First off I need to thank everyone since I didn't really say anything in my last update. We broke 300 Favorites a while ago with this story now having 348 at the time of posting this and 434 followers. This is insane, I never thought that my story would make it into the triple digits when I started writing. Let alone have several hundreds of people reading my work. Secondly this story got picked up by the 'Best of RWBY Fanfiction.' Community and is now listed there. Personally I have no idea how communities work on Fanfiction so I'm just going to thank everyone involved over there.

Now let's get back to the show.

"Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Cardin continued to scream while Ruby shielded her ears with her hands.

"Would you stop yelling?" Ruby screamed at Cardin who actually stopped. "Now I can finally finish-"

"Nurse! Help, I don't want to die."

-"apologizing" Ruby finished filling slightly defeated as Cardin continued to yell for help. "Would you stop that! I already talked with the nurses and spent an hour preparing for this. So would you be quite while I finish talking?"

Cardin stayed silent, fearful of what Ruby could do if she managed to get to the surrounding staff without anyone knowing. She was still trying to catch her breath from the unusual show of anger. Placing her hand on a nearby table she eased herself into a chair. Her leg still throbbed from the damage and the painkillers they gave her for the wound wore off almost immediately.

"Look I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now. I am the one who put you here in the first place and despite how much of a jerk you are it shouldn't have gone that far."

"I'll stop being a jerk to others okay? I'll change my ways just don't kill me."

"You shouldn't change because someone is threatening you. It should be something you figure out and decide for yourself."

"So I should stay the way I am?"

"No, you bully people and pick on anyone you see below you. That's not what good people do."

"So I should start acting all friendly and stuff." Cardin said, wondering what the reaper wanted from her twisting demands.

"Me trying to kill you isn't supposed to result in something good. A wrong should never make a right, I'm the bad guy here and this isn't how this should be happening." Ruby threw her arms in the air over how her actions were shaping up. "Just forget all about changing your ways and let's try to hold a conversation like two completely normal people."

After the suggestion both of them continued to stay silent with one wondering how to talk to the person she almost killed and the other kept quite worried over whether he'd survive the night. The IV giving Cardin a steady supply of pain killers to keep him comfortable.

"My team is doing okay, though they seem to be a bit overprotective at the moment."

"At least your team cares. I haven't seen mine since I got here." Cardin replied not surprised by his own team's actions.

"I'm sure they've just been busy." Ruby replied automatically to the implication.

"Every day at all times? Nope, they're probably fighting over who should be leader once I get back, since I got my ass handed to me by a little girl."

"But you were given the position, how could they fight over it?" Ruby questioned wondering if Weiss was thinking about a way to take her position during their first week together.

"On paper maybe, but if no one follows my orders I'll be leader in name only while someone else gives the commands."

"That's not right. They can't just take the position from you. Couldn't you talk to Ozpin or one of the professors about this?"

"In case you haven't noticed the professors here have a very hands off approach. Why do you think they let me and my team harass the animals at this school. They probably want them to stand up for themselves or maybe they're trying to get the other students to stop being so apathetic towards them."

"Are you just going to fight your team then?" Ruby asked seeing that even if Cardin got released he'd be in no condition to fight at 100% for a while.

"Have to if I want to keep my position. Once I'm out of here my team will have a sparring match and the last one standing gets to be in charge."

"That just seems so..." Ruby paused trying to find the right words to describe the horrible situation.

"Barbaric, primitive, cruel, unjust, maybe it is, but it's how I've kept this team together ever since our first week. It works and until now it was a good solution."

"Why didn't you try to talk it out with them instead of fighting?"

"Dove and Sky come from big name families. They've had money their entire lives and neither one was happy about being put on a team with Russel since he doesn't exactly have that kind of bloodline. They aren't happy about having who they see as a commoner an their level."

"What about you?"

"My great grandfather built weapons and eventually the business grew. I may not be rich, but my family name does hold something. If I want those two idiots to follow my orders I need to prove that I'm better than them."

