Time for some of the action to die down for a bit after a big scale fight like last chapter. At last, it only took 16 chapters to reunite Touma and Accelerator. Obviously those two are BFFs. As a reminder, for the time line, the breach happened even earlier than in canon, so some people were missing, but that simply means they will have to find out what happened later. I noticed last chapter breached the 50 review mark and that surprised me. This story was originally just a side project when I came up with the idea. I had no idea it would become my most popular story. Secretly, I think it's because there are more RWBY fans than Index. Anyways, because now I can diverge from the canon storyline quite a bit, interesting things will happen involving interactions between the RWBY cast and Touma and Accelerator. Also, everyone seemed to enjoy the cliffhanger. I should make more.

Mrcrazyman94: It's pretty obvious what it is. As there is no real evidence what would happen in a lot of situations involving Semblances, I have a lot of leeway.

Artyom-Dreizehn: Kami-Yan Disease is running rampant. Who shall fall to it next?

Mr. Self-Deprecation: I write when I can. Nice way to have fun and get away from reality. I now appreciate all the work others due to keep out updates constantly.

Pasapack: Who's going to believe him? He saved two of the girls already and no one senses anything weird.

shiroryuu012: It does seem that way.

LL: That's pretty much the gist of it. What would you do if a giant dragon started to emerge next to you? Actually, to keep negative emotions to a minimum, housing and medical bills are probably kept pretty low. More poor equals more depression. There could totally be a version of that with Coco and Yang looking to embarrass someone.

Myeyes: Some of the paragraphs are a little long, but it's usually descriptive ones. None looked that bad on word where I write it. Were you using mobile?

alaude hibari: That has been accepted.

Timber: I try to keep the chapters about the same. Making them too long gets kind of tedious. You will find out the answer, though it's kind of obvious. Salem will know about it. Remember, she got a magician to join her.

Guest: I don't think Accelerator knows the specific name of the disease, but I'll have to check. Hmm, I thought of a funny scene involving Accelerator doing just that and walking away after complaining about locking doors. Need to show off Jaune's Ladykiller moves. Maybe he and Touma could visit the twins.

Zenkichi: Pretty sure it was stated what exactly it is. No one else seemed to be able to give others their Aura, or at least what has been shown.

Guest: Didn't think he did, but he knows Touma has a bunch of girls fawning over him after he returned in NT.

The 10th Wand: Wish I could claim credit for most of them, but the readers are really creative. Ruby Rose has a flower in its name, where nectar comes from. Touma also purifies with his right hand. Gods were known to drink only the purest nectar. Going to be even funnier with Coco when they talk about who won.

Bluejack222: More specifically, something within him.

RedBurningDragon: Well… without spoiling stuff in NT, Accelerator has kind of changed since WWIII. He also understands what it means to face Touma.

dickythamrin077: The Fox thing had been planned for a long time. No hiding your inner demons, Touma.

ParadoxVictor: The dust healing has caused his body to begin to experience real puberty. He's not going to be able to act stoic all the time anymore. Bigger is always better. Lancaster is a good ship. IT would eat Accelerator. Accelerator loses to just the IB. Hmm, maybe I should delay updates to make you suffer more. Nah, it's only like 2-3 weeks.

The Rupture: I plan to use something like that. It's tough to balance what we know and what I want to describe. It's got to make sense to a degree, but still have the mystery of what it is exactly. Touma is the apex predator masquerading as a herbivore to get near its prey. It all makes sense. Your comments pretty much is the reason the first part of this chapter exists.

Tecpatl: I write when I can.

Guest: Well, if someone can see past the harmless exterior…

Gamator: Timeline is a little off, so the breach happened even earlier. It's going to lead to some interesting things with them when they figure out what all happened.

Phoenix 7.49: Hey, I enjoy the tears of suffering. This chapter ends on a funny note. Accelerator's awakened state isn't a living entity inside his soul. He detected something though. The bet is going to be pretty hilarious when it's brought up again. Touma attracts Grimm too. They just don't get TOO close. That obliviousness is why Roman face palms a lot when Touma asks about Neo's behavior. It was fun for Coco. Shipping doesn't have to be realistic. Emerald is the one who seems like the perfect candidate for a Touma punch.

Ahsoei: I shall bring Zwei back soon. Last Order needs a partner in crime. What he saw… (See chapter below)

Sergio644: Touma is currently blocking a tunnel. He can hardly leave.

Guest (WiliamZ0): Someone seems happy. At this point, the battle is already won. Yeah, kind of disappointed it wouldn't. Jaune had so much potential. It's too early for IT to appear fully. I only use it for very important events. I loved that meme. Why yes, Aqua is a normal magician. You are reading a lot of what I had planned with how Touma's Aura works with the IB and IT. Seriously, you pretty much nailed what I was going for. I figured someone would, but not that perfectly. The thing with WR was WR erased the IB, but IT was not affected. What does that mean? Does IB wish for a new world but IT wants this one? Dark Touma will not appear, unless he's corrupted by Grimm or something. Ignore small things for plot points. He had private lessons. Rationalize it how you want.

Guest: 1) Hard to tell sometimes. It could be area of origin. It's like Color and Colour. Both are technically right, but one is used in America and the other in other English countries.

Formboy1: Nah, it's all an act. Touma's going to kidnap Blake and Ruby for Roman. Oh god, no… just… no. Only a couple. Jaune is there to snag the hearts of a few. He can't keep up attacking forever. Dust healing is different and affects him slightly. Okay, I can accept that reasoning. It made the list.

IlluminatiAnimeLover789: It's kind of interesting in a way. With Remnant being in a constant state of war against the Grimm, it makes sense for many women to be attracted to stronger guys. Accelerator isn't used to girls actually standing up and bantering with him. Stronger, confident girls will be more attracted to his personality. They can also safely assume he's not after them just for looks or money. Hectic doesn't have to mean bad. It just means your time is your limited resources.

A certain guest: Most of the fan base thinks he is blind due to his white eyes. I just rolled with it. I know pure magic is a myth, but Aura always seems supernatural. Mixing of dust is perfectly science, since even people without unlocked Aura. The individuals who combine Aura with Dust make that kind of grey line. I plan to call them dust mages. Aura can hardly be called scientific and, when you combine that with chemicals such as dust to get weird affects, strong blurry area. The water magician will have to start over. Remnant will not follow the same flow of things like leylines. It will be completely different and he will have to learn that. Salem could help him to a degree, but his ultimate use is to give Salem and her army something more. Think of the amount of work it took to make Last Order and the sisters to scatter them around the world. The magician was just piggy backing off that. He also would have done countless things on his own to get to that point. That scene was just made to give a reason as to why Touma, Accelerator, and Last order arrived on Remnant.

Well, someone will come eventually, but the time limes may not be synced. One day in AC may be a week on Remnant. Aleister also has to find out where they landed. That blast could have sent them to countless dimensions. Info on Fox's reaction is covered in this chapter. Touma will have that experience at some point. Ruby will have some weird emotions in this story. She is in the middle of puberty after all.

Inacio: Eh, she can have both because she is that awesome. They could ask Touma about his past. No one says they can't. If he attends history class with everyone, he could learn things.

Toumaboy384: Which part specifically?

