Author's Notes

I'm biting at more than I can chew. Between this fic, RCDL, the OMORI fics in AO3, and my software engineering projects, I'm swamped. That's the reason I haven't updated RCRDL in a while and this fic is going the same way. I'm still writing for them, but things have slowed to a crawl as I juggle everything.

Thankfully I already decided RCRDL has only four to five more chapters, so once that's done I should feel less anxious about that.

Chapter 39: Silence

Grimm are scary.

It seems like such a silly thing to say, but it's true. Grimm are scary and people forget that.

I forgot that. Like others, I saw footage of people fighting Grimm and they make it look so easy. One second the heroes were facing the evil beasts – more than ten – and the next each one fell to their awesome weapons. Like any other, I looked in awe at the show, standing in front of a shop with a television on display, saying how Huntsmen and Huntresses were the heroes of the modern day, as if they had popped straight out of a fairy tale.

I daydreamed one day being as strong as those heroes. Everyone loves heroes. They are welcomed everywhere instead of shooed away with brooms. Everyone calls them nice things instead of things like 'animal', 'vermin', or 'pest'. And they all look nice in their clean, flashy clothes instead of rags.

And the 'scary' Grimm will not be scary. To heroes, Grimm are just beasts they must defeat. That they will win against because they are heroes, so of course they will win.

But in truth… Grimm are terrifying.

It all happened so quickly. One minute I was scouring the trash for my next meal. The next, bells rang across the entire town as men and women with weapons, not Hunters, move towards the walls. It wasn't the first time the sound of the bells warned about an incoming Grimm. From what I've heard, it was normally a lone Grimm or a small pack that the people with weapons could fight. It wasn't the first time the bells rang, so I ignored them like I had done before.

But then, there was more movement. People shouted and more people with weapons appeared, while others returned. Some hurt. Some covered in blood. And others not moving at all, needing to be carried. For whatever reason, at the time I didn't realized they were dead despite knowing what death was. I just thought things were a bit livelier today, brushing it off as something that didn't involve me. Most things didn't involve me, so why would this?

It wasn't until I began to look at more people – the baker that sometimes gave me some bread when there were extras, the guy who handles money that looked at me with a frown, the lady that chased after me if I stood in front of her store looking at the pretty dresses for too long, and more – that I finally realized something was wrong.

So, I followed them. And no one stopped to tell me no. To get away. No one cared for one or two or ten street urchins. Because they were scared of the Grimm and what good being mean to us do against monsters?

Soon we were brought to a door that led to a room below where the guy who handles money – the banker – works. The people with weapon – the militia – told us to hurry. The toll of the bell continued and soon we were away from the Grimm, safe behind big doors of metal that creaked loudly as they closed.

'The Hunters will be here soon,' they said. 'A message has been sent to Shade,' they explained. 'We are going to be fine,' they told us.

And it was us. The children. Those with parents and those without. Because you see, Grimm are scary. And they feed on being scary. They can smell your fear and chase you because of it. And if the children are scared, the Grimm will get you.

But… you cannot control fear. You cannot control what you feel. It just… happens. And if many people were together, wouldn't that much fear make it easier for the Grimm to find you?

It did. But it wasn't the nasty wolves or the evil crows that broke through the door and ripped through the adults with their gleaming fangs, their wicked claws, their sharp beaks, or their deadly feathers. The door never fell. And the adults assured us those doors were made to withstand the Grimm until help arrive.

But it didn't matter, because the Grimm came from below. Big worms burst out of the floor and slaughtered the first victims they found before we even realized what was happening. It didn't matter the age, the gender, the species… anything. They killed indiscriminately and those who didn't die at first, or afterwards, screamed and rushed to open the doors.

Some of the oldest, or bravest, or strongest, told the rest of us to run. And we did. We ran as far as we could. But there was nowhere to run. So we hid.

But you are scared, therefore you cannot hide from the Grimm.

As I ran, I saw people fight hopeless battles, running only to be mauled from behind, and cry as they held beloved ones in their arms, unaware of their fate, slowly approaching to rend them so they can join those that already passed away.

I just kept running and when I couldn't keep running, I hid. It was the store of the lady that chased after me if I stayed around for too long. She wasn't there. Maybe she was dead? Perhaps I faintly remember she being one of the first to fall after the worms entered to basement? Was that what I truly remember? Or was I just wishing ill thought to someone who was mean to me in an attempt stave off the fear that grasped at my heart?

I don't know how long I hid. But however long it was, it wasn't enough. The first thing I heard was the growl. Followed by the slow, powerful steps. Curiosity overcame my fear and I dared to look.

There, standing in its hind legs, stood a massive wolf-like Grimm. Its black fur absorbed the light hungrily. Its bone-white mask with blood-red markings renewed my fear. And only doubled it as its glowing red eyes snapped to where I was. It quickly made its way to me. I crawled to the opposite side of the counter, curling into myself as much as I could, holding my hair and my feelers close to me until I was a trembling ball, foolishly believing keeping myself out of the beast sight would make it lose interest and leave.

But Grimm don't need eyes to see your negativity. Or noses to smell your fear.

With a horrifying howl, the beast swung one of its arms and smashed through the counter. I screamed. Years later I would come to realize my life in the streets, dodging objects thrown at me and realizing when I should move to avoid getting hit, was probably what saved me. What had me quickly spring on my feet and dive away clumsily out of the lunging jaw that attempted to rip me apart.

I ran, pulling racks of clothes behind me, trying to buy even one second so I could escape. Behind me I heard the beast growl in anger. Whether it was because it found my attempt to escape annoying or because it was its nature mattered little. It achieved the same bloodcurdling effect.

The exit was right in front me. And was as easy as push and continue running.

I crashed and broke through. My body flew through the air, unceremoniously landing at the other side of the dirt road, a scant few meters away from the building across the street.

It hurt. A lot. Wood and glass had cut through my skin, leaving deep gashes from which blood flowed freely. My blood. My left arm felt like it would burst out of pain, unable to move it even one inch unless I wanted to cry myself into unconsciousness. If the unbearable pain on my head didn't knock me out first. Not to mention the gashes that ripped through my back.

I landed on my side, looking at the clothes' store. Prime seats to see as the Grimm stalked slowly towards me. Almost like it was savoring the pain it had inflicted. Could Grimm enjoy the dread of their victims? There wasn't much I could do but ponder useless thoughts as the beast took yet another step.

I began to cry. I didn't want to die. Despite how most people treated me, I wanted to live. There were nice people out there. They made life worth living.

But there was nothing I could do. I was no hero, so I could not fight. All I could do was lie there as the beast closed in, resigned to my fate.

