Disclaimer: I don't own Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba or RWBY.

Chapter 5: Inner Turmoil

"You're so cute, Yuu! Promise when you get older, you'll always bend down for me to give you headpats, okay?"

Giyuu laughed, an innocent, mirthful smile escaping from his voice. "Okay, Tsu-nee!" He shook his ruffled and disheveled hair, hugging his sister tightly.

Bathing in the warm glow of the balmy summer sun, surrounded by the lively woods that enclosed their cabin, Giyuu wanted nothing more than to stay in the present moment. An eternity with his face buried in his sister's haori, breathing in the sharp, minty scent of fresh herbs and the sweet aroma of kyoho grapes.

But regrettably, all good things had to come to an end. And far too soon, Tsutako pulled away from Giyuu's hug.

"Oh, Giyuu, you're just covered in dust from head to toe!" Tsutako frizzled his hair affectionately. Have you been playing in the woods again? Come on, let's take a bath before Haru arrives."

The way that Tsutako said the name of her fianceé, with so much contained tenderness and joy, made something swell up inside Giyuu. He pouted angrily, staring childishly down at the ground.

"Don't like him." Tsuktako frowned, dropping down on one knee to stare Giyuu in the eye.

"Why not?" She inquired, though she already internally knew. It was not the first time that they had had that conversation, after all.

"'cause if you marry him, then you'll forget about me." Giyuu muttered in a small voice, fidgeting with his grime-caked hands. Immediately after he said those words, Giyuu was pulled into a bone-crushing hug.

"Giyuu, I'd never forget about you." Tsutako promised. "Even when I get married and have children, you'll always be there. We'll always be together, just like we have ever since our parents died."

"But he's just so… wrong!" Giyuu didn't like the way that Tsutako's fianceé always put on a bright, beaming smile, despite the circumstances. And that was scary, because that meant Giyuu could never tell what he was thinking or feeling.

"Yuu, remember, don't judge someone by how they seem to be." Tsutako reminded gently, pulling out of the hug to stare him in the eye. A delicate smile graced her features, her frost blue eyes filled with warmth. "Always give everyone a chance. Just because my fianceé is different doesn't necessarily mean he's bad! Remember that, Giyuu."

Giyuu briefly pondered over his sister's words, before breaking into a beaming smile. "Okay, onee-chan!"

Tsutako laughed mirthfully. "Alright! Now, how about we get you washed up? You're covered in dust from head to toe, just like a–"

"TWEEEET!"

"Good morning, Team WTRA!"

There was a yelp and then a resounding 'thunk' as Weiss, awoken rudely and abruptly by the whistle, tumbled out of her bed and landed on the ground.

Giyuu let out a sigh, rubbing his temple as a feeble attempt to sedate the oncoming migraine. He glanced out the window, to see the moon still hanging high in the sky, the inky night sky speckled with shimmering stars.

"Ruby, it's 4:30…"

Ruby beamed extravagantly, her smile not without some traces of… eccentricities. "Today's our first day of classes, which means that we have to get up bright and early to start our day! Firstly, we need to address the most important matter that has been left 17 hours too unbothered for too long: decorating!"

Giyuu put a hand on Ruby's shoulder, staring at her with an aloof gaze. "You're two hours early. Go back to sleep."

"Agreed!" Weiss declared heatedly, glaring ice daggers at the younger girl. "As the leader of Team WTRA, I should be in charge of managing our schedule, and being startled abruptly awake at 4:30 in the morning by a whistle of all things, is completely unacceptable!" She threw a blanket over Ruby's figure. "Go back to sleep."

"Maybe we could, if you stopped shouting…" Jaune mumbled drowsily, his figure buried in a sea of red blankets.

Giyuu walked over to the light switch and promptly flicked it off, cutting off any further arguments that could have been had. In the heat of the darkness, Weiss and Ruby begrudgingly retreated to their beds, their eyes not yet adjusted to the inky obscurity of the night.

Once the other three members of his teams' breathing slowed, indicating their fall into slumber, Giyuu soundlessly slipped into their shared bathroom with his clothes in hand. He changed into his day clothes before noiselessly exiting from their dorm.

The halls of the dorm buildings were dimmed, the only source of light being the neon exit signs above the stairwells. The eerie silence might have unnerved anyone else, but to Giyuu, it was almost comforting. The alleviating knowledge that not a single soul was awake meant that any mistakes he made would not be seen by anyone.

That was, until the door of the dorm across from theirs slipped open with the slightest creak.

Giyuu spun around, senses alerted and his hands instinctively reaching for his hip. However, the momentary alarm was quickly allayed when he saw that it was only Blake, the leader of Team BRNY who had fought alongside them during Initiation.

"I heard the whistle from across the hall," Blake said calmly. "I came to investigate, but it appears that the commotion has already been quelled."

