Chapter 10

Preparations

A/N: Hey, everyone. It's Aldo7Aces, and I'm glad that I'm presenting this update faster than its predecessors. I want to recommend Porter Robinson's 'Worlds' album. I ship out to boot camp in a month… so yeah… exciting but stressful. I want to get more updates out before I ship, so here's hoping that I can do it. Also, I want to ask you guys for help. I usually come up with the names for everything I make, but this time, I wanted to get an idea from you guys. This chapter, Munsell finishes making his energy SMG and I have a name in mind, but I wanted to somehow get those interested few involved. So, message me weapon names and stuff and I'll pick out a few names and figure out how to pick them. Just read the weapon's description towards the end of the chapter and message me on my social media (all of my accounts are in Chapter 1's A/N, so go there to see what I have besides G-Mail). Also, I might take some of the other names besides the chosen one and use them (or some variation) in the second book in my Sanctuary series if you guys don't mind. Sorry for this long-winded note, so I'll leave you guys to it.

I wake up and I see teams JNPR, RWBY, and the rest of RGNT gathered around me in a U-shape. We're in Beacon's infirmary and by the light pouring in through the windows, it must be a little after today's classes finished. My leg is suspended by a sort of pulley-looking device, a sort of drip attached to my arm and I chuckle, "Whelp… looks like I'm not going to get much walking…"

Jaune asks, "How you feeling, buddy?"

I shrug, "Like puke. My leg still kinda burns and I have a killer migraine right now."

Carmine tells me, "Well, hope you're not too tired to file your report over today."

I sigh, "Yeah… at least I won't have to write as much as everyone else. Did I hurt our grade?"

Ruby shakes her head, "No. Professor Tirrian said that your grade would be the same as everyone else."

I'm surprised, "Why?"

Weiss explains, "Because you've done your part as a leader. You taught your teammates how to cooperate and adapt, so you're grade would be anything they earned."

I nod comprehension and tell them, "Well… I'm glad you guys came to pay me a visit. You can go, because I know you have things to do. Oh wait, Ruby, I need to talk to you about something."

She nods, "Sure. You guys head on without me."

Blake asks, a little worried, "You don't think he needs rest? I mean, he has a headache. Maybe he should relax. Wait for later."

I shake my head, immediately aware of what she's getting at, "Don't worry, Blake. I'm fine. I wouldn't say anything stupid or that I'd regret later."

She understands what I mean and gives me a small thumbs up before everyone leaves. I ask Ruby, "How are you?"

She shrugs, and sits on my bed, "I'm alright. I was concerned when I heard you were bitten."

I shake my head and grab her hand, "That's not what I meant."

She blushes and tells me, "I had fun on Saturday… if that's what you mean… Wondering when we could do something like that again…"

I chuckle but refocus my attention, "About that… I have something to tell you."

Her face widens a little by surprise, "Yeah…? What is it?"

I tell her, "I'm kind of… doing the same thing with Nadeshiko that I'm doing with you."

She's confused, "Huh? Doing what?"

I blush, "Trying to date… both of you. Not like cheating or anything! Just… I guess testing the waters, in a way…"

She nods, getting what I mean and I ask her, "Are you alright with that?"

She takes a few seconds to think about it then nods, "Yeah. It's not like any of us is in a relationship, so that doesn't make it anything wrong. I'm alright with it."

I let out a breath of relief and chuckle, "Alright. Thanks. That's all I needed."

She hugs me around the shoulders and I hug back, Ruby telling me, "Sure. I'll be going now. Hope you get better, Munsell."

She leaves and I look to my right and see that my computer has been left on a small table next to my bed. I grab it and place it awkwardly into my lap and open it up. I hear the voice of Professor Tirrian entering the ward and pick my head up to look at him, "Hey, Munsell. I brought you the information you wanted. Maybe you can get a look at some of the stuff with your computer there and prepare the event for you and your fellow first years. Also… the rest of your work this week."

I sigh, "It's so much…"

He shrugs, "Well, look at it this way: you can finish it at your own pace."

He heads out and leaves me to my own devices. I sort through the papers relating to the party and set them aside. I see an email notification from Terra and it reads, 'You won't believe what I just got.'

I reply, 'What? A new game not out on shelves yet?'

