Hello, ladies and gentlemen, Spiceracksargent001 here, bringing you the next chapter of Remnant's Skybound Striker! Yeah, took me long enough to get back around this, right? This was originally going to be longer, but I was up to 20 pages on the Google Doc I was making this on already, so I figured I'd made enough progress to make it a proper chapter. Today, we'll get to see the remaining two objectives of Giro's third quest taken care of, but since it was long enough as is, I'll cover the rewards of the Quest in the next chapter. Sorry for anyone who wanted to see this quest done now, but it was taking long enough as is with my attention span, so I decided "good enough".

ELFI: The Captain does not own RWBY, that honor goes to Rooster Teeth.

Spice: And now, on with the story!

Chapter 4: Vale pt. 2: Book Shopping and Revelations

I was currently just wandering the streets of Vale, looking for a good bookstore. As I did, I let my thoughts wander to something I wasn't sure about using now that I was here on Remnant…

My family may not be out there in the same way Wes Verdant's family is, but we have something that, to my knowledge, only five people in all of Remnant have access to canonically. If the wrong people find out there's someone new with that kind of power at their disposal, they'd see me as a wild card in the deck… one that they'd preferably have removed before I can potentially develop into a problem.

I could probably hide it by using Wind Dust, or only using it with my Aura active so that, to someone not paying particularly close attention, I'm just using Dust or a telekinesis-type Semblance to manipulate the air around me. Either one is only a paper-thin disguise, though, and one of those five aforementioned people might still be able to tell what I'm using…

I shake my head to clear away those thoughts. That's a bridge I'll cross if, or when, I come to it. For now, just focus on your current quest, Zephyr, and find a book store. Besides, what are the chances any of those people can actually sense others that can use magic?

-Same time, Beacon Academy, no POV-

Professor Ozpin had his eyes closed as he focused on channeling his power to expand his senses, trying to locate something that had gotten his attention earlier today.

Ever since earlier that afternoon, he'd been sensing something, or rather, someone, within Vale's walls with a magic signature he didn't recognize.

He didn't know who could possibly have magic like what he was sensing, but he knew one thing for sure: it wasn't a Maiden. The first Wizard was the one who gave the original Maidens their power, after all, and as the latest person to inherit the power of the Wizard, he knew each of the Seasonal Maiden's magic signatures by heart. This person also wasn't an associate of Salem's, those given power by the Queen carry her magic's black signature.

If this person had a magic signature that didn't match either a Maiden, nor one of Salem's puppets, then he wanted to get in touch with this individual as soon as possible. The potential of another magic user on the side of good, especially after the attack that befell the Fall Maiden, would be a great boon for the people of Remnant.

"Professor Ozpin?" the voice of Glynda Goodwitch says as she enters the professor's office, making the wizard look up at his headmistress and closest confidant. "Is something the matter? You said something urgent has just happened."

"A few hours ago, someone special entered Vale's walls," Professor Ozpin explains as he rises from his chair and walks over to the window. "Someone with magic."

"What?" Glynda breathes, stunned. "Is it one of the Maidens? Have they heard about what happened to Amber?"

"No, it isn't a Maiden," Ozpin replies, shaking his head. "I know the magic signatures of the Maidens, and the only one presently in the kingdom is Amber's. Besides, you know we've keep the Maidens separate and their identities secret, even from each other, for their own protection. Unless circumstances led to her meeting at least one of them in the past, there's no way they could possibly know about Amber. This person also hasn't been touched by Salem, his magic doesn't bear her dark signature."

"Where is this person now?" Glynda asks. "If he has magic and isn't with her, then we need to make sure he's safe from her grasp as soon as possible."

"According to my senses and access to Vale's internal security network, his most recent stop was at a blacksmith's in town, so chances are he was either repairing, modifying, or obtaining some weaponry. I'm tracking him now, but without knowing his destination, all I can say is that he's currently wandering through Vale."

"Alright, I'll head to town immediately and start looking for him. Do you at least have a picture of what this person looks like?"

"I'll have his picture forwarded to your scroll by the time you reach Vale. I'll also forward you his location when his signature next stops moving."

"Alright. I'm guessing you'd like to meet this person?"

