Remnant's Visitor

by Garmadon35

Trapped outside of both time and space, all Gaster yearns for is to be home with his family, and with a way back in hand his dream may just come true. But something goes wrong and Gaster ends up falling through timelines. Now stranded in the world of Remnant, will the scientist still harbour ill will towards humanity, or will he be able to take the first steps in forgiving them?

4. Chapter 4

Hello readers, back with another chapter. I know some of you saw that I was misspelling Weiss as Wiess and I made sur to correct that.

As to answer a certain reader who asked me about some additional Undertale characters, don't worry, I plan for them to be coming soon. Who they are, well I don't want to spoil it, but with everything I've written I'm interested to see what the guesses could be =).

Enjoy.

---

Chapter 4

The night was late when Gaster's flesh stopped peeling itself off with the itchy rash that came with it. He'd only lost what little he still had on his left arm and even that was enough to raise an alarming number of red flags.

His current standing in the timeline left him far less than ill-equipped to deal with this sort of thing, but he had to act. If he ended up losing his flesh again it might not be so easy to cover up with just a bit of clothing.

But what could he do? The only thing that he could even call a lab was all under lock and key and had been ever since he first got here.

"Gah, it's insulting, but it looks like I'll need to work in the only other place that can come close to giving me what I want."

Slipping on his shirt, trench coat and white gloves onto both his now exposed skeleton hands and snatching his notebook, Gaster made a move teleporting straight to the mess hall.

The dark night made the large building eerie quite with the feeling of a graveyard and the lack of people. Not the doctor's favourite of places but it made a comfortable setting cover from the security cameras.

Spending a full weeks' worth on campus came in handy mapping out the locations of every building he'd happen to visit, though the cafeteria hall was the last place he thought he'd be using this knowledge at.

Carefully, he peaked from behind the corner of one of the furthest most pillars of the mess hall. Very faintly, the glints of the cam's sparkled from the shadow's mounted high above.

Four total, each covering a side of the building bolted to pillars with rotating mounts. Gaster was by no means in a blind spot and at this point the cover of dark was the only thing keeping him hidden.

Or at least he was hoping.

His target, the kitchen at the other end. Three ways in, front, back and the venue where they pass food out. All heavily monitored and heavily bolted.

"And the next guard could be passing by at any moment," Gaster mused, summoning his hands and sending integrity, courage, justice and perseverance up the side of the walls. Flying them close to the ceiling around the camera's blind spots until reaching behind each of them.

Bone fingers gently clasping the power cords.

If he could, he'd just teleport into the kitchen as easy as he'd done to get here and avoid all this fuss. But he'd never seen the inside of the kitchen before, so this was more of a pain for Gaster than he'd care to admit.

With a flick of his wrist all four hands simultaneously yanked the cables out.

---

Interlude

In the academy's security room the size of a large living room sat a lone guard before a full-blown wall of computer screens each showing an aspect of the academy.

He was reading a time magazine and couldn't help scoff at the publicity the head of the Schnee Dust Company was getting. Lots of people hated the guy and others just found the drivel coming out that man's mouth hilarious.

The guards reading time was abruptly interrupted by sharp static sounding in front of him. Glancing up, he noticed four of the monitors had just gone static with the harsh sound to go with it.

"Hmm, that's weird~," he grumbled, reaching up and checking the screens a bit before picking up a radio from a whole stack of them. "Hey, Maron, could you check out the cafeteria real quick for me? Cameras seem to have gone off up here."

"…..Yeah I can do that, I'm close to it now actually," it crackled in response.

"Cheers."

---

Interlude

Hoping that did the trick, Gaster quickly teleported to the other end of the room by the kitchen door and giving it a look.

Locked, and electronically to boot with a required key card.

"I don't have time for this. I need to get those cameras back online before they cause a major problem with whoever's on the other side of them," he breathed rattling his brain for a solution. "Okay, electronic locks are held in place by a security system that can only be opened by a key card. The door is held shut by a bolt which is governed by a motor controlling its position which is controlled by the system, so I just need to send a current to get the motor moving to move the bolt."

As Gaster tried planning his way around, flashing lights brought his attention to the windows. It was a groundsman with a flash light moving by them and probably coming to check on the disabled cameras.

"Forget it, I'm doing this the quick way," he resolved, taking a fist and beating the top of the scanner pad until it was dislodged from the wall and exposing its wires behind. All three of them. "Black and white are power wires, so green gives the all clear if the key card is correct. Right?"

Determination at the ready, he carefully cut through the cables with a fine beam before shaving the tips off to expose the copper beneath.

The hall doors rattled as the guard inserted his key.

"Why is it that this's electronic but that's analogue?" Gaster huffed in frustration, taking the black and green and touching the ends. Nothing, was he wrong?

The door gave an echoing click of the key turning.

Letting green go and grabbing white he attached the heads again. Nothing, one of them must not have been the cable he thought it was.

The door handles rattled as the knobs turned before the guard opened the doors.

Tossing the black and grabbing green again he touched the heads together in a dashed attempt. A small click in the kitchen door as the motor moved the bolt aside.

Got it!

Gaster slapped the scanner back onto the wall to cover the cables before going to the door just as the groundsman shone his light through the room with a single sliver of the kitchen insight. That was all the doctor needed.

The guards light shone over the back of the hall, the sides and back again before looking up the cameras on the pillars.

"Okay~, nothing out of the ordinary," he mused to himself before a static buzz sounded in his ear piece and a voice followed through.

"The feeds back on line. Whatever you did, I think you just saved my bacon, Maron."

"I didn't do anything," he responded, still looking up to the cameras. "We might need to get these ones checked in the morning. If their faulty and this happens again it'll be more than just your bacon on the line."

At that, the groundsman gave the vast room one final sweep before turning to leave. Unbeknownst to him, the kitchen door with a hairline of a crack slowly clicked shut with his departure.

"Hhh~, that was a little nerve racking," Gaster breathed, turning away from the door and looking to the darkness of the kitchen.

The whole place was gloomy to say the least. Could do with some lights on, but lone building in the night that's supposed to be dark might draw attention if the lights suddenly came on. Still, working in these conditions was breaking the peak of the doctor's patience and he most certainly wasn't going to stand working in the dark.

Bringing up his hand of courage along with his scroll, he turned on the light function before letting his hand hold it.

It would be easier to use his hands themselves as lights, but the magic to maintain them all would just be a huge waste. This way, he hardly had to think about his hand to keep one materialized and in place. That and it sure beats making a makeshift lamp from parts.

"Alright, time to get to work."

---

Later

Hours passed, so much so that morning light was now beginning to leak through the windows.

Gaster had spent the whole time mixing ingredients, boiling, frying and steaming everything he could do to make a solution that could serve as a substitute to his flesh.

Anyone can make a crude papier-mâché skin, but the doctor wasn't one to settle with a crude make. If he was going to have to live disguised under these conditions, then he was going to live with the best disguise he could get his hands on.

A gelatine-based compound was the best he could hope for, and no matter the distractions he was going to get it. Even if said distractions so happened to have been him slipping on freshly peeled piece of flesh off his leg.

Still though, kitchen supplies weren't enough to do this and no amounts of coffee was going to help him see over that fact.

"-one gram of caster sugar, half a gram of flour and three teaspoons of egg yolk," Gaster listed, pouring the ingredients with the rest into a simmering saucepan before taking a drink from his eleventh coffee already. "I need an upgrade from this."

Just as the saucepan was beginning to steam his scroll suddenly started buzzing and nearly fell right out of his hand into the pot.

Plucking it out and looking to the screen the word 'Ruby' was highlighted in bold letters.

"Since when did I give her my number?" he mused, hitting pick-up. "Hello?"

"Where are you?" came her voice hushed and sharp. Gaster could make out someone else talking in the background. "Class has already started."

Gaster froze on the spot at her words before quickly flicking through his pocketed note book until coming across a scribbled in reminder on the page.

He was late for his nine o'clock class on the first day!

"Miss Rose, kindly put your phone away. Tales of old have the best meaning and feel to them when told to an audience without distractions," a proud voice boomed in the background.

"Ah, sorry-," the call abruptly ended with a soft beep on a loop.

"Oh dear," Gaster groaned, flicking his scroll closed and putting it away before dissipating his hand and turning the stove off. Taking one of the mixing bowls he poured the steaming solution into it. "If I don't get to class, I end up risking drawing attention to myself."

For the remaining materials and solutions in the making, he packed them away into clean jars and other containers he could get his hands on. He would've much preferred them to be sterilized rather than resort to these barbaric means, but choices weren't wide.

As soon as he finished, he guzzled down the last of his coffee before grabbing everything he could and teleporting right back to his room.

Dumping everything before teleporting again as close as he could to the lecture room he was meant to be at.

Again, a room he was unfamiliar with.

'This is becoming more and more problematic for me. When I have time, I'm going to memorize this entire castle of a school from bottom up. I'm never going to waste time just by walking like this again.'

As Gaster hurried through the hall ways to find his current class, he couldn't help but contemplate what his current findings meant for him. And by that, no findings at all.

The kitchen was the next best thing to an actual laboratory for him to use and the only chemistry class on campus was hardly something he could properly work with, considering the materials and user wear were all locked up tight behind analogue locks that he couldn't just warp by.

You can only break so many locks before security catches on to your routine and manages to catch you in the act. A fact Gaster was more than happy to avoid completely.

As he continued walking past classroom after classroom, he found himself coming up on one of the campus labs. He couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows at what he saw.

'That's odd, the doors open. It's never been like that, at least not without a little of my handywork,' Gaster thought, coming up to the door.

Giving a peek inside he was about to go by completely until noticing what was inside, stopping himself dead in his tracks going back to see if he was seeing right. A twitching grin crept onto his face with a spark of his scientific madness bubbling up within him.

