This War of Mine

by Erithemaeus

It was a selfish wish, eliminating those who had in turn killed the individuals that I could relate to as friends. But for me, nothing was impossible. For this war of mine has just started, and I would not stop until I see it till the end...or until I die.

1. This War of Mine

[This War of Mine]

Let it be known that I do not teach. I simply guide. Teaching involves the sympathetic approach to learning; by using the student's quirks and personalities, one could use those details in order to further the student's growth, and making them grow in all aspects. Guiding however, only refers to a few specific attributes, and essentially involves copious amounts of correcting the student's mistakes until they figure out how to do their objectives by themselves. In this vein, the act of guiding hence requires remarkably less energy than teaching itself.

Which was good for me. I needed to conserve my energy for what's about to come.

"Are you ready for this?" I glance towards the side, seeing a stern older woman look at me with worry. Her normal piercing eyes were softened, shimmering under the light of the stage, and the unnatural hue of viridian managed to snap me out of my thoughts. Indeed, she had asked a valid question: was I ready for this? I had never been much of a people person, much less one who sought to connect with others. It was only due to my team's incessant buggering that I was able to finally speak up for once, and face my problems head-on. For all of my reasoning however, I seemed to notice that I still hadn't answered the question given to me. Was I ready for this?

…No. "I'll try to adapt as it goes." Glynda nodded, turning her attention back towards the stage, where Ozpin had just finished his short speech. Judging by the pensive looks on most of the student body, it would seem that they still hadn't understood his message. Just how pampered were the Huntsmen of tomorrow to be so innocent in today's world?

I wouldn't know. Said innocence had been taken away from me when the desert burned down around me. "Acht, you're up." The voice brings me out of my soliloquy, and I found myself staring into the amber orbs of the Headmaster. His ever-present coffee mug was with him, and a genial smile was on his face, but I knew better. Those eyes reeked of stale warmth – stifling and repressive. They were there to think that you had a choice in his plans, when in actuality your actions had already been predicted long ago. Inside his round glasses, one could see the sharp, well-oiled mind that continued on turning, making plans, back-ups, and trying to foretell future events. He was like his office: smooth, planned…and yet, all so liable to miss a singular detail, like a grandfather clock.

My head comes forward in a nod, and the Headmaster moves to the side, letting me through. I walked, my hardened boots clicking against the dead silence that permeated the room, and no less than five hundred pair of eyes turned towards my direction, all staring at me from different angles. I was tempted to pull out a weapon and start shooting, if only to relieve the stares that were focused on my visage, but it would immediately result in a red mark. One that I couldn't afford to have.

And so, I took a deep breath, exhaling the lungful of air along with my nervousness and fears. What remained was a cold, calculating machine – a computer program that was self-improving, and could complete processes for a long amount of time without accruing any errors. A perfect man– nay, soldier. No wonder Ironwood tried to convince me to join the Atlesian Specialists first. He must've thought that I'd get along with stuffy military personnel.

Once again, how wrong were their initial impressions. "My name is Acht." My voice rings through the auditorium, a bass that I only found during my late teenage years. I do believe I had only gotten it after a year in Vacuo, wherein my teammates had looked at me with wide eyes and wondered if I was a spy sent to infiltrate their ranks. A fist clenched inside my pocket, remembering that I was still speaking in front of a crowd, and that I was about to go on another nostalgic trip. "As of this year, I have joined the Beacon staff, and would be teaching the lot of you a special course entitled 'Anti-Hunter Combat'. If you are still here after initiation, then you would most likely attend my class. Good day to you all."

I leaned away from the infernal thing, and strode back towards the backstage, where the rest of the teaching staff awaited me. The green-haired man was joyed by my professionalism. The portly man was telling another story. Glynda had looked at the two men, exasperation twitching her brow, and flexed the riding crop that she held. The Headmaster simply looked upon the scene of two men hugging each other in fear with a glimmer of amusement in his gaze, hidden by another sip of his damnable coffee. For all of the years that I have been here, I haven't been able to find the perfect blend that was synonymous to my previous favorite…

With body leaned back against the wall, I let out a sigh, a drop of cold sweat trailing down my cheek. It had been hard to keep my focus in front of such a crowd. If it were not for the reassurance that the other faculty members were just behind a flimsy door, then I would've bolted out of sight the moment I was called up to stage. That, and the fact that Glynda was watching. Was it weird that I was also cowed by a blonde in this world as well? "Well done, Acht." She praised, coming back from her session with Port and Oobleck, staring up and down my visage with an appraising look. If it were any other people, I would assume that they were checking me out. "Even though you had explicitly said in your resume that you had…speech problems, I would like to praise you for keeping your cool."

"Just another characteristic of a Hunter", I coolly replied, trying to keep the wavering tone out of my voice, yet the way that Glynda's eyes narrowed made me think that I hadn't hidden it as well as I had thought.

"Take your rest. You've earned it", she said after a moment of internal debate, nodding once at me before turning back towards the trio of men. A stormy expression brewed on her face, and her lips turned downward, in what I could assume were the taciturn woman's scowl. "Now as for you three…I do believe that we still have paperwork to do."

I took that as my cue to leave. Getting stuck around filing paperwork was exactly what I was trying to avoid during my first day on the job.

[This War of Mine]

"Prove yourself to us."

I sighed, my dark eyes immediately narrowing as I searched for the instigator of these kinds of requests. Soon, I found him– a young man with a hazel pompadour, staring at me with challenging blue eyes, arms crossed, and a cocky smirk on his face. My gaze turned back towards the scroll that I had in my hand, going through the class list until I came across the profile of the cocky student. Cardin Winchester, the heir to the Winchester name. He uses a mace with a dust crystal embedded upon its head, with large Aura reserves and armor to match. His father must've donated much to the Beacon coffers if they allowed him in here in spite of his…personality traits. Since when did I word things delicately? Right, ever since my first year in Vacuo. "Very well."

My hand thumbed across the class list once again, searching for the strongest contender in their year. A few seconds later, and my eyes widened, my lips parting for an instant, and the grip on my scroll tightened. Once again, I let her words run through my head, trying to calm myself down, and after a quick intake of breath, I turned towards the first-year hopefuls that would soon see me in action. "Pyrrha Nikos, up the stage with your weapons ready."

The students were riled up, whispering to one another as the murmurs and the rumor mill started to turn. Said student blinked in surprise, pointing a finger towards her chest in confirmation, and I simply nodded in response. A smile was plastered on her face not a moment later, and she leaped through the stairs and into the ring, kicking up a small cloud of dust in the process. It would seem like she was excited for this fight. A lot of the students were too. But as of the moment, all I could think about was how she looked similar to her sister, and the pangs of guilt clawed their way back once again to the forefront of my mind.

With unconscious movements, I pushed my scroll into the machinery, my Aura registering as nothing more than a few pixels wide. It brought a shock to the rest of the students, and to my co-workers too when they first screened through my resume. The latter still employed me however, seeing as I was still alive even after the world has done its best to kill me. Once again, the voices rose up over the din of my redheaded student unsheathing her weapons, but I ignored the voices as I returned towards my original position and readied a stance.

As expected, it was one that she knew well. "Begin."

Her surprise only lasted for an instant however, as a xiphos was immediately in front of my face, slashing downward in a bronze arc. My arm moved, with a palm covered with a thin yet dense amount of Aura, and the blade was stopped immediately. The force rang through my arm however, and I urged my Aura to flow through my body in response to the strain. It moved like water, with years of training finally making its efforts known as I used its momentum to transfer it towards my feet, where I lightly tapped the ground in response.

A crater formed at that instant, and Pyrrha lost her footing, but instinct kicked in as she had brought her shield upwards and the xiphos shifted into a pilum. Good reflexes, good ability, and good awareness– however, she was still lacking in adaptability, which I aim to impart her today. The pilum stabbed through the concrete, giving her a good footing, and the shield slammed forward with a whistle of air, aimed right towards my face. I ducked, and the shield followed, its dense rim rushing towards my nape. With a single step I advanced, dodging the slam and moving into her guard. Green eyes widened as I grabbed her wrist, and quickly wrenched the pilum out of her hand, once again putting her in a state of instability.