Then I heard a loud, booming explosion. The Grimm's head violently snapped to the side. But it wasn't dead, as the beast turned its head towards the sound's origin and howled, quickly charging in that direction. With what little strength I had left, I looked at what the Grimm was attacking.

In the middle of the road stood one lone man. Through the haze of the pain, that's all my mind could discern.

With one final stride, the Grimm lunged and sank its fangs at the man's arm. I wanted to scream, but I didn't have the strength to even manage that. Not that it mattered. The man stood there, struggling with the Grimm that was attempting to rip the arm off. A black… something encased the arm. Like a glow, only that black doesn't glow. The Grimm had trouble biting through the black shield. And the man took that chance to place the gun right below the Grimm's jaw and fire, blasting through it and turning the beast's head into mist.

The Grimm was dead, and the man beat it. Like a hero. But I wasn't a hero, so instead I was dying. It was a sobering thought. The Grimm was no more, but I was still dying. I knew enough to know that the pool of blood below me, intermingling with the blood of those already dead, wasn't a good sign.

"Hey, stay with me!"

Groggily, I looked up. The man was now standing over me. Through his glasses I could see his eyes. They looked so sad.

"Come on," he said through gritted teeth, carefully inspecting me. My injuries. I wanted to speak, but I couldn't bring myself to do so. I was tired.

"No, no." He pulled out something out of his pocket. A scroll, I believe. "Dandelions! I found someone. She needs medical assistance. Damnit! Doesn't matter why I'm alone. Get here NOW!"

Throwing the scroll to the side, his attention went back to me. "Stay awake. Help it's on the way."

Help will be here too late. As I felt more and more tired, I made peace with that. Thinking back, I was too young to make peace with my own mortality. But I did. I wanted to thank the man for trying to save me, but the words didn't come out. So, I just looked at him and attempted to smile. I don't know if I managed. I don't think so. But hopefully he understood.

Now I just wanted to sleep.

"NO!" He forcefully pulled me from my sideway position to my back. The pain of my arm came back with vengeance and snapped me back to alertness before overpowering and causing my vision to blackout, and with it my consciousness.

But I heard the last words he said. Words with a musical quality to them.

"For it is through knowledge that we become arbiters of our own destiny. Through understanding we overcome the monsters of our own making. And through focus we avoid the pitfalls of our own folly. Above the uncertain waves of life, and the lies of mysticism, I ascend your soul, and by my decree, grant power to thee."

-o-

When infiltrating into a building, there were many ways one could go about it. However, one way people underestimated again and again was quite simple.

Use the front door.

Of course, there was a little bit more nuisance than simply walking through the front door. No, that wasn't enough. You needed to walk in like you owned the place. Carry yourself in such a way that thinking you were meant to be anywhere else was the height of foolishness.

Anyone whose job wasn't to stop you would assume knowing you was above their paygrade. And by the time the people who were supposed to make sure you weren't there came to their senses, you either already reached your target or got yourself into place to dispatch of them quietly and efficiently.

That's why when she walked into Sumeragi Headquarters, she walked like if every step she took generated Sumeragi a million lien flat. People parted like a sea, not wanting to get in the way of a woman with a cause and that clearly knew who the boss was. Her.

Her first obstacle, the receptionist, she ignored. Because if she owned the place, she didn't have to bother with the receptionist. That was for peons. And she was anything but. So, she walked past the man playing at being the first friendly face of the company. Instead, she stopped in front of the elevators and press the 'Up' button.

As she calmly waited for the elevator to reach the lobby, two security guards stood by her side.

"Ma'am?"

She ignored them. She owned the place and she paid people to deal with whatever intruder security found. Or at least that was her mentality. She still paid a quick look over at the two guards. One older than the other. The older one stood with some degree of confidence. Maybe a combat school graduate that didn't cut it for an Academy or decided it wasn't his vocation. People needed security guards, so she didn't think less of him for that and in fact admired his professionalism.

The other was younger and clearly more jittery. Perhaps a new employee tailing a senior? New jobs were always nerve-wracking, and you needed people to teach you the ropes. She was sure soon the boy would be the one with a wide-eyed intern tailing them.

The elevator pinged and the door opened. She walked with purpose and stood in front of the panel with the floor numbers. Both guards looked at each other and followed, clearly unsure of what to do with her.

"What floor, gentlemen?" She asked. As expected, they weren't expecting her to direct them a word and were left unsettled.

"Your floor?" The young one asked. The older one sent him a glare. But the young one wasn't wrong. They were going to her floor. However…

"My floor? I haven't pressed one." Just what kind of image you sent when you openly admitted you were stalking a woman in her own property? Apparently, the boy realized as much, as gulping unsurely.

She smirked. And press the top floor, savoring as both guards' faces went white. They had just allowed a possible intruder – not that she was an intruder – to the floor housing both the CEO and CTO/President of Sumeragi.

The young boy made an attempt to reach for a weapon, only to fumble his grip on the gun and began to juggle it. That was awfully dangerous. Not keen of getting shot by a ricocheting bullet, she reached out her hand and in one swift movement, grabbed the gun midair.

Both guards froze. She had a gun, one of them was unarmed, and the other was not quick enough to pull his. Not that she would shoot them. With a flawless twirl, she presented the grip of the gun – safety on because safety first – to the boy.

"Be careful next time. We don't want or need an accident. Right?"

The boy was properly spooked as he slowly grabbed the gun, nodding. The senior pulled a scroll and called his boss. She smirked.

As the elevator reached its destination and opened, she adjusted her tie. After all, she was meeting the CTO and President of Sumeragi. Maybe even the CEO. She had to look presentable. She was wearing her nice suit! A well-tailored charcoal suit with a simple white shirt and a red tie that make her eyes and hair pop just the right way.

The elevator's door opened. And no less than four rifles were trained at her. Leading the impromptu assault was a bombshell beauty in a suit, with long caramel locks that left one's imagination run wild with all the possible exotic photographs and poses that were possible, legs that went on for days, green eyes that you could lose yourself in - like walking into a dense, untamed, and ethereal forest - and a figure that supermodels would kill for.

The beauty sighed.

"Nori."

"Desna."

Sumeragi's chief of security, Desna Nike, held a hand up, ordering her team to stand down. "Would it kill you to arrive like a normal person and register at the lobby?"

"Would it kill you not to make your team a turnstile? If they knew my face, this wouldn't happen."

"If I did that, the rookies wouldn't get any experience. You account for over 99% of the infiltration attempts to the areas that actually need security."

Nori tilted her head. "That means you have a 1% success rate stopping infiltrations. That sounds awfully poor."

Desna closed her eyes, breathed in deeply, then exhaled "My horoscope told me not to let bad influences get to me, so I won't get into this debate with you. Doctor Kamizono is currently busy in a very important meeting."

