It's been longer than I would have liked, but I'm back, everyone! As promised, here comes the return of school-days centered chapters! But don't think that means everything is going to be well and good as this chapter will show.

I do not own anything.


Chapter 65-The Calm After and Before

February 13th, 6:55 AM

Beacon Academy…

"Has the snow melted?"

"All of it or enough that they can start hosting class?"

"Does it matter?

"Izaak, I think you already know the answer to that question."

Chicahua was right, he did already know. Through the walls he could hear his classmates getting up and preparing for another day at Beacon Academy. After three days of no classes the staff had decided the students had been given a long enough break. Scratch that, they'd decided three days was enough for the Fort Lennox survivors to attempt to reintegrate back into school-life. Kids or not, they were still Huntsmen and Huntresses in training. There always came a time when they had to stop sulking and get back to doing their jobs. For that reason, Izaak rose upward, a yawn leaving his mouth and his bronze-colored hair fanning out in all directions.

"On a scale of one to ten," he began.

It was Olivia who answered him. "A snow coat, gloves, and a snow cap. The heat is blasting at full power. One thing you gotta give Beacon credit for making sure its air-conditioning is top-notch." She offered his hand, he took it. Izaak followed her gaze to the outside window. Finger-print-sized snowflakes were falling from the sky, just as they'd been doing for the last several days. Placing his hand against the window he could practically feel the coldness of the outside world. "Come on, earlier we can get dressed the more delicious food they'll probably still have left over in the dining hall." Olivia added lightly tapping him on the shoulder.

Izaak couldn't help but smirk at that. Since coming back from the hospital they'd all practically gorged themselves, and that was just at Beacon. They hadn't been alone in such ventures. More times than they could count when they were out, they caught some of their fellow teams making the most of their hospital discharge. In an odd way, the tragedy at Fort Lennox and Cichorium had brought a fresh wave of customers to Vale City's restaurants and bars. People were hungry for real food and hungry for an escape. The latter was enough to get some to forget that some places had to change their menus and take certain items off since they didn't have the cooking ingredients needed.

How much longer until Beacon starts running into the same problem? Most people wouldn't have touched the topic since the students and staff had other more pressing matters to deal with though. Izaak, on the other hand, was willing to dedicate a second or two to the question. Briefly, his eyes wondered over to Olivia. Odds were, she had asked the question as well. While they were in the hospital, she'd kept herself informed of all the happenings since the base attack.

There was an ongoing debate as to rather or not they were in the calm before the storm or the lull between storms. Neither labeling was soothing.

Minus several skirmishes and violent protests, nothing had happened since Fort Lennox had fell and the warheads stolen. To be more precise, no reports had come through about any of them going off, not in a population center, factory, military base, or even the forests. Personally, Izaak considered that worse. Staring down the barrel of a gun was a scary experience, but what made it scary was the waiting, those precious few moments when you could literally see every moment of your life flashing before your eyes as you either struggled to formulate an escape plan or accepted this was where it was to end.

If he had to guess, that's the state Vale, and perhaps a good chunk of Remnant had fallen into.

That said, one look at the Beacon courtyard and one could have come to a different conclusion.

On the surface, it looked like life had to returned to normal. Again, on the surface.

When they first came to Beacon, they'd gotten all kinds of weird looks that had thankfully subsided after a while. Now, they were back, and in force. In spite of classes starting back up they still managed to draw considerable attention, just like all the other surviving teams. That said, it wasn't like all the chatter was negative.

"Seriously though, I always knew bird-man was strong, but fighting off a giant Grimm like that…"

"Olivia was the one that planned it. No wonder, I mean she's from the Asker family so I guess strategy's in her blood. I'm just surprised she wasn't made team leader."

"Hey, hey, I hear Egilson and Liath racked up a pretty high body-count."

"Well, what the hell else were you expecting? One's from a family of thieves and the other's from a clan of pscyhos who get off on dismembering people."

"In the end though, it wasn't enough to stop the base from falling, or keep the warheads from getting taken."

"At least they're still alive. Every team member came out whole unlike some. I mean, just look at Team CRDL."

Perhaps it's acknowledgement that none of this bottom-feeders could have done as well as us. That is the ultimate victory, isn't it? Coming out with your life.

That was true, they were here, trudging through the snow on their way to eat breakfast like it was any other day of the week. They were the lucky ones. Just bout twenty-five of their classmates were currently eating dirt for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It was the only meal they'd ever have again, all while they provided nourishment for the worms and maggots that called the underground home. Adding to that, they were now able to eat decent food where as another portion of their classmates were still being feed hospital food. Izaak knew he and his teammates had a lot to be thankful for in spite of what others whispered amongst themselves.

For example, none of his people had lost a limb…or been scarred for life, except for him of course. The black beast charting a path ahead of him through the snow was proof of that. Izaak paid little mind to the snide remarks that left Garm's wet lips as they passed their peers and instructors. They whispered in quiet voices thinking he didn't hear them, he did. Luckily for them, he didn't care enough to say anything about their thoughts and judgements.

Upon entering the dining hall, a soft gale of fresh air and meaningless chatter blasted the four former Haven-students. It was a rather refreshing and calming breeze that put the building tensions within each of them at ease. Helping things along was the Valentine's Day decorations that had been hoisted up all over the place. It certainly brought a smile to Chicahua, who carefully marked each and every couple and potential couple that filled the dining hall. On one hand, they knew perfectly well that the next day was a holiday met to celebrate love and romance, but he also knew there was another component to it all-everyone at Beacon could have just used some closeness with the people they cared about. Briefly, his eyes drifted over to his teammates, his sole female teammate in particular. She caught his gaze and smiled back, and elbowed his side.

"Hey! Ruby! Ren!" Called the team's gray-haired member throwing up a hand and getting a pair to wave back at him. Neil took careful note of who was missing at the table, Weiss, Pyrrha, and Jaune. He tried hard not to think about the first one and what she could be doing…or what she could be enduring. "So, any ideas what we're in for as far as classes go?" He asked as Team IONC took their seats amongst their classmates and friends. As it turned out, they were the only fully assembled team there.

Yang huffed. "For starters, I'm not looking forward to physical practice in the snow."