Though he'd prefer to call it enthusiasm.

Taking a step back, he teleported back to his room, grabbing his materials from the kitchen and jumping to the lab's head desk. Setting his previous results down next to a full set up Bunsen burner and dripper.

The classroom was setup differently compared to other lecture rooms on campus. It had the same third-of-a-circle room shape with desks set out on the same level with two to four gas ports on each while the head desk was elevated, kind of like a court room.

The other desks were spaced out three by eight with each having a pair of gas ports.

At the back wall hung lab coats and goggles for borrow with glass cabinets housing chemicals and equipment. Normally they'd be locked tight, which was the main reason Gaster couldn't us it.

But this time they were open, and a few of the materials were even set up on the head desk.

"Makes sense I guess, this is basically the start of the school year," Gaster hypothesized, pouring a fair bit of the failed gel mixture into four separate beakers with one of them atop a tripod before hooking up the Bunsen burner and lighting it. "There's bound to be a class here eventually."

Just as he was placing the mixture above the burner on the tripod his eyes widened at the words that just came out of his mouth. A class? Here?

Suddenly a growing commotion sprung from practically nothing behind the door to the class room flung open and scores of students piled in one after another. The sudden audience nearly made Gaster spill his set all over the place.

As they all began taking their seats behind the desks before him Gaster soon found himself with a full audience of children. Some still chattering amongst each other while others looked to him with awaiting eyes.

'Oh, for phalanges sake, was this class set to start later in the day than most other first years?'

Moments passed and Gaster still tried to decide whether to leave now or stay for the materials. At this point even the talkative students had their attentions turned to him as the beaker of sludge began bubbling.

"Is that our teacher? He looks kind of young."

"What's up with those scars? I wonder if that white hair makes him a mad scientist."

"I just hope we don't do anything boring~."

"Wanna hang out at the library after this?"

'Wait, teacher? Me?'

The proclamations and mild gossip going around him was giving Gaster a thought. A plan forming in the doctor's head with another smile tugging away at his lips. He tried to hide it but a bit managed to slip out.

The real teacher probably had this set up before hand and might've left because he forgot something.

'Meaning he'll be back soon. I'll deal with that when it becomes a problem.'

Giving his throat a clear Gaster stood in attention.

"Good morning class, I hope you enjoyed your break, and welcome to Beacon Academy first years," he announced loudly enough for the back to hear.

A few confused looks went around before one of them raised a hand. A faunus girl by the looks of it with rabbit ears growing from chestnut brown hair.

'Oh no, I didn't make a mistake, did I?'

"Yes?" Gaster motioned to the girl with a hint of worry in his voice. But by contrast she looked just as worried if not frightened. Maybe she was a bit shy.

"Umm, sir, we're actually second years here," she replied softly with a twitch of her ears.

That confirms it, she was shy but that didn't matter as Gaster realized the severity of his mistake.

A series of nods and murmurs of agreement went around class as Gaster closely looked at each of the students. Focusing his magic and looking beyond his flesh eyes and into the souls of each of them.

The girl was Velvet Scarlatina, and from what Gaster could gather off her soul she was a second year at the academy and the rest of her team CVFY were all in the same boat. Even her team captain Coco Adel was eyeing him questioningly from behind heavily darkened sunglasses.

The rest of the students were all also second year students and were in this chemistry class to learn to make medicine in the field from raw materials or if the product itself was no longer available.

'An interesting course to have at an academy to be sure. Then again, this is the same academy which trains children to fight monsters. Wow, when I think of it like that it makes me feel like a traitor,' Gaster grimaced with pressing fingers on the desk, even denting it. 'Just remember what you're fighting for.'

"Yes, of course Mrs Scarlatina," Gaster said with a gleaming smile. "I've got new students to teach later today and I guess I just got the grades mixed up."

"I…. didn't tell you my name," she murmured with a surprised look on her face.

"Moving on," dialling down the Bunsen burner before turning to the black board behind him, Gaster grabbed a laying piece of chalk from the base ledge and wrote his name in large letters. "My name is Wing Ding…..Dreemurr. You shall all neither address me as Wing nor Ding, but Dreemurr. Doctor Dreemurr, am I understood?"

'Please forgive me your majesty, I need a cover name right now and yours was the only one that came to mind that didn't want to make me facepalm myself.'

Finishing, he turned to the class where a number of heads nodded with a few looking more confused than moments before.

"I said, 'am I understood'?" he called louder this time with a few more heads nodding while a couple others replied with a 'yes'.

'Respect is definitely something I'm going to have to work on.'

"Right, now I expect you all to be at least moderately familiar with the materials of an average lab. In your teams I want you all to grab lab coats, two Bunsen burners, tripods, three beakers, a thermometer, funnel, mixing spoon, two boiling flasks, retort and goggles from the back. We're going to start work on your first quiz for the year," Gaster smiled to himself in joy at the looks of shock on the students faces at the mere mention of the word 'quiz'. "What are you all still sitting around for? I said begin."

As a student's got up to get the materials few came up to the front desk.

"Excuse me, Mr-."

"Doctor."

"-Doctor Dreemurr, but what are we going to do about materials? We don't even know what we should be doing."

"Not to worry, I'm about to write up directions and the materials I have just in the back here," he reassured confidently.

The next set of students behind them had similar questions, including what it was they were doing. Of course Gaster couldn't tell them they were mass producing synthetic flesh for him to wear. The uproar would be too much for him to handle and he'd have to bail.

To reassure them and even keep them on their toes, Gaster told them he wanted them to pay attention to what they were doing. To question what would happen while following his directions so they could not only learn how to make it, but why what they made could work.

That and it'd give Gaster enough time to formulate another cover story to what it was they were doing.

'I just hope the cooks don't mind a few extra ingredients missing from the kitchen-.'

A figure suddenly blocked out the front door to the classroom at the other end with a few books in hand and a very shocked look on his face as he looked over the hustling of the whole room. Dressed in a dark-blue shirt, black pants and shortcut orange hair tied back a bit into a manbun his mouth hung open as he tried to find the words to say.

None of the students had yet noticed he was there yet.

"What is going on here!?" he boomed, drawing everyone's attention to the door where only a brief wisp of blue light vanish.

"Was someone there?"

---

Interlude

"What the?"

He was just standing in the door way but a moment ago and somehow, now he was standing atop a cliff overlooking a shear drop into a ravine with crumbling ruins standing in the middle and a vast forest stretched on the other side.

A morning wind howled against him, threatening to blow the books from his hands. But he was too dazed to even care.

"How did I-?"

He barely got the question out before a hand shoved him from behind and he was sent screaming into the ravine below. The teacher caught the barest of glimpses of a shadowy figure where he stood before being engulfed by the mist.

"I'll come back for you later!" Gaster called at the top of his non-existent lungs.

A thud echoed back from below followed.

"AAAHH! MY LEGS!"

---

Later

Hardly an hour passed and already students were unknowingly well underway producing their own version of Gaster's solution following directions written in chalk on the board by the self-proclaimed Doctor. Though, few of the ingredients he brought for them were a little more than questionable for a number of students.

Including a certain team with a certain shy faunus girl.

"So, we're supposed to keep the beaker at a steady hundred and twenty degrees for five minutes, or until the liquid has gone golden brown. Then add in the five grams of sugar and flour…. What are we even making, a cake?" Fox Alistair asked hefted while holding a measuring cup of fresh flour up to a beaker above simmering mounted atop a tripod above a Bunsen burner.

"N-no, I don't think it's like that," Velvet stuttered, wrinkling her nose to the smell of one of the beakers as she poured a millilitre of concentrated acid into it. "Maybe we're just using common ingredients because they're the cheapest."

"We're meant to use hydrochloric acid and food colouring? Food colouring, I don't even know how that's medicinal," the crimson haired asked gesturing to the instructions on the board.

Dreemurr wasn't up there anymore and now moving from table to table, checking the progress of the students and answering questions where he was needed.

"Calm down Fox," Coco stated in a solid tone from behind darkened shades while whisking a beaker of her own. "I feel the same way as you do, and I guess this is what teach meant when he said we should be questioning the how and why to what we're doing rather than just doing it. Even Yatuhashi's got the patience down pat for it."

At the other end of the table stood a tall built lad with a stoic expression on his face, arms crossed as he watched a murky green batch steaming in a retort above a burner and the vapor being collected in the tube and dripping out the end into another beaker. The end result was a lighter green liquid. The whole process really did need the patience.

"That's only because he's got the discipline to go with it."

"H-hey, careful. The beaker's overflowing," Velvet panicked, drawing the two to see the beaker above the burner bubbling over violently.

"Dammit," Fox cursed, snatching up a pair of tongs from the tabletop and using them to pick up the beaker between the prongs. "I still want to know what it is we're making-ah!"

In the distracting moment the beaker slipped out the tongs and smashed against the polished table making everyone "yelp!" in surprise. The contents splashing out, spilling over the desk and a bit landing on and burning the back of Velvet's hand making the faunus girl cry in pain.

"Nyaahhgh!"

She grabbed her hand while crouching to the floor to sooth the pain to no avail as Coco in a panic came down to try and console her friend.

"Breath Velvet, breath."

"We need to get her under a cold tap," Yatuhashi declared, pulling away from the slow retort after turning off the burner under it.

"You're right."

"Oh gosh, Velvet, I'm so sorry," Fox panicked, his hands hovering over his friend at the thought of feeling helpless and the one responsible hurting his friend.

In no time Velvet's aura began flaring around her hand in reaction to the burning liquid and very faintly the others could see what part of the solution wasn't covered by her other hand had begun glowing a bit. Changing colour from its golden-brown to a more goldish white gold with a hint of pink in it.

