Chapter 4: dark semblance/ Ferris meets the little sun dragon.

Hey guys and girls. Sorry it's been so long since my last post. I recently had a baby and it is amazing how much time they can manage to suck up. LOL. Not that I'm not ecstatic to have him just that there is a whole lot less free time to write. Add to that a little bit of writers block and it makes for a long time between posts. I appreciate all the return viewers who have been bearing with me, and to any new viewers, welcome. Here is the fourth chapter of team GREF. As always please review. Any productive criticism, opinions, and ideas are appreciated. Hope you enjoy.

He could hear the whispers coming from the impermeable darkness. He could not discern what they were saying, but he could feel each voice calling to him, drawing him toward them. He didn't want to go to them. Every instinct he had told him that those whispers would only bring misery and pain. He could feel his body acting on it's own, moving towards the voices. He fought with all of his will to regain control but his body would not stop moving toward the voices.

Tendrils of the shadows snaked out and wrapped around his arms and legs. Where they touched he saw his skin turn stark black, and as he watched white bone plates began to grow. Terror welled within him and with a force of will he jerked his arms away from the darkness-

Ferris woke abruptly when he struck the floor. He searched frantically around him. The shadows and whispers were gone, and all that remained was the terror sweat as he lay on the floor of the dorm room he had gone to sleep in that night.

The night after the entrance ceremony the new teams were shown to their dormitories. The the girls of Team GREF took the right side of the room leaving the left side to the boys. A curtain was rigged up, with some spare blankets, that could be drawn back during the day. Taking turns showering, they each collapsed onto their beds, falling asleep quickly after the long day of hiking and strenuous combat.

Ferris rose from the floor, listening carefully to be sure he hadn't woken the girls on the other side of the curtain. Hearing their steady breathing he got back in bed to go back to sleep. He paused when he spotted a glint of light coming from the bed next to his. Grear was laying there, silent and still, watching him.

"Can't sleep?" Ferris asked.

"Being cautious. I know some people come out of their dreams swinging, and I've seen what you can do." Grear said, his distrust painted in his tone.

"You can relax. I won't attack you in my sleep." Ferris countered as he rolled over to go back to sleep. Grear said nothing, but it felt like his silence said more than words could have. Ferris sighed 'This team is going to be more difficult than I thought.'

They awoke early the next morning and dressed in their new school uniforms. Ferris shifted uncomfortably in the restricting clothes as they walked down to the cafeteria for breakfast.

"Quite fidgeting. You're going to tear your jacket if you keep that up." Eclipse said behind him.

"It doesn't let me move." Ferris mumbled.

"I think that might be the point." Grear chuckled.

"I'd be tempted to tear these damn sleeves off, if I didn't think they'd give me detention for it." Ferris said.

"They would probably just make you sew the sleeves back on in detention." Rain said

They got their food and found a place to sit next to team JNPR, opposite team RWBY. Rain began chattering with Nora from team JNPR, while Eclipse pulled out a book and started reading. A few minutes after they started eating Grear set down his fork with a sigh and looked up at Ferris.

"So I've been thinking about something," he said in a low voice. "How often do you lose control?"

This stopped Ferris mid bite. He set down his own fork. "What do you mean?" He asked guardedly.

"We saw you kill the Death Stalker in the forest." Eclipse stiffened but continued to stare at her book. "You weren't all there were you. I can't say I know what happened there but I know well enough that you are dangerous, and not just to the Grimm. If you're going to be watching my back at any point I need to know, not think, know that you won't lose control and kill all of us with the Grimm."

Ferris stared at Grear for a moment trying to decide how much he was going to tell Grear. "It's my semblance. Near limitless strength and healing. But I can't control it, so I try not to use it. It's tied to my emotions, so I have to hold myself back a little, force myself to keep control at all times."

Grear didn't look convinced. "We'll see. Until then I'm going to be keeping an eye on you."

Ferris grunted and went back to eating. Those thoughts had plagued him before, could he ever learn to use his semblance without it hurting the people around him? He finished his breakfast deep in thought, worrying over it without seeing any solution.

Their first class went by in utter boredom. Professor Port spent most of it droning on about how he caught a Beowulf in his youth, Ferris was half asleep long before the end of it. A beep on the Professor's scroll brought him to a stuttering halt. Muttering his disgruntlement at having his class disrupted, he slid it open. "Mr Pyrites. Professor Ozpin would like to see you in his office. I'm sure your team mates can catch you up on the stunning conclusion to this story later. You are excused."

Ferris couldn't imagine what the headmaster could want with him in the middle of a class, on the first day no less. He gathered his things and quickly left the classroom. He didn't have anything against the Professor personally but that story was beginning to bore him to death. As he walked through the eerily quiet, and empty hallways his mind couldn't help but wander. Why would Professor Ozpin want to see him? Had he done something wrong? He sighed softly as he reached the elevator that would take him to Ozpin. 'Well, no use dwelling on it.' He thought to himself, as he pushed the button to call the elevator.