"My team just trusts me to make the right decisions. Sure we have our disagreements now and then, but we usually work it out."

"Must be nice having a team that can function without having to threaten them and bark orders. We don't trust each other and scatter at the first sign of trouble. A bunch of cowards all thrown into one team, I'd laugh if it wasn't so sad." Cardin mocked with Ruby unsure of whether or not to smile along with the leader.

"Cardin I'm sure you can get them to work together. You just have to find something you all enjoy doing, something to rally behind."

"Well we do make fun of Faunus a lot."

"Not that. Think of something smaller like movies or games."

"That might work with Russel, but Sky and Dove would probably feel insulted from the suggestion alone." Cardin looked towards the door momentarily half expecting someone to walk in. "Where is your team? Shouldn't they be watching you or something?"

"I actually had to sneak away to go meet up with Dunstan."

"You mean that new teacher?"

"Yeah we even got to go into the Emerald forest and fight some Grimm. I did lose the weapon I just made unfortunately. It was a rushed job anyway, but to have the blade snap off was really an oversight on my part since I didn't reinforce the mechanic that folded the blade." Ruby said, turning sideways to show the holder on her back empty of any weaponry.

"So did you just toss the staff after it broke off?"

"Funny story about that actually, it turns out that if you get any object moving fast enough it starts acting like a bullet. Imagine Pyrrha's spear, but much larger."

"At least that oversized gardening tool of yours had a use."

"I didn't break Crescent Rose I broke her temporary replacement. They kind of confiscated my weapon after I fought you so I had to make a temp."

"Shouldn't you be barred from the forge in case you tried something like that?"

"Thinking back on it they should have, though it does take most people a little longer than me to actually design and build a weapon."

"Not to say I don't appreciate the awkward company, but." Cardin used his head to gesture towards the door.

"Oh, alright, I'll just be going then" Ruby said, with a slight pout slowly turning the door handle.

"I may not be the best person out there, but I appreciate the visit."

"Thanks."

"Usually I'd threaten you to never talk about this, but it seems a little pointless when you're the one who put me here. So I'm asking you to not go spreading any of this around."

"What's the magic word?" Ruby teased.

"I'd sooner eat my own foot."

"That can be arranged." Ruby answered happily while flashing a grin.

"Please." The words came unnaturally and almost seemed to scrape itself from Cardin's throat.

"No problem. I'll be sure to visit later."

"Why would you bother doing that?"

"So I have someone I can talk to who isn't my friend or teacher. I know you won't go talking to anyone about this conversation, right?" Ruby said with a knowing smile.

Ruby closed the door as she left leaving Cardin to rest in his bed. Though some of the injuries he received may have healed, some had failed to close properly and he would get the occasional flash of pain. Turning his head to look out the window he couldn't help feel that he just made a deal with a small devil.

"I thought that was a vivid nightmare." Cardin said, seeing the reaper reappear in his doorway the next night with the edges of a new weapon visible behind her as she walked in.

"I said I'd come and talk."

"Is that actually why you're here?" Cardin asked.

"Well I needed to get away from my team for a moment."

"Trouble in paradise?"

"It's just a little suffocating to be around them at the moment. Even JNPR is looking at me differently now for some reason. They all skitter around me like I could break at any moment from the slightest provocation."

"Using your big words there Rose." Cardin joked remembering all the times the young Huntress would misuse or pronounce words when she tried to break out a larger vocabulary.

"I'm getting better. I mostly just listen to Weiss and try to use some of the words in similar situations. It helps that I can ask Blake occasionally about some of the word."

"When they're around you do they seem scared like or are it more concerned for you?" Cardin asked her unenthusiastically.

"You don't have to help if you don't want to. I was planning to just talk at you all night."

"I physically can't leave this bed and you are my only source of contact with the outside world, it's been so long since I've left this room. The entire school could have exploded and I wouldn't have known." The boredom clearly present in his voice.

"I'm sure you would have noticed if the school exploded. You'd definitely be within the blast radius or at least had some debris fly through your window." Ruby pointed out failing to recognize the sarcasm in his voice.

