I'm back from almost half a month's worth of writer's block! Well to be honest more like having a mixture of writer's block and overworking myself. Ugh, not fun at all. Enough of that though, time to get this story moving onto the next stage!

I own nothing but the OCs save for one.

Chapter 37-Farewell November

Two Days later, Ozpin's Office…

In truth Ozpin wasn't that surprised when word came from Vale General his students had caused a scene. In truth he would have been more surprised if there hadn't been an incident of any sort. It came as no surprise to him to learn Ruby Rose had been at the heart of the little scuffle that had destroyed a hospital wall, caused forty-thousand lien in property damage and ended in two Haven students being forced to stay an extra four days or so in the hospital. A sit down would have be arranged with Coco Adel as to why she'd manhandled the two Haven youths. Apparently from what he'd heard it involved an instance of battlefield cowardice.

When Andersen arrived they'd shared a good laugh or two over the incident. Then things moved to a more serious direction.

"I must say despite the circumstances I'm glad I got to be meet Summer's daughter and Rikard's son. Both of them are practically the spitting images of their parents." The head councilman mused taking a sip of his tea. "Everything from the way they look to how they talk and act. Ruby's fighting style greatly resembles Summer's scythe work though she still has quite a way's to go before she's on her mother's level. Izaak was extremely interesting to watch, the Egilson Family combat instinct, refined and focused. It wasn't as thrilling as I wanted it to be but I was impressed. You've crafted fine chess pieces Ozpin."

"I would prefer it if we could avoid using that term Aldrich, it makes them sound like they're less than what they are."

"Characters then, and to think we're barely past the prologue."

"And that Aldrich is what worries me." The gray-haired huntsman mumbled clasping his hands together.

"If the first page scares you then how will you find out how the story ends? How will you know who changes and who doesn't, who lives and who dies?" The blue-eyed author chuckled. "This isn't the first time we've seen something like this." That was another difference between Ozpin and him; Andersen was seasoned enough he could actually afford to joke about these things. Ozpin couldn't, or at least not to the extent Andersen could. Really it was just as hard to surprise Aldrich Andersen as it was Ozpin as both men had seen just as much as their age had let on, and then some. "As much as I'd love to sit here and converse with you on this year's crop I'm afraid we don't have time for that Ozpin. We have a serious problem."

"Yes, I imagine it's going to be quite a challenge to gather the money needed to repair Ameon Strip and pay for your ear surgery."

"You won't be needing any yourself?"

"I've gotten quite used to people screaming at me."

"Even Versailles?"

"Compared to the roar of a U-Rex his screaming might as well have been a piano recital."

That was the last bit of light hearted banter the two men shared before the atmosphere in the room shifted to a much darker tone. This was reflected in the increasingly gray weather outside. The rain had come and gone for the past days with little to no warning. Some people thought of it as a sort of blessing while others took the downpour as a sign that the heavens were displeased with the White Fang's attack. Either way it perfectly represented what the nation was enduring. Whenever it rained Ozpin's tower always afforded him both the best and worst view of the watery sky. Each time Andersen's visited during the rain he was constantly amazed how breath-taking the view was tainted by rain and lightning.

Each flash of stray lightning illuminated the comfortable lit room, revealing the cold and almost mechanical expressions on the two men's faces. Between them on the table lay two cups of half-empty coffee, a stack of files with classified printed in bold red letters, and an enlarged Scroll.

"I don't need to tell you how unsettled I am at the prospect of Project Caffa returning to haunt us." Andersen mused activating the projector.

"Need I remind you how against it I was in the beginning?"

"Yes, and that matters as much as it does now. The results from the labs have already come back positive, it's a scaled down version of M-Serum that was canceled in early development. How the enemy got a hold of it we're still investigating."

"It was my belief all known samples, failed and otherwise, were secured in Fort Hilling. Has there been a breach?"

"No, but that's not the problem here. This is," he started adjusting the Scroll to project the footage that had been dubbed classified above top-secret. "If you want to laugh I recommend you do so with me, not many of the others will react as nicely as I will."

Dead bodies was nothing new to Ozpin, he'd seen more dead and maimed than many would have imagined. Seeing the ground littered with them barely fazed him in the slightest. What they'd died of was anyone's guess: bullets, impalement, burns, freezing, brute force, and slashing were only a few a small taste of what he saw. The uniforms and clothing they wore announced whose side they'd been on, but it didn't matter because they were dead all the same. Except for the mercenaries. Within two minutes of the video Ozpin saw what had concerned his government so greatly.

Retrieval of one of the bodies of the unknown men was going smoothly until the body started jerking from side to side. He heard gasps from the unseen corners and crewmen as the body twitched and turned right before their eyes. Right before their eyes and Ozpin's the body suddenly began to break down. Flesh blackened and stretched before beginning to bubble and burn as if it'd just been dropped in a tube of acid. Skin rapidly fell away with smoky cocktails alongside organs and intestines liquefied. The shocked and revolted voices of the men and women dispatched to retrieve the body were little more than annoyances to Ozpin who carefully watched the body's destruction play out. First went the skin and then the organs and that was it. In the span of thirty-six seconds the mercenary's body had been reduced to a moist skeleton in the middle of a pool of fleshy juices and goo the headmaster would have guessed were all that remained of the man's organs. In the background he could hear the disgusted gagging and barfing of the clean-up crew.