When he got to the top he heard a small chime from the other side of the doors and then Ozpin's voice come over a speaker. "Come in." The doors slid open to reveal a large, spacious, and somewhat empty office. Aside from the Professor's desk there were a couple side tables spaced on either side of the elevator doors, but there was nothing else to fill the emptiness of the floor space. A large system of gears and cogs were suspended from the ceiling, to whose purpose Ferris could only wonder. Ozpin stood in front of a large bay window behind his desk, with a mug of steaming liquid. He turned around as Ferris entered the room.

"Ah yes. Mr. Pyrites, please come in." He said gesturing to a chair in front of his desk. Ferris sat down, his mind racing through the possibilities of the conversation to come. "How has your time here at the academy been so far?"

Ferris was somewhat taken aback, surely the professor hadn't pulled him out of class for small talk. "I'd prefer to reserve judgment for the time being, though there has been nothing that I object with so far."

"Good enough answer I suppose. I trust yesterday's initiation wasn't anything too taxing for you. You are after all one of the few students that managed to pass our entrance exam without first attending a combat school."

"It was nothing Rain and I couldn't handle." Ferris said, wondering when the Headmaster would get to the reason he had been summoned here.

"No, I suppose not," Ozpin said gesturing vaguely with his mug. "What concerns me some is the method with which you handled the ... challenges of yesterday's initiation."

He was beginning to see where this was going. "Your semblance is unlike anything that I have encountered." Ozpin said, confirming Ferris' suspicions. "I'd like it if you told me a little about it."

With a heavy sigh he reluctantly began to explain. "The elders in my old village called it a Berserker. They had never seen it either. So far it only activates during times of extreme emotional or physical distress, like when i was about to die from the Deathstalker's stinger. I've also been able to activate it by using meditation to stress my body. "

"While using my semblance I'm able to heal almost any injury that isn't instantly fatal. My strength is also multiplied exponentially. The draw back is that I lose control and attack whatever gets my attention. It's like an animal has taken over my body and I'm just along for the ride. For this reason I try not to use it, except in dire need."

Ozpin nodded. "I thought it might be something like that. It is a disconcerting thought that such a powerful semblance might control the user, rather than the other way round." Ozpin sipped from his mug, thinking for a moment. "I would like it if you would tell me the circumstances by which your semblance was awakened."

"Rain and I grew up outside the kingdoms. Where we are from everyone was tasked with the protection of the village. I was on a patrol with four others. When we were attacked, three of them died in the first couple minutes. The Grimm were so numerous that I couldn't count all of them. During the battle I was stabbed through the chest and some Grimm blood got into the wound. After that I felt the strength fill me and I killed everything in sight."

Ozpin was silent for a few moments, mulling over the information he had been given. "This is a little more serious than I had first thought." He finally said. He continued, slowly, thoughtfully, "I believe your semblance is being fueled by the power of the Grimm. It would explain it's immense power and difficulty to control. That being said I do not believe the solution is to suppress it's use all together. If you are willing I would like to arrange an extra class for you. Something after hours that I, or another professor, could help you practice with your semblance. I believe it would be in the best interest of you and the people around you."

Ferris was tentative about the idea of purposely releasing his semblance around other people. It must have shown in his face because Ozpin continued. "It is not something I want an answer to right away," He assured. "Take the day to think it over and come to me when you have an answer. Just know that I do not believe you will be able to meet your full potential without mastering your semblance."

Ferris gave a nod to acknowledge what the headmaster had said, though he found it unlikely that he would take him up on the offer. "Now unless you have any concerns that you would like to discuss I'm afraid there are some things that I need to be attending to." Ozpin said as he stood up.

Ferris stood, "Thank you for your time, Headmaster." He said, making a small bow.

The ride down the elevator had Ferris just as deep in thought as the ride up had. The headmaster was right, he needed to master the semblance, and for more reasons than just his success as a hunter.

When he exited the elevator he stopped. He didn't want to go back to classes. His head was too full of other things to focus on school work. He wanted time to quiet his mind instead. He went to his dorm room and changed into his black cargo pants and a sleeveless red shirt. He latched on his Armatur Ursai taking a small comfort as it's weight settled onto his shoulders. Finally he shrugged into his worn black leather jacket.

In the next few minutes he was catching an airship into Vale. From the ship station it was only a few minutes walk to his destination. A parking unit where he had left one of his few personal possessions. A motorcycle. He lifted the garage style door and took in the smooth flowing lines of the orange and black steel body. It had been too long.

Pulling his helmet from under the seat he slung his leg over the bike. He strapped on the helmet and started the bike, feeling the rumble of it's engine in his chest. He felt a slight grin beginning to stretch it's way across his face. Slowly pulling out of the unit he rounded the corner and headed for the freeway. As he opened up the throttle he felt his anxieties begin to fall away, being left behind with the passing roadway. It had been far too long.

