Chapter 12: The Ghost of You
"At the end of the world, or the last thing I see, you are never coming home..."
Weiss dragged a suitcase with her left hand, the square little thing rattling every time she took a step.
Students dressed in various colours swirled around them, the bullhead station of Patch filled to the brim. The swarm trickled, stepping on the dusty highway that led to Signal Academy.
The Atlesians were dressed in their signature grey. They shuffled along in a more or less straight line, flanked by Mistralians garbed in lively reds and greens. They bantered as loud as the colours of their uniforms. Certainly enough to flatten his extra pair of ears.
Those from Vacuo inserted themselves into the groups from Mistral and Atlas, their casual attires making them easy to spot. The Valeans from some sort of pharaoh academy walked ahead of the pack, dressed in brown uniforms with different accents.
Nex grinned, nudging her forearm. "Missed me?"
"Not even a little," Weiss said, flashing him a smile. "How did you get here before me?"
Nex shrugged, glancing around. Just to make sure they did not lose each other. He toned down his semblance, restricting its passive range to less than a feet.
It was buzzing because of all the weapons in the crowd—the one on the rocky sidewalk. Information overload was a bitch and a half.
Curse his semblance. Probably his brain too.
"I woke up early," Nex said, rolling his eyes.
Gods forbid. But it was true. Jaune Arc was surprisingly dedicated.
It was certainly a surprise to find our they stayed in the same motel. But all expectations were demolished when Vomit Boy knocked at four in the fucking morning, Crocea Mors in hand, begging for some well-deserved beat—ahem, training and aura.
It descended into a mindless routine for three days.
Train with Jaune in the entire morning. Explore Vale in the afternoon. Hang out in Junior's club in the evening. Yang even came back once or twice and shared some drinks. Jaune went along, embarking on a Vomit Boy adventure.
It turned out to be an almost fatal mistake. The two blondes had to be pried from each other when Jaune spilled a little nasty on Yang's hair. Fun times, but not something a sane man would recommend repeating.
Weiss gasped, grinning as she held her right hand over her chest. Probably feigning a heart attack. "Who are you and what did you do with my partner?"
Touche.
What happened to the woman who could not even get a pun to save her life?
"I guess he's gone. Replaced by aliens," Nex said. "Where's our dog?"
Weiss stepped to the right, dodging a stray bicycle. The one probably abandoned on the road. Her bag almost crashed into another student.
Well, she must have been unused to the open countryside. Her fancy-looking bag bounced up and down on its bulky wheels.
But still, it was almost as if he was back in his hometown. Amariss would be there. Waiting in their cozy hut. The only difference was the bright, sunny weather and the presence of sand instead of snow.
"The school didn't tell you?" Weiss said, drawing a deep breath. "Atlas Primary will be in charge of safeguarding the project of its chosen representatives. Atlas Primary will collaborate with the other combat schools and set up the auditorium and the central square in a way that maximizes the available space for the festival activities and the different presentations."
Nex nodded. Same old Weiss. It made sense, at least. Maybe he missed the email because his scroll was flooded with messages.
Mekel could be surprisingly overprotective of his employees. Where surprisingly equated to annoying. Seriously, he was an adult. Not a kid. He could take care of himself.
"Did you memorize that off an email or something?" Nex said.
And of course, the answer was painfully obvious. This woman was his partner. Not replaced by aliens or something.
"Or something," Weiss said, flushing as sweat trickled down her cheeks. Well, their uniforms were made for cold weather. "I paraphrased it."
Nex reached into his duffel bag, pulling out his umbrella. The very same one that almost beat up a drunk birdbrain. A shame it was only an almost. "Here. I've got a trick."
His umbrella snapped open, casting a shadow over them.
Weiss scooted closer, her shoulder pressing against his.
Some of the other students stared at him with pointed eyes.
Hey, it was definitely not his fault they were unprepared for the island's heat. They should have brought enough tools, so that they were not caught off guard by any circumstance.
Weiss closed her eyes, smiling as her skin burned. Seriously, it was like she was turning into a tomato. It was really hot for her then. The cons of living a city life in Atlas.
"Thank you," Weiss whispered. "This is surprisingly gentlemanly of you."
"Surprisingly?" Nex said, quirking an eyebrow. "I'll have you know, this umbrella's been with me for ten years."
Since his mother's funeral, even. It would have been probably modified into a weapon, if not for the fact that a shield and umbrella combo seemed stupid.