"Considering that our forces are now crippled by Amber's condition?" Ozpin replies, while looking at Glynda from over his shoulder, a serious expression on his face. "That should go without saying, Glynda."

"I suppose so. Well then, I should be off now to find our new spellcaster," Glynda replies before leaving.

Ozpin watches her leave and stared at the elevator door for a full minute after it closed before returning his gaze out the window. "Now then, where are you going, my mysterious friend…?"

-Vale, 1 hour later, Giro's P.O.V.-

It had taken me well over an hour, but I'd eventually managed to find a good bookstore, though I was pleasantly surprised by the large sign that denoted what store it was specifically: Tukson's Book Trade. Knowing that there would almost definitely be some good skill books in there, I walked in, and was pleasantly surprised to see Blake there as well, her nose buried in a book.

"Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade, home to every book under the sun! How may I help you?" A familiar voice says to me from the counter, prompting me to look to the speaker.

He looked to be around his early to mid 30's, if I had to guess his age, with clean cut, black hair, very noticeable sideburns and hazel eyes. His attire consisted of a short-sleeved, burgundy and black zip-up shirt, underneath which was a white undershirt, and when I go up to the counter for my purchase, I know that I'm gonna see he's also wearing forest green pants and a pair of beige boots. The hair on his arms was plainly visible, and I could see his claws tipping each finger, though they were retracted at the moment. I already knew who it was, so I didn't need Observe to know it was Tukson himself, and my mind was already trying to think of ways to keep him from dying.

"Just browsing," I reply. I look at Blake, since she'd looked up from her reading to look at me after hearing my voice, and we share a quick nod before going about our business. I did not miss the way her cheeks were dusted a light pink as she was reading: really does narrows down the list of books she could be reading. I, meanwhile, started browsing around for anything that would be useful for getting started on Dust spellcraft. Took some time, but I found what I was looking for after about 12 minutes.

"Ah, here we are, The Beginner's Guide to Dust Magic: Manipulation of Fire Dust, Manipulation of Ice Dust, Manipulation of Wind Dust, Manipulation of Lightning Dust, and Manipulation of Earth Dust, these will do nicely," I mutter to myself while picking up the books in question. I was tempted to skip Manipulation of Wind Dust, given that my magic made having it redundant, but I ultimately decided to pick it up as well. Who knows? Maybe it'll help me create some new Wind Spells, or give me a way to power up my magic. With my choices made, I went up to the counter to make my purchases.

"Find everything okay?" Tucson asked as I put the books on the counter.

"Yep," I reply before pausing for a bit while Tucson rang up the books, thinking about something I was honestly curious about. "Actually, do you know anything about a series called 'Ninjas of Love'? A friend recommended that I give it a try, seeing as I'll read just about anything if it can catch my interest by the end of the first chapter."

Tukson looked at me curiously, then smirked and tilted his head towards Blake. "She'd be the person you wanna ask about that. Heck, she's reading it right now!" he says before looking to Blake. "Oi! Blake! This guy wants to know about Ninjas of Love! Fill him in while I check the back for a copy!"

Blake looked up, blinking at me before looking at Tukson. "Alright," she says, closing her book and walking over to me, prompting me to turn to her with an amused smirk.

"We meet again, Miss Belladonna," I quip with an amused smirk. "It would seem fate has something planned of us, if this is our third time meeting in a single day."

"So it would seem," Blake replies with a smirk of her own. "So, Tukson said you were curious about Ninjas of Love. What do you want to know?"

Blake and I spent about five minutes talking, Blake answering any questions I had regarding Ninjas of Love to the best of her ability while avoiding spoilers.

"Hm… I see… so it's that kind of book…" I muse, going over everything Blake told me about the series. "Is it well-written?"

"You taking this… surprisingly well…" Blake says, trailing off in uncertainty.

I shrug. "So the series of overt about sexual relationships rather than covert. Nothing wrong with that," I reply. "I'm not gonna condemn someone because of what they do or don't like. Everyone has their own unique tastes, and if someone wants to read something that someone else might not approve of, then more power to 'em. Besides, from what you've told me, I might find some enjoyment in the series, myself."

