expression darkening further with each passing second.

"Yeah," Ferin said, shifting uncomfortably under Qrow's intense gaze. "Rindale's about as close to Haven as it is to Beacon, at least by air. Normally, a request like this would get forwarded to Beacon, but I never heard back during my stay in Shion, so I just assumed Haven accepted it and that you were from there." His eyes flickered nervously toward Qrow.

Yang threw her hands up in exasperation. "Great. So, our first mission is going to go to shit, because my uncle was too drunk to check what kind of request he actually accepted."

"Hey," Qrow grunted, scowling at her but not bothering to deny the jab.

Probably because he wasn't sure if it was true or not.

Ferin retrieved his scroll, tucking it into his pocket and then pressed his lips into a thin line as he stood there, looking torn. Like he was unsure if he wanted to direct his frustration at Qrow or shoulder the blame himself.

I sighed. "Okay, timeout," I said, cutting through the awkward silence. "I still don't get what the big deal is. What exactly is a Nuckelavee, and why is it such a nightmare?"

Qrow glanced at me, raising an eyebrow like he was surprised I didn't know. But before he could say anything, Blake stepped in, her voice calm but tinged with unease.

"They're hybrid Grimm," she explained. "Rare ones that form when two different types of Grimm fuse. Specifically, an Eachuisge and an Imp. You only ever see them near the sea, and even then, it's rare." She cast a glance towards Qrow, like she was unsure if she should speak more.

Lisa, who had been quietly absorbing everything, finally had enough. Her sharp tone cut through the air, tinged with impatience. "And the last time anyone dealt with one, it nearly wiped out an outpost city. Yeah, I get it. It's terrible news. But does it really matter now?"

Her words left a brief, stunned silence in their wake.

Lisa crossed her arms, her gaze steady and piercing. "Let's focus on the real issue. We're stranded out here, no way back to Vale, and the Bullhead isn't coming for another three days. So, unless we want to sit on our hands until then, we might as well check this out."

Ferin hesitated before speaking up, his ears twitching nervously. "But you're students! I might allow your teacher to come with me, but…"

Qrow cut him off with a dismissive wave. "It's fine. They might be students, but they're strong enough." While his tone brooked no arguments, it didn't seem to convince Ferin. But before he could protest, Qrow grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me close.

"This one," he said, gesturing to me, "has a teleportation semblance. If they get in over their heads, he can yank them out instantly and alert the village to evacuate. Having them sit around here won't help anyone, and it definitely won't teach them anything. It's just better to bring them along."

Ferin opened his mouth to respond, but Qrow didn't give him the chance. "Besides," Qrow continued with a nonchalant shrug, "it's probably just a lone Eachuisge that wandered up from the sea. Not exactly a big deal."

"And what if it is, in fact, a Nuckleavee?" Ferin challenged, his eyes narrowing.

Qrow just grinned, "Well, it won't be the scariest thing I have killed."

….

To be honest, I usually didn't feel like I was lacking compared to Yang or Blake. Sure, I hadn't grown up on Remnant or gotten the formal education we were supposed to have, but I didn't really struggle either.

Theory classes?

I was the second best on the team.

In combat?

I held my own there too.

In fact, I usually didn't lose to anyone on our team. Only a couple of students in our year had a positive win record against me.

Really, no matter how much Lisa and Yang complained that my teleportation spamming was "cheating," it was just part of my skillset.

But right now?

I realized that, for all my strengths, I really, really sucked at tracking.

Staring down at the dirt, I squinted, trying to figure out if the imprint left in the ground was from a Grimm, a regular animal, or… well, anything that moved at all.

"And?" Qrow's voice rang out, dry and faintly amused, cutting through my concentration, or lack thereof.

"Beowolves?" I ventured hesitantly, but before I could even finish, I felt my face heat up as a chorus of giggles erupted behind me.

I turned to glare at them, but Yang, Blake, and Lisa had already schooled their expressions into exaggerated pictures of innocence… of course. I flipped them the finger, which earned a smirk from Lisa, but did little to restore my dignity.

Turning back to Qrow didn't help either. He was staring up at the sky, his expression a mix of deep resignation and longing, as if silently begging the heavens to swallow him whole.

"Why is there always that one person in every team?" He muttered, shaking his head.

