Chapter 3: Examination
Glynda sighed.
She was used to dealing with all sorts of students. Whether they were studious or lazy, human or faunus, all students passed before her watchful gaze. She'd had students come to her for blowing up the cafeteria. Some had come sobbing under the stress of Beacon, and she had comforted them. One notable incident had been when she entered her office to find two students in trouble for duct-taping a sign to a Boarbatusk reading "Cuddles" and setting it loose in the dormitory. Doing all of this had given her an innate ability to read her students like the novels she devoured on the weekends. It was a useful skill, and one that she'd come to rely upon.
Which is why she was frustrated when she couldn't read Reshan in the slightest.
He seemed to be a quiet individual. While some students would bombard her with questions (a certain scarlet reaper came to mind), he simply stared at the world around him, a soft smile on his face.
What was he thinking about?
As they walked from the arena towards her office, he said, "Professor, I want to apologize for breaking the sword you lent me."
"At least he's considerate," she thought. "I hope that will not become a common occurrence, Reshan. The typical punishment for destruction of school property is monetary compensation." She did not miss the look of shame on his face. "However, given your... situation, we will allow you an alternate method of recompense."
"Thank you, mil- er, ma'am. I will do my best."
They walked in silence for another minute or so before arriving at her office, at the back of the campus. Her office was a short, white house with a slanted roof. Opening the sky blue door, she stepped inside.
The office was spartan, with a white ceiling and walls to match. A mahogany desk stood in the middle, with a computer perched atop it. Her chair was the only furnished item, a plush office chair with a dark leather covering. The chair in front of the desk was a hardwood chair, with no padding. A row of file cabinets squatted at the back, containing the complete records of all who had passed through these halls. As Reshan got himself acquainted with his surroundings, Glynda hung up her crop on a hook before motioning Reshan to take a seat in front of her desk. They sat down, with Reshan suddenly finding the floor to be very intriguing.
"Now then, let's discuss the results of your assessment," Glynda said. Reshan had performed admirably. While she had seemed skeptical at the beginning of the match due to his lapse in judgement, he more than made up for it with his swift victory.
"Apologies, ma'am. I did not mean to lose my temper in the match. I know-" Reshan's apology was cut short by an amused chortle from the blonde teacher.
"Reshan, you performed exceptionally well. We give these tests to assess combat skill and tactical prowess, not to test patience. If I am being perfectly honest, you were never meant to win either of your matches. The fact that you were able to best Miss Adel, in such a short timeframe, is extraordinary. There is no need to apologize." Glynda cleared her throat, reaching for a bottle of water she kept on her desk. "However, you are correct in that you lost your temper. While it seems to have triggered your Semblance-"
"Professor?"
Glynda smiled. "How else do you explain what happened during the match?" She took a sip.
"Apologies, but I don't remember exactly what happened. After I lost my temper, I... well, I literally 'lost control'. Reshan sighed. "I recall you declaring me the victor, but nothing in between."
Glynda put down her bottle, then pulled up the recording of the match on her Scroll, then turned it towards Reshan. The shaggy teen's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Milady, what is this sorcery? How are you able to peer into the past?" His body tensed, as if in preparation for a fight.
"All fights at Beacon are recorded, so students are able to improve upon their past mistakes," she clarified. At this, the tension drained somewhat from Reshan. "If you would like to know how, I believe Bartholemew would be more than happy to explain." He nodded, relaxing back into his chair.
After watching the events of the duel, he frowned. "I don't understand. What do you believe my Semblance to be?"
"I believe it to be some sort of electrical Semblance. If you look closely, you will notice Miss Adel attempting to fire her weapon. Upon failure, she attempted to transform it back to her handbag, to the same result. Both functions rely upon electricity as an energy source."
Reshan took a moment to let the information sink in. After a few quiet seconds, he replied, "Apologies, but if that was the case, how were you able to use lightning Dust in our duel? It should have been nullified as well, yes?"
