This Chapter will be taking things slow, the final chapter before the Jaunedice Arc begins.

In the silence of the night beneath the broken moon, a solitary girl stood. Her eyes shut, as she held her trusty weapon in her hands.

This was a test for her, a test to see if she was ready to fight for her freedom.

Her eyes shot open as the sound of growling reached her ears. A fog began to roll in, as ghostly blue eyes stared at her from within its concealment. Her eyes grew focused as she got into position, the first creature came into view. A spectral white wolf like creature, it bared its teeth at her and lunged.

She replied in kind, and caught the creature by its throat with her blade. It vanished into nothingness, as her instincts warned her of a second presence from behind. The beast growled, and lunged for her, but she was agile. Three thrusts were imparted onto the creature before another presence was felt, the creatures were circling her.

Click.

Her weapon locked into place as the blade lit up. "Hyah!" She cried, launching an arc of flame into the fog and into the creatures.

Several of them vanished, and pushed back the fog. She took the initiative, and lunged for the nearest creature. She bisected it, and drove her blade into the next one's skull. A small smirk formed on her lips, she could keep going. She moved deftly, with each movement she felled another beast, but only to have two take its place.

Despite the cold, she felt heat beginning to creep up on her. Her stamina was somewhat lacking, she'd correct that at a later date.

She lunged once more, swinging her blade. She aimed a strike at the creature's neck, she'd slash it open.

A mistake.

The beast had opened its maw of razor sharp teeth, catching her blade and locking it in place. She pulled on it, she could hear the growls from behind her now.

Another mistake.

With her attention taken away from her current opponent, the creature had jumped on her. Now pinned to the ground and with her weapon in the literal jaws of death, the creatures she had heard had come into view. Then lunged for her.

WINTER!

Shirou Emiya clutched his head in his hands, it had been a lifetime ago since the last time he could recall his dreams not being about fire and screaming. While it may sound strange he'd become accustomed to the nightmares, they served as a reminder of what drove him...or they did.

He shook his head, it wasn't time for introspection. Right now, it was time for class.

Professor-No, Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck, was little more than a green blur in the eyes of many in the classroom. To Shirou however, he could easily keep track of the caffeinated man who spoke and moved proportionate to the amount of caffeine he'd ingested.

"You look awful." Rin said to him, she remained focused on her notes. Not bothering to look at him as she spoke.

"Gee thanks." Shirou rolled his eyes. "You're looking as radiant as ever."

"I try." She giggled. "Now, aside from stating the obvious. What's wrong?"

"Well...I suppose it's finally dawning on me that I'm your Servant." Shirou sighed, recalling the dream. "I had a Dream Cycle, I saw Weiss' memories."

Rin fell silent, and paused her note taking. Her gaze lifting and seemed to scan the board which had been filled with various information. "See anything raunchy Emiya?" She smirked, then twirled her pen.

"You know it doesn't work like that." Shirou sighed, sinking into his seat. "I saw her training, she's been through a lot."

"So have we." Rin replied. "Don't get rattled Shirou, whatever bad experiences these people have, shouldn't rattle us." Rin crossed her arms, and kept her gaze forward. "We've been through worse, and I shouldn't have to remind you that you could have potential suffering for eons to come."

Shirou's jaw clenched, he didn't have to be reminded of that.

"I'll keep that in mind." Shirou said, falling silent and trying his best to listen to the lesson. "Can you help me out? I'm completely lost with the lesson."

Rin merely sighed, and slid her open binder over to Shirou.

"Freedom!" Cried out Ruby Rose, her group of friends piling out into the hallway after the class had ended. She could hear the playful giggle Shirou had let out, and smiled at him.

It had been a few weeks since classes had started, she still couldn't believe she'd been at Beacon for nearly two months now. Classes were now in full swing, and she was pretty happy for the most part. She was doing well in class, her teachers seemed to be warming up to her, and she had friends. She looked back to Weiss and Shirou who waited and stretched respectively.

"Okay friends! What's on the agenda today?" She asked. "Our afternoon classes were canceled, we've got the rest of the day to ourselves."

"Nora and I are going to go over notes from class." Ren stated.

"I have a makeup class with Professor Peach." Jaune sighed.

"I'll be training, I think I've been rather lax these days." Was Pyrrha's response.

"Aww…" Ruby slumped somewhat, then turned her attention to her teammates and Shirou. "Well...I suppose it'll be just us then!"

"Actually, Shirou and I have plans." Weiss cut in, making Ruby recoil. "We were planning on heading down to Vale, Shirou here needs some new clothes."

"Oooh! Can I come with? Crescent Rose needs some new parts, and I was hoping I could find a good deal." Ruby hoped, then looked to Blake and Yang. "What about you guys?"

