I hope that everyone had a happy Thanksgiving for the USA, and I hope that everyone is having a great week. Here is the next chapter for you reading pleasure.

Chapter 19: Absolute Zero (Part 1)

Cinder woke up as she has done for the past few days: clean up, eat, and look at the information that she has been able to access from the CCT tower. She wondered who would be coming over this morning to help out with her plan. She went through her list of people that she had written down on her scroll. She put down the scroll when she felt the air get cold and heard a knock on the door.

"No, anyone but him," she said to herself before opening the door. "Who is it?"

"It's your one true love, my Ashen Princess," a male voice answered sounding overly dramatic as always. "Your knight in icy armor is here to serve you."

"Why did they send you here, Aquilo?" Cinder asked as she opened the door, knowing that he wasn't as helpful since the last time she had seen him. He stood above six feet tall, with a cocky grin to add as well. His eyes were blue and cold and his hair was short and black. He wore armor that covered from his shins to his chest, leaving his arms free to swing his greatsword that he wore at his side. "Last time we've seen each other, you could barely stand against both Mercury and Emerald. What makes you think that you're good enough to help out?"

"Well, I was supposed to go get the gem that she wanted but alas the store I went to ran out of stock, so I froze the place and moved on to help you bring down Vale. That should answer your first question," Aquilo said as he began to clean his armor with a rag he had. "Ah, nice and shiny. To answer your second question, I'm not that same person that you met years ago, for I have gone through some very intense training with her to train me."

"What, how did you manage to get that? No one else has received anything close to that," she demanded to know. She grabbed him by the straps on his shoulders and brought him down low enough to look her at eye level. She felt the room drop in temperature as she saw her exhaled breath and felt her hands growing dangerously cold. "What the-"

"I would recommend that you should let go, if you can that is," he smiled as he stood up and watched her release him in order to save her hands. "Thankfully your aura protected you from the bite of my frost this time. Next time you should be more careful though, ever since my training with her, I have gotten immensely more lethal and much, much more powerful than you think. I can keep up with you and the other maidens now."

"In such a short time? No, you must have been holding back the entire time," she accused him as he shook his head.

"Ah, but alas, it's what happened my dear," he said as she shuddered about the thought. She didn't like how powerful he is now. She saw him as a threat, a risk to her plans.

"What place did you freeze and were there any survivors?" She asked since they had to keep a low profile.

"The place I froze is the place where I wanted to train, but 'he' had to go and ruin that by exposing me," he growled remembering the memory. "There are now two people in the world who know of the place. One doesn't know what happened there and the only one who walked away from there, me. So let's get on to business shall we, what can I do to help make this go as smoothly as possible?"

"Hmm, actually, there is one thing that I need from you," she said as she thought about the idea. "I have an associate that has managed to get himself in jail in a certain ship here, if you can get in and break him out that would help make things so much more efficient. The only issue is how to get you in there?"

"Hehe, maybe I should cause some trouble to get in there," he suggested before laughing at the thought of turning himself in. "I like that idea actually. Be too much for the regular police to handle so the Atlas military steps in and captures me. Then, I break out with your associate and we continue to bring the fall of Vale. How does that sound to you, my dear?"

"Hmm, that might actually work," Cinder mused to him as she called Mercury. "Yes, there has been a change of plans. Come with Emerald for details."

"Heh, who is this shrimp here?" He asked as he smiled at Neo, who had just woken up to find someone she didn't recognize in front of her. She jumped back in surprise and he laughed at the sight. "Oh, she's adorable, but lethal and dangerous. I can see it in her eyes that change. So I take it that you like my idea and want to add to it?"

"Well your idea will be giving me slight pleasure if it all works out well enough, but we don't have much time to make a back-up plan, so this must work," She said knowing that they don't have a lot of chances to make this work. "So if you screw up, I won't hesitate to tell her why."

"Well I assure you that failure will not happen," he said pulling out his greatsword and made sure that it was sharp. "So, shall we begin debriefing?"

Strom woke up early in the morning in Yang's bed and drank water. He stroked Yang's head with a smile. She smiled and nuzzled closer to him and woke up. They smiled at one another and gave each other a quick kiss.

"That's a nice way of saying good morning Strom," Yang said with a smile before stretching out and started to move around more. "Are you ready to watch me kick butt again?"

"No, but I am ready to cheer you on and watch you win," he said as she smiled. "But I guess that you just said the same thing."

"Yeah, but your way is sweeter," she said softly and then thinking about his condition and all of his past that he told them about. "It's sad that someone as nice as you had such a rough life. You haven't even turned twenty and you have taken on so much."

"I can say the same for you Yang," he said looking into her lilac eyes. "You grew up taking care of Ruby alongside your dad, who may have had a rough part after Summer's… passing, and try to look for your mom to learn why she left. You didn't have it easy as well."

"Well, I guess you make a point there," she said as she thought about their pasts. "I think that we should get ready for breakfast and wake the others up."

"Sounds good to me," he said placing his forehead onto hers, gently. "Want me to save all of you seats?"

