Enslaved To A Flame

Chapter 4

Caffeine Or Die

'I gave the rabbit too much.' He decided as he shouldered the door to the dorms open.

He hadn't expected that to happen. He'd let his guard down when he looked at Velvet. He hadn't expected to see that phantom, especially not her. He wasn't quite prepared to live that nightmare again, but he supposed it would visit him tonight regardless.

Nightmares were a regular thing for him at this point.

He hurried down the hall to his room. He needed to cool down. He was frazzled, partly because of Ozpin, and partly because of the haunting image of her. Velvet saw much more than he was willing for her to see, and his tongue had been looser to her than it should have been. As much as he hated to admit it, he wasn't prepared for a mission like this.

To act or even become a different personality wasn't out of his abilities. That was assuming that no one pried, or tried to look further than that shell. They weren't exactly fragile and William could hold them for extended periods of time. He never had anyone look at him like Velvet did. He never had a soul wonder where his scars came from, nor anyone truly examine him. He also never had someone care about his well being. That was new.

Should he act resistant to that? Should he accept it? His thoughts whirled around his frenzied mind as he swiped Roman's scroll in front of his door. The light blinked and the soft click of the lock let him know it opened.

He tore off his jacket the moment he got into the room. It was shortly thrown on top of one of the beds as he kicked off his boots. He left them haphazardly by the door as he pulled off his pants and boxers.

He closed the bathroom door behind him. It took him a moment to turn on the shower and then a few more to find a towel. He had washed at Roman's safehouse, but the day left him exhausted and strained. More than that, he felt like a hot shower would ease his nerves and sooth some of his muscles. They were still tense from his morning fight, and tension had built up the entire week during his surveillance of the Carmine mansion.

He glanced at the mirror, fog creeped down as if to hid his body even from him. He knew the scars without having to look, but there was something interesting in seeing them in a mirror. He was muscular, but not overly so. The faint outline of abs. Arms and legs corded muscle, solid and without give. He had a runner's body, sleek and lethal. His back was the strongest, years of pulling back Moonlight Sonata's bow had developed the muscles far more than even his arms or legs. He was constantly increasing the tension of the bowstring, and tweaking the subtle flexibility of his sword to compensate.

He stepped into the shower, hissing as the hot water burned his skin. He refused to turn it down and instead pushed the pain to the back of his mind as he focused on muscle maintenance. He got in trouble more often than not for neglecting care. There was also his health record. Roman routinely berated him for tearing a muscle, dislocating a limb, or cracking a bone. William knew that wasn't caring about him, that was Roman wanting something done and being unable to assign his favorite lackie to it.

He started with basic stretches for his biceps and forearms. Next were his legs, which needed more care. Even though his back was the most developed, his legs were the most used. Running and navigating difficult alleyways and traversing the assorted fortified buildings in combat gave William quite the exercise. He learned on the fly how to free-run, and while his style wasn't the safest, it gave him a dangerous edge. A double bladed sword that hurt him as often as it helped him slay his enemies.

Slay, what a cruel word to use. He chuckled to himself as he flexed his arms. Some of the scars didn't come from Roman. He cracked his knuckles, examining them as the hot water soothed his back. Scars laced up them, just as they did his chest, but these were self inflicted. All but one. Accidents from the string of Moonlight Sonata before he learned to grasp changing the properties of it.

The one that didn't belong hadn't come from Roman or Moonlight Sonata. It came from his father. William stared at his palms for a moment, then shifted them slightly. The scars would line up, he knew they would. They were from a hunting knife, a large weapon his father had kept on him nearly all the time. William could still see it in his head. A blade six inches long with a serrated back and a heavy crosspiece. The handle encased in little leather discs for grip.

William could still feel it as it sliced through both of his hands, all the way to the crosspiece. The heavy thud as his father carried him back and slammed the knife into the wall. He was balanced on his toes back then, screaming in pain for his mother. His father was careful though. The blade faced down, and all the pressure was on the serrated back.

For a moment, his hands coated themselves in blood. Leaking from the large scar on his hands. It pooled inside of each and every scar, creeping up his arms to his face. William tore his gaze from them, looking up to the shower head. It spewed red as well, and for a moment he was blind. It stuck to him, thick, hot, and smelling of metal. It filled his eyes, coated his body, and spilled into his mouth.

He swallowed the moment of terror, knowing he had to be imagining things. Scars didn't bleed. Blood washed off. Showers didn't use blood for water. He took a deep breath and blinked a few times. He knew how to deal with this, it wasn't the first time his nightmares had bled into reality, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. There were side effects to Roman's methods of reformation.

William was still quick to get out of the shower. The vision didn't fade, but he kept calm even as his nerves stayed on the fritz. He dried off, wiping the blood off his body, digging when it clung to his scars. The towel was stained red in his vision, but he knew it had to still be white. Blood didn't come from showers.