"I'll come with I suppose." Blake replied. However, Yang was silent. Ruby got worried for her sister who was uncharacteristically glum, the usual cheery and peppy Yang seemed indifferent to the invitation.

"I'll just chill in the dorm room." Said Yang. "I'm not in the mood to go shopping, you guys have fun."

"Yang?" Ruby called out to her older sibling. Yang had been distant ever since the incident with Weiss a few weeks back. It bothered her to no end to see her usually strong and peppy sister reduced to a sighing and indifferent mess.

"Hey." Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder.

Shirou was standing behind her, a smile on his face that was doing its best to calm her. Ruby shook her head, and did her best to recompose herself. "I'm okay." Ruby assured. "Let's go into Vale then." and walked on ahead.

Ruby hoped that Vale would lift some of the weight she had on her shoulders.

Shirou had been on airplanes before, but he doubted he could ever get used to the level of technology Remnant had. These ships they had were ripped straight out of science fiction, but he supposed the same could be said for the ability to materialize objects from his hands. Magecraft was just wild sometimes.

Shirou took in the view of Vale from the sky, and couldn't help but be reminded of Fuyuki. He didn't know what it was about the city that reminded him of his old home, but perhaps it was the elevation. His last memory of Fuyuki was seeing it from the window seat of his flight to London with Rin.

"Enjoying the view?" Blake asked.

"Yeah, it's a nice view." Shirou lingered on the view for a moment longer, then turned to Blake. "Not to be rude, but why're you talking to me? I'd assume you'd prefer to talk to Ruby or Rin."

"They're busy." said Blake, nudging her head in the direction of the partners. Ruby seemed to be openly expressing her knowledge on a certain topic that Shirou couldn't keep up with. Rin on the other hand was simply smiling and adding a comment occasionally. It was good to see them get along.

"Never thought they'd hit it off." Shirou commented, then focused his full attention to Blake. "So, what would you like to talk about?"

"I don't know, I'm not necessarily a very good conversationalist." Blake admitted. "I really should've thought this through."

Shirou chuckled. "Well then, I suppose I should lend you a hand then. A question for a question." he cleared his throat. "So Blake, how was school?"

"You sound like a parent." Blake rolled her eyes. "School has been great, it's easier than I expected. How have your studies been Shirou?"

"They're fine, I could do without the massive expectations though."

"Professor Goodwitch?" She asked.

"She means well, but she expects way too much."Said Shirou, truth be told the stress he was experiencing was coming from his exercises at night. He'd been experimenting these past few weeks, doing his best to try and get himself back to form and with Rin's help he was hopeful they'd manage to fix him. However, no such luck. Rin's best hypothesis on why he was unable to trace all the Noble Phantasms at his disposal, was due to the circumstances of his arrival in Remnant.

Shirou let out an internal sigh, that last mission he'd taken was causing him more trouble than it was worth.

"What about you Blake?" Shirou returned to the conversation. "Are you under the pressure of anyone's expectations?"

Blake's lips pressed into a thin line. "You could say that." Blake glanced out the window, seeing the busy streets of Vale bustling with people. "Shirou, what do you think of Weiss?"

"She's my friend." Shirou answered. "Why do you ask?"

Blake shook her head. "No reason, just curious." The raven haired girl rose to her feet, just as the airship came to a stop. The doors opened, and out came the multitude of passengers. The group stepped out onto the platform, and marveled at the busy station.

Rin turned to the group. "So Ruby, you're going to go look for weapon parts right?" The hooded girl nodded, then Rin glanced over to Blake. "What about you, Blake?"

She shrugged. "I might just go and find a nice bookstore." Blake placed a hand on her hip. "You don't have to worry about me."

"Let's meet back here in say...two hours?" Shirou asked.

The group seemed to have come to an agreement, and went their separate ways.

Yang Xiao Long remained horizontal on her bed, her mood these past few days hadn't been the best. She sighed, she wasn't getting anything done and was pretty much just wallowing in her dorm making herself feel worse.

Her Scroll rang out, vibrating as it did on the desk in the dorm. Letting out another sigh, Yang got up and walked over to the desk. The screen flashing the name: Taiyang Xiao Long.

She sat down on the desk, accepting the call as she did. "Hey dad." Yang greeted the holographic image of her father that sprouted from the device. The older man's background was that of their home in Patch.

"How's my sunny little dragon doing?" Tai asked. Yang simply shrugged, not really giving him an answer. "Not so good I assume." Tai answered his own question. The feed from Tai's end shook slightly, an indication that he was adjusting the camera over on his side. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really." Yang said, placing her hand on her propped up arm as she looked at the image of her father.