"Not the point. Just answer the question."

"They weren't scared of me. It was like they were scared for me and worried about something."

"Good to know your attempted murder on me didn't strain any of your friend ships."

"Not to sound mean, but you have way less friends than I do and I'm apparently socially awkward." Ruby said, with a slight hint of pride.

"Let's face it I'm not exactly popular. Look at Jaune he has Pyrrha friken Nikos and he was a nobody last time I checked."

"Yeah they're best friends and partners. Though I'm sure everyone's partner is their best friend." Ruby said before remembering how Cardin's Team was different from others in most aspects.

"Never mind." Cardin said remembering who he was talking to. "Something you did made them start to act this way around you. Either you said something or they heard something."

"But this all happened over the span of a single day. It couldn't have been my injuries from last night because I made sure to keep them covered while they healed."

"Did you say anything to them before your escapade that night?"

"We shared stories about our initiation over dinner."

"And before that?"

"I was talking to Dunstan about something." Ruby said, slightly uncomfortable about the subject.

"Sounds like we found what everyone is worried about."

"That doesn't make any sense. What I was talking about would have made them scared of me not scared for me."

"This would be easier if you told me what you talked about." Cardin saw her lock up momentarily in thought over whether or not to reveal the conversation. "Look I won't tell anyone about anything discussed in this room."

"I talked about what happened in Asylum."

"You mean that town that got overrun with Grimm?"

"It wasn't overrun with Grimm, the people there were different. They attacked everyone and had enough strength to knock Weiss out with a single surprise attack. Eventually I gave the order to retreat and I got separated from my team." Ruby froze thinking back to her first hunt and the horrible sensations she drowned in through that night.

"You going to be alright?"

"Just needed a moment." She said taking another deep breath before continuing. "I took a nasty hit to my head and I fought back against them. I don't remember much, but I woke up surrounded by bodies and their blood had filled the street. I talked to Dunstan about how he got over his first kill."

"Another reason for them to be scared of you, but not to elicit the response you're getting."

"I know this is why I'm frustrated. I woke up, stayed in the room for a bit, participated in Dunstan's class, fought them for a bit, Dunstan and I talked about our first times, and then had dinner." Cardin's jaw dropped at her mention of her first time.

"Repeat that last part."

"I had dinner with everyone."

"Before that."

"Dunstan and I talking about our first times."

"Did you phrase it exactly like that?"

"Well yeah, what else could I be talking about?"

"When people talk about their first time they usually are referring to popping their cherry." Ruby stared at Cardin blankly. "Doing the doo." Still no response from the girl. "Sex, it's a metaphor for people having sex."

"Ewwww, that's disgusting. Why would you even think that?"

"Because you're using the vocabulary associated with it. Please don't tell Yang I taught you those phrases. She'd castrate me if she found out I taught her little sister any of these words." Cardin quickly added fearing the retribution from the young reaper's fiery guardian.

"What does castrate mean?"

"Doesn't matter. Your team probably thinks you had an orgy or something and your innocent little mind couldn't handle it. Just get everyone together and explain about what you and Dunstan actually talked about and hopefully you can all laugh about this later."

"JNPR doesn't know about Asylum though. They might freak out if they learn that I killed those things."

"Were they human?"

"Dunstan doesn't think so." Ruby answered thinking back on their conversation on the aspects of the infected.

"Do 'you' think they are human?" Cardin repeated the question asking Ruby more directly.

Ruby thought back and remembered the clouded eyes staring back at her as she ripped her scythe out of the monster seeing no light to fade from the eyes as it stopped moving. "They're the same as the Grimm. They just happen to be shaped like people."

"At least you're well-adjusted and not going around trying to murder people." Cardin reminded the girl.

"You know you can stop bringing that up."

"I feel a personal connection to this. Besides, just because my team is a mess doesn't mean Ozpin's favorites should be."

"We're not his favorites." Ruby dismissed.