When said crew started shouting in alarm that they had another one was when Ozpin's interest was increased. The camera panned away to reveal another body undergoing a similar process, then another, and so forth. It didn't matter how mangled the body was as they all underwent the same horrifying process. Even disconnected limbs that had been thrown yards away from the main body weren't spared turning into smaller puddles of goo. For the next three minutes Ozpin watched an endless series of bodies eroding into nothing but moisty bones.

Once the video ended the headmaster and councilman sat in uncomfortable silence with nothing but the soft paddle of the rain and turning gears creating a sound. Their faces reflected the grave thoughts running through their minds; the only question was which one was going to voice them first.

Andersen went first lightly tapping his fingers against the metallic table. "Before you ask, yes, we already have taken in the bones for study and analyzed the bodily fluids. It was as if every cell in the body began to self-destruct causing the entire body to break down. Even the bones were well on their way to becoming brittle by the time they arrived at the labs for study."

"Nanomachines?" Ozpin offered having seen such a thing once before when nano-technology was still in the early stages of development.

"We're still trying to figure out what happened. From what some of the early reports said the answer is no, these men weren't injected with nanomachines, at least none we can identify."

"So you're saying they had some sort of biological self-destruct feature inside of their bodies?" Against all reason Ozpin was hoping Aldrich would shake his head and say no, but he simply nodded. Sighing he took another sip of his coffee hoping the leftover warmth would wash away the unnerving knot in his stomach. "There are only six people capable of such performing such a thing, and five of them are dead." With narrowed eyes he did not mince words when he threw his first accusation towards his superior. "What is it you're not telling me?"

"More than you can imagine, but then again this isn't anything new for us is it Oz?" The blue eyed author didn't back down from the heated gaze of the seasoned Huntsman nor did he hold back on the sarcasm his words carried. "As far as I am aware any and all details and results of Project Caffa were sealed, destroyed, and or scattered to the wind. I can at least promise you that after this I will personally have my own people look into things."

"You know you're not going to like what you find."

"What do you think I thought when I saw this footage? It's a shame ghosts can't stay buried in the ground."

"If they did then the two of us wouldn't be here." The headmaster countered.

"Yes, I supposed you're right about that." He affirmed with a smile. "They do help to keep the story interesting."

"Aldrich, what of the White Fang?"

Sighing Andersen rubbed his forehead in annoyance, "Really Oz? It's barely been four days since the attack happened. We're still running damage control. Some people are still in disbelief the White Fang even managed to pull off an attack of this magnitude." The eighty-three year-old councilman said nothing as he watched Ozpin's body tense with controlled anger at the mention of the shell-shocked masses. As much as he sympathized with Ozpin's anger he needed his head huntsman focused and ready. "The DIA is squeezing every source of information available to find out what happened. You already know once they have something you'll be contacted and given your orders. Until then what we've discussed stays between us, no teaching staff, no star students, and no close friends will know of this."

Confirming his acceptance with a nod Ozpin then asked with a heavy voice, "What will you have us do once the students have started coming in from the hospital?"

"Send them out. Every lead, every breadcrumb is to be followed to the source. I want team IONC out there as well, in fact the minute they're out of the hospital I want them searching."

The response was immediate. "Absolutely not."

"Last time I checked I do believe you could be fired over saying no to an official order from a councilmember."

"Aldrich," Ozpin pleaded already knowing where this conversation was heading.

Again, Andersen could understand where Ozpin was coming from and would have otherwise agreed with him, but he had a job to do. If what they'd just seen was any indication of things to come they needed every chess piece they could get. "I'm sorry Ozpin, but this is a threat to national security. It's our job to handle those as quickly and efficiently as possible, by whatever means necessary."

"…How do you know Izaak will take the bait?"

"He will, believe me Oz. He's an Egilson, once they've set their sights on something they'll pursue it to the ends of the earth, through heaven and hell if they have to." Gathering his things Andersen pushed himself out of the chair so he could make way for the door. "Oh and Oz, it's just a thought but you might want to consider moving Amber to a more secure location. If Cinder does come after her I doubt you'll be in any position to stop her without collateral damages."

"That's not exactly an easy thing to do." Ozpin responded evenly.

"We have facilities over the country that can keep her on life support until we can neutralize Cinder. If she does come for the other half of the Fall Maiden's power you know she won't stop or hesitate to kill anyone who gets in her way. You probably will be able to stop her, but you nor I want to talk about the cost of doing so."