"Alright then." He said, then glanced around the space Yang was in. "Where's your sister?"

"She's out with some friends."

Tai took a breath, and leaned forward. "Alright, let's talk." Tai said seeing the annoyance grow on Yang's face made him steel himself. "We're not good at dealing with nuanced emotions, so let's put it out in the open. Like we always do."

"There's nothing to put out into the open, dad." Yang snapped. "I'm fine, what's with the sudden interest in my life?"

"Yang, what's wrong?" Tai pressed.

"Nothing is wrong!" said Yang. "What's making you think that there's something wrong?!"

Tai let out a breath. "Yang, I saw the video." Yang's annoyed expression remained unchanged, the older Xiao Long decided that he should continue. "You've lost fights before Yang, remember what I taught you? Losing is a part of getting better, you've got to-"

"I don't need a lecture, dad." Yang groaned. "So what? I lost a fight, like you said I've lost before-"

"This isn't like before." Tai interrupted. "I see that now, so tell me what's wrong? Is it because you were humiliated?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"It's because Ruby looks up to her!" Yang exclaimed, her breathing hitching. Hearing those words finally made something click in Yang, tears began to build up in her eyes as she spoke with her father. "Ruby looks up to Weiss, it's like...it's like I've been replaced."

"Ever since they've gotten to know each other, it's like they were born together." Yang sighed, then scoffed. "Ruby goes to her for help with her homework, they go out late, they go to class together, heck Ruby even listened to her when she chewed her out."

"Oh brother." said Tai, then faced his daughter. "Yang, I want you to listen to me. Your sister will always love you, just like I will. I know that you love her too, right?"

Yang silently nodded.

"So it pains me to say this, but you haven't been acting like her older sister recently." Yang flinched as if physically struck, she moved to answer. "Now before you cut me off, you should know that Ruby and I talk a lot." Tai shifted in his seated position. "Yang, I want you to think about these past few months. Have you been there for your sister?"

"Of course." Yang immediately answered.

Tai shook his head. "Yang, you know how Ruby is. She doesn't talk about what makes her tick too much, it's why I'm so thankful that you two understand each other." He passed a hand through his blonde hair, he was really hoping that Yang would understand if he laid everything out. "Upon arriving at Beacon, what was the first thing you did?"

Yang rolled her eyes. "We went to orientation."

"And who is "we"?" Tai asked. "Because according to your sister, the second you arrived on Beacon's grounds. You ditched her to go with your friends."

"I didn't leave her alone."

"Right." Tai nodded. "You left her with Shirou and the girl you tried to provoke into a fight. Let me reiterate, you left your socially awkward sister with a complete stranger, and a boy she met not two nights prior. Yang, this is just the first day. During Initiation, she told me you were the first person she needed to find." Tai sighed, his hand making its way to the bridge of his nose. "Look, I'm not saying that you can't leave your sister alone. Just please brothers above, put some thought into your actions Yang."

Yang fell silent, Tai on the other hand was not done yet. "I shouldn't have to lecture you like this, you're 17 years old. Please, consider your sister. She's probably sticking with Weiss, because she's been there for her and willing to help. You've been living your own life Yang, you've always told Ruby that she needs to be more independent and now that she is, you're angry."

There was a silence between father and child, Tai passed a hand over his features. "Look, I should go. Just keep your wits about, like I've been saying. You're old enough that I don't have to spell out your mistakes for you anymore." with that Tai ended the call leaving Yang to stare at the spot where her father's image used to be.

Yang's brows furrowed, she simply stood up and walked back to her bed and planted herself face first into her pillow.

Blake Belladonna let out a breath as she shut the book she held in her hands. The local bookstore had a nice selection, they even had a few amateur works lining the shelves. She gingerly returned the book she had taken, sliding it gently back into the open space that was available.

"On to the next." Said Blake, taking a few steps to the side and letting her eyes wander. Perhaps she should move to the amateur works section, there might be something there that would catch her eye.

Though Blake supposed that this bookstore was being nice to the locals. She fought the urge to wince as she saw some of the plots of the books that were in this section were...less creative. "A girl who falls in love with a rough around the edges man." She rolled her eyes, she'd just described several dozen romantic subplots of the other books she's read.

Blake sighed, nothing was really catching her eye. Perhaps she could go find a shop that served a nice cup of tea, and left her alone with her thoughts.

Exiting the bookstore, it was here that Blake realized that the shopping district here at Vale was bigger than she originally thought. She didn't know if it was the tall buildings that seemed to make use of every ounce of space, or perhaps the fact that she couldn't see an open area like a park in any direction. It made the city feel densely packed, but she knew what being crammed together was like.