It was getting close to matching Velvets skin and for some reason the pain in her face was already beginning to lessen.

"What the hel-?"

"Come on, Velvet," Coco emphasised, helping her teammate to her feet and leading her to the nearest sink. "Fox, Yatuhashi, get Doctor Dreemurr and tell him what happened."

"I don't think that'll be necessary," they were all abruptly halted by their lecturer standing right before them, blocking their path to the sinks.

"Doctor Dreemurr, there's been an accident and our friend been badly burnt. We need to get her hand under cold water quickly," Coco explained, a hint of panic in her voice as she tried to remain calm.

"I can see that," he responded, looking Velvet over. "Alright, let's go."

He led the team to the sinks but when Velvet exposed her hand, Dreemurr stopped at seeing the solution on the back of her hand. It looked like it'd solidified into a gelatine mass.

"Why are we stopping, we need to wash it off," Coco exclaimed, turning on the tap just before seeing the doctor slip a gloved finger under the lip of the solid.

"H-hold on," Velvet pleaded right before Dreemurr ripped the thing off like a band-aid and stinging just as bad as one.

"What are you doing?!" Coco cried, shoving him away and getting between him and Velvet. Even Yatuhashi and Fox came in standing tall by her side trying to appear imposing.

A few silent moments passed as the two groups looked to each other with the sound of running tap water eclipsing the rest in the classroom.

"Coco…."

The mention of her name drew the captain to her faunus friend in worry.

"What's the matter? You're not hurting anywhere, are you?"

"N-no," she replied, not looking to her but at the back of her hand. Coco followed only for her eyes to widen and her shades to slide a bit down the ridge of her nose at what she saw. "I, don't feel any pain at all."

The back of Velvets hand where a burn should be, was only a light tinge of redness. Like someone had smacked it.

"I recommend you give your hand a good rinse when you can," Dreemurr said with sincerity, turning over the jelly piece in hand before pulling out a jar with screw on cap. "Now, until we're certain Mrs Scarlatina doesn't have any damage to her hand, I want her to remain here by the sinks. And please remember to wear gloves before handling chemicals again."

Unscrewing the cap, he dropped the piece into it before capping it and pocketing the jar back into his trench coat.

With a final look to the students, he turned to leave.

"Wait- Velvet, get your hand washed. Fox, stay with her. Yatuhashi, you're with me," Coco instructed before coming after the instructor who was heading right for their desk. "Teach, how did you know Velvet wasn't seriously hurt? I know her aura was helping out, but I didn't think it'd heal a burn this quickly."

Dreemurr stopped at the desk, glancing over their previous work before grabbing the extract Yatuhashi was supervising and the batch Velvet had before pouring the two together and giving it a mix.

The solution immediately frothed up like coke until settling down and becoming a dark golden colour.

"It's intriguing. Out of all the student teams here, yours so happens to be the only one that's exceeded my expectations and actually found a suitable formula."

"Ah, hello? That's not what I'm asking about. What did you really have us make?"

Dreemurr just looked to her and Yatuhashi behind Coco who had the same demanding expression on his face. He gave a quick glance over to Velvet who was washing her hands thoroughly under cold water with Fox helping her

He gave a sigh before turning back to the students who was still expecting an answer.

"Alright, I do believe it's about time for you to find out. If neither you nor any of the students have pieced it together by now, then I guess you should know."

Before any more could be said, Dreemurr with beaker in hand walked right past Coco and Yatuhashi and went straight to the head desk.

"Do you really think he's going to tell everyone the truth, or just say another cryptic message for the class to solve?" Yatuhashi whispered.

Coco folded her hands at the question while still looking to their teacher. Admittedly, she had her own doubts about this, then again, she had doubts about taking this course on at all to becoming a huntsman.

"I'm not sure, but I'm going to give to him if he doesn't. Teach or no, we deserve to know what we're handling."

"Attention class, please stop whatever you're doing and turn off your burners!" Dreemurr boomed, earning him their attention.

There was a short wait as everyone set what they were doing aside and turned off the flames. No one wanted to deal with a bubbling mess if it could be avoided.

"Right, now as I'm sure some of you are still wondering, you've yet to discover what it is I've had you make. Well, I believe the time has come for you to know the truth," he set the beaker he got from CVFY's table out in front on the desk before taking out the capped jar with the gelatine blob inside. "Team CVFY's had a bit of an accident making a solution much like the one we have here. The result was this piece in a liquid state spilled on one of them while searing hot and then solidifying into this state."

He motioned Velvet to join him on stage, but she didn't look too keen. Even going so far as to look the other way with a trembling lip.

'She really is shy.'

"Now, as some of you may know, a burn can take a fair amount of time to heal, even with aura. But with the solution on her, things changed and within a matter of moments the burn she had was nothing but a bad memory. How you ask? The solution I've instructed you all to make in your own way is meant to condense a person's aura into itself and doing so creates a healing pack that can quicken the healing of a particular area."

Most of the students looked a bit confused by the explanation. For good reason too, it wasn't everyday something that could use aura was made by someone other than those of Atlas, the ones at the top of their field.

"But, how does that even work?"

"Why do we need to know how to make something like this?"

"When did the chemistry curriculum jump this much?"

"I can see that some of you are confused as to the practical use of something like this. Well, what if you're not the one who needs it? What if on a mission a citizen is injured severely and is in need of immediate treatment that otherwise can't be provided? Because most of Remnants population don't have their auras unlocked, hunters and huntresses have to be able to do more than just protect them from the grimm. They need to be able to provide medical treatment when they can."

The class fell into silence as the professor they all recognised as doctor Dreemurr awaited their reactions.

Truth be told, what Gaster said was half a bold-faced lie. The solution did react to their aura, and in a sense became an extension of their flesh, condensing whatever soul energy passed through and for them acted as a healing pack. What he didn't tell them was that it becoming an extension of their flesh was far more literal.

For Gaster, the idea was to have a bit of his magic, his soul run through it and simulate it being flesh with the sense of warmth and touch that went along with it. Applied to something that had flesh, for instance a student at this academy, chances it could end up with an extra finger or a bulging tumour.

Suddenly the door broke in with a boom and groundsmen burst through.

"Hold the class!" one yelled above the rest and shocking everyone including Gaster. "We have reason to believe an imposter is teaching this class."

Gaster caught the barest of glimpses of the teacher he pushed off the cliff with them. Leaning onto one of the groundsmen for support on account one of his legs had an extra knee at the shin with a dark green aura simmering over it.

'Oh dear, I should've taken his scroll and given a few extra breaks before leaving him. I've seriously underestimated the efficiency of these auras.'

Snatching the beaker and jar in front of him, Gaster immediately teleported straight out of the lab and back to his dormitory room, almost tripping over a book on re-entry.

"Wow, that was a close one," he breathed, setting the two glasses down onto the desk before taking a step back and a moment to think.

He had to be careful contemplating his options.

Right now, he'd just impersonated an academy professor. That'll put the academy on high alert for any trespassers and apprehend anyone that looked suspicious. Thankfully he was currently a legitimate student so he shouldn't be able to draw to much attention to himself.

Then again, he taught an entire class. They've seen his face.

How long did he have until he was caught? What'll happen when he is? Should he make a break for it and start a new?

"No, I've already put to much time into studying the students here. Besides, there's no guarantee I'll be able to find a more reliable location to work on a dust powered version of the core to return home than this."

He gave a sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose with closed eyes.

"For now, I'll attend the class I have now to lay low, and because I used an alias they probably won't pick me out of the student body. Let the heat die down and if it becomes too much, I'll deal with it when it comes around."

Decision made, Gaster shifted out the dorm room to another part of the campus and began making his way to the class on foot. Again.

Despite what happened before, the trip over was a swift one, minus the number of times he avoided oncoming groundsmen searching the campus, but it was no worry.

Hiding in corners or teleporting behind people was something he was growing accustomed to.

Eventually he made to class with the door closed tight. Opening it a crack and taking the slightest of peak's through the slit.

The room was pretty mediocre, third of a circle in shape like the laboratory before but unlike such the student desks were all elevated the further you got back with the lecturers at the front.

In front of said desk stood Weiss with her rapier outstretched towards a boar grimm. Everyone was watching, including a large man with an impressive moustache in a dark red suit whom Gaster assumed was the lecturer of the class, professor Port. Though, Weiss wasn't doing too well.

Using the distraction, he teleported to an empty seat at the back, settling down just in time to see the boar curl up in on itself and barrel towards the heiress at rapid speed. She came in at it head on with a jab that was repelled by the grimm's thick back and battered her to the side before unfurling itself and coming to a screeching halt behind her with a snort.

Weiss was clearly irritated, turning to it with a snicker on her face.

"Weiss, go for its belly!" Ruby called from the stands, waving her arms around to get her friends attention.

"Stop telling me what to do!" she snapped back and making the little girl shrivel under her cold gaze.

The boar charged in again barrelling forward. Weiss barley had time to react, creating a white glyph before her the grimm slammed right into and flipping it on its back leaving the belly exposed.

She took the moment to leap into the air and form another glyph by her feet, turning it black which launched right at the beast, rapier poised and piecing through the soft under belly. It let out a sharp pained squeal before falling silent, dead.

"Bravo, bravo indeed," the lecturer by an open cage congratulated with a more than impressive moustache. "It appears we are most definitely in the presence of a true huntress in training. I expect you all to take notes from this. Well, those who actually saw it."

At those words, Port turned to the back row of the class.

"Don't think I didn't notice you sneak in Mr Gaster. Detention after class."

---

Later

Detention was an absolute bore for Gaster, a complete waste of his time. He was even at time considering blowing up the entire classroom just to get out or straight up leave.