He repeated the logic to himself again, willing the moment away and his emotions to calm. The blood returned to water as he finished drying, and his frayed nerves settled. The scent of it still clung to him, and the smell threatened to make him vomit. He swallowed with some difficulty, taking a moment to rest at the sink. The smell would fade soon enough, just like the vision.

He splashed water onto his face, rubbing at his eyes. He made the mistake of looking up into the mirror. He looked into the clouded image and A thing with pitch black eyes and a wolfish grin looked back. Clothes drenched red, and hair stained by blood.

A gunshot shattered his train of thought. His head snapped to the door, expecting an attacker. His body snapped wire tight with tension as he dropped into a crouch. The bathroom was clear, as was the room. He paused, considering the circumstances. Then it sounded again, coming from the doorway.

He dove for Moonlight Sonata, coming up with it clasped tightly in his grip. The door remained closed with nothing perforating the solid wood. So what had been shot? The gun fired again, but now William saw what it was. The door bowed in slightly, before it did so again two more times.

"William?" Someone called from the other side of the door.

"I'll be there in a moment." He called at the door.

Roman had to have packed something comfortable to wear. The man was all about style and practically with attire. William knew he never went anywhere without a change of clothes, or in the minimum a spare hat and jacket. Roman went through those white jackets faster than William went through targets.

He finally found what he needed in a bundle and pulled on the boxers and sweatpants before making his way to the door. He wrenched it open just as another knock sounded against it.

"What?" He snapped, pursing his lips in disinterest.

It was the blonde from Red's team. Yang, if William recalled her correctly. She was dressed in her school uniform, weapons nowhere to be seen. Perhaps it was a requirement for students to store their weapons. Regardless, that would be a regulation that William would refuse to follow. Moonlight Sonata was more than just a weapon.

Yang's gaze dropped as she gave him a once over. She finished back at the top to meet his eyes, then her eyes went back down, tracing his scars with a weighty gaze. William didn't need to consider which scar she was focusing on. The main one on his chest, likely the one that stunned the nurse from the infirmary. William snorted, turning away from the door and heading back to his foot locker.

"What do you want?" He asked impatiently, resisting the urge to make a comment about where her eyes were. Ironic how he was reminding her where his eyes where. William snorted at the thought, a small smirk appearing on his lips.

She seemed to snap out of her stupor when he spoke. She stepped into the room, easing the door shut before speaking. "Professor Ozpin wanted to speak to you about something." She muttered. Her gaze still weighed on his back. He pulled on an undershirt to make her stop staring. It was starting to become uncomfortable.

"About the fight I assume." William replied with a sigh. It would work with his reputation, but at the same time it was inconvenient. Ozpin set him on edge, and made him feel exposed.

A sly grin crossed Yang's lips. "I heard about that. You wiped the floor with Cardin and his goons. They deserved it. You have my full support. Just tell Ozpin like it is. He's a chill guy. He'll understand."

William snorted. "Right." he muttered. "You here to escort me then?" He asked. "Cause I'll need to change."

"Bathroom's over there, unless you feel like giving me a show. You have some nice abs. I'll have to start spreading rumors about you being a lady's man." Yang replied easily.

William furrowed his brow, but decided that she was just being playful. She didn't seem serious about any of it, though she made no move for the door. She planned on staying. Which either meant she was curious about the rest of his scars, or how he looked in general.

He reached down into the footlocker, picking up the pieces of his combat uniform. It was dirty, and he really should wash it. That could wait though, and he had no other suitable clothes to meet the headmaster in. Perhaps he would have to spend some money in Vale and buy an outfit. Stealing was another option, but he didn't need to get caught.

He headed into the bathroom, changing into the pants and shirt. He adjusted them before rolling up the sleeves to show his forearms. Moonlight Sonata slid into the leather holster and he joined Yang a moment later. The Aura Blades went into his pocket. His boots were the last piece he put on.

"Ready?" She asked, her gaze flicking to his forearms.

"Debatable," he muttered, "but I assume waiting only prolongs the inevitable."

He tilted his hand slightly, showing the sides. These scars were his own. Records of his past, and of his experience with Moonlight Sonata. The ones on his chest meant nothing to him. Mistakes and consequences of failing Roman.

"Ozpin's a nice guy. Weird, but nice." Yang replied as she gave him another once over. She headed out, leading him down the hallway at a leisurely pace.

"He doesn't seem human." William replied. "That man is missing something in his tone. There's something ethereal about him." He glanced at Yang.

"I think he's just seen a lot in his years. Nothing special about it really. Experience and practice perhaps." Yang replied as she shoulder checked the door open. The door slammed open and the hinges groaned in protest. Yang didn't seem phased by it, but William took note of it.

She was either putting too much strength into her stride or she wasn't conscious of her full power. Both seemed likely to William. She seemed to flippant in her manner, her walk having far too much flair to it, and the way she tilted her body put a swagger in her step. She had grace in it however, and that turned it from a snide movement to a casual gait. There was still too much waste in her movements though. Roman would have beaten that out of him if he ever did something like that.