Croniklerx: Semblances are unique to each individual. ACIP is still going strong, but I feel this story is surpassing it. Maybe because I have gained a lot of experience. Index was left off at a very bad place. It practically screamed for a season 3. Dang, I missed a perfect opportunity to have Lessar instead of Last Order. Neo and Lessar would have been the ULTIMATE duo in teasing. I can guarantee this is not that last we see of poor Neo. She's way to fun to leave behind. I'll make it up by putting more Touma in the next few. He met up with the rest of the cast now, so he gets more time. Blind people are more attune to everything around them and you hear stories of swordsman use their sixth sense. Fox just takes that to a new level with his Semblance. No Touma x Roman names? Haha.

Jonathan Ngoh: Sometimes the obvious escapes us all. With suspicion most likely. No one else has a reason to not trust Touma. Accelerator killing Grimm won't freak people out. They already have a rough idea of his power. Letting Grimm destroy themselves on his deflection is a perfectly viable strategy. Nah, the situation won't force him to do that. It's more of an alternative win condition. Dance will happen because I want so much teasing there. Blake would hate Noukan because she hates dogs.

Salishious: Maybe Yang wants Accelerator?

SpiderhunterXXX: Then I did my job.

Purrple Cate: The reason the magician joined Salem was to help balance the power. Can't just give the good guys two OP people to help out and expect things to continue like normal. Many ships will sale, but many will sink shortly afterwards.

Tsun: Hey, Touma still fears everything. He just does things despite that fear.

YeTianshi: I would ship Accelerator and Raven ONLY to see Yang's reaction. Maybe, if the situation requires it.

Handsomistic1: Wait! There's the perfect opportunity soon.

Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or RWBY.


"I'm glad everything worked out, Ozpin. If there had been any indication of something like that occurring, I would have sent out a detachment. But there are still many questions that need answering."

"The breach has been sealed up," Ozpin replied and leaned back in his chair. He sipped at his coffee and looked at the man on the screen in front of him. The man on the screen was standing and had his arms behind his back. Like Ozpin, he was well dressed, though mainly in white instead of black. He wore a white overcoat, with a gray undercoat, black sweater, a red necktie, and a white glove on his right hand. His suit pants shared the same color as his overcoat and are tucked into silver boots. His hair was black, with some silver and gray areas, while his eyebrows are solid black. He had a strip of silver metal above his right eyebrow. The man's name was James Ironwood and he was the headmaster of Atlas Academy, along with a General in the Atlesian military. "And the Vale council has requested additional military presence from your forces, especially with the Vytal Festival Tournament beginning this year. What more do you wish to discuss?"

"I will ensure my forces still allow Vale to operate normally and safely," James said and then his expression grew stony. "There was some footage I obtained of the battle and a couple things stood out."

"What might they be?" Ozpin asked and sipped his coffee again.

"The Vale Council was kind enough to provide what camera evidence was available of the fighting." James's picture shrunk and moved to a corner to allow another image to pop up. Ozpin saw a Death Stalker pushing Jaune Arc and Ruby Rose back, before a white and black blur fell from the sky and crushed the Grimm. Debris flew everywhere from the impact and then the dust blew unnaturally away to reveal Accelerator standing on top of the Death Stalker, completely unharmed. He continued to stand there as the Grimm attacked, only for them to be broken apart when they made contact with him. Ozpin knew about Accelerator's power and, after seeing it utilized against the Grimm so effectively, he was once again pleased of his decision to send him.

"The children on the scene," James continued. "Did an admirable job holding back the Grimm flowing into the city, but this boy in particular stood out. He arrived with the backup you sent while Vale security was mobilizing."

"Ah," Ozpin said, choosing not to reveal too much information at this time. "Mr. Accelerator did perform quite well. This was his first mission in the field and he passed with flying colors."

"Indeed." James gave a short nod. "So he is one of your students?"

"He is currently a student at Beacon, yes," Ozpin confirmed. "Why do you ask?"

"The way he fights," James pointed out and the image zoomed in on Accelerator. "It's rather undisciplined and unlike any Hunter or Huntress in Training I have seen. Half the time, he's not even attacking. It doesn't even look like he is defending. He simply allows the Grimm to attack him and they take the damage instead of him."

"Mr. Accelerator unlocked his Semblance at a very early age," Ozpin stated. "A very powerful one as you just witnessed. Thus, he never bothered to learn how to properly fight with a weapon except for an occasional small handgun. I hope to rectify that during his stay here."

"That does explain it," James responded with a nod. "It's both a blessing and a curse. Over-reliance on one power has caused the downfall of many potential Hunters and Huntresses. No power is invincible."

"I agree." Though, Mr. Accelerator might disagree. He's already adapted to dust and normal Grimm are no threat to him. She won't take this lying down once she discovers him. Ozpin sipped his coffee. "James, we both know that while Mr. Accelerator's Semblance is indeed powerful, it did not warrant the questions you are asking. You want to ask about something else and are just trying to lead to your main point. It's okay to be direct here." Of course, if James finds out Mr. Accelerator doesn't have an Aura, things could get a lot more troublesome. Perhaps that could be rectified.

"Ever observant as always, Ozpin," James sighed. "It's one of the reasons I respect you so much. Yes, while impressive, that boy is not the subject of my… curiosity." The image of Accelerator's fight changed to a picture of Jaune standing against another Death Stalker. Ozpin's eyes narrowed and he set his coffee cup down. He had a vague idea of what to expect, due to some information provided by Team RWBY, but actually seeing the footage was a sight to behold.

A Grimm acting terrified.

Ozpin had lived long enough to see Grimm retreat, usually the pack animals like Beowolves who had lost their leader or when Salem orders them back for one reason or another. He had seen the beasts convulse in pain when someone breaks their bones, but what he saw now removed any doubt in his mind. The Death Stalker, a rather fearsome Grimm, tried to scuttle away in fright at something. It moved in a way it would normally have never tried and tripped as a result. A second later, a boy appeared on screen, running toward the Grimm with his hand outstretched. The boy touched the Death Stalker's leg and it vanished.

A large Grimm vanished without a trace.

Sure, a large dust explosion could do something similar, but to actually remove a Grimm from existence without any noticeable force was a feat Ozpin had not seen. He never doubted what his students saw. He only wanted to see it himself. This power of his, could easily change everything. The silence lengthened. Neither James nor Ozpin wanted to go first. James wanted to see Ozpin's reaction, while Ozpin didn't want to give up any information that could put the boy in harm's way. Although James was a good person and meant well, he could easily get overzealous. With no answer coming, James continued.

"How would you explain this?"

"It seems he can destroy Grimm with a single touch," Ozpin commented.

"You know that isn't what I'm referring to!" James responded, a lot louder than he meant to. A quick cough and his calm demeanor returned. "Destroying the Grimm, while impressive, is not the point. I am referring to its action to the boy approaching it. The way it retreated, to even trip over itself… that is not usual for a Grimm. It appeared… afraid."

"I have to agree with you on that," Ozpin said seriously.