Bronze gleamed in the light of the stage as Pyrrha ducked and whirled, with crimson hair flowing elegantly behind her as her pilum met with her shield. Once, twice, thrice did the strikes connect, all in the span of an instant, and green eyes bugged out even more as I used the other end of the spear to wrench her guard open, her shield far beyond her reach. She moved quickly however, and the redhead tried to move in close and throw in a punch. Alas however, her own pilum grazed her cheek, and an instant later the butt of the spear pressed against her solar plexus. She gagged, the air rushing out of her lungs, and a quick sweep to the shin managed to knock her down to the ground, groaning all the while. A gleaming bronze edge was pressed lightly to her neck, and I raised an eyebrow at her. "Yield?"

Green eyes looked at me in surprise, and the silence of the entire room only seemed to enhance her shock even further. I wasn't one who carried the Nikos name, yet I fought using one of their styles – that much she could tell from how easy I had defeated her. Despite making the connection however, she couldn't follow all the way through, for confusion clouded her eyes instead of realization. I sighed, noting to myself that she was about nine years old back then. I doubt she would remember me. Apparently, she took it in the sense that I was impatient for an answer. "Yes."

"Wrong answer." I said, lifting the blade from her neck and giving her a hand. She grasped it firmly, with confusion muddling her gaze as I returned her spear back towards her with a quick twirl. "You could've escaped from that quite easily. Your legs were free to strike my own, or you could've just rolled away and struck. You could also cover your hand in Aura to muffle the blade's edge, and yank so that I may become unbalanced." Her eyes widened, and realization coursed through her as I sighed and tapped her on the forehead. "You are too accustomed to sanctioned fights. Once you're out in the field, there is no such thing as 'yielding'– only death. Now, go back to your seat."

Pyrrha smiled, "Yes, sir Acht."

Tapping her on the back, I turned back towards my audience of first-years, a smirk on my face as the asshole with the pompadour stared at me with shock written all over his face. Cherishing his reaction, I made to gaze towards the list of students, a mock-smile on my face as I 'found' my next candidate. "Cardin Winchester, up the stage. Let's see if your bluster matches up with your actual skills."

His horror was something that I so dearly cherished.

[This War of Mine]

The rooftop gave me a space to think, and an avenue to let out my nostalgia. Of course, immersing in the past was never a good thing for it stifles the opportunity to grow, but one could have a healthy appreciation for the past without muddling themselves too deep into nostalgia. It was also the reason as to why I always brought a flask of alcohol for one of my 'escapades'. It helps me black out immediately if I ever go in too deep. A solution that required no hassle, and works quickly and effectively.

For my current bi-weekly trip to the rooftop though, I came across a peculiar scene. One Cardin Winchester, blackmailing a Jaune Arc over his false transcripts. Honestly, once Glynda informed me about the student's registration process, I was tempted to throttle the Headmaster and flinging him out of his office. 'Accept all applicants', she said to me, 'It doesn't matter whether or not the paperwork used to apply to Beacon is fake, since their so-called 'skills' would be proven during initiation.'They werepretty blasé reasons if one was to ask me, and it would just invite unnecessary death towards prospective students.A debate started on what would be the most optimal way to sort through fake applications aside from 'let them in and let them die', and I had to forcefully escort myself out of the faculty office in order to let my temper cool off.

In any case, where was I…? Right, eavesdropping on a student blackmailing another. "Lovely evening, isn't it?" I announced, slamming the door to the rooftop open and seeing the two students in what a fan of homoerotica would see as a pipe dream. Arc was currently being held up by the collar by courtesy of Winchester, and both of them were staring at me with shock on both of their faces. At the same time, the blood paled from their faces, and the thin smile on my face grew even wider. It looked like the bruise on Winchester's arm hadn't healed yet. "Now Winchester, how about you let go of Arc right now, or else we'd be having a wonderful discussion in the infirmary." Winchester was about to move, when I quickly stopped him with a raised hand, "On second thought, let go of Arcon solid ground, please."

A look of confusion flittered across Winchester's face as he released Arc, the blonde yelping while he fell into a disorganized heap. I sighed– the meathead's inability to use loopholes was both concerning and comforting at the same time. "Winchester, see Ms. Goodwitch by tomorrowor you'll be getting an eviction notice plastered on your room."I thumbed towards the doorway leading up to the rooftop, and Winchester seemed to get the message by quickly moving towards the door and sprinting downstairs. My dark orbs turned towards Arc, who promptly began shaking on the spot, and I snorted at his current state.

"Stand up, Arc."I said, my tone uncompromising as the blonde forced himself to stand up. His cobalt orbs locked onto me with a hint of determination behind his gaze, yet I could still see that his legs were trembling ever-so slightly. I smirked, causing his face to pale even more. "Ready your stance. I'll be coming for you in three seconds." He froze in place, with wide blue eyes locking onto me in utter confusion as I started counting down. "Try to survive."

If I were to be honest, his sense of danger was superb. His body froze up, tensing under my intense speed, but it was not enough to dodge as my knee collided with his abdomen. He was shot up in the air with spittle flying from his mouth, and a silent kick in the opposite direction slammed him back to the rooftop. Spiderweb cracks rose from the surface, and Arc coughed up some dust as he began standing back up. Ah, the vaunted determination of a double-edged sword.

"Why…?"He croaked, staring at me with wide blue eyes, and I smirked in response.

"You were accepted in here with fake transcripts." I began, causing the boy to flinch as I sighed and dropped my smirk. My gaze sharpened, and Arc stiffened as well, expecting an attack. Good instincts, but if he were to actually look through my eyes, he would find that I had no malicious intent planned for him…yet. "What you need to do is to prove that you are what the transcripts say you are." I got into a stance, with my left arm hanging loosely and my right hand stuffed into my pocket, "Now, get ready. I'm going to be putting you through absolute hell."

A spark of hope glinted in Arc's eyes, and a thin smile formed on my face in response. My arm was raised, beckoning him to come and attack me, and the blonde took the bait and immediately charged. I sighed; I guess this would be more troublesome than I expected.

His punch was sloppy and poorly executed; I simply grabbed his wrist and yanked him closer, breaking his balance and leading him into the path of my outstretched foot. A yelp escaped as his lips before my arm twisted around to his back, and a quick push slammed him back to the rooftop ground. "Now then", I said, replacing my hand with a foot, "What do you think you did wrong?"

"…I charged at you with no plan in mind, and you were able to trip my foot under me."

"Good. You're learning", I said, a smile on my face as I dragged him up with a hand.A quick tap on the chest was enough to unstable his stance, the blonde taking a few steps back towards his previous position. "Now that I had figured your various shortcomings, I come to learn that I may have bitten more than I can chew." Arc's eyebrow twitched as a small smile formed on my face. Better– it would seem that I would have to guide him through some of his more troublesome personality aspects.

"Now, do it again."

[This War of Mine]

Day-offs are important. Without them, Iwould most probably be buried in paperwork that I couldn't help but foist upon Port and Oobleck, and even then they would most likely foist them onto Glynda. I couldn't have that– not when she had barged into my room one day and deposited the paperwork that I was supposed to do on my desk. Why have I chosen this profession again? It doesn't make would I willingly expose myself to the possibility of more work?

With a sigh, I placed an arm over my eyes and lamented my fate. "Professor Acht?"

"Yes?" I replied automatically, removing my arm and restoring my vision. My gaze moved towards the speaker, and I immediately flinched when I found my dark orbs stare into silver ones."Ah", I said, taking a few moments to remember her name. If I do remember, she was the one with the insane combination of a sniper rifle and a scythe. Why the hell would she use that kind of weapon when there were easier and more efficient weapons to use in conjunction with her Semblance I wouldn't know, but to each with their poison? Currently however, said student was currently staring at me with wide, hopeful eyes…and try as I might to become inured to the concept of puppy gazes, I always fail. "Ruby Rose…if I do remember correctly. What are you doing here– on a school day, nonetheless?"