Though he didn't like the concept of "other facilities" Ozpin had to admit the head councilman had a point. Cinder knew Amber was sitting beneath the academy barely onto her life. Despite possessing one half of the Fall Maiden's power he knew she could be stopped, but like his old friend said, the cost would be too great. There was no way he could send any freshmen teams at her, not even Neil, Pyrrha, Chicahua, or Olivia who all stood the best chance of stopping her. The second years would fair little better leaving only the third and fourth years. He could clearly picture how the battle would go, a spectacular yet horrifying series of clashes that would kill a handful but save many in the long run. No, he couldn't take that option when they were safer ones before him. "I'll consider it."

"Good to know. Goodnight and take care of yourself." With that Andersen disappeared behind the elevator.

By the next sip Ozpin realized what little coffee he had left had gone cold. It was fitting considering what the last ten minutes had revealed to him. "Here I thought the Vytal Festival was going to be rough waters." From where he was standing suddenly the Vytal Festival seemed like a far-off dream or setting sun he longed to reach out and touch. Turning his back to his desk and the elevator door he watched the rain begin to slack off giving the illusion the storm had finally passed. Contrary to the weather Ozpin knew the storm was just beginning and he had much to do before it came in earnest. Already he could imagine the uproar from Qrow and the others when he told them he planned to move Amber. James would no doubt be the least pleased, especially since it was his systems that Cinder had hacked so any on book locations he had in mind were compromised. Then there would be the little issue of moving a semi-conscious woman with magical powers off campus without anyone noticing. With a groan Ozpin began refilling his cup. This is going to be a long four months.

Vale General Hospital…

Ruby almost half an hour after the rain stopped before she decided to go out. Ever since the…incident involving Penny the hospital staff had been scared to let her wonder off. Apparently some of them were scared she would somehow cause a Beowolf to suddenly appear and start wrecking everything. All of this because Penny happened to be in the room when the CuraGen representatives tried to give her an inoculation shot. Even now her cheeks burned with embarrassment over the whole incident. Never mind that Penny was nod forbidden from ever returning to Vale General Hospital unless her life was literally hanging by a thread. Ruby gave something of an inward chuckle since she alone knew Penny was an android therefore she wouldn't ever need to go to a hospital for treatment. She also felt a tad bit guilty her fear of needles had indirectly led to Sun and Neptune getting the living snot beaten out of them by Coco.

And that was only the start of what turned into a three-hour long mess that involved shouting, screaming, and even more people having their stay at the hospital extended. Izaak wasn't among, matter of fact him dropping by to tell her he was free to go was why she was currently getting ready to head to the roof. She hated how in a day's time most, if not all of his wounds had healed while the rest of them were going to be stuck in the infernal building for another two or three days. She'd done nothing but lie around and watch TV for the past three days; what she watched wasn't exactly good for her either since the news did nothing but broadcast the battle over and over again. Like Izaak had said every time she turned the channel she found someone picking the battle apart from a tactical, political, and social view.

Long story short she needed some fresh air and she was getting it, even if it meant standing in the middle of a puddle for the next hour or so.

Bit by bit the hospital had regained control of its staff and patients so there weren't injured and wounded lying against the wall. Then again most of the blood that had been splattered against the all hadn't been cleaned up either. Passing them made Ruby feel like she was in a horror movie just waiting for something horrible to happen. Wrapping her hands around herself she shuddered with the realization she had practically lived through a horror movie. That thought stayed at the back of her mind as she navigated the network of hallways and stairs that led to the rooftop.

Gently pushing the door open she was greeted by a pockets of clear blue sky slowly being revealed by fading gray clouds. A few rays of sunlight were attempting to break through casting light on some far and in between areas. Walking up to the fencing she could see that and it brought the ghost of a smile to her face. She couldn't see Aemon Strip from the rooftop of the six-story building but she still had a good view of the surrounding area. Somewhere inside Ruby was actually gratefully she couldn't see any of the damages the attack had inflicted as she'd seen and heard enough of it.

"Focus any harder and your brain will probably explode." Called a familiar voice that was echoed by the splashing of water.

It wasn't a surprise Yang had followed her up to the roof, barefoot no less. Like her she was decked in nothing but the hospital gowns they'd been given. If there were any males with them no doubt they would have tried to steal a glance at her since the gown left little to the imagination, especially concerning her sister's chest. Speaking of which if one did they might not have noticed how the blond barely seemed to mind the autumn wind that continuously blew through the moist air. Just further testament to the fact she truly was the powerhouse behind team RWBY.

"After today I actually wouldn't mind that happening. Least it would stop all the headaches I've been having." The younger sister bemoaned.

"Boredom getting to ya?" She questioned crossing her arms over her chest as she too stared out at the horizon. "Do you wish you were out there trying to find the people responsible for this?"

That was a hard question to answer for her at the moment. On one hand she truly did want to find the people responsible for the disaster yet at the same time one image halted those thoughts in their path. "Yang, if I tell you this…do you promise you won't tell anyone?"

Taking one look at her sister Yang knew what it was that had really brought her sister up to the top of Vale General. "You're scared." The resulting flinch was all she needed to confirm her suspicions. Without a word she grabbed her sister and pulled her into her arms not caring if she gave in protest. She did protest in the form of a short struggle but eventually it ended and Ruby let herself be lost in her sister's arms.