"Good, then that means he'll appreciate to some degree me getting him out of there."

Nori tried to walk forward, but Desna got in her way.

"I have orders from Miss Aoi not to let anyone in."

"And I have orders from both Lady Aoi and Lord Dresden that, even if they were meeting with Jacques Schnee, James Ironwood, and the entirety of the Atlas Council, I have the obligation to march right in and inform Lady Aoi and Lord Dresden immediately of the news I have for them."

Nori took one step forward. "So tell me: the orders you received this morning or the orders I received the instant I came under the employment of the Kamizono estate?"

For several tense seconds, the security force watched warily the showdown between their boss and the interloper. Eventually, Desna relented and moved aside. "Go ahead. As long as it's not my neck, it's not my business."

"Awfully lax of you for a chief of security," Nori pointed.

"Except that I was told you outranked me," Desna pointed out. "If you say you are going in, I don't have the authority to stop you."

"So this whole show?"

"I still need to do an effort. It wouldn't do if you walk in and interrupt something unnecessarily. It also doesn't help that you don't sign your name in the lobby, so I'm left guessing who's the intruder until the last second!"

"Maybe you should consult your tarot cards."

"I read the stars," Desna deadpanned. "And it's a hobby. You should try it. They are in meeting room Senary."

Nori nodded. She walked past the desk of the secretary – a young man with no remarkable physical feature beyond 'kind-of-good-looking in a boy-next-door' kind of way – sending the man an acknowledging nod. No reason not to be polite.

Meeting room Senary: one of seven rooms scattered across the multiple facilities owned by Sumeragi. Each a state-of-the-art meeting room with only the latest and best equipment that Dresden had insisted were necessary to make a point that Sumeragi was the foremost leader in technology – weaponry or otherwise. Each tailor-made to meet the needs of their respective facility. And Senary was meant to be used when a meeting that could decide the fate of the company was in process.

And she was about to crash that meeting. Fun. She wasn't even being sarcastic. There was a morbid enjoyment in being able to walk in, look at the eyes of a couple of the riches, most important people in Atlas, and tell them your words overruled theirs.

She just honestly wished the reason that brought here were happier.

Walking past both the CEO's and CTO's offices, Nori found herself with only an elegant wood door between her and people whose net worth was much more than she cared about by virtue of having zero ideas of what she would do with so much money.

So, she opened the door and walked in like she owned the building.

"What is the meaning of this?" A middle-aged man she had never heard of or cared about shouted. He stood on one end of the long conference table. Apparently, he had been in the middle of explaining… something. She just saw numbers and graphs projected on the table. Next to him were a businessman and a businesswoman, relatively younger than the presenter but still of an age that suggested ample years of experience.

At first glance the room didn't live up to its title as one of the seven most technological advanced rooms in Atlas. That is until you realized every surface, including the floor, was capable of doubling as an interactive screen capable of providing a peerless user experience. The conference table was a modern piece of furniture that obfuscated the fact that it basically had a supercomputer capable of managing the entirety of Sumeragi from it, with the best security Sumeragi's elite cyber security team can build and continuously support. The surface itself served as a console to control the computer.

And the seats were nice and comfortable, with enough superfluous features like heating, massaging, leaning, and so much more that you could buy one and call it a spa day.

But neither the room nor the visitors were her primary focus. She only spared the visitors as much time as she needed to decide they weren't a threat before her eyes focused on the two individuals standing at the other side of the table: a woman and a man.

In her fifty years of age, Aoi Kamizono was a textbook example of a regal, independent, and politically powerful woman. Her makeup wasn't able to hide the passage of time, but it didn't matter. Aoi wore her age with remarkable grace and no one could say she wasn't a beautiful woman. Unlike her late sister, her hair was a silky black, tied into a neat bun. Her sharp red eyes were looking at Nori intently. Not with reproach, but with inquiry.

While she respected Aoi Kamizono, the CEO of Sumeragi wasn't to whom Nori had sworn fealty, so to speak. It was to the man next to her. If the man was put in three different line-ups and people were asked to pick the person who looks the most like a renowned scientist for the first, the most like a cunning businessman for the second, and the most like a dangerous mob boss for the third, Doctor Dresden Kamizono would, nine out of ten times, be picked in all three.

Just like Aoi, time and lifestyle had taken its toll on the man. But all that meant was the he wasn't as fit as he was in his youth. Even in his mid-forties, Dresden cut a commanding figure. Not necessarily imposing. Instead, a keen intellect was discernable behind his squared glasses and through his scarlet eyes. His platinum blond, almost white, hair was swept backward, a few clumps stubbornly refusing to remain flat, giving him a professional yet modern look. Finally, between the black and red suit that he favored, the chiseled jawline, and stern expression, Dresden did not look entirely like your stereotypical scientist. There was an edge that put people on guard.

"Our apologies for the interruption, Mr. Charcoal." As politically adept as ever, Aoi was quick to speak up and temper the presenter's indignation. "This is Miss Nori, Dr. Kamizono's personal assistant. She knows better than to march in without reason, so I'm sure she has a good explanation. "

Personal assistant. Not maid. No reasons to fan the flames by implying a mere servant can walk in and do whatever she wants. "Astute as ever, Lady Aoi. I do have a good reason to interrupt your indubitably important business meeting. My personal apologies for interrupting." She bowed at the presenter, Mr. Charcoal, before returning her attention to Dresden.

"Lord Dresden, you've received a call from the CCT's forwarding service. Beacon Academy asks you to contact them as soon as possible."

Both Aoi and Dresden stiffened. The latter looked at the former.

"Aoi…"

"Go. I can continue this meeting on my own."

"Thanks," Dresden said as he stood up and buttoned his jacket. "Gentlemen, Miss, I apologize for this inconvenience, but I must really take this call. If you need me to further explain the technical aspects of our service, feel free to speak with my receptionist and set up a meeting with me at your convenience."

"R-right." Mr. Charcoal wasn't happy, but Beacon Academy wasn't exactly a nonentity, and Ozpin wasn't lacking in clout.

Neither the Doctor nor Nori felt the need to point out the call was probably personal in nature. Leaving the room, both of them quickly made their way to the Doctor's office. Once they were some distance from the meeting, Nori didn't feel the need to be subtle.

"Did I interrupt an 'important' meeting?" She air-quoted.

"You did. But they need us more than we need them, so you have my thanks for the tactical extraction."

They both shared a brief chuckle. If only the excuse was more pleasant.

"Did they tell you why they called me?"

"It was the CCT forwarding service, sir. I don't think Beacon was in a position to divulge more than necessary."