"Very astute, Reshan. I hadn't thought of that," she admitted. "If I were to guess, your Semblance was only active for a few seconds. During the time it was active, your eyes turned red."
"We have another student with a similar Semblance, one Yang Xiao Long. I would recommend discussing with her- she may have some insight into the topic. In addition to heterochromia, her Semblance is seemingly triggered by anger. While learning to control Semblances can be… difficult, in time you should be able to master yours." With this, Glynda reached into a drawer to pull out a notepad. "Now, then. We will now assess your knowledge of other areas. For starters..."
The session lasted well into the evening. Glynda, with Doctor Oobleck's insight, had devised a rather clever method of assessing the amnesiac's knowledge of Remnant. The method used was as such: Glynda would ask Reshan about a topic. If he had any knowledge of the topic, it would come to mind, and he would answer. While he knew a great many things, he didn't know that he knew them, per se. Therefore, Glynda attempted to ask him about as many topics as possible. Doing so, they discovered the following about Reshan:
His knowledge of Remnant was certainly dated. When he was asked about the current Kingdoms, he listed off a series of names that meant nothing to Glynda. She recorded them anyway. Perhaps Barty would be able to make some sense of them later.
He had a decent grasp of Dust mechanics, though his measurements of mixing were slightly off. Not enough to render the resulting product useless, but enough that they didn't yield their maximum output.
His knowledge of history was completely empty. Reshan couldn't answer anything about the foundations of the kingdoms, their eventual transition into a democracy, or anything like that. He only faintly recognized a scant few historical figures, and only when he was shown depictions of the character in question.
To top it all off, when asked about the Faunus Rights Revolution, he had merely asked, "What's a Faunus?"
When she'd answered, a large grin spread across his face. "Ah, you must mean the Beastfolk!"
She'd immediately chastised him for the slur, though he had been more confused by the lecture than anything. More likely, he hadn't known what the connotations of the phrase were.
His one saving grace was combat. He'd successfully answered the correct tactics for use in several situations, rattling off the answers in quick succession. His knowledge of Grimm was surprisingly deep as well, having an unusual grasp of their weaknesses and idiosyncrasies.
Most disturbingly, his knowledge of Grimm tactics was overshadowed by his knowledge of how to conduct war against a human opponent. While a typical Huntsman would learn a smattering of this topic in their third year of schooling, Reshan had a full grasp of the intricacies of warfare, albeit a very outdated grasp. His explanation of how to lay siege to a fortified position had taken a full hour, culminating in a simultaneous assault while the defenders were sickened from the well he'd poisoned. Catapults and bows took the place of tanks and guns.
He also knew various guerilla warfare strategies. If Glynda didn't know any better, he'd make a fine recruit for the White Fang. How to raid convoys, sabotage key elements in a Kingdom, and various other crippling strikes.
Oddly enough, he also knew various strategies for defence as well. He seemed to have a marvelous grasp of warfare, and not much else.
Other than that, he was mostly a blank slate. He hadn't even known how to use an elevator, let alone most electronics. He'd scratched his head when she mentioned the White Fang, and had nearly cried when she told him about the organization.
Inwardly, Glynda grew worried for him. Why was he so emotional? This was the second time he had displayed extreme emotion. After the near outburst, he reverted to his usual smiling self. She noted him down to have an exam with the school psychiatrist.
At the end of the interview, Glynda sighed. "Reshan, I believe that concludes our assessment. Do you have any questions?"
"I have several," he replied. "For starters-"
"If you have technological queries, I believe Bartholemew would be more than happy to answer," Glynda interjected. If she had to explain every facet of modern day life, they would be here for the whole night.
"Ah. In that case, I have three questions." Reshan was slightly disappointed to not be able to ask his questions, but if it meant he would be able to spend time with Doctor Oobleck, he would hold his tongue. "First of all, how will I recompense the academy for breaking the sword?"
Glynda responded, "You will forge a new blade for us."
"Apologies, ma'am, but I only barely know how to forge." At this, Glynda nodded.
"You are correct. As such, you will be taught by one of your teammates."