"Do you…do you think I still deserve to be team leader after that?" The reaper asked in a quiet fearfully voice.

"After what?" Yang responded genuinely puzzled.

Burying her face in her sister's golden locks Ruby snuffled before answering. "I…I-I…I choked Yang. That was the biggest battle we'd ever been in, one that was being broadcasted to the whole world and I just…I just…" Whatever else she said was muffled by the sound of tears at least following and a depressive sob.

Understanding where her sister was coming from a soft smile found its way to Yang's face as she lightly patted her sister's hair. It shouldn't have surprised her that Ruby's self-esteem had taken a hit just as strong as her body had. "You've got nothing to be ashamed of Ruby. No one can or will ever hold what happened out there against you."

"Yang," The redhead began with a shiver. "I've faced down Grimm and killer robots that could have killed me in a second but, that lady was…I don't even know how to describe it. I was scared. As in really, really scared when she looked at me. I've never seen anyone look so angry before. It felt like that time we were in the woods when the Beowolves attacked and Qrow had to save us."

Ruby really shouldn't have brought up that incident as it did the trick in temporarily shaking the full-chested brawler. Suddenly the fall wind that had been lightly blowing hit her with full force; it reminded her of the night she'd come so close to getting the two of them killed. The fact of the matter was as she lay in her hospital bed she'd thought back to that night once or twice with the cold realization the mercenary had filled her with the same terror those Grimm had done. Except for Izaak and his team she knocked us aside like we were nothing but flies. Everything about her from her weapon to just her sheer physical strength was unbelievable. The Y of team RWBY inwardly bemoaned behind her passive face. If she wanted to she could have killed all four of us. Though she'd been preoccupied she'd definitely taken note of how she was able to endure Izaak's G-Cage; she herself was barely able to move while caught in it yet that woman was still fully capable of fighting back. It was only a miracle they weren't her real target so she didn't see any reason to kill them. Deep down she could understand her sister's worry and fear, yet that was also why she knew Ruby had no reason to beat herself up over it.

"It's not just that," she added reminding Yang the woman caked Azana wasn't the only thing bothering her. "Everything about that battle had me scared out of my mind. While I was gone Blake and Weiss were nearly shredded and roasted like pork chops and I couldn't do anything about it." Pulling away now she could see the streamline of tears running down the fifteen year-old's face. "Seeing them being treated and looking back on it makes me feel like I'm…like I'm….a failure."

This is Mount Glenn all over again. "What could you have done Ruby?"

"Huh?"

"You had a job to do, one that was given to you by our teachers, besides you're overlooking one big thing." With a great smile she cocked her head and laughed. "We all survived. Yeah we got a little banged up but in the end each of us made it out of that hellhole alive."

"Yeah but-"

"We could be dead Ruby." Yang added with serious tone complete with a stern frown. Placing both hands on her sister's shoulder she made sure they were eye to eye for her next words. "One way or another we survived that mess when thousands of others didn't. White Fang, mercenaries, Grimm, and a giant fire-breathing dragon, we survived all of that. Take some pride in that."

At last it seemed her words had some effect. A frail smile graced her lips at last. "I guess we did do pretty well out there considering the odds against us. Plus we had Izaak with us."

Together the sisters threw back their heads in laughter at the mention of the axe-wielding Viking. Both of them may have had differing opinions on how the battle went, but there was one thing they could both whole-heartedly agree on-Izaak Egilson had proved himself in their eyes. And then some.

"I always thought you could be crazy sometimes, but that guy took the cake if you don't mind me saying." The older sister chuckled placing her hands behind her head as she leaned back to watch the clouds part.

"So have you finally found the perfect guy for you?" Ruby questioned with a cheeky grin much to her sister's annoyance. "Give me some credit Yang, I'm not as blind to romance as you think. In case you haven't noticed I've been brushing up on all things romantic." The reaper proudly proclaimed.

"Comics and cheesy romance novels don't count sis." The boxer laughed.

"Says the one who watches cheesy soap-operas."

Playfully bonking her sister over the head the blond snorted. "Let's slow it down a little here Rubes. I'll admit out of all the guys I've meet Izaak has definitely left a better impression then the others. That's all I'm going to say at this point. But enough about me, let's talk about you and Vomit Boy." As she expected Ruby's face did a complete one-eighty. Really, she shouldn't have been surprised, Yang always found a way to turn their discussions around. "He was pretty heroic out there wouldn't you say? And to think he did it to keep you from becoming a Grimm snack." As she continued rambling she noticed how Ruby did her best to look away which only caused her grin to widen. "So how'd you thank Vomit Boy? Kiss on the cheek or did you go the full mile?"

"I-I-I…uh well, I haven't e-exactly talked to Jaune yet." She finally confessed twiddling with her fingers. "I-It's not that I'm scared or anything! I-I-It's just he had a lot of broken bones when that Lockjaw rolled over on him and I just wanted to…y'know, give him some time to heal."