The only thing that held him back was his determination to maintain his cover, and the lack of any itching pieces of flesh meant he wasn't in anyway shape or form going to lose anymore flesh at the moment.

But that didn't help when the only thing this human, Professor Port did was spend hours on end reciting stories of his youth.

"….and I was celebrated as a hero. Now Mr Gaster, what is the moral of this story."

"Mmm, always be sure your weapon is in top notch condition?"

Port looked to him, his face hardening. "No. It's that a true huntsman must be vigilant, wise, honourable and dependable. Now, come forth and show which of these traits you have."

As Gaster came forward, Port easily pulled out a cage more than three times his own size from around the corner. In it was a grimm, the same boar breed Weiss fought earlier, but do they really grow as big as that? It's back was pressing against the roof of the cage and creaking it.

"If you can best this grimm, you will be allowed to leave. If it overpowers you, I shall swoop in," he proudly stated, standing tall and clapping a double headed shotgun axe into his hand. "And see you tomorrow for another detention."

Gaster grimaced at the thought of all the experiment time he'd lose as Port shattered the lock and set the beast free.

'I will not waste time dilly-dalling.'

With rising anger swelling, summoning all seven hands and combine them into two giant fists.

The beast charged, barrelling at him. Hollowed fists flashed green with shield's spreading across the underside of the hands.

When it got close enough he smashed down on it, pancaking the swine to the floor and shacking the whole room. But it wasn't dead.

Bringing the hands up he pounded it again, again, again and again. Each blow shacking everything even more than the last until finally the grimm began flaking.

As it lay in a small crater of cracked stone and tiles, he let his hands dissipate before turning to a more than stunned huntsman. His moustache which lined straight and proud managed to faulter a bit.

"Thank you, mister Port," Gaster politely addressed, feeling relieved a bit from having let loose his pent-up frustrations. "The terms were; I kill it and I can leave, yes?"

He said nothing as Gaster made a move to the door.

"Gooday sir."

"Don't forget to read the extra materials."

Before he could even teleport back to his room, Gaster halted himself at the words. He looked back to see Port's moustache straight again, even giving it a twirl with a smile on his face.

"Excuse me?"

"You missed much of the class, so I expect you to read the proper materials. You can find them in the library."

Port gave a light laugh as Gaster turned to go, teleporting straight to the library and knocking the most irritating chore of the day out of the way.

'Honestly, to think I have to do this.'

It was ironic really, he vented his built anger from detention when it took up his time to finalise the solution, and now here he was collecting books.

It didn't take him long till he was hefting a stack of thick tomes in hand that felt like they were going to snap the bones of his arms right off. Making his way out of the isles, he came across a table where he could settle down and get the reading over and done with, thumping the books down.

It sounded like a thundering slam to the girl who so happened to be sleeping just on the other side.

"Ngrah- I wasn't sleeping!" Ruby protested, sitting up from resting her head on an open notebook and frantically looking around with droopy eyes adjusting to the light before resting on Gaster. "Oh, Gaster. Your detention's over? Weiss isn't here, is she?"

"Hmhm, don't worry Ruby, she isn't here to call you out on your tardiness," he giggled, sitting down before picking up the top book of the pile labelled 'tactical monster slaying' and flipping over to a random page. "Though I do say it's surprising to see you sleeping here instead of in your bed. Never thought you'd find the pages of a book so comfortable."

"It's not that," she droned, picking up a pencil and writing a couple of lines in an open sketch book next to her. Speaking of books, the little human was surround by nearly as many books as Gaster had, a mix of both notebooks and text books encircling her like some kind of fort. "When I try studying, I can never keep my eyes open."

"I get the feeling. There were time's where I spent restless nights working, never taking a break and I'd end up dropping on my feet at any unsuspecting moment. But I guess there were other things that needed my attention."

In the moment, Gaster couldn't help but reminisce on times he spent with his sons before having to slave away at work. Especially during cooking, Papyrus would always make his spaghetti that everyone with tongues detested but could never bring themselves to say anything to the chief while Sans preheated frozen meals he bought.

At times they'd have friends over like Alphys, Undine, even Toriel and Asgore come around with their kids Asriel and adopted human Chara for dinners. Before he knew it, Gaster was smiling at the memories in bliss instead of reading.

"Speaking of, why were you late this morning? Did you lose track of time?"

Gaster was pulled back into reality and tried to find where he left off on the page.

"Something tells me you nearly did," he responded, earning a quick frown the girl. "But yeah I did. I was trying out some of my experiments and then… I guess I was caught up in some other work. I should really start setting alarms~."

"You do experiments? Like what scientists do and stuff?"

"Hmmm? Well yes. I was something of a scientist back before joining the academy, and I was pretty successful in a lot of areas."

"Really? So, you're not a creeper?"

Gaster almost tore the page in hand right out of the book in shock at the sudden accusation.

"Wha- where'd you get that idea?"

"Well, Yang thinks you're something of one. What with the whole distance you keep from people, the notes you keep writing down, what you were doing back in the emerald forest during initiation and why you chose to form your own team."

"Argh!-I only keep my distance from people at times because I can't have them getting caught up in my work and become unfortunate casualties."

'As well as keeping my secret.'

"As for all the notes I take, that's just to help me with my research."

"Okay, but why? I mean, it's not like you're writing everything down for a story. Is it, that was Blakes guess?"

'Aaaaah, the faunus cat girl. She does a good job hiding her features, but when you've lived with so many monsters with so many different traits you tend to pick up on slight details. The bow's a nice touch to hide her ears.'

"Sigh. You know, you're a pretty nosey girl."

"W-well, i-it's the best way I can get to know people," Ruby responded sheepishly, lifting up her book to her face in embarrassment. "And…..Yang says I need to make more friends."

'This is bothersome. I can't have her finding out I'm working on synthetic flesh, but I can show her something else to draw attention away from my real work in case it's discovered.'

Pulling out his notebook, Gaster flipped through the pages till he landed onto one completely covered in drawings and sketches of parts, inner workings of machines and tubes. As Ruby pulled herself up to look her eyes simply widened at what she saw.

"That's a hydron coolant system, and that's a dust transfuser," she pointed out, finger hovering over the drawings with lively eyes.

"I'm impressed someone as young as you can know that."

"Well, my crescent rose uses some of the those. Though only a little of the dust transfuser, I'm lost on everything else," she said, looking a little sheepish at having to admit it. "But what is all this for?"

Reaching out, Gaster turned to the next page to reveal a singular drawing spanning both pages of a large machine. It was a box in overall shape with compartments to hold dust built into the sides. It had snaking pipes built in converging to the centre where what appeared to be a gyro lay built into it.

Depending on how things went, the prototype might not be any bigger than a lunch box.

A little part of Gaster was expecting Ruby to look confused, not having the slightest idea what she was looking at. But that expectation was as childish as what he thought the reactions might've been.

"Wow," she gleamed with eyes lighting up with sparkles behind them. "What is it, what is it? Is it a new weapon? Does it run on dust? What does it do? Are these coils for infusing dust? What dust are you thinking of using? How many grimm can it kill? Can it make a big explosion?"

Gaster was taken back by the barrage of fast paced questions. He knew he should've expected this from the same hyperactive girl that fawned over his seven hands, but it wasn't something he was accustomed to.

"It's used for generating large amounts of power at the expense of dust. Well that's the main idea, but until I can properly make it, I won't be able to know for certain," he half-lied.

She didn't really need to know what he intended to use it for and letting her believe what a sliver it could do was what it mainly did might seem more believable.

As she was looking over, Ruby stopped at the material list, particularly for the pipes.

"Are planning to use steel pipes? That might not go so well if you're thinking of using highly reactive dust like energy, then you might want to think about something like double copper lined with polymer insides."

"Really?" looking with her he saw what she was aiming at. "I'll try that out when I begin the experiments."

'I guess being a weapon's geek has its perks. I wonder where I'm going to get those, I haven't seen anything lying around the academy like that.'

"Looks like I'll have to do some shopping," with a rise in new hope in his next task, Gaster couldn't but feel the excitement and the questions how it'll all pan out. Of course, fixing his flesh was something that came first, but having his next move planned wasn't something to be looked down on.

With the thoughts still in mind, Gaster noticed the still vacant book on Ruby's end. A light twitch pulling on the edges of his lips.

"Shouldn't you be studying right now?"

Gaster's question froze the young girl mid look of the prototype plans.

"Aaarrghhh, Weiss is going to yell at meee~!"

As she frantically went back to writing and reading, Gaster gave a little sigh with a smile before packing away the notebook and going back to his own reading.

"….."

"….."

"….."

"Can you please tell your sister I'm not a creeper."

---

Few days later

"~siiip~. So, how's he doing so far now that classes have started?" Ozpin queried, gazing out the window in his office with a cup of coffee in hand.

"Nothing extreme after the chemistry lab class." Glynda responded behind him, holding a holographic tablet in hand. "There have been a number of cases where he's shown up late to most of his classes. Though, just yesterday we recorded footage from the Emerald forest which suggests he's been spending time there."

After tapping her tablet a couple of times she pulled up a holographic recording of Gaster by the ruins in the emerald forest above Ozpin's desk. It was him laying down a contraption in the middle of a forest clearing before moving back a way off. A couple of moments later of sparks flying and the lunch-box sized machine shacking it exploded in short brilliant radiance.

The video paused, rewound to where the machine was laid down before the image was magnified on the machine.

Ozpin turned around and took a good look at the frozen image in silence.

"Do we know what this is?"

"No. We've shown the image to a few tech specialists James introduced to us, but they all have different opinions on what it may be. Some say a generator, others a capacitor and few suggest a bomb."

"I can see why they'd think that."

"Ozpin, if we know Gaster is making these and testing them without authorisation, why haven't we confronted him about it?"