"Teammates?" Reshan cocked his head, puzzled.
"Indeed. While at Beacon academy, all students are paired up in teams of four. However, in your case you will be on a team of five. Come," she said while standing from her desk. As they walked out the door, she grabbed her whip. "Tonight, Professor Ozpin will tell you what team you will be assigned to."
"Thank you, professor. If I may, what should I tell others about my condition?" Glynda thought about this for a moment. Reshan was in a delicate condition. Revealing his amnesia would help if his ignorance came up. On the other hand, Reshan likely would be embarrassed to admit it.
Over the course of the interview, Glynda had gained a fairly accurate assessment of what kind of person Reshan was. He was quiet, preferring the peace of a silent night over a large party. That being said, he was not antisocial- he was extremely polite. In addition, he had a great deal of pride. He hated the very notion of taking charity. To reveal that not only he had lost his memory, but was only here on the goodwill of Professor Ozpin? It would hurt him immensely.
"I believe that you should do what you think best, Reshan," she replied. "That being said, I believe it would be best to tell your teammates about your predicament. They will be relying on you, so they should know your weaknesses."
"If you believe that is what is best," Reshan replied. Inwardly, he cringed. "This is bloody great. Now everyone will know I am nothing but a beggar!"
"Well, it could be worse," a part of him responded. "For starters, you could be entirely on your own. Instead of complaining about your situation, try to be thankful that you ended up here."
Mind made up, he nodded resolutely. "Professor Goodwitch, before I ask my last question, I just wanted to say thank you for all of your generosity. Without Beacon, I would likely not have survived the forest I found myself in. So truly, thank you."
Glynda smiled. "Of course, Reshan. We would have to be quite cruel to do otherwise." She cleared her throat, then asked "Now then, what is your last question?"
"Could we please go get dinner? I'm famished!" Reshan's belly rumbled, as if to accentuate the point.
Glynda hid a chuckle at that. They walked to the cafeteria, Reshan bearing a soft smile as he gazed at the sun setting. As they strolled, Reshan asked, "Will I be able to see Doctor Oobleck at dinner?"
"I believe that it would be best for you to introduce yourself to the rest of Beacon," she replied. "Doctor Oobleck is finishing up some paperwork, but he will be present at your meeting with Professor Ozpin. You may speak with him then." As they arrived, she noticed a small oddity. Only two members of team RWBY were present, Yang and Blake. "Where could the other two have gotten off to," she wondered. While it wasn't unusual for team members to split up in order to accomplish their tasks, the first day as a team often foretold how the group would function. If they weren't even eating dinner together, then how would they function in combat?
Glynda gestured toward the back of the cafeteria, where the food was being served. "Grab a tray, and walk along the metal shelf over there. Ask the staff, and they will provide you with anything that is on display. After dinner, we will meet with Professor Ozpin to discuss your placement." With that, Glynda strolled to the staff table, where Professor Peach waved eagerly. "Good luck, Reshan," she thought.
Reshan stood in the entrance, staring at the surrounding cathedral.
"Why do they use this place for meals," he wondered. "This is breathtaking. The gaping arches, the sunset cascading through the windows… magical. Yet it is used for such a mundane purpose. Or maybe such buildings are common?" He shook his head, grinning. It did not matter particularly much as to why the building was used in the manner it was. While he would have loved to ask Dr. Oobleck his question, there were more important matters to deal with… like his rumbling stomach.
He proceeded to grab a metal tray, silently marveling at the composition. "Incredible. This metal is of higher quality than plate armor. Such a marvel! Yet it is used for a mundane purpose. What is going on here?" He put the tray on the metal shelf, and found that the tray glided over the material. Reshan then turned his attention to the foods offered. He hadn't had anything to eat since his breakfast with Professor Port's wife, and he was famished. Thankfully, the mess hall at the academy was well stocked, serving foods from chicken to swordfish and everything in between.
As he gazed, his mind turned to his duel with Coco. Reshan scowled at the memory.