Swords were definitely more practical.
Neo's parasol-fu was a rare exception. But then again, everything about the mute minx seemed to be a rare exception.
"It's good that you're prepared, then," Weiss said, nodding. "Preparation is something that our peers seem to lack."
True.
They seemed to be of one mind on that front.
Weiss glared at the more obvious students, their eyes zooming back to the road. "Some more than others."
She did not seem to notice she herself was unprepared. Either that, or Weiss Schnee chose to ignore the tiny fact.
Point for double standards.
By the time they arrived at Signal, half of the other students looked ready to collapse.
The bullhead station to and from the city of Vale was almost an hour's walk on the highway. Plus, the overgrown forest screaming monsters in the dark and the blazing, early-summer sun did little to help them stay on their feet.
Red eyes shifted between the leaves, and it was probably their sheer numbers that made the monsters hesitant to attack. Maybe that was the reason for this annual festival—flooding a place with enough trainees to scare off the weak but annoying Grimm.
The professors made them recall the house rules before they entered. Rules which were promptly shoved into a very dark place somewhere. Yep. That one.
Signal Academy.
Its marble spires reached for the clouds. Probably a signal that they were safe from the Grimm.
The academy's compound stood on the edge of the island. It was a long fall from the cliff side. And even then, it was doubtful anyone could survive the jagged spikes protruding from the clear waters.
"And so, ladies and gentlemen. Huntsmen and huntresses. We arrive at the much awaited Sanus Festival," the headmaster said, standing at the middle of the courtyard. "Welcome to Signal Academy. While our expansive facilities are open to each and every one of you, I do hope that you brought tents and camping equipment. As we all know, preparedness is the sure mark of a good huntsman or huntress. Food will be served in the academy's mess hall, after an hour when our very own students are dismissed from their classes.
"Do not be absent. Do not miss this opportunity to foster the bonds between the four kingdoms. And most importantly, do not hesitate to feel at home."
Nex blinked, nudging his partner's arm. It was quite the long speech. "The headmaster and I seem to agree on something."
Blasting that other headmaster's stuff led to a stern lecture about school rules and property damage.
Debatable.
It was called disproportionate retribution. If the headmaster wanted someone to blame, then he should have blamed his son.
Oh, wait.
Hard-on Silverstain was rotting away in a cold, dark cell somewhere. With his White Fang buddies. No one could possibly blame the headmaster for choosing to vent.
"Did you bring what the headmaster mentioned?" Weiss said, looking like she was in the middle of a panic attack. "Please tell me you did. You are the type of guy to be prepared for anything, aren't you?"
He smiled, the other students cheering as they dispersed into what was practically a field of grass. Signal Academy looked like the homey sort of place. Not the cold, urban bunker of Atlas Primary.
"I brought a big tent, sleeping bags, a portable dust stove," Nex said, dropping his camping bag on the dirt. It landed with a thud, kicking up a mushroom. "And probably some other stuff."
It was a testament to his packrat skills that every one of those fit with his acoustic guitar and his duds.
Weiss crouched, reaching for his bag.
"Wait. Let's find a nice tree first," Nex said. "Not a good idea to place a tent under direct sunlight."
Weiss arched her eyebrow, springing to her feet. "If you're sure."
Most of the other students were doing the same thing as his partner did.
Amateurs.
The heat would be unbearable after thirty minutes or so.
Nex stared at the tree in the secluded corner.
It looked comfy enough, its broad leaves casting shadows on the matty grass. And it did not look like as if something was in immediate danger of falling on their heads.
He squatted, plucking a strand of grass and taking a whiff. Bitter, with a hint of dried morning dew. Harmless.
A tall, three-story building stood right across them. Its open windows revealed a metric fuckton of students. Poor boys and girls sitting in bored, yawning little rows.
But still, the building would provide extra shade during the hours of the morning.
"Here should be fine," Nex said, smiling as his partner bent down and started rummaging through his bag. "You know, I can pitch the tent myself."
Weiss shook her head, her ponytail swaying in the breeze. "I can help. No, I want to help."
"Alright," Nex said. "So, you know how to pitch a tent?"
Weiss stiffened, halfway between pulling out a pole and putting it back in. "I must admit that I didn't deem it necessary to learn the skill."
Nex smiled, taking the pole. Their hands brushed—definitely the barbeque place. "Want me to teach you?"