Ozpin stood in silence before taking another sip from his mug with Glynda glaring back at him behind spectacles.

"And what of the situation concerning the imposing teacher for the second-year chemistry class?"

Glynda wasn't happy at the sudden change of topic. With another few taps on the tablet the screen closed and was replaced with a different recoding. This time of one of the academy's empty chemistry rooms.

It didn't remain empty for long, a figure came in draped in a trench coat with gloves on both hands before going straight up to the head desk. The footage paused before zooming in on his face, refocusing and creating a clear image followed by a student ID photo popping up next to it. Both of which were Gaster.

"We've called off the search as you've asked. But the huntsman who was supposed to be teaching that class is still wanting to know who pushed him off a cliff and why we've called it off."

"Thankyou for that. Tell him that we've called off the search because, we haven't found him on campus and have left the search to the authorities."

"Gaster servilely broke his legs in his fall and it's only thanks to his aura he managed to put them back together again. You know he's not going to be happy with this."

"He really won't be. He might even drop his position because of it. But if we tell him a student took over his class he's going to want to know more and that would cause trouble."

Glynda didn't like this. She wasn't one to always let things like this slide and roll with it. But she trusted Ozpin was making the right call, as he had done for a very, very long time.

"Back to matter's at hand, what was the substance he was working on?"

"We've asked the students, including team CVFY who handled it the most and looked through all the footage. As far as we can gather, it's a substance that can funnel and condense aura. But that doesn't mean it can store it for later use. We've recorded the recipe that was written on the board. Should we send this to the Atlas so they can also determine what it is?"

Ozpin stood thinking for a moment to try and come up with an answer.

"No, not this one. If he learns there's someone creating something we know very little of by someone we know even less, he'll want to press the matter further, and right now that's the last thing we need. If Gaster doesn't currently pose as an enemy, then he could very well be an ally, but if we push him with the force James is accustomed too, we may lose a valuable asset."

"I understand, but I still don't trust that this Gaster can even be reasoned with. Whatever he is, he did attack a teacher, hijack a class, and under his supposed supervision endangered the students of that class. You may be willing to give a partnership with him a chance, but until I can understand his intentions, I'm afraid I must be against it."

With the way how Glynda was against him, Ozpin had to give it a little bit more thought.

"I understand," he mused before his face lightened up at a thought. "You've got combat class with the first years if I'm not mistaken. With the way how Gaster fights, I'm sure you can get a fair idea then."

---

Later

"Yeah, I can't wait!" Yang cheered as she with the rest of her team strolled down the hall for there next class. For this special one they'd slipped out of their usual academy clothing and into their more comfortable combat attire.

"You really are enthusiastic about combat class," Blake commented.

"Well of course I am. All we've been doing in our classes so far has been nothing but theory, reading, listening to old stories and more reading. But now we actually get to fiiiggght for a change."

"And I get to finally break people!" Nora jeered coming up behind them with the rest of team JNPR in the same hyper tone as Yang.

"No Nora, no breaking people," Ren scolded her like a parent to their child only to get a pouting face in response.

"Uuurghh, I never get to break people~," she sobbed childishly.

As the two kept talking with Yang coming over and trying to help in telling Nora there were more ways of fighting than just breaking people, like landing a few solid punches punches to the face, Ruby fell back to meet up with Jaune who had Pyrrha walking beside him.

"So, you looking forward to trying your skills against other students?" she asked with a smile on her face.

"W-well, I'm not really feeling confident," Jaune responded timidly with his face down a bit till he notice's Pyrrha looking at him with a concerned expression. That simple sight made Jaune brighten up again with his own smile. "But I'll try my best as team leader."

"That's the spirit, Jaune."

"Well I think you'll do a great job," Pyrrha spoke up with a joyous voice. "I for one, will do my best to represent team JNPR."

"And cream everyone who goes up against you," Ruby giggled imagining the amazon decimating her opponents and standing triumphant above their mountain of beaten corpses. Corpses might be a bit extreme just for a little sparring. "We'll be rooting for you from the stands."

"Thanks."

Time quickly flew by for all of them and before anyone knew it they'd arrived at their combat class. Filing through the door they entered a large room with an arena in the middle and balconies half encircling and overlooking it while the other half was met with a large wall that spanned the whole side of the room. Large banners of the four main huntsmen academies hung off it with the occasional shimmer across the fabric in the slow air.

Scores of students first year teams dressed in their own combat gear were already lining the balconies, chattering amongst each other and clearly showing that they too were so looking forward to a 'little hands on class'. A familiar figure stood in the middle of the arena with a scroll tablet in hand.

A little after both teams took their seats and more students coming in, Glynda pushed up her spectacles before gazing around at the audience with a stoic look. For some reason, grimace faintly lined her lips in slight disappointment, though none of them could figure out why.

Was there something about the students that she didn't like or something?

"Welcome students, to your first day of combat class. Here, you will learn, train and improve yourselves for actual combat against foes. As most of you may know, I'm Glynda Goodwitch, and I will be your instructor for this class."

"So she's going to be our teacher? Didn't see that coming," Yang whispered.

"Why would you think that?" Wiess asked in a hushed tone.

"Well, we always see her with Ozpin, so I was just thinking she'd only have the secretary position."

"Well she's a great fighter," Ruby voiced with sparkles in her eyes, reminiscing the night she saw the huntress nearly take down a whole airship single handily, and then yell at her afterwards. Actually, that's a part she'd rather forget. "I bet she's an even better instructor."

"Hello kids, mind telling me what I missed?" someone suddenly whispered behind them making a few jump in surprise.

"Where did you come from?" Jaune breathed as Gaster sat himself down with a hefty looking bag thumping down beside him with a jingle of metal parts inside and a cover of soot on his face.

"Not important, but it seems like I haven't missed much here-."

"Ah, Wing Ding Gaster, so glad you could join us today," Glynda announced, drawing everyone's attention to the somewhat late student. "Since you've managed to make it after class has started, I'm assuming you must think this class to be easy. How about you come down here and have a little demonstration match with one of your fellow peer's to show just how easy it is?"

Everyone was now looking more intently to the monster disguised as a human, even team RWBY and JNPR were looking at him. Gaster on the other hand, had a blank look. It wasn't just void of emotions it was downright dead, almost as if he were.

Though the feeling wasn't far off.

Gaster didn't make the effort to come here after testing his proto-dust core just to engage in a petty fight for the amusement of the class. If there was going to be any fighting, he'd be the one watching for his own benefit, observing the fighters and their auras.

"I'd prefer to watch for the most part, Mrs Goodwitch," he protested.

"Gaster, you are here to train to become a huntsman. If you don't show even the least bit of interest in participating in my class, then it will affect your overall grade. We wouldn't want you to fail at Beacon academy, would we?"

"Last I checked, a student's academic performance is assessed through a collective of assessment related activities and has very little to do with their participation to simple demonstrations."

Annoyance grew in Glynda's expression before a glint sparked behind her eyes, turning the scroll tablet in hand and typing a few keys. A large holographic screen overhead lit into being and Gaster's photo took up half of it with and empty bar below it and the digit's '0%' below that while the other half remained vacant.

"Congratulations, Mr Gaster," she announced, turning back up to him with a gleeful smirk. "You've just began your first practical exam for my class and is worth twenty percent of your overall grade this year. Any questions?"

Gaster was taken back by this, looking around he saw many of the students had gone from answer awaiting to absolute shock. Weiss was amongst the few who had the look like they were hoping for the worst to happen to him for their amusement.

No surprise there.

'Well played, Mrs Goodwitch, well played,' he mused standing up and coming down to the arena. Clearly there was something she wanted out of this to provoke him this much.

"I just have one, is winning a mandatory part of this exam to pass?"

"No, but I do advise you to at least try. Now, is there anyone who'd like to participate in this match? You won't be marked the same as Gaster here and instead gain the chance to earn extra mark" scores of hands shot up instantly at that, teams RWBY and JNPR included. Even Jaune had a nervous hand raised. "Mrs Nikos, would you please come down?"

Groans of disappointment went around a few of the people in the crowds as a Pyrrha came down from the stands with sword and shield in hand and her friends cheering her on. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way Gaster, just fight me the best you can."

"Don't worry, I won't take this personal," Gaster reassured summoning his seven hands. "But I'll take this moment and push you to see what you're capable of."

Pyrrha smirked at the declaration with the feeling of a challenge at hand, readying herself with shield raised and morphing her sword into a javelin drawn back. The monitor overhead updated with Pyrrha's face included in the empty space beside Gaster's and both their aura levels displaying before Glynda-

Blaarrrp!

The horn blared signalling the end of the match.

Confusion was the main thought shooting through the audience after a build-up of anticipation, and they weren't the only ones. Everyone turned to the monitor and several gasps and murmurs went around. Though it made sense to Gaster.

It didn't take long till the confusion was soon replaced with laughter when they saw Gaster's aura level was zero, completely empty in comparison to Pyrrha's full bar. It was like a preview to the fight

"Mr Gaster, if you could turn your aura on we'll get the match underway."

'Of course it would say that. Aura is something human and faunus soul's produce and can be read by instruments. This is a problem. As a monster my soul won't emit any aura. I don't need it to survive, but it'll serve as cover. What to do, what, to….do….?'

As Gaster looked around the student body, he came to rest on Ruby amongst the crowds and an idea slowly came to mind.

'That's it, if I can't manifest an aura for the machines to read-,' he focused his hand of perseverance towards the dark red-haired girl and the hand flashed purple. Looking back up to the monitor he grinned as the bar quickly rose to its max. '-then I'll copy someone else's power to make it seem like it.'

Gasters' hand of perseverance had the power to copy any one magical attack or power of anything. Though if it's too strong for his hand to duplicate it'll shatter, and the power produced would be less than the original.