Giyuu loosened his posture, staring at the wall. "It has."

Blake edged out of the doorway, soundlessly shutting the door behind her. She fixed her golden, catlike gaze on Giyuu, staring straight into his eyes. "Where are you headed this early in the morning?"

"To train."

Blake strolled alongside him as he began to head down the hallway, towards the stairwell. "Mind if I come along?"

Giyuu didn't respond.

The two walked in silence, down the stairs and out the building. The crisp predawn air was a refreshing change to the unnatural stillness of the air-conditioned air indoors. Giyuu closed his eyes, breathing in the scents of the world around him.

They headed to the locker bay, where Giyuu had reluctantly stored away his sword. It was like a feeling of emptiness, a void and sense of fragility without his blade by his side. He must have carried it everywhere in his past life, if leaving the sword behind felt like leaving a part of him behind.

Blake quietly took out her weapon, Gambol Shroud, from her own locker. As they walked out to the sparring grounds, she turned and stared Giyuu in the eye.

"Are you okay?"

Giyuu was momentarily disoriented by the blunt question. "Yes?"

"I mean, it's just…" Blake looked away, letting out a sigh. "I know it's hard, being a faunus and having your teammate be Weiss Schnee." There was something left hanging, something left unsaid that Giyuu could feel tingling in the atmosphere.

Giyuu had read about the tension between faunus and the Schnee family in the newspapers that Qrow had brought him. The mistreatment of faunus by Jacque Schnee, the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company, to the point where his critiques accused the abuse of being slavery. And what Weiss had said that night in the ballroom…

Finding himself at a loss for words, Giyuu did what he did best: remain silent.

Blake's sigh was a mix of sympathy and anger, anger directed towards Weiss. "It's not easy for many of us to talk about things like that. I'd understand if you wouldn't want to say anything, but… if it bothers you so much, you could always go to Ozpin and ask for a team change. I'm sure he'd understand."

She stared him in the eyes again. "Giyuu, are you really okay?"

No. His life had been stripped away in the blink of an eye, his memories chained away under lock and key. He was in an unfamiliar world, surrounded by unfamiliar people and unfamiliar concepts. His loved ones were nowhere to be found, existing only as fragments of his imagination. Muzan was watching his every move, he could feel it, in the constant tingle of his spider lily sigil and how an omnipresent presence invaded his mind more often than not.

He had killed and devoured many people. Something that he could never forgive himself, no matter how many times Tsu-nee comforted him in his dreams. He had lost his identity, and could never gain it back.

But he couldn't just say all that, could he?

"Yes."

A look of resignation crossed Blake's face. "Alright then." The worry in her voice melted back into apathy. She promptly turned around, beginning to walk back towards the locker bay. The girl turned to face Giyuu one last time before she left. "Just… if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm here."

Giyuu stared, befuddled, at where Blake had vanished from sight.

What was that?

He turned around, walking towards the training grounds all on his own. Still, Giyuu's mind lingered on one thing that Blake had said that had caught his attention.

"It's not easy for many of us to talk about things like that."

Us.

Two hours of early morning training, a cold shower in the locker room, and a tasteless breakfast of boiled eggs and turkey sausages later, Giyuu returned to his dorm room…

…to be dragged into the nauseating semblance of a certain red-hooded girl and spewed out unceremoniously onto one of the beds, face up.

"Giyuuuuu! Where did you goooooo?" Ruby's face obscured his vision, a look of brilliant eagerness on her face. "We were waiting for you to come back! Now we can finally start our first act of the day!"

"About time!" Weiss snapped as Ruby backed away and Giyuu managed into a sitting position. She glared at the demon with her chilling, frost blue eyes. "Where did you go anyways? You shouldn't be wandering the school grounds in the predawn hours! Who knows what you could have gotten up to?"

Giyuu stared at Weiss reticently. "I was training."

"Well, you shouldn't abandon your team just like that! Honestly, what kind of an impression do you think that would leave on us?!"

Giyuu's mind was clouded with a heavy fog that detached his consciousness from his thoughts. He struggled to put together the words and thoughts for a cohesive answer.

Maybe it was less of the Curse, but more of his desperate lack of social skills in the first place that refused to allow him to formulate a response.

"Oh, take it easy, Weiss!" Ruby chimed in erratically. "The important thing is that he's here now. We can get started!"

"Fine!" Weiss scoffed. "But I will not tolerate any more of this nonsense in the future!" She pulled out a periwinkle notepad and matching pen out of thin air, reading through its contents and making notes along the way. "The first order of business for today is–"

"Decorating!" Ruby finished with a cheer. She dashed around the room in circles, zooming by faster than the naked eye could see and leaving a trail of rose petals in her wake. The conundrum spooked Weiss momentarily, causing her to yelp, dropping her notepad and pen in the process.

"What?!"