"If that wasn't weird enough," James continued and fast forwarded the video for a moment. "There is this." Ozpin observed the boy run into the horde of Grimm. The Grimm then parted in his path, desperate not to remain near him, which allowed the boy to dive into the breach. This was not usual Grimm behavior. For them to actively ignore a person right in front of them was unheard of. Ozpin crossed his fingers under his chin and gaze at the scene. "Again, it looks like the Grimm actively avoid him. Still, I could attribute this reaction to a number of things, until I saw this." The video switched again to show a tunnel. Ozpin first noticed his students standing near each other in the abandoned subway tunnels.

Then his eyes focused on the wall of Grimm in the background.

Standing in front of them was the same boy James had been observing. His hand was outstretched in front of him while he slowly walked forward. Ozpin's eyes widened ever so slightly. The students had given him a first person description of this event, but this was much more than what they recalled. He could see smaller Grimm trying to climb their way over larger Grimm to escape. Larger Grimm were shoving smaller ones out of the way. There was no doubt this time. Grimm were afraid of the boy. Ozpin sipped his coffee and thought quickly.

"A rather impressive ability," Ozpin commented. "And a smart plan. He blocked the tunnel to prevent Grimm from continually flooding into Vale and started to push them out. Thanks to his planning, Vale security was able to seize control and block off the breach-..."

"I read the reports," James interrupted. "No one doubts his heroic actions. What I want to know is who that boy is and what is that ability? What kind of Semblance can actually ward off Grimm?"

"He's a friend to some of my students," Ozpin explained. "And has been in the area the last few days."

"Ozpin," James said slowly and deliberately. "Who is that boy?" Ozpin frowned slightly.

"I'm not sure what you want me to say, James."

"The second I saw what he was capable of," James elaborated. "I had my men searching for him." He picked up an empty folder and threw it off the table on his end. "Nothing! In all four kingdoms, there is no information on anyone with that power or a registered citizen who fits his description." James sighed, turned around, and paced for a moment. "Do you know where he comes from?"

"From what I understand," Ozpin said. "He does originate from outside of the kingdoms. Circumstances brought him here."

"And then he got caught up in the breach," James finished and Ozpin chose not to correct him at this time. "What happened to the kid? Last I heard, he left with your students before getting interviewed." James stared directly at Ozpin. "I wish to speak with him when I arrive at Vale and extend the opportunity to join Atlas Academy."

"You may be one step behind then," Ozpin said with a small smile. "I already offered him a place at my school and I'm waiting for a reply."

"Sneaky," James commented. "But not unexpected. Anyone in our positions would not pass up an opportunity to possess a power like that. Still, I would still like to speak with him about what he did. An interest, if nothing more."

"Of course," Ozpin agreed with a nod. James, we both know you want his power for military purposes. I do agree there is potential in that boy, but we don't understand it fully. It takes time to nurture and if he is willing to accept the responsibility. "Is there anything else?"

"No, that is all," James replied. "I'll be in Vale in a few days to talk with you in person. This breach that happened, there's more behind it than just a White Fang terrorist attack."

"You and I are in the same mind," Ozpin agreed solemnly. "Goodbye, James." The call disconnected and the screen went dark. Ozpin sighed and rubbed his head for a moment, before turning and facing two other people in the room. Glynda and the boy involved in the previous discussion, Touma Kamijou. "I'm sorry you had to sit through that," Ozpin apologized to Touma. "James can be… impatient over matters of security."

"I understand," Touma said quickly and held up his hands. "It's easy to imagine how much work it would take to protect cities from the Grimm."

"You're too kind," Ozpin said with a smile and turned to Glynda. "Can you check on the others? I doubt they will be content waiting without some kind of update."

"Of course," Glynda said with a nod. "There better not be a repeat of the last cafeteria incident or they aren't getting off with just cleaning." Ozpin chuckled slightly.

"Most likely they want to hear updates on the situation in Vale and of our guest." Ozpin gestured to Touma. "They can leave at any time, but if one or two would stay behind, Mr. Kamijou will need a guide and I believe…" He turned to Touma. "Apologies if I'm wrong, but Mr. Accelerator does not seem like the type of person to willingly show you around." Touma actually laughed at this.

"No, you're right."

"Very well." Glynda stood up to leave. Right when she reached the door, she turned around. "What about sleeping arrangements? I doubt Mr. Kamijou has living quarters arranged now that…well…" Her words trailed off.

"A room has opened up and we can allow him, along with Mr. Accelerator and Miss Order, to take residence there for now. I think they will be happy to have their own beds." Glynda nodded and left.

"Excuse me, Professor Ozpin?" Ozpin turned to Touma.

"Yes?"

"What you said earlier," Touma pointed out. "About joining your school. Was that true or was that just to keep me from getting involved in politics between the kingdoms?" Ozpin sipped his coffee.

"We have a lot to talk about."


"Are you ever going to tell us what you meant back in the tunnel, Fox?"

Team RWBY, JNPR, CFVY, and Accelerator were sitting in an empty classroom waiting to be informed on what was going to happen now. The rest of the student body at Beacon was doing whatever they could to find out news on exactly what happened, so Ozpin and Glynda made sure they were separated until all questioning was finished. What Coco was referring to with her question was what Fox has called Touma in the tunnel. Before Fox had a chance to explain his odd choice of words, the Atlesian Knights began to descend into the tunnels. Upon detection of the Grimm, they rushed forward and the echoes of gunfire made conversation impossible. After that, everyone was ushered out and relieved of duty by the arrival of Glynda, Ozpin, and several commanders of Vale's military. All three teams and Accelerator were questioned extensively before they were released. Touma and Ozpin had mysteriously disappeared, much to the complaints of several of them. Their questions had to wait until now.

"You couldn't tell something was off about that… thing…at all?" Fox asked in shock.

"Don't insult him like that," Ruby protested and Blake narrowed her eyes.

"He did help us out of a Grimm situation," Yang pointed out, soliciting boos from many of the onlookers.

"Wasn't he just a normal kid?" Velvet asked.

"Besides the awesome power of repelling Grimm!" Nora added.

"Maybe it's because they understand… what he is," Fox said and his voice shook slightly. Coca raised an eyebrow. Fox was not an incredibly emotional person.

"So tell us," Weiss said and crossed her arm. "Actually, start with how you could even tell something like this?"

"Fox's Semblance," Yatsuhashi said. "Allows him to see the world around him without sight. People, animals, plants, Grimm, he can detect them. With training, he can even see inanimate objects." He turned to Fox. "I take it there was something… off about his spirit?"

"That's putting it lightly," Fox said through gritted teeth. "Accelerator was different enough, but the world's a big place, that kid… how could he even exist on Remnant?" Accelerator looked up from his scroll for a second and then went back to downloading music. He couldn't care less about what everyone was talking about.

Team RWBY and JNPR, however, shared a look.

Coco did not miss this.

"Okay," she said and pointed a finger from one team to the other. "You know something. Spill it."

"Well," Jaune answered, cowering slightly under Coco's fierce gaze. "Accelerator and Touma, that's the guy's name by the way, are from really far away and only recently arrived in Vale. It's kind of why their powers are unique." Ozpin had advised them all about telling who Touma and Accelerator really were, so they had to make up a cover story.

"Jaune is right," Pyrrha added. She didn't like to lie, but she occasionally did to spare someone's feelings. This time, it wasn't a lie. Another world could be considered far away.