"There were so many things that went wrong there," he thought. This was a combat institution for the training of knights. Even though they may be called by a different title, that was non disputable, given that they both had a common purpose: to protect the people. So why was it that his opponent displayed such a lack of honor? When he had backed off, Coco hadn't reset into a proper combat stance. All she had done was continue to fire at him. Her very first strike had been to pin his foot! There had been no honor from the very outset of the match. What was going on at Beacon?
"Clearly, there must be some sort of misunderstanding," Reshan concluded. There was simply no way a military academy instilled such underhanded techniques to its students. He decided to ask Dr. Oobleck about it later.
He requested mashed potatoes and grilled chicken, which were promptly deposited on his tray. Reshan then turned his sight towards the cadets at the tables, and raised an eyebrow.
It seemed as if news of his duel with Miss Adel had spread. The entire hall was staring at him with a mixture of admiration and confusion. While a few individuals carried on with their conversations, the hall had mostly gone silent. Reshan realized that for many of the cadets, this was the first time seeing him.
Under the collective gaze, Reshan decided that silence was the best answer. He didn't particularly enjoy crowds, and people would come to know him over the coming weeks. There was no need to make a public announcement- he was no town crier. Trying to ignore the stares, he walked to an empty table and sat down. While the curiosity continued for a few minutes, the cadets eventually lost interest in their new comrade, and turned to discussing the first day at Beacon. The mess hall slowly filled with conversation and laughter, while Reshan filled himself with food.
"And that's how Renny and I killed thirteen Geists with nothing but a torch!"
"She burnt a sack of carrots thinking it was possessed."
"Tomato, tomato. Ooh, that gives me an idea! Yang?"
Yang regretfully turned her attention from the new arrival to the overly energetic ginger sitting next to her. "What is it now, Nora?"
Nora had been talking up a storm ever since she and team JNPR had sat down for dinner. Normally Yang would have enjoyed chatting with her new classmates. It certainly beat trying to talk to Blake, who was currently sitting across from her with a book raised as if to ward off the rest of the world. It honestly felt as if every time Yang attempted to be friendly, Blake just shrugged her off. What was her problem?
"I can already tell this year is going to be GREAT," she grumbled inwardly. Weiss had stormed off after class, muttering obscenities that made even Yang's eyebrows shoot up. Guess the Ice Queen wasn't so happy with Ruby being made team leader. Speaking of her sister, Ruby had taken off after her partner. If Yang had to guess, Ruby and Weiss had a lot to work out between them. She sighed.
"Remnant to Yang, do you read me?" Nora leaned over, waving her hands. Yang started.
"Oops. Anyways, what's up?"
"Do you think Geists could possess people? OR what if they could possess parts of people? I could TOTALLY see Professor Port's moustache being possessed! Have you seen how much that thing wiggles?"
Yang couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. Putting on her best impression of Professor Port, she stroked her imaginary facial hair. "'And after saving the village, I never saw the beast again! No doubt due to my amazing talent. Why, only a novice could fail to notice such a dastardly creature attempting to hide right under my nose!'"
Nora practically fell over, she was laughing so hard. Vomit Boy inhaled his tea, and bent over hacking. Pyrrha patted him on the back, chuckling. Even Ren cracked a small smile.
A soft grin grew on Yang's face. It was a small ray of sunshine in an otherwise gloomy day to see JNPR relaxing. The team appeared to be doing pretty well, despite having Vomit Boy at the helm.
Speaking of team leaders, Yang spotted a trail of rose petals leading to the line for food. Turning around, she saw her little sister hopping impatiently, trying to see what was for dinner. Grinning, she cupped her hands and hollered. "RUBES!" When she turned, Yang waved. "I saved you some grub! Now get over here!"
Ruby smiled, her canine ears perking up. Darting forward in a blur, she grabbed a tray of food, only to disappear in a flash of rose petals. "ThanksYangbutIgottagostudybyeloveyou!" Yang stared in shock. Ruby never skipped dinner to study. She'd always say she would study at some point afterwards, but usually she'd end up sprawled in bed, playing video games. When Yang would walk in, Ruby's ear would twitch before dashing out.