If he was going to spare time to teach Jaune Arc the glorious art of sword and board, then he was going to teach Weiss how to pitch a tent. His partner was planning to become a serious huntress. Camping skills were a high necessity. Considering the urban jungle that was Atlas, it was understandable, even expected, that his partner was ignorant of such a skill.
But it was never too late to learn. If it was, then people would not change.
Nex grinned at the dome-shaped roof, sighing as he buried his nose into the groundsheet, sucking at the grass through the smooth, waterproof fabric.
There was no other feeling like it in the world.
Nex flapped his arms, touching the tent's central pole. He poked the cute, dust-powered lamp attached to it.
Honestly, he could have closed his eyes and fallen asleep on his stomach, if not for the pair of black stockings looming over him.
"Thank you for taking the time to teach me," Weiss said, her hand parked on her prim waist. "But what exactly are you doing?"
Nex sighed, taking another long, deep breath. "Smelling the grass through the groundsheet. It's a cathartic activity."
Not that his partner would understand, since this was evidently her first time.
"Whatever you say, Nex," Weiss said, heaving a sigh. Right. "Classes were dismissed a few minutes ago. We should go to the mess hall."
Sad.
The groundsheet was glorious.
But still, he pushed himself to his feet.
"Oh, wow," Yang Xiao Long said in all of her blonde glory. When did she get here? "That's kinky."
"Yang!" the girl said in the shrill, hyper voice of the mascot on that cookie commercial. The one displayed on the giant billboards of Atlas. "I'm sorry, my sister doesn't really engage her brain."
Weiss. Yang. And a girl with red on her uniform.
Silver eyes blinked. They shimmered like mercury. Stars against the night sky.
"Excuse me?" Weiss said, her voice climbing. "Who are you and what are you doing inside our tent?"
The Weiss-bomb exploded, freezing everyone within a five-foot radius.
But it was definitely the silver-eyed stare freezing his limbs solid.
Shards of glass cracked somewhere, spiralling into nothingness.
Amariss. Qrow. Summer.
Nex rubbed his forehead, his eyes half-shut. He groaned, shaking the cobwebs away, even as his semblance screamed. Sweat stuck to his skin, the accursed heat urging him to collapse, sleep, and never wake up again.
"Hey, Nex," Yang said. "You alright there?"
Nex sighed, trying to plaster a smile on his chapped lips. And probably failing. "I'm fine. Just a bit... tired from all the walking."
"You know these misfits?" Weiss said, glaring at their definitely unannounced guests. "How could you just barge in like this?"
Yang smiled, her lips twitching. "Hey, we're not misfits. Sorry for not knocking, okay? I just wanted to check on my friend over there."
Nex tore his eyes away from the red-cloaked girl. The girl who looked so much like Summer.
Summer Rose.
Nex gestured at his partner. "This is Weiss Schnee. My partner. Weiss, this is Yang Xiao Long and..."
Yang never missed a social cue. Not in The Club and certainly not in Signal.
"This is Ruby. Ruby Rose," Yang said, winding her arm around the quiet girl's shoulders. "She's my cute little sister. Say hi, sis."
"Hi," Ruby said, smiling as she waved at them. "Guys."
Weiss smoothed her features, managing to resemble a still winter. It was textbook political training in action. Admirable, if not for the narrowing of her eyes. "While I'm sure that it's a pleasure to meet you and your sister, the headmaster requires our presence in the mess hall. If you'll excuse us."
"That's great," Yang said, rolling her eyes. "We can take you there."
The blonde brawler offered no real avenues of escape. It was either come with them, or blow them off entirely.
Picking a fight with Yang simply because Weiss did not like the unfamiliar pair was stupid. Besides, Yang was his friend. Admittedly, a new friend. But a friend nonetheless.
The jury was still out on the silver-eyed girl who failed to say anything, and who brought back flashes of that night.
Ruby Rose.
Summer Rose.
Silver eyes.
But still, whoever her mother was, his personal woes were not the girl's fault.
"Weiss, they're students from Signal," Nex said, poking his partner's arm. "I'm sure they can show us around."
Practicality would win over her anger.
His partner snapped quickly, but she would cool as long as no real offense occurred. Surely she was intelligent enough to understand the value of what he was proposing.
Weiss frowned, shooting him a sideways glance. "If you're sure, Nex. My partner and I will follow your lead."
By follow, his partner meant exactly that.