"That would be nice and maybe after that we could spar a little," she said before remembering the gem. "Oh wait the gem should be your highest priority right now."

"My highest priority is friends, family, and most of all, you," he smiled after he said that and removed his forehead. "I'll check to see if a spar is alright with Caden, but first comes breakfast and getting cleaned up."

"We'll see you then," She said as he left the room. She took a long breath and thought to herself out loud. "How lucky am I to have you, Strom?"

"I'm sure that you would have met sometime later," Blake said opening her eyes and got out of the bed. "I wish that more people were like him. Kind, careful, wants peace for everyone, and knows how to prepare fish."

"Something tells me that the last part is more of a qualification for your pleasure, Blake," Weiss said smirking as she was now sitting up straight on the side of the bed. "You would agree with me, right Ruby?"

"Were you all up for all of that just now?" Yang asked slightly embarrassed that her friends had been able to hear everything that transpired.

"Indeed and Ruby, are you awake?" Weiss asked now standing to check on her partner. She opened Ruby's curtain to find that her partner was asleep in peace. "Oh, you were just up not too long ago."

"Do you want a little revenge Weiss?" Yang asked with a mischievous grin that grew slightly wider when she saw the smile that Weiss had on her face. "Top-left dresser drawer underneath the shirts is her whistle."

Weiss made sure to grab the whistle as fast as possible without making a sound. Upon seeing the whistle, she remembered her first school day at beacon and the high pitched sound that it was capable of making. Her devious smile grew with the thought of blowing loudly as Ruby had done that morning, if not harder. After making her way back to her bunk bed, she turned to Yang and Blake, who were covering their ears for safety, and nodded to signal that she was ready. She took a deep breath and pulled the curtains open so that everyone would see their leader's reaction.

FWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!

Strom sat down at the cafeteria with a small breakfast of eggs and toast. As he finished up breakfast, he met Flynt and Neon and got to know them better. He told them about how he played the violin and is beginning to get back into music again. They all talked about the match and all the what-ifs and different outcomes. They found the rest of team RWBY walking over towards them in combat gear.

"Good morning everyone," Strom said with a bright smile until he saw Ruby massaging her ears. "What happened?"

"Payback," Weiss said with a small smile which Strom returned with a confused look. "Oh right, on our first day 'Ruby' thought it was a good idea to blow the whistle on us."

"On you Weiss," Blake intervened making the facts known while giving the heiress a slight smug look.

"Okay fine, on me, and Yang told me where the whistle was so I could have a little revenge," Weiss said as Yang bowed slightly and Ruby pouted a little.

"You betrayed me Yang," Ruby mumbled out before puffing her cheeks a little.

"Oh what's a little whistle going to hurt?" Yang asked giving a big smile before getting breakfast.

"Well maybe this was a little overboard," Weiss said now thinking about it. "I apologize for that Ruby. No hard feelings, right?"

"Well, I guess that I could forgive you," Ruby said slowly thinking of something. "But only if you- URK! Oww, okay I forgive you and require nothing. Are you happy, Strom?"

"Yes, and don't think that every time someone does you wrong that everything will be solved by cookies and an "I'm sorry" because you will be shocked of how some people work," he said as he knew from experience. "It's best to forgive and walk away at times when we don't want to end life. We're hunters of Grimm, not humans, not faunus or other sentient life."

"Man, that's some wise word you're saying dude," Flynt said looking at his scroll. "Well Neon, we need to begin training for next year's festival, and beat team RWBY."

"And then they can celebrate our victory," she said as they both stood up and left. "We wish you guys luck this time, but next time we'll get you for sure."

"We'll be waiting," Ruby shouted before turning around with a grin on her face. "I guess when this festival is finished that we should begin practice as well."

"That doesn't sound like a bad idea," Yang said as she returned with four trays balanced on each other. "Okay, salad for Weiss, a fruit bowl for me, an omelet for Blake, and for my dear sister, a slice of toast with strawberry jam."

"Did you forget something Yang?" Ruby asked slightly worried about her sister's memory.

"Oh, and a glass of milk," Yang said as she placed a cold glass in front of Ruby. Weiss and Blake exchanged a look of worry for how Yang spoils Ruby a little. "I must admit that would get us in a 'jam' if I forgot something."

"Ugh, do you have to ruin breakfast for everyone?" Ruby asked as Blake and Weiss held their head in their hands, but Strom was giggling quietly.

"It's worth it every time that he laughs," she replied to her younger sibling. "So, that's why I keep it up.

"Strom we need to desensitize you to her puns," Ruby said looking at the one reason Yang kept it up. "Then we can finally be free from the torture."

"I don't think that will happen," Strom said as he stood up from the table with a smile. "Well I need to go and begin practice now, but I will be there for the match, Yang."

"Okay, work hard and well," Yang said as everyone else gave a wave goodbye. "I know that he will be fine, but I can't help but worry about it."

"We're all worried Yang," Blake said placing a hand on her partner's shoulder. "It would be wrong to not worry, but we can't dote on him. He would want us to be safe and not harmed."

"Blake's right. Strom has overcome challenges before and will continue to do so," Weiss said looking towards Yang with a smile. "We'll be there when he needs us."