Though, this is the first he's tried it against a none magical attribute.

"And, begin!" Glynda declared.

Pyrrha rushed Gaster head on with shield first not leaving him a moment to counter before thrusting her javelin. Kindness created a barrier right before Gaster harmlessly deflecting the blow, but Pyrrha didn't let up.

Closing the distance so quickly she snatched the weapon back, collapsing it to a sword and barraging him with strikes against Gaster were the barrier wasn't only to be deflected by the barrier moving to intercept. It was like it had a mind of its own.

Gaster raised his hand and Pyrrha instinctively leaped back in time to dodge a yellow energy bullet from above strike where she stood just moments before.

Glancing up hovered one of the hands with a yellow glow in the centre. There was hardly time to breath before it fired a hailing volley of magical bullets at Pyrrah. She managed to deflect a couple away before dashing around to encircle him.

The bullets followed suit, striking a path left behind until one managed to catch her in the ankle and send a rocketing pain throughout her nerves unlike any she'd felt before.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune cried in worry from the stands as she fell to the floor with her aura intensively flaring up. She didn't have time to worry, not even that there wasn't any aura covering her ankle as the floor she lay on was suddenly covered in small orange orbs.

She had a split second to leap up and get away before they all flashed and exploded where she were.

Landing on one foot a bit way back, the pain in her ankle wasn't as bad anymore so she managed to take her defensive stance with her shield raised for any attack.

Gaster wasn't concerned with her, looking to the monitor curiously.

Normally, Pyrrha would take the opening and attack to secure the win, but she took the risk and spared a glance up as well. She almost felt her stomach drop at the sight.

The monitor showed her aura level had dropped by nearly forty percent, and that was just from the one attack she took.

As she stood a little dumbstruck, Gaster was thinking over a hypothesis he had earlier but never had the times to test it. A smile creeping on his face at the humour of it.

'So it's like that, isn't it? Normally auras these huntsman and huntresses have are meant to protect them physically from attacks, but since my magic does damage to both the physical and otherwise soul of a target, we monsters are more or less the worst opponents for these people.'

"I'm fine!" Pyrrha called back to Jaune, pulling Gaster out of his thoughts and facing the opponent he had now.

She went back on the offensive, rushing Gaster again only this time without her shield raised. Gaster followed suit bringing forward perseverance and slinging a pair of blue rings at her she nimbly leaped over and used the momentum to hurl her shield at him.

Gaster was taken back by this but wasn't worried as the disk sailed by him, nowhere near him or his hands and focused on arcing the rings through the air and coming back at Pyrrha from behind.

There was a clang of steel on stone and behind Gaster before a bludgeon slammed him in the back of the head, keeling him over and losing his concentration on the rings, sailing by her and crashing into the walls of the ring leaving deep grooves.

Disorientated, Gaster looked up in time to see Pyrrha bringing an axe kick on him with sword and shield back in both hands.

Had she somehow ricocheted the shield off the wall behind him and struck Gaster with such accurate precision out of so many possible directions? Either she was incredibly lucky, or there was something else at work here.

Gaster managed to move his head aside in time to only get a minor scrap across his cheek only for Pyrrha to use the momentum to roll herself over him and strike at justice behind him. The bone hand shattered into fragments, sending a pounding feeling through his shest at its destruction.

'More, show me more of what you can do!'

at the loss of his magical attribute a defening just as Gaster brought determination up behind her.

Pyrrha barley managed notice and dodge before a red solid beam shot her from determination that managed to float to beside her, skimming her side but enough to severely singe the aura and force her to retreat. Gritting through the pain she leaped back before lunging her sword now javelin at determination with her shield flying close behind.

An explosion at the base of the javelin shot the flying projectile even faster. Gaster managed to move his barrier and deflect them both. Just like before the shield and spear both managed to bounce off seemingly with enough force to fly back to Pyrrha's hands.

One time was questionable, twice meant something was bigger at work.

'Telekinesis?' Gaster thought, dropping his barrier and bringing his remaining six hands beside him. 'No, if it were things would be much more different. She wouldn't be simply dodging my attacks, she'd be outright destroying them.'

Pyrrha took a stance ready to charge again, but Gaster held up his hand to her.

"Pardon me for asking in the middle of our fight. But your semblance, what is it?"

The question seemed to take Pyrrha back a bit.

"Out of all the first years I have observed, yours is the only one I have yet to understand. Even Lie Ren's, as subtle as it is was easier to figure out."

"That's private. Besides, it shouldn't matter to you what my semblance is."

Gaster brought his hand up to rub his chin in thought. "I'm going to go out on a limb here, and say it's something like telekinesis, only a bit more limited, like a specific element that resides in both your weapons and is non biological. Am I right?"

Pyrrha tried her best to hide her shock, but little managed to show as she remained silent. Gaster let another smile creep onto his face.

"Alright, I won't press any further," he reassured, bringing his hands close. "I'll learn soon enough."

At his words Pyrrha lunged her javelin again with a shot fired out the back for propulsion and Gaster pulled up his shield again. The strike slammed home and Pyrrha was suddenly right by it, snatching it mid-air and leaping over the barriers top while collapsing the javelin.

Before Gaster knew it, she was right above him with her weapon collapsed into its gun and aimed right at his head.

Just as it fired, Gaster vanished leaving only purple petals behind for the shot to wiz through. But that wasn't the only thing left behind. Gaster's hand of determination managed to sneak in ready to let loose a blast.

Pyrrha only had a moment, contorting her body before the blast fired, but at that moment light blue tendrils snaked around her arms and midsection. It was a distraction, she couldn't do anything being pulled through the air up and over before slamming into the ground.

She wasn't done yet, not by a long shot. The tendrils disappeared and she leaped up onto her feet with her weapons somehow still in her grasp-.

"I forfeit."

Pyrrha froze at those words. For a moment she didn't believe what she heard until turning around to see Gasters hands disappear, his own arm raised and the other cupping his mouth. The monitor overhead displayed his aura levels to be zero, zip, completely empty.

"Y-you're not going to continue fighting?" she stuttered, holding her weapons as though rearing for a strike. She still caught on that someone as strong as him was throwing in the towel after just a couple of clashes.

Maybe it was selfish of her to hope for a real fight, but the feeling just wasn't leaving.

"But you entered this fight-."

"I entered because I was told to participate, I didn't have to win. Besides, I managed to gleam some new information," he removed his hand to reveal a terrifyingly wide grin with his lips pulled so far back up his gums they were showing the very corners of his jaw.

The mere sight of it creeped the audience out, Pyrrha included.

"I think I've managed to got enough for now."

As Gaster walked out the arena with Pyrrha following closely behind heading up to the balcony, Glynda who'd been standing to the side and watching the whole fight closely took centre stage again.

'He's got enough?' she thought turning to everyone. 'If he does, then he must mean he's going to start something with the new information he has. I'll have to keep an eye on him, he could pull his disappearing act in class at any moment.'

"Now students, in today's sessions I expect you to fight with more conviction than what you just saw," a couple laughs echoed from the crowd which more than put a sorrowful look on the amazon's face. "Now, to make sure everyone here gets a chance to practice, you'll all be split into groups and test your abilities. We'll look at how you all go and see what you'll all need to improve on then."

Glynda pushed up a couple of slides from her tablet and the whole wall behind her shook, sounds of gears churning as the entire thing split in two before folding in on itself to the sides.

"Of course, there isn't enough room for everyone in this one arena, so we'll be using these instead."

She gestured to the now revealed room behind her spanning three times the size of the room they were already in. The entirety of the floor was honey combed with arena pits, a little smaller than the main one they were looking over.

Bullet proof glass ran dividing all the rooms and capping them with small hatches to allow people entry and others to observe from above.

A number of students were wowing as a list was brought up onto the monitor with everyone divided into pairs. Well, almost everyone.

"Looks like I get to take a crack at Gaster this time around," Yang grinned, cracking her knuckles at seeing she, Gaster were in the same bracket. Along with Cardinal, what luck.

"Please do try to hold back," Ren voiced, keeping a calm composure.

"After what he just did? I'm so not passing up this opportunity."

Gaster sighed at the sight who he was paired up with as everyone began heading to the multiple arenas.

He didn't harbour ill will to the two, but he'd already completed his research on both their semblances and how they worked. Though he did have his own thoughts of the campus bully.

What he needed was to know how they unlocked their semblances, and that wasn't something he was going to get in a combat class.

He could always ask one of the children or huntsmen how they did it, but he was too proud to just simply turn to them for help-.

A sudden punch to his arm broke Gaster out of his concentration and almost his bone too. Looking to the side Ruby was walking along with him and a somewhat disappointed scowl.

'Did this little girl always pack a punch?'

"Why did you do it?" she bluntly demanded.

"I've done a lot of things dear Ruby, you're going to have to be a bit more specific."

"Why did you suddenly quit the match before it was over? You could've had her, and you still have those skull things. That's right, I saw you hovering on those."

"Must I repeat myself? Because there really wasn't much point to me fighting against someone where I stood to gain nothing from it. I only fought her to further my research and satisfy Mrs Goodwitchs demand. I didn't have to win after all."

"That's not how you fight at all! When Pyrrha fought you she was hoping for an honest challenging fight where you'd fight with all you had."

Gaster just stared at her with an uncaring look on his face.

"Ruby, I'm not going to fight unless I really have to or unless there's something I can get out of it. You should learn that not everyone is as keen as you to fight."

Ruby opened her mouth to say something but closed as everyone moved into their groups.

"I know everyone isn't crazy to fight. I'm just saying giving Pyrrha an honest fight is good manners and it was something she was looking forward to," she pestered. "You say you only fight to get something out of it. I know I'm sounding like Wiess right now, but that's just selfish."