"I mean, we still have to unpack," Jaune gestured to the haphazard pile of sweaters and suitcases lying at the foot of their beds.

"Aaaalright!" Ruby fistpumped in the air excitably. "Team WTRA have begun their first mission! Banzai!"

"Banzai!" Jaune chimed in.

Ban-what?

Shower loofah, check.

Aloe and mint scented shampoo, check.

Sea salt body wash, check.

Bars of body soap, in every scent you could imagine, check.

Giyuu bathed in the glory of his fully stocked bathroom, satisfied with his unpacking. Now he had everything he needed for a relaxing bubble bath!

"Giyuu, why do you need twelve bottles of shampoo, nine bottles of conditioner, and twenty-seven bars and bottles of body wash?"

Giyuu turned to face Ruby, who was stocking the cabinets with toothpaste and body lotion. He blinked owlishly.

"Isn't that… normal?"

"I don't know what your standard of normal is, but that certainly is not it!" Weiss snapped from outside the bathroom. "Where are the rest of us going to put our toiletries? Honestly, be more considerate of others!"

"Oh, Weiss, don't be such a downer!" Ruby chirped cheerfully. "We'll figure something out later!" Dragging Giyuu along by the hand, Ruby sped out back into the dorm room. Standing beside Weiss and Jaune, she marveled at their magnificent work.

Or, at least, it would have been magnificent if all the beds weren't crammed together in the center.

"This isn't going to work." Weiss stated flatly.

"Wellll, then we'll just have to replace them with bunk beds!" Ruby exclaimed zealously.

"Bunk… beds?" Jaune repeated. "That doesn't sound very… safe."

But his statement was lost upon Ruby's ears, as she zoomed around the room at an incredible speed that became a blur to the human eye. Even Giyuu had a somewhat hard time keeping track of the girl, as the beds began to magically(aka via her semblance) rearrange themselves in the room. When Ruby finally stopped, in the place of the four, neat beds, were two bunk beds.

Very, very unstable looking bunk beds.

One of the two bunk beds was held up by various piles of books stacked on the headboard and footboard of the bottom bunk, holding up the top bunk with about as much safe support as a podium holding up an elephant. But compared to the other bunk, it was as secure as a stone brick building.

The top bunk of the other bunk bed wasn't even resting on the bottom bunk. It was dangling off the ceiling, secured by rickety-looking ropes, hovering precariously over the bottom bunk. A white tent was draped over the bed, effectively hiding what was on the bed from view.

"Alriiight!" Ruby beamed, twirling around in circles around the room, a pencil in hand. "Our second order of business is… class! Now, our first class together is at 9–"

"Wait! Did you say nine?" Weiss exclaimed sharply.

"…yes?"

"It's 8:55, you dunce!"

"Monsters! Deeeemons… Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as prey! Ha-ha!"

Giyuu stared blankly at the short, plump professor pacing back and forth at the front of the classroom. His bushy gray hair and squinted eyes made it difficult to make out his face, but his… heavyset stature and merlot red coat were certainly some identifying features.

After several moments of awkward silence from the students, Professor Port chuckled sheepishly and continued.

"Uhhh… And you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy!" He proclaimed gallantly. "Now, as I was saying: Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world! Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces."

One similarity that both Remnant and Earth shared, it appeared.

"And that's where we come in. Huntsmen! Huntresses…" Professor Port winked specifically at Yang, who squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. "Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves! From what, you ask? Why, the very world!"

Just like the Demon Slayer Corps…

A student in the back row fistpumped enthusiastically. "Ayyy-yep!" When all that he received were odd looks from his classmates, he quickly sat back down, face blushing as red as a tomato.

Ignoring the boy's peculiar outburst, Port went on with his lecture. "That is what you are training to become. But first: A story. A tale of a young, handsome man… Me! When I was a boy…" The professor began to ramble about a story of his childhood, albeit not a very interesting one. Something about rainwater and cabbages.

Giyuu wondered if Port had the qualifications to be a teacher.

An incensed hiss drew his attention away from the pointless ramble. Giyuu glanced to his side, noticing that Ruby was doing everything but paying attention, and Weiss was very angrily trying to get her to stop.

Their gazes met, and Weiss gave him an indignant gesture of 'Do something about this!' Giyuu stared back blankly, unsure of just exactly what the heiress wanted him to do.

Meanwhile, Ruby was balancing apples atop her head and doodling on a piece of paper.

Jaune was trying his hardest not to laugh, hiding his snickers in his hand. Sitting across the aisle, Yang, Blake, and Nora were eying Ruby with amusement while Ren was listening to the lecture attentively.

Seemingly infuriated by everyone's lack of discipline to the rowdy and disrespectful behavior, Weiss threw her hands into the air and seethed quietly.

"...the moral of this story? A true Huntsman should be honorable!"