"We won't let a member of team RWBY behind," Ruby said in between bites. "Like this glass of milk, we'll become stronger."

"Umm, Ruby, I'll give you an A for effort, but a C for execution and relativity," Weiss said shaking her head a little. "It's natural for us to be concerned and don't think for a second that we would never be worried about a teammate."

"Thanks everyone," Yang said wiping a tear from her eye before noticing team JNPR. "Hey guys we saved you all a seat!"

After Strom left the cafeteria, he returned to his spot from yesterday and began training again. He looked around to find darkness consuming the light in the plane and Caden sitting, waiting for him.

"You're early this time. That's good, but it won't be any good if you don't make progress," he said looking at Strom. "Now let's begin, remember you must balance the dark without trying to control it. You must embrace it without it consuming you, or you overpowering it. It will only be you and your dark self from now on. Good luck."

As Caden said those words he faded out and a new form stepped into the light. Strom saw himself sit down in a fashion that he would never use. His eyes were bright yellow and wore a black sarong and his smile was smug. Another thing that Strom noticed was the black aura that outlined his body.

"Well now, looks like I'll be bored out of my mind for a while," his dark counterpart said looking into the light. "So what do we plan to do Gray?"

"Gray? Who is Gray?" Strom asked confused to what his dark counterpart meant. "It should only be the two of us."

"Yeah and it looks like it will be that way until you come to realize it," he returned rudely. "And don't think that I'll tell you who we're waiting on, because I want to try and have fun and convince you that my side is more fun and better for you."

"Well that is not going to happen because I want be in balance," Strom said sternly letting be known that he won't back down. "So shall we begin Black?"

"I have always been ready Gray," Black said with a grin and a maniac look in his eyes. "So how quick will you learn Gray?"

"Stop calling me Gray! I am supposed to be light," Strom shouted before recoiling at his own tone and action. "Sorry, we've just met and I have lost my temper, but please don't call me Gray."

"Heh, sorry, but I call people for who they are Gray," Black said laughing in Strom's face. "I think it is time for White to get here though, if he feels well enough for it that is."

"What who's White?" Strom asked before a weak light came from behind him. Another Strom who wore all white and had yellow eyes as well but they were full of warmth and kindness. His white aura outlined his body as Blacks did. "Wait, are you White?"

"You are correct Gray," White said weakly, looking tired. "I am White and will try to help you through this alongside Black."

"Yeah, fat chance of that happening White," Black said laughing boisterously. "He doesn't even accept the fact that he's Gray yet."

"Well I guess that is something that we can work on first," White said still looking pale. "I'm guessing that you're a little shocked about learning about me, correct?"

"That would be correct and one of many questions that I have but probably won't be answered until later," Strom replied, worried about what he was doing. "So if he's Black and you're White, how am I here and what do I represent?"

"Strom, you are gray, you are the balance between light and darkness, just like everyone is," White began to explain. "Some people are tempted by the light and want to become justice, while others are tempted by the darkness and follow the path of sorrow, but they are still not pure light or dark. Some light followers have been tempted before and some dark followers have had a change of heart. Everyone is a Gray, Strom. However, you have a dark power inside of you and it was pure darkness."

"Wait, you said was, what happened?" Strom asked and heard a growl behind him.

"You tainted it with a fragment of light," Black looked at Strom with deadly intent. "The gem is now ruined. I hope that you get controlled."

"Thanks for the support Black," Strom said sarcastically. "Ugh this is getting me nowhere."

"You have a long road ahead of you, but for now go and rest," White said before coughing a little. "You have a match to attend to."

With a snap of their fingers Strom was back in the real world and found black lines running up from where the gem entered. He silently cursed his luck and made his way over to the arena. When he arrived with the rest of his team, they parted ways with Yang and found seats in the arena. They watched as all the combatants filed into the giant area to start the selection process. When the machine came to a stop, it showed Yang Xiao Long and Mercury Black's pictures.

"Well this will be an interesting match," Strom mumbled to himself before shouting. "Do your best Yang!"

"Break a leg sis," Ruby cheered loudly, and then leaned towards Strom. "Do you think she will win?"

"Only time will tell Ruby," Strom said as everyone else left the arena center. He looked around the entire place and felt that something was off.

Yang and Mercury's match soon began and Aquilo got into his position. He knew the updated plan that was going to happen and he couldn't wait for their work to pay off. The only downside was that he would be low on aura so he couldn't get into fights afterwards.

"After all, what I have to do is just provoke Strom into protecting Yang and then stage a fight from there," he spoke very quietly to himself. "After he 'defeats me' and turns me in to the general, we cause mayhem. All I have to do is wait for the cue."

I apologize that this chapter was a lot shorter than what I usually post, but the only thing I can blame is myself. Anyways, I hope to see you all when we get to see what happens next. Maybe a little teaser might be of good use here?

"Capture him, he must not escape!"

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"That wasn't part of the plan!"

"Searing Eruption!"

"I always wondered what would happen when something very hot meets something ice cold"

"You can't beat my semblance, Absolute Zero!"

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