She responds, 'No. I sent that video of you singing 'Reset' by 'Shroud of Gold' to their social media manager, and he wants to get in contact with you.'

I raise a brow, surprised, 'Sure. Shoot him my email.'

I get to starting my work, half-focused and about a few minutes later, I get a message from some guy named Orville Messer, 'This Munsell? The one who karaoked 'Reset'?'

I respond, 'Yeah. That's me. What's up?'

He tells me, 'Well, our lead singer wanted to talk to you, seeing how you must be enrolled in Beacon, right?'

I answer, 'Yeah. First year. How's he want to get in touch?'

Orville replies, 'Scroll. You available to chat?'

I confirm, 'Yeah. I'm able to talk for a bit. Here's my info.'

I send my contact info and try to work for a bit, getting another couple problems answered before my Scroll vibrates. I pick up and hear the voice of the lead singer from 'Shroud of Gold', "Nice job singing. I'm Ramses Apollo. What's up, dude?"

I chuckle, a little star struck, "Yeah… why the interest in contacting me?"

He replies, "Well, I'm sure you're aware, but we try to interact with our fans and stuff, but you're in Beacon. My best bud and I were partners there a couple of years before we started the band, and we enjoy donating to the school. But… I know that the big costume event is coming up, right?"

I nod, trying to type with my left hand, as I hold the Scroll in my right hand, "Yeah… why?"

He laughs a little on the other line, "Because your partner told us you were 'stupid enough to organize' the first years' afterparty and we wanted to help. Also, my team's leader was in the same spot as you when we were there."

I chuckle, "Yeah… well, it says here on this form, that I should arrange some entertainment, 'i.e. music/games and the ilk' so I guess… are you guys down for a live performance then?"

He laughs on the other side of the line, "Yeah, man. We don't have another tour or are recording an album until a couple months, so, we already talked and have wanted to do something at Beacon, just needed an opportunity."

I chuckle, "Well… that covers one of the things I needed to get done. So… the fee? Like the charges? I have a certain amount I can use, I'm sure you know."

Ramses refuses, "Nah, man. Free. We've already discussed it amongst ourselves. Free."

I shake my head, "Alright… well, as much as I would like to keep chatting, I have class work to. Is that everything?"

He lowers his voice a little, "Heard you needed some costumes."

My attention is piqued once again, "Yes…? What of it?"

Ramses replies, "Your partner said she could hook us up with some of that new VR stuff if we got you guys outfits… are you fine with the trade?"

I'm shocked by how much Terra had relayed to them before giving me the actual chance of talking to them or anything, "…Yeah… sure. As long as her dad's fine with it."

He laughs on the other side, "Good, because arrangements have already been made!"

With that, he hangs up, leaving me to sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose.

I alternate between my class assignments and figuring out what to do for our afterparty over the course of the next week and this is what I have down. We first years have the athletic hall as our location to party, a considerably large venue.

Decorations (which have to go up the day of the party…): Predominantly orange, black, and yellow banners across the walls, several fake pumpkins and posters from the Artistry Department (they wanted a place to show their stuff besides the Artistry hallway, so I offered), tons of props and I mean tons! Horror movie icons and Grimm alike.

Entertainment: 'Shroud of Gold' will be performing through the night (of course, this goes without saying), outside will be a fighting stage for those craving a more action-orientated source of fun (the stage used whenever Goodwitch's classroom is unavailable), a costume contest, and several other things like a sixteen-player video game rig (provided by Terra's dad), gyroscope, mechanical bull-riding, a haunted house through the locker rooms, and an outdoor laser tag game, opposite the fighting stage, and much, much more.

Food: Plenty of it (duh).

Chaperones: Only the best of the best. Professors Tirrian, Torn, both Greys, Amber, and Chroma.

There's a leftover amount of about twenty percent in the budget, so Tirrian allows me to split it equally between the other three afterparty hosts to plan their events.

I'm allowed out of the infirmary on Saturday morning, my leg's swelling having disappeared on Thursday, but the pain and nerve damage finished Friday. I return to my team's dorm, changing from my plain shirt and pants and into my standard outfit. I head to the cafeteria to try and catch everyone else having breakfast. When I walk in and up to our usual table, they're surprised, especially Nadeshiko. They cheer out my name in several different ways and I sit down while it seems that they've barely started eating. I chuckle as both Nora and Nadeshiko hug me and I ask, "Why so much love? You guys visited each day. Well… excluding RWBY. Where were they yesterday?"

