Apologies for the delay. It seems like these months-long hiatuses happen every year at this point and I'm sure it's getting annoying. Anyway, enjoy!

Early Morning, Atlas Training Arena A…

Mami swept Kyouko's feet out from under her with a ribbon, slamming her onto the floor with a shotgun pressed against the back of her head.

"Dead again," Mami noted dryly, not feeling the satisfaction she normally felt whenever she defeated the red lancer. "You're off your game today, Kyouko. That was far too easy."

"So it was," Kyouko grumbled. "Let me up, will you?"

Mami lifted her gun, allowing her opponent to stand. "Is something the matter? It's not like you to be distracted during a fight."

"I was just… thinking, is all…"

Thinking about what? Mami wanted to ask—but for the sake of tact, she held her tongue, eyeing the third participant of their spar.

"If that was her distracted, I'd hate to fight her when she's focused," Sayaka grumbled from her spot on the far end of the arena floor. She'd been taken out by Kyouko just shortly after the round started, thrown into the wall by a grapple-kick combo, and kept down by a lattice barrier over her limbs and head.

Honestly, the fact that she'd been dispatched so quickly only gave more credence to Mami's hypothesis that Kyouko was distracted. Both of them were supposed to be holding back just a little bit, for Sayaka's sake: the fencer's swordsmanship wouldn't improve if every spar resulted in her overwhelming defeat. Not to mention how boring it would be if she couldn't put up a fight.

Kyouko twirled her spear, bringing its haft to rest on her shoulder. "To be fair, I've got pretty good instincts, and years of experience. I could probably beat most people without really thinking about it." She smirked. "If you need proof, just check my win record against the other hunters in this city."

Sayaka raised a brow before turning quizzically to Mami.

Mami suppressed a sigh and gave a wry half-smile. "She's been challenging every hunter operating out of Atlas for the last three months. What was the record now? Forty-seven wins out of sixty matches? I haven't been keeping track."

A fanged grin. "Forty-eight after yesterday's spar with Miki here."

For a moment, Sayaka merely stared at her, mouth agape, before responding with the only word she seemed able to muster: "Why?"

Kyouko shrugged. "I like fighting?"

"Command wanted to prevent her from starting brawls in the street," Mami elaborated further, checking her ammo and the safeties of her shotgun batons. "They also needed to update the combat profiles on some of the less-active hunters on our payroll. Letting her fight means Command gets their data while also keeping her out of trouble. Two birds, one stone."

"Hey, I take offence to that. I'll have you know, I've never started any brawls. Participated in them? Sure. But that's all."

"Didn't you start that bar fight not two weeks ago?"

The lancer bristled. "Of course not! If anything, Hom was the one who started it."

Mami reloaded her weapons. "I highly doubt that."

Kyouko crossed her arms with a pout. "You can doubt, but it won't change the facts. She started it. You can even ask her yourself later."

"Speaking of Homura," Sayaka muttered, approaching the other two with an idle twirl of her blade, "where is she? After our spar yesterday, I haven't seen her at all."

"Right now? Probably sitting on the Shuttle Bay tarmac, waiting for the Beacon reps to fly back to Vale. Didn't Greeny tell you?"

Mami eyed Kyouko curiously, suddenly reminded of both of their relationships with the Valean archer. Rather, Homura's relationship with Kyouko, which was comparatively closer than Mami's own relationship with—

Her train of thought stopped dead in its tracks as it suddenly occurred to her that she was more jealous than she initially thought.

How troublesome.

She let out a huff and shrugged. She could deal with it later, in private.

"Huh." Sayaka blinked, before slowly nodding. "Hitomi did say the headmaster was leaving today. I guess I just forgot."

Mami nodded as well. "I can understand why Miss Akemi would forgo our morning spar to see them off. Her late partner's brother is the headmaster's escort. I assume they're close, especially given their interactions at the party."

"Yeah, that makes sense. Still though, it's a shame she couldn't be here today. As much as she kicked my ass yesterday, she was really fun to fight."

"Took the words right out of my mouth, Miki. Can't really do anything about it now, though." With a shrug, Kyouko flourished her spear, dropping into a combat stance. "Might as well make the most of our time without her. One last round before we hit the showers?"

Mami flicked her wrists, a mass of ribbons snaking through the air to surround her. "What will be the wager today?"

"I was thinking: lunch at that Mistrali place we went to last week."

The same place Homura had treated them to, Mami noted. Albeit reluctantly, she had to admit that the food there was quite good. "I accept. What say you, Lieutenant?"

Kyouko smirked. "Or are your partners still not letting you eat out with friends?"

Sayaka awkwardly shifted her weight. "It was never that they wouldn't let me. It's just that I wanted to ask them first before I did anything with you guys."

"Well, have you asked them yet?"

With a sigh, she spread her feet and bent her knees. "Yeah. They told me that I shouldn't be holding back for their sake." She managed a smile, leveling her sword at Kyouko. "They also told me to win these bets, so I guess that means I have to make sure to beat you."

Kyouko's fanged grin grew wider, a sharp glint in her eyes. "Glad to hear. Give us a good fight, then."

"Reset match state!" Mami announced. "Set match timer to five minutes and begin in ten seconds!"

Meanwhile, Atlas Shuttle Bay

Homura found Tatsuya on a bench directly across from where their airship was docked. She joined him, sitting quietly.

"You look deep in thought," she remarked after a moment.

Tatsuya gave her a tired look. "Less than a week to catch up after eight years of basically zero contact?" He sighed, hunching down and resting his elbows on his knees, his chin nestled on his palms. "It's not fair…"

"We've made the most of the time we had—more than most would find physically possible."

"I guess," he continued grumbling, before shooting her a glance. "Your semblance helped."

She flashed him a small smile. "I'm sure it did."

They shared weak chuckles as the conversation reached a lull. In the silence that followed, Homura pursed her lips, unsure of how to proceed. The topic on her mind had never been a comfortable one for her to talk about—even less so now that Tatsuya was aware of her employment situation. Thankfully, he seemed to be able to pick up on her anxiety without much issue. It was almost like he shared a mind with her, like Madoka and Kyouko did.

"So, what's up with you, then?" he asked, leaning back and adjusting the straps of his crossbow holster. "Didn't see you all day yesterday. Does whatever happened during that party have anything to do with it?"