"Okay…" Coco knew they were still hiding something. "Do you guys know where that guy is from? It seems kind of coincidental that he just happened to be there when the breach occurred." Even Accelerator glanced up, curious to what the others would say. He wasn't going to volunteer any information and if they asked him, he would ignore them. The others all looked uncomfortable and Ruby was fidgeting in her seat.

"He was being used by Roman Torchwick and the White Fang," Weiss answered at last. The response was instantaneous.

"Weiss!" Blake snapped.

"Weiss!" Ruby cried out in shock.

"What the hell, Ice Queen!?" Yang added.

"It's a secret!" Nora yelled and Ren clamped his hands over her mouth.

"Secret?" Velvet asked and tilted her head in confusion.

"Kind of," Jaune admitted and rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm just going to tell her what I told Ms. Goodwitch," Weiss reassured her team.

"What exactly did you say?" Blake asked through gritted teeth.

"What was needed to be told," Weiss answered.

"Remember what Ozpin told us," Ruby whispered and Velvet's ears twitched. Weiss nodded and turned back to Coco.

"So what happened?" Coco asked.

"Touma Kamijou," Weiss continued and she could feel everyone's eyes on her. Please, like I haven't learned to tell people only what they need to know. It's almost like they don't trust me. "Has the ability to repel and destroy Grimm, though his power revolves around negation. He can also negate Semblances on touch." She avoided saying Aura. "You might have noticed when they wouldn't approach him willingly." Team CFVY gave various degrees of acknowledgement, with Fox barely twitching his head. "Once Torchwick found that out, he tricked Touma into working for him. As Arc said, he comes from an area outside of the four kingdoms and doesn't fully understand the political climate here. From what we found out, before the breach, he was under the impression Torchwick and the White Fang were only stealing dust to protect Faunus villages." Weiss sighed. "It was only after the train explosion released Grimm into the city, he understood what really happened and helped us defeat the Grimm."

"But why is that a secret?" Velvet asked.

"Until Ozpin can clear up the mess," Weiss continued. "Touma is still a suspect for breaching Vale and working with a terrorist organization." Blake flinched slightly. "I trust Ozpin is discussing with the Vale Police Department about leniency. Unwittingly or not, he was helping them."

"Make sense," Coco agreed. "Wrong place at the wrong time."

"Accelerator didn't know much about Vale either," Yang added with a grin and flipped her hair at him. "We had to give him a crash course." Accelerator responded with a very rude gesture.

"Someone like you couldn't teach anyone, anything," Accelerator snapped.

"You know you love us," Yang teased.

"I would love to throw you through a wall," Accelerator replied.

"I've done that before," Nora said beaming.

"It was the roof, Nora," Ren corrected.

"Ah, that's right."

"We are getting off topic," Pyrrha interrupted, while still trying to be polite. She then turned to Coco. "When Accelerator arrived, Ozpin asked us to keep where he was from a secret."

"Why, though?" Velvet asked.

"Because the four kingdoms exist only due to the fact the vast majority of residents live here." Everyone turned to Yatsuhashi in surprise at his sudden explanation. "Towns outside the walls exist because of overpopulation and the desire to expand. If there are indeed larger settlements much further away, some people might be interested in moving. Should we spread too far out, we risk being overwhelmed by Grimm. Not the perfect solution, but expansion is controlled to some degree."

"But there's still a lot of settlements that get created unofficially," Coco added. She turned to Fox. "But that still doesn't explain your reaction when you saw that guy."

"Because even if he appears to be a regular person," Fox told everyone. "He's a monster inside."

"There you go again," Coco said and face palmed. "You have to explain what that means."

"I'm kind of curious about it too," Weiss added.

"Blake and I met him personally," Ruby piped up. "And he was pretty cool."

"He saved me from a Death Stalker in Vale," Jaune added.

"You could have handled it yourself, Fearless Leader," Nora reassured him.

"Of course he could," Pyrrha added to bolter Jaune's confidence. One of his weaker traits was losing faith in himself.

"Tell us, Fox," Yang pushed. "What did you see?" She was curious and Accelerator wasn't providing information.

"At first nothing," Fox said. "Around people, I can see different colors, designs, waves, depending on who they are. Grimm are a giant mass of darkness, easily distinguished. Inanimate objects are more of a uniform grey. Around that guy, it was like a void. Nothing but emptiness. I felt it heading toward me when we were fighting and I turned." He suddenly shivered. "I wasn't sure what it was, until I focused on it. Something was in the void, something monstrous. Fangs, horns, and eyes that were filled with rage. I might have only considered it an enemy when the eye fully opened and stared at me." He went silent for a moment. "Time didn't seem to move as it noticed me. Suddenly, every instinct in my body told me to get out of the way. If Grimm are truly afraid of him, they must see something similar."

"It's been awhile since you said so much at once," Coco pointed out and Fox scowled. "So you think he's hiding a monster or something?" Coco asked and then laughed. "Maybe he has a Grimm inside of him."

"I can assure you," Fox said seriously. "Whatever that was, it was not a Grimm."

"Did anyone get that impression?" Yang asked to everyone in the room. "I only saw him in the tunnel."

"No," Blake stated.

"He seemed really normal to me," Ruby added and scratched her head. "But then he stopped Torchwick's companion Neo from hurting Blake."

"When he helped me," Jaune added. "He seemed to be more worried about me than himself." He frowned for a moment. "When he realized he had to block the tunnel, he suddenly grew determined, even though I could tell he was afraid. I don't think he's used to fighting Grimm… or at least in large battles like that one."

"I didn't see him enough to pass an accurate judgment," Weiss stated.

"Neither did we," Ren added and gestured to Nora. "And no, Nora. You may not take him into the forest to fight Grimm with you."

"Aww." Nora started pouting.

"Sorry," Pyrrha apologized.

"Hmm." Coco mused it over for a moment. "I trust Fox saw something… but still, I find it hard to believe."

"The world is full of strange things," Yatsuhashi suggested. "Perhaps Mr. Kamijou's power may manifest into such a form and your sight only allowed you to perceive it. However, from what I witnessed, that young man jumped into the fray to seal the breach. In my opinion, he deserves respect for his courage."

"I agree!" Ruby said enthusiastically.

"What do you think, Bun Bun?" Coco asked Velvet.

"I trust Fox," Velvet answered. "But we shouldn't judge someone based on appearance." That was an understatement, especially from a Faunus. Everyone in the room knew about the discrimination. "He helped us, so we should treat him like everyone else."

"Fine with me," Coco said and flicked the rim of her beret and yawned. "Wish they would tell us what is happening. It's kind of quiet." Accelerator glanced up again. With Last Order supposedly in Team JNPR's room, she shouldn't get in too much trouble, but experience told him silence was always suspicious.

"I don't mind it too much," Yang said with a yawn. "But I kind of want to hit the hay. I'm exhausted." Accelerator grinned to himself.

"I wouldn't mind a nap either," Jaune added and spread out on the table. "Everything hurts. Feels like I finished a round against Pyrrha."

"Sorry," Pyrrha said again while Nora laughed.

"You can't deny the results," Ren reassured Jaune, who nodded.

I wonder what Ozpin and Touma are doing, Blake thought and stared out the window. She really wished she had a book to pass the time.

"I'm hungry," Ruby sighed. "Need some cookies."

"You need to eat more than cookies," Weiss sighed after saying that to Ruby for easily the hundredth time.