Gaster was getting more and more aggravated and even while he was managing to keep it hidden from his face, his eyes were more than likely showing it. His real eyes, burning beneath the fleshy exterior he had to contend with.

"You really don't understand a thing," he murmured so softly Ruby could barely hear.

A student pushed between the two of them, cutting through and the moment he past Gaster was gone. Ruby was stunned, looking around to see if she could find the bone white hair amongst the crowd.

She couldn't, and the only thing left behind was but a whisper in the wind.

"Kids~."

---

Interlude

The trench coat wearing scientist stepped from thin air having teleported from the combat class to his room. Grabbing his bag with the failed prototype inside before coming here and dropping it to the floor with trembling fingers and gripping the temples of his head.

'Selfish? Me?'

Ruby's words were nothing but of a child who hadn't seen the world for what it truly was, or the hand life can deal you when things go wrong. But it didn't matter, they angered him. Angered him so much because they held truth no matter how small to him.

He had been selfish, treating the feelings and lives of the student body here as nothing more than expendable test subjects.

"But that shouldn't matter, this is mealy a strained timeline far from my own out of countless others I have seen," Gaster hissed. A gripping pain tanged in his chest, feeling like something was gripping the insides of his rib cage in a sharp vice.

He grimaced at the feeling before marching forward. Gaster was already in depth with researching the day he arrived and with in the few days school started his research into aura and the potential design and build of the core exploded. Already his room was littered with books, scores of them open, a chalk board with drawn diagrams standing in the corner and hand-written papers everywhere.

Even the walls were covered in taped sheets. As for his desk, instruments covered it with a small chemistry set-up and other more mechanical works in progress like the next mini-core prototype. At the far end sat a shoe box sized machine a mould base of his face.

"I've just about had it here!"

Reaching under his bed and pulling out a trunk he began stuffing it with the papers, books and instruments.

'It hasn't even been a fortnight and yet I've already grown weary of this place. My semblance research just needs the activation sequence, I have sufficient means to produce more flesh and core production is well underway. Everything else is just a hinderance on my work at this point.'

"You certainly do work quickly, don't you? Though I hoped, you were a bit cleaner than this" Gaster stopped mid packing, holding pile of papers above the bag yet still calm. Turning to the open door behind him stood the all too familiar green suit and grey haired Ozpin. Cane in hand while watching him he held a mug of coffee in the other like he always did before taking a sip. "Am I right in assuming you're planning on leaving?"

"Very much so," he deadpanned, moving to clear his desk.

"I see, that is a shame. Might I ask why?"

"You may not."

A few moments of silence ticked by between them as Ozpin continued to watch Gaster pack while he sparred a few glares towards the headmaster.

"Is this about your hand and morning experiments, or the teacher impersonation you did in the chemistry class?"

"I shouldn't be surprised that you'd know about those. You are the headmaster after all," Gaster labelled before closing the lid down and zipping the case up before turning back to Ozpin. "So are you here to prosecute me, or kick me out? Because I'm well on my way for one of those."

"Not at all," he mused with a smile, glancing around the room at the papers everywhere and equations on the chalk board with curiosity. "Rather, I've come to ask, you're neither human nor faunus, are you?"

Gaster turned to the Ozpin, a blank look on his face.

Of course Ozpin would ask him that, why wouldn't he? When he first arrived in this timeline he was in the Emerald forest. A place literally the backyard of the academy and a place students go through for their initiation. It's make sense if it were to be littered with cameras.

Cameras that saw him. Which begged the question, were there some in his room he was unaware of? Talk about creepy.

"No point in beating around the bush about it is there? No, I'm neither human nor faunus not that it should be any consolation to you at this point. Though if I may ask, what do you think I am?"

Ozpin just stood there, looking with a calm look at Gaster as he tried to think of a possible answer. He did in fact spare some thought before this to what Gaster was, to be able to survive as he did with what vital organs he was missing.

Glynda even voiced a couple of opinions that it was some new form of hybrid Salem had created between human and grimm. What a nightmarish thought that was.

Little did the headmaster know or even realize that for every moment that passed by between them Gaster was peering into the depths of his soul. He'd never done this before because he never thought he really had to, it wasn't a form of mind reading after all.

Gaster just smiled at how wrong he was to push it off.

"Because I know who you are, Ozpin, Orien, Oliver. Oh my, we even have an Olivia and an Odella in there," he mused with a widening grin, listing off all the names and identities Gaster was seeing overlapping with this man's soul. It wasn't his first time dealing with a subject who had multiple souls mixed with the one, but to think it was this many numbering to the near hundreds and accumulated through reincarnation. "Or should I call you Ozma? Yes, I like the sound of first name very much."

Ozpin's calm demeanour was completely shattered. To hear his past lives listed off like a roll call in class. No, it was even more so that his original name had been uttered. Was Glynda right?

"I'm guessing you really were sent here by Salem to disrupt the defences of Beacon, weren't you?" he stated, gripping his cane tight and setting down his mug. "Though I never would've thought she'd manage to succeed in merging a human with a grimm."

Gaster looked up to him with a look that was more intrigued than confused.

"A human grimm hybrid? Now that is an interesting idea. An act of a soulless being merging with another that has one. I can't say I haven't seen my far share of oddities, but I must query on who this Salem is. Oh, she wouldn't happen to be the source of this regret and remorse I'm feeling in the depths of your soul, would she?"

"My soul?"

Gaster blinked at the question before turning to look Ozpin dead in the eyes. What Opzin saw made him question his resolve and letting breath out at ease.

"You weren't sent here by Salem, were you?"

"No, but I think I know why someone like you would think of a me as a grimm with how most of them have their skeletons exposed," slipping off his gloves and revealing the clean bones below, Gaster reached up to the back of his head and digging the tips of his fingers int a seam that ran from half-way up his head to the base of his nape hidden by his clothing.

The sound that followed could only be described as a wet band-aid being pulled off dry skin with the squelching of mud with it as he began pulling. Seams were becoming visible as the entire lower half of Gaster's face was peeled away like a mask to reveal the lower skull and jaw.

It wasn't completely fixed on to him, when he moved at the speed of Ruby's semblance earlier his mask dislodged and ended up looking like a grin for the world.

The insides of his mouth remained flesh but even that he reached into and easily pulled out like a mouth guard. His lower head was devoid of any flash, even the throat lay barren to the bone of a spine.

Gaster really was lucky to have perfected the synthetic formula before he lost that.

"Though I'm pretty sure this is what made you question my façade as a human. You've seen it before."

Ozpin tried to his best to hide the gasp that managed to creep out, but after what had just happened before he was taking his time gaining back his normal composure. He'd seen how much Gaster was missing in terms of flesh, but to think he'd lost more and to this scale was beginning to make him think how he was able to hold together without muscle rather than just the fact he should be dead.

Maye he was undead?

"Yes, I have seen your hands before," Ozpin responded, managing to get back what he could of his stoic expression. "But I was unaware of how much of you was like that. Since you've pretty much laid my past before us, would you mind indulging me in who you really are?"

Gaster gave it a bit of thought, his jaw remaining shut in silence before setting down his face cover, mouth and gloves on the bed as Ozpin closed the door behind him for a little privacy. Something he probably should've done when Gaster was spilling his secrets like salt on spaghetti.

"My name is Wing Ding Gaster. You may see me as an adolescent male with a few quirks, but I am the former head royal scientist and friend to his majesty, king Asgore of the underground and proud father of two sons beyond this time line."

Ozpin raised an eyebrow at the declaration. "You're a father? You seem a bit young for that."

Gaster couldn't help but stifle a smile at that, though how could he help but grin without lips. Of all the things he could've asked about, that just had to be the one.

"Yes, I am a father. The appearance you see me in now was a side effect of my breaking through to this reality on accident. I am in fact far older than even you, Ozma."

"If you'd please, don't call me that in this life. I very much prefer the name of my reincarnation."

"Fair enough, Professor Ozpin."

"And that's my next question. You keep saying you're from beyond this reality, are you an alien?"

"Hardly, I am a monster. Alien is the term meant for those who come from another planet. Although I'm not from this exact planet, I am still from this planet but just one that resides in an alternate timeline."

This conversation went on for a bit longer between the two, Gaster explaining his current predicament, how he got here and his attempts to return to the void. Even Ozpin was giving a bit of light on his backstory. Even those Gaster managed to pull out of him.

The doctor wasn't overly worried about keeping his identity a secret at this point, not to someone who already knew so much. That didn't mean he told everything though, few details he chose to keep close to the chest for the time.

"I see. So this entire time, you've been trying to find a way home through the void. A place between - outside timelines. But going there would mean that your very existence is whipped from all other timelines," Ozpin summed up seated by the desk. "You originally agreed to enrol in my school because you needed a base of operations to conduct your research and experiments. But now that school has begun you've become inconvenienced and overpacked by all the classes. Overworked."

"That's the base of it," Gaster responded, seated on the bed while holding a cup of tea he'd poured for himself. Their talk had gone on for a while and his jaw had become somewhat parched. He would've considered offering one for Ozpin, but he had his coffee mug which seemed to always be full. "So you must understand why I want to leave."

"I do. But where will you go?"

"I hear mountain Glenn is nice this time of year. Abandoned due to grimm, easily accessible for me and enough workspace to last me sometime. I'd be able to finish in peace, aside of the occasional pest control that is."

"That it is," Ozpin agreed, talking another sip from his mug. "But in my opinion, I think you're looking at this all wrong."

Gaster perked up the statement mid drink. "Excuse me?"

"You're seeing this whole situation as nothing more than an inconvenience to you getting home. But what if this was an opportunity."

"An opportunity?"

"Yes," getting up, Ozpin promptly made his way to the door. "Walk with me, please."