"Perhaps." William finally replied, letting the topic drop. He didn't want to talk to Yang. She was too open. There was no challenge in the dialogue. She was too honest, and too naive to pick up or try and decipher his contexts. There was no sense of achievement in weaving a cohesive conversation around her questions and hiding himself behind the words.

Yang didn't seem phased by the lack of conversation. She waved to a few people and greeted most of the people they passed by name. She was popular by William's examination. Then again, in a high school, with a figure like that, it was hard not to be. Yang would have had to wear baggy clothes and sport bras to stay unnoticed to any degree.

She lead him to the elevator, but didn't step inside. She just waved at him to get in. William stepped in, folding his hands behind his back. The elevator doors closed, and he noticed that the top floor button had been pushed in. Yang certainly hadn't pushed it, he'd been watching her hands. Which left him wondering who had.

The elevator rose up the tower. The doors opened and he stepped out. Ozpin was sitting calmly at his desk, a passive look on his face. His assistant, the witch, stood at the ready. She seemed hostile but restrained. She glared at William as he walked into the room.

"Ah, William." Ozpin said, giving William a smile that didn't reach his amber eyes. "I hope you're settling in well. I called to see how you liked your first day of classes."

A loaded question. Ozpin knew how his day went. Otherwise he wouldn't have called him up to the office. The same could have been achieved if he sent a senior student to check on him. William pursed his lips, staring into Ozpin's eyes.

Reading expressions was a talent of William's. He used to gauge Roman's expressions and base his word choice off that. It was a talent that came in handy in more situations than that. Facial expressions gave away intentions, and that became an advantage when it came to combat.

Ozpin's expressions didn't exist. There was nothing behind his amber eyes. Vague feelings, but no motive, no intentions. His face was blank, a hollow expression. William furrowed his brow, focusing on his eyes. After a long moment, he realized he was looking at himself. There was nothing in Ozpin's expression, just a mirror, reflecting William's own thoughts.

William huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I think you already know the answer to that Professor."

"You will not talk to Professor Ozpin in such a tone boy!" The witch hissed sharply. "Have respect."

Ozpin held up a hand and his assistant stilled. William could practically feel her rage boil. He didn't need to look at her to read her intentions. If she had to opportunity, she would smash him against the floor.

For a moment, William saw amusement play through Ozpin's expression. A shift in the hollow eyes, and a slight quirk of his lips. Then it vanished, replaced by the same flat look. "Yes. I have been informed of your…" He trailed, seeming to look for a word, "scuffle." He decided. "With Mr. Winchester. I tend to allow students to address their own affairs for the most part. Regardless of whatever problem, there is usually a far more practical solution. Though I would appreciate the quarrels being housed inside of the practice arena, instead of the hallways."

William mulled his words over. Ozpin was willing to let students fight their own battles. There was a reason behind that. No headmaster would simply let students tear each other apart in a school. Unless he was intending for each student to gain experience in each fight, making them stronger as a whole. Classes could only do so much, and creating an atmosphere where fighting could be proposed as a solution to any problem turned it into additional experience and practice before the battlefield.

"I see." William stated as he wondered what else Ozpin could tell him.

"The matter you and Mr. Winchester disagreed on is also part of the reason I called you for." Ozpin added, rising from his chair. "Faunus, while incorporated into Beacon Academy and welcomed with open arms, they are not fully accepted by certain members of the student body. I am pleased to know your opinion on the matter, and how you are more than willing to defend them against transgressions."

Ozpin would expect him to make a reply about why he defended Faunus. His reply should be crafted around it. Something slightly personal, something moderately revealing. William opened his mouth, but froze, the words halted at the back of his throat. Ozpin's eyes bore into his with a sudden strength that seemed to go beyond the man's mortal frame. The lies slide down the back of William's throat and he coughed to cover his hesitance.

William swallowed, clearing his throat for more time. He couldn't lie. Ozpin would see right through it. Ozpin likely knew exactly what was a truth and what was a lie already. "Faunus are more genuine." William replied. "They tend to be more open to certain things, having already been judged and cast aside for their own circumstances." William finally managed. His voice was weak, startling him. That was the truth. And yet it felt heavy to admit.

Ozpin's gaze remained on him for a moment longer than necessary. Then he walked around his desk and leaned back against the edge of it. His palms flat on the desk as he regarded William with the same intensity Roman did. A piercing gaze, with weight that could crush William's skeleton and leave him a puddle of flesh and blood on the floor. Ozpin's gaze had all of that, and none of it. Roman was violent, but restrained. Ozpin's was forceful, but there were qualities of it that William couldn't understand.

"How insightful of you." Ozpin finally said, his gaze shifting off of him. William felt the air rush back into his lungs, only now realizing that he had forgotten to breath. "There is far more to you than you like to let on. Isn't there?" The comment was casual, but the tone and the word choice in it made William think otherwise. Ozpin knew William wasn't just a regular student, or a kid looking for redemption from Vacuo.