I swear I saw Blake's cheeks turn a light red before she snapped out of it as Tuckson came back, a copy of Ninjas of Love volume 1 in hand. "Hey, Tukson, put that copy of Ninjas of Love on my tab," Blake says, surprising Tukson and me before I saw the man nod.

"Alright then, Blake," Tukson says before turning to me. "Your total amounts to 200 Lien, kiddo." I nodded and passed him two 100 Lien cards that I "pulled" from my pocket, making Tukson nod and put the cards in his register before putting the five guidebooks in bags, tucking Ninjas of Love in with the Wind Dust book, and handing the bags to me. "Thanks for your business, kiddo. Have a good day!"

"You too, Tukson," I say with a smile before waving to Blake. "See you at the entrance exam, Blake. Assuming we don't bump into each other again before then, anyway."

Blake gave me an amused smirk as she waves back. "We'll see what happens, Giro."

I discreetly sent all five bags to my Inventory for later unpacking after Blake and Tucson looked away, and not 10 seconds after I left the store, I look over to my left and see someone very familiar (to me) walking towards me, while glancing between me and her Scroll.

She was a fair bit taller than me with her heels, and had green eyes, light blonde hair tied back into a bun, with curly locks going down the right side of her face, and a fair, light complexion. Her attire consisted of a white, long-sleeved, pleated top with a teardrop-shaped hole in the front showing off part of her cleavage with a high-waist, black pencil skirt with bronze buttons on it and a black cape that was purple on the inside and tattered at the end to look like an arrow-tipped flame pattern. I couldn't see her personal emblem because her back wasn't to me, but I knew that on the black face of the cape was a bronze tiara emblem above a row of bronze beads. On her feet were black, high-heel boots with bronze buttons and on her legs were a pair of stockings that started black and faded to brown as they travel down her legs. Connected to the outside ankle of her right boot was the telescopic, Dust-Action riding crop that I knew to be her weapon. I shot an 'Observe' at her as she continued walking towards me.

[Witch of Beacon]

Glynda Goodwitch

Lvl: 86

HP: 35,650

EP: 120,000

SP: 50,000

Status: Sent by Ozpin to find you

'Note to self: do not get into a fight with Miss Goodwitch unless I want to get beaten to the other end of Remnant and back,' I thought to myself, staring at Glynda in shock as she came up to me and stopped, closing her scroll and then crossing her arms.

"Young man," Glynda says with a tone that subtly told me 'do not do anything stupid, or there will be consequences', "I'd like you to come with me for a moment. Rest assured, I know you've done nothing wrong at the moment, but there is someone who would like to speak with you."

Before I could respond, I got the following pop-up.

-Quest Updated: Follow Miss Goodwitch-

I gave an internal sigh before nodding and motioning to her with my hand. "Lead the way, Miss…"

"Goodwitch," Miss Goodwitch replies curtly. "Glynda Goodwitch."

"Girouette Zephyr," I reply with a nod as we start walking. "I prefer to be called Giro, though."

Glynda nods, but doesn't reply as she takes the lead in our walk.

After about 10 minutes, we arrive at a police station, of all places, prompting me to look at Glynda. "I'm not in trouble for anything, right?" I ask tentatively.

Glynda turned to look at me and shook her head. "No, you're not in trouble," she reassures, surprisingly warmly, in fact. "It's just that there's someone who would like to speak to you, and the chief of the Vale Police Department has agreed to allow us the use of one of their rooms for these kinds of meetings."

I nod, knowing that she was referring to Ozpin when she said there was "someone who would like to speak to me", and followed her inside. From there, I saw her nod to the person at the front desk, who nodded back and escorted us to one of the interrogation rooms in the back. From there, Glynda excused herself from the room, probably to wait for Ozpin.

-No P.o.V., with Glynda-

Glynda looked through the window into the interrogation room, quietly contemplating the boy inside.

He seemed young - no older than 17 if she had to guess his age. His attire looked like he had an encounter with Miss Adel, something she would be completely unsurprised by, given that his attire in the picture Ozpin had sent her and what he was wearing now were quite different. If she was being honest, his current look was much more appropriate given that his name was rooted in wind and weather. Apart from the staff in his hand, which she guessed was also a rifle of some kind - few people had a weapon that didn't use Dust in some way, or were even multiple weapons in one - she didn't think that he looked like someone capable of using magic.