"You got in to Beacon 2 years early. Then your team is somehow always in the middle of some insane fight or plot whenever one happens. Not to mention that your team has received next to no punishment for anything you've ever done."

"I got suspended because I put you in here."

"Somethings can't be overlooked, especially with so many witnesses around. I'm not saying this to be mean. I just want you to recognize that team RWBY is in the middle of something big and Ozpin sees it. As does most the school I imagine since Nora has been sharing tales of your adventures to anyone who will listen."

"Even the giant robot fight?"

"Especially the giant robot fight." A beeping sound filled the room as Cardin looked up to see his IV had been depleted for a minute. "You might want to leave before my pain killers wear off. It's not the nicest scene."

"I'll go grab a nurse." Ruby said running to the door.

"Don't worry they know. This is probably a good stopping point anyways. See you later." Cardin weekly said with sweat beginning to form on his brow and his free hand began to clench in pain. Ruby made her way out of the room and passed two nurses who hurriedly approached Cardin's room.

"Are we even sure this will work?" One man asked standing in the middle of an emptied warehouse.

A woman was stood leaning against a wall. "Of course we're sure. After all I came up with this plan. I am"-

-"A genius when it comes to these sort of things. Though since the art was lost to most the world I guess that"-

-"There isn't too much competition in the arcane department anymore. Look at those idiots from Byrgenwerth. If they could find a way to call a Blood Moon even if by accident, think about how easy it will be for me." She finished as more people began to fill into the building.

"Talking to myself again, how quaint." Floes said, taking his hat off and placing it on the woman's head.

"So many faces and voices all jumbled around. It's tough to keep track occasionally, besides it helps with my thought process." The now hatted individual said walking beside Floes.

"I almost forgot what it was like to have so many under my call at once. The lack of clarity is sometimes astounding, yet the advantage of numbers is nice for the trade off." Floes answered back. "I'm always amazed by what the old me thought up while our mind was still so clear and quite."

"Now to decide on where we want to place our main focus in Vale. Show of hands for Beacon." The woman said seeing a fair amount of the couple hundred people present raise their arms. "Any suggestions?"

The audience erupted in noise as they began shouting different districts within Vale to occupy. The chaos filled their heads with ideas that bounced around from person to person with each thinking of how to best fight. The noise continued to grow until it was silenced with a single word.

"Patch." Floes said taking his hat back from the woman and giving it a twirl as he placed it atop his head. "A small rural area with a combat school placed at its center. Relatively safe from Grimm due to its placement just off the coast they lack most defense forces that have been scattered through Vale. Let's have the Huntsman leave their castle and fight their way to us through their own city."

The word stuck to their tongues as the crowd began to chant the word over and over in excitement over the idea. The decision had been made and the plan would be set in motion.

"Today we will be running a simulation to gauge your response to having to face what I consider a monster. Also you may notice we also have a new student here today, Ruby." Dunstan said as the reaper pulled her hood over her face from the sudden influx of attention being focused on her.

"Dunstan why are we in the Arena." Jaune asked holding his hand up to grab the professor's attention.

"Port was kind enough to lend me his scroll to schedule our time slot since mine currently doesn't have access. As for why we're here I've already explained. Luckily you just volunteered your team for participation, now is there anyone else who wants to join in?" Dunstan asked seeing most of the class try to avoid eye contact. "Treated outerwear will be provided to keep the blood off of you."

"Who exactly will we be fighting against sir?" Jaune asked seeing no one else stepping forward.

"That would be me" Dunstan said while leaping down into the field, holding what looked like two sharpened bones that were wrapped together with bandages to form a gauntlet. He was wearing his old leather getup pulling the cloth over his face out of old habit to keep the blood off.

"Doesn't this seem a little unsafe?" Jaune asked remembering the last time he fought the Hunter since it left him with a sizable dent in his chest plate.

"I assure you I've taken precautions in case things get out of hand." He motioned to the stands as Ruby stood in the top row unfurling her scythe. The weapon seemed mostly unchanged except that the materials that made up the barrel and the blade had been switched out with polished black metal that shone when the light caught it.