"Good or bad?" William replied, broaching the subject. If Ozpin considered him a threat it would make it increasingly difficult to act around school. He had originally planned to remain undetected by Ozpin, but that seemed impossible. The man looked at him and it felt like William was stripped bare. No mask, no facade, nothing would fool him. The man simply could see through it and William didn't know how to deal with something as powerful as that.

Roman had warned him that Ozpin was perceptive. This was beyond that. Under Ozpin's gaze William felt like a pawn. Roman always had a plan, but the pieces were varied and sometimes fell into place as the game was being played. Ozpin's game had been set since the beginning of time. Every piece mapped out and every move predicted. William was just another piece on the board, and Ozpin seemed to know exactly how he would move.

"Yet to be determined." The answer made William freeze. Did that mean Ozpin was giving him a chance? Or did that mean Ozpin was simply waiting for the right moment to kill him? "Rest assured Mr. Lance." William grimaced at his last name. "If you pose a threat of any direct nature to my students or the citizens of Vale." Ozpin leaned forward and the room suddenly grew ice cold. The air thickened, and time itself weighed on William's shoulders. "I will not hesitate to dispose of you far quicker than you can imagine. Do you understand me?"

William wanted to speak. He tried to, but his tongue was stuck to his mouth. His lips sealed shut. He managed a nod, and the weight vanished. He swallowed, and then reinforced his nod. "I think you mistake me for something I'm not." He muttered, and even to him his voice sounded weak. "You think I am a wolf, ready to strike, rather than a pup waiting to learn."

Ozpin smirked at the statement. Emotion didn't appear in the man's eyes, despite the expression. "Perhaps." He agreed, taking a deep breath before continuing. "But a pup can often grow far more deadly than his father," Ozpin gave him a pointed look, "or uncle." He swept his hand across his desk and picked up a coffee mug.

"You give me too much credit. My uncle is a powerful man." William insisted, forcing his lips into a small smile. "But I appreciate your attempt to flatter me. He remains out of reach for a pup of my skills."

"You don't give yourself enough credit." Ozpin replied. "You are quite skilled in combat, among other professions." There was a smirk as he said that line. Did he already know what William could do? "But none of those are why I called you here. I was asked to propose an idea to you by Miss Adel. You helped out her teammate, Miss Scarlatina, this morning."

"I see, and the proposal?" William asked, leaning forward in his chair, clasping his hands together. Despite his calm exterior, his palms were getting sweaty. Ozpin put him off kilter. He didn't know how to take some of his off-handed comments. Roman never gave him credit, it was either he failed or he didn't. There was no 'good job' when William finished a task.

The elevator chimed, and Ozpin seemed content to wait. William was not. He couldn't bear another moment under the man's gaze. He looked too closely for things William wasn't prepared to hide. There were somethings that William still couldn't hide, even after years of working on his masks and facades. Ozpin was picking them out as if William's defenses didn't even exist.

William recognized the girl who walked in. It was hard not to. She was a memorable person. Her beret was enough to set her off as different, but William remembered her for the simple reason that she pulled him up with one hand. There was something superhuman about her strength.

"Coco." He greeted as she walked in. Perhaps walked in was the wrong word. There was a swagger in her step, a subtle flaunt and confidence in her gait that drew William's eyes to her hips. They were full, supple, and her butt complimented that.

William was willing to bet she was good at yoga too. Which meant she would be decent at stealth missions. Flexibility and solid muscle tone were important when holding awkward positions.

"William." She greeted, "Professor Ozpin." She nodded at the man slightly.

"Talk to William as you please." Ozpin replied. "Both of your are dismissed, as I believe it is team CFVY's lunch hour. Excluding Miss Scarlatina." Ozpin waved at them.

"Come on." Coco said, impatience in her voice as she grabbed William's bicep, forcefully jerking him back towards the elevator. William quickly fell into step with her, and she mashed the ground floor button.

"So what's this about?" William asked as the doors closed. "Is Ozpin setting me up with you so I don't cause trouble, or did you actually have a proposal for me?" He looked sideways at the girl.

There was power in her frame. Her muscles were sleek, and the school uniform did well to hide the definition of her biceps and core. Her figure was the result of training and muscle, not dieting and genetics. She likely wasn't overly muscled, but toned, going for a sleek look that would match her personality.

"No. There's an actual offer William." She assured him. "I'm just hungry and you're going to deal with it." Coco replied, storming through the hallways at a heightened pace. "I wanted you to join my team for a mission tomorrow. It may be an extended one though, and I know you don't have team experience, so I wanted to know your opinion on the matter before I had Ozpin put you on orders for it."

"A team op?" William asked. "What's the job?" He ignored the itching in his palms, where the scars were. Velvet may be a problem. The rest of her team shouldn't trigger any memories. Coco was nothing like any of his past teammates.

"We're going to a forest outside of Vale. Apparently the Grimm infestation has gotten out of hand. Ozpin wants us to thin the herd and clear out a nice section of it. Nothing extremely out of the ordinary." Coco explained, shouldering open the door to the courtyard.