She hadn't thought about Menagerie in awhile, especially not after she left the White Fang. She would have to face them one day, especially if she was being a Huntress and especially if the White Fang continued to follow their current trajectory. Blake grit her teeth, this wasn't the time to be thinking about this.

Raising her gaze, Blake spotted a quaint looking cafe with a second floor balcony. "That seems peaceful enough." she thought, and approached the building.

Blake pushed the glass doors open, and the cool breeze of the air conditioning kissed her skin. The cafe wasn't busy, but it had a bunch of people. Servers moving around, people casually speaking and enjoying life, people reading books, and heartily enjoying drinks.

"Welcome." a voice called out to Blake. She hadn't noticed the man that had sauntered up to her, he was a full head taller than Blake and well built to boot. "I haven't seen you before, is it your first time here?"

Blake nodded.

"Judging by your reaction, you aren't used to seeing people this relaxed." again Blake nodded. The man chuckled. "Well, if you come here often then you'll be one of them. My name's Graham, I'm the owner of this fine establishment."

"Blake." she introduced.

"Nice to meet you Blake, let's see if we can find you a table."

"I was actually wondering." Blake began. "Are there any seats available on the balcony?"

Graham smiled. "Ah, you've got an eye. That's my favorite spot." he beckoned to her, and it was here that Blake noted how Graham moved. He limped, dragged his foot, and balanced on the cane he had in his hand. Blake thought of Professor Ozpin for a moment considering how both men used canes, but unlike the Headmaster, Graham seemed to need the cane.

Then realized that Graham was leading her up a flight of stairs.

"Maybe a spot down here would be better?" said Blake.

Graham let out a hearty laugh. "That's kind of you Blake, but please this is the little bit I do to help out here." Blake watched as Graham approached the stairs, and began ascending one step at a time. It was much like how a child unfamiliar with the concept would go up stairs, using one foot for all of the stairs. Blake supposed Graham wasn't hurt recently, he would have had practice.

Blake trailed behind the man, just to be sure that in case he lost his balance she would be there to save him from too much pain.

As the pair arrived at the balcony, Blake noticed something on the way. The second floor was a second customer area of sorts, and Faunus mainly dominated the space. Was there segregation in this cafe? No, the Faunus seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere as much as the people downstairs. There were even a few humans interwoven at some of the tables.

"This way." Graham instructed, and led her through a door that connected to the balcony. Graham offered her a seat, and took the one parallel hers. "You're surprised."

"I suppose I am." Blake answered, her gaze shifting back through the windows of the second floor. "I've never seen so many Faunus gathered in one place."

"I think you mean in a place owned by a human." Graham said, he held his cane in his hand and propped it up against the table. Blake averted her gaze, somewhat embarrassed that she was thinking that Graham had just stated.

Something came into view, sliding atop the table was a photo.

Blake gently took the photo, observing the subjects. On the right, she recognized Graham. Nicely dressed in a suit, with his cane propped up by his leg. Beside him however was a woman in her late twenties she assumed, dressed in a teal dress that reached down her knees. What caught Blake's attention however was her hair, it was a dark gray that flowed past her shoulders. A second layer of hair was colored in vibrant blues and greens that seemed to shimmer even in this photo that seemed to be at least a decade old.

"My wife." Graham added.

"She's beautiful." Blake wasn't just being polite, she genuinely meant it. Her eyes lingering on her hair, and how it contrasted against the woman's porcelain white skin. "What's her name?"

"Her name was Manna." said Graham. "She was the light of my life." he chuckled. "She used to call me her biscuit. A little mistranslation of my name into an old language she knew." Graham passed a hand through his graying hair. "My name is supposed to mean Gray House or Fort if you prefer, but in a language Manna knew it meant biscuit. Don't even get me started when she found out that Graham Crackers were something that existed."

"What happened to her?" Blake found herself asking.

"What happens to most people." Graham breathed. "She passed on, my Manna was always a bit sickly."

Blake's eyes returned to the photo, she could see the signs. Her skin wasn't porcelain white, she was pale, the dress she wore reached past her knees because it barely hung on to her shoulders.

"My Manna was a fighter though." Graham continued. "With how tenacious she was, you'd be hard pressed to figure out which of us was the Huntsman." He sighed, his eyes gleaming with feelings of a time long passed. "Though, there's only so much tenacity can do. Once I saw that the colors had faded from her plumes, I knew her time was short."

"That...must've been hard." Blake didn't know what else to say. Then a thought occurred to her, Graham had said plumes. Blake's gaze returned to the photo she had in her hands, her eyes immediately glued to the parts of Manna's hair that shimmered.