"Right…" Dresden frowned, already preparing for… not the worst, but still bad news. Looking down at his scroll, there was an unread message from the CCT, informing him that Beacon was requesting a call due to being listed among the emergency contacts of one of its students and to go to the nearest CCT call center. While communication without going to the CCT was possible, it was not as secure and was limited to voice calls and text messages. Data transfer and video calls were out of the question and, if the weather felt vindictive, the connection was unstable.

Seeing his assistant walking from the opposite direction, he quickly called him. "Brine. If Mr. Charcoal or his partners ask for a future meeting, give them whatever time they ask and rearrange my schedule as needed."

"Yes, Doctor."

Walking into his office, Dresden gestured at Nori to come in. The office was, at first glance, a simple affair. A squat desk with a glass top, several bookshelves with books about science – particularly medicine and Aura theory – and a few photos and paintings adorning the wall. The back wall of the office was a glass pane overlooking the city of Atlas, while the entrance was a glass wall with a glass door that allowed an unimpeded view into the office.

"Sure you want me here, sir?"

"I don't like repeating myself, so you might as well stay if worst comes to shove." He placed his scroll on top of his desk. Seamlessly, the desk came to life, the glass surface lightning up with a computer interface. A glass pane popped perpendicular to the desk at the edge, also lightning up as a screen was projected onto it.

"Every time I see this, I can't help but think it's excessive."

Dresden didn't miss a beat. "Every time you see it, you say the same thing." A window on the vertical glass informed him a connection to the CCT was established. One of the benefits of being rich and at the top of a multi-billion lien company; you didn't need to go to the CCT, you could just bring the CCT to you.

"It's hard to change my mind."

"Don't I know…" Dresden muttered. Dialing the number provided by the CCT, he waited patiently as the scroll rang.

"Are you not going to darken the window?"

"If I'm seen talking to someone like Deputy Headmistress Goodwitch, it will go a long way towards pacifying Mr. Charcoal…"

Dresden's eyes widened in surprise. When thinking back at the list of people he expected to talk with, Glynda Goodwitch was at the top. Then some other professor at Beacon. Then one of Beacon's medical staff. Then finally Ozpin.

What he didn't expect was General James Ironwood.

"Dresden."

"James," he returned the greeting. "I wasn't aware you now work for Beacon."

"That's pretty funny," James deadpanned. "Ozpin asked me to talk to you in his stead, as a favor given our friendship." James gestured between himself and Dresden at the end.

Dresden laced his hands behind his back, bracing himself for what he knew was coming.

"About?"

Ironwood didn't answer immediately. He was bracing himself too.

"Today at 1:28am, Mytyl Kamizono was admitted to the infirmary after collapsing in her room. Her teammates rushed her in. The doctor diagnosed her with AO-SS. Considerable tearing of muscle tissue with slight loss of mass, particularly on legs and neck. Internal bleeding in respiratory system. Imbalance of so many things in the blood that just went over my head, and unconsciousness due to over-stimulation of nervous system. She's stable and her Aura should be working on fixing the damage as we speak."

Dresden remained silent through James's listing, already knowing what her daughter's symptoms are.

"Any major complication or lasting effect?"

"Doesn't seem like it."

Dresden sighed in relief. "Thanks for informing me, James. But I'm guessing that is not all."

James nodded. "You trained your kids well, Dresden. They are stubborn and uncooperative."

"Beacon's staff already identified-"

"AO-SS is a set of symptoms, not the cause," James interrupted.

"The cause is in the name: Aura stressing the body."

"And the causes of that, to my understanding, is either unlocking the Aura of a young child – which even if that was the case for Mytyl and she has survived up to this day, by now it shouldn't be an issue – or the effects of a Semblance. She wasn't attacked, which leaves the side-effects of her Semblance."

Dresden didn't answer.

"Dresden, I'm not grilling you because I want to. I'm bringing this up because your daughter and your son are not cooperating, and Beacon has a duty towards their teammates. I know you are insistent on keeping information about her medical history to a minimum. I can only imagine you discovered something that would put her at risk if made public, so I didn't question it. But if Mytyl still has an issue with her Aura that represents a risk to her and her teammates, Beacon must act accordingly, both to safeguard them and keep fairness intact across their year."

"Fairness?"

"The Vytal Festival."

Dresden's frowned. He knew how much her daughter wanted to participate in the tournament. It has been a dream of hers since that trip to the last one in Vale. It also was one of the driving forces towards wanting to become a Huntress. While he wasn't thrilled with her career choice – he would have preferred Mytyl to pick either a science or art to dedicate herself to – he remained steadfastly supportive.

"What do you propose? You are not a man to waste words. You wouldn't have told me this if there wasn't something I could do."

"There is, in fact," Ironwood said. "Between your ominous threat to 'discuss your kids' tenure at Beacon' after you inspected the girl in a coma and your daughter's recent incident, you and your family picked Ozpin's interest. However, he isn't the one contemplating Team Kaleidoscope availability for the Festival; that would be Glynda. So, Ozpin told me to make you an offer: you can either push forward that visit of yours and Ozpin will look into overruling Glynda."

"Not possible." Dresden took of his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I already said no to a bunch of meetings to clear my schedule for a few weeks during the Festival. I don't have the space or excess goodwill among our clients to pull that twice."

"Then I, as a friend, offer you a possible alternative: convince Glynda herself. It is not easier, but-"

"I can convince Glynda."

Both men stopped on their track. Dresden looked beyond the screen projecting James while the general's eyes narrowed.

"Was that your maid?"

"That is correct, General Ironwood." Nori bowed, despite James inability to see her. "Good to make your acquaintance once more."

"You had me on speaker?" James asked incredulously. He had just spoken out loud about Amber! Dresden should know better than to keep a possible security breach lying around like that.

"James, you're looking at me. Do you see my scroll anywhere? Of course I have you in conference. And you know Nori has my uttermost trust. But this is good. If she says she can convince Glynda, then I'll just send her ahead to deal with that issue."

"…If you think that's for the best." James wasn't convinced. But it was an opportunity he could spin to net a small favor. "Atlas's final batch of students should be arriving on Monday of the following week and I could use someone with Hunter training to keep an eye on them throughout the journey. It should streamline her entrance into Vale and Beacon while saving me the headache of figuring what teacher hates doing the journey the least. Does that sound satisfactory, Miss…"

"Just Nori."

"Right…" Again, James didn't see what Dresden saw in the taciturn maid. But people (a.k.a Qrow) didn't see what he saw in Winter either, so he let it be. "I'll keep you informed if there's any further development. I'll inform Ozpin and Glynda about Nori's upcoming visit."

"Thanks, James. Take care."

"You too."