"Sleep does sound pleasant," Pyrrha added. "But I would like to know Vale is sealed up completely before I can rest easy."

"Do you think you can talk to him, Fox?" Velvet asked.

"Maybe." Fox couldn't commit anything yet. "I'll try. Everyone has a point in the fact he did help us seal the breach." He sighed. "Maybe I was just caught up in the battle and he wasn't a monster."

"No."

The single word was so suddenly from Accelerator that both Fox and Velvet immediately turned to him, and they weren't the only ones.

"No?" Coco asked.

"That damn hero is indeed a monster," Accelerator clarified and scowled.

"What?!" The outburst was from everyone except Yatsuhashi and Fox, who merely looked interested.

"See?!" Fox gestured to Accelerator with a hand. "Even his friend says so."

"We aren't friends!" Accelerator snapped. "Acquaintances at best."

"Sure," Yang said mockingly and Accelerator's scowl increased.

"Why would you say that?" Blake asked.

"None of us noticed anything," Ruby added. "We just talked about it."

"Simple," Accelerator said with a sigh and rubbed his temples. He didn't want to talk to them about this crap, but he made a mistake and spoke up. Hanging out with all these idiots is rubbing off on me. Under everyone's stares, he didn't have much choice but to continue. For some reason, the girls around him were a lot more stubborn than the ones back home, even after he demonstrated his power. "None of you have been on the opposite side of that bastard."

"Language!" Ruby admonished, but Accelerator ignored her.

"Do you mean he changes when one fights him?" Ren asked for clarification.

"Pretty much." Accelerator shrugged. "First time I met him he was just an idiot over his head. Weak, slow, far beneath my notice." Blake and Ruby scowled at him. "Then when any normal person would quit, he just keeps going." Accelerator remembered his first experience facing Touma in battle. He mocked him, injured him, and showed off the difference in power, yet Touma kept standing back up and facing him. "Yet when you push him too far for something he believes in, he changes. Tsk." Accelerator made a clicking noise with his tongue. "If you reach that stage, never turn your back. He becomes… interesting." Nora's eyes widened and she opened her mouth, but Ren's quick reflexes covered it.

"No."

"Sounds like you fought him before," Weiss pointed out.

"A couple times," grunted Accelerator. "The point is, what the blind guy said, it makes sense." Fox didn't make any comment about Accelerator's rudeness.

"If his power revolves around negation," Weiss asked. "Does that mean he can negate your Vector Manipulation?" Accelerator's eyes flashed, but he didn't say anything. His silence confirmed it for everyone there.

"Wow," Jaune said. "I've seen enough of your power first hand and if he can negate it…" Jaune whistled, which didn't improve Accelerator's mood.

"He never once seemed like the kind of guy to attack first," Ruby protested.

"Because you weren't against him," Yang laughed and then turned to Accelerator. "Since you two fought before, did he beat you?"

"I never lose!" Accelerator snapped so quickly and forcefully, his response wasn't believed for an instant.

"Sounds like a sore spot," Yang said with a grin. "Maybe I'll ask him next time I see him." She was highly amused, and she wasn't the only one.

"Never lose?" Coco asked. She lowered her shades to look at Accelerator directly. "Don't you remember a little wager before we arrived at the breach?"

"Yeah? So what?"

"Pretty sure I won that," Coco pointed out.

"Wager?" Nora asked curiously.

"Tell us!" Yang added eagerly.

"Oh no," Jaune whispered to Pyrrha. "This isn't going to end well. Is it?"

"I'm sure it will be fine," she whispered back, but her smile was forced.

"Coco and Accelerator decided to have a small contest between them on who would be able to kill the most Grimm," Yatsuhashi explained.

"It was before he knew about Coco's weapon," Velvet added.

"How would you even be able to tell that?" Ruby asked. "Both of you killed so many near the end. Did you both keep track of your kills?"

"Not even close," Coco laughed. "However, besides the occasional debris he threw around, all of his attacks were within melee range. I was able to clear the Grimm from a distance just as fast. When he had to move to a new group, I simply had to rotate my weapon."

"You must have had your vision obscured by those ridiculous shades," Accelerator said. "And didn't see how all the Grimm instantly fell before me." She reminded him of a cocky guy with sunglasses of his own back home.

"Excuse me?!" Coco asked incredulously. "Ridiculous?!" She stood up and Velvet jumped up to wrap her arms around her.

"He didn't mean it like that!" Velvet cried quickly to Coco. The situation might have been able to calm down, if Yang didn't decide to join in. She couldn't resist messing with Accelerator.

"Thought the bet was how many you could kill," Yang pointed out. "Not how amazing your kills were?"

"I'll kill you," Accelerator growled at her.

"Last Order said you say that when you fall for someone," Yang laughed and flexed. "Can't say I blame you, but you're not my type. I prefer guys with more muscles."

Accelerator stood up and several people moved.

Blake clamped her hands over Yang's mouth, while Ruby grabbed Yang's arms. Pyrrha and Jaune jumped up to try to stop Accelerator, since he was closest to them. Coco remained seated, but highly amused at the situation. Velvet was sinking down in her seat. Fox and Yatsuhashi shifted slightly and prepared to jump in if the situation required it. Nora was cheering and Ren face palmed. Weiss stood up and summoned a glyph between Yang and Accelerator.

"Yang!" Weiss reprimanded. "That's enough and incredibly childish on your part!"

"He started it!" Yang protested.

"Are you a five year old?" Weiss asked incredulously. Yang blinked and looked away sheepishly. Weiss then turned to Accelerator. "Listen, I know she can be incredibly annoying…"

"Thanks, Weiss Queen." Weiss gritted her teeth for a moment before continuing.

"…but you can't stoop to her level. She feeds off it. Besides, I know you are more mature than her." Accelerator huffed, didn't reply, but sat back down. "Thank you," Weiss said with relief. At least one of them can act like an adult.

"You were right," Coco commented to Yang. "The Ice Queen does have the power to control the Ice King."

"Told you," Yang replied with a laugh. They high fived.

Accelerator and Weiss glared at the two of them.

Everyone else could have sworn the temperature in the room dropped several degrees.

"Am I interrupting something?" A strict voice asked and everyone turned to the door of the classroom. Glynda had arrived and was walking toward them.

"No, Professor," Pyrrha piped up quickly. "We were just having a very… heated discussion. Everything is fine now."

"I see." Pyrrha shook slightly under Glynda's glare and sighed when she turned to the others. "I have no doubt you have been discussing what has transpired earlier today, I was asked to inform you that Ozpin and Mr. Kamijou are currently discussing some important topics."

"What's going to happen to him?" Ruby asked instantly.

"He has been cleared of all wrongdoing in regards to the breach," Glynda stated and Ruby looked immensely relieved. "And, as of now, he will be temporarily bunking at Beacon for an indeterminate amount of time." Coco and her team shared a look. This was a pretty unusual situation. Beacon did not normally let random citizens into Beacon without being students. They figured it had something to do with his power, but no way to prove that assumption.

"That's a relief," Jaune stated. "After he helped us, it would suck for him to be arrested."