"I honestly have no idea why that'd be a hassle for you." Blake began, visibly amused at her partner's discomfort. "Aside from not having your weapon, you can produce enough heat that at times you can serve as our personal microwave, a little snow isn't going to bother you too much."

Seeing an opportunity, Olivia pounced on it with a Cheshire grin. "And besides, all someone has to do is throw a snowball at that beautiful golden mane of yours and we'll have instant summer. Wouldn't that be something, eh, Izaak?" Her jab was enough to pull the bronze-haired axe-user out of his though-bubble, and remind him that he was sitting almost directly across from someone who was quite concerned with his physical and mental well-being.

The berserker blinked in surprise, realizing that the conversation had now turned to him; more importantly, Yang's attention had turned to him. He looked up into her iliac eyes and felt his heart skip a beat. He came to an immediate decision on what to do. "You know what, I'm gonna go get us some breakfast. Ruby, any chance they got some hot chocolate left?"

Her face perking up, the redhead jumped to her feet. "If you want some for everyone, we'd better move fast! Come on!" She felt a prickle up her spine; Ruby knew exactly where it was coming from, her own sister. Ignoring it, she began to walk with her fellow team leader. Almost immediately, she noticed some sort of visible relief as they moved away from the table containing their teammates and friends. While still fairly socially awkward, Ruby wasn't blind, nor was she stupid. It was plain to see that something was eating her fellow team leader, and it likely had something to do with her sister. Oh man, I wish I was better at this! Valentine's Day is literally just around the corner and you and Yang are…on the outs. Grumbled the scythe-wielder.

"Do you know where the others are?" Izaak asked in a quiet voice.

"Eh? O-Oh, w-w-well, I honestly don't know about Pyrrha. She's been acting…odd the last couple of days."

"Odd?" Pressed the hazel-eyed teenager. Internally, he cursed himself for not noticing, then again, it wasn't like he was particularly close to Pyrrha. Not as much as Olivia was. Granted, this latest small piece of information got his mind working on the numerous possibilities. One involving the headmaster came to mind. "Are there any chances that Jaune is with her? Speaking of which, how's he taking…ya' know."

The fact that his family heirloom was reduced to molten slag? Guy might still be hold up in his room crying about it, not that you can blame him considering-

"I tried asking Ren and Nora, but they told me he…had some things to do first then he'd join us for breakfast." It was clear that she'd wanted more, but there was a chance even those two didn't know. Izaak could certainly picture it as while he put on a friendly face, Jaune was still a person who kept things close to his chest. Given his rather…debatable combat record and his own fumbling, it wasn't all that surprising. That said, the young knight didn't quite give himself enough credit. "I…do you think it's possible to make up a new weapon in a day?" Asked the reaper giving Izaak an aside glance as they got in line.

"Between classes…maybe, but the forgery is probably packed right now since you're not the only one thinking of getting your significant other a weapon for a-"

"Significant what?" Ruby blinked.

Grinning, the bronze-haired teen leaned over. "Boyfriend."

"W-W-W-Wh-What?! J-J-Jaune i-isn't m-my boyfriend! H-He's just a friend!" She expectedly defended.

Izaak merely nodded his head. "Huh, right. I suppose there's a chance that he could be asking Pyrrha since her spear and shield are pretty versatile weapons and he could probably come up with some good ideas while with her."

"Not as good as mine." Huffed the silver-eyed girl causing Izaak to chuckle, which in turn made her blush. "Anyways, that's Jaune and Pyrrha. For Buruan and his team…" A look of slight anxiety crossed her face as she thought of her canine-eared friend and his comrades. "They still haven't come back from a suppression mission. They were sent out two days ago. He sent me a message last night telling me they probably wouldn't make it back for Valentine's Day, but told me not to worry."

"Was he alright?" Asked the axe-user.

"Y-Yeah, again, he…told me not to worry. And I'm not! I know Buruan and his team, they're almost as tough as us! Maybe even a little tougher!" Boasted the redhead as they moved up in line.

"Not as tough as my team though." Izaak lightly jabbed getting giggle from the young reaper. "Hey, holidays are meant for celebrating, so let's do that. After all, we've got something worth celebrating."

"Being out of the hospital?" Ruby offered with a grin and raised hand.

"Exactly." Izaak answered slapping his palm against hers. "Oh, and here he comes now."

In a heartbeat, Ruby followed his gaze, her silver eyes cackling with glee and a smile spreading across her face. He knew it was more for Jaune than it was for Pyrrha, though he was sure that the reaper was surely happy to see the Spartan. That joy was enough for her to break out of line and run over to meet the two of them. Considering that Izaak remained where he stood, he supposed that was alright; he'd simply have to levitate another set of mugs, nothing new for him. It felt like a nice return to normalcy, something that Izaak felt they could all use.

The next ten seconds defied those wishes, however.

He was used to his sense of hearing being quicker than his sight, after all, sound tended to travel fast. Especially when it was heralding something bad. Still, it was…odd being able to literally hear the failings of the several coffee machines that he and half a dozen other students had been waiting in line to use. Of the six, four of them began to fail, their inner workings overheating and sparks flying from them. A second later and one of them outright combusted, scaring away a good number of students who'd been waiting in line, especially the female student who'd been preparing what might have been an espresso for herself or someone else. It would have been rather amusing to Izaak if he hadn't felt heard something rather concerning.

Ever since his…awakening, as it could be called, all of his senses had been enhanced beyond what they had been before…including his ability to sense emotions, which was something more akin to a personal trait than anything genetic. He'd gotten good at reading people; some people though, were practically open books just waiting to be read.

Jaune Arc was one such person. Jaune was a bumbling guy, but one with a kind-heart and courage that Izaak knew would inspire him to go above and beyond for his friends and the greater good. It was a good reason why he had such high hopes for the blond, respected him, and at times defended him against his olive-haired teammate's biting criticism.

That wasn't the Jaune Arc that Izaak saw.

While other students reacted with expected alarm and even annoyance, what radiated from Jaune was fear. Like the dreaded beast within him, Izaak picked up on it and snapped his gaze to the blond knight several feet from him. He took in every detail of Jaune's face. The former country boy had gone ashen white and his blue eyes widened to the size of a plate, in the biologically enhanced teen's ears was the loud roar of Jaune's frantically beating heart. It was without a doubt beating with fear, which laced his soul like a spider's web. In the span of seconds, he followed Jaune's frightful gaze to the coffee machine that had just ignited. Calls went rung out for someone to do something about it before it grew into something problematic.