William matched her pace, a step behind it to watch her a bit more closely without being too obvious. "So it's just Grimm? I don't really have experience with that." He confessed. "I haven't killed many Grimm in all honesty."

"That's fine. They aren't hard. The forest should have a handful of Beowolves, and maybe a couple of Ursa. Nothing out of hand, and nothing unusual. Though a Beringel has been spotted there." Coco explained.

The terms went over William's head, but he grasped the meaning by her tone. The mission would be mostly light enemies, maybe a few shocktroopers, and then there was a slim possibility of something more dangerous. He nodded. "I'm up for it." It would give him time to examine another team's fighting capabilities and give Roman a report on them. Team CFVY was a senior team, or at least a more seasoned team. They could prove difficult to Roman's operations if they delved into it.

"So you'll join us?" Coco said, her tone taking a note of excitement. "I'll inform Ozpin, but for now you have a few hoops to jump through. I need to know what you can do, and how you mesh with my team. Sound fair? I'll introduce them to you all now." She stopped in front of a pair of double doors.

The cafeteria. William hummed, recalling the dent he put in the wall with his face. Would that already have been repaired, or would it still be there? He smiled as she pushed open the door, and headed to one of the tables.

Her teammates were already sitting there, waiting on them. William joined them, taking a seat next to Coco, who sat across from a boy with tanned skin. A larger man sat across from William, an oriental look in his face and his posture.

"This is Yatsuhashi, but we call him Yatsu." Coco said, nodded to the oriental man.

He had black hair, with a large frame. William couldn't tell if he was all muscle or a mixture of muscle and fat. His arms were definitely strong, William could see the shift and stretch of the fabric covering his arms as he extended his hand toward William.

William took his hand, squeezing it a bit harder than necessary. The man doubled that strength with a pleasant smile. He nodded at William, but didn't speak. William could respect a man of few words. Fewer secrets existed about a man who kept his lips sealed, and fewer loose ends existed when dealing with one. They carried their burdens on their own shoulders.

"And this is my partner, Fox." Coco added, smiling a bit broader at the tanned boy.

He glanced at Coco, and William saw his eyes more clearly. The pupils were white, blending into the rest of his eye. He was blind. His movements were hesitant, and overtly careful. He extended his hand out, gently offering his hand above the glasses on the table.

"You're blind." William replied bluntly, taking his hand and squeezing it.

William felt shivers go down his spine as he felt the sudden burst of bloodlust and rage flicker through Fox's Aura. His hand crushed William's, and William returned the strength, matching him. He grinned, feeling the excitement bubble up in him.

"And?" Fox hissed. There was challenge in his voice. He was more than willing to fight about it. He had been challenged before, and he would not be beaten easily.

His arms were scarred, and William could only assume that they were from battle. He was a hunter, and a student at Beacon. His skills had to be above average, and there was little doubt in William's mind that Fox could fight quite well. He was blind, which limited his options, but William had a clue. His biceps and triceps were fully developed and his forearms were muscled as well. He had to use a close range weapon, something that turned his disadvantage to one that sight was negligible in the fact of feeling and reacting to instinct and experience. He had to be team CFVY's close combat member.

William hummed softly as he considered his options. "Nothing of it." Coco and Yatsuhashi had frozen, waiting for his reply. This was a hurdle for their team. If William didn't get along with Fox, then Coco would likely pass on taking him on the mission. "I feel like fighting blind is something no ordinary man could even conceive. To meet someone who does, and obviously does it well, interests me." William replied.

There was a shift in Fox's arm. His grip relaxed, but there was still tension in his shoulders. He was still on edge, but he accepted William's comment. "I'm more than capable in my trade." Fox replied. "I don't need to see to beat you in a match."

William smiled at that, a mixture between one of amusement and a genuine one. Fox was not a killer, but he was someone who wasn't afraid to back up his threats. William could sense that much.

"Of course not." William replied. "You have an edge no one has even remotely considered. You fight blind, using sounds and sensing Aura or feeling the opponents motions through the air. Hypersensitivity. You could fight on par with a Faunus in pitch black environment and not even notice. You may well fight better than they can. Your only downfall would be snipers, or perhaps a sonic weapon. Anything with noise, but if it affects you, then any normal fighter would be as well."

He didn't need to look to know that Coco had relaxed. The aggression melted off Fox's body. He nodded, looking at his partner. "I like him." He finally stated before turning back to his food. He took a bite and chewed before continuing. "Testing him?" He asked.

"Naturally," Coco replied, "but lunch first. I'm starving. Did you take care of Cardin?" She asked, chowing down on her plate.

Fox simply smiled. That was all William needed to see to know that Cardin wouldn't be messing with Velvet any time soon. There was even a chance he wouldn't be eating solid foods for a while to go with it. There was something about Fox's personality that made William itch with anticipation. He wanted to fight the blind man, even once.

"Testing?" William asked. "Fighting?"