Jaune tells me, "Uhm… they left earlier in the morning. Well… everyone except Blake. She's been missing since Friday."

I'm surprised, "She's been gone since Friday? Morning or afternoon?"

Carmine tells me, "Uh, evening, actually. Her and Weiss had been arguing the whole day. Kind of distracted their team from coming to visit, you know… handling them and keeping them from killing each other."

I nod my understanding, "Yeah… I can see that. I've noticed that they've become more and more aggressive toward each other in their arguments. Well, I'm gonna get some breakfast. The same meals every day in a recovery bed starts to kill the taste buds."

I get up and so does Nadeshiko, telling me, "You missed Terra kicking Cardin's ass."

I chuckle, "Haha, really? That sounds like fun for everyone involved… except him, haha."

She nods, "Yep. She essentially tazed him until he gave up!"

I laugh pretty loudly, several people turning to me and I ask her, if I know my partner, "Let me guess… she had you record it?"

Shiko nods through a giggle, "Uh huh. It was gold. EVERYONE wanted to get the link for it."

I nod, "I figure. Man, I need to see it. Wish I could've been there."

I finish getting the rest of my breakfast together and sit with my team and JNPR, asking, "So, you guys ready for the party in the next few weeks?"

They nod and Jaune asks, "How much do you already have planned?"

I shrug, "Like most of it. All I have to do is get volunteers who want to help setting it up on the day of. Luckily volunteers get classes off that day, haha."

Nora's extremely interested, "OOOO! What kind of things do you have scheduled!?"

I chuckle at the heavy's excitement, "Uh… games and stuff. A dueling stage, laser tag, mechanical bull… uh… a lot of stuff. Just wait till the party."

She whines, "Oh come on, Munsell! You can't promise a girl a good time without telling her what she's waiting for!"

The entire group chuckles, and Pyrrha asks, "How's your leg?"

I shrug and eat a forkful of egg, "Meh. It feels slightly numb, and the outside edges of my eyes hurt a little still, but other than that, I'm pretty good. How'd you guys handle the rest of Monday's mission?"

Terra tells me, "Well, we got a pretty good overall grade. An eighty-seven. Had a few more scrapes with Grimm, but we handled it well and intervened where we could."

I nod understanding and Carmine mentions, "Terra told us that we're getting costumes because of her. Is this true?"

I nod and pull out my Scroll, looking for the three most recent downloaded pictures, "These will be your outfits. They haven't told sent me what mine looks like, but they promise it'll be good."

I show each of my team mates their designated costumes. Carmine's is a sort of post-apocalyptic scavenger. It's a brown jacket with faded, dark red padding under it at the chest, three fake ammo belts wrapped around the shoulders to the waist above the jacket, the third wrapped around the waist under the jacket. The jacket has spiked studs on the shoulders with black gloves that each have three small spikes at the knuckles. It comes with worn-looking black chaps, an air filter mask for the mouth with some goggles that have a red 'X' painted across the glass, a helmet with a singular spike at the top of it. He gives me a thumbs up and passes it over to Terra.

Hers is a vampiress costume of a main black color with regal gold and red trim. It's composed of a fancy-looking corset with a neck ribbon, small cape connected to the shoulders, covered with a light upper blouse that's buttoned closed, ending at her lower ribcage. There's a waist cape that goes down to the back of the calves while it also comes with heeled boots that go up to the mid thigh. She comments, "Not bad. But I wish it didn't have such big heels…"

Carmine laughs, "Ha, really? Your shoes' soles are like… almost the same with the empty space they have!"

She snaps back at him, "Yeah, but 'almost the same' isn't 'the same', is it? Those are custom made and help me stay light on my feet. Those serve a purpose. Heels… are just useless…"

She passes it to Nadeshiko and hers is a shrine maiden outfit. It's mainly dark blue with sakura pink strands in the kimono's sleeves with a big, pink bow wrapped around the waist, holding a long pleated skirt that reaches around the ankles, complimented with dark blue socks that reach halfway up the calves with sandals to finish off the outfit. She giggles and claps a little, excited, "Ooo, it looks great! I might go without the sandals, though…"

I nod and she asks, "Why haven't they told you what your costume looks like?"