Homura rubbed her hand. "You could say that," she trailed off, shooting only the briefest of glances at the Valean huntsman. Their eyes met for an instant—barely even a second—but she could read the message in his intense, yet carefully neutral look. He was urging her to continue.

"There was an… emergency… at work," she went on, carefully choosing her words in a way that sidestepped Atlas OpSec laws. "They gave me a day to prepare myself for an operation to save a little girl's life. It starts in a few hours…"

He nodded slowly, the twitching of his face betraying a suppressed grimace. "I see… That's some really bad luck, huh…?"

Closing her eyes, Homura let out a sigh. "I agree, though I'd rather not have your pity—not for me, nor for the child I'm to save."

Tatsuya bristled. "Hey, I know enough not to pity either of you, alright? I just think the situation's… It's…" He shook his head. "It's not fair that it has to be this way."

"Many things are not fair, Tatsuya. Personally, I'm at least grateful things are only as bad as they are. As it stands, things could be much, much worse."

"But still, they could be better."

Another sigh left Homura's lips. "Yes… they could still be better…"

The two stewed in their own thoughts for a moment, the general hustle and bustle of the Shuttle Bay filling the silence between them. Homura spent that time glancing around the area, noting the various members of Ozpin's security detail hidden amongst the crowds. She and Tatsuya were the only two who were visibly near the man, who was standing some feet away. He watched, a mug of coffee in one hand and his distinctive cane in the other, as the crew of his airship performed the final bits of maintenance before his scheduled departure.

"I hope you do alright today," Tatsuya eventually said, breaking the silence. "I hate that you keep hurting yourself like this, but… I hope it works out."

Homura flashed back to the brief conversation she'd had with Kyubey about how his soul was leaking. No matter how much she tried, her thoughts invariably led her to the possibility that every person she'd once saved was now doomed to the same fate. Doubts and worries flooded her mind, but she pushed them all aside with a grim smile. "I hope it works out too."

From there, the conversation shifted to lighter topics—Tatsuya's plans for the next school term at Beacon; Homura's budding not-quite-romance with Kyouko; predictions for the Vytal Festival, slated to occur in Vale the following year; the list went on. However, there remained an undercurrent of melancholy beneath all of their words, regardless of how innocuous or lighthearted the topic became. Neither really commented on it; there wasn't much point. They'd already said all that needed to be said.

Once maintenance was complete, the two stood from the bench, turning to face each other. Neither said goodbye, but Tatsuya gave her a small, pained smile before turning to board the airship with Ozpin. A minute after they disappeared into the ship, the vessel took to the air.

Homura, alongside Hitomi and the rest of the security detail, watched as it maneuvered out of the Shuttle Bay and departed for Vale. It seemed to shrink as it flew away, smaller and smaller, until it was nothing but a faint dot on the horizon.

The security on the ground dispersed, their mission officially complete now that Ozpin was outside of Atlas' borders. Homura joined them on their way to the exit.

"So I heard Sayaka lost a bet against you yesterday," Hitomi remarked as Homura tapped the button to call the elevator. "Something about pastries?"

"For what it's worth, she put up a decent fight."

This earned a laugh. "Oh, I'm sure she did. Still, she seemed quite dismayed at how easily you dispatched both her and the Major."

"I can imagine."

The conservation paused as the elevator doors opened, with a dozen people exiting before Homura, Hitomi, and a handful of others entered. The one closest to the door pressed the button for ground floor access, and the elevator began to ascend. For a few moments, the only sound was the whirring of the elevator's mechanisms, before Homura continued.

"I've noticed how Sayaka often calls Major Tomoe by her first name. I'm curious why you don't do so as well."

"Eh…" Hitomi tilted her head from side to side, frowning slightly in contemplation. "You'll find that the Major is quite lenient when it comes to how she's addressed—since she's a huntress, rather than an enlisted soldier. People rarely take advantage of that leniency, though—myself included. It just doesn't seem right, you know?"

"I'll take your word for it."

The elevator doors opened and they stepped into a bustling lobby, filled with both military personnel and civilians alike. Flashing their huntress licenses, they passed several security checkpoints with minimal searching.

"Where are you headed next, Miss Akemi?" Hitomi asked as they approached the exit. "I have a private transport waiting outside that'll take me to Central. If we're going the same way, I'll be happy to take you with me."

Homura rubbed the back of her hand and contemplated the offer.

She still had time before she needed to report to Atlas R&D—a little over an hour and a half, in fact. She had planned to spend most of it wandering the city to clear her head, though she suspected that it would have done her no good—it had never worked before, so why would it have started now? As it stood, it was either she accepted a ride with pleasant company, or she drowned in her own thoughts. It was not a difficult choice to make.

She bowed slightly. "That would be appreciated, Lieutenant Shizuki."

The doors slid open as they crossed the exit threshold, Hitomi skipping ahead to turn and smirk. "I noticed you call the Major and I by our rank, but Sayaka by her name. That's interesting, don't you think?"

"She asked me to," Homura explained simply. "I'm only being polite."

"Then I'll ask the same of you now." Hitomi put her hands behind her back and continued to walk while still facing Homura, stopping in front of a black vehicle waiting in the driveway. "Call me by my actual name, just like you do with Sayaka."

Averted eyes. "I've never understood why so many of the Atlas hunters I've encountered actually prefer when they're not called by their rank. Why wouldn't you want to be addressed based on your position of power?"

"Keep in mind that the majority of Atlas' hunters are assigned the rank of lieutenant automatically. Your rank tends to stop mattering quite quickly in that situation." Hitomi smirked. "And besides. Sayaka seems to like you well enough to want you to call her by her name. You've given me no reason to not want the same thing."

The door to the vehicle opened behind her, as if on cue.

Homura managed a small, wry smile. "You have a point, I suppose. Very well, then. Feel free to call me by my first name as well." She climbed into the car. "Thank you for the ride and pleasant company, Hitomi. It was nice of you to offer."

"It's my pleasure, Homura." Hitomi took a seat next to her and closed the door, snapping her fingers pointedly towards the driver. The vehicle began to move.