James's image blinked off from the projector. Dresden remained in contemplative silence for a few seconds. Why was Ozpin suddenly interested in Mytyl? It didn't sound like it was anything more that idle curiosity, but idle curiosity coming from one of the most powerful people in Remnant was worth noting. Given Ozpin's request of the Aura transfer machine, did the Headmaster pick up a relation there?

A knock at the door brought him out of his musings, calling for his attention.

"General James Ironwood," Aoi Kamizono slowly pronounced while leaning against the glass door's frame, arms crossed. "If nothing else, you made an impression on Charcoal and his associates. Is everything fine with Mytyl?"

It was telling that his daughter was the immediate suspect of a Beacon call. "There was an incident, but nothing to worry about. From the sounds of it, Mytyl is getting careless. Nori will go there the following week and give her a stern talking."

"Can I pull her ear?"

"Only if she doesn't listen."

"Yay," Nori deadpanned. Dresden rolled his eyes at his maid's antics.

"Should I be worried about you being so sure you can convince Goodwitch?"

"Of course not. It will be a wholesome reunion between old business rivals."

"…Don't destroy public property."

"Glynda can fix it, so don't worry."

Both Dresden and Aoi worried.

-o-

Seen

In all her years of social awkwardness, Ruby never gave much thought to that word. But now it was the main source of her anxiety. The day had started worryingly enough with someone banging at their door. Having been to slow to call 'not it', Ruby had been tasked with seeing who was knocking at the ungodly time of ten in the morning of a Saturday.

Jaune's panic stricken face was the last thing she expected or ever hoped to see. Followed in a close second place by the message in his scroll.

GV: There was an incident. We'll keep you updated.

KVKC's dorm room was around the hallway from RWPY's and JNBR's, so whatever incident GV was referring to went unnoticed by them. Assuming it even made a scene.

Jaune explained how his first course of action was to walk to KVKC's room to see if they were there. They weren't. Then he went to see if RWPY knew anything. They didn't. But they discovered a second message from Copen to Weiss saying the same thing.

That's as far as messages went. Everyone in their team had tried to send a message to one member or another of KVKC. But the results remained the same.

Seen

Only Sun, who they approached to see if he could contact Kohaku, got a response; the same message Jaune and Weiss woke up to. Beyond that, all but one set of messages went seen: those sent to Mytyl. The single 'Seen' labelwas worrying, but Mytyl's complete lack of response filled their mind with increasingly haunting scenario.

They weren't completely in the blind. They had tried the most obvious location given the circumstances. Their trip to the infirmary was met with what basically amounted to a 'No comment' from the nurses, but the multiple sightings of Miss Goodwitch around the area sold them on their suspicion.

So now, already two hours past noon, both their teams found themselves brooding in the cafeteria. A sense of hopelessness pervading every crook of their atmosphere.

Ruby was jolted out of her stupor poking her plate of strawberries by the long drawn groan from her sister, who bent backward on her seat while uncharacteristically dragging her hand through her scalp in frustration.

"This. Fucking. SUUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKSSSSS!"

"Language," Weiss half-heartedly scolded as she followed her team leader's example of poking at her dessert, a bowl of ice cream that by now was more milkshake than ice cream. Not even her habitual haughtiness could overcome the lethargy and despondency that oppressively permeated their teams.

"I need to blow off some steam. How about it, P-Money?"

Pyrrha sent Yang an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I'm not the kind to distract myself with a fight. I'm just not feeling like it."

"Wait, really?" Yang asked. She would have sworn a tournament fighter like Pyrrha would have love to fight to clear her mind.

"Yang… I was a career tournament fighter. It was literally my job. When I needed to destress from work, the last thing I did was more work."

That made sense, but it didn't help Yang. She looked at the rest of the table to see if anyone seemed interested. Ruby and Weiss were too busy and miserable playing with their food and Yang knew Ruby wouldn't give her all in a fight if she was that distracted. Something told her Weiss was the same.

On JNBR's side, Nora and Ren were quiet. Odd for the girl, par for the course for the boy. Their mood reflected that of the rest of the table. Blake was anxious and not thinking about the White Fang for a change. Instead…

A scroll was slammed against the table. Of all of them, Jaune was the most restless, constantly checking his scroll, sending a message, and getting increasingly frustrated when it went seen and unanswered, or just plain unseen.

"Jaune, calm down." Blake placed her hand on Jaune's forearm in an attempt to lessen the boy's fidgeting. "No news can be good news. If something too bad had happened, they would have told us. Sooner or later we'll find out."

"I know, I know," Jaune said impatiently. "But why just not tell us now? This reeks of Mytyl's and Copen's continuous evasion!"

Everyone on the table winced. When Jaune – of all people – calls out Copen and especially Mytyl – of all people – on their crap, you knew things were quickly approaching a breaking point.

"Jaune, it's not like that," Weiss spoke up, not wanting to see the boy's opinion on Mytyl take a hit like that. "There are reasons for Mytyl to-"

"You know something?" Jaune zeroed in on Weiss.

"I… well… not quite. She didn't say. I'm just guessing from-"

"Guessing. Of course they beat around the bushes," Jaune groused.

"Jaune, they have their reasons!" Weiss tried again.

"Which are?"

"…"

"I thought so."

"Jaune-" Ruby tried but was immediately interrupted.

"Yang, come."

Yang blinked in surprise. "Huh?"

"You need a punching bag, right? I could use the distraction." Without waiting for her, Jaune stood up and walked out of the cafeteria, not even paying attention to Blake, who was supposed to be under continuous survellaince.

"I, uh…" Yang was speechless.

"Go," Ruby said. "Better to keep an eye on him."

"I'll go with you," Blake was quick offer. Soon, both she and Yang were on Jaune's trail.

A few seconds of silence passed before Pyrrha broke it. "I don't think I've ever seen Jaune so… incensed."

"I… think he's actually mad."

"Well, duh," Weiss told her partner.

"I mean about yesterday. Both Mytyl and I berate him for not calling his family. I think between that and this, he's not in the best of mood."

Nora began to clap sarcastically. "Nice understatement, Rubes."

"Nora," Ren chided.

"No! I agree with Jaune here. Bit hypocritical of them to get on Jaune's case when they are unwilling to be open." She looked at Ruby. "Do not think we didn't notice the tension between you and Kaleidoscope during our pre-raid meeting." She then pointed at Weiss. "Or you two arriving late after your meeting with Ozpin."

"Jaune and GV stayed behind too."

Ren sighed. "Ruby, we are Blake's teammates, so we know why Jaune and Gun stayed behind. I don't agree with how forward Nora is being, but I can understand and accept their reaction towards Mytyl's and Copen's constant evasiveness. Friendship is based on trust and every time they dodge a question under the pretense of privacy, it strains that friendship."

