Six months after the tragedy of Vale City, the Beacon Academy, once bustling with activity, was now quiet, almost eerily so. The refugees that were sheltered here for the first two or three months since the invasion, recovering from both physical and mental wounds, were now gone, taken to safer places within the Kingdom. The guests from other combat schools had also returned home over time. Those who remained, the personnel and students of Beacon, spent most of their time in the field, often being gone for days before coming back. The usual way of teaching, in the classroom, grew more sparse because the area around Beacon and now ruined Vale City had suddenly become far more dangerous. Beacon's curriculum had to incorporate more practical aspects, which meant more field missions. As a result, the campus seemed almost devoid of life during daytime.
And things were no more different on this particular day.
The campus was illuminated by warm yellow sunlight as the day drew to an end. It was at this time, an early evening, when a lone figure walked towards the Beacon tower. The enormous structure stood tall with its uppermost portion gone. There was simply not enough materials and manpower to rebuild the destroyed CCT transmitter. While communication with it was possible to contact nearest cities and settlements, thanks to the effort of Atlesian engineers, the communications with other Kingdoms were still down. Therefore, the damage inflicted during the Grimm invasion still remained unrepaired.
The figure stopped a short distance from the tower's entrance, right at the shallow crater filled with dark grey dust; the only thing that remained of the wyvern Grimm that sought to claim Beacon for itself. Just a few feet further, there was a spot where cobbles were torn out and strewn around. The figure sighed and walked towards it.
"I can't believe I actually came here..."
A quiet feminine voice cut through the silence.
This place held a personal significant to the girl, the only living being present near the tower. It was right here when her dreams and aspirations were almost shattered exactly six months ago. In many ways it was like seeing a ghost.
Her ill-thought out attempt to kill Cinder Fall ended with both her legs shattered and a painful, lengthy recovery in Beacon's infirmary. Nearly being lamed for life and losing all chances of becoming a Huntress alone were bad enough. But worse things followed afterwards; losing her home and her family that nearly crushed her resolve and made her wonder if there even was a point to everything she did. If the Hunters couldn't stop the 'bad guys' from laying waste to the city then what they were good for?
The girl knelt down at the damaged pavement. She sighed deeply as she touched the uncovered ground. Not many could live through the kind of things she experienced without losing their sanity in the process. In fact, she was wondering herself why she didn't break down. They were all young, too young to be risking their lives in the hairiest of fights.
But in spite of all that, she came back from what she saw as her rock-bottom. And right now, she was standing at the place where six months ago she almost met her end.
Tatianna Marina Fuchsia Griffon rose up and walked towards the entrance to the tower. No, it was simply 'Tanya' these days. Thinking of her full name just brought memories of the woman that gave her this ridiculous name. Her mother, for whom she developed bitter resentment after she abandoned her family without a word, hours before Vale City fell. She didn't know where the woman was now, and she didn't even care at this point. More important was 'here' and 'now.'
The infirmary, where she spent the first few weeks after her brush with death, was like her own personal hell... and she would never escape that place if it weren't for her friends and her brother, the only close family she had left. Only thanks to them she was able to break out of her slump and realize that she didn't want to spend the rest of her days wasting away.
oOo
Tanya stared back at the younger girl before her, unable to believe what she was hearing. Team TNDR, her team, would be going on a mission... and without her. To be fair, she was in no condition to be taking missions, and she damn well knew it. No, what really got to her was the fact that Coco-freaking-Adel was put in charge of the guys, her guys...
She heaved a sigh, trying to clear her agitated mind. She couldn't fathom how her team could work with Adel in charge. The girl could be abrasive and bossy, sometimes outright ignoring other people's opinions. But most of all, it was the thought of being replaced, albeit temporarily, that didn't sit well with her. It wasn't right, not after all that team TNDR went through.
"Tan, it's gonna be fine!" Ruby Rose babbled on, as if sensing her inner turmoil. "Goodwitch said Coco will be in charge only for this mission. It's not like it's gonna be permanent or-"
Tanya couldn't listen any more. This was exactly what she was afraid of when she got landed in the infirmary; laying here being useless while people she cared about were out there fighting for their lives. What if her presence in the battle were the only thing that could stop the worst from happening? No, she couldn't stay here any longer.
"Ruby, get me my crutches."
The girl was stunned for a moment before starting to protest. "B-but the doctors said you weren't allowed to leave just yet-"
"The crutches. Please." Tanya said firmly. Ruby gulped and did as asked.
Moments later Tanya was swinging her legs over the edge of her bed... or trying to. Her left leg, which was still healing after the latest surgery, was enclosed in a heavy brace and rendered immobile. It would be hard to move about dragging a weight like that. But Tanya didn't care; she needed out. Besides, even if the doctors didn't say it aloud, her right left was already healed. Even on one leg she could move.