Many years ago, Vale outer walls…

Border patrol was a simple task: keep an eye on the sensors for any aerial threats, assist civilians attempting to get in or out of the kingdom, and kill all creatures of Grimm that approach the walls. Thus, Homura sat within her sniper nest, scanning the treeline for moving spots of black and red. Next to her, Madoka was similarly watching the sky, through a pair of binoculars. Between them sat a tablet radio clipped onto a small stand.

[South West C, this is Control,] the tablet blared. [We picked up what seems to be a giant nevermore approaching your position. It should come into your view in a bit. Can you see it?]

Homura glanced at Madoka, whose binoculars were trained on a far-off point in the distance. A second later, she felt a rush of impressions and sensations relayed through their connection: the physicality of Madoka facing a direction, the view from her eyes through the binoculars, and so on. Such abstract and experiential information used to take several seconds for Homura to parse. Now, she could understand and react in an instant.

She swivelled her rifle around sixty degrees to the left and centered her crosshairs over the great black bird rising from the horizon. After a moment of adjusting for distance, elevation, and wind, Homura flicked off the safety and pulled the trigger. What followed was a reverberating gunshot, a piercing scream, and the crunch of trees and flesh as the nevermore fell to the ground.

Sharing a small smile with Madoka, Homura pressed a finger on the tablet and spoke. "We don't see it, Control. Are you sure you got that right?"

There was the sound of static as the person on the other line laughed into the microphone. [Well, I'll be damned. We're sending a team to examine the corpse and make sure it didn't land anywhere troublesome. Keep up the good work.]

As the line went dead, Homura sat back and returned her gaze to the treeline. "Thank you, Madoka," she said quietly.

Madoka's reply was easy enough to read based on their empathetic link, but she said it aloud regardless. "What are partners for?"

What indeed? Homura thought with a chuckle as they once again returned to the mind-numbing boredom that filled the majority of border patrol missions.

Honestly, though? Homura was well equipped to handle such boredom. She didn't need to imagine the feeling of seconds taking minutes to pass when that was literally what her semblance allowed her to experience. Unfortunately, Madoka did not have the same skewed perception of time that Homura did.

"Hey, Homura." Madoka asked, voice cutting through silence like a keenly sharpened knife.

"What is it?"

"What was your family like?"

Homura cocked her head quizzically. "Can't you pick out the answer from my memories?"

Madoka pursed her lips, looking down. "Well, I have a hard time doing that for anything that you're not actively thinking about. And besides…" She turned to Homura and puffed her cheeks in a pout. "It's boring just sitting here. I'd rather listen to you talk."

Homura shrugged. "Fair enough. Although, there isn't really much to talk about." She tilted her head to the side. "Where to start, then…"

"Isn't it best to start at the beginning?"

"Not particularly. I don't actually remember much of my life before a certain point, and I'm not sure what little I do remember is relevant to the question."

"What do you mea…?" Madoka trailed off, her features tensing into a small frown as tidbits of information leaked through their connection. "You… you grew up in an orphanage," she mumbled in disbelief. "How is this the first time I'm hearing about this?"

All Homura could do was sigh as she cycled the bolt of her rifle and chambered another round. "I thought you already knew, to be honest. One of the first things I saw when we established our connection were the faces of your family and your earliest memories with them. I assumed you saw the same."

A shake of the head. "Nuh-uh. The first things I saw were you waking up after your heart surgery and someone unlocking your aura. There was nothing about your family or your childhood."

Letting out another sigh, Homura pressed a hand to her chest, tracing a line over where her surgical scars would be under her body armor. "That makes sense, I suppose. The events that truly shaped me as a person didn't come until later in my life, when I made the decision to become a huntress. Most of my life leading up to that point just isn't important to me."

"Wait, they're not important to you? Like… at all…?"

A blink and frown. "I mean… not… particularly…?"

Madoka whimpered. "Homura, I… I don't…"

She couldn't finish her sentence, but she didn't need to. Homura already knew.

I don't understand, she wanted to say. She felt sympathy and sadness, yes, but she also felt disturbed. She simply could not fathom how Homura could so thoroughly dismiss an entire decade of her own life as unimportant. It was a level of disconnect that neither of them had felt since before they shared minds.

Homura could only grit her teeth as she felt a wave of otherness hit her through their mental link. She suspected that what Madoka felt was much more severe.

"Please try not to worry about it," Homura said with a soft, yet strained smile. "My life in the orphanage and my foster home was enjoyable for what it was. I was fed, clothed, and well cared for, which is more than what many orphans can say."

Another whimper.

With the shake of her head, Homura looked away, turning her eye through the scope of her rifle to scan the treeline for creatures of Grimm. "You don't need to feel bad for my sake, Madoka. I'm content with the life I've lived with them, even if I don't consider that life all that important to who I am right now."

"I… I see…"

The feeling of disconnect seemed to subside somewhat, though it felt no less unpleasant.

"I'm… glad for that, at least…"

As Madoka trailed off, a deep silence filled the air within the sniper nest. Sounds they had once tuned out were now almost deafening—from the subtle creaking of their seats, to the ever present roar of the wind blowing through the windows. Madoka remained in quiet contemplation for the entire duration, unreadable thoughts and feelings reaching Homura's consciousness in sporadic bursts.

For a while, Homura held her tongue to allow Madoka time to digest the new information, but as the wordless pause continued, she grew increasingly worried. Madoka was still tense in her seat and their feelings of alienation, while no longer as intense and continuing to subside, was still present and unignorable. Homura was patient, but even she eventually caved in, breaking the silence.

"Does it really upset you that much?"

There was a moment of hesitation where Madoka did not reply, merely pulling one knee up to her chest. It took many seconds longer before she opened her mouth to speak.

"What you said just doesn't sit right with me, Homura," she said weakly. "It doesn't matter how I try to rationalize it."

Homura ran a hand through her hair. "R-right…"

"At the same time, though," Madoka continued, "I can tell this is a 'me' problem." Her head lolled to the side. "I'm not sure there's anything you can really do to make it better…"

Homura pursed her lips, unable to decipher the hopelessly jumbled mess of emotions within Madoka's mind. "I'm sorry," she said, not knowing what else to say.

"It's not your fault, Homura. Just… Just give me some time to think…"

Homura coughed into her hand. "I suppose it's a good thing I have a time semblance," she muttered, turning away.

Madoka gave a small smile before looking towards the sky, putting the binoculars to her eyes once more. "Yeah. Maybe…"

Morning, Atlas Training Arena Locker Room…

Mami scowled as she shut off the shower tap.