Ruby balanced an apple atop a book held only by a pencil whilst making a silly face.

"A true Huntsman must be dependable!"

Ruby had her head down, going from excitedly playing to napping.

"So, who among you believe themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?"

Weiss slammed her hand down on the wooden desk, shooting up furiously. "I do, sir!"

Port grinned cheekily. "Well, then, let's find out!" He gestured to a rattling, growling cage to the side of the classroom, a pair of glowing red eyes like twin blood moons staring out.

"Step out, and face your opponent!"

Weiss walked grandly back into the classroom, dressed in her white combat attire. She clenched her rapier in one hand, the finely polished silver gleaming in the sunlight. The heiress faced the shadowed cage, where an unseen beast continued to snarl.

"Go, Weiss!" Jaune cheered enthusiastically. He pumped his fist into the air, waving a small flag with 'WTRA' embroidered on it in gold thread.

"Yeah, represent Team WTRA!" Ruby exclaimed fervently.

Weiss paused, shooting an annoyed glare towards the girl. "Ruby, I'm trying to focus!" She snapped crossly. Ruby flinched, an evident look of hurt displayed in her expression.

"Oh, um… sorry…" Ruby mumbled sheepishly. Giyuu frowned. There had been no need for such a snappish retort to a supportive cheer.

"Alllright!" Professor Port bellowed, pulling out a large ax and raising it above the cage. "Let the match… begin!"

The ax came swinging down on the lock, snapping the metal object in two. The cage door flung open, and a Boarbatusk careened out turbulently.

"Oi! You're strong, aren't you? Fight me!"

Weiss used her rapier to block the Grimm barreling towards her, ducking and rolling aside. The deflected Boarbatusk rolled a little ways back, snarling and stomping the ground angrily as it studied its opponent.

"Ha-ha! Wasn't expecting that, were you?" Port commentated mirthfully.

Weiss charged at the Boarbatusk again, reeling back and stabbing her rapier towards its skull in a powerful attack. However, the tip of her blade only made it through a few inches— and became caught in the hard shell when she tried to pull it out.

The Boarbatusk shook its head furiously, while Weiss clung onto her rapier desperately, attempting to tug it out of the bony plating. After a few more tugs, the rapier did come out— but was flung to the other side of the room, out of Weiss's reach.

"Oh-ho! What are you going to do without your weapon?" Port laughed good-naturedly.

"C'mon, Weiss! You can do this!" Ruby encouraged. Weiss shot the red-cloaked girl another seething glare, which diverted her attention from the Grimm, which tried to charge her while she was distracted. Weiss barely managed to dodge, rolling out of the way just in time. The Boarbatusk charged her again, and the heiress summoned a glyph to send it flying away while she retrieved her weapon.

"Go for it's underbelly! There's no armor there!" Ruby suggested.

"Ruby, stop telling me what to do!" Weiss snapped furiously. "I can finish this myself!" As the Grimm barreled towards her once again, leaping into the air, she ducked and sliced cleanly through its underbelly.

The Boarbatusk collapsed in a heap, its fallen corpse dissipating into ashes. Weiss dusted her dress, beaming triumphantly.

"Bravo! Bra-vo!" Port cried, clapping his hands enthusiastically. "It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Huntress-in-training!" He glanced at the clock on the wall, his smile turning into a disappointed frown. "I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and… stay vigilant!" Class dismissed!"

"Hey, Giyuu… do you think Weiss and Ruby are alright?"

Giyuu paused, settling the book that he had been reading down. He turned to face the blonde, who was fidgeting uneasily with a pen.

"No, I don't think so." Giyuu stared down at the carpet flooring.

The moment that they had returned to their dorm after an… interesting day of classes, Weiss and Ruby had immediately departed to go somewhere else. Weiss had stormed off, muttering about studying in the library, while Ruby had gone out to get some fresh air.

The dejected, crestfallen look on her face and her small, anguished voice just wasn't Ruby. Her normally bright, eager silver eyes were dampened and upset, and a sense of confusion blanketed her in a thick fog.

It seemed that Weiss hadn't been the only one to take their incident in Port's class the wrong way.

"Should we… do something about it?" Jaune suggested awkwardly. "I mean, maybe we can get the school's social worker to talk it over with them? Man, does Beacon even have a social worker…?"

Giyuu had no clue what a 'social worker' was, but he had the feeling that talking it out with a sympathetic stranger wouldn't quite work. Perhaps a more familiar face would help?

"Well, what do you suggest then?"

Giyuu blinked, slightly startled. He hadn't realized that he'd said those thoughts aloud. His throat hitched, his mind blanking out and at a loss for words.

"I mean, Weiss hates me, she probably hates Yang and Blake too, she barely knows Nora and Ren…" Jaune trailed off, deep in thought. After a few seconds, his eyes lit up with the brilliant look of an idea. "Oh! I know! You can talk to her!"