Weiss frowned. "So, they're not afforded the privilege of privacy?"

"They are. However, when you end up bedridden after a food fight for no discernible excuse, get into a fight with a friend over nebulous reasons," – he nudged his head at Ruby – "or get rushed to the infirmary in the middle of the night with zero explanation or even informing anyone… a friendship like that is exhausting and one-sided. I won't blame anyone who wants an out."

Weiss didn't have an answer to that. She made sure Ruby's and Mytyl's reconciliation happened without Yang present because she knew the brawler wouldn't be satisfied. It was her fault she failed to consider others besides Yang might feel the same way.

The group returned to tense silence, only without Yang or Jaune there to sporadically verbalize their frustration. Her mind wandering to the blond boy, Weiss chose to pick up her scroll and sent one more message.

-o-

The buzzing of his scroll woke him up from his light shuteye. Picking it up, it took Copen several attempts between squinting and rubbing his eyes to finally make sense of the message. And despite his best efforts, he couldn't help the conflicted scowl that appeared.

Then a paper ball bounced off his head.

"Boss, I think a girl is vying for your attention."

"Mytyl! Do not litter! Now eat your soup. Say aaah"

Looking up from the scroll, Copen was met with the withering glare his sister gave Kohaku, who had the basic decency of blushing bashfully after winning silver medal in the long-honored sport of inserting one's foot into one's mouth. Meanwhile, Lola floated next to him, making inappropriate jokes to lighten the mood.

"S-sorry, didn't think that through." Giving a shaky apologetic smile, Kohaku raised the spoon she was holding. "Soup?"

Mytyl scoffed and rolled her eyes, as if suggesting Kohaku was understating her lack of higher cognition. Copen was pretty sure Mytyl's thoughts went along those lines, at least. Nonetheless, the lavender-haired girl accepted the food, leaning forward and taking a taking a spoonful. She squirmed in discomfort as the lukewarm liquid went down her throat, reaching with her hand in an attempt to massage her neck. What seemed like regular gauze covered the neck. In reality, the bandage was weaved with a touch of fire Dust to provide light heat therapy, soothing the pain and stiffness slightly. While Mytyl didn't look thrilled with the development, it was hardly anything new to her, so she endured it.

She was currently resting on a hospital bed and – after expressing discomfort, attempting to walk, and falling face first while wearing a hospital gown, much to her embarrassment – she was wearing set of her sleeping gowns, courtesy of Kohaku fetching them and helping her dress. Lumen rested next to her, content with staying quiet and unobtrusive next to her owner.

Copen was just glad GV had the foresight to wait outside the room when that happened. He wished he had the same foresight, but alas, he was her brother and it was his duty to be there for her when she woke up. At least now the blond boy was on a corner providing his dubious moral support. Copen was like 77% sure Mytyl appreciated it.

But that was an embarrassing episode of the past. A more pressing matter was the questioning look Mytyl was giving him.

"It was just another message asking what happened and if we're ok," he lied. Now wasn't the time for Mytyl to deal with Weiss's update on what's happening in the outside world. Although if someone didn't come soon to check and discharge her, Mytyl might order him to pick her up and carry her to their dorm.

Mytyl leaned back after a few more spoonful of soup, huffing in a combination of annoyance, boredom, and pain. Looking around the room, her eyes rested on GV, who was lazily looking at his scroll, sitting on an uncomfortable hospital armchair, his head resting on his fist. Mytyl ripped another paper from her notebook and threw it at GV to catch his attention.

"Hmmm? Need something?" GV asked.

Mytyl went to talk but suddenly stop, quickly averting her eyes from the boy. Instead, she fell back on her pillows and sighed exaggeratedly.

"You're bored?"

She nodded quickly, then wince in pain.

"And you're in pain too."

A little groan was all the answer he got.

"You know, I can provide shock therapy. Work on those muscles and provide some exciting stimulation." He raised his right hand in a V-sign, then ominously had some lightning jump between his index and middle finger. Mytyl took a peek and was quick to shake her head in fear, even biting her lips to avoid showing a more overt sign of pain.

"I'd have to agree with Miss Kamizono."

All members of Team Kaleidoscope turned at the new voice. Opening the door, Ozpin walked leisurely into the room, with Miss Goodwitch following in tow.

"While I'm sure your… methods have their time and place, given her current condition I'd prefer if we follow the doctor's orders.

Mytyl blinked. Then slapped Lumen awake, who was resting close to her.

"Huh?" The little pod expressed in confusion. Mytyl quickly went through a flurry of hand signs that got Copen groaning, Glynda glaring, Ozpin amused, and GV and Kohaku stumped. Lumen and Lola, by virtue of lacking faces, remained enviably stoic.

"Lady Mytyl just said-"

"I'm aware what Miss Kamizono said," Ozpin interrupted Lumen, "thanks for your assistance. Now, while I'm sure Mr. Kamizono advance degree are a boon to his chosen field," – Copen's groan intensified –, "I meant the word 'Doctor' in the context of medicine."

"Miss Kamizono," Glynda said, "would you mind sharing with us the events leading up to your unfortunate visit to the medical wing?"

…

Not even a single hand sign. Glynda narrowed her eyes. "I see."

"Mytyl." The heads of all members of Team Kaleidoscope swiveled to look at Ozpin, stunned by his use Mytyl's name over the more detached and respectful surname. "Beacon prides itself in affording their student the privacy they need. It's the reason we felt it unnecessary to broadcast Mr. Volt or Ms. Belladonna's previous associations, despite how volatile that situation is. And the same goes for most medical conditions"

"However," Glynda took reigns again, "we have a duty to ensure a safe environment for students to learn and do everything in our capability to minimize risks."

"How is Mytyl's condition a risk?" GV asked.

"Normally it wouldn't be," Ozpin conceded.

"But there is one part of a Beacon's student's life where it is taken into account," Glynda informed them. "Whenever we send you to the field. Out there, you are exposed and away from the controlled learning environment the school provides. The physical and mental conditions of a student are taken into account when deciding the mission they take. It's not only the student's life at risk, but also their team's and any person they have to protect."

"If it's a matter of the kind of mission, just give us one that Mytyl can handle," Copen said. Mytyl looked down in shame, disliking how it sounded like she was useless.

The sullen silence from both Ozpin and Goodwitch did nothing to comfort them.

"For first-years, it's not that simple," Ozpin finally said. "We are required to send you with a licensed Hunter, as such the missions given to first-years always carry a minimum level of risk that merits sending a professional with them. Now, it isn't unheard of a first year team to miss out on their official mission due to extenuating circumstances. But, this year in particular, that brings an additional penalty."

Without any further preamble, Glynda ripped of the metaphorical bandage. "Any team that doesn't participate in their mission cannot participate in the Vytal Festival."