It would seem that I had managed to deliver my statement without gushing over her unknown ability to stare at me with puppy dog eyes, and she immediately stiffened for an instant before she started sweating.A gear clicked into place, and I let out a sound of realization. So she was trying to play me after all. Not a bad tactic, that one, but it would seem like I had some kind of innate resistance to these kinds of events. It must've been cultivated when Pyrrha visited the team from time to time. "Uh…We were looking for Blake…?"

"Why?"

My eyes narrowed upon Rose's hesitation. By my interactions with her, I know that she was a stickler for the rules– even breaking some in the first place in order to follow them. She was a fifteen-year-old 'prodigy' that was given special admission to Beacon two years younger than her peers, and so developed a minor inferiority complex to the rest of the people who are currently attending the prestigious academy. It didn't stop her from completely dismantling enemies in battle, but her current mindset would get her killed. If not now, then in the very near future. And if what Ozpin told me about her eyes was right…then she would follow her mother's footstepsvery soon.

"…Private team reasons."

"Then you should get back to class", I sternly said, sliding a hand in my pocket to activate my scroll. "It's my duty as a teacher to report you to Ms. Goodwitch if you ever do anything against the rules. Like ditching classes, for example."Rose's face paled, and I immediately held out an arm in front of me to stop her from crashing into me. "Really?" I asked in a flat tone, watching as the fifteen year-old girl began pounding my chest with weak , relatively weak, since I was consciously manipulating my Aura to make sure that her blows wouldn't bruise my body.

I sighed, pulling out my scroll and quickly calling the first number on my speed dial. A few seconds later, Glynda's face appeared on-screen, her scowl telling me of my current mood. My lips pursed, tilting the screen to the side, enough to see Rose freezing in place as her silver eyes met the piercing green ones on-screen."Ms. Rose", her voice echoed through the line, sharp and to the point, "I will see you and your team for detention later this afternoon."

"Yes ma'am!" Rose quickly replied, her voice rising by a few octaves at the murderous glare that the blonde teacher was giving him. I smirked behind the screen, making sure that Glynda didn't see me smiling at a student's misfortune, and after a few minutes of berating the leader of team RWBY about responsibility, priorities, and management, she sent out Rose to gather the rest of her teammates (except the one called Blake) for detention. After she disappeared in a streak of red light and rose petals, I tilted the screen back towards me, an eyebrow raised at her unnaturally stern attitude.

"Ozpin once again tried to increase the coffee budget."Glynda said, and I can't help but close my eyes and sigh, sympathizing with her completely. Of course, having such power at one's fingertips also meant that one could develop some weird proclivities, which I had already completely expected by this point. But to think that the Headmaster's tendencies would involve imbibing large amounts of coffee…Did he even require sleep?"In any case Acht, I would like to give you my thanks for finding the leader for Team RWBY. They might be good children, but…"I raised an eyebrow, prompting her to continue after a few moments, "…Could I ask a favor from you?"

My brows furrowed. Glynda was asking for a favor. Multiple ideas ran through my head, but they were filtered out by Occam's razor. I was left with the undeniable fact that she was probably burdened by the Headmaster's paperwork once again, and therefore had no time to search for the missing member of RWBY. "Sure", I said after a moment of consideration, tilting my head to the side as I did so, "Is there anything I need to know about Team RWBY's missing member?"

Glynda stayed silent for a few moments, before she spoke up and promptly shut the line. "Blake Belladonna, a member of Team RWBY, was once a member of the White Fang."

I heaved an exasperated sigh. Truly, my plan to just live out the rest of this life as a simple professor was being torn to shreds. Most likely, it would be her fault that all of these events were currently happening. With that thought in mind, I took a deep breath, recalling all of the plans that I had made through the years, and slowly relaxed as my joints loosened up. I pushed my glasses up the bridge of my nose, and began walking towardsthe one place that could give me answers.

A warehouse by the side of the ocean.

[This War of Mine]

"All of you…are idiots." I managed to wheeze out, taking stock of the various injuries that I had gathered from the blast. My skin was blistering, and some of my clothes were blackened to ash, with some small fires being put out relatively easily by tapping on them a few times. I kept my gaze on the person standing a few meters in front of me, twirling his cane in a practiced gesture and a tip of his hat, and I begrudgingly acknowledged him with a nod.I glanced back towards the rest of Team RWBY, all of whom were currently sporting various injuries brought upon by the various thugs that the White Fang uses for its operations. "What was the first lesson that I pounded into your heads!?"

"But Blake was–"

"ANSWER THE QUESTION, MS. ROSE!"

"Hey! You don't just scream at her like that!"By that tone of voice, it would seem like Ms. Xiao Long had been the one to reply. But it wasn't what I was currently angry about. What I was angry about was the fact that they hadn't prioritized the current threats to their situation, and allowed their concern for their friend for Roman Torchwick out of all people to get the drop on them!

"Xiao Long, I'm not talking to you. Shut up."

"No, you shut up–"

"You entered into a combat situation with a veteran criminal that had Hunter training." I was able to school my voice into a stern expression now. Cold and foreboding, just like the copious amounts of punishments that Glynda would surely give to them later. "All of you risked your lives for a stray lead–" I silenced any opposing statements with a glare, "–For a single comrade. I am both appalled by your stupidity…and am proud of your commitment to your team." Once again, I glared at the gathered first-year team. True, theoretically they might be the best team alongside JNPR, but when it comes to real-world situations, they would easily get demolished by even a simple thief. They were not ready for this…Then again, we never were.

"Go, and contact the local authorities. Now. And if I ever hear you dally in your duty…" I left the last part unsaid, but the quick exit of the first-year team already told me enough of what they thought. A part of me was elated that I could become like Glynda from time to time, but there was another part of me that thought of manipulating others through fear was wrong. For fear only made them more desperate, and more willing to take risks if they wanted to accomplish their goal.

…Like this man over here. "Done with your little conference with the kids?" Torchwick said with a smile on his face, and I nodded in response. The renowned thief slammed his staff through the ground, his Semblance spreading through the entire dockyard, locking me in here with him…and someone else. "Oh, noticed her, did you?" He said with a grin, and with a shimmer of light, a short woman appeared beside him. 'Woman', not 'girl'– there was a distinction there, my instinct told me. For what I saw beside Torchwick was a trained and experienced killer. I didn't know how Torchwick managed to recruit her to his side, but if she weren't enough to lift Roman himself out of his situation, then… "Neo, meet Acht. Acht, meet Neo– my latest tag-along."

The woman sent me a short wave, and I replied with a nod. She was too much like Ornus in personality…Perhaps it was the reason why Roman took her in? "So she's your little messenger and hitman." I sighed, pulling out a slip of paper from my wallet and waving it in the lights of the dockyard. "In any case, I got your message. I assumed that she was the one who 'delivered' it", the woman called Neo nodded, and I relaxed ever-so slightly. It would seem that she was neutral…for now, that is. "And you said that you need a favor?"

"A big one, actually", Roman said, a grin forming on his face as he leaned forward, shifting his weight on the cane, "I was hoping that you could…get me out of the little rut that I found myself in. You're the tactician, after all– you were supposed to do this job in the first place."

I sighed. Sometimes I hated Roman not because of his overall eccentricity and penchant for kleptomania, but because he liked to rub it in people's faces when he's correct about a given situation."Fine", I said with a roll of my eyes, "I technically can't disobey an order from the team leader anyways, so I guess I'll just have to make do." My eyes sharpened, with gray orbs pointedly staring at Roman, with all traces of humor gone from my tone or expression. "Now, tell me everything."

Roman smiled even wider. "…Gladly. Remember that communique that we had during the second semester in our first year?"