I shrug, "Dunno. Seems like something planned, though."

I ask, "So what do you guys have planned for this weekend?"

Ren speaks up this time, "We were actually just planning to train and stuff. Week's been full of stress. Not much else on our minds."

I shrug, "Alright. Well, I'm gonna go back to our dorm and try to come up with a poster design that I can print out to get volunteers. Maybe might even work on my new weapon idea."

I get up to go, joined by Nadeshiko as she tells me, "I want to keep writing some more, so maybe you can help give me ideas."

I lightly chuckle, "You've got a deal if you can help me with my poster design."

We get back to the room and we push our beds together, both of us ready with our computers. Nadeshiko is halfway through a page, her cursor blinking twice each second, like a steady heartbeat and I open a new project on my program, greeted by black space, the only way to tell it's actually three-dimensional is by an X/Y axis grid with an additional line in the center to mark the Z axis. I immediately start off by making a black rectangle the dimensions of a sheet of paper. I save it and tell her, "Done. It advertises exactly what I expect from others, the same as I would from me. Darkness and a terrible soul."

Shiko giggles, "That's some dark shit, Munsell."

I chuckle and tell her, "Seems like those Confidence classes have really helped you out."

She rests her head on my shoulder and tells me, "Nah. I'm just more comfortable with you guys than strangers."

I retort, "Pssh. That's BS. So what do you need help with your book?"

She shrugs, "Don't know. I'm not great at thinking of fights… so that's where I'm stuck right now."

I nod, "You said the main character can alter time, right?"

She nods, "Yeah."

I point at her computer's screen, "Where're they fighting?"

She shrugs, as if the info wouldn't help at all, "A bar."

I become more specific, "Bar counter? A table? Booth? How many people nearby? Any close glasses? Chairs?"

Shiko's eyes open wide, "Whoah! That's so much! Bar counter… um… there're two glasses, the main character's and a guy who arranged to 'provide him information'. The other guy just wants to kill him, though, so he has a concealed handgun in his jacket."

I nod and ask, "Are there other people that the guy has ready to attack? I mean, if I was doing the job, I'd want to make sure it would follow through."

She nods, "Yeah, seven of them, spread out through the packed bar."

I give a small thumbs up and ask, "So is he going for kills or just incapacitation?"

She replies, "Incapacitation. He's one of the good guys, so…"

I confirm my understanding, "Alright, so how does his control over time work? Like, is he able to rewind it or slow it down? How big of a drain is it?"

She giggles a little, "Man, you're really into this kind of stuff, huh? Well, he can slow down time, speed himself up, slow down other things he touches, or all of them at the same time, but the more things he does at once, the more draining. Like big time draining. He needs two hours of rest to fully recuperate his energy, able to double his speed for an hour, make thirty minutes pass in an hour, or cut something's speed in half for an hour."

I laugh before I come up with a suggestion, "Well, I love superheroes and stuff. Uh… I guess he's rested before coming to the bar. Does the other guy start the fight?"

Nadeshiko nods and I continue, "Well, in the moment he tries to throw the first attack, the main guy slows time down to catch it. He slams the guy's face against the counter, lets him drop to the floor. Doesn't know the dude has a pistol. Guy pulls it out, but not before main dude notices. He slows down time, right? Also speeds himself up and slows the guy down, makes him eight times faster, in essence, yeah? So, he gets his hold on the guy's pistol, disarms the guy, and presses his shin against the dude's throat, cutting off air flow, knocking him out. How's that?"

She nods, "Yeah, yeah! That's pretty good! I've got the rest covered, but just needed to get it started. So, you can't think of anything?"

I shake my head, "Nope. Ain't got a one."

She giggles, "Well you could probably start by putting the academy logo."

I face palm, "Yeah… I must have some terrible school spirit or something."

I put a transparent white watermark of the Beacon logo against the black and Shiko suggests, "Maybe 'Help Wanted', or 'Volunteers Needed', or something like that as the title."