If she didn't know Ozpin as well as she did, she'd think the man was starting to go senile, believing this boy to be a mage of some type. As it was, she was curious how exactly the boy was able to use magic, no doubt there was a story to be had there.

"Something on your mind, Glynda?" a familiar voice says, bringing the Headmistress of Beacon out of her thoughts as she turns to the speaker, who was Professor Ozpin.

"Just thinking about the boy, Professor," she replies simply. "He seems rather young to be a mage."

"I had the same thought when I first saw his image on the security cameras after sensing his magic signature," Ozpin replies, thoughtful. "At the same time, however, there is no denying that the boy is, indeed, a mage. I've no idea how experienced the boy is, he is rather young still, but I can tell that he has great power inside him, and such a strong affinity for wind, too… most curious."

"Perhaps he's like you back when you were young?" Glynda speculates, looking at her superior. "A Wizard coming into his own?"

"I sincerely doubt that," Ozpin dismisses immediately, cupping his chin with his hand thoughtfully, "but now that I'm this close to him I won't deny that his magic signature bears a similar level of power."

"I suppose the only way to solve this mystery is to speak with the boy, then," Glynda hums, looking at Giro.

"Indeed," Orpington muses. "Now, I think we've kept Mr. Zephyr waiting long enough. Shall we?"

Glynda nods and opens the door to the interrogation room, allowing Ozpin to enter ahead of her.

-during Glynda and Ozpin's discussion, Giro's P.o.V.-

After Glynda had stepped out, I discreetly pulled Ninjas of Love out of my inventory and "observed" it. Here's what I got.

Ninjas of Love, vol. 1

The first book of "Ninjas of Love", a romantic action series filled with ninjas and smut. Lots of smut. Details the adventures of a runaway princess in the fictional kingdom on Nihon and her bodyguard, a warrior courtesan ninja trained in a sexual martial art that is designed to fight opponents of the opposite gender.

This is a skill book for that martial art.

'NoL is a skill book?' I think to myself with a slight blush after reading that description. I can only imagine exactly what that skill would be for… and that's when I noticed a new pop-up, detailing how to use Skill Books.

-Skill Books can be used in one of two ways: Active Use, and Passive Use. Active Use teaches the provided skill instantly, but destroys the book in the process. Passive Use requires reading the book, making it take longer to learn the provided skill than active use, but comes with the benefit of letting you keep the book afterwards. Skills acquired in this manner can be leveled up by re-reading the skill book, or by reading subsequent books in its series, and skill books for Dust techniques can even teach additional spells for the element covered by the book through Passive Use, and the same holds true for Martial Arts skill books. Some Skill Books can only be Actively Used. You currently do not have any such Skill Books, but keep this in mind when acquiring more of them.-

'Huh. Well that's good to know,' I think, dismissing the pop-up and slipping NoL back into my inventory while holding it under the table. As I was debating which of the Beginner's Guide to Dust Manipulation books to read first, the door opened, making me look up to see someone I was honestly expecting to meet the second I saw Professor Goodwitch walking up to me, the aforementioned woman following him in soon after.

He was an older gentleman, only about a hair taller than Goodwitch with her heels on, with tousled, silver hair, brown eyes, and black eyebrows, suggesting that may have been his hair color in his early years. He had a very recognizable cane, but given the way he held it with the shaft under his arm, he obviously didn't need it to walk. Personal preference, maybe?

Focus, Zephyr. Anyway, the man's attire consisted of an unzipped, black suit coat overtop a buttoned up, black vest and a green shirt underneath that. He also has a matching green cowl around his neck ornamented with a small, purple, cross-shaped pin. He also has on black trouser shoes and long, dark-green pants. The only thing on his face is a set of small, shaded spectacle glasses, and in the hand opposite of the one holding his cane is that oh-so-recognizable coffee mug.

'I already have a good idea of what I'm gonna get, but…' I comment to myself as I "Observed" him.

[Beacon Headmaster]

Professor Ozpin

Lvl ?

HP:?

EP:?

SP:?

MP:?

Status: Curious about you

'Called it!' I mentally cheer to myself before Professor Ozpin addressed me.