"Indeed, Mr. Arc," Glynda said, her tone passive. "The Headmaster is under the same impression. They are still talking, but I was told you are all free to go. Please keep some of the details of what transpired a secret until the media releases the full report." Everyone nodded except Accelerator. "Thank you. One last thing, I was going to ask Mr. Accelerator if he would like to give Mr. Kamijou a tour of Beacon-…"

"No."

"That is what I thought." There was a disapproving tone to her voice. "So would someone be willing to say behind and give him a-…"

"I will!"

It was only natural for Ruby's hand to shoot up instantly. Not only did she believe it was her duty to help others, but she was also a team leader. It was her duty to help, never mind the fact she got lost in Beacon on her first day and didn't want someone else to go through that. There was also the fact she wanted to talk with Touma, this time alone without the treat of the White Fang or Torchwick. Yang smirked to herself at her sister's action. However, there was another person who had their hand shoot into the air.

No one expected Blake to volunteer.


Roman just continues to impress me.

Ozpin was curious as to what exactly Roman had told Touma about the situation on Remnant. After asking a few questions and follow up questions, he finally got a decent picture. Touma had a rough idea of the political nature of each kingdom, including Mistral, Vacuo, and Atlas where he had not been to. He also understood the threat the Grimm continue to exert over all of them. The understanding of the racial divide between humans and Faunus was obvious. Touma had pretty much been living with the White Fang since he arrived. Touma even had a basic understanding of dust. The only real difference was the information Roman selectively modified to suit his needs. Hunters were military enforcers just as often as they were destroyers of Grimm. The White Fang's activities were also downplayed to make them more of a resistance group rather than a terrorist organization.

The best lies usually have a grain of truth, Ozpin thought. By feeding Mr. Kamijou mostly correct information, he wouldn't doubt the parts that are harder to confirm. If it wasn't for Ms. Belladonna and Ms. Rose, he might not have realized the truth until something unfixable happened. True, the breach was a devastating below to city moral, but it had been contained. His students had done a great job in stemming the tide until reinforcements arrived.

Touma, on the other hand, felt terrible as he explained everything.

I have been so stupid, Touma thought. Looking back, he should have realized something was fishy. Roman kept him away from pretty much every serious discussion with the White Fang leaders. Several of the White Fang's words were more vengeful than simply fighting an oppressive regime. Blake's words should have been a wakeup call and, in his defense, he had tried to keep an open mind. The problem was he had no real idea of how things should have been except what Roman described. His words seemed to address everything, good and bad. Neo was nice, but Touma still felt goosebumps when she was about to kill Blake and Ruby. At least she stopped before crossing that line. The explosion with the train was the straw that broke the camel's back and opened his eyes at last.

"You shouldn't blame yourself," Ozpin stated and Touma jumped slightly.

Did he just read my mind?

"Many adults much more aware of our world have fallen prey to Roman Torchwick," Ozpin continued. "He is a master of manipulation and subterfuge. There was no way to predict this would happen."

"That may be true, sir," Touma replied. "But I was still part of it and people got hurt because I couldn't see the truth, even after Blake's warning."

"People will say anything when their lives are in danger," Ozpin told him. "You were at least willing to hear her out, and I thank you for it. From what you told me, and the pieces I have heard from… others, your actions saved my student, not once, but twice. After the breach, you risked your life to stop the Grimm. For this, you have my gratitude."

"I just did what anyone in my position would have done," Touma muttered. "I had the power to help, so I did."

A strange boy, Ozpin thought. He says that as if everyone would do that. While that would be the optimal world, things rarely work out that way. His eyes are unusually clear. His words are not a lie. "Still," Ozpin said. "Your actions were commendable. Is there anything else you wish to tell me?"

"One more thing," Touma added and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm not sure how important this is but, after seeing what happened today, you might be in a better position to judge."

"What might that be?"

"I overheard Roman and a man by the name of Adam Taurus talking about this being a larger movement," Touma explained. He eyed Ozpin carefully for any signs of recognition. Ozpin's face remained passive, so Touma continued. "I think this may have been the first step of something big. It was just rushed because the base was located." Touma scratched his cheek. "Also, from some of Roman and Neo's actions, there might be someone above them and the White Fang. Roman did say once he was paid to work with the White Fang, but not paid by them."

"A small but important distinction," Ozpin agreed. "If this turns out to be the case, it would indeed be troublesome. I thank you for bringing this to my attention."

"Anything to stop something like this from happening again," Touma replied. "Ozpin…has there been any word about what happened to Roman and Neo?"

"No," Ozpin confirmed. "There is no trace of them in the city."

"I see."

"Depressing topics, while important, should be taken in moderation," Ozpin commented and sipped his coffee. "Perhaps we could change the subject to something else I have been curious about."

"What would that be?" Touma asked.

"Your unique gift," Ozpin stated directly. "Ever since I heard of its power, I found myself thinking about it more often than I would have believed. A power that can repel Grimm, erase them on touch, and even stifle Aura, it's a fascinating discovery. Could you tell me a little more about it?"

"It's called the Imagine Breaker," Touma explained. "And it's limited to my right hand. I'm not sure why it repels Grimm, but it will negate anything supernatural, abilities, the Aura you guys have here, and even God's miracles."

"God's miracles?" Ozpin asked and raised an eyebrow.

"Supposedly," Touma said with a forced chuckle. "It's not like I got a chance to test it." He decided not to mention a couple events dealing with an angel and a magic god back in his own world.

"An extraordinary claim," Ozpin thought, but he was definitely skeptical. "Would you, perhaps, let me see it in action?"

"I guess that's fine," Touma agreed and rubbed the back of his head. "It doesn't seem to have a lasting effect from what I have seen." Ozpin was impressed at Touma's consideration. If his power had permanently erased an unlocked Aura, Ozpin guessed the boy would never allow his hand to touch anyone.

"I heard about it," Ozpin reassured him. "It is simply a curiosity I admit I have a hard time containing." Touma chuckled at this.

"Can't say you are the first to say that. There's a girl back where I come from who gets incredibly frustrated at my power for some reason." He held out his right hand across the desk for Ozpin.

"Thank you." Ozpin reached out and grasped Touma's hand with his own.

The sound of breaking glass went off.

The fact Ozpin could keep a straight face was nothing short of a miracle. He knew what to expect from touching Touma's hand, but the actual experience was not something easily braced for. He had his Aura unlocked for pretty much his entire life. Those that knew his little secret could attest that was a long time. With Ozpin's advance age, the sudden loss of his Aura sapped much of his strength. He felt older and frail instantly. Still, he did not let go. So this is what Ms. Belladonna experienced. Most adult Hunters would not know how to react to this. I can see why Roman worked so hard to keep the boy on his side… His thoughts trailed off when he realized something else. The boy wasn't lying…

The curse on him was gone.

"Are you okay?" Touma asked. Shit, did I break him somehow? He's older than the others and might not be used to his Aura instantly vanishing. He didn't need someone else getting hurt because of him.

"I'm fine," Ozpin lied in a reassuring manner. He removed his hand and then blinked. It returned along with my Aura. Why though? "I do have some questions. Why does our Aura return when break contact, but Grimm you erase do not?"

"There are some weird rules," Touma explained. "And I'm not sure of all of them myself." He did lose his memories a ways back and lost most of his childhood. "If the source of the supernatural affect isn't in range, I can only cancel what makes contact, like if someone threw fire at me. I negate the attack, but not their ability to use fire. As for people, I guess it's because it's part of you? I can only prevent people from accessing their supernatural abilities. Grimm are all supernatural? So they vanish. Sorry, I don't know enough about Remnant."