Well…can't say that I blame the guy. Izaak deduced, the pieces having come together in his head in the span of seconds. Behind him, Garm yelped in silence agreement, for once keeping his sharpen jabs to himself. Perhaps some of his kindness had bled into his inner beast. Or maybe it was just the fact that it was still relatively early in the morning and he needed some food in him for the black hound to really get going. Either way, his heart twisted in sympathy for the young knight.

For better or for worse, he was the only one who noticed as Pyrrha's attention had been taken by the malfunctioning machines as well as Ruby's. It'd given Jaune good enough cover, just enough time for him to attempt to regain some measure of control over himself.

Izaak feared the next time, he wouldn't be so fortunate.

Say, how long do you think the guy can last like this? He can't be a Huntsman if a tiny spark like that is enough to send him into shock. Hell, he won't even be able to make it through the rest of the winter because I'm sure someone will light a match in front of him. Perhaps he'd spoken a bit too soon. Or maybe he'd simply underestimated how far-reaching his own snide and callous nature could extend as Garm demonstrated. Well, will you confront him on this? Better this blond duce than you-know-who. Besides, you're both team leaders so you could use that excuse.

The bronze-haired teenager drifted away into his own inner musings, paying only passing attention to what went on around him. It seemed that the orders for any assorted hot beverages was going to be put on hold causing a collective groan so loud that it nearly shook the building. Several made quick decisions to high-tail it either back to their dorms or somewhere else for a hot beverage dimming it to be that important. With what little attention he paid to the whole thing, Izaak mused how the news would likely spread through the academy, yet another dent in the school's slow-growing food problems. He knew in a heartbeat that the word "sabotage" would start to get thrown out rather quickly. There was a list of suspects whom the rumors would be directed at, including the race that his ancestors had mingled with and his teammate and friend belonged to.

For all I know, this could be an omen. Quietly, he stepped out of line and began making his way over to another. It seemed the team was going to have to make due with coffee, perhaps bitter coffee. Maybe that bitterness would be what everyone needed to snap them awake.

Minutes later, when he returned to the table carrying four mugs in his hands, he looked to his team and saw that they were wide-awake. And based on the way their gaze shifted to Jaune as he and Pyrrha sat down, they'd seen his little…scare as well, short as it had been.

The fact that Olivia had seen it was what worried Izaak. As she took her first sip of her morning drink, not at all minding the bitter taste of it, he found her gray-green eyes wavered on Jaune, who'd managed to regain his composure. Izaak honestly wondered how long would such a thing last as if there was one thing he could say about Jaune Arc, it was that he was both incredibly lucky…and incredibly unlucky.


Chem Class, 11:46 PM…

Rather than a straight answer, the young Viking got it in bits and pieces as the school day marched on, same as usual, at least on the surface. As it was with the morning, everyone was doing their best to type themselves up for the next day, Valentine's Day. That was the talk of the hallways and classrooms, even amongst the teachers.

But the cherry mood wasn't reaching everyone. Izaak put on a happy face like some others, but there were some who weren't even trying to hide the gloom they were feeling, the anxiety that was still racing through them. Nowhere was that more evident than in classes that required a steady hand and focus of mind, in other words, chemistry and Dust usage.

In one look, he could tell that Professor Bennett was well aware that nobody was in the mood to be working with explosive materials. That's why they were handling paint…mostly. Pain and camouflage fluid borne from light-refracting Dust. By smearing it over one's self, they could attain invisibility, or at least better blend in with the surroundings. She demonstrated her point by taking one mixture and dumping it over her right hand then holding it up to the board. To Izaak, the change was unnoticeable, but then again, he now had eyesight that could make out the details of a fly hidden in a thorn-covered bush. Still, it got some oohs and awes out of the rest of the class. Along with some snickers. They continued, they grew, when she demonstrated the properties of the mixture, which to his eyes resembled true invisibility in that light was indeed being refracted around the dark-skinned professor's hand.

I can see so well now. See better than I could before. Mused the bronze-haired teenager as the lecture continued. The warnings came next, as one would have expected. The veteran Huntress was quite aware of what she was installing into teenagers, especially with a day geared for couples coming in at exactly the next day.

"Now then, having demonstrated that, I'll also leave you all with another little tidbit of information." Started the black-haired instructor washing off the Dust at her built-in sink at her front desk. Izaak saw the devious light building in her eyes and smirked in admiration. "While these mixtures may disguise your physical presence…your spiritual presence is another matter entirely. I have total faith that those you that have…well, those of you that have been keeping up with your training, can sense out an enemy who is out of your physical sight." Jabbing a finger to the far left, her grin deepened. "Oh, and some new security cameras have been installed all over the academy to catch anyone who's trying to hide themselves. Such dangerous times we've living in, huh? So, the Headmaster decided to take some precautions."

A series of groans, and nods of approval, rolled through the classroom of near thirty students. Izaak could pick out several who were in the former category, namely a certain blonde.

Come to think of it, exactly what sort of hell would Yang raise if she was able to be invisible without impunity? Blake would probably outright consider transferring schools. And Ruby would never have a moment's peace, especially if she keeps going on the track she's on. Concluded the axe-wielder with a chuckle that was lost amongst his classmates.

Once the mechanics were explained, Professor Bennett got around to the part that everyone had been waiting for-live experimentation. Oh, and partners.

Izaak's entire body tensed, his pores opening as he saw two people moving towards him, heard them too; their racing hearts and breath, both of which allowed him to identify in a second. His mind moved at lightspeed, coming a decision with his body acting on it. Keeping a mask of indifference, he moved his out to the left, practically smashing it into the stony chest of Team CRDL's mace-wielding leader. The person on his right looked less than pleased at his decision.

"What? I'm just making sure he doesn't try to pull any stupid stunts?" He offered in the face of the female blonde's annoyed gaze. "Remember, his team's the one full of reforming hooligans." Izaak added with a lazy smirk.

Cardin was less than amused. "You know, suddenly I'm thinking Ren or Valkyrie would be better lab partners."