Even with a free meal on the line, Kyouko had still been distracted during their last spar for the day. And more importantly, Mami herself had been distracted as well. Thankfully, she had still come out on top, but there had been a definite risk of her wandering mind resulting in her first loss against Kyouko since they started these regular sparring sessions.

Something was definitely wrong if both of them were this distracted, though she couldn't, for the life of her, figure out what was wrong. Was it Homura? Ever since the night Kyouko started a bar fight with her, they've been acting differently. Or was it just the time of the year not agreeing with them? Or something else entirely?

Well, it clearly wasn't something she could solve now, especially since she'd already resorted to wild speculation. She'd just have to solve it in the future, much like a lot of other problems she'd needed to shelve recently…

Mami's scowl deepened as she exited from her shower stall, wrapping a towel around her hair.

After a moment to let the emotion sit, she shook her head clear. "What's the plan for you today?" she asked.

"My last shift guarding Lionheart starts an hour after noon," Kyouko answered from a neighboring stall, almost shouting over the sound of running water. "He leaves for Mistral at sundown."

A slow nod. "His departure is later, while Headmaster Ozpin is probably already on his way to Vale. And if I recall correctly, the Shade Headmistress is also leaving tonight. Is it wise for all of them to leave on the same day?"

A shrug. "They're not paying me to come up with the exit strategies. If the egg-heads at command think it's a good plan, then that's what we're going with."

"Hmm." Mami let out a burst of aura to dry her skin and began putting on some clothes. "That's fair enough, I suppose. Since you qualify as a bodyguard, I was just wondering what your professional opinion was."

Kyouko's cackle echoed through the mostly empty locker room. "'Professional' my ass. You trying to butter me up or something? What's your angle, lady?"

A smile tugged at the Major's lips, though she managed to keep a straight face. "Call it intellectual curiosity," she replied coolly.

"Gods, you're starting to sound like Homura. One of her's bad enough. Two is just too much."

She felt a different emotion tug at her, but masked it with a dry snort. "Should I take that as a compliment?"

"I mean, it makes you sound smart and dignified and stuff? Not like she succeeds any more than you do."

The unexamined emotion tugged harder, but she suppressed it.

"That doesn't sound like a compliment at all." With a shake of her head, Mami adjusted the collar of her uniform and closed her locker door. "I'm gonna go on ahead. I can't be late for my first class."

"Weren't you trying to weasel my opinion from me? Why give up so soon?"

"Stop fishing for compliments, Kyouko. I'll see you at lunch."

Another laugh echoed through the room. "Yeah, yeah. See you."

With that, Mami made the trek from the locker room to the academy's staff room, Shifting her focus from Kyouko to her lesson plan.

Or at least, she tried to.

Normally, it would have been as easy as flipping a switch, instantly changing from regular, emotive, and very-much-human Mami Tomoe into no-nonsense Atlas Academy instructor, Major Tomoe. But today? The thought of Kyouko—and, to a certain extent, of Homura—remained rooted in her mind like a particularly stubborn weed. No matter how much she willed it away or tried to think of something else, the thought unwaveringly refused.

This lack of focus was a strange experience for her, and it was even stranger not knowing why she felt so unfocused. It couldn't have been mere curiosity that caused this—she rarely felt curiosity strong enough to distract to this extent. And for the same reasons, it couldn't be jealousy either—though she did admit that it might still be playing a part. No, there was something else at work here, something that her instincts considered important.

But what was it? What could she sense about Kyouko and Homura that made it increasingly difficult to ignore them? What unseen force demanded she take notice of their relationship and their effect on each other?

Gods, this was frustrating.

"Good morning, Major Tomoe," a familiar voice greeted haughtily, cutting through her thoughts and snapping her back to reality.

Oriko Mikuni peered down at her from the top of the stairs, lips curled into a maddeningly knowing smile.

"I do not often find you on this floor, Major. Do you have somewhere to be, or did you get lost on your way to the staff room?"

Mami pursed her lips and glanced around, noting with displeasure how she was indeed on the third floor of Academy Building 1—whereas her actual destination was on the first. Even more displeasing was how Oriko likely already knew why Mami had wandered here, considering how the woman had essentially been waiting for her.

"Well, since you're here," Oriko continued, not waiting for an answer. "Why not stop by my office for tea? Ten fewer minutes to prepare your lessons for the day shouldn't be too great a sacrifice."

Well, those words certainly cleared whatever doubts Mami had had about Oriko predicting this encounter. The time Mami had saved from not really talking to Kyouko in the locker room was around ten minutes. She also hadn't gotten the post-spar brew she normally bought from the campus cafe because she had been too distracted. And now, here was Oriko, offering tea and company.

"Tea sounds lovely right now," Mami replied flatly, wondering just what the precognitive wanted from her.

Morning, Atlas Central Command…

When Homura entered the main building with Hitomi, she immediately zeroed in on a familiar little boy amongst the crowd. He had white hair and was standing in front of the huntsman statue in the lobby, staring up at it with nary a twitch or breath. It was almost as if he, too, was a statue. A bemused sense of unease rose from the pit of Homura's stomach as they approached him.

"Huh, someone must have brought their kid to work today," Hitomi muttered in observation—though, it was surprising that Hitomi was even able to observe him in the first place. Was Kyubey not using his semblance?

Hitomi let out a dissatisfied huff. "His parents must be quite careless to just leave him unattended. I'll ask the front desk to ping them."

"That won't be necessary," Homura said quickly. "I know who his parents are. I'll escort him to them myself."

"Oh?" Hitomi eyed her skeptically for a moment, but seemed to drop the issue. "Well, you go do that, then. In the meantime, I have a report to turn in. See you, Homura."

A nod and wave. "Until we meet again, Hitomi."

Homura watched the verdant huntress walk away, pursing her lips as she disappeared into the crowd. Once there was sufficient distance between them, she turned and approached Kyubey, stopping to look at the statue with him.

"I assume you don't have your stealth aura up? Lieutenant Shizuki noticed you."

"I do not," Kyubey replied, inclining his head towards her by mere fractions of a degree. "I was advised to limit my use of it due to recent events."

She noted the vague language he was using. "Should I be concerned?"

"I cannot determine whether you should be concerned, but I would rather you not be."