Hesitant, Gaster obliged, setting his near empty cup to the side, slipping his face and gloves on before following the head master out. Soon they were walking through the empty halls with the occasional student or two passing them by off to class.

"From what you've told me, monsters of the underground have only ever been able to interact with humans eight times over the many long years you've all been down there. All of them being half-frightened children. So what if you took this opportunity to interact with more than just children that haven't reached double digits? It might help you interact with the humans on the surface in establishing peace. I've also seen how you act around the other students, you're not the most filtered of people when it comes to them."

"Well I haven't had the best history with them. But your timeline doesn't have any monsters, and we can use magic unlike humans. Of course, you're the acceptation."

"True, but we do have those who are sometimes criticized unfairly or unjustly for their inhuman appearances and treated as monster without being such themselves."

"You mean the faunus?"

Ozpin nodded.

"So what you're suggesting is that we monsters just accept our hatred for humans and retaliate like the White Fang? Were you not listening when I told you how the war started between us and them?"

"Of course I was listening. I'm saying you can see how much each side struggles for coexisting peace, even if there are factions that view at peace differently. Learn to live with humans, as well as with the faunus of this world and you might be able to help your timeline live with monsters instead of drawing out their hatred. What I'm saying is you might be able to see this timeline as an opportunity for ground zero of coexistence between monsters and humans. Even if there are some differences."

The two continued walking in silence a little longer, soon coming to a stop and Gaster's attention was drawn to what was beyond the hallway window. Out bellow in the courtyard, students were coming and going from airships that went to the nearby city of Vale. Though there were others who were just around and chatting with friends.

"Not all humans are the same," Gaster commented as he stood, still watching. "Just because I might befriend a human or two, or even a faunus does not automatically mean I have the skills to assist in mending relationships between the humans and monsters of my world. There are even those I …..truly loath."

"I know. Speaking for yourself and not your whole species is a lot easier."

"To clarify, my species is that of the skeleton. I'm one of the last three in the underground. At least I was, my sons are now all that remain."

"I'm sure you can help them."

"…..What do you want out of this?"

"Hmmm?"

"What do you want out of me staying here? Humans by nature are never this kind purely out the goodness of their heart, not unless they stand to gain. What do you get out of this?"

Ozpin simply smiled and turned back to the courtyard below. "I want my students to grow and graduate into prosperous huntsmen and huntresses for this world. It's why I became a headmaster after all, and I think that with someone like you, who's skilled in attacks and powerful enough to put even Mrs Nikos into shock can help them. Help them become the best version of themselves they can ever hope to be."

What he said wasn't a full-blown lie. That was part of the reason why he wanted Gaster to stay, but more of the reason was for his own wellbeing and the protection of the hidden relic and the maiden below campus. The more defence he had at Beacon, the better his odds against Salem were.

Gaster kept his gaze at the grey-haired headmaster. He had no real reason to stay here, none, and looking into his soul showed him that Ozpin was hiding something else about his desires. Something deep that tied with his regrets.

If he wanted, Gaster could just leave, complete the core within a month or two and return home right after. Assuming his anti-core was still in the void and hadn't decayed completely or some other void related phenomenon he'd yet to discover.

But, there was some merit in the humans words. Even if they were based on a 'what if' assumption that what he learns here could be carried to the other side.

Gaster gave a light sigh.

"I refuse."

---

Later

Combat class was nearing its end and with Gaster no longer in the class, Yang was paired in with average one-on-one with her pent-up emotions. Without her main target to vent those frustrations on how Gaster threw his match Cardin was absolutely at her mercy.

With each hit he managed to land on her with his unbalanced mace, Yang just charged up with it and pulled a move that seemed to turn her damage into raw strength behind each punch more powerful than the last.

The orange haired brute was almost thankful when Glynda called off the fights.

As everyone piled out the honey comb arenas, Yang and the rest of her team managed to meet up with far more happy expressions.

"Oh man that was so fun!" Ruby squealed waving her arms around with a grin on her face. "Fighting another student really gave me the chance to let loose and keep me on my toes!"

"Well I'm glad you're having fun," Wiess said. "Mine was okay, but they made too many stance mistakes it was driving me insane."

"We're all just students here. You can't expect everyone to have the same combat experience," Blake tried to reason and getting a scoff.

"So how'd your fight go, Yang? Did you manage to pummel that quitter?"

Yang didn't answer right away, sparing a glance towards Pyrrha amongst the crowds. She managed to meet up with the rest of her team as well, but even though she had a smile on her face, it looked forced.

The fact she was unavenged just made Yang even angrier.

"No, he bailed before I even knew he was gone!"

"What, does he want to get kicked out of Beacon?" Ruby sharply whispered as everyone took their seats in the stands and sparing a glance to Glynda who while kept an eye on her tablet felt like she could look right at them at a moment's notice. "Why would he just leave at the start of Glynda's battle class? She's like the most uptight person here."

"Well I say good riddens to that useless nobody. All he ever did was watch and run late to all his classes, never contributing to this prestigious academy," Wiess spat.

Ruby didn't like how Wiess spoke like that, but deep down she couldn't help but feel as though he was right. Sure he helped them out in initiation, but the guy definitely had issues with people.

"Alright students, that will conclude your first day of combat training," Glynda announced and drawing everyone's attention. "I hope you can all take something away from today because next class will involve a bit of theory-."

Groans sounded throughout the class at the mere mention of the word. Theory and combat never mixed for most students and others enjoyed the idea of combat class because they thought it would move away from all the theory.

"I'll take all your opinions into account and be sure extra work is ready for all of you next time," she added with a hint of annoyance mixed with glee in her eyes as she pushed up her spectacles before checking the time on her tablet. "It would seem we have some time left. Since you all seemed to have enjoyed your time fighting one-on-one, why don't we have one last match between two combatants to finish things off. Any volunteers?"

Not many students raised their hands at the question. Most were still a little exhausted from combating earlier while others felt a little stage fright, especially from what happened at the start of class.

Though for people like Pyrrha, reasons were a little more personal.

"I would like to."

Everyone stopped and turned to behind team RWBY where Gaster stood tall in the stands.

'Does he always appear behind people?' Ruby mentally queried.

"Mr Gaster, so glad you could join us. Any reasons why you left class so suddenly you'd like to share?" Glynda asked aloud, not taking her eyes off him for a moment.

"Well, I just had a little bit of an errand to run," he replied, beginning to make his way down to the arena on foot with the ends of his trench coat clapping against his legs.

"You do realize this means you have detention after school, don't you?"

A murmur of giggles went around the crowds and Glynda gave them all a confused look as Gaster only smiled in a light laugh stopping at the edge of the arena.

"Can't do that today I'm afraid. I have detentions lined up with three other classes today already. I'd better make room for tomorrow."

Glynda was surprised at his statement. Could someone really have that much detention times in just a few days already? She knew he had a unique case to the others, but did that mean he was this much of a problem child?

"Alright, so long as you don't forfeit again. So who will we be having against Gaster?"

Yang shot her hand straight up.

"If I may, I would like to have a rematch against Pyrrha Nikos," Gaster voiced, shooting Yang down and alerting the girl he called. "I do, after all believe I owe her an apology for what I did earlier."

A number of people turned to her, and even Jaune whispered she didn't have to do it. Pyrrha spared him a caring and thankful look to him before standing up from her seat. "I wouldn't mind."

After making her way down, the two of them stood alone in the arena again once more. Pyrrha taking her shield and spear in hand as Gaster summoned all seven of his once again and the purple one flashing again as it did last time.

"Should I assume you're also here just to collect data off me?" Pyrrha asked, morphing her spear to its rifle form. "At least tell me that much so I know to take you seriously."

Gaster only smiled, letting out a little chuckle and closing his eyes. "No~, no nothing like that this time. Believe me, I know it was unfair to you before, but now-," he opened his eyes, and Pyrrha saw a hint of seriousness behind his blue and red eyes before clapping his two skeleton hands together and combining three of his lose ones into a giant one. "-Let's just say I've grown a back bone."

---

Earlier

Gaster gave a light sigh. "I refuse."

Ozpin snapped to him in surprise. "Is that really what you want?"

"Oh it is. I won't stay here if it's not for my benefit. Any help your students get in improving to slay grimm from me is just an added bonus to my conscience. In exchange for my help, I would like sufficient materials for my research and my cover to remain the same as it is with the rest of the students. In the meantime, I will promise you that I'll do what I can to keep them safe."

"That can be arranged, though there is another thing I'd like you to do," Gaster gave him a questioning look. "The lecturer of the class you took over and pushing him off a cliff the other day has opted for resignation of his position because you haven't been held responsible, and I can't get the right staff to fill in just yet. Since you have some knowledge already on the subject and have taught the class, I was wondering if you could take over."

"The one with the second years?" he mused, thinking it over. "I can't make any promises, but I'll see what I can do. I actually enjoyed teaching them, even if it was for my own benefit."

"I'm glad to hear that," Ozpin smiled, resting his mug onto the windowsill and outstretching his hand. "Then I welcome and congratulate you on your re-enrolment and employment into Beacon Academy, Professor Wind Ding Gaster."

"Professor Gaster is fine," he replied with a grin as he took Ozpins hand and shacking it firmly.

---

Present

'Hm, I don't know how he did it, but Ozpin, you sure can sweat talk people into things.'

Pyrrha charged him with shield raised with a stance much like a spartan of old, firing shots off with Gaster's own barrier raised to deflect with ease.

'So let's see how long your theory can hold out.'

That night, Gaster managed to sleep with as much ease than ever before after arriving in the timeline. Though, having to watch branches extinguished, erased again and again by Chara's genocide route didn't completely set him at ease.

---

Badoompsh, hope you enjoyed everyone and let me know if I've made a mistake. I'd like this to be readable =D.