Yang's eyes lit up like candles. "Great, then you'll-"

"But I'm keeping Egilson here, he's way more useful to me, even with the mouth on him." Fired off the indigo-eyed male, much to Izaak's relief and Yang's continued chagrin.

"Ah, I see you've become quite popular, haven't you, Mister Egilson. Miss Xiao-Long, Mister Winchester, please save the scuffles for after class." Chirped the professor as she passed them by. Much like the rest of them, she was back up and running at full efficiency after the disaster that was Fort Lennox. She seemed happy to see that her students had done so as well.

Oh, they'd recovered alright, enough to throw glares at one another before ending the dispute in silence.

"Don't think you can keep running from me, Izaak." Huffed the blonde trying to look the ax-wielder in the eye. Her frustrations grew as she saw Izaak look away from her, refusing to meet her gaze.

As he'd done a hundred times before, Izaak slipped back on a mask of ignorance. Obviously, the cracks in it were many, but it was enough to get him through the moment. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Yang. Besides, you know Cardin could use my help more than you. You're passing and he's just barely passing." He got a laugh out of the buxom blonde and growl from the male brunette. "I'll make it up to you, promise."

"Right, I'll just put it on your tab, ax-boy." Finally relented the brawler. Her gaze lingered on Izaak for a moment longer than he would have liked. Instead of a frown, she'd gone to smiling at him; it was so dazzling that Izaak almost felt like recanting on his words and being Yang's partner.

Almost.

The blonde departed to find a partner of her own. Surprisingly, several had been watching the exchange and breathed out a sigh of relief when the Viking had chosen the knight over the brawler. There was some snickering and jabs thrown in, but Izaak could handle all of that. Internally sighing in relief, he turned around and confronted a scowling Winchester.

"Just to let you know, I am not going to sit through four freakin' years of you two making gaga-eyes at each other." He snarled. "It's bad enough with Arc and Rose and for all I know, Nikos, but not you too!"

Chuckling, the ax-user threw up his hands. "Cardin, I think you might be seeing things. Seriously, what you saw was-"

"You dodging Xiao-Long…again." Even though he too was carrying emotional burdens, Cardin was still able to smile in triumph in seeing the humor disappear from the ax-user's face. Giving him a sideways smirk, he leaned up against the desk. "What? Come on, you're using vouching for me, so when it's just the two of us act like it. Besides, Russel's been keeping an ear to the ground just in case…you know." He added with a grimace.

Izaak shared it, feeling an uncomfortable tug in his gut. "Has he…heard anything we need to worry about?"

"Nope, nothing life-threatening. Annoying, hell yeah, but nothing bad." After hearing the words, he could practically see the breath leaving Izaak's lips. Cardin could understand the sentiment; even though they were all out of the hospital, they were still recovering, physically and mentally. Personally, he still felt what were most likely phantom headaches and pains in his leg. Then there were his teammates, Dove in particular who was still getting used to his robotic arm and Russel who occasionally felt up his chest and Sky who seemed to always be on guard, more so than usual. "What about you? You avoiding Xiao-Long out of shame for breaking her arm? Something a whole bunch of guys, including me, have thought about doing since day one?"

If he thought his words would get a rise out of the Viking, he was disappointed. Izaak merely gazed at him with empty eyes before turning to their Dust samplings.

"It's complicated."

"Uh-huh, right. So, which sappy novel did you get that from?"

"Maybe one that Velvet's been riding, speaking of which, are you-"

THUNK!

A small grin formed on the bronze-haired teen's face as Cardin's fist trembled, and his face took on a slight red tint. "How's about we just focus on our work and leave the private stuff private?"

"First sensible thing you've said since class started." Grumped the knight.

"Technically, you're the one who started this conver-"

Once again, his enhanced senses alerted him to what was coming seconds before it actually happened. The brown-eyed teenager went still while everyone else, including Professor Bennett herself, jumped in alarm as an explosion ripped through the atmosphere of the formerly quiet classroom. It was quickly echoed by the sounds of glass shattering and metal clanging either onto the desk and onto the floor along with several frightened shouts. Swerving his eyes about, he spotted a roaring blaze having erupted from one of the Dust bowl that had been provided to each set of students. If Izaak had to guess, someone had tried turning what was a recipe for invisibility into a makeshift firework. He had t give them marks as the flames began to twisted and turn into various shapes that he recognized to be a heart, or an attempt at a heart.

Boom!

"Gaaahh!"

"Shit!" Barked Cardin, bolting from his spot beside the Viking, who remained perfectly idle while everyone else around him flew into a semi-panic, and in the case of some, a full-blown panic. One person in particular had crumbled up to the ground in pure fear.

Izaak could hear Jaune's heart beating so fiercely any second he fully expected it to burst from inside of his chest. In fact, the more he listened the more he realized it probably was going to burst if something wasn't done about it. He's having a panic attack. Thought the quiet berserker breaking his stance and moving through the desks and tables just as Cardin was moving towards the fire. He got there faster than the professor, who upon seeing it, hung back and watched as the Winchester placed his hands before the shooting blaze, immediately, his Aura flared up, manifesting as a light-red glow that caused the Dust to react according to his will instead of that of the student.

Meanwhile, Izaak found Jaune, predictably curled up on the floor, his skin pale and marred with sweat. Ruby was right beside him, doing her best to calm him down, and failing as she herself seemed to be rocked by fear as well.

"Jaune, Jaune, Jaune, look at me. Look at me." He began placing a hand on the hyper-ventilating student's shoulder. Thankfully, his voice penetrated the cocoon of fear that was rapidly forming around the young knight. His blue eyes found Izaak's own cool brown. "Breath…breath…it's alright. It was just an accident, just an accident." Without thinking, he put a hand to the knight's chest. Even if Jaune had been wearing his trademark armor plat, Izaak knew he still would have been able to feel his heart's frantic beating. Currently, it was going at a mile per second and desperately needed to slow down. As he spoke gentle words, it began to do just that. And with a little help with his Aura.

As he did so, the ax-user's mind drifted away from the present to the distant past, the much happier and uncomplicated past.

"Hey, dad, how'd you do that?"