"What!?"

The bulk of the shouting was done by Kohaku, who immediately shot to her feet in surprise. But she wasn't the only one to express her bewilderment verbally. Mytyl began to cough violently after croaking a feeble 'What' herself.

"Miss Kamizono, I implore you not of overexert yourself," Ozpin said, making an attempt to approach her and help before Mytyl stopped him with a hand gesture. Once the girl got her coughing under control, Ozpin continued the explanation. "Participating in the tournament is considered a privilege and a reward, especially for first and second year teams. We pick Beacon's representatives based on their performance throughout the year. I believe it's a safe assumption that we all know it is no secret your team are basically guaranteed a spot given your exemplary performance across the board.

"However, if you don't participate on an official mission and we pick you to go to the tournament over a team that did, we open ourselves to criticism and accusations of blatant favoritism."

"As opposed to subtle favoritism?" Copen asked, not believing for a second the teachers were as impartial as they were meant to be.

"Mister Kamizono!"

"Glynda, please," Ozpin placated his irate second-in-command. "I have never hidden the fact that we teachers do play favorites. We are only humans. But there is a difference between overlooking minor infractions or being more willing to give the benefit of the doubt, than outright rewarding a team for underperforming, while penalizing another team that did their due diligence."

Kohaku frowned. "So you're penalizing us for having a sick teammate."

Ignoring the tone of Kohaku's statement rather than question, Ozpin replied. "If said 'sickness' represents a risk for you and everyone around, then yes." Every member of KVKC flinched at the harsh undertone in Ozpin's voice. "We are in the business of saving people. If whatever happened to Miss Kamizono were to happen in the field, any unfortunate loss of life will be on our hands. We don't know what exactly we're working with here, so we must assume the worst and take every precaution."

Mytyl averted her eyes to the sheets of the bed, while Copen bit back his frustration. Given the nature of Mytyl's 'disease', the scenario Ozpin painted was a very real possibility.

As if reading his thoughts, Glynda elaborated. "This is hardly hypothetical. Ms. Kamizono underwent medical examination. Her symptoms speak for themselves. Since I highly doubt a seventeen years-old is unable to maintain her Aura without having it eat away at her body unprompted, we are left with one other explanation: a Semblance. And since both Mr. Volt's and Mr. Kamizono's are accounted for, and I hope you aren't be so reluctant to report an attacker in your dorm, we are left with two possible explanations. Ms. Kamizono? Ms. Mino? Either of you care to explain."

Mytyl paled at the accurate dissection of the situation but regained enough composure to signal it wasn't Kohaku's fault.

"It was my fault!" Kohaku beat her to it. The brunette continued. "I'm still trying to figure out my Semblance and I might have done something to Mytyl when I pushed Aura-"

Ozpin offered a hand to Kohaku. "I'm curious. Do the same."

Kohaku didn't. And it became clear she wouldn't. Ozpin retracted the offer. "I commend you for protecting your teammate, but there's a time and place for everything and lying to me here and now is not appreciated.

"We do have an interest in putting forward a promising team as yours to the Festival, so we won't outright disqualify you from the running. Team Kaleidoscope will be under observation to determine their qualifications towards undertaking their first official mission. Should the faculty consider you unable to safely participate, the appropriate arrangements will be made." Ozpin turned to Copen. "Consider this my token act of favoritism."

"This can be avoided if you're willing to explain to us what's happening." Goodwitch's offer went unanswered, with GV and Kohaku staring at the twins while both Kamizono avoided meeting the professors' eyes.

"My doors are always open if you wish to speak." Ozpin turned to leave but stopped right before opening the door. "Oh, before I forget. Your father will be contacted, and the situation explained."

"You don't have to," Copen said.

"Ms. Kamizono is only partially the reason. And he's set as your emergency contact, so it's within his rights to know and our duties to inform him. I'm informing you so that you're not blindsided."

He left. Glynda spared them one last glance. "Miss Kamizono. Your discharge has been approved. You're allowed to return to your dorm." She then followed Ozpin's footsteps.

"I hope your secrets are really worth it." Kohaku spat in anger, stalking out of the room and slamming the door behind her, ignoring the pitiful, muttered "Koh" Mytyl attempted to say.

"Come on, sis. Let's get you to the dorm."

Mytyl, dejected, nodded. She then looked at GV.

Her partner. Cyan's partner.

Feeling something bubbling inside of her, she shut her eyes tightly and signaled at Copen. Her brother looked at her oddly, then at GV. "Gun, go ahead and make sure Kohaku is ok. I can handle things here."

"You're sure?"

Copen nodded. "In fact, take Lola and Lumen with you."

"What?" "Boss!"

GV look confused between the twins and the pod. Copen didn't know if his teammate saw something beyond the oddity of the request. If he did, GV decided not to point it out. Instead, he shrugged and left the room, calling for Lumen and Lola to follow.

Finally alone, Copen sat next to his sister, who kept her eyes closed and remained frozen in place.

"Mytyl?"

Slowly, she opened her eyes and looked at him. Copen was taken aback by how frightened and lost she looked.

"Is this about the report?"

It took a few seconds, but Mytyl slowly nodded.

"Want to talk about it?"

She shook her head.

"Very well. Just know I'm here for you if you ever need me."

Suddenly, Mytyl rushed and gave him a weak hug, silently weeping into his shoulder. After the surprise faded, Copen returned the hug as best as he could, unused to displays of physical affection and no remembering the last time his sister needed comfort like this from him.

Mytyl made no attempt to move from her position and Copen didn't force her. They could take all the time she needed.

-o-

"I think our good cop, bad cop routine went well."

"It wasn't a routine, Oz. And we got nothing out of it. How did you know they wouldn't say anything?"

The doors of the elevator slid open, granting them access to Ozpin's office. Opting for chocolate rather than coffee, Ozpin served himself a mug of the beverage he always had at hand and offered Glynda cup of her own.

Sitting down and taking a longing sip, he allowed himself moment of respite. "Simple. If Dr. Kamizono was willing to keep under wraps his daughter's medical history, he would have taught them to keep it a closely guarded secret. Families with that much power have always been like that. You don't get into those heights without hiding a few skeletons along the way. It was true in the far past and it remains true today. I gambled that the teachings stuck."

A call popped in Ozpin's terminal, the ID displaying the name 'James'. Leaning back on his seat, Ozpin accepted the call with a tap on his desk.

"James, how did your call with the good ol' Doctor went?"

"Uninformative," James' voice rang through the office. "I wasn't able to convince him to move his visit forward."

Ozpin sighed. "Pity, but ultimately unimportant."

"Why are you so interested in Mytyl?"