"No," Ozpin said and held up a hand. "Anything you think is pertinent is fine. There have been arguments among scholars about is Aura is natural or supernatural. Your hand seems to consider them the latter." He sipped his coffee to steady himself. "I'm also curious as to why it's only in your hand. Mr. Accelerator's power can be accessed anywhere he is touching."

"No idea," Touma answered with another laugh. "I would like to know that too."

"Hmm." Ozpin stood up and glanced out the window. "On Remnant, Aura is the manifestation of one's soul, which I no doubt Roman gave you short explanation on." Touma nodded, even though Ozpin couldn't see. "Anything with a soul has Aura, even Mr. Accelerator has it. Grimm are soulless and thus do not possess souls. What concerns me is that I cannot sense a soul in you."

"Has to be because of my hand," Touma deflected quickly.

"Don't get me wrong," Ozpin commented. "I believe you have a soul. You risked your lives to not only save complete strangers, but people who Roman had you believe were enemies. You told me earlier today you only helped because you could. Something without a soul would never have done such a thing. Even so, you are human, so you should possess one." He turned around. "I do agree with you about your hand. It is most likely stifling your Aura." Ozpin finished his cup of coffee and set the cup down. "Would you like to try something?"

"Try what?" Touma asked confused.

"I wish to try to unlock your Aura." Touma blinked and his mouth hung open in surprise. The silence lengthened. "What do you say?"

"Isn't that a really personal thing?" Touma asked. "I was told it's usually family or teacher or someone close to the person. Neo even offered to try once, but was needed somewhere else before we got a chance. She wasn't sure what would happen." Wouldn't my hand just erase it? Touma couldn't deny he was curious to what it would be like to be stronger, faster, and tougher. The appeal was it would be his own strength and no one else would be hurt to obtain it.

"Normally, yes," Ozpin agreed. "However, you are hardly in a normal situation."

"True," Touma agreed.

"Also, having an Aura would most likely decrease suspicion of you should people be able to notice your lack of one."

"I suppose," Touma agreed again with a nod. "I don't have any idea how long we are going to be stuck here. Thanks for letting us stay here."

"I'm glad we did," Ozpin said with a smile. "You and Mr. Accelerator have been most helpful." Touma flinched and Ozpin held up a hand to prevent any argument. "Besides, I could hardly leave a couple kids alone in Vale." He paused and fiddled with his empty mug, debating if he should start making another cup. "As per Mr. Accelerator's request, I did request help from a couple individuals I know about sending you three back home." He sighed. "There is no telling how long it will take. We don't really have much information on this kind of occurrence."

"Anything is fine," Touma said quickly and extended his hands out. "I would have no idea where to begin and my hand negates dust, so any testing would probably be ruined."

It negates dust too? Fascinating. Touma's power was impressing Ozpin more and more every second. "So, would you allow me to attempt to unlock your Aura?"

"If it's not too much trouble for you," Touma said quickly and Ozpin chuckled.

"It is a little taxing," he admitted. "But I'm hardly old enough to be considered elderly. Stand up for me." Ozpin walked around his desk and stood in front of Touma. "Close your eyes." Touma obliged and Ozpin put a hand on his forehead. "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality," Ozpin began. "Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, empower thee."

Ozpin felt his Aura flow out and pass into Touma, searching for the boy's own Aura supply. Unlocking a person's Aura meant one person would use their own and supercharge someone else's so it broke free from its constraints. The trick was actually reaching the Aura. This wasn't something everyone could do easily. Ozpin was experienced enough to know what to do and continued. The first problem he encountered was the void his Aura was probing. There were no signs of Touma's Aura or any signs there even was Aura. Ozpin frowned and delve deeper. It took much longer, but at last he felt it.

Touma's Aura was clear and bright, but locked up, so Ozpin began to push at it with his own.

A second later, Ozpin staggered back like he had been shot. He collided into the desk and barely managed to keep his balance.

"Ozpin!" Touma yelled and reached forward to help. "Are you okay?"

"I'm… fine," Ozpin reassured him weakly. "As I said, the process is taxing and your hand did not make it easy."

"For a second," Touma told him. "I felt it. Like some kind of power rising up from deep within me… but then it vanished."

"It seems as if your hand is preventing it from being unlocked." Ozpin walked over to his coffee pot and pour himself a cup. Touma didn't notice the headmaster's hand shaking, he was too busy looking at his own hands where he felt the power reach out to. Ozpin sat back down in his chair. "I only wanted to see if it was possible."

"So… what now?" Touma asked.

"I asked Glynda to have one of my students show you around the school," Ozpin explained. "They should be waiting outside my office. Go with them and familiar yourself with the grounds. I will work on providing you with a Scroll, a uniform, and some necessities. A room should be available for you, Accelerator, and Last Order. The room number will be sent to you this afternoon once we assure it is cleaned."

"Thank… uniform?" Touma made an abrupt one-eighty.

"For now," Ozpin said. "It will be best for you to pretend to be a student to avoid suspicion. You and Accelerator will be traveling with Team RWBY and Team JNPR for the most part. Don't worry." He gave a small, if not strained, smile. "You will not be asked to participate in any combat class."

"That's one piece of good news," Touma agreed. "Though, with my luck, it's going to happen anyways."

"If you have any questions, please ask." When none came, Ozpin gestured to the door. "Just go out the way you came from and you should see your guide."

"Okay." Touma opened the door and was about to leave, when he stopped and turned around. "Thank you for everything, Ozpin. Even after what happened, you still were willing to help us."

"I was more than happy to," Ozpin told him. "But remember, in school address me as Headmaster or Professor." Touma nodded and the door closed behind him.

Ozpin's demeanor changed instantly.

He sagged in his chair and his face paled. Sweat formed on his brow and his hands shook. When he had reached Touma's Aura and pushed towards it, something interfered. Ozpin felt it instead of seeing it. Something alive was wrapped around Mr. Kamijou's soul. Was it feeding on it or is it part of it? I don't know enough about his world to know for sure. He could still picture the beast in his mind's eye. It was large, scaly, with a huge mouth full of razor sharp teeth. A single eye seemed to stare directly into his own soul. He finally had a glimpse as to what Fox testified to Glynda. Ozpin would have just stopped there and retreated, but the creature noticed him.

It had attacked.

Ozpin had lost a decent chunk of his Aura to the monster. For a second, he had been worried the thing was going to reach all the way to his core, when it was stopped. Another force seemed to bind it like chains and pulled it back, as Ozpin himself staggered backwards. It retreated back into Touma and vanished. Right when it had been pulled back, Touma's Aura had been unleashed. That creature was being bound around Touma's soul. Was it living off him or maybe it's trapped. Maybe the reason we can't feel his Aura is because it's being used to keep that creature in check. How does the Imagine Breaker tie into this then? Question after question. He took a few deep breaths and a couple sips of coffee to steady himself. Most of all, he wanted to know what that thing was.

It wasn't a Grimm.

It was much more terrifying.