I shake my head, "Nah. Common mental behavioral trends show that people are less likely to do something out of charity than if they were rewarded for their assistance. So… how about…"

I type in some bold, bright orange letters to contrast the black, 'Take Friday Off!' and then type under it in smaller text, 'After helping out with setting up the first years' after party. All volunteers are dismissed from their classes for the day to aid in preparation. If finished early, the rest of the day can be spent as you want. All those interested, contact Munsell Regent at:'.

I put my email, Scroll contact, and social media under the information for the volunteers and dust my hands off against each other, "There."

Shiko laughs, "As if! That looks boring! Put a border and maybe some 'spooky' pictures. That'll get people's attention."

I sigh, "But that's so lame…"

She giggles, "Yeah, but common 'mental behavioral trends' show that people our age focus more on 'spooky' pictures this time of the year."

I shake my head at her and grumble, "Fine…"

We both work silently (excluding the sound of keys) and adjust our respective works over the course of the next half hour and show each other when done. I added a border of cartoon skeletons (just copied and pasted the same 2D one I made in the course of two minutes, mirroring it on both sides for consistency). The Beacon logo is located in the center of the top, bottom, left, and right edges of the 'sheet' and a few cheap clip images that match the season. I read the full page that Nadeshiko added to her book and her writing style is great! Very descriptive, no inconsistencies, and it sounds very original. A world where people don't have Semblances or Auras and only people like the main character have powers like he does (a one out of one-hundred thousand chance, apparently). Man, I can't IMAGINE living life like that!

I convert my 3D project (it may look 2D, but being made in a 3D software makes some things a challenge) into an image, putting it onto a text file as an image, and then tell Nadeshiko, "I'm headed to the library to print out the posters and hang them up."

She gets up and offers, "I'll help put them up. I know several places that are popular hotspots."

I chuckle, "Like what? A water fountain at the girl's lockers?"

Shiko giggles, "Actually yeah. It has the coldest water in the school and it's a thing you boys will never experience."

I sigh, "Just when I thought this school was about equal treatment…"

We head out of the dorm room and towards the library and Nadeshiko waits while I go up to one of the librarians behind a counter, "I want to print out a file. It's for one of the parties."

She smiles lightly and nods, taking my Scroll and asking, "Is it 'Poster'?"

I smile, "Yes, thank you."

She asks, "How many copies?"

I reply, "Uhm… a hundred."

She nods and they start printing out and I ask, "Can I borrow two things of tape?"

She hands me two dispensers and I hand one to Nadeshiko. The librarian hands me my posters in two equal piles and I give Nadeshiko one while I put the first poster on the front of the counter, "You guys get the honors of the first one."

The librarian chuckles and we head out of the library doors, Shiko putting a poster on each of the front doors of the library and she tells me, "I'm headed my own way with mine. I'll message you when I finish."

I nod and she leaves me in the hallway, while I seek out spots for my other forty-nine posters. I put four on the outside of the cafeteria, two at the front where the serving counters are, a few in the other upperclassmen dorm halls, near the athletic hall, and the last few occupy spaces near Vytal festival posters. I get a message from Nadeshiko about two minutes after that, reading, 'See you back at the dorm. I finished.'

I reply, 'Yeah, sure' and head along my way.

Back at the dorm, Nadeshiko has a tray of sandwiches and I sigh, thankful, "Oh, those look so good right now."

She asks me as she takes a decently sized bite out of her first sandwich, "Whut are yoo goind dthu do now?"

I go to my case of materials that holds my current partial project, "Making my energy SMG."

She claps, "Oooo, that sounds like an endeavor."

I have the gun barrel ready and the iron sights also double as the relay loop for the energy of the blade, but ironically… I don't have the handgrip that holds the battery ready. Shiko asks, "Hasn't it been that way for days now?"

I reply, "Yeah. The way Amber King works with my Semblance is that the metal shielding over the loaded battery allows me to transfer my energy through it to the battery. Only downside about the metal is that it heats up. Luckily I don't have my hands on it the whole time… unlike the SMG handle will be."

She's confused, "I don't see how it's different."

I tell her, "Well, the hand grip for Amber King is made of a polymer. The polymer is nowhere near the heated metals during discharge. However, for the SMG, the metal that would be the container for the battery can't be wrapped by the polymer, otherwise it would only melt after long time exposure. Long story short, I can't figure out a way to make a handle without burning my hand."