As the sun began to set, Ferris was riding along the side of the massive lake that separated vale from Beacon. Wanting to watch the sunset he pulled into a overlook. As he came to a stop he noticed a yellow and orange motorcycle, but the rider was nowhere in sight.

Ferris walked over to the railing, that separated the overlook from the grassy descent to the shore of the lake, and gazed out across the water. With the sun's brilliant colors reflecting off the surface of the crystal waters Ferris had to wonder how there could be worries in a world of such immense and awing beauties. Watching the sun slowly fall to meet it's twin on the waters surface, he failed to notice the other figure.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

The voice shook him from his contemplations. Looking down over the rail to it's source Ferris saw a girl, one of the members of Team RWBY. She was laying on the ground facing the sunset, her heart shaped face and big, lustrous lilac eyes turned up to look at him. Her blonde hair fanned out around her, catching the brilliant rays of light and turning each strand into part of the sun itself.

"It is," Ferris said, staring down in awe. "Very beautiful."

"You wanna come down? There's plenty of room." She said, sitting up and moving to the side.

'What could it hurt,' Ferris thought with a shrug. He grabbed the rail and hopped over the rail allowing himself to drop down to the slope below. Landing lightly, he fell back to sit beside the girl.

"I'm Yang." She said holding out her hand.

"Ferris." He said, reaching out and taking her hand. She had a deceptively firm grip for someone with such small hands.

"So what brings you out here, Ferris?"

"Just trying to work some things out." He said staring out over the water. "There's something I should do, I just don't know if I can do it."

"Sounds to me like you might be taking things a little too seriously." Yang said brightly. "Just give it a try and see what happens. You never know what you can do until you try it."

Ferris chuckled sardonically. "Yes, well, that's kind of what I'm afraid of."

Yang laughed lightly, "A big guy like you? Afraid? You are like a mountain." She turned her radiant eyes toward him, " Don't be afraid to fall on your face. Even mountains crumble, but they still are what they are." She turned back to the water.

Ferris waited a moment, "And that would be...?" He asked trying to probe an answer from her.

"An immovable object." She said. "One that is always reaching for the sky." She turned again to look at him, "It's okay to fail Ferris. Don't look at it as a defeat but rather a learning experience. Even if you fall a hundred times you should never be afraid to try again.

"I think you are a little more optimistic than I am." Ferris said, even though he did seem to be feeling better about it. She had a point, it was at least worth trying Ozpin's idea.

"Life is too short to be anything else." She said with a smile. "Besides, things have a way of working out, you'll see."

Ferris nodded, staying quiet. There was nothing more that need be said.

The two sat on the hill quietly enjoying the sunset and each others' company. They watched as the bright oranges faded into brilliant reds, and then to deep solemn purple. As the last crescent of the sun disappeared behind the horizon Ferris stood and stretched. "It's getting late. We should probably be getting back to the academy." He extended his hand down to Yang, helping her to her feet.

They rode there bikes back to the storage structure. As it happened Yang had a unit in the same building. They caught an airship back across the lake and walked the long walkway to the academy entry hall.

"Well this is where we part ways." Ferris said, stopping at the top of the large staircase.

"We should do this again sometime." She said hopefully. "I didn't think anyone else at this school had a bike. It'd be nice to have someone else to ride with."

"That would be nice." He said, returning the smile that she still wore. "Good night Yang."

"Good night Ferris" she said, waving as she sauntered away.

When he walked into the dorm room the curtain had already been drawn and the lights on the girls' side had been turn out. The boys' side however was still lit. Grear looked up from his books at Ferris' entrance, "So where have you been?" He asked mildly.

"I needed some time to myself." Ferris replied defensively. 'Who is he to question where I go?'

"And you couldn't have told us before you disappeared? Rain was starting to get worried about you when you hadn't shown up for dinner." His tone remained even, almost seeming disinterested in the conversation.

"Since when have I ever had to tell anyone where I was going?" Ferris responded, coldly.

"Since we all became a team." This brought him up short. "I can see you're not a team player. Hell, neither am I. In fact I'd make bets that I'm even less of a team player than you are. But we need to learn to play the part. We are all each others' responsibility now. If one of us has a problem we all have a problem." Grear stood take a few steps forward to stand in front of Ferris. "I don't trust you. I'm sorry to say it, but it's the blunt truth. But I will try to work on that, if you can work with me on this whole team work thing." At that Grear held out his hand to him. After a moments hesitation Ferris took it.

Releasing his hand Grear moved to his bed. "Let's get to sleep. It's getting late." He said and turned out the light.

I'm sorry to say I don't know when I'll be posting again. Hopefully soon but I can't make any promises.