"Idle curiosity," Ozpin admitted. "I have never seen a case of AO-SS induced by a Semblance so severe without an obvious effect. I would expect at least a blown wall at best or a shivering, catatonic student at worst. And since Semblances are but a vestige of magic, you could say it caught the attention of the ancient scholar in me."

"I see," James said. "I couldn't get Dresden to move his visit, but his maid will be arriving with the remaining Atlas students."

"Oh?" Ozpin looked with interest at the static image showing James's photo. "With what purpose?"

"According to them, providing Mytyl with a stern talking and someone she's willing to talk to, and convince Glynda not to cut them off the tournament."

Glynda narrowed her eyes. "Who's their maid?"

"Nori."

"Nori what?"

"Just Nori. I never really questioned it much, but I think she has a sketchy background. She has bright red hair and red eyes. Around your age. Does it ring a bell?"

Glynda took a deep breath, then exhaled. Drinking what remained of her chocolate, she gently placed the cup on top of Ozpin's desk. "Oz, I'll be taking the rest of the day off."

Ozpin blinked. And he could easily imagine James doing the same. "What is your relationship to this Nori?"

"None," she calmly said in the most frightening monotone her boss had ever heard. "I'm taking tomorrow off too."

With that, she walked to the elevator and pressed the button to the bottom floor. As the lift descended, Ozpin could have sworn he heard a muffled scream coming from the shaft.

"Should we worry?" James asked, apparently having heard the scream through the call.

"Glynda is a professional. I'm sure everything will be fine."

At least, Ozpin hoped.

Author's Notes

Welcome to another chapter of the Meanderings of the Kaleidoscope. God, that sounds like a Touhou title. Or a Nasuverse spinoff revolving around Zelretch

Given the nature of last chapter, I didn't want to end it with an A/N, so we get to look at both last chapter and this one. Joy…

Let's do a rundown (Slight spoiler Vol. 8, I guess):

Numbers. Numbers everywhere: All those numbers in the report have a very dumb meaning, but a meaning nonetheless

Sumeragi's Institute of Human and Faunus Evolution: Oh sh- Run Mytyl. RUN! This is based on the name of the big bad organization in Luminous Avenger iX. I also considered calling it Sumeragi Futures Institute of Technology (the department Dr. Kamizono canonically worked in), but I like SIHFE better.

Aura Over-Stress Symptoms: I needed something scientific to call Mytyl's Mytylness (Mytylness is defined as the state of being actively hated by all Universes). As the name suggest, it's a set of symptoms rather than the root cause. Speaking of science…

I just wrote a scientific paper: Ok. Hardly. But I find it funny how I began writing fanfic to distract myself a bit from the schoolwork and paper writing associated with a Masters' degree, then went and wrote a pseudo-science report for one of my chapters. At least I could come up with false data in here.

Why do people keep saying that: Looking back at some of the reviews, it amuses me how some wrote Joule/Cyan out of the story. That said, they did bring some good ideas. The reveals the previous chapters were inspired by reviews.

Grimm are scary: It's interesting how Grimm in RWBY can be either fodder or plucked straight out of a classic horror/suspense story. Sure, we have our foot soldiers in Beowolves, Sabyr, or Manticores (depending on region). But then we have our elite horror game mooks and minibosses in things like the Nuckelavee, the Apathies, the Chill, and, most recently, The Hound.

But we see this all from the distant third-person point of view over the shoulders of Huntsmen and Huntresses. We don't see it at the ground level of your average citizen, where a normal Beowolf is an unfathomable and implacable beast.

Grimm are scary, but RWBY's power fantasy blind us to that most of the time. It's not until Grimm dealing with more psychological horror, which our protagonists are ill-equipped to deal with, that we see how scary they are.

Nori: Nori is such a fun character. We know enough of her personality to serve as a guide, but too little to have a definitive and storied character. And her metaphysical role in the hodgepodge that is the IntiCreate multiverse just adds to the fun!

Desna Nike: Our goddess has arrived! Desna (Japanese name: Nike) (Hence her full name in this fic being Desna Nike) is one of the most annoying bosses in Gunvolt 2. At least for me. Her desperation move, just like Rebellio's and Gibril's, basically have you desperately searching for the few safespots in the screen in real time and that just gives me anxiety.

Her oracle bit is downplayed to a hobby. Kind of hard to be a pseudo-cult leader without a cult. Her role is extremely minor, so don't expect her to do much. She's more of a cameo than anything. However, technically this isn't the first time she's mentioned in this fic. Technically.

Senary: Reference to the seven stages of the Lifewave in Azure Striker Gunvolt lore. Senary is the Sixth wave and is only one stage away from Septimal, the seventh wave that grants Adepts their power. I also toyed with calling the meeting room Primordial (first wave) or Septimal. Ultimately, I opted to call it Senary because Septimal should be used to name something more important and personal to Doctor Kamizono while, if you consider attunement manifests as the cognitive and physical capabilities of the living being, Primordial is a piss poor wave to be attached to when those with the Septimal are rewriting reality on a whim. For a meeting room normally used by the CEO and President, Primordial is too low on the food chain.

I get a giddy feeling diving into the lore of stories like ASG.

Aoi Kamizono: Effectively an OC. We do know that canonically the Kamizono twins have an aunt that inherited the Kamizono estate. But due to the changes I made to their backstory, in this fic it was the sister, Mytyl's and Copen's mother, who inherited the estate. Aoi's looks are based on something tangentially related to Gunvolt. If you know your Inti Create multiverse, you know who's she's modeled after and whose mother she is. I already mentioned her kids before to boot!

Privacy: This fic is sponsored by [Insert a VPN company]. Ok, just kidding. But on the subject of privacy between friends. Everyone is entitled to privacy. That said, friendship carries an implicit expectation of trust. And if your private issues are affecting your friendship, there is nothing forcing your friends to stick around and deal with the issues you don't trust them to know or help with. It's a give and take situation.

In the context of this story, I wanted to show how the Kamizono continual evasion of the elephant in the room (Mytyl's loose control of her Semblance and the effects on her body) is eroding that trust when it is clearly affecting their friends, either physically (Ruby), emotionally (Jaune), or materially (Kohaku). There's actually some retroactive writing here: I originally wrote this chapter, decided to go down this road, then realized I should go to the chapters I haven't published and emphasize this conflict. The risks of writing update-based stories: you don't have the benefit of revising the whole story seven times before finally publishing it.

Ozpin: Oh shit, he's getting curious. Quickly, call Salem. Attack! Attack! Attack!

Reviews

98kazer: Mytyl is a strong girl. She'll manage.

mega-dark: I'm allowed my fair share of cliffhangers D:
Glad you like the chapter. Hopefully you'll find your answers.