After thinking about it for a moment, Yang smiled. Whatever had happened between Ruby and her partner seemed to have made Ruby take her role as leader a little more seriously. Hopefully this would help her in other areas as well. Ruby was a prodigy at weapons and combat, but she tended to rely on her talents over actually putting in effort to improve. If she kept it up, Yang promised silently that she would get her a box of cookies.
She'd probably get her one anyway. In her rush, Ruby had taken Blake's untouched tray. Blake hadn't even noticed.
Yang silently slid over the tray she'd originally saved for Ruby. JNPR had finally recovered, Jaune coughing only a little bit. Nora got up, school clothes looking none the worse for wear. Putting her elbows on the table, she said, "So, y'all heard what happened to Coco?"
"Duh." Everyone had heard. The star of Beacon, finalist in the Vytal festival during her first year on campus, tossed around like a rag doll by a freshman? Yang would have been surprised if Mistral hadn't heard of it by now.
Said freshman was a weird one, if Yang was being honest. Leaning forward, she asked, "Did any of you guys see him during initiation?"
The rest of the table shook their heads. Surprisingly, Blake spoke up. "Reshan wasn't there. He isn't even on the school roster."
"Wait, seriously? Where the hell did he come from?" Yang said. Blake shrugged.
"OOH, a mystery!" Nora shrieked. "Maybe he's a transfer? No, wait! He's a Grimm in disguise, waiting to devour us!"
"Nora, I don't think he's a Grimm," Ren reasoned. "For one, he clearly used Aura in his fight. Secondly, he has a Semblance."
"Then why is Mr. Human eating with his hands?" Following Nora's finger, the six teens looked at the new arrival.
The scarred boy was currently grinning like a maniac as he tore apart his chicken with his bare hands.
Their jaws dropped at the absurdity. Yang had noticed before, so she wasn't quite as surprised. She chuckled.
Nora nodded with a knowing look.
"Definitely a Grimm. Told ya!"
Yang shrugged. "Oookay, then… that's weird. Speaking of, you guys saw his Semblance, right?" Yang had been surprised to see his eye color change. The shade of red had been the same as her own whenever someone messed with her hair. His voice was something else entirely.
Jaune shivered. "He sounded just like a villain from a movie." He took another bite of his beef sandwich.
Pyrrha frowned. "I've never seen someone break through a tournament barrier before."
Blake turned to her with a thoughtful expression. "Pyrrha, how strong are those barriers?"
Pyrrha responded "I don't know." When Ren raised an eyebrow, she continued, "All I know is that no matter how much force I put behind my strikes, they have never so much as flickered."
"So to shatter one like he did…?" Blake prompted.
"It likely means he is stronger than anyone sitting at this table," Pyrrha finished. At this point, Yang burped loudly. Pyrrha blushed slightly. "Present company excluded, of course." Yang nodded, her point made. Blake nudged her slightly, then nodded toward the door. Checking the time on her Scroll, Yang realized that she still needed to study up on what Professor Port had rambled about. She and Blake stood up, smiling at the other team.
"Good eating with you guys. Want to do it tomorrow?" Yang asked. Jaune nodded eagerly.
"Definitely. Have a good night, guys. See you tomorrow!" As the bee-coloured duo walked out the cafeteria, they felt their Scrolls buzz. They both pulled them out, then looked at each other with expressions of confusion. As they did so, the pair missed Reshan slipping past them, accompanied by an indignant-looking Professor Goodwitch.
"So… any idea why the head honcho wants us?"
"No."
"Want to try and guess?"
"No."
"..."
"..."
"...Spoilsport."
Coco was not happy.
To be fair, the day had started well. It was nice to finally have team CVFY back together again, even if it meant she had to put up with Yatsu's ridiculous philosophy lectures. Some thought that Yatsu was a silent giant. Those people were the ones Coco laughed at. In private, Yatsu loved to talk philosophy, even if his team didn't share his enthusiasm.