"And understanding your semblance. It cancels your Aura doesn't it?" Coco asked. "Velvet said when you shielded her you got hit and were bleeding, so you're fighting defenseless as long as your semblance is activated."

William nodded, swallowing his bite of salad. "Yep. I assume you want to full brief on it?" He asked, glancing at her.

"Naturally." Coco replied. "Our lives could depend on it in the field."

"You flatter yourself. This mission is nothing too dangerous." William replied. "Grimm can't shoot back. Give yourself range and the difficulty drops drastically." He paused, realizing he'd replied without thought. He had replied to that in the same manner he would have if Roman had said it.

Coco narrowed her eyes, but before she could ask anything William flicked his hand out. His Aura slid off his body, coiling up like a spool of wire. A wire shot out of his finger, an inch above the table top. He wriggled it around for them to see.

"My semblance is materialization, but it's not like I can simply pump my Aura into creating something like a weapon. My semblance uses wires to construct itself, so I'm restricted to things that I have either constructed thousands of times, and I can meld the wires into a solid structure, like an arrow, or things that require tension to hold themselves together. Either way, the construction itself is still done with wire of two varying types."

"Loops and wires." Fox put in suddenly. "A straight wire, or one that loops around and you can control the loop radius."

William paused, wondering when Fox noticed that. Had he been watching him fight Cardin? Did he see it in his fight with RWBY, or had he simply guessed with how William manipulated it?

"Yes." William confessed. "That's right. Loops rely on tension for them to retain any strength. They usually serve as anchors for different structures." William explained. "Wires are freer, and I can manipulate them how I like, even though it takes more energy."

"Like shields." Coco put in. "What else can you make?"

The wires retracted, and William spread his palm. Wires collected in it, coiling around rapidly, expanding out. A moment later he held a broadhead arrow. He held it out, and Fox took it, running his fingers over it.

"As long as my semblance is activated, it will hold it's shape, and as long as it's still connected to my hand, I can adjust the shape." William explained. "After it leaves my hands though, that's it. It will disappear after a few moments, or upon impact."

"I want to see it in action." Coco stated, a mischievous grin on her lips.

William considered it, looking to the others. Fox seemed to shake his head, but the movement stopped as soon as William turned his head to regard him. Yatsuhashi simply sighed, pushing his plate to the center of the table. Fox followed suit, until it was only William who still had his plate in front of him.

He looked up at Coco, who had risen and taken a step towards the door. "You're testing me?" He asked.

"Obviously. Hurry up." Coco urged, cocking her hip, her handbag swinging easily with the movement. "We don't have all day, and if we don't hurry someone will get it before we do. And I am not a woman that likes waiting for what she wants."

William hummed, taking another bite of the meat on his tray before getting up. He walked with them, taking the time to analyse each of their gaits and walks. Coco and Fox had a determined, solid gait. The blind man's feet were certain, despite the effort he put into making them look hesitant. Every so often his feet would gain an air of confidence, before jerking back, restrained. Coco's were strong, and she flaunted herself in her walk. She was confident in her power and status. A cock of her hip, the subtle shift of her hips as she walked. Yastuhashi's were neither. His strides were long, but casual, doing little more than keeping up with Fox's pace. He was passive, and it showed in the ease and lax in his movements.

The question was, who would he be fighting? Yatushashi would be easy to deal with. The man was strong, but his muscles weren't built for speed. He would be a heavy hitter, but that only mattered if he could hit William.

Fox would be a hard fight. He was blind, and obviously their team's close quarters combat expert. His scars would be from experience, near misses and bloody failures. Out of all of them, Fox may be the worst set up for the test.

Coco was a mystery. William couldn't get a read off of her yet. Her weapon wasn't obvious, but some of her abilities were. She was strong, which leaned to her weapon being large, or heavy.

"Are you ready for this?" Fox asked as Coco pushed open the arena doors.

"Will you be my opponent?" William replied without meeting the blind man's 'gaze'.

Fox grinned, a dark look. "No. You'll be fighting Coco. You'll enjoy it."

William hummed as he followed Coco down into the arena, squaring up with her. There was a good distance between them, a solid twenty feet to give them both starting room. Coco looked back at Velvet, who gave her a thumbs up.

"You're too interested in me for this to be casual." William told her as he eased Moonlight Sonata out of it's holster.

Coco smirked, the expression magnified as she pushed her sunglasses down. The timer started counting down as Coco set a hand on her purse. "I'd just like to see what I'm workin' with. You faired quite well against team RWBY. I think if you were serious you could have managed all of them, one way or another."

"You give me too much credit." William replied, anxiously spinning Moonlight Sonata around his hands.

"You don't give yourself enough." She shot back. The line struck a chord with him, reminding him what Ozpin had said.

William narrowed his gaze. "What are you trying to figure out?" He crouched low, his eye on the timer as he reached out, resting one hand on the ground as the other cocked Moonlight Sonata back behind him. It looked like a modified runner's stance, but with a far more dangerous intention. William wasn't going to be playing around this match.