The adult man smirked in seeing his son's questioning face, the smirk deepened as he attempted to play dumb causing the little boy to pout. Giving in within seconds, he leaned down and presented his glowing palm to the young child. "My Aura. I know you've been taught that a person's Aura can be used to enhance the human body. Did you also know that it could be used to heal?

He'd never given it much thought, though to be fair, the conversation had occurred only a week after his parents had explained to him what Aura was. Namely how it could increase his already somewhat abnormal physical strength to higher levels. His father had quickly regretted the decision to do so as Izaak had taken the lesson and run wild with it.

Looking down at his hands, the future Huntsman instinctively summoned his own inner strength, manifesting as a bronze-colored glow around his palms. "Could I do that?"

"Oh, would you ever consider using your strength to heal someone?" His father asked with a gentle smile. He was leading him onto a path, one that Izaak now looked back on with a kind twinkle.

"Well…if it's someone I care about like you or mom…yeah. Dad, could you teach me?"

"Of course, I will, Izaak. But after dinner, how's that sound?"

"Yes! After dinner! Mom's making my favorite, so let's wait until afterward!"

Pulling his head away, the cell-enhanced teenager sighed in relief seeing that his classmate's breathing had returned to normal, the panic and fear running through him having passed thankfully. Standing up, he saw that Cardin had contained the fire, and Professor Bennett had pulled the students who'd caused it aside from a quick but very direct tongue-lashing.

Turning his gaze downward, he spoke catching Jaune's attention, "Need anything?"

When he looked up at Jaune, Izaak could see in place of fear had come shame. The last eighteen seconds hadn't been a blank slate in Jaune's mind, especially now that he was thinking clearly. Perhaps it would have been better if he had blacked out during that time. "N-No…no, I-I'm good. Just a little shaken, that's all."

"There's nothing wrong with that, you know." Came the voice of one Lie Ren. For the first time, Jaune took notice of the fact that his other two teammates had assembled around him, their faces looking just as worried as Ruby's. Considering one of them was Nora, that was saying something. "Jaune, there's nothing with being a little…on edge."

"Yeah! I mean, you and Ruby were pretty much front-row seat to the greatest man-made fireball in Vale's history. Sure, the rest of us were there but you two…eh, nothing wrong with being a bit jumpy." In a heartbeat, the hammer-user's bubbly demeanor returned, something that the knight and the reaper were thankfully for. As she helped him up, she shot a wink in the direction of her fellow battle-lover.

Smiling in understanding, Izaak took a step back, quietly noting the grateful looks given by Ren and Ruby before turning his back to them. In no time, he was back at the desk, mixing the ingredients into the bowl before him.

"So, it's not a thing against blondes, is it?" Snorted his lab partner having returned to his side.

"Kind of surprised you didn't take the chance to jump on him. It's obvious that until something's done about it, Jaune's going to freeze up like a statue every time he sees something bigger than a campfire." Izaak inquired, no, stated. He'd seen all he needed to while calming Jaune down. His PTSD was manifesting as pyrophobia, which as Ren stated, was entirely reasonable. Of all the elements in the world, fire had perhaps one of the worst reputations, and not undeservingly. It was destructive and fierce, caring not for who or what it burnt, but doing its job well. Especially when it came to people, something the blond knight and the brunette knight at his side could attest to.

The latter gave a dismissive grunt at his words. "I've got better things to do than beat down on a dumbass like Arc."

"…And if he continues on like this?"

Cardin waited before responding. "He won't. Whatever the hell she's been up to, Nikos won't let him once she catches wind of this. And she will. Aside from her, Rose will do something about it, hell, she probably feels guilty about it the same way that you feel guilty about breaking Yang's arm." The second-youngest Winchester caught the aside glare that the Viking shot him, and returned it with equal intensity. It was rapidly becoming clear that both teenagers knew far more than they were letting on; of course, they both tip-toed around one another like a pair of wolves sizing each other up. One could say it was natural given who they were at their cores. "Like I said…I've got better things to do than waste my time thinking about Arc."

Chuckling at the response, the Viking decided to press his luck even further. "That, or you could be hoping he gets over this on his own so you two can have a one-on-one."

"The hell makes you think I want something like that?" Sneered the mace user.

"Your pride." He remarked.

Cardin tried to get riled up at the ax-user, but he couldn't find the willpower to do so. Not helping things was the rather sly smile that was growing along the bookworm's face. "You know, some days I really wish you guys hadn't ended up directly across from me."

"But then think about all the wonderful things you'd have missed out on, like becoming a decent person. Decent enough that you're-"

With a growl, the second-youngest Winchester reached forward, grabbed the bowl, then doused its contents over the Viking's face. He saw it all coming, mind you, he just simply chose to take it, thus turning the upper portion of his head invisible to the naked eye. Near immediately, the knight regretted his actions as now he could no longer see the ear-to-ear grin the Viking had on his face, he could only feel it on him. A groan escaped his lips as he sunk back into his seat.

"I can help you, no questions asked if you lay off about me and Yang." Spoke the teenager with an invisible face making it seem as if the words were coming out of thin air. Cardin knew otherwise though as his indigo eyes narrowed at the pair of silver-rimmed eyes he knew were staring at him.

Grabbing some Dust from the pot, he sprinkled it over his right hand, then held it out for his lab partner to grab. He could hear Izaak chuckle as he figured out where his hand was and met it, giving his bigger palm a firm enough squeeze as they shook hands on their deal. As luck would have had it, Professor Bennett stopped by to take a look at their progress. Izaak looked to the teacher with his invisible hand and Card held up his now camouflaged hand.

"Hm, you boys jumped a bit ahead of the lesson plan, but I suppose there's nothing wrong with that." She stated with a smile. "Also…thank you both for what you did earlier."

Cardin met Izaak's invisible gaze. "Well, I think we've all had enough…excitement for a couple of weeks or even months. Arc probably has."

Izaak was happy that his face was hidden as it prevented his classmate and professor from seeing the near dreadful expression that washed over his face. He couldn't quite place it, but something in his gut was telling that more "excitement" was just around the corner, and he wasn't merely talking about tomorrow which would be a day filled with couples and romance and all the assorted shenanigans. Those he and everyone else could weather, mostly. The excitement he was thinking of was the sort that would leave them all either clenching their weapons, sprinting at top speed, or bracing for some physical or emotional hit. At the thought of weaponry, his eyes subconsciously drifted to a certain blonde-haired classmate of his.