"I suppose you've pieced it together." Graham chuckled. "My Manna, was a Faunus. The most beautiful Peahen Faunus, that could put a Peacock Faunus to shame." Graham passed a hand over the establishment. "This cafe was her dream, a place where people could gather and understand each other regardless of race. She hoped that they'd come to an understanding, much like how we did."

"That sounds like a wonderful dream." said Blake. Manna wanted coexistence, peace, to show people that they could get along. It was relieving to see that there were still Faunus who held onto that dream.

Blake moved to speak, to ask another question. However, the sound of the door opening beat her in attracting attention. "Hey, your order's here."

Graham's eyes seemed to light up. "Hey there sweet pea, just got home from school?" It was obvious at this point. This girl about Ruby's age was Graham's daughter. She approached the table with a tray in hand, her other hand busily trying to affix her server's apron around her waist.

"Blake, I'd like to introduce you to my daughter Yumi." Graham motioned. Yumi was a girl of average height, and clearly a result of the union of Graham and Manna. Yumi had the features of her mother, the same eyes, and even facial structure, her skin was a flawless brown a few shades lighter than that of her father. The thing that caught her attention however, was how genuinely happy the girl was.

Yumi gasped. "Wait, are you a Huntress?!"

Caught off guard, Blake could only flinch. "I-I'm a Huntress in Training, I'm actually a student at Beacon."

Yumi seemed excitable, and looked ready to talk her ear off much like how Ruby would get sometimes. However, Graham held up a hand to stop her. "Sweetie, why don't you freshen up first then come back. Blake will still be here after."

"Oh brothers! I must reek!" Yumi exclaimed, gently placing a cup of tea on the table and then backing away.

Blake and Graham were left alone once again, watching the space where Yumi once was. "As you can see, while Manna's passing did a number on me. I can keep going for Yumi who keeps her memory alive." Graham sighed. "My only wish is that she grows up healthy, finds her own path, and remembers what kind of person her mother was."

Blake simply nodded her head. Then looked over to Graham, the man was being so open with her. They had just met, and he had essentially told her his life story, and maybe even dredged up old wounds. "Why?" Blake found herself asking.

"I tend to find that people who seem jumpy, relax once they hear one of my stories." Graham said. "And have a cup of Manna's special brew, on the house."

That was right, Blake never ordered anything when she came in. Graham had simply led her to a table, Blake eyed the drink and then took it in her hands. A few light blows, and a quick sip.

The warm tea smelled amazing, and made her feel warm inside. Blake could only smile as she placed the cup back down on the table. "Would you mind if I came by again? To hear more of your stories, that is?"

Graham smiled. "Of course, you're welcome anytime. A little heads up though, only the first cup is free."

"Again?" Shirou asked the white haired heiress who stood before him.

Rin nodded, and Shirou sighed. He retreated back into the changing room and pulled back the curtain, there he glanced at himself in the mirror. He and Rin had been trying out clothes the moment they had stepped into the store, and if this kept up then Ruby and Blake were going to have to wait for them.

"Rin." Shirou called out, poking his head through the curtain. "Maybe we should stop?"

"No." She simply said.

Shirou, seeing no rebuttal, simply groaned and pulled his head back into the curtain. To his left was a stack of neatly folded clothes, the rejects so to speak. "I'd be more comfortable in armor." he complained.

"People here don't have use for armor." Rin replied to him from behind the curtain. "Plus, neither do you anymore. Pyrrha unlocked your Aura for you."

"Aura which I don't know how to use." Shirou countered, reaching for a shirt that Rin had handed him through the curtain. He disrobed and folded the clothes before placing them on the pile to the left.

"We can learn as we go, Emiya." Said Rin. "What's wrong with that?"

"I just don't like not knowing anything, I can't plan for anything."

"Wow." Said Rin, drawing out the word. "Plans eh? You've really grown haven't you?"

Shirou rolled his eyes, moving to the next article of clothing. A simple white shirt that reminded him of his usual shirts, maybe it was because its short sleeves were reminiscent of his long sleeved shirts. "Rin, do you think you could find me a coat?"

"I know just the one!" Rin had said, and he heard her hurried footsteps as she rushed off.

"Please don't be red." He pleaded with whatever deity resided here on Remnant.

"I'm back." Rin called out, Shirou took in a breath and pulled back the curtain. Rin stood before the changing room, she held out a coat to Shirou. His eyes widened, his eyes observing every detail that was on the coat. "I figured you'd like this one."

He couldn't believe it, Kiritsugu's coat was right in front of him.

Shirou reached out, touching the coat. It was softer than he imagined, the coat rested in his hands. His eyes were transfixed on it, there was no way he would ever forget it.

"Try it on." Rin urged him.