My throat released a groan, reaching for the dagger currently sheathed behind my back. As much as I'd like to think that our communication measures were foolproof, one could not deny that sending and receiving such messages hurt., And usually, it's from the perspective of the receiver.

[This War of Mine]

The concept of unfairness is deeply rooted in society. After all, society is made out of humans, who inherently seek their own selfish goals and desires. Therefore, a structure made out of human greed could only produce resources which can be exploited by human greed– currency, power, and the most important of all: connections.

It was this reasoning that I had spent the last night going over team RWBY's files in an attempt to understand why the Headmaster hadn't at least put them into suspension for a week. I had received the memo a few hours ago about Team RWBY's 'verdict' in the incident at the docks, and I immediately crumpled it up, torn it to pieces, and used some Fire Dust to make sure that I would never see such a thing ever again. Glynda seemed to agree too, if the way that she pounded her riding crop over the Headmaster's head was a general idea. I also want to say that the last sentence was purely taken with non-sexual connotations.

Back to my train of thought. I did a little bit of digging, and it turns out that the team's members were much more connected to the world than I had ever expected. Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long are the nieces of Qrow Branwen– Ozpin's spymaster and informant amongst the Hunters. Weiss Schnee was the heir to one of the biggest mega-corporations in Remnant, and was sisters with a no-nonsense Atlesian Specialist that was under the direct command of Ironwood no doubt had shared whatever he could find with Ironwood, and some of them may have been distilled through the grapevine. Blake Belladonna was the daughter of the Chieftain of Menagerie, and one of the most prominent supporters of the militant division of the White Fang…until two months fact that she had defected was good, but it could also be seen as a liability due to her inability to use her connections to–

"Argh!"

The sound snapped me out of thoughts, and I stepped to the side to avoid a clean swing from Arc's sword. He didn't stop there however, and quickly changed the sword's momentum to perform a sweep. I gave a brief nod in acknowledgment, hopping lightly with one leg bunched up. Arc had immediately responded– taking note of how I couldn't dodge while in the middle of the air, he slammed his shield forward, intent on bashing me with the heater shield. I countered with a devastating kick to the oncoming shield, sending me back towards where I started and sending Arc on his bum.

Overall, a good performance.

"At last, you're now taking advantage of openings. You also didn't hesitate in continuing the attack when your first plan failed. Your level of adaptability in combat is high, Jaune Arc– don't waste it, because it will be your greatest weapon in the days to come."I moved closer to Arc, seeing him exhausted and panting on a knee, his sword being used as a crutch in order for him to stand. The moment that I was in range however, he brought up his weapon into a quick stab, aiming right for my neck as I placed my left arm in the path of the coming steel. I clenched my left fist, and a shield sprung out from the mechanism inside the gauntlet, letting the sword's tip slide off the contractible shield and leaving him open. Due to his recent accomplishment, I made sure to just tap his side, sending him to the ground due to his lack of physical training.

"That last one…" I hummed, watching Arc furrow his eyebrows at making such an underhanded move. "…Pretending to be exhausted while your opponent moves into your range is a good plan. The problem is your lack of capability to respond to range targets, but I have a feeling that your large pool of Aura would compensate for that." I shot the blonde a glare. My Aura had also been unlocked while I was seventeen and running against a horde of Grimm, but I had always wondered why my Aura pool seemed so low.

It turned out that it was supposed to balance out my Semblance.

"You're improving, Jaune." I said, the young Arc's eyes immediately meeting him by the use of his first name. He was transfixed, seeing a small smile on my face, and I proffered a hand out towards him. "I was the same when I was your wanted to prove himself to everyone, never thinking about the consequences of my actions."Memories flashed through my mind– a deserted room amidst a shower of cherry petals – and I forcefully shut it off. Nostalgia was not needed at this moment. What I need to do was to guide this young man…so that I can prove to myself that I didn't always screw things up. "Remove that thinking, Jaune– it'll only make you angry, to the point that you could barely even recognize yourself. Source: me."

Arc grabbed my hand, and I pulled him up without any issue. "You have a team now; three people to protect. If youwant to prove something– if you want to follow in your family's footsteps, then don't do it for your own ego. Do it for yourself."Cobalt eyes stared at gray orbs, transfixed by the determination in my gaze. I smirked, craning my head to look at the night sky, and promptly began to walk towards the door leading up towards the rooftop.

"Was it from experience?"Arc– no, Jaune –asked, his voice still holding on to the childish lilt of his past. I chuckled, turning back to glance at him one more time, before giving him a smile. One that a few people despised of me, but a trait that I wholeheartedly accepted.

"I guess you could say that."

[This War of Mine]

"No…"Faded crimson eyes narrowed, with a hand reaching back to his weapon and swinging it at me. The hunk of steel became a metal blur, before I found its cool edge pressed against my neck. "Acht, I told you to stay out of this. I told you to stop. What are you doing here in Beacon?"His words were tinged with anger born out of worry, and I accepted that.I sighed, glancing towards the gathering crowd, and saw a particular duo of sisters steadily moving before gaze moved back towards the man, whose grip on his weapon immediately faltered, and I took a step away from the blade while I began to walk towards the cafeteria.

My gaze glanced back towards the man, whose faded red eyes softened upon the sight of his nieces, but promptly grew agitated at my until now, my foster father was still protective of me. If only he could realize that I was all grown up and could make my own decisions…Granted, said decisions would most likely put me in jail for aiding and abetting a criminal mastermind, but it was a far better alternative than the opposite.

"Acht!"I stopped. The voice sounded familiar to me, as if being whispered by the wind (how poetic), and I craned my neck towards the direction of my voice. Hazel eyes belonging to a woman widened, and immediately sprinted towards me, leaving me with no time to dodge. A second later, she slammed into me with the force of a truck, making me stagger back a few paces while she enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug.I swear I could feel my bones being crushed, if the popping joints were any indication.

Just as quickly as she hugged me however, she pushed me away, letting me see the smile currently plastered on her face. "How are you? I didn't even know that you became a Beacon professor!"Her smile was contagious, yet the dangerous glint in her eyes was not. They were telling me to prepare myself for the inevitable interrogation later.

"It just happened, Amber", I said dismissively, waving a hand for effect. She snorted, a small gust of wind forcing my arms behind my back, and by then I knew that my fate was sealed. "Alright, let's just get this over with, then", I said, my shoulders slumping forward as I was marched towards the Headmaster's office like a was an apt description, seeing as I was a loose cannon that had to be secured at all costs, but I knew that she was just playing with me. As evidenced by the fact that she released my arms the moment we stood in front of the Headmaster's building.

My gaze turned towards her, and she stared at the top of the building before heaving a sigh. "Ozpin and Ironwood are there. Since Qrow is getting…distracted, by his nieces, Ozpin said to just ditch him and just go."I sighed, taking the lead as the elevators swung open, its claustrophobic space allowing me and Amber door closed with a ding, and a brief period of weightlessness followed before we were steadily moving upwards.

"Acht, are you sure about this?"

I blink, glancing towards Amber and seeing her hazel eyes bore into me with eyes closed, letting out a tired sigh that seemed to come deep from my bones, and I subsequently relaxed. Gray orbs opened once more, this time edged with determination. "I am." I said, not even bothering to look at Amber now in fear of showing her my real thoughts. "Everything that I've been through…it has to end. I'm done. The world could burn for all that I cared, and I would want nothing more but to rest."

I was an old soul, given life in a new body. A being of almost twenty years of age suddenly being forced to relive their entire life from the beginning was usually composed of mind-breaking boredom, but I managed to keep myself sane by dreaming about the past. It was an escape mechanism that I always used without fail– a way to calm down my heart whenever it starts aching once again. The nostalgia wears off after a while, but there are always other unforgettable memories to consider. It had kept me sane until today. I would like it very much if I was allowed to do so once again.