Coco smirked, eyeing him up again as the round started. Her weapon unfolded in an instant, a drum magazine unfolding as William kicked off, rushing her at a dead sprint. The barrels shot out and she squeezed the trigger.

William cast out his semblance as the first of the bullets filled the air. The mesh he wove exploded, the wire pulled out of tension and his entire design unraveled. It couldn't keep up with the massive force of her onslaught. He slid, bullets whizzing above his hand. Coco met his eye, and he realized she was playing with him.

Coco had known that he didn't have his Aura around him to protect him. She was goading him into action, using her fire to entice him to attack or defend with his semblance. He snarled, diving to the side as he flipped Moonlight Sonata around. He came to his feet, slowing to a halt. Coco's fire stopped a moment later, just before the bullets churned him up into pulp.

William glanced at her, examining her cocky gaze. He gritted his teeth. He wasn't someone to be looked down upon. He hated pity.

"You'll regret playing with me." He warned her.

Coco's smirk bloomed into a full fledged grin. "I hope you show me that then. You better not be empty taunts boy. My Velvet's got high hopes for you."

William's grip tightened on the bow. He cracked his knuckles, rolling his neck. "Then you better not be slacking. You may die."

He drew and fired the bow before Coco could pull the trigger. The arrow didn't even fully materialize on the bowstring. William didn't need it to. It formed in the air, a blue blur as it struck her weapon. It untangled, the shaft uncoiling into hundreds of threads as the head buried into the ground. William clenched his off hand, and the cords pulled tight, yanking the weapon's barrels to the ground.

"Fun." Coco said as she tapped it.

The threads tangled up with the mechanism, and it refused to budge. William drew another arrow to his lip.

"One." He said easily, averting his aim and shooting it past it. It drove into the concrete wall. He flipped Moonlight Sonata again as he walked towards her. "You're not so tough."

Coco smiled. "Let's see how well your theory goes." She said, putting her hands up.

He stabbed his sword into the ground just before he met her. She struck first, throwing her hand out to hit him in the face. He ducked under it, his focus on her legs. He kicked at her heels and she stumbled, starting to fall.

William cocked his fist back as she fell. She caught herself on her arms and lashed out with a kick into his side. He took it without a sound as he punched her in the thigh, knocking her leg back. He dropped, leading with his elbow.

Coco rolled clear as William elbow dropped her. They came up together, squaring off evenly for a moment before William waded back in. He led with a full body spin kick, rotating his body around as he swung his leg down at her head.

She started to block it, but sidestepped at the last moment. William's heel smashed into the concrete, cracking it. He pivoted off it, lashing out with a side kick and then leading into a butterfly kick which pulled him out of her range.

Coco managed to block all but the butterfly, which caught her twice, once on the side of the head, and again as his back foot came around, on her arm. William flexed his legs, wringing them out as if he was just stretching.

"You're good with kicks." Coco noted.

"I have steel heels for a reason." William replied evenly. "But you didn't challenge me to see my fighting style did you?" He smiled now, his eyes a lighter shade of green. "You're playing around as much as I am. You want to know who I am."

Coco hummed, then turned away. "I suppose I do." She replied, heading back to her back, taking hold of the handle. William dispelled his semblance and she picked it back up. "If I was serious you'd already be scraps on the floor.

"If this was a real fight you wouldn't see me coming." William assured her as he retrieved his sword. "Did you get enough?" He asked, making a point not to sheath his blade.

Coco lashed out suddenly, her weapon collapsing into the form of a handbag. William caught the blow of his forearm. It went out wide, surprising William as he skidded back from the force of the blow. He clicked his tongue, shaking his arm out. It was going numb.

He stalked towards Coco, cracking his neck. She still wore that playful smile. She didn't know he could have already killed her twice now. He could deploy his semblance from his hands and feet and stringing a garotte wire between his legs was as easy as breathing. Butterfly kicks were great for that type of maneuver.

She was testing his weapon skill now. William lead with a one handed slash, diagonal up her body. She parried it, knocking it aside with a sweep of her handbag. William let her, sliding into the gap in her guard, his off hand dipping into his pocket and pulling an Aura Blade free. She jumped back, but not before William slashed up across her chest with the dagger. She clutched her chest, looking stunned.

"Good?" William asked easily, returning the Aura Blade to his pocket.

"I expected nothing less from the man whose eyes held such strength." Coco replied. "You've got what it takes to keep up with my team. I like it." She shifted, adopting a tentative stance, a slight cock in her hips, a casual head cock, but her eyes were looking away.

William cocked his hip, giving her a disapproving look. "You have something else to say." He informed her. "And it's rather negative. I can read it in your eyes."

"Is that really how you fight?" Coco asked after a moment. "You don't really guard yourself well. It's almost like you want to get hit, or you're trying to cut it as close as you can."

William shrugged as if it didn't matter. "I guard myself well enough." He didn't, and he knew that he didn't. He had lost the part of his mind that told him it was dangerous. Pain was a state of being, not a punishment. Gunshots were simply a hinderance, a lost limb would be crippling, but he would survive. If he was lucky he would bleed out and die, and from that death he would find escape.