If that excitement found them, or perhaps when, she'd be fighting bare-handed. And it would be Izaak's fault.

You know for a fact that you can't do this in a single afternoon. Besides, you've already got plans. Yelped the feral voice of the beast that lay beside his table. Normally, such a massive and dangerous-looking beast would have caused a mass panic in the classroom; he supposed that made it a blessing that only Izaak could see him.

He couldn't deny Garm's words, especially as Yang turned around and met his gaze. Izaak cursed himself for staring at her for too long, but she couldn't bring himself to look away from her. In truth, a part of him didn't want to.


Beacon Tower, 4:44 PM…

"It seems like we finished almost exactly as classes are finishing up. Still, I apologize that this ate up most of the school day."

"N-No, H-Headmaster, i-it's. quite alright." Frankly, it was surprising that she was able to find her voice. Looking back, Pyrrha realized she'd done perhaps more listening in these little "sit-downs" than she had in perhaps half her tenure at Beacon Academy. In light of what was being drilled into her, the time was considerably well-spent. Pyrrha felt like she'd learned more in the Headmaster's office than she had in the classrooms. It could certainly be argued what she'd learned was of more value than classroom listens. After all, between learning how to win a battle and learning that the fate of all of Remnant was at stake, it was extremely clear which one she should have focused on.

Even with all of her focus though, Pyrrha still felt incredibly overwhelmed by everything that she'd heard. She'd been feed bits and pieces of the story ever since her discharge from the hospital, actually, looking back, Pyrrha realized that was when it all truly started. Professor Goodwitch had told her that there was a sigh of relief when it was reported that her injuries weren't as life-threatening as her classmates'; Pyrrha had hated hearing that. It didn't matter if she did have some grand role to play in an epic clash of good against evil, deep down, the struggle was meaningless if she lost the people that she cared about-her teammates, her classmates, her friends.

At the thought of all of them, Pyrrha's hands tightened. There'd been times when she believed she'd subconsciously activate her Semblance from the stress and cause the metal cogs around her to grind to a halt. "Headmaster Ozpin, I have to ask…what are the odds of the enemy attacking the Academy? To get at Amber? To get at the…Relic?"

Ozpin's answer came fast and quick. "Considerably high, especially with the level of power they seemed to have acquired." His answer caused the normally composed young woman to flinch. The bespectacled man didn't at all blame her, especially in light of the fact that she was still recovering from the Fort Lennox mission. It would be months before any of the surviving students, and teachers for that matter, were able to hear mention of the fortress, and the nearby town, without tensing up. Not helping things was the possibility of a similar fate befalling Beacon Academy and the neighboring Vale City. "That said, I have reason to believe that this organization, PESTILENCE, is more interested in breaking down the kingdom's reputation more so than attacking the Academy."

"And of…Salem?"

The white-haired man's gaze sharpened. "She…is another matter entirely. I have no doubt that she will make a move, no, a more…obvious move. Fortunately, we denied her a…cultivation spot in Cichorium."

"At great cost, and even that isn't saying much." Sniped the shield and spear user. It seemed her composure was slipping, again, not that one could blame her. "Headmaster Ozpin, I-"

"Pyrrha, please, there is no need for you to-"

"I have to!" Quick as lightning, the student rose, slamming her hands against the table. All around them echoed the cogging of gears and occasional screeching of metal. Amazingly, none of the metallic components in the room were affected by the Spartan; perhaps that was because the whole of her attention was being focused on the ancient soul that sat before her, calm as he could be. "I…against the threats we are facing…I don't have a choice. I will do it; I will accept the power and role of the Fall Maiden. Come what may…but…if it can prevent another tragedy such as what happened before then I'll do it."

Instead of joy, sorrow laced the cane-user's eyes. "Pyrrha,"

"Headmaster Ozpin, please." The teenager's face fell, but Ozpin could still see it, the sorrow and desperation that served as a prelude to so many choices. Choices that would define life times. Ozpin felt an immediate desire to do something, but the strategist, the guardian in him, held him back. It reminded him that so much more was at stake. Evidently, Pyrrha knew that as well. "What happened as Fort Lennox…we…I was powerless." This wasn't the Pyrrha Nikos that could be known to the general public, the one that would have to remain in the darkness from here on out. "We weren't students, we…we were soldiers, soldiers with a mission, and we failed it. I failed it. While yes, we managed to escape with our lives, which is more than can be said for thousands of others, next time…things will be different. They have to be different."

Taking a sip of his coffee, the headmaster spoke, "How different?"

When she rose to meet his eyes, the emerald orbs were hard and resolute. "We have to win, if not for ourselves, then for the rest of Vale." Her voice had gone from shaky to filled with resolve. "When PESTILENCE makes their next move, we have to be ready, especially now that they're armed with weapons that could level cities."

The fact they haven't used said weapons is still rather concerning. Salem, I know the Jinrai are not the strongest weapons you could come by, but they're certainly nothing to sneeze at, nor are the other items that you procured from Fort Lennox. Especially the data that they no doubt stole. Arguably more so than any of the weapons that had been taken, it was the potential theft of information that worried many in the government, and rightfully so. Blueprints for not just weaponry and technology, but fortresses, bases, and most importantly, top secret passages that ran throughout the kingdom. Passages meant for everything from troop deployment to evacuation in the case of an emergency. With such information it wouldn't have been hard to move things around to create yet another necropolis, either through bloody violence or some other insidious means. In particular, as Salem seemed to be employing bio-terrorists, Ozpin feared they had merely seen the calm before the storm.

The young woman sitting before him had some inkling that storm was on its way, which was why she was looking to him with resolution instead of fear as he'd hoped. True, the latter had been there before, but as he explained more, the doubt and unease had given away to something else, something that he was sure Ironwood and several others would have been pleased with. Ozpin supposed he himself should have been happy as well, but he also knew exactly what he was placing the bright and gifted young woman before him in front of, the path he was setting her upon.

Even if Pyrrha Nikos led the charge and victory blessed them, there was no guarantee that it would be a bloodless one. Ozpin knew better than that, the greater the victory, the greater the sacrifice that would be required to attain it. Unfortunately, it was his curse to decide who made those sacrifices…and live with the aftermath of them.