The elevator door opened with a thematic ding, ushering me and Amber into the Headmaster's office. Glynda stood to his left, a hand gripped tightly against a scroll, and Ironwood was glaring at me as if I was the one responsible for Torchwick's escape. The moment that I entered the room, I was frozen still by the effects of Glynda's Semblance, and was forced into a seat at the middle of it all. An unofficial interrogation, if there was such a thing like that. All the while however, I simply smiled at the trio, my Semblance already thrumming beneath my skin.

"…I did not expect you to be acquainted with the Fall Maiden, Mr. Acht Branwen."

All in all, it was a good day.

[This War of Mine]

"Professor, can I ask you a question?" Pyrrha leaned back, dodging a swing from my dagger that arced through the air. She released her shield, using the free hand as additional support as a leg swept out to undermine my own. I hummed, pulling the trigger on my dagger as the blade extended, catching the redhead's greaves and stilling her movement. I yanked the shortsword upwards, causing Pyrrha to be caught out of position. Using the momentum, she quickly whirled, her xiphos creating a whine of air in its wake from the added momentum. I moved my right arm to intercept, clenching my fist as I did so, and the hidden button was pressed. The metal from my gauntlet whirled, standing to attention almost immediately as the blow bounced off the formed buckler.

I admit, for the half of a year that I had begun in guiding these brats, they seemed eager to learn. Probably, it was because doing so would give them the satisfaction of bashing my face in, but I'd like to think that I was just that good of a any case, I turned back towards Pyrrha, who was staring at me with widened eyes and her jaw slightly ajar."Good job, Nikos. It took you about seven months for you to actually make me pull out a shield, but commendable effort 've all improved by leaps and bounds." I gave her a nod, and glanced towards the rest of the class and gave them a smile as well, "To commemorate this event, I'll permit you one question, Nikos."

The redhead's eyes widened. I do think she was expecting me to deny her request right off the bat. Of course, it would be standard protocol for me to deny such a frivolous thing in classes, but she does deserve some reward for her continued efforts. Who knew what heights I could reach if there was only a carrot instead of a stick at the end of the road…"Professor, can I ask you the question after class?"

My dark orbs were immediately trained on her, noticing the slight hesitation her posture gave. The slight glances that held a hint of nervousness that were trained on our audience, the way that her breath seemed to hitch whenever she wanted to say something, and the way that her shoulders shuddered whenever she trained her gaze on mine could only mean one thing…No, it was definitely not a love confession. I'm almost turning twenty-five, for goodness's sake! That's an eight-year gap between our ages, and most of all–she's under-aged!

"Class is dismissed for today, then", I said, trying not to wince at the flash of a future scolding by Glynda. There was still twenty more minutes before class ended after all, and so she was going to have a hard time reigning in hormonal teenagers that just got off of class early.I glance towards the peanut gallery, who were already filing out through the exit of the training halls, and I could see the rumor mill churning already– no doubt because of Pyrrha's subtle tells. Once again, I could see myself being lectured by Glynda, this time on 'student' propriety and ago-over on the legal and penal codes of Vale. Joy.

The only good thing that I see about this situation is that there's actually a rumor about me being romantically involved with a beautiful woman. The first time in my life, if I do say so myself…Ugh, it still makes me look pathetic.

"Alright, then", I said, walking towards the exit while Pyrrha sheathed her weapons and followed after me, "Ask away. What would you like to ask?" She fidgeted under my stare, and her gaze moved to my right arm, where my gauntlet was strapped around my forearm. "Is it about the gauntlet, then?" I offered, and a tinge of worry flashed through my eyes when Pyrrha remained silent. "Pyrrha…" I began, "What's wrong?"

She kept silent for a few more seconds before she finally spoke up, "…That, Professor Acht." If I was surprised by the steel in her voice, she never showed it. "The way that you fight, and the way that you call my name. The Nikos family, based in Mistral, is prevalent of its use of overwhelming assaults in order to disarm their foes. It was also said that their style revolves around making sure that the enemy received as many hits in just one movement, and emphasizes the act of moving like water.I…went through my family tree, and I never found someone with your appearance."She was insinuating that I somehow knew the Nikos family's style of combat, and I let her continue on with a nod. "Also, you always break your rule whenever you're calling me. Usually, you call the rest of us students by their last name, but you only call me by my first name. Had we…met before?"

I gazed at her, smirking at the narrowedyet determined gaze behind her emerald hand fished inside the inside of my vest, bringing out an old and crumpled picture, wracked with various creases and stains that it had sustained over the years. A brittle smile was plastered on my face as I held out the brittle paper towards her. Pyrrha noticed my expression, and gingerly reached out for the paper. I crossed the doorway, meeting her gaze as she slowly unfurled the folded paper. "I'll give you some time to yourself. Trust me; you'll need it", I said, closing the door as a gasp could be heard from inside the room. Sobbing could be heard from the other room as I began moving away from the door, and I felt like an idiot for showing her the picture in the first place.

For that picture was a team photo that had been taken eight years ago that showed me, her sister, and two other members of my former team smiling at the camera.

[This War of Mine]

My Semblance was one that I had discovered during my first near-death experience five years ago. It was also the sort of irony that ran contrary to the current problems that a person had when they had unlocked them. This was a trend that I had observed while flitting through the profiles of my students, who all seemed to be none the wiser of their inner I did when I discovered it was give a bitter smile and remark that I haven't changed at all since then.

Said Semblance was now overclocked, powered by the negative emotions that poured out from my surroundings. My dark orbs narrowed at the veritable tide of darkness from the hole in the ground, a result of the White Fang's attack happening far earlier than one could expect. I could already see Roman slinking away with Neo in the background, using the chaos to escape, but they had already done their part– or at least, played them perfectly until team RWBY came crashing through their operation.

Well, adjustments obviously had to be made.

An arm extended from my pocket, my Semblance working its magic as wisps of dark gray light coalesced into a ball in my palm. The rest of the Grimm immediately perked up, with all of them simultaneously focusing on me as I smirked at them and crushed the surged through my surroundings andcoated the air around me in the energy that courses through my soul. All observers watched as a vortex sprung up all around me, with eddies of Aura forming into a predetermined template of a of blades stood at the ready, their tips pointed towards each Grimm that littered the area.A cloak of blades hung themselves behind me like a prehensile wing, and I refrained from pulling the mental trigger in my head for an instant.

If I did this, then I would be considered as a piece on both sides of the exact opposite of what I wanted. If I flaunted my power for all to see, it would immediately mark me as a person of interest, which would lead to more intrusive questioning about my past records and my origins…Which is what I swore to keep until my dying breath.I had already shared one of my most treasured secrets with Pyrrha; by the time that this whole thing blows over, it was guaranteed that I would have nosy students trying to barge their way into my office.

But nevertheless, I pulled the trigger in my hand, and the blades forged from my soul surged forward in a cleansing gray wave, turning all of the Grimm in the area to black dust.I immediately stopped my Semblance, letting the excess Aura flow back into me as I felt my reserves spike up immediately.I exhaled in relief, a thin wisp of air emanating from my mouth, and I watched as the rubble that formed from the breach of Vale was personally sealed by one Glynda Goodwitch.

Never again. Never again would I just stand by if there were innocents in was my creed– the original purpose that I had formed for myself when I had lived through that period of utter creed sat just below my original priority; one that I strived to achieve if I wasn't too busy enacting my various plans.I stared as the breach was closed up, and Glynda began moving towards me with a purpose to her step.

I sighed, watching as the stern teacher was blind-sided by one excited Rose. "Oh my gosh, that was so cool!"She screamed, and I would've considered her behavior endearing if it were not for the fact that I didn't like the fact that she was screaming directly into my ear while reaching deep into my personal space. By the time that she was already mangling her sentences together, I snagged her by the hood and tossed her back towards her teammates, who caught the brunette as if they were expecting my actions.