Giyuu fixed Jaune with a flat stare. "I'm pretty sure she hates me too."

"But, I mean… why?" Jaune frowned deeply. "Why does she hate you? It's not like you've confronted her directly or have been openly hostile with her."

The answer was simple. Systemic racism.

Giyuu sighed. "I'll talk to Ruby." He stood up, striding towards the door. "You can find someone to talk to Weiss."

The moment he stepped out of their dorm room, Giyuu immediately regretted his decision. His body felt heavy and sluggish, his train of thoughts coming to a halt as he was bombarded with the reality of what he had accepted.

Where was he going to find Ruby? How was he supposed to comfort her? What was he supposed to do to try and mend the two girls' relationship?

His body felt light and airy, his mind clouded in an ethereal haze. Giyuu felt himself subconsciously walking towards the rooftop of the flat, feeling the world around him but not quite controlling his own actions. But whatever instinct of his that prompted him to the rooftop, it worked out in his favor.

The first thing Giyuu spotted when he opened the door leading to the rooftop was Ruby sitting on the edge of the building, her legs dangling over the edge. She didn't take notice of Giyuu's arrival, instead staring out at the edge of the horizon. The sky was painted a captivating shade of sunset orange, mixed with some streaks and swirls of pale yellows and blush pinks. Faint wisps of clouds drifted lazily over the sunset sky, casting the look of a foggy mirage to the atmosphere. Giyuu felt his body tingle under the half-lidded rays of the sunset sun, especially his left hand, where the Spider Lily Sigil resided.

Seemingly sensing another presence on the rooftop with her, Ruby turned around and smiled wearily at Giyuu. Her usual pure, unfettered grin was forced and lacking her usual enthusiasm.

"Hey, Giyuu."

Giyuu didn't respond, instead walking over to where Ruby sat over the edge of the rooftop. He sat down next to her, staring out at the far horizon and wondering just what he should say.

"So… what brings you up here?"

Giyuu didn't respond for a few seconds. He stared down at his hands, at his sharp, periwinkle blue nails and the faded sigil on his hand.

"Are you… okay with Weiss?"

Ruby seemed slightly shocked for a moment. She stared into Giyuu's eyes, silver meeting ocean blue. After a few seconds, she broke away, letting out a soft sigh and fidgeting with the hem of her cape.

"It's just…" Ruby sighed. "I don't know why Weiss is so upset with me. I was just trying to be encouraging and helpful during Professor Port's class today, but she yelled at me for being a nuisance and a distraction afterwards." She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "I don't know what to do."

Giyuu remained pensive, staring out at the far horizon while Ruby continued.

"I… don't really care about what others think about me." Ruby clenched her fists. "My looks, my grades, my passions… the people at Signal, my old school, would always laugh and tease me about how much I wanted to become a Huntress. And I ignored them. I didn't care what they said or did, and Yang was always there for me if someone went too far."

"But… someone insulting my skill and capabilities really hurts."

"I've had to work so hard for everything. Hours of training and practice, years of consecutive work— heck, I had to go through so much struggle to build Crescent Rose! It was worth it, in the end, but… being told that I'm not good enough, that I'm not worthy of this privilege, it's just…" Ruby trembled, her silver eyes brimming with anguished tears.

All of a sudden, Giyuu found himself overwhelmed by a sense of tranquility, his mind clear with what he should do. He placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder, staring into her silver eyes.

"You're the most amazing person I've ever met, Ruby."

Ruby was momentarily disoriented by his statement. "What?"

"You're more confident, passionate, and loving than anyone else I have ever met or known." Giyuu went on, his ocean blue eyes rooted with firmness. "You're more worthy than anyone else to be chosen to be here, despite being two years younger than the required age. That's because you've proved yourself, and Ozpin chose you. Not every Initiate yesterday, with their years of training and hard work, would have been able to fend off a criminal mastermind like you did that night, and Ozpin recognized that talent in you. That's what makes you more deserving, what makes you different."

"Weiss is just petty. She's lived a sheltered, privileged life, where everything she's ever wanted has been handed to her on a silver platter. You two couldn't be more different. You can't let her get to you."

Ruby sniffled, wiping a tear away as a small, genuine smile broke out across her face. "Thanks, Giyuu." She stared out at the horizon once more, watching as the sun slowly slipped over the edge. "I really needed that."

Without warning, Ruby pulled Giyuu into a hug, resting her chin on his shoulder. Giyuu instinctively froze, swallowing the strange, tingly feeling he got from it. A small, glowing ball of warmth blossomed in his chest, spreading all the way to his fingertips.

"I… know that Weiss was being somewhat unreasonable today." Ruby murmured quietly. "But I want to know why. There has to be a reason! Maybe she's just misunderstood. Maybe she has her own trials and tribulations to overcome. Because I believe that there is good in all people, even those who choose the path of darkness."