"You should…go enjoy the rest of your day, and tomorrow." He finally said after wrestling control of his own feelings. "After all, tomorrow is Valentine's Day so if you have any plans, please, indulge yourself."

Finally, a smile formed across the teenager's face. It was arguably the first smile he'd seen on Pyrrha's face since the two times she'd entered his office; it's not like he'd given her a lot to smile about.

"If I may ask, is there anyone that you fancy spending the day with?" Inquired the veteran warrior.

She knew where, or rather whom, the headmaster was directing the conversation toward. Giving him a smile that was apologetic in nature, she answered, "I think someone else can look after Jaune for tomorrow. Someone who…"

"Someone who feels they owe him an apology? Do you feel young Miss Rose led Mister Arc into the confrontation against Vesuvius?" Ozpin questioned.

"No! Never! Besides, Jaune told me that his target was…his target was Ruby." That was the other fuel to the fire burning within the Spartan. It was a known fact that she was an extremely caring and nurturing person, even if her people's skills were "lacking" in her words. She saw not just her teammates, but her classmates, as people to be protected at all costs. To learn that one of them was being targeted, well, it definitely hit a sore spot for her. Especially since Ruby was by far and away the youngest of their "little circle", as well as the most idealistic. "Knowing Jaune, he blames himself for falling and leaving Ruby to battle him alone. If it weren't for the reinforcements, including her uncle…" She couldn't be blamed for shuddering in fear at the possibility of the young redhead being taken. "This morning I…I think Jaune might still be traumatized from what happened at Fort Lennox."

Ozpin's eyes grew heavy with remorse. "He is far from the only one."

"Which is why I think he needs to be around others so he can learn that. Jaune is…he feels like he has to shoulder all the burdens that come his way on his own." Admitted the spear-user. She would know, after all, she was Jaune's partner and his friend and his personal teacher. "I especially know he's hurting after losing Crocea Mors. His family's largely just happy with the fact that he's still alive, which they should be."

"But Jaune himself has different feelings on the matter, doesn't he?" The older man inferred causing Pyrrha's face to become downtrodden. "In that case, I do believe Miss Rose may be the most qualified to reach out to him, if you'll excuse my saying so."

"Ruby does blame herself for what happened to Jaune, they're…alike in that way."

"The interaction would provide a chance for them both to grow, as individuals and as future Huntsmen." Offered the gray-haired man leaning back in his seat. It was clear what he was looking at was distant, something that Pyrrha couldn't quite see. Young Mister Arc possesses the Aegis, and Miss Rose the Silver Eyes, PESTILENCE will most certainly make a play for both of them, especially since they provide amble protection against Salem's lot. Ozpin knew that the organization's upper management, Giovanni himself, were in no way trusting of Salem. They knew her goals stretched far beyond the scope of the Kingdom of Vale. Not to mention would eventually target them as well as everyone else in Remnant. "Pyrrha, I believe you've spent enough time in my company."

"I-I see, u-um, Headmaster Ozpin, if you don't mind me asking…do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Asked the redhead rising from her seat.

Smirking at her question, he held up a hand in defense. "Don't worry, your dear old headmaster can do other things than remain cooped up in this old tower, albeit I don't exactly like leaving it for long." She gave him an apologetic smile followed by a bow. Making her way over to the elevator, Pyrrha looked like she was just another normal teenage girl, or as normal as an in-training Huntress could get. In reality though, she was so much more, but for the next two days, Ozpin wanted to believe she could be the former. She deserved at least that much. For just a few precious seconds, the old soul was alone in sweet silence.

"How long do you think she'll be able to keep quiet about everything you just told her?"

Not at all bothered by the voice, Ozpin rose and made his way over to the coffee machine that he made sure to get as fine-tuned and functional as possible.

First there was the sound of her footsteps, then the feel of her presence. If the young Spartan had still been in the room then she would have deduced the speaker's presence. The fact that she hadn't been able to for the last twenty-minutes she'd been in the room with the headmaster simply showed that Pyrrha Nikos still had a ways to go.

Instead of one cup, Ozpin brewed two, making sure the second was fitted to his second guest's liking. Now was no better a time for some hot cocoa, a sentiment his second guess must have agreed with as she chirped in as he fixed her cup. As he handed it over to her, the black-haired woman dropped her invisibility, revealing herself before him.

"I'm hoping within a week's time, I will be able to get most of the teams together and tell them what is going on." He finally said in response to Manna's previously asked question.

The black-haired woman took the mug and looked to him with her blue gaze. "A lot can happen in that time frame. People could die…or go missing."

"What I'm hoping is that the military can come by to fully explain things." Clarified the male Huntsman.

Manna's eyes narrowed, "Then you'll be waiting a while." She gave no respite at the downtrodden face of the older man, nor did she say anything about the slight upward curve of his lips. "That said…with Cle here, there might be a chance. He can be pretty damn firm when he wants to be."

They both returned to his desk, where Ozpin took his seat in his chair while Manna occupied the same sit that had been sat in by the future Fall Maiden. There couldn't have been a greater difference between the two ladies.

"Manna, I'm-"

"Ozpin," she cut off giving him a firm look. "Look…I understand what you're trying to do…but…let me…I have to tell Izaak at least some of this. He has a right to know, he has to know." Declared the Dust sorceress with hard blue eyes that bore into the headmaster like drills. They told him that any attempts to stop her would have to include physically restraining her to the chair and perhaps sealing her mouth.

Thankfully, Ozpin had no such plans.

"Does young Izaak have his eyes set on anyone?" He asked.

Smiling at him, the black-haired woman crossed her arms and leered at the bespectacled man. "I would say yes…but Izaak is his father's son so he's going to need a push. That's why I'm taking him out for an evening on the town tonight. Hehe, even it's snowing."

"Snowing? I believed the forecast predicted that the snow would have stopped." Turning to the window, he was more than a little surprised to find frozen white flacks falling from the sky. He supposed this was one of those times the forecast had it wrong; the snow was supposed to have stopped, not merely been on pause. Before saying anymore, he turned to look at the woman across from him. Ozpin knew the sorrowful expression all too well. "Ah, I remember. It snowed when Raoul…when he…was able to rescue Izaak from his captors."

