Sorry for my bad English.

I removed this chapter because I felt that did not ended well. The only thing I edited was the end.

Training Arena

For today's training, Sally decide to practice some hand-to-hand combat, and she thought that no one was better to help her than the best fighter of her team. It makes a week since Ryan recover and was allowed to leave the nurse office. Koro still needed some rest so he still was not allowed to leave until recover, much for the ninja's dismay.

Jumping in one place and moving her arms up and down, Sally warned up, getting ready to spar. She assumed a fighting stance while Ryan stood completely still.

Someone would think that he may be underestimating his opponent like that, but Sally knew that with his unusual fighting style, it was just how Ryan was while ready to fight. Sometimes she actually thinks that he is ready to fight any place, any time.

Sally dashed against Ryan and threw punch after punch against him. He dodges every each one of her attacks, ducking a kick and holding her elbow attack with the palm of his hand.

Sally jumps and holds his wrist, wrapping her legs around his arm for an arm lock, but his body and arm did not move an inch. He had a good view so he averted his gaze with his cheek red.

-Don't worry, I'm wearing spats. –Sally stated.

She then tries to kick his face but Ryan get hold of her ankle and then forces her to release his arm, throwing her away.

She land in her feet and dash after him again aiming a kick to his chest. Ryan blocks the kick which is followed by a tornado kick, also blocked. Sally aimed a low kick against his chin, followed by a punch on the stomach then on his face, kicked his stomach and chest, and finally a low spinning sweep kick, all blocked except for the last attack with Ryan dodges by leaping back.

Sally jumps with one leg and give a reverse somersault kick, but her foot only hit the floor. She stood up quickly and tried to hit Ryan with her elbow but he holds the attack in place.

Spinning, Sally tried a punch on his chest but he parried the attack and finally decides to fight back. Still holding Sally's arm, Ryan gave five kicks in different spots in Sally's body, the last one sending her falling back. Of course he did not use full force. It was just a sparring after all.

Sally groaned on the floor until Ryan offered his hand to help her, which she gladly accepted.

-I think we had enough for today. –Ryan suggested.

-Enough? We only sparred ten times! –Sally stated.

-Yeah, but my doctor forbids me to spar too much.

-Fine, you baby. –Sally said.

She didn't expect to find someone who was such capable fighter, but did not like to fight. The best fighters on the classes enjoyed fight more than anything in the academy, with Ryan being the exception. Whenever he could avoid a fight, he would. If challenged to a fight, he refused. If Ms. Goodwitch asked if he wanted to fight once more, he declined. She know that he must have his reasons, but when asked about it he just said that not enjoy fight like his classmates.

-I going to see Koro, you wanna come?

-Mr. Picky Pants still is not talking to me.

-Yet? It make two weeks already. –Sally sighed. –I will have to once again talk to him about be a good loser.

-Good luck with that. –Ryan groaned before say that.

Sally knew that she needed some. Koro for the most part of his life seems to never taste defeat as frequent as their classmates. So losing to his partner in a fight that none of them was holding back still made the wound in his pride not heal, and didn't help that Ryan was being… himself while talking to Glynda while having his eyes covered.

-Once he recovers from his wounds, we can go to The Feeding Warriors. What do you think?

-Anything is fine by me as long is not anything sweet.

-Ryan, is something is bothering you? –Sally asked.

Normally, Ryan's voice sounds a bit goof, but right now was sounding like he doesn't want to be anywhere closer to anyone. Sally already have in mind a thing or two that would be bothering Ryan, the first being what happened between him and his partner, as mentioned before. It may be also the fact that she asked his help to spar knowing that he not enjoy fighting like their classmates, but she suspected that was not the case since it was not the first time she asked for his help in her training.

Caught by the observation of his leader, Ryan stopped his walk, his eye looking down on the floor while giving an answer.

-Tomorrow is my birthday.

-No kidding! –Sally stated loudly. –But why are you making that face then?

-It is just that my father… he…

-Are you sad because you can't celebrate with your father?

-OH HELL NO! –Ryan suddenly shouts jumpscaring Sally. –Since the day I moved to his ranch, he made sure to make my birthday a constant reminding about what he thinks about me.

Sally knew the story, or at least part of it. One day his mother, Jade Forest, left for a mission and did not returned. Without any family from his mother side, Jade trusted her partner at the times as a student to take care of Ryan.