"R-Right." Shirou carefully slipped it on, it fit like a glove. He turned back to face the mirror in the fitting room, and observed himself. The coat reached just below his pelvis and his knees, it was definitely shorter than Kiritsugu's but the design was the same.

Rin had stepped forward, Shirou could see her in the mirror. "And this is to complete the look." she said, her arms moving around Shirou's neck. A scarlet scarf wrapped around him, it was the brightest shade of red they had if Shirou had to guess. "It brings it all together don't you think?"

Shirou reached for the scarf, he wanted it off. Rin's hand landed atop his, and held it in place. "I know you think of him, but you're not Archer. You won't end up like him, because you aren't alone." Her hand reached for the scarf, fixing it. Rin looked into his eyes, and smiled. "This is me, a way for me to be with you. My fearless hero."

Rin flinched, then averted her eyes. "I...hope you understand."

"I suppose I do." Shirou looked at the mirror, how he now looked and how Rin now looked. A simple change to his wardrobe made him feel like a new person, especially with what they were supposed to represent for him.

Black, White, and Red.

Representations of the people who mattered to him, who helped mold him, such simple representations, such a simple comparison, such a simple change. Shirou could only smile, he supposed he liked simple.

Simple was good.

The day before had gone by like a blur to Ruby Rose. She couldn't remember the last time she had gone on a shopping spree for weapon parts. They'd come back to Beacon around dinner time, and by that time Shirou had offered to make them food once again.

Shirou invited Weiss, Weiss invited her, and Ruby decided to drag Blake along for good measure. It felt so natural for Ruby to go with Shirou and Weiss, it was so fun.

"Aaaah!" Ruby was snapped out of her thoughts as the loudest voice in the room boomed out, to her surprise it belonged to Nora.

Oh right, they were in Applied Combat Class.

Nora swung her hammer, cracking the ground with a slam. Her opponent was a student she never got the name of, all she knew was that his weapons were so interesting. They were a pair of hilts that seemed to hold Dust in them, and depending on the type the weapon would change. Ruby counted two different options for melee combat, and only one option for ranged as the hilts could change into dual pistols.

She shook her head, she was dorking out over someone else's weapons again.

Returning her attention to the spar, Nora was clearly pushing her advantages. If she could stun a Deathstalker with one of her blows, then she shuddered to think what would happen if she hit a person.

Her opponent. (Who she promised would learn the name of later.) was struggling, he took steps back and every time he tried to counter Nora, but her longer weapon was a lot to deal with. One moment later, either he mistimed or overestimated his abilities. He had jumped forward, and Nora's hammer had caught him right in the ribs. Ruby winced as she watched him fly off the arena, then crumple into a heap.

Ruby watched as Miss Goodwitch rushed to the downed student.

"He's hurt." Weiss commented. Her eyes were glued to the student that Miss Goodwitch was trying to rouse, the class was getting curious and murmuring. "Do you think he'll be getting up soon, Emiya?"

Shirou, who sat in his usual aisle seat beside Weiss, shook his head. "I've taken hits like that before, he probably can't breathe." Shirou kept his gaze trained on the scene. "I wouldn't worry too much about him, Miss Goodwitch knows what to do about accidents like these. I'm more worried about another person."

"The other person?" Ruby questioned, and as if on cue. The sound of a heavy metal object falling to the ground sounded off, she whipped her head to the source. Nora stood frozen, she had dropped her hammer and looked as if she was stuck in a state of taking a step forward.

"Cutting someone in a spar is one thing." Shirou began. "Hitting them in the chest with a hammer is another thing entirely." Nora looked horrified, her hands had made their way to her face as she covered her mouth. "She's probably never hurt anyone before, and this is her wake up call."

"It was an accident." Ruby defended.

"Not saying it wasn't." Weiss replied. "Fact remains, she still hurt her opponent."

"Though, it doesn't mean the end of the world." Shirou continued, watching as a second male had rushed down from the seats and towards Nora. Lie Ren was the one who kept her above water, he supported her. Shirou watched as he enveloped the shaking girl in an embrace. He could tell that he was consoling her, whispering in her ear that it wasn't her fault. "She'll be fine, and so will he."

Ruby glanced over to the other student, he was sitting down now taking deep breaths as his violet Aura flickered. "He's okay." she said.

"He'll be sore, but yes." Shirou affirmed, watching as Nora rushed to the aid of her fellow student. He could hear the apologies she was offering from his seat.

A handshake later, the classroom erupted into applause. Most likely at the display their classmates had given, and not a moment later all attention was back on the Professor in charge.

"Alright then, moving on." Miss Goodwitch began, Ruby was impressed that she was able to move on as if nothing had happened. "Let this be a warning for those with more dangerous weapons, please exercise restraint. Reminders, when fighting an opponent with a blunt weapon. Do remember that you are not exempt from the laws of Physics. Aura will protect you, yes. However, Aura can only do so much."