Ruby and Yang walked ahead, the blonde brawler whispering something to the silver-eyed girl.
Other students passed them on the paved pathway, wasting their breath on pointless chatter.
His wolf ears flattened on his scalp, trying to limit the amount of stimuli entering his brain—the casualty of a freak migraine.
Weiss placed her hand on his arm. "Are you okay? You seemed disturbed when you saw them."
Disturbed was an understatement.
"I'm fine," Nex muttered. "Just a bit tired."
Where tired equated to being dead on his feet. Buried six-feet under. While still alive and breathing.
Weiss frowned, her fingers squeezing his forearm. "Then let's eat. So we can freshen up and rest."
Yep. That idea was golden.
The sun dipped into the forest, casting the academy in darkness. Lights flickered between the shadows and the leaves and the trees.
Not the red eyes of Grimm, but fireflies on near-invisible twine lighting up the perimeter.
In Atlas Primary, it would have been lines of cold lampposts and surveillance cameras.
The mess hall stood before them—a torch-lit stadium. One big enough to store hundreds of students.
He wanted to ask their tour guides exactly why Signal Academy had a gigantic mess hall, easily bigger than the one at Atlas Primary. But it would have been the start of looking gift horses in the mouth.
A questionable habit.
One that led to paranoia and sleepless nights—more nights than usual.
Yang and Ruby joined them at their table, the blonde hogging most of the conversation.
Weiss nodded along and asked questions about Signal Academy. As expected of his partner.
Ruby entered the conversation once or twice, but only when someone asked her a direct question. Particularly the ones about herself.
"So, Nex," Yang said. "You never did tell us how good you are in a fight."
Nex shrugged, stabbing a slice of roasted beef. "Should I have?"
There was no point in telling them how good he was in a fight.
Talk was cheap.
His weapons spoke louder than he ever could, talking through monsters and people alike.
"Well. Ruby's really interested in your swords," Yang said. "She's kind of a weapons nut."
Ruby mumbled something into her bowl of stew, the spiced meats offering no reply. "Weapons are an expression of their owner. They could say stuff we can't."
"That's true. There's no substitute for a good weapon," Nex said, smiling as the silver-eyed girl seemed to sit a little straighter. "But I think books come to a close second. Right, Weiss?"
Yang blanched, but she ducked behind the piles of food on her plate. Almost managing to hide her expression, even. A good effort, considering that apparently no one else saw it.
Weiss nodded, smiling as she shot him a sideways glance. "I agree. A good book can take you places that you've never been before."
She seemed like she wanted to say something more, but she stopped, reconsidered, and promptly busied herself with her food.
Oh well, oh well.
Apparently, both of them were pretty quiet when it came to other people.
"I'll show you my swords later," Nex said, staring through her silver eyes. "You want to spar?"
Ruby smiled. A shy little thing. "Yep. I mean, nope. Sanus Festival has a tournament for pairs. Me and Yang want to enter. Sorry."
"Yep. We're so going to win this thing," Yang said, grinning as she planted her fist into her palm. "Nothing personal, Broody Face. But you and Weiss can say goodbye to winning."
Weiss looked up from her dish.
No. Oh gods, no. Anything but this.
Yang managed to hit the one button that could make his partner do anything short of jumping off Atlas.
Nex wanted to mourn his plans of lying on the grass, closing his eyes, and dreaming of the clouds, but his partner would barely give him the chance.
Screw Yang.
If he was going to be dragged into this, then he might as well show up Qrow by trashing his cute little nieces in the tournament. He pushed the spike birdbrain's office alcohol supply with laxative scheme to the back of his brain.
Maybe next time.
Weiss nudged his calf with a hard shoe. "Oh, I wouldn't be so sure. Nex, we are also participating, aren't we?"
Nex smiled, his brain preparing a eulogy for his murdered shut-eye. "Do you really want to? I mean, we're already representing Atlas in the dust fair. Shouldn't we—"
"That wasn't a question, Mr Shade," Weiss said, flashing him a smile, even as her eyes sharpened. Poking holes into a certain blonde. "We're going to participate. And we're definitely going to win."
Nex sighed. Caught between sleep and this woman. His partner, even.
Troublesome.
Yang smirked and dragged her finger across her neck, whispering something about whips.
Fun trivia: Nexus Shade's main character theme is Pareidolia by Haken. Seriously, it sums up almost everything about him. Go on. Give it a listen. It's great.