"Well, you know what they say about bad students and teachers." I muttered under my breath.

Qrow threw me a look but still gestured at the track. "Well, if you use your eyes, you should be able to make out the fact that the imprint isn't exactly fresh, but it's still obviously not from a Grimm. Grimm are notoriously large, much larger than their animal counterparts, which means…"

He stopped suddenly and I took that as my que.

"Tha-" I began, but he cut me off with a raised hand, signalling me to quiet down.

He stared intensely at a nearby tree. It looked normal enough, except for the fact that it had a single roundish hole near its base, as though someone had drilled into it.

"Alright, new lesson." He said suddenly, his voice turning serious. "See that hole in the tree? That's not natural. You can tell by how the wood inside it's been crushed and compacted instead of eaten or eroded."

I tilted my head, focusing on the tree, trying to make sense of what Qrow was getting at. The hole looked strange, sure, but it wasn't quite strange enough to look out of place.

"It's not old," Lisa spoke up. "Made just a couple of days ago. Some kind of lance dug into the tree, not metal. A Grimm left the mark, one that can wield a lance," She paused for a moment, "or at least, a lance-like weapon."

Qrow nodded approvingly at her. "Exactly. This is the kind of thing you need to pay attention to out here. This isn't just some random hole; it's damage done by something with superhuman strength. And now, seeing this, it makes it a lot more likely that we're dealing with a Nuckelavee."

"Because?" I asked, not sure where this was going.

Qrow didn't even bother asking if anybody knew the answer. "Because there are very few things that can make this kind of hole. A hunter with a spear-like weapon could, but only if they did it with a dull one. And no Hunter out here would be wandering around with a dull spear, which leaves Grimm, and there are very few Grimm with lance weapons. Considering Nuckleavee are one of them? Well, I would be very surprised if it this wasn't one that made the hole."

He paused his explanation, like he just realized what this meant. Then he just stared at us, like he wanted us to speak up, wanted me to speak up.

I glanced at the rest of the team and saw their determined faces. They weren't scared, even when we probably should be.

Which was fair, I wasn't really scared either.

Maybe I should have been, especially when both Qrow and Ferin were clearly taking the situation seriously.

But it didn't feel like a situation that would be as desperate as the time we fought the Elder Grimm. Or as hopeless as when we fought the Woman. This situation didn't have that same weight of inevitability hanging over us.

Confidence.

Or maybe overconfidence.

It didn't really matter, we felt ready.

Qrow didn't seem to disagree, he just gave a nod, then glanced at Lisa.

"You can track it down right?" He asked.

Lisa rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed by the question.

"It went that way." She pointed nonchalantly behind the tree where the mark had been made.

Qrow pursed his lips in thought, then fished out his scroll. Without wasting time, he dialed a number, and soon Ferin's voice came through the receiver.

"Hello?" Ferin's voice crackled through, sounding like it was spoken through a walkie-talkie.

Qrow didn't waste time with pleasantries. "You were right, it's probably a Nuckelavee. Tell your village to prepare, if we're not back by nightfall, we're probably not coming back. If you want to help, get over here. I'll leave the local scroll network open, so you can track us."

Then he started walking in the direction Lisa had pointed.

"You sure this is a good idea?" I asked, falling into step beside her.

Lisa shot me a look, the kind that made it clear that if circumstances were any different, she probably wouldn't bother answering.

"No. But at the same time, it's not a big deal," she replied curtly. "As long as you don't do something really stupid, we're not going to die to a single Grimm."

Her words weren't exactly comforting, but she wasn't wrong either. That was just how broken teleportation was for escaping, doubly so considering I could teleport everybody to me in an instant.

"Yang?" I asked, glancing at her, the memory of her reaction to the Grimm's name still fresh in my mind.

Yang glanced back over her shoulder. The usual confident smirk was gone, replaced by an expression that was thoughtful, almost guarded.

"I'm not worried about the Grimm," she said after a brief pause. "It's just… Nuckleavees are the kind of Grimm parents tell their kids about to scare them. To be honest, I didn't even really think they were real until now."

"Oh, it's real," Blake muttered, her voice low and tense. "Like Lisa said, last time one of them showed up, it wiped out an entire town."

….