"Riiiiiiight Rubes." Yang agreed looking away. "I'm not too hot on becoming an aunt until I'm twenty-one just to let you know."

"Yang!"

Despite the pouting face the young reaper put up she was smiling on the inside. She hadn't been able to think straight or focus on anything in the past few days without the battle constantly rewinding itself over and over in her head. Thanks to Yang all that had come to an end leaving her free to enjoy this little moment of peace. Next time I'll be ready. She thought confidently staring at the sun making its rocky descent towards the horizon. Next time.

August Harbor…

Most people weren't able to pick up the winter-like chill that came from the sea, but Izaak could. He had a habit for picking up on things most people ignored. That chill told him fall was well on its way to leaving and winter was steadily taking its first steps towards the Kingdom of Vale. Izaak didn't like that, he wanted fall to stay just a little while longer yet he lacked the power to convince it to do so.

This would be his first winter in Vale. Winter in Mistral was rather lackluster as due to the country's climate and position on the planet's equator snowfall was rather rare and usually didn't last long. Up north towards Yamachi it was common but Izaak had only made two trips to the homeland of his olive-haired teammate, both of which had been during the spring and late summer. Despite the impressive scenery Vale boasted Izaak wasn't looking forward to seeing the entire land covered in white nor the streets assaulted by freezing winds. Looking out over the collection of ships docked in the harbor he pictured how many would be making voyages out to see once winter arrived. None of the moderately sized yachts or cruise ships would be out. He heard quite a few people were able to get part-time jobs maintaining them until spring arrived and they could see use. If he had any spare time he might take one even though water and cold weather were his least favorite combination.

That was why he was spending what little time he had left at one of his favorite places in the city. August Harbor was one of the oldest and most used harbors in all of Vale City, a large crocked U-shaped harbor that hosted anywhere between thirty and forty-eight ships. For a commercial harbor that was quite large though half the property was owned by the city's wealthier class. Given the fact the harbor sat at the western intersection of the commercial and upper class districts that wasn't surprising. Because of this the miles long stretch of land saw an influx of people form the wealthy, middle, and lower class. Izaak had done nothing but sit by the sea-facing bench and silently watch the waves and multitude of people pass him by. No Faunus of course, he'd spent nearly the entire day walking in the rain yet he'd yet to spot even one. Given the White Fang had just made their boldest move yet not even five days ago he imagined it would be a long time before Faunus were able to walk the street without being mobbed and beaten to death. By staying quiet and listening he'd learned that had already happened to countless unknown Faunus mere hours after Aemon Strip was attacked.

A salty breeze brushed up against his noise giving him reason to look up at the colorfully water being painted by the sun's setting light. With the rain only recently passed and moisture still so thick in the air it was easy to see rainbows if one looked around. There was no greater rainbow then the distant arc of light that stretched from the sea up to the brightly colored sky. Thanks to a combination of parting clouds and the setting sun the horizon had been painted a beautiful myriad of red, yellow, violet, and orange. All around him countless people momentarily paused in their daily walks to take notice of the view with a faint smile on their faces. Being one of them Izaak reached over to the side and flipped open one of the three notebooks stacked by his left side.

"Not quite so hazy this time." The axe-wielding Viking laughed plucking the top book off from the stack. Flipping the first few pages open he was greeted to his semi-faded yet still readable black ink.

So dull and dark are the November days.

The lazy mist high up curled,

And now the moron quite hides behind smoke and haze;

The place we occupy seems all the world.

Smiling with a little hint of sadness in his eyes he flashed back to a quiet forest being overwhelmed by morning mist then of the same forest being invaded by the evening shadows. Flipping a couple of pages he at last found a blank sheet for him to begin writing. First went the date and time then the words came like the breeze carried by the waves.

The sun kept setting, setting still:

No hue of afternoon

Upon the village I perceived,

From house to house 't was noon.

The dusk kept dropping, dropping still:

No dew upon the grass,

But only on my forehead,

And wandered in my face.

My feet kept drowsing, drowsing still:

My fingers were awake:

Yet why so little sound myself?

Unto my seeming make?

How well I knew the light before!

I could not see it now.

'T is dying, I am now: but

I'm not afraid to know.

Taking a small break to set his eyes on the setting sun again he sighed. Most people who whispered under their breath thought they couldn't be heard. Izaak could hear them as they passed and what he heard amused, annoyed, and slightly sickened him.

Look back on time with kindly eyes,

He doubtless did his best;

How softly sinks his trembling sun

In human nature's west!

Perhaps it was ten or eleven meters away but Izaak's ears heard the sharp bark of a dog followed by its heavy footsteps advancing his way. From his notebook his eyes went to his far left to see what he believed to be a fully-grown German Doberman heading his way. In mere seconds the dark haired canine was at his legs and he was staring into a pair of deep brown eyes that hungrily searched his. The Viking was calm despite the dog's sudden appearance and violation of his personal space. He allowed the Doberman to continuously sniff him and examine him feeling no sense of danger whatsoever.