"Yuu, remember, don't judge someone by how they seem to be."

Ruby gave Giyuu a small, thankful smile, standing up and walking towards the door. "I'll see you later, Giyuu."

Giyuu was left somewhat disoriented. His body off the adrenaline that had allowed him to effectively comfort Ruby, his mind was slipping back into the thick lake of glue again.

"Always give everyone a chance. Just because my fiancée is different doesn't mean he's bad!"

An overpowering wave of emotions overwhelmed Giyuu, tears springing to his eyes and lip quivering. His heart felt like it was being stabbed by a thousand, wisteria-coated needles. He clutched at the maroon half of his haori, the one that Tsutako had always worn.

Tsu-nee, why did you have to leave me?

Hold my hand for just a little longer. I'm not ready yet to let go yet.

Ozpin poured himself another steaming cup of cocoa, the sweet, piping hot liquid a refreshing break from the monotonous paperwork that he had been completing. He took the momentary break to gaze out the window, admiring the captivating pastel sunset.

A small device on his desk beeped, signifying that the elevator to his office had been operated. He turned around, sitting down and patiently awaiting the arrival of whomever might be visiting him.

The sleek doors of the elevator slid open, and Glynda walked out. Her face was troubled, her eyebrows furrowed and a frown tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Well hello there, Glynda," Ozpin greeted. "Come, sit. Have a cup of cocoa. Whatever is the matter that is troubling you?"

Glynda exhaled deeply, sitting down on one of the leather cushioned chairs in the office as Ozpin poured her a cup of cocoa. "Thank you, Oz." She fingered with her riding crop, constantly glancing out the window at the alluring sunset.

There was a moment of silence. "Well?"

Glynda sighed again. "Ozpin, I respect your decision and judgment with all my heart, but I still cannot help but be concerned about… him."

Ozpin feigned ignorance, even though he knew exactly where the conversation was leading. "What about Mr. Tomioka?"

"Oz, if what you say about him is true, then…" Glynda clenched her fists angrily. "He's a danger to the school and the students! How can you feel so certain about what you're doing?"

Ozpin sighed. "I understand your concerns, Glynda, and they are very valid ones. However, I've seen more people judged by what they are instead of who they are, people whose unrivaled potential were tossed aside and left to wither just simply because they weren't 'normal.'" Ozpin paused, taking a sip of his cocoa before continuing. "And I've seen many of them fall down the path of darkness, converting that potential of theirs into power for the enemy."

"Ozpin, this boy is not innocent!" Glynda protested sharply. "He may not have done anything yet here, but remember the incident at the docks. Who do you think killed all those people?"

Ozpin sighed.

"I… a time will come for me to tell you my reasons." Ozpin set his mug gently down on his desk. "However, now is not it."

Glynda frowned intensely. "Oz…"

"I know, Glynda." Ozpin raised a hand, an arcane look of weariness in his features. "But you must understand, some things cannot be spoken prematurely. It could change everything."

Glynda was quiet for a moment. "I… understand why." She looked up, staring straight into Ozpin's eyes with a look of genuine concern. "But Oz, we're part of your inner circle because we can bear the burden. You can't stop Her alone, and you know it. So please, don't wait until it's too late to tell."

Ozpin chuckled. "I haven't seen you so expressive in a long time, Glynda."

Glynda gave Ozpin a dry look. "Despite common belief amongst the students, I do have a life outside of Beacon, and I do have friends." Her expression morphed into a more serious one. "You're my friend. And you're James's, and Leo's, and Theodore's. So don't feel like you have to do this all on your own."

Ozpin smiled quietly, staring into the dark cocoa in his mug. "Thank you, Glynda."

"Why are you here?"

Giyuu's gaze darted from the pages of his book to the furious, frost blue eyes of a certain heiress.

"I'm… reading."

Weiss didn't seem so convinced. "Are you sure?" She snapped heatedly. "Because it almost seems like you're following me wherever I go." She eyed Giyuu up and down mistrustfully, hands on her hips.

Giyuu stared back blankly, unsure of what to say.

"Well?" Weiss scowled crossly. "Say something! You're always so quiet and antisocial, it's almost suspicious!" She crossed her arms. "What are you trying to hide?"

Giyuu blinked owlishly. "I'm not… trying to hide anything."

"Well then, talk more!" Weiss yelled. "For the Gods' sake, say something to me!"

"...we're in a library, you should mind your volume."

Weiss sputtered indignantly, her face turning as red as a tomato. Only then did she seem to realize that all eyes in the library were on her, and that the head librarian was glaring at her with so much profuse that if it was any stronger, they'd be burning holes into her back.

"Why you–" Weiss growled, before dragging Giyuu by the arm out the nearest door.

Giyuu wondered if this was what being a ragdoll was like.