Velvet had done pretty well over summer break, getting a photography internship back in Menagerie. Her partner had come back to Beacon with photos of her hometown, as well as some fantastic panorama shots of the surrounding countryside. After helping her to hang them in the dorm, Fox had asked Yatsu to describe the scenery.
Coco smiled in spite of her current mood at the thought. The duo worked together surprisingly well, Yatsu telling Fox of the world around them. In turn, Fox helped the green swordsman with his homework. In combat, their styles complemented each other- Fox's quick strikes combined with Yatsu's devastating blows usually meant they were able to dispatch Grimm with ease.
After breakfast, the team had gone to combat class for the first time as upperclassmen (and women). When Coco had seen her opponent, she couldn't help but smirk. A pipsqueak like Reshan looked like an easy opponent, what with his weapons. Seriously, what could some freshman do to her? She had finished in the finals of the Vytal festival her first year. As she had strode down the stairs toward the arena, the only thought going through her head was, "This is in the bag."
After hearing him talk, Coco had almost broken down laughing. This guy talked like he was some sort of rich kid! What with the 'milady' and his whole weird sense of honor (Really? Letting her get back up?), she thought victory was all but assured.
Then he proceeded to wipe the floor with her before she could so much as blink.
After her defeat, she had gone through classes for the rest of the day. Oobleck, as usual, had run his motormouth over everyone in class. Velvet had been the only one able to pay attention, and that was because she loved history almost as much as she did photography. Fox had almost fallen asleep. During the whole class, Coco had been trying to figure out what the hell happened. After she left the arena, she had taken out her Scroll to rewatch the fight, only to discover that her Scroll didn't turn on. Odd, that. She could have sworn it was charged. Yatsu had thankfully allowed her to watch on his Scroll, but it hadn't particularly helped. After class, Coco had gone to the forge to see what had happened with Gianduja.
Which is what led to Coco's current frustration.
"What in Oum's name?"
She had dismantled her handbag, and was currently doing a full analysis. What the brunette found puzzled her.
Thankfully, the electrical wiring was fine. If that system had been damaged, she would have most likely screamed. As it was, she had to replace quite a few components.
Namely, any Dust in her weapon.
As she had cracked open her ammunition magazine, Coco had been stunned when she found that every single bit of Dust had been rendered inert. She had given her weapon a check the night before, and everything had been fine. After checking the battery, Coco had found the problem extended to the Dust component of the battery as well. The battery was ruined, requiring a replacement.
"This is going to cost me a pretty penny," she thought. Given the recent Dust robberies, prices of the mineral were going up. If she had to deal with this every time she went up against Reshan, she'd bankrupt her fashion allowance within the year.
From what she could tell, Reshan had done this with his Semblance. If the eye colour hadn't given away the change, the voice certainly had. Coco shivered at the memory.
After the fight, Yatsu had observed that Reshan had only used his Semblance once he'd lost control. Reshan himself had confirmed this as well. Coco had been pleasantly surprised that Reshan remained polite after the match. Most people would be bragging about something like that, but he hadn't. He'd simply asked after her, then thanked her for the fight.
"Guess I don't want him blowing his top off next time."
Velvet started from the side where she'd been looking through her photos. "What do you mean, Coco?"
Looking up from her weapon, Coco said "Remember what Yatsu said about fancypants?"
Velvet frowned. Coco could tell that her partner didn't like the nickname she'd given Reshan. "About his Semblance?"
"Yup," she responded, popping the 'p'. After a moment of silence (or as much as one can get in a forge), Coco said "Here's an idea. Throw Yatsu at him and see if he can take him."
Velvet chuckled. "I guess… Yatsu is pretty good with Fulcrum. How would he keep up with Reshan if he activates his Semblance?"
Coco grinned. "Throw Fox at him too."
During the walk to the main tower of Beacon with Professor Goodwitch, only one thought occupied Reshan's mind.
"Chicken is delicious."