Ferin caught up to us thirty minutes later, and after that, we increased our pace from a moderate walk to a slow jog. It felt odd, running before the fight but, to be honest, it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Running wasn't tiring, not with your Aura up. Only a full-speed sprint really drained it.

I stayed near the back, letting Lisa lead with Qrow at the front. I wanted to say I was focused, that I was scanning the environment, but I couldn't quite muster the urgency. Anything I could spot; Lisa had likely noticed a mile back.

So, my mind wandered instead.

Mostly, it circled back to our conversation with Ozpin.

He had revealed a lot.

His age, the origin of the Maidens, and to Lisa he had more or less confirmed that he was some kind of body-jumper. But even giving us all that, there was still so much he hadn't said.

Really, all his answers only gave me more questions.

Why did he have magic when no one else did?

Why was magic kept a secret?

How was it passed on after the original Maidens died?

Who was the person behind the Woman?

The fact that Lisa had just let us get pushed out of his office boggled my mind. It didn't feel like her, that she would simply let something like that go. Or maybe she already had her answers, and simply didn't bother sharing them.

That thought felt like ash on my tongue, but it also felt wrong.

Maybe she had the answer to some of those questions, but I had a feeling that she had simply overlooked them.

That she got so focused on unravelling what made the immortal man tick that she forgot everything else.

The rhythm of our jog provided an almost meditative backdrop as my thoughts spiralled. Eventually, Lisa slowed, raising a hand to signal us to stop. We skidded to a halt, breath steady despite the distance we'd covered.

I glanced around, noting how the sun had started to dip below the horizon. We'd taken an early flight to get here, but even then, it had taken hours to reach the village. Add winter into the mix, shorter daylight hours, and dusk was creeping in fast.

If we didn't find the Grimm soon, we would be fighting in darkness, and I didn't need my professors to tell me why you didn't want to fight Grimm during the night.

"We close?" Qrow asked, his voice low as he crouched near the ground, inspecting a set of tracks even I could recognize, hoofprints…

Maybe.

Of course, they were wrong. Too big. Way too big. Big enough that I could probably fit both feet into the indention they made.

"Yeah," Lisa murmured, her gaze sharp as she studied the tracks. "These were made only a couple of hours ago…"

I raised an eyebrow, noticing the way her focus drifted, not on the ground anymore, but somewhere else, her eyes moving like she was trailing over something invisible.

I felt a shiver run through…

Some part of me.

Something about this entire place felt wrong.

It wasn't just the fading light or the quiet woods.

It was the space itself.

Off, somehow.

Like the air was thinner here, stretched too tightly over something that didn't quite fit. The ground felt solid beneath my feet, but there was an edge to it, a faint wrongness I couldn't explain, like stepping into a room moments after an argument, the tension still clinging to the walls.

I almost closed my eyes, ready to slip into that other realm, to check for what my eyes couldn't see.

I didn't get the chance.

"Huh? Wait, why are those tracks…"

Lisa didn't finish. Her eyes snapped wide, pupils narrowing as if she'd just noticed something impossible.

"This entire place is an il-!" Lisa started to shout.

It felt like every instinct in my body screaming at me at the same time. My eyes didn't seen anything, but some other sense screamed.

I didn't think.

Curtains rustled.

The ground where I'd stood erupted a heartbeat later, dirt and shattered stone blasting outward like an invisible fist had slammed down with the force of a landslide.

I stumbled as I reappeared next to Lisa, heart pounding.

The dust settled, just enough to see it.

A horse-like body, twisted and wrong, its ribs jutting out like jagged blades slick with something dark and rotten. Fused to its back was not a rider, but its other half, a grotesque figure with long, spindly arms stretching forward, fingers too long, too sharp. Its face was a mockery of humanity, skin stretched thin over bone, with hollow sockets that somehow still felt like they were watching.

A low, guttural screech echoed through the clearing, rattling my bones more than my ears.

"Great," I muttered, my voice thinner than I'd meant. "We found it."

Lisa didn't respond.

I turned to her, expecting some sharp retort, but her eyes were wide, darting across the clearing, not focused on the creature, but on everything else.

A cold feeling crept up my spine.

I hadn't thought about it, hadn't have time to.

Lisa hadn't noticed it.