At last cracking a smile he reached out with his right hand which caused the mammal to go completely still. Gently and quietly he brought his hand to the dog's forehead and began to lightly rub it. While the Doberman at first seemed unsure in seconds it was licking his palm with affection. "Good girl." He cooed having already deduced the black canine was female with but a few glances. "I take it you're not lost and just got a little curious am I right?"

"Midge! Midge!" Called a male voice that instantly caught the guard dog's attention. The dog's owner was a well-built man in his early forties with a scarred face. Some parts of his combed back brown hair had started to come loss due to the rain though he otherwise looked like he'd remained quite dry. One of the scars ended just above his right eyebrow while two more ran from his left cheek down to his jawline. Upon having his dog return to him he lightly scolded the animal though there was little anger in his tale colored eyes. Looking up with those same eyes Izaak saw something flash through them: shock. "I-I'm sorry about that. She gets a little wild when something catches her interest."

"It's no problem." Izaak offered waving his hand. "You've taken good care of her." He offered.

Smiling in gratitude the man pointed to the empty side of the bench. "Would you mind?"

"Not at all, in fact I actually would kind of like the company." The Beacon student answered welcoming the return of the Doberman apparently named Midge.

Countless people passed the teenager and adult who continued watching the beautiful sunset in easy silence with only the occasional bark or noise from Midge. Neither had to say anything nor move to examine the other. Both knew of the untold connection they shared, one of them was going to voice it.

Izaak called that connection dad. Daciano called him Doc Ri and from time to time Captain Shakespeare.

"My dad once told me about this cool soldier he knew during the war." The first year started still not facing the hitman. "A tough as hell bastard who could shoot his way out of almost any firefight or smash his way through using nothing but his fists. This guy was actually pretty cheery most of the time, even when he'd just had a shit day which included half his unit getting killed. My dad said he was one of the first friends he made in the army. His name was Sorriso, Sorriso Monti." At the mention of her master's true name Midge looked up from the boy to the retired soldier. She gave something of a sad howl when the tale-eyed man refused to shift his gaze away from the waterfront. "Apparently I met him once when I was two years old, freak chance my parents told me." Another long stretch of silence came about with only Midge's annoyed barks breaking things up. Clearly the Doberman was smarter than he thought, and more in tune with her owner's emotions. "Was Aemon anything like what you guys went through?"

"Old Ri never talked much about the war did he? Can't say I blame him," The older man stated reaching into his pocket for a cigarette. "I'm actually glad I was out of town when the White Fang pulled their little stunt. Reminded me of the old days in the jungle."

"It took balls to do what they did. Even after seeing Conely's Torch go off a few of them were still willing to stay and fight to the last breath." Izaak said.

"If you knew about half the things we'd done to them during the war you'd have stayed too."

"I have an idea."

"So your father did tell you stories about the war?"

"Yeah, he did, didn't like to though, but I kept asking." The bronze-haired teenager shrugged leaning forward with both hands laced together. "My uncles told me stories to when they came by." When their eyes finally met it was clear both were dancing around certain issues. Both had made somewhat of a good impression on the other and neither wanted to ruin it with one careless jab. "All of them basically told me that the war sucked ass."

"…They were right kid, don't ever let anyone tell you any different." Daciano confirmed blowing out a puff of smoke. "How'd you guys do when the shit hit the fan? I heard…when an Ethm Wyvern showed up you were the only freshman who stood his ground and faced the damn thing in a one on one." If his scars did anything they made the veteran's grin all darker and somewhat menacing. "You got balls kid, I'll be honest I like that about you."

Rather than be unnerved Izaak actually found the man's grin a little charming. Meeting it with his own he quipped, "I am an Egilson ya' know. Besides it's not like I killed the thing, I just reduced some of the baggage it had to carry for flight. Not that I think I could have killed it though."

"You could have." Daciano countered exhaling another cloud of smoke. The brown-haired hitman didn't bat an eye when the axe-wielder's gaze turned serious and his face morphed into a frown. "Not saying you would have survived the battle, but something tells me you could have taken a Shadow of Death if team ATHM hadn't beat you to it."

"…You…you really think I could have done that?"

"Like I said, you're a tough kid. Ha, even Midge agrees." Daciano laughed noting how the canine seemed to have taken a strong liking to the Viking. It was rare to see his beloved pet so affectionate with anyone other than himself. Considering who this boy was and where he came from Daciano wasn't that surprised.

"Did you guys ever get a view this good in Menagerie?"

"Sometimes kid, sometimes we didn't. Wasn't at all as enjoyable as this moment here now is." Answered the former soldier who gazed at the far off horizon with a distant look in his tale-colored eyes. What he was seeing Izaak could only guess, but he was sure the man who now lived under a false name wasn't looking at the same sunset he was.

When he spoke again more than half the sun had disappeared beneath the horizon line taking with it a large portion of the evening light. "I know what you're going to ask me Izaak, and the answer is there isn't one."

"I haven't even gotten around to asking the question."

"You really think I needed you to? You were going to ask if I could point you towards Cinder Fall, and that's not an easy question for me to answer."