"That statement certainly fills me with confidence," Homura remarked dryly. She began walking towards the main elevator room, nudging his shoulder as she passed him by. "Let's go down to the labs. We need to talk."

Despite moving to follow her, Kyubey still rebuked her lightly. "It is still one hour, sixteen minutes, and forty-four seconds too early to enter the main chamber. They will turn us away."

A roll of the eyes. "You know, we do have a break room in a different chamber. We can just wait there."

After a pause, he replied, "…Acknowledged."

Homura detected no changes to his usual cheery demeanor, though there was some part of her that wondered what had caused that slight hesitation.

The elevator was already waiting for them when they reached the main elevator room, predictably empty as the doors slid open. They stepped into the metal box and began their descent, the ill-maintained lights flickering dimly above them.

"So…" Homura crossed her arms, leaning against the far wall. "We have five minutes of complete privacy. Is there anything you can tell me within that time frame?" She glanced at Kyubey, who remained standing wordlessly in the precise center of the elevator.

"Allow me a moment to confirm your understanding of some things first." Kyubey turned bodily to face Homura. "You are aware that I am not human, correct?"

"I'm aware that you are an artificial being capable of producing aura. Your soul is said to be wholly man-made, not transferred over from an existing person."

"True, in many ways, but not the whole truth." He smiled and held his hands behind his back, reminding Homura of how the R&D scientists looked whenever they observed the soul-transfer operations. "While it is true that the soul in my body was not plucked from another's, it is still not a soul borne out of nothing."

Homura nodded slowly. "I suspected as much. Other than growing a person from cells in a test tube, I've yet to encounter a way to create a new soul completely from scratch. Your existence was the only thing that really challenged that notion. I'm pleased to learn I was right to doubt." She allowed a humorless smirk to play on her lips. "So, what kind of soul trickery would result in an existence like yourself? A fragment? A copy?"

Kyubey's expression remained unchanged. "A wish," he said plainly. "Or rather, desire."

Homura blinked, then narrowed her eyes. "Whose desire?"

"No one's." He tilted his head to the side. "Technically, it is also just as likely that it is everyone's." His smile widened. "Conveying it with words in a way you can understand is beyond my capability. Please look into my soul and you will understand."

Apprehension tightened inside Homura's stomach as she rubbed her hand, the pulses of heat from Madoka's gem threatening to burn a hole through her glove.

She had never taken a close look at Kyubey's soul. The way her body recoiled in discomfort and unease from simply feeling his aura was enough to dissuade her from doing so. What little she did attempt was merely sensing the pool of aura within his body, something she did frequently without even thinking thanks to her natural aura sensitivity. Never had she used Madoka's semblance to actively and directly look at his soul. Even now, she was hesitant to do so.

"If you truly wish to know what has befallen me, it is imperative that you know the nature of my existence. Look upon me now, Homura Akemi. Do not waste time."

Funny of you to say that to me of all people, Homura thought humorlessly.

Pursing her lips, she stepped forward and put her hand atop Kyubey's head, feeling his aura defenses give way to allow her entry. She ignored the unpleasant tingle she felt run through her body as they made physical contact and focused on tapping into Madoka's semblance.

Kyubey began to glow in Homura's eyes—the glow of activated aura flowing through his body. She followed that aura to its source.

"Hmm. I only now realize that this may compromise the operation later," Kyubey remarked as he let his arms fall limply to his sides, relaxing into Homura's touch. "Perhaps we should postpone this until after Nagisa Momoe has been dealt with?"

"It's too late. I'm already looking inside you." Homura closed her eyes. "And I'm not sure what I'm seeing."

Kyubey fidgeted uncharacteristically. "Please attempt to describe it."

A frown. "Hmm… Put bluntly, most of the souls I've encountered are distinct entities, connected to a body via a steady stream of aura. What you have inside you is not distinct—a plurality of things that, when taken together, form something like a soul, which isn't a soul, at the same time." She opened her eyes and stepped back, removing her hand from the boy's head. "Strange. It still feeds your body with aura, allows you to use a semblance, and grants you the ability to think for yourself, even though nothing in your body's programming should allow you to do that. Whatever it may be, it's functionally identical to a soul in every way that matters. I can only assume that the ways they differ is important."

Kyubey's smile did not falter as he nodded. "You are correct in your assessment, Homura Akemi. That difference seems to be causing some sort of incompatibility with this human-like body I've taken. It is as if it is rejecting the 'me' that I am becoming. Thankfully, none of the soul transfers display any of the symptoms I do. You have nothing to fear about them."

"Once again, your words fill me with confidence," Homura said flatly.

She put a hand on her hip. "So… what? Your soul is an amalgam of desires that's been tied to a body and it's decided it doesn't like that? That sounds a little vague to explain what's wrong with you."

"There are minor details that I skipped over, but no, there is little else I can tell you. None of the researchers seem to understand it either."

The elevator doors opened behind him, the abyssal darkness of the hallway contrasting starkly with the white of his hair and clothes. He gestured towards the void outside the elevator. "Shall we continue to our division's chambers?"

Homura pursed her lips and wordlessly strode past him. He followed closely behind.

Many years ago, Vale outer wall barracks…

Homura sat at one of the mess hall tables, watching Madoka make small talk with the kitchen staff. The smile on her face was bright and cheery, but Homura could feel the unreadable confusion still bubbling underneath the surface.

It had been a week since Madoka had learned of Homura's relationship with her own past, and very little had changed in that time. The archer's thoughts and emotions remained turbulent, and Homura had no idea what to say to her to assuage that confusion. It was almost a shame their border patrol mission had gone by with little incident—a bit of distraction would have probably helped. Instead, Madoka had been left to brood for days on end.

Well, at least an airship would arrive soon to take them back to Beacon. If Homura herself couldn't get Madoka to stop thinking about it, classes and homework probably could.

"You know I can't stop, though," Madoka muttered as she returned to sit next to Homura, resting her head on the table. "The time I spent with mom, dad, and Tatsuya is just really important to me. Sharing my life with someone who doesn't feel the same way about her own past is hard to come to terms with."

Homura averted her eyes as a sinking feeling overcame her. She said nothing, though, and instead nodded dimly in acknowledgement. Madoka caught on to her displeasure almost immediately and winced as if in pain.