Ruby waved to Nora who returned to her seat in the row behind her, to which the redhead returned. She was glad that Nora didn't seem too rattled.

"Now, for the next bout." The blonde professor tapped a few times on her Scroll, activating the roulette behind her. Ruby hoped that she would get to spar today, maybe against that girl who sat in the front row. Ruby remembered seeing her walking around Orientation day with her collapsible staff.

When the roulette dinged, signalling that combatants had been selected, Ruby paled. On the screen were two of her teammates. Weiss and Yang glanced at one another, and the air grew tense.

This was bad.

"Please get ready." Miss Goodwitch called out to the pair, who seemed to stand up in almost perfect sync. Shirou's hand quickly reached for Weiss' wrist.

"I know." Weiss simply said. "I promise."

Shirou let her go, and watched as she vanished into the changing rooms. "Shirou." Ruby began. "Shouldn't we stop this? I'm worried."

"Me too." Said Shirou. "But this time, I think we should see how this plays out."

Ruby had no choice but to agree, but the light look of concern that coated Shirou's features was enough to make her worry.

Rin Tohsaka stood ready in the arena. Getting ready was a simple endeavor, and she soon found herself back in the well lit classroom. Myrtenaster hung on her hip, she glanced back to Shirou who kept his eyes on her, most likely worried about her going too far.

Rin knew better than to do something that reckless, if anything they should be worried about Yang.

"Miss Xiao Long, please don't dally." Glynda called out, Rin turned to focus on the blonde brawler. Dressed in her usual combat attire, she stood by her corner. "Rules will be a standard tournament style, I will intervene if either of you two are unable to continue or if I suspect you intend to intentionally maim your opponent." Glynda sent a look to both competitors. "Is this clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Rin replied.

Yang simply nodded, her weapons deploying as she pulled up her hands into a boxing position. Oh? This was a surprise, Rin surveyed the lilac eyes of her opponent. She was focused, no trace of confidence could be found. Not to say that she was sure she was going to lose, but she considered Rin a threat and was cautioning herself.

Rin primed Myrtenaster.

The moment the start horn blared, Rin had rushed forward. Her legs strengthened through Reinforcement , she was in front of Yang in an instant and thrust her blade forward. The blonde spun to the side when the tip of Myrtenaster was a mere hairsbreadth away.

Click

Rin quickly shuffled back, narrowly avoiding a shower of buckshot aimed at her calf. Yang was thinking, and she was strong. A dangerous combination indeed, however Rin could only smile.

Ending it in a single strike would be such a waste, especially now that Yang seemed to be serious.

Pyrrha had tapped Shirou atop his head in an attempt to get his attention. The male simply nodded, acknowledging that this bout was going differently than they originally thought.

Pyrrha knew what Weiss was capable of, or at least partly. The incident in the training room was a glimpse into the power Weiss had, and her Semblance seemed more versatile than most. Her Glyphs, the name the Schnee Family referred to their hereditary Semblance, was incredibly flexible.

Weiss and Yang circled one another.

Their stances shifting with respect to the other, one would move forward and the other would retreat. Small adjustments such as the way their foot was pointed, how high they were elevated. "The lessons seem to be paying off." Shirou commented.

"Shirou?" Pyrrha asked. "What lessons?"

"The fencing lessons." Pyrrha returned to the spar, Yang had lunged forward with a wide swing. Weiss however took a step back, then ducked as Yang swung again. Weiss stepped forward, a quick jab of her weapon into Yang's shoulder followed by three more. Her Aura dwindling steadily with each hit that connected.

Yang threw a straight punch, buckshot spraying as she did.

Weiss had spun to the side, Pyrrha had to compliment how spry the girl in white was. She looked to have the advantage over Yang, she could avoid anything and everything the blonde brawler threw at her and could counter at a moment's notice. She hadn't even used her Semblance yet nor that freakish strength she had used to beat Yang back in the training room.

Yang was painfully aware of that fact, which explains why she wasn't rushing head first into the battle. Using the shotgun portions of her weapons to try to keep Weiss at a distance, Yang was taller so the reach advantage was hers, and her Aura was strong enough to tank several of Weiss' blows from her rapier without being in immediate danger.

"What're your thoughts, Shirou?" Pyrrha asked.

"I hate to say it, but I'm sure you all know what Rin is capable of." Shirou began, to which she nodded. Ruby who sat a chair away from the auburn haired male nodded as well. "She's using this as a learning opportunity." Shirou shook his head. "Honestly, she's a handful sometimes."

Pyrrha's eyes widened, she was in shock. "Shirou, are you being serious?!" she nearly yelled out.