"Girouette Zephyr," Ozpin says simply before leaning in to peer over my aviator sunglasses. "You… have silver eyes."

'Is this is how Ruby felt meeting Oz for the first time?' I think to myself while leaning away slightly, more than a little weirded out. "You have me at a disadvantage…?"

"I am Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy," the man himself says in introduction before sitting down. "I'll be blunt, Mr. Zephyr, the reason I asked Glynda to find you is because you have something that, to my knowledge, is a power that only 5 people in the entire world, myself included, should have access to, with four of them being young women. I take it you already know what I'm referring to, don't you?"

'Well, that escalated quickly,' I quip in my head before giving my reply. "I have an idea, why do you ask?"

"I'd like to hear your story," Ozpin says. "It's clear to me that you're a mage of some kind, but what currently has me baffled is your magic signature. It's unlike any I've felt thus far, so I'm curious where you came from that allowed you to have such a signature, as well as such a strong magical affinity for wind."

"I suppose you're wanting to hear more about my magic than my origin at the moment so I suppose I should start with that," I say before getting to my explanation. "The reason you probably can't recognize my magic signature is because it may well be of a different type altogether than what you're used to."

"How so?" Ozpin asks, intrigued.

-Ozpin's P.O.V.-

Well, this is curious. He was quickly able to deduce that I was, indeed, more curious about his magic than his origins at the moment. I must admit, I'm curious what he meant by saying that his magic may well be a different kind altogether from what I and the Maidens use.

"Well, from what I was taught growing up, all magic is powered by something called Mana, and how one utilizes it comes in two general types: Physical, and Spiritual," Mr. Zephyr explains. "They're capable of the same things, though how they're obtained can vary depending on the type: with two ways to harness Physical Mana, and four ways to harness Spiritual Mana."

"What are these ways?" I ask immediately, curious as to the difference.

"The two types of Gifted, that's the title I was taught growing up for mages, that use Physical Mana are called Will Weavers and Focusers," he explains. "Will Weavers generate the mana needed for their spells through their own force of will. Someone who uses Fire Magic without some sort of connection to a Fire Spirit, for instance, would be a Will Weaver more often than not. Focusers are altogether different: in that they harness magic by gathering and focusing the ambient mana of the world around them. A Druid, a type of mage who dedicates their life to watching over and protecting a forest, for instance, would be a Focuser, since their power, and, indeed, their vitality itself, is directly influenced by the condition of the forest they call home."

"And Spiritual Mana?" I ask, intrigued. From what's been described to me so far, then the Seasonal Maidens and myself use Physical Mana for our magic, and are, quite probably, Will Weavers. If that's the case, then either Mr. Zephyr is one of these Focusers, which I find hard to believe if he says that it may be a different type altogether, or he's a user of Spiritual Mana.

"Spiritual Mana is Mana obtained from the Astral Plains, where the Elemental Spirits reside," Giro explains. "Mages who use this type of mana require a connection to the Spirits in one way or another, and there are four ways to harness this Mana: A Covenant, a Pact, a Contract, and a Bond."

"What are the differences?" I ask, wanting to know more.

"A Contract doesn't actually provide the mage directly with Mana, but allows him or her to summon the contracted Spirit to assist them in battle. This is usually reserved for Elementals, the Spirits that define the various magical elements, or beings of similar power that recognize a person as worthy of their power. Mages who forge Contracts are often referred to as Summoners. A Pact is similar to a Contract in that it's typically reserved for the beings that govern the Natural Elements: referred to as the Spirit Kings, or Queens, in the case of three of the Elements, but works differently. Mages who sign a Pact are known as Elementalists, and can call upon the lesser spirits of their aligned element to use magic in a manner similar to a Focuser. Bonds are where things get a bit more interesting, in that Mages who forge a Bond invite an elemental spirit to inhabit their body and supply them with mana directly. This is, obviously, not without risk, as if the elemental spirit is too powerful for the mage's spirit to handle, they could very well die in the process. Mages who can successfully forge and sustain a Bond are called Spirit Charmers."

"I'm noticing a lack of mention of these 'Covenants'," Glynda comments. "Any particular reason for that?"