But the woman, Halle Diamond, was already in the military and constantly moving around Atlas in missions, so Halle thought would be a good idea to leave Ryan in Vacuo with his father, Wolf Forest.

-I take from you reaction that you are not missing your father.

-Something I didn't told to anyone here in Beacon is that my father very famous for being infamous.

-How infamous?

-I have eight brothers and sisters, all from my father's side.

-Oh… -Was all Sally could think to say. –So… that thing with your birthday?

-Yeah, he never liked to have me around… for obvious reasons. –Ryan said as he began to walk again, Sally walking by his side. –The first birthday I have there he said a cake was waiting for me in the stable. I went there and left with a purple eye after Typhoon kicked my face.

-Typhoon?

-The fastest and furious of my father's horses.

-Ouch.

-Ouch, indeed. Worst was the time he told me my mother had returned and was waiting for me in a town on the other side of the desert. I went there and I only found gamblers and drunk gunmen who opened fire in my direction.

-That's terrible. -Sally stated with eyes wide open.

-The worst part is that is not the worst thing he ever done to me.

-I don't think I want to know what is the worst thing. –Sally said. –But what is the deal then? Since you are here in Beacon, you can have a good birthday!

-It is because my birthday also become a reminder of how much my father despise me.

-We can make different this time. –Sally said making Ryan look at her. –Since you are in Beacon, we can have a nice birthday party for you.

-You don't have to do that.

-I will because I want to. –Sally gave a warm smile to Ryan as she said that. –I guess everyone at least needs a nice birthday.

Infirmary

And so she made a birthday party for him.

After a deal with Yukino, Sally was able to make the birthday party in the infirmary so she could let Koro made part of the fun. The ninja with one arm was with a mood better than a day before, and was enjoying again the company of his partner. Of course, this is also because all the food Sally brought for him to eat.

Sally was able to convince Unicorn to give a rest in whatever she was working to attend the party.

The only problem is that the party guests were limited to herself, her partner and Koro. She tried to call for Jaune but his partner got the call and said that he was going to be busy on the day of the party. Then she heard Valkyrie asking about the party and Pyrrha ended the call after that. Howard was already backs at Vacuo with his team. Knowing Russell before coming to Beacon, Sally thought in the idea of invite him, but dismissed the ideas knowing how much the boy with mohawk annoyed Ryan with his constants challenges.

But even if only their teammates around, it was being a fun party. They all around Koro's bed while the ninja keep eating as much he could, Ryan sharing more stories about his adventures with his brother and even his own adventures.

-Here. –Sally said giving Ryan a gift. Opening it revealed… a notepad. –Sorry, it was just over the time so it is the best I could give you.

-No, it is fine. Thank you. -Ryan thanked her, putting the notepad with Unicorn's gift, a pair of headphones, something that was not surprising.

Like mentioned before, Koro refused to say a word to his partner, and only was in the party because Sally convinced Yukino, the school's nurse, to allow her move the party to the infirmary, so Koro would be part of the small party. The only reason he was not complaining was because Sally brought some food with her.

-You really will not say a word to him? -Sally asked to Koro who just grunted in response. -I could end the party and take all the food away, y'know?

-Happy birthday. -Koro spoke with his mouth full, but without make eye contact.

-Thank you... -Ryan said and Sally sigh.

He really is stubborn.

At least Ryan was smilling.

She always hears that those who most smile are the ones who suffers more inside, but she never heard anyone talking about those who rarely smile.

Since the beggining of the year, when her team was formed, she only saw Ryan with a blank face, an awkward expression, scared, and lastly, an unconfortable look. So seeing him smiling and laughing like anyone else around the school was a huge relief to her.

While not saying with words, Unicorn seemed in the same page, finding oddly reliving seeing the one-eyed gunslinger smilling like his and her partner, it almost makes her forget the awkward boy she meet in the beggining of the year. She knew by her own experience that he had problems with his father, and how this can affect his life.

So far, the only thing both girls could do is be there for him, comfort him if he felt dire or alone. The moment he shed a tear, they will be there for him, Sally only hopes the same can be said about his partner.

End of the chapter.

It seems that both partners are more similar than they thought.

It is not something I noticed at first, just notice after write this chapter. The next chapter will be one what belonged to the first version of this fic, almost completely remade. Some huge changes will happen and this will of course affect the course of the story.

See you next time.