"Keep her chained down", I said, much to the rest of team RWBY's exasperation. Glynda finally reached us, her crop waving as the four teenage girls were forced to stand stiffly in attention. "Good afternoon, Glynda", I said neutrally, nodding at her in respect as she stood in front of me. Piercing green eyes narrowed at me in scrutiny, before she huffed and turned around, walking towards the Bullhead ports leading back to Beacon.

I couldn't help but think that I had just dug myself a hole.

[This War of Mine]

"Can you share me some stories about my sister?" The voice induced me out of my trip of nostalgia, and I quickly hid the flask of alcohol back into the inside of my vest. I was half-tempted to just explode at her, but her green eyes were too innocent– too virtuous to even notice the flask that I had just stowed away. Arc however, hadn't, but still kept his mouth had something to do about his partner's dilemma than anything else.

I sighed. What was the point of drowning out your sorrows on someone's death anniversary when you're sharing their life story to someone else? "Sit down, and listen", I ordered, pointing towards an unmarred area of the rooftop that we were currently in. "I might as well get it off my mouth before we start, but whatever I say here doesn't come up with the others, alright?" When I saw the two of them nod, I heaved a sigh in relief and brought out the flask, taking a sip of the burning liquor inside. "Good."

The wide stares of two Beacon first-years were a sight to see that I was tempted to pull out my Scroll and take a picture of them, but I decided not to do so. I…need a clear head to make sure that I didn't screw this up. "It all started about eight years ago, when I was a wee young lad trying to make a name for himself as a Hunter", I began, the smirk on my face fading away into a neutral line, "But the man known as Acht Branwen had only been trained for a year under his foster father Qrow Branwen, and thus fell far behind in his peers during the aptitude test."

"Wait, so you're technically Ruby and Yang's cousin?" Arc asked, with wide cobalt eyes staring into mine. I gave a smirk, placing a finger over my lips, and he nodded to keep the small secret silent. I know that he'll give into those puppy eyes soon, however, so I was on a time limit before I was suddenly glomped out of nowhere. Ah well, I needed to let this off sometime in the future, so it might as well be now.

"But they still accepted him into the Vacuo Academy for Gifted Students due to his knack for strategy and logical thinking."Their eyes widened, and I nodded in response. It wasn't my most glamorous moment, trying to convince the board to give me another chance in strategy and tactics. Nevertheless, I braved the shame and pushed on, knowing that I wanted to be a Hunter to…huh.I couldn't remember. Maybe it was already lost from my memories. "And Acht Branwen was assigned into a third-year team as part of his 'internship'. I only got to team up with your sister due to my smarts. And to be honest, I didn't deserve the award."

I tapped my left temple and gave them a depreciative smirk, "Of course, I didn't settle in well with the team. Tyre had been appreciative enough of the new blood, while the mute Ornus kept a cautious glance on me from time to time."Arc looked confused at the names, and Pyrrha dug into her pockets and pulled out the photo that I had given her, showing it to the blonde and pointing the names of the various team members. "The last member though, he didn't appreciate my presence very well. Outright protested against it, no less."

"That member was Roman Torchwick."

For the third time since I started telling my story, their eyes once again widened in shock, and I silenced the two of them with a glare when they were about to speak up, "Remember what I said earlier. Not one bit of this gets out of here, alright?" The two nodded once again, and I continued, "We fought, and the two of us got along well like fire and ice. It took me saving his life from a bounty on his head that he finally pulled the stick out of his ass andbegan seeing my improvements."

"Now, as for your sister, she was the one mainly responsible for 'training', if you could call it that." I said, snorting at the irony as Arc shot Pyrrha a glare that the redhead didn't notice. Ah, so the trait must've run in the family. Good to know. Thank you, Arc, "It's the main reason why I could use them effectively, and counter other users. Thinking did much to accelerate the process of learning her style, but I needed to be tutored from the start in order to do so. It only took three months before I started pulling my weight in the physical department."

I chuckled, once again catching the pair off-guard. Really; I'm a little bit tipsy–did they really expect me to act like a stern, unyielding member of the faculty? If so, then their assumption makes me sad. I'm not Glynda, alright? "Time-by-time however, Tyre would disappear from our radar, saying that she had some sort of 'personal mission' to uphold. So, the rest of us got curious and tailed her. You know what we got? The hardheaded redhead that wouldn't yap about beating my ass was excitedly showing around a little girl on Vacuo's streets."Pyrrha's eyes widened as I shot a finger gun towards her, popping my mouth before taking another drink out of my flask. "Right-o. That was you, Pyrrha."

My gaze glanced towards my watch, its face telling me that it was already close to the designated time. I gulped down the rest of my flask, the tipsy smile on my face now fading into a neutral line as I became fully drunk. "Since I want to preserve your innocence in front of your partner over here, I'm not telling anything else. Now go back to bed you two; I'm going to stay here and knock myself out. If I'm late in my classes, you know where to look for me."

The two blinked and glanced towards one another, but they knew that I wasn't one to be convinced. They stood up, thanking me for my time as they exited the rooftop and began walking downstairs. Once I couldn't hear their footsteps, the alarm on my clock began to blare, and Neo came in with a shatter of glass. Beside her was a finely-dressed gentleman, wearing a white suit and hat, a wide grin on his face while he twirled his cane. "Lovely night today, isn't it Acht?"

"It is", I replied with a smile, handing my flask over to him. Roman took it without so much as a fuss of complaint, and promptly crashed in the spot next to me. Neo sat on the space between us, and downed a gulp as well when Roman finished a gulp. "Moon's still as cracked as ever, humanity's still as shitty as ever, and the only thing that's stopping me from just joining you on your escapades is because I'm still on the trail." Neo tossed the flask back to me, and the two thieves pulled out their own flasks, making me scowl at the two of them while they laughed.

Silence echoed through the still air of the rooftop for a few moments, before I took another sip of my flask and held it out to the shattered moon. It had been an interesting marker that I wasn't where I was supposed to be, but now staring at it just gave me a hint of nostalgia from the past. A lonely classroom. A regal beauty reading a book. A cheerful woman trying to engage me in her affairs. A teacher that wore a labcoat and tutted me as her favorite. A little sister that had my back."I'm close now." I said, my voice hollow while my fingers gripped the flask tighter, "…Here's to the rest of you. Tyre. Ornus."

""For THOR.""

We held our flasks to the night sky, and we drank every last bit of our flasks. The moment I leaned back against the wall and turned towards the thieving duo, Roman and Neo were already gone.

[This War of Mine]

The tournament is an opportune time to spread the ideas of peace…and it could also be easily turned around into an affair of horror and despair. This Vytal festival seems to be a bit of both. I have no idea why the festival hasn't been canceled yet despite the Grimm invasion that just happened two months ago, but I'd like to think that the upper-level management for Vale is thoroughly run by brain-dead , I do agree on the sentiment that it includes the Headmaster, considering that he was still doing squat in finding the threat that was literally under his watch.

Currently, I'm stuck on guard duty, watching with my hands stuffed in my pockets as a magical girl in the shape of a young woman rush along the streets of Vale, being thoroughly entranced by the banners and the clutter that littered the festival. It was supposed to be Qrow's shift, but then dad just had to greet his old buddy-slash-friend Taiyang, and so dumped the task on me even though his reason wasn't a valid excuse for such an important matter.

…Or, he just wanted to get away from the crazy Schnee lady who's currently beside me. "And that, is why Qrow Branwen is the most callous, undisciplined, immoral, vulgar, and immature Huntsman that I have ever met in my life. I pity you for being related to him by adoption."

I sigh. As much as I don't want to sound like Qrow, I am pretty sure that the entirety of the Schnee family is composed of uptight, holier-than-thou assholes that needed someone to pull the stick out of their asses. Pride was going to kill them in the line of duty, that's for sure; and with someone like Whitley Schnee being considered to be the heir of the SDC, the once prestigious company had now sunk a whole new low that I hadn't even anticipated.