"You know," Ozpin said out loud. "I wasn't lying when I told him we couldn't find you in the city. The fact you didn't attack when I was in this disoriented state suggests you truly only wish to talk. Come out and I will listen to what you have to say." Ozpin waited a moment and then the far wall of his office shattered into hundreds of pieces that fell onto the ground and vanished.

Standing there, leaning on her folded up parasol, was Neo.

"Hello, Ms. Neopolitan," Ozpin greeted her. "To what do I owe this honor?" Neo waltzed over, sat down in the chair opposite of Ozpin's office, typed something on her scroll, and held it up.

'I wish to make a deal.'

"Interesting," Ozpin commented. "Well, I'm willing to listen."


"Blake?!"

"Hello," Blake replied and closed the book she had been reading while waiting for Touma to leave Ozpin's office. "Ruby did say she gave you my name."

"Are you my guide?" Touma asked and she nodded. "Er… well thanks. Oh, I'm sorry what happened during our first… and second encounter." This was a very awkward situation for him and he almost felt like making a break for it. The first time he met, she had put a sword to his throat and he had accidently caused her capture. The second time, his ally Neo had beaten her up and almost killed her.

"I volunteered for a couple reasons," Blake said, her voice calm and not betraying anything. "First, as thanks for saving my life, twice, even after I threatened you. Two, there is something important I need to ask of you."

"What is it?" Touma asked. "I'll help anyway I can." Blake fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Not here," she replied. "Later, when others can't eavesdrop. For now, I'll show you around." She turned around and started walking before Touma could utter another word. He had to hurry and catch up or he would be left behind.


"So tired," Yang complained. She and everyone else had left the classroom while Blake stayed behind with Glynda. Team CFVY had split a little earlier. "Can't wait to sleep until dinner."

"Maybe you should clean up first," Weiss suggested. "Unless you want your entire bed to stink."

"Sleep first, bath later."

"We kicked Grimm butt today!" Nora cheered. "We totally took out the entire population of Grimm in Vale at least. Can't wait to tell everyone tonight."

"Now, now, Nora," Ren said. "While we did defeat a large number of Grimm, many still exist around the kingdom."

"Our actions will surely reduce the number of attacks for some time at least," Pyrrha added happily.

"Thanks for the assist," Jaune said to Accelerator. "You really saved our bacon."

"The brat really wanted me to help," Accelerator scoffed. "And I wasn't doing anything else."

"That's his way of saying he loves us," Yang pointed out and laughed at his scowl. "But he's right, you helped us out of a hole heap of trouble." There was silence for a moment.

"Did you just…?" Pyrrha asked.

"Dang it, Yang!" Weiss snapped. Accelerator rubbed his head and wished he could kill everyone. He also knew the second he entered Team JNPR's room, the brat would jump at him and demand to know what happened. "Your jokes are terrible."

"Like paper?" Yang asked.

"GAH!"

"You have been awfully quiet, Rubes," Jaune whispered to Ruby. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ruby replied and diverted her eyes.

"Don't give me that," Jaune said with a sigh. "My sisters do that all the time. I know something's up. If you don't want to talk about it with me, fine. But maybe Yang would want to know." Ruby's eyes widened in alarm and looked up, but Yang was too busy needling Accelerator to listen to them.

"Don't," Ruby pleaded. "I'll tell, but don't tell Yang."

"I won't," Jaune promised and Ruby knew she was in the clear. Jaune would not break a promise.

"I'm kind of disappointed I didn't get to show Touma around," she admitted. "He was so cool and I wanted to thank him for helping me out of Torchwick's clutches."

"Well," Jaune said carefully. "She did say she wanted to tell him something important and he's going to be staying here with everyone. I'm sure you will have plenty of opportunities to talk to him. Maybe you could show him around Vale." Ruby's eyes lit up.

"That's a great idea, Jaune," Ruby said excitedly, but still kept her voice down. "Thanks for it. You're definitely my bestest male friend. Weiss is my bestest female friend of course." The two teams finally reached their dorms. "Bye, Jaune." Jaune waved and Team JNPR with Accelerator started filing into their room.

"At last," Yang cheered. "Rest and relax… WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BED?!" Weiss and Ruby stared into their room from behind her. Everything was exactly the same, except Yang's bed was gone. Blake's books, which propped up Yang's bed, had not moved at all.

Across the hall, they heard a bark-like laugh.

"He actually did it," Weiss groaned and face palmed.

"This is why you don't tease people!" Ruby admonished.

"This means war!" Yang declared and her eyes flashed red.


Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish I ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.

Current Ship Names:

Touma and Yang: Fistbump / Punchline/ Imagine Dragon/ Love at First Punch/ Hair You Go Again

Touma and Weiss: Cool to the Touch / Princess and the Pauper / Shattered Mirror

Touma and Ruby: Blossoming / Thorny Rose / Speedy Rescue / Innocently Indecent/ Nectar of the Gods.

Touma and Blake: Nine Lives / Bad Luck / Kami-Nyaan

Touma and Velvet: Bunny Couple / Rabbit's Foot/ Lucky Number Zero/ Camera Shy

Touma and Penny: Android's Dream / Faulty Electronics/ Lost Change

Touma and Ren: Lotus Fist

Touma and Jaune: Better Luck Next Time/ Lifesavers

Touma and Nora: Glutton for Punishment / Divine Sparks

Touma and Pyrrha: Babe Magnet/ Dense Armaments

Touma and Coco: Black Coffee/ Stylish Illusion

Touma and Glynda: Teacher's Pet / Promise Lands/ Dunce Cap

Touma and Adam: Chronic Crusaders/ Prick and the Pauper

Touma and Emerald: Shattered Illusions / Illusion Breaker / Portmanteau Poverty

Touma and Twins: Triple Threat / Cerberus

Touma and Cinder: Through the Fire and Flame / Fire Demons / Sinner and Savior/ A Match Made In Hellfire

Touma and Neo: Uncertain Flavor / Breaking Reality/ Stockholm Slasher Romance

Touma and Salem: Burning Witch / Light and Shadow / Shattering Darkness/ Grimm Chances of Survival

Touma and Summer: Summer Break.

Touma and Raven: Alpha and Omega/ Feather for Brains

Touma and Qrow: Misfortune Squared / Bad luck Charms

Accelerator and Weiss: Cold and Calculating / Ice Vector / A Frosty Reception

Accelerator and Yang: Road Rage / Short Fuse / Way of the Dragon

Accelerator and Ruby: One-Way Rose / No Brakes / Rose Manipulation

Accelerator and Blake: Twilight Arrow / Chain and Sickly / Chasing Shadows

Accelerator and Nora: Shattered Bones / Broken Dreams / Nerve Impulse/ Going The Distance

Accelerator and Velvet: White Flash / Hopping Mad

Accelerator and Glynda: Fix and Destroy

Accelerator and Penny: String Theory/ Broken Toys

Accelerator and Sun: Sunny and Sullen

Accelerator and Adam: Charging Bull/ Rabid Animals

Accelerator and Mercury: Killer Moves

Accelerator and Emerald: Red Eyed Killers/ After Image

Accelerator and Coco: Fashionable Disaster/ Fashion is a Science

Accelerator and Pyrrha: Opposites Attract/ Copper Aftertaste

Accelerator and Raven: Yang's Nightmare/ Fallen Feathers