"Because Covenants are a rather embarrassing topic for any magic capable being," Giro replies as his cheeks turned a little red, presumably out of some sort of embarrassment. "They require the mage to do "the birds and the bees" with an elemental spirit."

I could feel my face heat up a bit when Mr. Zephyr explained that, and with a quick glance at Glynda, I could tell she'd picked up the same meaning I did. I quickly cleared my throat, eager to move the topic away from Mages who forge Covenants with Spirits. "So, which type of Mage are you?"

"Spirit Charmer," he answers, rather quickly, thankfully. I guess he wasn't lying about Covenants being an embarrassing topic for mages. "I'm a Born Charmer, actually, meaning my Bond was forged with a Bonded Spirit's offspring as I, myself, was being born. A succession like this is usually determined by the spirit's gender, and in the case of my family, who are bonded to a particular kind of Wind Spirit, it can be either parent, though if my case, it was matriarchal."

"So your unique magic signature and affinity for wind comes from being a Spirit Charmer Bonded with a Wind Spirit," I surmise.

"That's the long and short of it, yeah," Giro explains. "There are other little quirks that come with each way of harnessing Spiritual Mana, and for a Spirit Charmer, the main quirks are known as Possession and Flux."

"Interesting, and these do…?" I trail off, prompting him to continue.

"For Possession, I allow the Spirit inside me to take control of my body," Giro explains while placing a hand on his chest, a quick glance at Glynda confirmed that she looked positively mortified that he would willingly let a foreign entity have control over his body. The implications disturbed me a bit, too, but I controlled my reaction since I knew he wouldn't do this under normal circumstances if he didn't trust the Spirit he's Bonded with. "Doing so amplifies my magic power greatly, but my mind takes a back seat in order to allow the Spirit to access its full power until I regain control."

"So it's a sort of berserk state," I summarize. "One where your magic is at its strongest, but you have no control over your actions."

"I suppose that is one way of putting it, yes," Giro replies before getting to the other quirk of a Spirit Charmer. "Anyway, Fluxes are something of a side-effect of being a Spirit Charmer. Because it's an Elemental Spirit living inside me that provides the mana for my magic, my connection to the mana itself is, naturally, unstable. When the stability of the connection to my spirit wavers, such as after a prolonged period of Possession, I automatically enter into a Flux so that the overload of mana doesn't literally burn out my very soul. Spirit Charmers can't access their magic at all during a Flux, and, depending on the host and the spirit, there can also be some… physical changes that come and go with the Flux."

"How long do these Fluxes tend to last?" I inquire. "If it comes at an inopportune time, that could prove rather dangerous to you."

"Well, for every fifteen minutes I'm in Possession, I'll be in Flux for an hour, but Fluxes also happen naturally, and for those, the frequency and duration is an inverse relationship affected by the strength of the Charmer's bond with their Elemental Spirit," Giro explains. "For me, it usually happens once every… six months, I wanna say? Somewhere around that frequency, and I usually stay in Flux for a month on these natural occurrences, with the metaphorical timer until my next Flux resetting after I come out of it, and my most recent flux ended… about three months ago, I wanna say."

I hum in thought at Giro's explanation. Based on what he said, having a Spirit Charmer like him as an ally could very well be a powerful asset against Salem. These month-long Fluxes of his will be something to be wary of, but if he only experiences them once, occasionally twice a year naturally, then his Bond, and his magic by extension, must be truly powerful. The question is, how to approach that topic…

-Giro's P.o.V.-

I sat patiently as Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch silently contemplated everything I told them about my magic. Of course, I hadn't heard from the Spirit inside me for the entire time I've been in Remnant so far, so, as I waited, I decided to reach inward and see if something was wrong. 'Celaeno? Can you hear me?' I ask. Silence followed my question before I hear a soft, feminine groan in my head.

'Giro…? Ugh… what happened…?' the voice asks, sounding groggy, though it does prompt a mental sigh of relief from me.

'Oh, thank goodness, I was starting to get worried,' I sigh mentally. 'You alright, Celaeno? I couldn't hear you for a while there. What happened?'