Her bare feet touched the ground. Leaning on the crutches, she made a small hesitant step, taking care not to put weight on her injured leg.
Ignoring Ruby's fretting, she took another step, a bit longer. And another.
A grin formed on her face. She was going to do this.
oOo
People say the first step in solving a problem is acknowledging you have a problem. This wisdom couldn't be any truer.
That day, Tanya had to endure a severe tongue-lashing after one of the nurses saw her 'escape attempt.' But she didn't care; it was worth it.
From that day onward, everyday she would try walking a short distance on her own, without help. While her friends encouraged her, doctors disapproved. But that wouldn't stop her, of course. Her stubborness eventually got her into quite a predicament when she gathered enough courage to venture out into the hall. One of her crutches got caught by a doorframe and she nearly fell on her face... right in front of Acting Headmistress Goodwitch.
At the time, she was afraid that she might've overdone it... but in hindsight, that incident was a blessing in disguise.
Eventually her left leg finally healed up and she could try walking again after weeks of being bed-ridden. Goodwitch took it upon herself to oversee her recovery process. At the beginning it was simply about making sure Tanya wouldn't hurt herself and end up in the infirmary again. As her weakened muscle started adapting to the strain Goodwitch came up with a workout routine that would help her get back into shape. It was far from easy, though; during the first few days she could hardly walk at all after being done. The workout was just that gruelling. Tanya wouldn't let it discourage her though, not when she had people encouraging her to keep going. She wanted back into action and would let nothing get in the way of that.
Later on, when the workout got even more intense and she could finally start doing some light combat training, Goodwitch decided to add Aura exercises to her daily routine. Although Tanya knew her Semblance and used it many times to great effect, Goodwitch asserted she still hadn't reached her full potential... and naturally, she aimed to change that.
If working out was hard, then Aura training proved to be many times worse. Goodwitch required her to put all her effort into testing her Semblance's limits and wasn't willing to settle for anything less. Though it was during those private sessions when the usually stern and sometimes terrifying professor showed the softer side of her personality.
oOo
A little over half an hour. That was all it took for her to end up on her knees, panting with exertion. It was better than a week ago when she nearly blacked out after barely fifteen minutes. Still, Tanya knew she could do far better than this.
"I think it's time for a break, Miss Griffon." Goodwitch said as she pulled the young student back on her feet.
"No, I can keep going..." Tanya protested weakly but the professor would have none of it.
"You won't do anyone a favor by working yourself to death. We both know this."
She was surprised by the softness in her voice. With a quiet sigh she relented. Maybe Goodwitch was right; what good would she do if she dropped dead of exhaustion before even getting a chance of getting back in combat?
Over the course of a week, Tanya learned a lot of things about her Semblance which allowed her to manipulate air. It proved to be extremely useful due to its versatility and she already learned many ways to use it. To propel herself in any direction, to knock enemies off their feet, to throw stuff (and people) around, or even to break her own fall. Goodwitch even pointed out it could be used to augment her attacks by focusing it around her arms. It was a more advanced technique, focused on finesse rather than brute strength, but she was getting the hang of it.
Despite all that, Tanya felt like there was a lot of untapped potential to her Semblance. If only there was any way to discover it...
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the professor levitate one of the mats and move it to the pile in the corner of the training room. Normally, she would think nothing of it... but right now, this sight provided her with an idea.
Can I do that with myself?
She stood up from the bench and closed her eyes, focusing on the air surrounding her body. What she wanted to do was pretty similar to the bursts of wind she'd use to move around quickly. But what she wanted to try out required more concentration. No violent wind-blast to propel her face-first into the ceiling; just enough power to lift herself off the floor...
Moments later Tanya felt the pressure of air on her lower body, but her feet remained firmly planted on the floor.
I need a bit more power...
She concentrated even harder, trying to generate enough power to lift her off the ground. But still nothing and she was starting to feel lightheaded...
Then it happened.
With a sudden jolt, her boots left the ground.
The sudden loss of contact with the floor almost broke Tanya's concentration and made her fumble for balance as she hang just a few inches in the air. It startled her for a moment, only to realize what was happening.
She used even more power, ignoring the growing feeling of pressure inside her head. The air beneath her feet flowed upwards, pushing her even higher. The feeling of pressure slowly turned into a pounding headache, reminding her that she was hitting her limits. But she didn't care.
Oh my god, I'm flying! I'm actually flying!
Tanya opened her eyes. She needed to see this for herself.
She found herself levitating some five or six feet above the floor. The realization of what she just accomplished hit her like a ton of bricks. With enough training, this could give her a new edge in a fight. Hell, she could be nigh unstoppable!