"I'm sorry. I know it feels awful, but I can't just change my mind about this. Please, give me some time."

Homura sighed and put a reassuring hand atop Madoka's head. "I will, Madoka. And I am. Take as much time as you need…"

"Thank you…"

They remained silent for a long time, whiling away the minutes before the airship arrived. When it eventually did, they boarded with no fanfare—only a brief goodbye from the garrisoned hunters who were on break and a quick greeting to the hunters who would be replacing them. Once they were settled into their seats, they departed for Vale.

"Hey, Homura," Madoka mumbled, an hour into their flight. Homura raised a quizzical brow. "Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to have a family you care about?"

After a moment of thought, Homura shrugged. "I don't really need to, since I can just experience it vicariously through your memories."

Madoka pouted.

"What? It's close enough, isn't it?"

"I guess, but that's not really what I meant…"

"Then what did you mean?"

Several seconds passed without a response, Madoka's pout becoming a scowl. "It's… hard to explain," she eventually answered, pulling her knees up to her chest. "I'm not really sure how to put these kinds of feelings into words anymore. I've gotten used to the two of us just looking for answers in each other's heads."

"It's usually much easier to understand each other that way," Homura admitted, "but it does make moments where we can't fathom the other's thoughts markedly more frustrating—as the past week has proven."

Madoka whimpered in dissatisfaction. "You really don't understand why I'm so upset, do you?"

"Intellectually, I do, but there's a fundamental disagreement between our views that makes true understanding difficult."

"A fundamental disagreement? About what?"

Homura looked Madoka in the eyes and answered, "About what memories and experiences are important; which ones are worth remembering."

Madoka's frown deepened as she averted her eyes, looking out of the window instead. "I've never really thought about it until recently," she grumbled, "and I don't know what I should think. All I know is, the thought of you looking at half your life and just… writing it off? It… upsets me." She hugged her legs tightly. "It upsets me more than you could ever imagine…"

Homura did not attempt to explain how she still felt how upset Madoka was, even if she didn't understand Madoka's reasons for feeling that way. Instead, she continued to stare impassively at the archer, trying her best to fill her mind with a soothing calm that would hopefully rebound over their mental link.

"Sorry," Madoka eventually said. "I shouldn't have said it like that."

Homura nodded in acknowledgement before letting out a sigh. She could tell Madoka did feel bad about it, but it would likely be a long time before her apology would actually mean anything.

Morning, Atlas Academy Building 1, Intelligence Department Head's Office…

Mami looked down at her tea, staring impassively at the dark liquid. It was piping hot, enticingly fragrant, and its surface reflected Oriko's face, staring back at Mami with that knowing smile.

"You have a reputation for having eclectic tastes, Major Tomoe, but I recall black tea being a favorite of yours. I trust it's to your standards?"

Given that Mami had sampled entire menus from nearly every café in the city, eclectic was not an inaccurate description. Still, she couldn't help but feel like she was being insulted somehow.

"Well, black tea is my default choice of drink when I'm not feeling adventurous. It's hard for people to get it wrong." Mami brought her cup to her lips and took a sip. "Case in point, your brew is quite good."

If Oriko noticed the unsubtle jab barely hidden within Mami's words, she did not show it. Instead, she took a sip from her own cup, and leaned back into her chair.

"So, how have your students been?"

Mami suppressed a powerful urge to narrow her eyes. Specifying her students, rather than her classes, meant that Oriko was asking about the remedial group.

"They're all adapting to their prostheses well. Cadet Bloodhunter in particular is an outstanding case. During the group spar she participated in with Lieutenant Miki and the two Haven security huntresses, she managed to fight Kagami Hiiragi to a standstill."

Oriko chuckled. "Yes, that's a development I'm aware of. She's quite impressive. Although…" With another small chuckle, she paused, taking a sip of her tea.

This time, Mami did narrow her eyes. "Do go on, Major Mikuni. I'd like to hear what you find so funny."

"Oh, it's not so much funny as it is sad. She and that girl from Haven were locked in a stalemate, yes, but it was the kind of stalemate that would have resulted in both of their deaths. Lieutenant Miki's intervention is the only thing that could have prevented that."

"I was right there as the referee, you know. I would have stepped in—"

"And failed to stop them," Oriko cut in sharply, making direct eye contact with Mami. "I say this again: Lieutenant Miki's intervention is the only thing that could have prevented their deaths."

Mami blinked. Oriko is a precognitive, she remembered, releasing a shallow breath in horror. Her semblance would have allowed her to see the many possibilities that that group spar could have led to. Which means…

"Oriko," she said flatly, setting her cup down onto the table. "Why tell me this? And why now?"

"I'm telling you now because now is convenient. As for why? Well…"

Oriko's knowing smile did not leave her face, but the glint in her eyes seemed to dim and grow colder. She quietly downed what remained of her tea and laid her empty cup on its saucer, next to Mami's.

"I assume you're aware of my semblance?"

A curt nod. "Future sight. It's on the database."

"Correct, but records of their exact mechanics require higher access levels than your position and rank can provide. I'm unwilling to disclose everything, but there are some details you must know before we can proceed." Oriko leaned forward over the table, folding her hands together. "When I look into the future, I almost always see possibilities that will never come to pass. Simply knowing of those futures is enough to change them—no action required on my part. But sometimes, I see things that will always happen unless I act."

Mami nodded thoughtfully. "I'd hazard a guess that the two of us talking in this room right now is you acting on one such future?"

Oriko's lips were hidden by her folded hands, but it was clear from her eyes that her smile had widened.

"Would you like to know what I saw?"

The lack of humor in the precognitive's voice, despite her smile, sent a chill up Mami's spine.

This was going to be bad.

"Fine. Let's hear it."

Oriko did not speak immediately, instead choosing to take this time to refill her cup. After filling it and taking a long, slow sip, Oriko looked down at her tea. "Roughly four months ago, I saw a future of mass devastation to this city—thousands dead; even more injured; and Atlas reduced to a flattened expanse of glass. I have many plans in motion attempting to prevent that outcome, but it continues to loom in the distance regardless of my efforts."