Shirou simply nodded.

Pyrrha sat back in her seat, blinking slowly. Shirou had said she was taking fencing lessons, there was no way that Weiss was actually inept at using her own weapon.

Yang was strong, but she wasn't Berserker. Rin took a step back as Yang swung again, she would counter the moment she saw an opening, just as Shirou had taught her. Her weapon wasn't meant for cutting into people like a broadsword, it was meant to pierce.

A quick glance to the display that was suspended above them showed their current Aura levels. She was still sitting nearly full, while Yang's had been whittled down to about 70%.

Yang was panting heavily, sweat dripping down the sides of her face. Then she saw something, a flash of red in Yang's eyes that vanished a moment later. Her lips were moving, she was muttering to herself.

Reminders to herself?

Yang kept her eyes trained on her, and took a deep breath. The blonde fired off two blasts that propelled her forward, Rin barely had enough time to react. Yang was on top of her and swung, the muzzle flash and a few of the pellets that were ejected grazed her side.

Rin rolled to the side. Click. Her eyes widened, another flash and propelled herself forward once again, in her position there was no way to avoid in time. Rin clenched her teeth, and turned her head away as she felt the punch make contact with her cheek.

She now knew what her pillow went through when she would toss it at her alarm clock.

Rin rolled, then skid across the arena. Her jaw ached. She looked to the display, That single punch had evened the match. It seemed that Weiss' Aura wasn't as durable, either that or Yang could hit very very hard.

Rin slowly got up, that punch had rocked her but in no way was she giving up. Her finger brushed against the raised trigger on the hilt. Her gaze fluttered to Shirou who continued to watch intently.

"You're different." Rin began, she had to stall. Stall so that big beautiful brain of hers could figure something out. "What's changed?"

"Nothing you need to know about." Yang replied, her hands raised.

"Suit yourself." said Rin, lunging forward past Yang's guard digging her blade into Yang's Aura protected shoulder. Then a thought occurred to her: If Yang was capable of moving faster with blasts from her weapon to propel her, blasts which she could have used to keep up with her. Then for the past few minutes, why had Yang just been letting her do her hit and run tactic?

Then it hit her, both her realization and Yang's counterattack.

She was launched back, her Aura flickering as she got back up. That punch had dropped her to 40%. "I see…" Rin began. "You can deal damage proportional to how much damage you've taken."

She had to give the girl credit. "That was very smart of you."

Rin quickly raised her free hand, a ball of black and red energies had immediately formed on her index finger.

"Rin no!" Shirou had exclaimed from the stands.

Too late, Rin had loosed the Finn shot. Yang on the other hand, propelled herself forward and went under the Finn shot. The blonde let out a roar as she primed her fist, but Rin smirked. "Sucker." she had simply said.

Yang had immediately stopped, her face meeting the floor as if she had been caught on something as she flew forward, killing her momentum. In fact she was, her foot was right in the middle of a black snowflake like symbol.

The clang of Myrtenaster had echoed out throughout the classroom, Rin had closed the distance. Magic Circuits flashed teal across her body. Her elbow had met Yang's temple first, followed by a knee to her chest.

It was over, Rin just had to make sure. Willing her glyph away before sending Yang flying with a straight kick. Yang simply lay limp in the middle of the arena, the horn to signal the bout's end sounded off.

Rin let out a breath as she fell back, she'd won.

Yang twitched, and slowly sat up. The pair had locked eyes, the blonde had gotten to her feet and walked over to her. They did not move their eyes away. Yang's hand hovered before her face. "I don't like you, but you beat me fair and square." said Yang. "Good match."

Rin nodded, and grabbed ahold of Yang's hand and pulled herself up. "I hope we have an understanding now."

"I'll be gunning for a rematch." Yang simply said, releasing Rin's hand and walked off.

"Rin." Shirou had rushed down to the arena, she allowed herself to lean on Shirou who effortlessly kept her standing. "Are you okay?"

"Nothing to worry about, Emiya." She said. "I'm me, you know I don't lose."

Shirou let out a sigh. "Hai Hai."

"Emiya, I want curry for dinner."

"As much as I like hearing of your dinner plans." Glynda cut in. "We still have class to get through." With riding crop in hand, Glynda pointed to the stands. "Please go back to your seats."

The pair chuckled. "Yes ma'am."

"Good." Glynda concluded, then tapped her Scroll. The roulette once again beginning. "For our final match for the day we have…" The sentence was drawn out as Glynda waited for the results to show.

"Jaune Arc and Cardin Winchester."

A/n: Hello, I'm back. I hope I delivered on my promise to update this story. Please review and drop tips, I like reading all of those.