The impressive feat was rapidly draining her strength yet she still decided to experiment. Direct the air slightly to her back to move herself forward...
In that precise moment, the Aura failed her. The flow of air that suspended her above the floor suddenly disappeared and she found herself falling.
Only to stop mere inches above the floor.
It was Goodwitch's timely intervention that saved her from a world of pain.
On the verge of blacking out, Tanya felt someone pick her up. She knew who it was and she would get a good scolding. But she was too tired to care.
With a blissful smile, she drifted off to sleep.
oOo
All in all, Tanya felt pretty proud of herself and her newfound ability and not even the scolding from Goodwitch spoiled that. She was still ways away from mastering self-levitation but that was okay. Only knowing she could do it was enough.
Her training went exceptionally well and she found herself getting back into shape faster than she thought, considering the severity of her injuries. However, doctors weren't so optimistic and forced her to wear special braces on both her legs that reached above her knees and also doubled as boots. They were supposed to strengthen and protect the weakened bones in her legs; useful in theory but Tanya found it to be more of a hindrance. The additional weight, even though not much, affected her speed and agility and she didn't quite like it. In the end she had little choice but to wear the braces during training just to get used to them. On the other hand, it was nowhere as bad as the disgusting concoction the doctors made her take every other day. It was supposed to speed up bone tissue regeneration but sometimes she had a feeling it was made specifically to make her sick...
Compared to the progress she made since leaving the infirmary, these things were but an annoyance.
Soon enough, she was allowed to train with her teammates and friends. Facing them in the arena after her long absence was difficult... but she never liked to back down from a challenge. Not to mention they all needed to learn from one another if they were to stand a chance against the bastards who destroyed Vale City and almost laid waste to Beacon, too.
Back in the present, Tanya took in the mess that Cinder made when she burst through the Beacon tower; nobody bothered to repair the damage. So many people had to die... and for what? Because they stood in the way of Cinder's mad power grabbing trip? Tanya would love nothing more than to find her, beat her down and stomp on her face, repeatedly... But she vanished and no one knew her whereabouts. So all of Beacon's effort was used to combat White Fang, yet another monster waiting to be slain.
Indiscriminate killing of both humans and the Faunus that chose not to get involved, raiding settlements, and even rumors about their involvement with slave trafficking... There might be no pure evil but the Fang had come pretty close to that.
But things were rather quiet since the Grimm invasion half a year ago. That is, if one didn't count the sudden disappearance of Cardin Winchester; his remaining teammates didn't know where he was so he was listed as MIA for now. But he could've been dead for all they knew, which would be no surprise since he was all too good at making enemies.
But anyway, there was no major incident or attack on the school. And missions usually consisted of weeding out Grimm, salvaging supplies, or an occasional crackdown on White Fang.
Not her, though. She wasn't allowed to partake in missions until two months after being released from the infirmary; something about observing her state of health until she was one hundred percent okay. It didn't sit well with her but at least she was allowed to train and there was no shortage of sparring partners. Most of all though, she enjoyed practicing hand-to-hand combat with Arslan Artan, a guest student from Mistral. Tanya met her in a gym during the Tournament and though they were simply sparring partners at first, it soon became a fast friendship, especially when Arslan frequently helped her train during her recovery.
The problem was that Tanya developed feelings for the Mistrali girl, which left her in a difficult position. Should she tell her or not? Arslan never gave any sign she might return her feelings... or she wasn't even aware of how she felt her about her. But how could Tanya tell when she had no experiences on relationships? The fear of rejection made her think that it might be better if Arslan never knew... But bottling it up might bring her as much pain as being rejected, if not more.
And time seemed to prove it...
When even Arslan herself noticed she wasn't quite herself, Tanya made a decision to confess everything. All she needed was to gather enough courage to speak up.
Unfortunately for her, the world had other plans.
oOo
Arslan caught up with her while she was on the way to her dorm. As always Tanya was delighted to see her... but the smile froze on her lips once she saw her expression. Arslan never was one to openly show her emotions but right now she was visibly upset.
And that didn't bode well.
"What's the matter, Arslan?"
The Mistrali student heaved a shuddering sigh. "I got a letter from professor Lionheart, the headmaster of Haven." She said in a small voice, unable to meet her eyes.
In a sudden moment of clarity, Tanya just knew what it was about... but couldn't quite believe it.
No, not yet... this is too soon...
"He- he's calling all Haven students back." Arslan finished, shoulders slumped in resignation. "We have an hour to pack and airship will take us back to Mistral."
Tanya stood frozen in the hallway. This isn't true. It can't be...
"Tan... I'm sorry. I really am." The blonde said quietly. "But it's an order; nothing I can do."
