Well, I was kind of getting the hang on how to use a scroll… after I asked Jaune to call Ozpin for me. Of course curiosity took the better of him and he just had to ask me what I needed from Ozpin at this time. I know, I know, it was pretty late and Ozpin was probably waiting for me, but I might be able to talk myself out of this. I sighed as Jaune handed me the scroll and the face of Professor Ozpin appeared.

"Mr. Arc, mind telling me why you are calling me at this time of—oh, Ramses, I wasn't expecting you… yet." Ozpin said, taking a sip from his mug. "Would you mind telling me why you called me on Mr. Arc's scroll? I thought I already gave you your own and—wait, never mind it's still here." Ozpin said while reaching for his side. He picked up a blue scroll and showed it to me. "Here you are." He said, holding the scroll out for me so I could see it. "If you come to my office we can discuss a few more things."

"Uhm, yeah, about that," I said, scratching the back of my head on a nervous manner. "Pyrrha and Jaune asked for my help and… well, I kind of told them I would help them."

"Oh, really, and what do they need help with?" Ozpin asked, leaning his head on his hands and staring at me with an amused look on his face.

"They needed help with… they needed help with, uhm—they need help! They just need help!" I replied.

"Yes, but help with what?" Ozpin asked.

"They need help!" I replied.

"But with what?" Ozpin asked, his tone rising slightly.

"I don't know, they didn't tell me. Probably on figuring out which condom size fits better, fuck if I know, man." I replied, shaking my head. "Listen I'm going to be a bit later. No worries, though, I'm still going to have that talk with you. I just have to help Pyrrha and Jaune first. I know this is a dick move of me to make, and I promise I will make it up to you. Just please don't be mad."

"I am not mad," Ozpin smiled, shaking his head. "It's good to see you are "bonding" with some of our students. Mr. Arc and Ms. Nikos are prime examples of students who want to better themselves so that they may one day fight for the survival of humanity."

"Soooo… I'm good to go?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes." Ozpin replied.

"Okaythanksbye!" I quickly said before turning off the scroll, breaking communication with Ozpin before handing it back to Jaune. "Have you ever thought to decorate your scroll? I mean you look like the kind of guy who likes those little diamonds you can buy for fifty cents at the pawn shop—diamonds that are made of cheap plastic, I mean. It'd look great."

"I never thought of that. Never going to happen too." Jaune replied, taking his scroll out of my hand and placing it in his pocket. "What did Ozpin want to talk about?" Jaune asked.

"Just some stuff about the bar." I replied.

"Isn't it a bit too late for that?" Jaune asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Isn't it a little late to go sparring?" I retorted. "Now listen you two, remember the rules. No kicking in the private areas. No weapons and no semblance—Pyrrha I'm looking at you." I said, lacing my hands on my chest. "I do not want to be crushed by your semblance or thrown away. And before you ask how I know of your semblance, just ask Goodwitch."

"I never imagined Professor Goodwitch would share o much info about the students here on Beacon." Pyrrha remarked. "But I guess you're right. No semblance it is, then. Are headlocks allowed?"

"Uhm… does it involve breaking my neck and causing nerve damage which will result in me being strapped to a wheelchair and having my ass wiped by four different nurses each day?" I asked. "Because I've been through some shit and I have seen some shit, I'll tell you that."

"As a bartender?" Pyrrha asked.

"No, as a nurse," I replied. I laughed silently before continuing. "Actually I'm not a nurse—I'm still in nursery school. But I've been on enough internships to know what kind of crazy shit can go down. The

Human body is fascinating, but also quite disgusting." I shivered, remembering how many people I had encountered with the weirdest diseases and illnesses I never could have imagined.

"So you're a nurse… well, studying. Why come to Beacon if you didn't finish your studies?" Jaune asked as we began to walk towards our destination. "Was it not what you thought it would be? Did something bad happen."

This was the part where I had to lie again. In all honesty all this lying was going to take its toll on me sooner or later. I can't remember all of the lies I've told, and I don't know how much Jaune will believe. While I'm a pretty good liar when I want to, I prefer telling the truth… well sometimes I do. Did I quit? No, I am still a student. And that brings me onto my next point. Tomorrow is Tuesday, which means that school starts again. Everyone must be wondering where me and Freddy are. Poor dad, he must be freaking out right now. But getting back on topic, or rather trying to dismiss it because my mouth just spills valuable information everywhere.