The moment that the two stepped out onto the concrete sidewalks of the campus outdoors, Weiss turned on Giyuu, a genuine look of acrimony in her eyes.

"Tomioka, there are some things I need to know." Weiss started, an indecipherable emotion in her voice. Giyuu blinked owlishly, awaiting what was to come next.

"Why are you here?"

What?

"Why are you here? Talk to me, Tomioka." Weiss repeated impatiently. "Why are you here at Beacon. I'm positive that there's more than just to become a Huntsman. Your behavior has been highly peculiar ever since we first met! What's to stop you from being an assassin from the White Fang? Or a spy?" Giyuu noticed that Weiss's rapier was clipped onto her belt instead of in her locker, where it should have been.

"I don't have any underlying motives." Giyuu responded slowly, unsure of how to handle the situation.

"See what I mean? You're not even trying to be convincing!" Weiss snapped, fierce revulsion burning in her eyes, like a vehement blizzard sweeping through a barren tundra. "I could report you to Ozpin right now. I should! Your presence is endangering the lives of all the students here at Beacon!"

Giyuu honestly didn't know what to do. The alien confidence that had overridden him when he had been comforting Ruby was completely absent, leaving him at a loss for words. Or, more specifically, how to phrase his thoughts. So, he spoke exactly what was on his mind.

"Why do you hate me?"

Weiss was momentarily caught off-guard by the candid question, but quickly regained her composure. She narrowed her eyes.

"Why? It should be clear." Weiss's words were bitter and hateful, venom dripping off of every word. "You're stupid, but not that stupid."

"Systemic racism."

"What?"

"Systemic racism." Giyuu repeated, staring dauntlessly into Weiss's narrowed eyes. "That's what you've been subjected to."

"Excuse me?" Weiss hissed, repulsed. She took a small step back, hand hovering over the hilt of her rapier. "I… that's ridiculous!" She gritted her teeth.

"But clearly, you're–"

"You don't know what I've been through."

Giyuu was momentarily taken aback by the calm malice in the heiress's voice. He paused, hearing out what she had to say.

"You don't know how much the White Fang has done to me and my family, and just how much pain it has caused me." Weiss refused to meet his gaze, instead burning holes into the concrete ground. "They ruined my childhood. Killed off close friends and family members, caused my father so much stress…"

Weiss met Giyuu's gaze again, two frost blue orbs burdened with vengeance and fury. "You're the reason my family and everyone around me has to suffer!"

"You're paranoid."

Weiss stiffened. "What?"

"You're scared." Giyuu stared back, betraying nothing in his stoic, ocean blue gaze. "You're afraid of any and all faunus, because some were the reason behind your childhood trauma." He exhaled, trying to hide the shakiness in his voice, the nervousness at confronting it all by himself. "Their actions are heinous and unforgivable, but you're shaping yourself to be just like them."

"What– I–" Weiss's composure cracked, shattering and falling to pieces like a broken mirror.

"It's a cycle."

"Your family targeted faunus working in your mines and factories, making them feel upset at the inequality. They retaliated, causing your family pain. And make no mistake, their actions are not to be easily forgiven, but you're continuing the vicious cycle by accusing every faunus you meet of crimes simply because of their race, acting prejudiced against them, even if you don't realize it."

"And the worst thing is that your actions are giving understandable justification for the victimized faunus to strike back."

Weiss seemed to be at a loss for words. She clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly, her mouth opening but no words coming out. Her body began to tremble.

Giyuu shifted awkwardly. "I'm… not the best person to talk about this, but please take it to heart."

All of a sudden, Weiss turned around and ran away, turning the corner and escaping from sight. It left Giyuu standing alone, in the pale light of the setting sun, unsure of what to do next.

It was… disheartening to hear that such trauma had been inflicted upon Weiss as a young child. Deep inside, maybe Giyuu was a little biased, and didn't believe that the heiress ever had a single problem in the world. That she'd lived a fully sheltered life, surrounded by love and praise and everything she could ever want.

"Don't judge someone by how they seem to be."

"Hello, Giyuu! How are you doing?"

Giyuu was startled at the newcomer, spinning around to face whomever had spoken to him. He came face to face with Pyrrha, standing a few feet away with a meticulously crafted, perfect smile on her face.

"I'm… fine."

Pyrrha dropped her smile, replacing it with a sympathetic frown. "I saw Weiss running off just now. What happened?"

Giyuu exhaled softly, staring at the ground. "It's… complicated."

Pyrrha nodded understandingly. "It's… alright if you don't want to talk about it. After all, you hardly know me." She gave an awkward chuckle at the end, almost as if telling herself rather than him.

Giyuu stared back blankly.

"So… how have you been getting along with the rest of your team?" Pyrrha inquired. Her voice carried a cordial warmth, almost perfect in every way. But it lacked genuine emotion, something that very few could make out.