"Sure", came my reply, and Winter Schnee immediately turned around to give me the coldest of stares. However, another flash of memory came, this one of a black-haired woman doing the same thing, and I found the latter to be more convincing rather than…whatever the Atlesian Specialist was currently , compared to the woman currently in my mind, Winter was nothing more than a puppy. In any case, I avoided her stare by going after Amber, catching the woman's dress by the collar before she could binge on some very unhealthy food choices. Since when did I bother about diets, you ask? Well, I had to have some kind of excuse.

"Amber, can you get that creepy, silver-haired woman off my tail?" I asked, a thumb pointed towards the Schnee on guard duty. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her scowl, and a smirk formed on my own face. Yeah, I could see why Qrow likes to mess with her. Not even a few minutes since we met each other, and she was already wound-up like the launching pads by the cliffs.

"No", she replied, her delight as clear as day while she ignored my plight in favor of gorging down on the food that she ate. I sighed, glancing towards my watch, counting down the minutes before I was done guarding Amber and make out with my veritable sheets of paperwork that Glynda foisted onto me (which was foisted onto her by Oobleck, Port, and the Headmaster) had grown during the past week since the Amity Colosseum arrived. Log-in reports, check-out reports, certificates that allowed someone to hold a stall somewhere in the city…I was reminded of the person that I didn't want to become.

My old self was right; to work is to lose. He just hadn't specified on which aspects of life I would lose in response to work.

"Amber, please." I said, and if my voice sounded like I was pleading, then it was most likely due to my vocal cords straining under the weight of my words, "You owed me a favor. I'm using it right here, right now, so that I won't be paired up with that Schnee."She kept on eating, humming in pleasure once she bit into a chiffon cake, and I grumbled to let my displeasure show, "That's it. I'm spilling it all out to Qrow."

The threat seemed to work, since a wall of wind blocked my path before I even took a step. I smirked, turned towards her, and crossed my arms over my chest. "Oh, what's this? She doesn't want me to butter her up towards the one guy that she's taken a liking to?"Hazel skin flushed at the insinuation, and I dropped the act almost instantly. "Look, even though Qrow and I are at at…odds, right nowdue to my unannounced career change, he's still my father– even if he was the one who adopted me from the orphanage. I'm sure I could put a good word in." I paused, "All I need you to do is to make sure that I won't be bothered by Winter Schnee until circumstances force me to…again."

The Fall Maiden seemed to get the idea, if her sigh as any indication. "For the record", she began, "I could've taken them." It was a lie; I came across Amber once again when one of their attackers was about to unleash some type of Grimm parasite. "Second of all…thank you for that." She turned her gaze away from me, and stared at the various foodstuffs arrayed in front of her. "And third of all, I'd like to thank you for convincing Ozpin to let me out from my temporary lodgings. It's been so long since I've eaten something by my own free will." She pulled out her scroll, quickly typing a few choice words to the Headmaster himself, before pocketing it with a malicious smirk on her face."Now you owe me two favors, Acht."

"Now state your terms", I deadpanned, already used to the routine. She smirked, and I was proud that I could see just a little bit of myself in her. It couldn't change the fact that I was dealing with an actual witch however, and so I needed to pay my dues.

"Now, treat me for today."

As much as my wallet tried to disagree, I ended up nodding in response to her terms.

[This War of Mine]

I knew that something was wrong the moment I woke up and my eyes twitched. They didn't do such a thing normally, and the last time they did...It was the day when the Academy fell. It was just a bad feeling to be sure, but I wasn't going to leave things up to chance. Obviously, I couldn't talk to Ozpin about this, or else I'd be strapped to an interrogation table faster than I can blink. "What to do, what to do…"

My thumb brushed over my contacts, and my lips pursed into a thin line. Eventually, I sent a couple of messages to Amber, Roman, and Neo, hoping that they'd get the thinly-veiled hint and do what comes next. Roman of course, still being imprisoned in an Atlas airship, would no doubt get the message from Neo herself. Now all that's left to do is to supervise over the tournament.

Which of course, being in the cargo hold of the Amity Coliseum, meant checking each and every single parcel that comes in from the ports. A thankless job- and one that most likely grinds my gears rather than anything else, really, but an important one nonetheless. Security in Vale was lax, even after the Breach incident, and it only made others more complacent in the apparent 'security' that Atlas provided. Which meant that ones with illegal dealings could come in pretty much undetected. I had already detained fifty people with known affiliations with the White Fang in the past few hours, and I was already tired of hearing their dogma for the nth time.

My eyes closed, a hand pinching the bridge of my nose in exasperation while I rounded another corner. I was now checking the area where the containers coming from the ports were stored, and my eyes couldn't stop itching. It was actually getting annoying, and I couldn't help but rub my eyes every time it happened. Once again, I turned another corner, checking if people were coming onto my position, and immediately brought up my Scroll to check up on the tournament.

Honestly, I didn't want to slack off on the job, but there was nothing to do anyway except for trying to live a banal life. I wasn't going to check up on RWBY- gods know that they don't need the help, and I don't bother to socialize with anyone related to Qrow. No, I was looking for JNPR's performance instead, checking up on Tyre's sister and my little protege. The Arc was already close to Tyre's sister in strength, no doubt due to his ceaseless dedication to work and the grueling training that I foisted onto him, and he might probably give her a good fight now. Just their team match against BRNZ was enough for me to snort as to how it was terrifyingly easy for him to hold off all of their frontliners while the others took the opposing sniper. On their duos, it turned out that both Arc and Pyrrha rammed through their opponents barely even five minutes in.

Currently, I was watching the live feed, which was Pyrrha against an opponent from Atlas. Granted, she was the better fighter of her team, and so it was natural that she be led into the singles rounds...

...The viewing feed changed from the fight itself to the image of a queen piece, berating the Hunters under Ozpin's care. My Semblance spiked up, and my eyes began to pound against my head, causing me to lean against a random container that came in from an SDC shipment from Vale itself.

Just before a clawed arm emerged from inside the container itself, and slashed towards me.

[This War of Mine]

I don't teach. Teaching is the act of making sure that you understand your student's flaws, and guide them to be a better person. No, what I had done was just to guide them, doing nothing but urge them on the right direction, and allowing them the freedom to choose their destinations. It turns out however, that guiding people was the best thing that I can do in order to let them grow as people. I was already too jaded; too selfish to care. There was nothing I could do except support them from the backlines with the smile, all the while planning for this very day to come.

Finally, revenge was at hand.

My wish was selfish, I know. But it is this selfishness that drove me to become a 'human' rather than a 'monster of logic' that the others had called me once upon a time. However, it was also due to this selfishness that I had placed the ones that I had associated with to harm...But I won't regret my decisions, nor the consequences that arose from them. I was done with running away from the past; from deciding that it would be better if I were to keep the pain to myself rather than share the burden with everyone else.

I was done letting the most important people to me die under my watch.

"Professor...Acht?" A clash of sparks diverted the obsidian arrow directed towards Pyrrha's chest, the arrow promptly fading towards obsidian dust. I stared into the mastermind of this entire operation to retrieve the powers of the Fall Maiden- one that cost the lives of both humans and Faunus alike. Dark orbs stared into amber eyes, the latter gleaming with some sort of recognition...and a hint of fear. Good. This would be quick.

Aura reserves dropped to their original levels, manifesting as a cloak of blades that stood behind me like servants before a king. I charged, a burst of Aura at my feet allowing me to move past her defenses. My dagger gleamed, striking upwards in an arc of bronze, yet it was quickly deflected by an obsidian blade. Another made way to my liver, and the cloak of blades moved, forcing her to back off lest she be impaled by a hail of blades. "Cinder Fall", I stated, my voice devoid of any inflection while my cloak of blades moved back to their original position. Another blade forged from my soul appeared in my off-hand, and I pointed it towards her. "How lovely of you to orchestrate all of this planning just for me."

She didn't speak. Most likely, she was trying to discern my capabilities. I would give her no time to do that.