"I… I quit, yes." I lied. I can't just tell them that I didn't quit, they'll end up wondering why I am in Beacon in the first place again, and that will raise suspicions. "Some bad things happened during my internships, and I kept all of my emotions repressed because that's what they kind of teach you in nursery school. It's not uncommon for a nurse to cry when a patient they've known just dies… but you have to keep your private life and work life separated. If you don't then you're just going to bring yourself down further and further. I didn't realize it at first but… keeping my emotions repressed was something I shouldn't have done—or at least that's what my teacher told me when I asked him for advice."

"And if I may ask, what did your teacher tell you?" Pyrrha asked, turning her head towards me.

"He told me: Ramses... being a nurse isn't about grades, it's about being who we are. No book can teach you how to cry with a patient. No class can teach you how to tell their family that their parents have died or are dying. No Professor can teach you how to find dignity in giving someone a bed bath. A nurse is not about the pills or the charting. It's about being able to love people when they are at their weakest moments." I sighed, thinking back to that teacher. "That teacher was more than a teacher to me. He was my friend. He was someone I saw as an inspirational figure, and to this very day I still miss him with every passing second. He passed away because of a terrible disease, a disease he knew he had but kept secret from everyone… except his colleagues and one stupid student who just happened to walk by when he was telling his story because he forgot his books."

Pyrrha looked down at the ground, and I felt Jaune place a hand on my shoulder.

"I guess what he was trying to say… was that everything has its ups and downs. When you're like me, a nurse—or like you, Huntsman and Huntress in training, you are surrounded by death. Sometimes you have to accept it. But remember that you're still human. Sometimes we just tend to forget we're not walking machines. We try to do everything but then realize that we can't." I concluded, looking at the two students that walked beside me. "Like I said: I have seen some shit."

"I'm… I'm so sorry." Pyrrha said, shaking her head. "In all honesty I have never come close to death… well, except when fighting Grimm. But I've never actually see anyone die, and I am grateful for that." She looked at me. "But how do you do it? How do you continue to be you after seeing those things?"

"I don't know. I just do." I replied. "For some reason I just do."

Our trip to the sparring area went much more quiet after that…


As Freddy walked through the courtyard of Beacon Academy, he looked up at the sky and let out a long sigh of relief. Today had been a good day, and he and Ramses had been able to get some things done. Now he just needed to find his way back to their dorm. He knew his dorm—or rather their dorm was somewhere on the other side of Beacon. It was near the cafeteria, if he was not mistaken. He continued walking when a cold breeze entered the openings of his blouse. He shivered, but continued nonetheless.

"Ah, out for a late-night stroll?" A feminine sounding voice asked.

Freddy turned around, recognizing the sound of the voice. "Ms. Goodwitch, you're up late." Freddy commented, waiting for Goodwitch to walk up beside him before continuing his walk towards his room. "What's the occasion? Here to watch the sky?"

"I was just wondering where you were. You locked the bar, but I figured you might get lost, so I decided to search for you. Can't have our bartenders sleep outside." Goodwitch replied, smiling slightly. "I take it you had a good day today?"

"Yes, it was good. Could have been better, but I am not complaining." Freddy responded, shrugging.

"Where… is Mr. Ramses?" Goodwitch asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is he not with you? Is he lost or did you two get separated?"

"No," Freddy replied. "Ramses is just doing his own thing, like he always does. And please, just call him Ramses."

Goodwitch slowly nodded her head. "Yes. Well forgive me for asking but is he always this optimistic? Ramses, I mean."

"Ramses is one of a kind, I can tell you that much. Always there to help people out no matter who they are. Having trouble crossing the street? He'll gladly carry you. Heavy bags just too heavy to carry, he'll carry them. Heck, he once gave one of his friends enough money so he could buy some food, and didn't even ask for him to pay him back. He told that friend that having known him for four years was enough payment. So to answer your question: Yes, he is always this optimistic."

"And are there ever moments where he is… less optimistic?" Goodwitch asked.

"Sometimes. His childhood has been a roller-coaster with ups, downs, looping's, etc. But he always pulls through one way or another. Ramses is not the type of guy to have others solve his problems. He usually tires to solve them himself. There have only been two instances where Ramses openly asked me for help, and those two will remain with me and him until we die." Freddy replied. "Even though he may come off as rude, and stupid from time to time… he usually doesn't mean it. And I'm not just saying that because I'm his uncle. My nephew is a nice young man, he just has some secrets he'd rather not share with anyone anymore."

"So he shared those with you, then?" Goodwitch asked.

"Why do you think me and him are so close? He's told me enough, and I will not force him into telling me more. It would break his heart over and over again." Freddy replied.

Goodwitch nodded, placing her hands behind her back. "He is a rather interesting individual, and some students seem to have taken a liking into him as a friend. If he continued down this path he might be able to stop the things he knows of." She sighed before continuing. "I do wonder how things will turn out now that you two are here."