"The fact you even know her name tells me you know something."

"Well, when Roman Torchwick starts playing second to an even bigger and worse criminal than himself names tend to travel fast. Besides a name and a face I can't give you much kid."

"But, you can give me something." Challenged the axe-wielding student with passionate eyes.

Midge sensed the sudden change in the atmosphere and whimpered in response. Even bystanders walking by seemed to notice the tension-filled air growing between the would-be-Huntsman and the soldier turned hitman. A noticeable handful began to veer away from the bench they sat at out of fear some act of violence would break out. Given the nation was still raw from the White Fang's attack it went without saying violence had become contagious disease to be avoided.

Daciano knew one or another this kid wasn't going to stop until he got an answer. He wouldn't use violence, not when he had a much more effective weapon he had little hope of defending against. Getting up and walking away would do little good as Izaak would continue to hound him even then. God damn it, He huffed throwing away his now finished cigarette. "What happened a few months ago in the sewers, when the cops tried to do that Dust bust in the sewers, it was a set-up."

"No, you don't say?"

In spite of all things Daciano found himself smirking. "By some extension this Cinder has a strangle hold over the Aguello Family. Word is she promised them a way to crawl back on top if they did as she asked. If the Liath kid has told you anything you should know that hasn't happened nor is it going to happen. She's been using the family as runners, moving something through the city and countryside. You'll have to ask Ermanno that question."

"Heheheheh."

"Something funny?"

"You're making it sound like we can just walk up to his private mansion, ring the doorbell, and have a nice little chat with him."

"Hah! You've got a better sense of humor than your old man kid. I appreciate the gesture but let's be real here; I've heard what kind of team you lead. For most people walking into a heavily fortified mafia stronghold would be suicide, but…for people like you, it might as well be a walk in the park."

"Here I was hoping we could do this without having to send someone to the ER." The teenager muttered with real sadness in his voice.

"When you choose to do this sort of work you'll find that's rarely an option kid, at least the ER's better than the morgue." Daciano countered gently nudging Midge. "It was a pleasure meeting you Izaak and if possible I'd like to talk with you again."

Midge whimpered at having to say goodbye to the seventeen year-old and she showed it with a pitiful howl. "Hey, hey, chin up a little. I'm sure we'll meet again." He said lightly scratching the dog's neck causing her to lick his face in glee.

"By the way Izaak," Daciano called turning his head to face him. Pointing a single finger at the stack of notebooks he asked, "You have any plans on publishing those? Your dad never got the chance to publish any of his works and I'm a little disappointed he died before he could."

Hearing the hitman asked him that caused Izaak to do a double take. Looking from Daciano and to his books he felt a rumbling in his gut. Honestly he'd lost track of how many times people had asked him that question, but answering it never got any easier. "Maybe if my future as a world-class Huntsman doesn't pan out." As usual he laughed it off putting up the mask of a guy who didn't have a care in the world.

Rather or not he bought it Izaak couldn't tell, he'd find out one day if their paths crossed again. Once the duo disappeared into the crowd he found himself alone in a nameless flow of people muttered a hundred meaningless words. Beyond the sea the sun had fully disappeared taking the rainbows with it, yet residual light remained turning the darker shades of the sky just a little lighter. It didn't make much difference to Izaak as darkness was still darkness. His face remained an expressionless mask as he gathered his notebooks into his bag then slung he bag over his shoulder. He had quite a walk to get back to Vale General and he enjoyed the fact he would be doing it alone. As he made the journey it occurred to him just how normal things looked on the surface. Few people were smiling though, shifting his hazel-colored eyes around he found not that many people were even attempting to put on a brave face save for children. He doubted schools would reopen until next week, especially integration schools. Most of them had most likely been vandalized. Nearly every shop he passed now had a rather prominent anti-Faunus barring them from entry. Then again, most of those places already had unspoken anti-Faunus attitudes to begin with.

So in the long run I guess nothing's changed. He thought blankly as he awaited the first bus that would take him to his destination. Over six thousand people just died for nothing.

Story Notes-I've been putting some of these off for way too long and it's time I finally got around them.

Team ATHM (Pronounced Anthem) Theme: National heroes and cultural heroes, be they real or mythological.

Adelhard Von Blu

Inspiration: Seigfried, the dragon-slaying hero of the Nibelungenleid which is based on the Norse legend of Sigurd, hero of the Volsunga Saga. No matter the name or source he's have been revered as national hero of Germany. (Again, those who watch the Fate series might see his as an expy of Saber of Black.)

Weapon: Dracheträne (A combination of the German words for dragon and tear, thus "Dragon Tear"), a two-handed broadsword that is actually infused with dozens of tiny nanites that allow it to change its shape into carious other melee weapons.

Semblance: Dragon's Pulse, the ability to manipulate the Dust-filled Ley lines of Remnant allowing for a wide myriad of uses from offense to defense. (P.S. I know it's another Pokemon related one, but I couldn't think of a more fitting name).