"Why is Ruby up there?" Nora asked. "Is she going to be shooting at us while we fight?"

"Ruby is up there to disarm me should things get out of hand in the match." He began tightening the strap on the gauntlet making sure it was held in place.

"When you say 'disarm' what exactly is she going to do?" Pyrrha asked thinking back on how they injured Dunstan last time.

"With a few well-placed shots my arm should be easily severed."

"Doesn't that seem a little extreme? Couldn't she just shoot the weapon out of your hand?"

"Once the fight starts that will sadly be impossible, so to minimize risks I decided this would be the safest option. Worst case scenario I need someone to reattach the vessels in my arm then get some blood flowing."

Seeing no point in questioning him Jaune walked over to the locker room to arm up with the rest of JNPR following behind. Grabbing their weapons they found a dozen outfits hanging off on a rack by the exit. The design reminded them of a hooded duster with an extra-long skirt that extended to their ankles and gloves that were attached to the sleeves opening allowing a tight seal. Just above each Duster was a full facial mask for them to dawn.

"Well at least he's thoughtful." Nora said quickly finding one in her size and pulling it from the rack.

"Can we even fight him? He has no aura and we could kill him in this match." Pyrrha said, her skin turning pale at the thought of blood spilled in arena.

"It's how he's fought his entire life Pyr. He's done so much without anything to protect him." Jaune said, wondering how quickly he would have died if he didn't have an aura to shield him.

"We have to accept his choice and answer his request as best as we can." Ren said pulling out StormFlower since the Duster would prevent him from using his normal drawing motion on the guns.

"So what's the plan?" Nora asked with the mask's air filter obscuring her voice.

"We immobilize him and take him down as quickly as possible so he doesn't get too hurt. Ren your job is to help corral him, suppress his movements and make sure he doesn't get past me and Pyrrha. Nora you keep him pressured and push him back into a corner when I give the signal. Pyrrha and I will flank him and strike when we can. Wounding his legs taking priority followed by his arms, so be careful with your shots." Jaune threw the duster on and began walking towards the exit with the mask in hand.

Stepping out JNPR was greeted by the blinding lights that illuminated the arena. The small crowd in the stands reflected just how many of them actually managed to get in the class. Walking forward they all had their weapons drawn as they came to a stop in front of Dunstan.

"Glad you're ready to fight. The match will start once my weapon is readied." Dunstan said holding the gauntlet over his head as he brought his other hand to it.

The audience gasped as his left hand was overtaken in a white light. Fur grew along both his arms reaching from his shoulder to the back of the hands. His left hand grew in size becoming large enough to grab an entire torso. The fingers jutted outwards at painful angles with black claws coming out of the tips. The gantlet was stuck to his right hand and fused to the bone grip. With fur that ran over his hand and onto the sharpened bones.

JNPR were frozen in place seeing the body horror unfold before them. If psychological warfare was something Dunstan wanted to give them experience with mutilating his own body certainly threw them into the deep end.

Ruby took a deep breath and pulled the bolt back loading the quicksilver round into her gun. Looking down the scope she kept her crosshair lined up on Dunstan's right arm and was ready to track him through the match.

So there's our set up for what the finale will look like from Floes. I mostly wanted to get that part typed up to show a little more of what goes on through Floes' head and how he works. That and it gives all of you a general idea on how the characters will move through Vale once the outbreak hits.

Got to team CRDL some background or more specifically Cardin. At first I just wanted an awkward apology scene, but as it went on I just started giving Cardin more character to fill out the section. Eventually it bled over onto the rest of his team since they have literally nothing in cannon at the moment besides being Racists and Cowards.

In other news Dunstan is investing in clothing to help prevent the spread of the plague through combat, now why would he be doing something like that? That and we will finally get to see the Beast Claw in action since I know a few of you are big fans of the weapon. Best part is its all flesh and leather, no metal here for Magneto to fiddle with.