'I don't know,' Celaeno groans, and giving me a mental image of her Harpy-like body holding a talon-fingered hand to her head. 'Last thing I remember was you going to bed after binge-watching RWBY, and then, something almost forcibly knocks me out…'

Now, let me explain, Celaeno is the Spirit that's resided in my body as my Bonded Spirit since before I was even born. She's a Wind Spirit: specifically an Aerophoenix, which stand among the ranks of the Sylph as Wind Elementals.

Elementals can take whatever form they like outside of the Astral Plains, and for Celaeno, she's liked the looks of the creatures on the Harpie cards from Yu-Gi-Oh ever since she and I were introduced to the series when I was a kid, meaning that she's got a very human-like body with bird-like hands and feet, while she has very long arms that double as her wings. She has a somewhat pale complexion, long, midnight blue hair that flows down to her waist with slanted bangs like a hawk's wing that partially covers her right eye, pointed, elf-like ears, and her hawk-like eyes are rather pleasant shade of green.

Her attire is a skin-tight leather suit that's a light blue in color with a layer over it, that's the same midnight blue as her hair, that can only be described as a strange cross between a backless dress and a one-piece swimsuit with a thin strip that runs down the sides of her hips before expanding at her upper thighs to wrap around her legs down to her ankles like a pair of thigh-high stockings, and is sleeveless to give her wings the full range of motion, and leaving her large, raven-black arm wings on full display.

Did I mention that her outfit was skin-tight already? Because every time I fully enter my mindscape fully to talk with Celaeno, my gaze inevitably goes to her chest, which, while she likes her chest at around a B/C-cup bust size (her own words), the outfit honestly makes them look like her bust is a C-cup at minimum. I'm a guy around the age where he typically starts thinking about a girlfriend, sue me.

'I'll let you take a look through my memories to get caught up, but suffice to say, our life just took a turn for the bizarre,' I say as I try to return my attention to Ozpin and Glynda, but a pop-up got in the way of that.

-For reconnecting with your Elemental Spirit, you've unlocked the Unique Ability: Zephyr Family Magecraft! MP Meter Unlocked! Learned the Wind Spell: Gust! Obtained the Overdrive Ability: Possession Mode! Obtained the Passive Ability: Celaeno's Influence!-

'Nice,' I think, dismissing the pop-up with a thought. Just in time, too, because it seems that Ozpin and Glynda have finished processing everything I told them about my Magic.

"Now then, I'd like to hear a bit more of your story," Ozpin says. "Your name and face don't appear in any of Vale's official registries. I know, because I checked beforehand."

'No lying to him, kiddo,' Celaeno quips distractedly, obviously still looking through my recent memories.

'Thank you, Captain Obvious,' I retort sarcastically to Celaeno with a mental eye roll before returning my attention to Ozpin. "Well, aside from being a Spirit Charmer, my story's a bit of an… unusual one. I'm actually from another world."

"Oh?" Ozpin asks. "And how did you come to find yourself on Remnant?"

"That's the thing, I'm not fully sure," I reply. "One moment, I'm going to bed in my world after a relatively uneventful day, the next, I wake up to find myself in this empty, black void, only to discover that I've become something referred to in my world as "The Gamer". This power then decided to dump me here in Remnant as a Faunus because there was basically nothing going on at home that would allow me to take advantage of it on top of my being a Spirit Charmer."

"Considering what all you've told us about your magic, I suppose that isn't too hard to believe," Glynda acquiesces, "but what do you mean by 'as a Faunus'? Did Faunus not exist in your old world?"

"Not really, no. You two know what Cosplay is, right?" I reply, continuing after getting two nods of confirmation. "Well, I was pretty big into Cosplay back in my old world, and, prior to becoming The Gamer, had gone to bed having forgotten to take off a fuzzy, white, fox-eared headband from an Arctic Fox cosplay I was wearing that day. Somehow, someway, my still wearing that headband resulted in me entering Remnant as an Arctic Fox Faunus."

"An interesting detail, but something I'm sure you'll be fully adapted to soon enough," Ozpin says. "Now, what does this ability of yours entail?"

"Well, any damage I take doesn't actually physically affect me, baring status ailments like bleeding, burns, or poison, instead coming out of an hp bar, or an energy point bar first if I have my Aura active," I explain. "I have a hammerspace inventory, can level up if I accumulate enough experience points from things like defeating enemies, completing quests, and from exploring, and can gain new abilities, either from experimenting with my current abilities, or from using Skill Books."