Blades surged in a wave of dark gray, hitting different parts of her body at slightly different times. It was a testament to her skill that she had deflected them with nothing but her blades, but it didn't save her from my steel. A mental command surged through the deflected swords of Aura, their directions righted towards their owner's target, and surged forward with renewed vigor. I swung as well, my twin swords managing to scrape her sides while she was busy deflecting the oncoming blades. Her amber eyes swung towards me with rage, and the floating swords around her immediately transmuted into chains that held her in place.

The blade in my hand dispelled, and I pulled out a sleek revolver that was heavier than my sword. I aimed it towards her heart. "A question before you die", I said, a smirk on my face that was on the wrong side of vicious, "Do you believe in destiny?"

Amber eyes glared in defiance, and I knew the answer. The trigger was pressed, and the loud bang of the gun rang throughout the stage of the Amity Colosseum. Her body limped to the ground, the hole in her chest notifying me that it was dead, but I liked to make sure. The chains wrapped completely around her body, leaving just her neck exposed to the cool afternoon air of autumn, and my shortsword raised to cleave. Before I swung, I turned towards Pyrrha, who was watching the scene with a look of horror on her face. My lips pursed, and I spoke.

"You might want to look away."

[This War of Mine]

"Do you believe in destiny?"

I reached the top of Ozpin's tower, now ruined by the Grimm dragon that was perched on its peak. My Semblance thrummed in response to my wish, humming with a barely-audible sound that urged me to face it head-on. Roman and Neo hadn't planted the virus into the Command Center for the Atlesian Knights and Paladins, and so they were currently pacifying the Grimm at Vale's walls along with Amber. From here, I can still see the lightning that poured down from the storm above, cutting large swathes across the tide of black that stretched across the horizon.

"Why would I believe in such a farcical thing as destiny? It sounds like something that a fatalist would say, something like 'There's no point in doing this because it's all destined for me to do this anyways'. It makes people lazy, incompetent, and unwilling to change things for the better...You know, I'd definitely believe in destiny right now if my destiny was to be a househusband."

"You're still going on about that, Acht?"

My breath hitched at the sudden influx of memories, causing me to stumble forward. The sound of the pebble hitting against the tiled floor must've been a shockwave in the current situation, since red eyes filled with intelligence opened, and snarled with hate. A smirk formed on my face, more out of nervousness than an assured victory more than anything else.

"...Why do you call yourself 'Acht'?"

"From where I come from, it means 'eight'."

"I see. But you still haven't answered the question yet."

"There's nothing to answer about the question, Tyre. It's just one of your musings again. Just go to sleep."

A hand placed itself over my heart, and I took a deep breath as my Aura flared around me. The sound of the dragon's roar was rendered silent amidst my focus, my soul thrumming against my physical container. Moments passed as I searched deep inside me for the words that I would use in this situation, and I disregarded the thump that barely-registered in my field of vision. The dragon's claws wouldn't hurt me; the amount of Grimm currently in the area made sure that it couldn't lay a finger on me.

Something in me clicked, and I began to speak. The words that would let my soul manifest onto reality. "For in this moment, you stand against the unwavering tides of your enemies."

"Come on, Acht. I've already asked this question to Roman and Ornus. You're the only one left that I haven't asked yet."

"How did you even ask Ornus the question? You know he can't speak, right?"

"...Hachiman, answer the question."

A pulse echoed throughout Vale, the energy appearing as motes of gray light that slowly converged on my position. Nevertheless, I let go of the minute detail and continued speaking, "Without your tools and allies, you forge a path through the impossible."

"Fine...Why are you even asking me this question in the first place?"

"I swear, if you don't stop diverting, then I'd...Alright, fine. You know about the Nikos name, right? Oh yeah, you haven't. Well, you see, every single one of us was trained to be Hunters from the start of our lives. By four years old, we were forced to hold a blade. By six, we would be forced into grueling training by our parents. By twelve, we were facing against Grimm on a daily basis, training our instincts and our skills more out of necessity than anything else. By sixteen, I had enough and left. Far away from my parents, far away from wherever they can find me, and in the last possible place that they could look. But here I am, training to be a Huntress still...So sometimes, I ask myself: Was I never given a choice in the first place?"

"...Destiny is humanity's scapegoat for whenever things don't go their way. It's our way to cope for the injustice that the world gives in response to our problems. This so-called 'destiny' of yours made me the bane and ire of every group associated with me...up until now. So, no. I don't believe in destiny, while simultaneously I accept that the concept of 'destiny' is required in order for us to continue on living. Nobody likes to blame themselves, after all. It's just what we- no, what humans are."

"Always with the wordplay, Hachiman. But, thanks for the answer."

"...Why does it feel like I haven't answered your question, exactly?"

"Hm, answer that question by yourself."

The motes of gray light coalesced into a single pillar, wrapping around my person like a blanket. It felt warm, almost on the verge of being too hot, but I endured. If I could repay my friend's sister or my protege, then it would most likely by be this. I raised my gun towards the dragon, intent on ending it in one single stroke. "By my By my blessings to your determination, I stand beside you, and protect thee."

My Semblance thrummed to its maximum potential, my Aura skyrocketing as it converted every single presence of Grimm in Vale into my own power. I pulled the trigger of my gun, watching the bullet be coated by my energies as it sheared past the dragon, lighting up Vale's skyline with the light of my Aura. Dull eyes watched as the Grimm dragon roared in rage, lifting its remaining wing towards me, and my eyes pounded into the back of my head, wanting to be released. I sighed as I pulled my glasses down, my dark orbs gaining an ethereal silver hue. Blades of Aura materialized from the saturated air brought about due to my Semblance, and I took a step forward as I brought my blades to bear.

Now that I think about it, a dragon head would make a really good present for Jaune.

[This War of Mine]

'It's that power again', Ozma thought, syncing his senses to that of his current host. The young farm boy was currently watching the news on his parent's Scroll, and it featured a gray beam of light that pierced through Vale's skyline. Inwardly, his brows furrowed in thought. He had sensed that same power during the fall of the Vacuan Academy for Gifted Students about eight years ago. For the same individual to show up just before Vale went down in flames...It was no coincidence.

Ozma's eyes flashed gold, an inward determination to search and if possible, recruit this individual. One could only tell what Salem could do with such a person by her side...

[This War of Mine]

Salem's eyes narrowed, her frustration leaking into the Seer and causing it to pop like a cherry. That was two. Two of her most vaunted lieutenants, snuffed out like a flame. Her displeasure seemed to echo across the conference room, and both Tyrian and Hazel stood straight, wanting to escape but couldn't. A moment or two passed with the two of them alive, and they both sagged their shoulders in relief.

"Find me the one responsible for this." She ordered, with inhuman red eyes locking onto Hazel's position. "A diplomatic approach to recruit him to our cause would be..most constructive. Beware however. It would seem like this individual had the certain characteristics of Watt's runaway. I would like to punish him for his inability to be thorough with his work, but as you can see-" She gestured around the room, "-he is dead, just like Cinder. Therefore, I would like you to exercise caution when dealing with this man. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Mistress." Hazel said, standing up and making his way out of the room. Salem frowned, summoning another Seer from the depths of her tower, and coerced it to show the events currently happening in Vale. A beam of gray light, strong enough to pierce the clouds and render them meaningless against the power of the Grimm dragon that Cinder had awoken. Another, smaller beam flashed through her vision next, and a white noise pounded against her temple, causing blood to dribble down her nose. Instincts flared, and the Grimm nature in her roared for the blood of the one responsible, but her rationality allowed her to calm down.

"A Silver-Eyed Warrior, in this day and age..." She intoned, her voice growing dark as her gaze snapped to the scorpion faunus. "Tyrian. Search for this individual, and eliminate them immediately. I want you to be thorough and make sure that whoever they are, return their head to me on a pike. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Mistress." Tyrian cackled with glee, before sprinting out of the conference room with haste in his step. Salem could only sigh, moving her gaze out of the window, towards where her dominion once stood, now blackened by the God of Darkness's influence.

Once again, she was alone, in her tower, once more...