"As do I." Freddy replied, looking up at the sky. "You know what's funny? In our world our people have traveled the stars. We have been to our moon, we have traveled through space have built satellites that provide us with all the communication we need, and we have built the most amazing things. But then I look at this world and how it stands, I do wonder what would happen to us should those "Grimm" appear on Earth."

"From what Ramses told me your people would take care of the threat." Goodwitch replied. "Weapons of mass destruction, nuclear warfare and whatnot. It seems that every world has a war that must be won."

"Indeed." Freddy replied. "But as long as I'm not a part of it I am happy. I don't like using weapons—in all honesty I have never even shot one in my entire life, and I tend to keep it that way."

"A noble cause," Goodwitch commented. "But also quite foolish. But no matter, as long as you'll stay in Beacon you're safe and sound."

"That is good to hear." Freddy replied. "You know, for a woman you're pretty cool."

"I… thank you?" Goodwitch merely responded with a smile.


"We're here!" Jaune announced as we now stood on the balcony where he and Pyrrha always use to train—or to put it more logically, where Jaune usually gets his ass kicked.

And I will get my ass kicked too. So as of this moment Jaune and I are ass buddies. That is final. I sighed, looking at Jaune. "Okay, fair fight, Jaune. And by fair I mean it's you and me against Pyrrha. First one to pin the other one to the ground wins. You have to put them down for ten seconds, and after those seconds have passed you win. Got it?"

Jaune nodded. "I got it. Let's do this."

"You can use any means necessary to win, except for the things I warned you about. Anything is permitted except those things." I said

Pyrrha nodded. "Okay, let's do this, then."

I nodded and so did Pyrrha. She walked towards the edge of the balcony and readied herself in a battle stance, her fists on equal height and protecting her face as she placed her right foot forward. I looked at her with wide eyes before looking at Jaune and seeing he had taken a similar position. I gulped. "Jaune she's using some kind of testicle-crush move right there. Okay, so here's the plan, you go for her legs and I go for her arms. That way we pin her down and—oh God she's running I repeat she is running!" I moved behind Jaune, grabbing hold of his shoulders before pushing him into Pyrrha. Pyrrha dodged by side-stepping and circled around Jaune to deliver a quick kick to his legs, making him fall to the ground. Jaune hit the ground, a loud "oomph" leaving his mouth as he slowly pushed himself up, rubbing his sore behind.

I looked at Pyrrha and she looked at me. Yep, she was smirking, that never a good sign. Pyrrha darted towards me and delivered a kick to my legs, making me fall on my back. I grunted, my back now aching as I watched Jaune dart towards Pyrrha once more. Taking this opportunity I got up, only to fall to the ground again. My back stung like hell now. Damnit, I don't have any aura or healing shit like these guys do, so when I take a hit it hurts like hell. I looked at Jaune as he was pinned down by Pyrrha, trying to wiggle himself out of her iron grip. I slowly pushed myself up and walked towards the two, hoping that sneaking up to Pyrrha would give me an advantage. I tiptoed and when I reached the two Pyrrha had already counted to ten. Releasing Jaune she turned around and faced me directly.

"I uhh, I was just trying to get a better view of my surroundings." I said, rubbing my back. "Did you have to throw me that hard? That really hurt."

Her reply was another side-was kick to my legs, making me fall to the ground. Pyrrha then proceeded to sit on my chest, pinning my arms down and pushing. Damnit, there goes my dignity. I tried to push her off me, but to no avail. To make things worse she had already counted to five. I then thought of something I had seen Arnold Schwarzenegger do in one of his movies when he was in the same position. I rolled sideways, using my weight against Pyrrha. This worked as Pyrrha was caught off guard and I was now on top of her. "Okay, let's count shall we? One, two three four—fuck!"

I was caught off guard when Pyrrha used the same tactic I had just used. One of my arms was no pinned down while the other was behind her back, trying to pull her off me. She had started counting again, and she was already nearing six. I sighed, rolling my eyes. I was done for. And so was Jaune.

I am such a loser…

Unless… no, I can't, not the forbidden way. The way of the dark side, the way of pure evil.

I smirked.

SMACK!

Pyrrha let out an audible gasp of shock and looked behind her. Taking this opportunity, I rolled over and pinned her down. I counted until I reached ten and proceeded to get off the girl before turning to Jaune. "My mans, did you see those moves?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips. "Victory is ours!"

"Did you just smack my butt?" Pyrrha asked.

Oooh boy, I did not like the tone of her voice.