Coco didn't seem satisfied by his answer, but she didn't press the issue. She just sighed and headed back to her team, leaving William standing in the arena. He watched her go, waving as they left the building. He didn't want to spend more time talking to them. He had enough on his mind.

He set back to the dorms, retiring to his room. He set Moonlight Sonata on the bed, knowing he should run maintenance over the blade. It had seen heavy use today. Despite that, he set it aside for tomorrow as he took out his scroll. He sent a text to Roman.

"Sparred with your problem team, and team leader of CFVY. Coco." He sent it.

He got a reply a few minutes later, which told him Roman wasn't on a job at the moment. 'Report?' Roman was always terse.

William pursed his lips, then gave Roman a brief outline of their fighting styles. Ruby tended to lean towards a speed build, using leverage and her own inertia to utilize her scythe. Weiss was more difficult. Blake was good, but there was a roughness to her style, a tentativeness in her blade that stopped her from putting any real amount of force behind each blow. That could just be with human though. Yang was a powerhouse, but could be taken down with enough technique. William didn't forget to mention the odd red eyed effect. Then he gave a brief on Coco. She was strong, especially at range. Her short range was weak, but her strength compensated somewhat.

When he finished typing it up and sent it, he headed a knock on the door.

"It's open." He called with a heavy sigh. He didn't want any guests tonight. He had a mission in the morning with CFVY, and he had no desire to deal with anyone else. Velvet had shaken him up, and he was still feeling the effect. It was difficult to wear a mask when it was chipped.

Ruby stepped in, a look of glee on her face. She seemed giddy about something, though it could be her natural expression. William had never seen a person smile so much. Neo was the only person he saw regularly smiling, but usually there was drastically different reasons for her smile.

Ruby just seemed genuinely happy. All the time. It was kind of giving William the creeps.

"Hey William!" She greeted. "Come here! We have a-" She snapped her mouth shut, looking embarrassed. "It's a... Uh. It's umm… Just come on!" She urged him.

He got up, glad that he'd chosen to leave his Aura Blades in his pocket. He was wary of her smile. It set him on edge. He followed her down the hall, until she stopped in front of a door. She squealed excitedly, urging him to open it.

William gave her a curious glance, wondering what sort of thing lay beyond the door. He grabbed the door, one of his hands edging towards his pocket. He threw it open, finding the room dark.

It exploded in light, a blur of red flashing by his side. He nearly jumped out of his skin as the people appeared in the light. He recognized them in an instant, Blake, Yang, Weiss, as well as four other faces. Fear grabbed his heart, closing around it. Then it cleared, his symptoms contained for a moment.

"Surprise!" They chorused. Someone had a cake balanced on the nightstand. They had pulled it out into the middle of the room. "Welcome to Beacon!"

William glanced at them, observing their expressions for a moment before he pushed a smile to his lips. He slid his thumbs into his pocket. "What's this?" He asked. "Cake?"

Ruby nodded, her smile nearly stretching across her face now. "It's a party! We wanted you to feel welcome on your first day!"

William hummed, chuckling lightly at them. "This is too much." He remembered what a party was. His mom threw him one, or maybe two. The memory was fuzzy at best. Roman didn't have parties, not unless they were with clients and involved beer, wine, and business. Junior threw a party every now and then. It made sense that a party for students would be scaled down from what Juniors threw though.

"Thank you." He finally said. Ruby zipped around, handing out pieces of cake on little napkins. He barely caught his when she dropped it into his hands. Rose petals drifted in her wake. He flicked one way.

She was too innocent, William decided. Too naive to the way of the world. She was sweet and kind. He wouldn't be surprised if she baked the cake herself. Blake didn't seem like the type to bake, neither did Weiss . Yang might have helped, but he was sure Ruby was the one who put the whole thing together. All for a kid she didn't even know.

He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. She was adorable. She introduced him to everyone. Team JNPR, which considered of an awkward blonde, Jaune, a red head, Phyrra, a girl who rivaled Ruby in terms of energy, Nora, and a cool laid back guy with a pink streak in his hair, Ren. William greeted all of them with a grin and a nod of his head.

She was too kind. Too pure. Roman had mentioned recruiting her. Ruby would never fall from her state of morals. There was only right and wrong in her eyes. Darkness and light, and she belonged firmly in the light. She wouldn't even consider killing a man, William could see it in her eyes.

William sighed, setting his cake down. He was going to hate killing her.

Alright guys. That's Chapter Four. I hope you like what I did with the chapter. I cut Coco and William's fight shorter by quite a bit. I tried to give it more a a feel that neither were serious, rather than Coco was trying to annihilate William, or vice versa.

Read, Review, and make sure you tell me what you like or don't like! As always, I hope you enjoyed watching William, and I hope you'll stick with it. He'll start changing as the chapters go by and I hope you'll stick around till the end of the line.