"…When he sacrificed himself, yes." She hadn't been there; she'd only heard it from the police that had arrived on the scene afterwards. Arrived to find her fiancé's blooded body and her would-be-nephew crying over him; the snow-covered ground truly brought out the crimson of the blood that had been spilled, along with the raging flames of the warehouse Izaak was supposedly being held in. It'd taken Manna three years before she could work up the nerve to go to the sight to see where the love of her life had died and the trauma of his nephew had been complete. As it so happened, it'd been snowing then too, the last snowfall of the season. "It must seem…ironic, a family that immigrated from Atlas disliking the snow."

"Rikard and Izaak were trying to put some distance between them and the rest of the Egilson Clan, if it's any consolation." The cane-user sympathetically offered. "Take it from someone who has seen many seasons come and go…a great many, every season comes with its blessings and curses. This winter, Izaak has more than just his teammates, he has you, and you have him. Make the most of that precious time."

There was a pregnant pause in which the cogging gears filled up the room.

Manna's voice was as fragile as glass that was on the verge of breaking as she looked down at her folded-up hands. "Ozpin…do I have the right to do that? After abandoning him for almost ten years?"

"Was he not glad to see you, Manna?" Softly began Beacon's Headmaster. "While I know the weight of hatred and resentment can be deep, I believe the power of live is stronger…especially the love of one's family."

There was some real humor in the laughter that followed. "Ever the optimist, then again, I suppose someone in your position has to be, if only to give the rest of us a little bit of hope." In one sip, she finished off the rest of the hot cocoa in the mug, a feat that Ozpin found slightly impressive. "Alright then, if things go south, don't worry, I won't blame you. After all, I do have it coming."

"And if things go north, I will not be expecting a verbal thank you, seeing you and Izaak able to smile will be gratitude enough." Quipped the old soul.

"Modest as ever, glad to see that hasn't changed." Laughed the shaman before following the same path that the Spartan had earlier. Given her stealth skills, Ozpin wouldn't be surprised if she made herself scarce on the ride down and ended up eavesdropping on what were supposed to be private conversations. That little trait of Manna had gotten her into more than her fair share of troubles, but it had also at times been a blessing. After all, it had led her to meeting the love of her life which had positive repercussions across the board.

RING! RING!

"James," Spoke the old soul answering the call. "You have some rather remarkable timing. Amber's successor has been made aware of our war and has agreed to become the next Fall Maiden."

The general's eyes widened in surprise at his statement. Odds were he was hoping to get the first word in, but he was pleased to hear the news even if he didn't show it. Ozpin knew how to read people, even those as stoic as the Atlas Headmaster. "That is…reassuring. It also lines up with something I wanted to discuss with it,"

"Fria and the powers of the Winter Maiden." The Beacon Headmaster inquired.

"Yes. You and I both know that she cannot continue to host the power of the Winter Maiden, especially after what happened at Fort Lennox."

"I agree…and you intend for her to pass her powers onto Winter Schnee, am I correct?"

"…You have to admit, the name fits."

Ozpin couldn't help but laugh, and to his relief, the usual stone-faced man gave some semblance of a smile as well. It seemed he'd dug deep and found some sense humor and light-heartedness in the lull that came after Fort Lennox. In Ozpin's opinion, it was something that was sorely needed.

Sadly, it didn't last long as Ironwood's face became grim in the blink of an eye. Both his hands laced together as he leaned forward. "Ozpin, I don't think I need to remind you Amber's successor will only be receiving half of the Fall Maiden's power, do I?"

"No, you don't. She's keenly aware of that." Answered the gray-haired man. "Also, before you ask, I'm well aware of how critical a transaction this is going to be."

"I'm glad to hear that…because I'm coming to Beacon to oversee it with you."

The words came as an understandable shock to the Beacon Headmaster, then he fully digested them and leaned back in his seat, cool rationality taking hold. "You don't believe in taking any chances, do you?"

"After everything that's happened, we can't afford to." Came his gruff response. "Not to mention what's keeping Amber alive is Atlas technology that I can personal inspect myself." In that statement was a mixture of caution and arrogance. While Ironwood was no doctor, he was an extremely skilled technician, which was to be expected as he was the military leader of Remnant's most advanced kingdom. Knowing him, he'd also be bringing along a group of highly-skilled doctors to oversee the process alongside him, and also knowing Ironwood…a small army.

Ozpin wondered how much he could negotiate regarding the last part. More troubling was the pondering of if that small army would be necessary.

And also how much good it would do against an enemy that had been riding rather high. Ozpin knew Ironwood and the Atlas Army well and he had no fear that they could meet PESTILENCE in a head-to-head clash.

As for where that clash took place, destruction would rain down like the snowflakes falling from the sky, burying anything and everything beneath it. As Headmaster of Beacon, Ozpin knew it was his duty to ensure that didn't befall his academy, his staff, and most certainly his students.

Izaak…Manna…I'm beginning to understand why you both dislike the snow. I honestly wonder if Chiōn would have been able to change either of your minds. He thought feeling a pang of age old pain rush through his heart. Briefly, a young child's face came to mind, a child whose face and voice he could never forget no matter how many millennia passed.


And thus, an almost year-long hiatus ends. Again, sorry everyone. I would have posted this chapter way sooner, but a lot of things happened and this story unfortunately slipped into the rear view; thankfully, that ends now. This chapter was more of a transition as it had next to no action and merely showed how everyone's dealing with the aftermath while attending school. Obviously, you don't go through everything they just went through and walk away scout-free, which I feel was shown in Jaune developing pyrophobia. Given who he's based on I think it's entirely fitting; for the record he and Ruby will be getting a rematch against Vesuvius in the future where the former two have gotten strong enough to actually pose a challenge to him.

I'll just come right on out and say that I do plan on Pyrrha receiving half of Amber's powers as the Fall Maiden. Partially because I really am itching to write a showdown between her and Cinder (no word on if it ends with our Spartan's victory or death, sorry). As you all can probably guess, that power transferal will probably go a tad bit…off script. Will there be rampaging robots in Beacon, fighting against clone troopers? Who knows, you all will have to wait and see! Until the next chapter, which is going to feature some (pre) couple action!