It wasn't a crazy thought to have, all things considered. Most people had grown up with the food, and had grown used to it. Reshan, on the other hand, was all of one day old (almost two, in fact). He was new to this life, and it showed in the faint smile he wore when he was exposed to something new. The facial expression was present almost constantly, as such. When he spotted Dr. Oobleck waiting by the elevator banks reading a book, the expression became noticeably more pronounced.
"Doctor!" Reshan waved to the green haired individual, who started. When he spotted Reshan, he grinned, beckoning for the scarred teen to join him. "Ah, hello young man! I hope you had a good first day?"
"It was," Reshan replied. While he was still somewhat annoyed about Coco, the rest of the day had been remarkably informative. While it was clear that there were gaps in his knowledge, the fact only served to ignite his curiosity. This world was beautiful, with wonders lying around every corner. All Reshan had to do was reach out and grab them.
"Doctor, how was your day?" While Reshan was buzzing with questions, it wouldn't do for a cadet to forget his manners. The doctor chuckled.
"It was fairly good, as far as first days of class go. Now then, I imagine you have many questions. Before we address them, I was hoping you might answer a couple of mine." Reshan nodded. "Excellent. Now then, what prompted you to activate your Aura? If you will recall, you didn't use it during your encounter in the forest. Why not?"
Reshan frowned. It was a good question. When Professor Goodwitch had asked him about Aura, he had known the topic, treating it as common knowledge. Before, he didn't even think about it.
"When I asked Reshan, he said that he knew of it." Professor Goodwitch pressed the call button for the elevator, a frown on her face. For whatever reason, she had been particularly moody ever since they had left the cafeteria, muttering under her breath. Reshan didn't know exactly what had happened to aggravate her.
"Truly? Hmmm… AHIGOTIT!" Professor Oobleck dropped his book in his haste. "I see it now! Young man, before Glynda- er, Professor Goodwitch asked you about Aura, did you know about it?" Caught up in his idea, Dr. Oobleck missed the glare Professor Goodwitch gave him.
"No, sire." The response seemed to only energize his friend.
"Yes, of course, of course! Young man, you couldn't activate your Aura because you didn't know about Aura, let alone you having yours unlocked or not!" The professor started to pace, deep in thought. "Typically, Aura heals at a passive rate, allowing for Huntsmen to focus on the battle at hand without worrying about injuries. Yours should have done so as well. The fact that it didn't proves something that could revolutionize our understanding of Aura as we know it! Healing requires a basic understanding of Aura! Without it, you can't heal!"
Reshan thought about this for a moment. The idea held merit, but the concept led him to a question of his own. "An interesting idea. However, I must ask: what sort of injuries does Aura assist in healing?"
"Typically superficial injuries, along with bone fractures… Why do you ask?" Reshan paused before continuing. Before he could, the duo was interrupted by a pleasant ding. Looking over, they saw Professor Goodwitch tapping her foot impatiently from inside the elevator. The two hurried inside.
"Would Aura assist in me regaining my memories?" Reshan was quite curious. Ever since he had discovered Aura, there had been a faint hope in the back of his mind. Could Aura help him remember?
His hopes were dashed with what came next.
"Unfortunately, no." Professor Goodwitch's words cut through his heart like the whip she carried. "Short term amnesia caused by specific brain trauma is the only case where Aura helped, and that was only due to being assisted by Aura boosters in the first few minutes after the incident occurred. Your Aura won't be able to help. Your memories aren't coming back anytime soon." With that said, she leaned against the wall of the elevator, scowling.
The rest of the ride was spent in an uncomfortable silence. Doctor Oobleck pulled out a ragged notebook and started scribbling, lost in thought. Reshan crumpled, the one hope he had of remembering lost to him.
"No…"
The tears started to build.
A/N: Hey, everyone! Here's another chapter. In case you guys couldn't tell from the story, Ruby is a Wolf Faunus. This was a tricky chapter to write- I had to redo this one at least three times. Hope you like it!
Next chapter: February 13
I appreciate any honest reviews. See you next week!