She asks me, "Have you ever considered a hollow handle?"

I'm confused now, "'Hollow'?"

She nods and hands me Sheena, "Remember how the system in my blades works?"

I nod as I look at the hollowed sheath and sword blade, "Yeah?"

She tells me, "Just adopt the same system. Kind of."

The more I look at them, the more I get inspired by the design. It then clicks in my head how I'm going to do it. I cheer, "SHIKO, YOU JUST HELPED ME FINISH IT!"

She blushes and smiles as I pick her up from her bed and spin with her in my arms, me laughing and Nadeshiko giggling. I stop spinning and she puts her feet back on the ground, still in my arms. We both blush and I'm about to let her go… but she wraps her arms around the back of my neck and I blush a deeper shade of red. She tells me, "I… don't mean to make you feel awkward."

I shake my head, "N-No, you're good. I didn't mean to surprise you when I picked you up or anything…"

She nods and we both look away from each other, "You're fine."

We stand together awkwardly and I'm the first one to break the embrace, feeling like a jerk a little bit, "Yeah, so now I just have to make the hand grip."

I get Amber King's modification kit ready since it can double as a set of modeling tools for my 3D projects. I have a mechanical printer at the home my parents owned, but it's not possible to bring it to a place like this, so I have to make due. Nadeshiko just speaks quietly, "Yeah… I'll get back to my book."

I feel terrible for how I ended the moment… Am I just not ready for trying to act on my feelings… or just something else entirely. The design for the gun handle is kind of intricate. It's like… two circles, right? A smaller one in the middle. They're both extended, a hollow space formed between the two because of the extension to keep the heat in the center tube, the outer one acting as the actual grip for the weapon, with grooves for holding it comfortably. The bottom of the handle has a sliding lid that holds the battery in place. It's a long, arduous process, making the handle, and takes about an hour of time but when I'm done, man is it satisfying.

I chuckle, "Can't wait to test this baby out!"

Shiko asks me, "What are you gonna call it?"

I ponder for a little, some ideas going through my head, but I shrug, "Don't know yet. I want to have some fun with it first before I give it a name."

Ideas are already rushing through my head for potential moves and transitions. There's a blade that come out of the front of the barrel lined with a few small energy emitters with the push of a button. The weapon has four energy blade modes and two firing modes. Twisting one of two knobs changes them. For the blade mode, it changes the projected blade from exiting through the iron sights to the micro-bayonet if it is extended, to off, or both on at the same time. For firing, there's a lens that concentrates the energy fired at a rapid interval, creating small energy projectiles. Switching modes moves the lens vertically out of the barrel, causing it to act as a reflex sight and firing a constant stream of energy instead of rapid projectiles. A tool for every situation, close and long range and I'm proud of it. Nadeshiko asks me, "Do you have extra batteries?"

I nod and grab one from duffel bag of stuff. I have another three, should the need ever rise, and this is a pretty considerable need. Now instead of carrying five, I'll be carrying six. One in each weapon, four in the carrier. I check my phone, and apparently, I'm popular. A combined total of twenty-three messages about volunteering. I add them all into a group chat app that everyone in Beacon downloaded onto their Scrolls and start to answer some of their questions after welcoming them to the group. Time. Who's doing what. People who will be filling in odd jobs. Yada yada, the works. It's surprisingly demanding, as more people steadily want to come work and join our ranks of dedicated people/lazy workers (due to benefits, of course). I add people to the group, but before adding them, send them each the same copied message, telling them to look at the top of the chat to answer some of the commonly asked questions.

I leave it at that and yawn. I'm surprisingly tired and have a headache and remember what the doctor told me before letting me leave, "Don't try to do anything that requires a lot of mental strain. Classwork may be fine, but nothing over the top."

I chuckle at myself, my head throbbing and tell Nadeshiko, "I'm just gonna nap. My head hurts, so let Terra and Carmine know before they come in."

I lie down and close my eyes, still wearing my standard outfit. When the night rolls around, I wake up and notice everyone else is asleep. I sigh, get changed into a change of sleeping clothes and steal, like three of Carmine's snack cakes before getting back to sleep.