Color: Cobalt Blue

Naming: Adelhard is German name that roughly translates into "Battle Hard" or "Hard Battle". His last name is the German word for the color blue.

Emblem: A horned dragon head pointed downward exhaling flames from the nostrils that trail upwards, turning into tucked in wings. The background is blue while the design in white.

Tomoe Akamori

Inspiration: Tomoe Gozen, a 12th century female samurai of Japan. Outside of the Tale of the Heike there's little evidence supporting she was an actual person. Regardless, in story she's depicted as one of the best warriors on either side of the conflict and quite a beautiful woman. There's some speculation she and her master, Yoshinaka Minamoto had more than a professional relationship, some accounts saying she was either his wife or one of his concubines. What happened to her after Yoshinaka was defeated at the battle of Awazu was never answered with some guess being she either became a nun, took revenge for her master then committed suicide, or was defeated and made a concubine herself.

Weapon: Harukaze (Japanese for "spring wind"), a razor-sharp katana and multi-action sheath that can combine with it to form either a naginata or bow, all weapons onna-bugeisha were trained to wield.

Semblance: Senbonzakura, the ability to manifest thousands of supernatural cherry blossoms and manipulate them as she sees fit. They can become a torrent of razor blades or be compressed to form solid objects like barriers or even body parts.

Color: Reddish-Pink

Naming: Her first name obviously, her last name is Japanese for "red forest".

Emblem: A five petaled sakura blossom with a five tomoe arranged in a circular fashion. The background color is reddish pink while the design is more of a whiter shade of pink.

Harto Batee

Inspiration: Cut Nyak Dhien, a female leader of the Acehnese guerilla forces during the Aceh War fought in modern-day Indonesia between the Acehnese people and the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the late 1800s. Growing up she had many men proposing to her on account of her beauty until her parents set her up in an arranged marriage. After the death of her first husband she married Teuku Umar on the condition he would allow her to fight. Together they greatly boosted the resistance's morale and continued fighting until she was captured and exiled, eventually dying in exile. In 1964 she was posthumously declared a National Hero by the president of Indonesia along with her husband.

Weapon: Teuku Umar, named after Dhien's real life husband, a pair of warglaives that can be thrown and used as melee weapons. They can be combined to form either a giant fuma shuriken or double-ended halberd capable of cutting nearly anything.

Semblance: Kibr (Islamic term for pride or arrogance), the ability to increase and decrease the density of herself or anything she touches. People affected by her Semblance will have a stylized K appear somewhere on their bodies in the form of a glyph or a golden glow around them.

Color: Golden Brown

Naming: Harto is an Indonesian name meaning "treasure" and her last name is the Acehnese word for "stone" or "rock".

Emblem: A diagonal tiger's paw print with diamond-shaped claws scratching at the background. Background is dark brown while the paw itself is a more golden shade of brown.

Marshal Williams

Inspiration: William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, soldier and statesman of medieval England. Described as the "greatest knight that ever lived" and the "flower of chivalry" he defeated over five-hundred opponents in single combat, knighted two kings, served as a Regent, defeated the French army, and basically made sure all of Europe knew his name. He served five kings including Richard the Lionheart who he was enemies with yet had enough respect for his abilities to leave him alone. Outside of battle he was a wise statesman who knew when to call it a day and make peace with his enemies.

Weapon: Irenrugio (Combination of the Anglo-Saxon spelling of iron and the Latin word for roar or bellow), From the surface a plain-looking Adamantine broadsword. To a degree it is, like Crocea Mors it's a weapon that's been passed down from one generation to the next except it's more cool looking. As a trade-off it can cut through almost anything and be infused with Dust or Aura to increase its attack power via a series of runes inscribed on the blade.

Semblance: Pembroke, the ability to break down solid matter and condense it into a type of armor that protects the user. Depending on the substance being broken down Marshal will gain different abilities.

Color: Harlequin green

Naming: Basically his name is William Marshal reversed; however, his first name can actually be read as martial as in martial arts or martial prowess.

Emblem: A red lion standing upright while grasping a downward facing sword with its paws over a green background. Look to the real William Marshal's coat of arms to get an idea.

Aldrich Andersen

Aldrich is an English name that means "aged and wise ruler" referring to the fact in-story Andersen is one of the oldest characters around as well as the overall ruler of the Vale council thus the entire kingdom.

Andersen comes from Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish author remembered for his many plays, poems, novels, and fairy tales which include "The Emperor's New Clothes", "The Snow Queen", "The Ugly Duckling", and "The Little Mermaid" among others. In this story Andersen is both an author and a man with many connections to characters that allude to the fairy tales.

Midge is derived from the English name Madge which means "pearl"

Sorriso is the Italian word for "smile" and Monti is an Italian surname that means "mountain" or "hill". Kind of fits given Izaak's first name means laughter.

Poems Used in order of appearance…

November by John Clare

The Sun kept setting, setting still and Look back on time with kindly eyes by Emily Dickinson.

Jeez, that was a load of notes to get through. Next chapter should be a little shorter and little-hearted compared to this one. Until next time!