Not very well. Only the second day in, and two of their team members had a massive quarrel, leading both sides hurting. Giyuu's mere existence seemed to upset Weiss, Ruby yearned for an empathetic, compassionate friend in which Giyuu just couldn't replicate, and Jaune had no idea what to do with any of this. Team WTRA was already falling apart, and it was all up to Giyuu to glue it together– something he was already failing miserably at.

"It's been… fine."

Pyrrha frowned again, though this time it was more honest. "I can tell there's something troubling you. Do you want to talk?"

Yes. No. Maybe? Giyuu didn't know. He didn't know what to make of any of this.

Why was Pyrrha acting so… familiar with him?

"It's… okay."

Pyrrha smiled again, though this time it was more evidently forced. Hidden emotions swam beneath the picture-perfect facade, clouding her brilliant emerald green eyes, like murky water underneath pristine ice. "You're a nice person, Giyuu. I can tell. I'd like to be friends with you, if you don't mind."

Giyuu paled under her gaze. Her body language spoke of kindness, understanding, and warmth, but he could feel the intense scrutiny underneath. His heart began to race, an unprecedented fear budding in the back of his mind.

"I… just need some time alone." Giyuu swallowed the lump that was beginning to form in his throat. He turned away, unable to face her for any longer.

Pyrrha nodded. "I understand." She smiled again, giving him a little cheery wave. "Have a wonderful day, Giyuu!" She began to walk back towards the library, and Giyuu briskly walked away in the opposite direction.

What was that?

With a heavy heart, Giyuu recalled the dream– no, memory from the night before.

Don't judge someone by how they seem to be.

The day had been full of unexpected surprises for him. Some unanticipated but welcomed, while others a little more foreboding.

Maybe there was more to Pyrrha Nikos than it seemed.

Taisho Secret

Tanjiro materialized into the pocket dimension, smiling brilliantly at the reader.

"Hello again, fellow readers! I'm back with today's Taisho Secret, delivered to you specifically by a certain crow!"

Tanjiro leaned in towards the reader's ear, lowering his voice and donning a cutesy grin. "I heard that Kanzaburo, Tomioka-san's crow, has been extremely worried over his disappearance!" He frowned. "Poor Kanzaburo. I do hope that this doesn't leave a lasting impact on him, he is rather senile to still be active in service." He paused, musing to himself. "And I do hope that Tomioka-san comes back soon…"

All of a sudden, Kanzaburo materialized out of thin air, crashing into Tanjiro and effectively knocking the poor boy over. "Caw caw! Caw caw!" He cawed loudly. "Message from the author!" The elderly crow turned to the reader.

"Next chapter: Let the Show Begin!

Oh, look who decided to finally finish this chapter, after nearly two months of procrastination... haha...

Honestly, my main motivation to finish this was out of sheer guilt, knowing that people were eagerly anticipating the next chapter, but because I'm me, it takes eons. And it's also because I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I have to get the character interactions and development right...

Seriously. That Giyuu and Ruby talk scene delayed this chapter by several days.

Aaaanywayyys, reviews!

To mouseannnymous: Yep, Giyuu is pretty powerful now lol. As of power scaling... I'll tackle that when I have to write the fight scenes. Ehehehe~. And it's funny that you bring up reading through other demon giyuu aus to get ideas for his blood demon art, cuz that's literally what I do all day lol. (And also reading everything Renkaza related, but we don't talk about that)

To ragriz: Thank you! I hope this chapter was just as good! And I was thinking more wisteria cuz demons are highly allergic to them(as to speak), but yeah, it is also somewhat symbolic of Shinobu. And don't you worry, Pyrrha will be playing a huge part in at least the first three volumes. (In fact, I think she might have the biggest arc with Giyuu lol)

To RadBman21: Yeah, there are a lot of different plot points to be expanded upon in the future. Gotta remember to write them all down tho...

To Nesthor5000: Ara ara, that was quite the thesis you wrote... (sweatdrops) And yeah, I can see the similarities between Ozpin and Dumbledore. Though I have to say, Oz is a lot messed up in canon than Dumbledore. (IN CANON, CUZ JUST THE VERY LITTLE BIT OF THE HP FANDOM THAT IVE SEEN LOVES TO PLAY AROUND WITH DUMBLEDORE lol)

To Guest: Thank you! :)

Yeah, I've definitely spent a couple days in this almost two month long break toiling away in self-depracation, worrying that this chapter and future ones to come wouldn't be as good as the previous ones... I'm just bad at writing heartfelt interactions between characters in general.

Oh well, that's all I've got to rant about today. It's 10 pm where I am now, probably should go to bed lol

As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! ~ Frosted Petals

(P.S: DOMA?! I know this is two months late but DOMA IN THE S2 FINALE?!)