Mami fidgeted in discomfort. "I'm… not sure how I'd be able to help with that…"

A chuckle. "On the contrary, you're the only one I know who can help. You see, whenever I use my semblance to look at that terrible future, I do see many subtle changes, such as which people survive or how they are injured. The rest is painfully constant. One such constant is Homura Akemi, standing alone amidst a field of sizzling rain and smoking death. "

Mami froze with dread, eyes wide and mouth parted. Homura? And Atlas' destruction?

"I find Miss Akemi in the center of this disaster every time I look. With that said, it is imperative that we learn why that is the case. The sooner we know, the sooner we can deal with her."

"I…" Mami rose from her seat, feeling the racing of her heart as she breathed, and the weak trembling of her limbs as she stood. "Tell me… what are my orders?"

Oriko's smile disappeared as she once again took a sip and leaned back into her chair.

"Command will send more details to your scroll, but the bottom line is: You must get close to her and find out what she knows. Report anything and everything that could be relevant. You have until winter to produce results—any later and it will be too late."

Many questions tugged at Mami's attention when she left Oriko's office, the least of which was Homura's supposed involvement in this disaster. Given how secretive the Valean archer was, it was more likely than not. Finding evidence and acquiring testimony wouldn't be easy, but it would not be her first assignment of this nature. She could make do with the resources Command would provide her.

No, what truly worried her was not Homura, but Kyouko. If the wild red huntress knew anything about this, the mere fact that she'd said nothing would be a mark against her. Command might strip her of the right to operate within Atlas' territory, imprison her, or worse.

I could always just not say anything about her, Mami reasoned numbly. But, if they ever find out I've been holding back information, I'd be in the same situation Kyouko would be in…

She shook her head and stormed towards the staff room, unwilling to think about this new assignment any further. She shelved it with the rest of her worries, throwing herself at her teaching job with a fervor that she knew would come back to bite her in the near future.

Later, Atlas R&D Laboratories, Chamber D-021…

Homura felt a leaden weight in the bottom of her stomach as she circled the stasis pod holding the frozen body of Nagisa Momoe. "I'm ready," she announced to the scientist up on the observation deck.

"Please stand by," the speakers blared. "The subject's new body is still in the process of syncing with the transfer equipment, ETA ten minutes. In the meantime, feel free to speak with her."

With a grunt of assent, Homura approached the pod. The white haired girl looked gaunt and frail, but her expression was serene—a far cry from her state of mind when Homura first made mental contact with her.

Are you there? Homura asked, reaching for the girl's mind.

After a moment's hesitation, Nagisa responded. You're the scary lady who's going to rip out Nagisa's soul.

If you learned that much from yesterday's session, then you should also know I'm trying to help you.

There was a surge of trepidation and fear from the other end of the connection, but it eventually calmed down into weary acceptance.

Is it going to hurt like last time…?

Homura closed her eyes, suppressing a wince. Yes, she admitted. It will hurt exactly as much as last time. I'm sorry…

I… I guess that's okay… I've felt worse before, the girl replied glumly. Can I at least have some cheese once this is all over? I've been a good girl, and it's been so long since I was allowed to have some.

Cheese? Oh right, the girl enjoyed dairy products to an unusual degree. When they first forged a connection, Homura had seen many years' worth of memories depicting the girl's fondness for it. She had almost forgotten.

I'm not sure. Most bodies we've commissioned for this project don't need to eat, but yours is much more advanced than any of the others I've seen so far. Maybe you'll be able to?

Oh yeah, I'm getting a new body. Can I see what it looks like?

Homura opened her eyes and looked at Nagisa's replacement body, hooked up to machinery in the corner. It was a limp doll with silky white hair, glassy red eyes, and mechanical limbs that haven't been completely covered with synthetic skin yet. Other than those details, it looked remarkably human. And not to mention…

It looks like that boy you're friends with, Nagisa remarked, saying exactly what Homura was thinking. Except it's a girl.

The Valean chose to ignore Nagisa's assessment that Kyubey was her friend, instead explaining, That's because it's one of his spare bodies. It's supposed to look like him. They were modifying it to look more like you, but didn't finish in time.

There was silence as the two of them stared at the doll. Nagisa was the one to eventually break it.

You're worried about him, she said, likely sensing Homura's troubled thoughts.

Yes, I am. I'm also worried that what's happening to him will happen to you as well.

What's wrong, though? Is he sick? Does he have something like what I have?

Homura was about to shake her head, but stopped and thought for a bit. She blinked in surprise at the conclusion she eventually came to. Actually, yes, it's remarkably similar. His… It's not a soul, technically, but… His soul is having a sort of disconnect with him and his body. It doesn't seem to like him anymore so it's trying to free itself. If it succeeds? He dies.

Will giving him cheese help?

The Valean let out a weak chuckle. No, I'm afraid it won't.

I think I understand why you're so worried now. But Nagisa's a strong girl! I'm sure I'll be okay with my new body. I'm sure that cube-guy will be okay too.

Another chuckle. His name is Kyubey, but yes, I'm sure you both will.

"Everything is synced and ready to go!" the speakers blared once more. "Proceed with the transfer operation!"

There was a surge of panic through their connection. It's starting!?

Yes. Homura pulled off her glove and brandished Madoka's soul gem at Nagisa. Are you ready?

No, I'm really scared! Can't you do this while I'm asleep or something!?

We can only do this if you're helping too, Homura said, projecting her mental 'voice' steadily. Madoka helped too, her soul gem radiating a soothing energy that slowed Nagisa's racing thoughts. Remember, both of us will be with you every step of the way.

There was a pause as Nagisa's emotions eventually settled into disquieted determination. I… Alright… Alright, Nagisa will help. What do we do?

You just need to remain calm and follow our lead. Your soul will have a new home that's not sabotaging itself very soon.

With that, Homura tapped into both Madoka's semblance and her own, tearing open a hole in space-time to reach for Nagisa's soul.

Many years ago, Beacon Academy Dorm…

It had been another week since the incident on the outer wall, and Homura felt like her connection with Madoka was starting to mend itself. The thoughts and emotions she sensed from the other end of the mental link were still faint and difficult to decipher, but they were nowhere near as unreadable as before. They'd eventually reach a point where that feeling of unity and belonging would return in full force.

Or at least, that was what Homura hoped.

"Hey, Homura."

Upon hearing her name, Homura looked up from her book. Madoka was on the other side of the room, practicing her aura reinforcement on one of her arrows.

"What is it?"