Tears were pricking at her eyes. She couldn't stop them. Why? Why now, of all times?
"I can't go against the headmaster... I'd stay here if I could, you know this."
Her attempt at consolation didn't seem to work. This isn't fair...
Arslan took Tanya's hands into hers. And the next thing she knew she found herself being pulled into a tight hug by the other girl, the suddenness of the action startling her a bit.
Tanya buried her face into her shoulder, trying to get her tears under control. She hated it when someone saw her cry; it wasn't something befitting a fighting woman who was literally a whirlwind on the battlefield.
"Write me once in a while, please..." Damn it, Griffon, is this the best you can do? Tanya scoffed internally at herself.
"I'll try... the least I can do." Arslan chuckled, despite the situation.
Tanya pulled back and looked the blonde straight in the eyes. "The first chance I get, I'll come to Haven, Arslan... and you better be there when I do." She spoke with absolute conviction. When this whole mess with Cinder and the Fang was dealt with, she'd definitely do that.
"I'll be waiting." Arslan replied, glancing at the empty hallway. "Well, I... I gotta go, can't keep my team waiting so... I hope to see you soon." She turned to walk away.
Internally, Tanya was panicking.
There was no way to be sure if she'd ever see her again, the girl that unknowingly stole her heart. Who knows what could happen in the next few years? With how things were going around here, she might be dead before she ever got the chance to visit Haven. Or worse, Arslan might die before she could even see her again.
No, she wasn't ready to tell her how she felt. But this might be the only chance to do so.
So, in her own words, fuck it; she'd rather face rejection now than spend rest of her life in regret.
In one smooth movement, she caught Arslan by the arm before she could retreat and turned her around. Confused, the girl was about to ask what was wrong... and promptly got cut off by a pair of soft lips locking with hers.
In her mind, Tanya was torn between freaking out and marveling on how good Arslan's lips felt. However, her crush was too shocked to even react. Was she too bold? Did she make her uncomfortable? She was waiting for months to do this... but now she felt that maybe this wasn't the best idea. She let the kiss last a few more moments to convey her message and then pulled away. Arslan was stunned beyond any reply, staring back at her with wide eyes.
Damn, I've done it now...
Cupping Arslan's face with one hand, Tanya leaned in to whisper "I love you, Ars... Stay safe." Then she turned on her heel and walked away, fighting her urge to turn back.
oOo
Kicking away a burned out piece of computer, Tanya turned back to the entrance. There was nothing more to see there, anyway.
She had trouble sleeping for days after her sudden confession to Arslan. The act wasn't well thought out and she couldn't help it but think it might've made things worse. She could've done this earlier and taken the time to explain herself... But no; acting on an impulse, she just dropped the proverbial bomb and ran away like a coward. As days went by, the anger at said mess-up ebbed away but she couldn't stop thinking about it... how she messed up the chances with the girl that was literally one-of-a-kind.
Only the letter from said girl that arrived two weeks after that event brought her some peace. Tanya read through it the moment it got in her hands. Arslan wrote about how her team went back to business-as-usual after coming back home, how the headmaster questioned them about the Grimm invasion and fall of Vale and other stuff, too... But what stuck in her mind was the words at the end.
'I'd like you to know that if- when you ever show up in Haven, I want to talk about what happened between us the day I left Beacon. Before you even ask, I'm not mad or anything... I just have a feeling there was a lot of things left unsaid and I don't want to leave it like that. Let us talk, see where things stand, and... I guess we'll see. Just don't keep me waiting.'
It was nice to know Arslan held no grudge against her but Tanya couldn't help it but feel afraid. The way she worded it... She didn't know what to expect. In spite of that, she wanted to do nothing more than go to Mistral and visit Arslan, talk to her... or kiss her, if she was lucky. Alas, she had commitments here and couldn't afford to just leave.
But once an opportunity presents itself... nothing would hold her back.
The Scroll in her pocket suddenly began ringing. No doubt it was one of her gang.
Not even looking at the display, Tanya fished the device out and accepted the call. "Yeah?"
"Where are you at, Skipper?" It was her teammate and long-time friend, Roland Peregrine. "It's time for our sparring hour and we couldn't find you anywhere!"
Oh right, she completely forgot about that. "Yeah, I just went out for a little stroll... I'm at the Beacon tower right now, was feeling a little nostalgic," That was one way of putting it, and- Did she just hear a giggle in the background? "Just sit tight and I'll find you... eventually." She replied nonchalantly.
"Ok, cool. Meet us at our dorm. We gotta take care of something first. See ya!" The call ended.
Pocketing the Scroll, Tanya turned around and headed back to the dorms. As she glanced one more time at the ruined structure, one thought went through her mind.
This is not going to happen again. Not while I'm around.