"I know you don't consider your childhood important," Madoka began, turning the projectile in her hand. "And I get that there wasn't really anything from that period of your life that's really worth remembering…"

Homura already didn't like where this was going, but she still prodded Madoka to continue. "…But?"

"But, what is worth remembering? What do you consider important?"

Homura suppressed the urge to scowl. "Can you give me a minute to think?"

The archer pursed her lips, but nodded, returning her attention towards her aura reinforcement practice.

Once Madoka was occupied, Homura let out a huff. She hadn't really thought deeply about this topic, despite it being the only thing she and Madoka had ever truly fought each other over. The unpleasant thoughts that it invited certainly didn't help. Still, she could freely admit that choosing not to examine those thoughts was a mistake on her part.

She looked around the room helplessly, hoping to find something that would allow her to better organize her thoughts.

Her eyes fell to her book, a field manual for one of the many vehicles the average huntress would be expected to operate. This was important to her, wasn't it?

And in the same vein, all of her weapons were important as well. They were considered extensions of her body, after all.

And there was also—

She shook her head. No, she was being too shallow. She already knew what Madoka was asking for, and it certainly wasn't any of that. It was something else—something deeper inside her. She just wasn't sure how she'd go about explaining it. While she liked to think she understood herself, she didn't understand nearly enough to put what Madoka wanted to know into words.

But if a direct feed into her thoughts and emotions wasn't enough for Madoka to understand, what would the point of explaining be? Using words would just further abstract from its true meaning.

So what was she supposed to say?

Feeling her frustration grow, Homura glanced at Madoka.

Whatever she felt immediately disappeared as her brows shot up to her hairline.

The archer's face was locked in an uncharacteristic frown as the arrow in her hands began to glow. She must have been channeling more aura into it than it could hold. Madoka's power had completely saturated the projectile's steel tip and polycarbonate shaft, threatening to spill out into the world.

Homura blinked as something clicked in her mind.

Aura. The energy of the soul. It was the reason Homura had decided to become a huntress—the reason she was still alive. It had been her lifeline when she was dying. It had been her hope when she was recovering. And now—

The glowing stopped as the aura finally overflowed, but instead of exploding, it formed a thin layer of crystalline powder on the arrow's surface.

"I see it," Madoka breathed softly, turning to Homura. Her face was unreadable, but for the first time in two weeks, the emotions Homura felt through their connection was clear as day. "I see something important to you: the day your aura was unlocked."

There was deep sorrow in her voice, but also palpable relief and wondrous joy. Homura understood why. She also saw the memory that Madoka saw: a man with ancient green eyes and an odd but kind smile pressing a finger onto her sternum. At first she had felt pain, then a strange power. Then he'd left her spellbound, with the words that every hunter in Vale must have heard at one point or another:

For it is in passing we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, Infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release thy soul so that it may protect thee, And that thou mayst live life anew.

Homura closed her eyes and sighed nostalgically at the recollection. "Yes, it was a momentous day for me," she admitted. "I spent all my life until then simply surviving. It was only afterward that I was able to actually live."

"That was the day you decided to become a huntress. The day you became… you."

Madoka looked back down at her crystalized arrow, tracing a line down her chest. Homura mimicked the gesture, feeling her fingers glide over her surgery scar.

"I think I understand now… Your worldview; our differences. All of those dreams."

Homura's brows rose in alarm. "Dreams? Were you getting prophetic visions like me?"

Madoka shook her head. "I have a lot of dreams where I remember events in my life that are important to me—and sometimes, because of our connection, I remember your memories instead of my own. I could never make heads or tails of them. They were always so… boring…? Like, one time, I dreamed of you and me practicing in the shooting range together. We had a drink afterwards and, for some reason, you paid so much attention to what kind of drink I liked."

"Honey lemon tea," Homura muttered. "That was the first time I updated my arsenal, back when we were freshmen."

"And this other time, I dreamed of you and me in the training hall. We wrestled for a bit and I ended up pinning you down."

A smirk. "That was the first day of our hand-to-hand combat lessons. You were a natural."

"And then there was this one where it was literally just the two of us in an alleyway and I was stomping in frustration like a petulant child. That was embarrassing."

A chuckle. "We had a mission to capture a high-profile burglar. We nearly had him, but he was willing to blow himself up to give us the slip. You were so mad he got away."

Madoka stood from her bed. "And they're all important memories—every single one, down to the littlest details." She took a step in approach. "Memories of you leading the life you've chosen for yourself: the life of a huntress. The life of my partner. The life of Homura Akemi."

Homura stood as well, angling her head warily. "And… is that something you can accept? Is the me I've chosen to be someone you can live with?"

"I don't know yet." The archer took another step forward. "But I'm willing to find out." Another step, then another. "You're Homura Akemi: my partner; my soul mate. My very best friend." She kept walking until she crossed the room, stopping when she was at an arm's length away. "But the Homura Akemi standing before me now wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the Homura Akemi you used to be."

"Madoka…"

"She chose to become you. She still is you. And you are important to me, Homura." She pulled Homura into a fierce hug. " And I mean all of you—present, future, and past. I'll value all of it, even if you don't value it yourself."

Homura almost laughed. "Of course you'd say that. If I won't do it, then you will?"

"Yes." The embrace tightened. "That's my answer to your question. I don't know if I'll ever be comfortable with this part of you—the part that discarded your past—but if you let me do this…? Then I suppose it'll have to be enough…"

"So be it, then," Homura closed her eyes, returning the embrace. "Thank you, Madoka."

"Don't thank me, Homura. Not for this."

End of Chapter

Thank you to picardyThird and Rose for beta reading this chapter!

Whoo boy, this chapter was a bit of a trip to write. Most scenes have gone through a rewrite or two and I have like three thousand words of unused scenes that I'm gonna have to adapt for a later chapter.

Relatedly, there's a lot of things the recent volumes of RWBY have done that I was actually planning on doing at some point down the line but RT beat me to the punch. The whole Fall of Atlas thing is one of them, for example. Thankfully, this fic is AU enough that I can get away with doing things in a unique enough way to feel fresh. That it won't involve Salem is the least of the differences I plan to have.

Anyway, the next chapter will be… at some point in the future, I guess? Once again, no promises on a quick update turn over. Thank you for your all of your patience, everyone.