"Care to demonstrate some of these abilities?" Ozpin asks.

"Sure," I reply, holding up Donner and Bliz, still in their sheathes, before sending them straight to my inventory, getting a hum from Ozpin and a raised eyebrow from Glynda before calling them back. 'Create Party: This is the last thing I can properly demonstrate right now. Invite: Professor Ozpin, Glynda Goodwitch.'

I had to hold back a laugh as I saw both Professors actually jump in surprise as the holographic screens asking if they wanted to join the party appeared in front of them. "You can accept the invite if you want, but it's not mandatory for the demonstration."

Both professors nod their heads before deciding to decline the invite, after which I ended the party. "That's all I can really do for my demonstration, as the party name indicated. I could have shown off using a Skill Book, but I don't have any that demand Active Use, which destroys the book in the process, and I plan to use Skill Books Passively, which let me keep the books both during and after use, unless absolutely required."

Ozpin and Glynda look at each other in silent conversation, and I'm surprised to see Glynda nod before Ozpin looks at me. "How would you like to come to Beacon? With your magic and ability, you could easily become one of the strongest Huntsmen in the history of Remnant."

And there's the offer to join Beacon, as I suspected.

"To be honest, I was planning on taking Beacon's entrance exam anyway, so that's an offer I'll be taking you up on," I reply, getting a smile from both professors and a nod from Ozpin as he pulls out his Scroll and opens it.

"Excellent. Now, I can make some false documents to prove that you actually exist," he explains. "When I put down your ability, or Semblance, as it's called in this world, should I mark it down as a Dimensional Storage ability?"

"Mark it down as a Mimicry Semblance," I reply. "Dimensional Storage would limit me to pulling out weapons and objects. Mimicry, however, would allow me much more leeway with what I can do."

"Very well then," Ozpin says, typing something up, presumably the documents to prove that I'm who I say I am, before sliding me a Scroll. "Now, this Scroll will be your personal data terminal for the immediate future. It functions include working as a phone, camera, personal tablet with CCT access, and will be your card key for entering your dorm in Beacon."

I grab the scroll and pocket it while thanking Ozpin before noticing Glynda lean in and whisper something to Ozpin, her voice low and a hand at the side of her mouth so that even with my now enhanced sense of hearing I can only really make out bits of what she's saying, though Ozpin is looking at her and nodding occasionally. He then lets out a chuckle before looking at me.

"Well, I'm not sure what, exactly, you had planned in terms of acquiring lodging until the entrance exams next week," he begins, amusement clear in his voice, "but if you feel so inclined, my associate, Glynda, has offered that you could stay with her until the semester begins next month."

Well… that was unexpected. I blink in shock and look at Glynda, who surprises me by giving a small smile in my direction. 'What do you think, Celaeno?' I ask, unsure of what to do.

'The offer's certainly one from out of left field, given what we know regarding Goodwitch's character in the show,' she replies, equally dumbstruck at the offer that was just made. 'But if she's offering… I think we should go for it. It's free room and board, plus there's a good chance she'll have some books we can borrow so that we can brush up on everything we'll need to know going in since I have a feeling there'll be a written portion to that entrance exam.'

'Makes sense,' I reply before returning Goodwitch's smile and nodding. "I was probably just gonna book a hotel or something, but if one of Beacon's teachers is offering me room and board until school starts, then I'd have to be some kind of idiot to refuse."

-Deciding to consult with Celaeno beforehand and accepting Goodwitch's offer have increased your WIS by 1-

I give a small, annoyed huff at the sudden pop-up, dismissing it with a flick of my wrist, garnering a look of confusion from Ozpin and Glynda. "Sorry, pop-up saying that one of my stats just went up naturally," I explain quickly, getting nods of understanding from the two before Ozpin stands up.

"Well then, Mr. Zephyr, I believe that's everything for now," he says before picking up his coffee mug. "I suggest that you take the following week to train and study. The entrance exam can be quite… daunting, if you're not properly prepared."

Did he just call me weak? I know it's true right now, but still…

"Come along now, Mr. Zephyr," Glynda says, motioning for me to follow. "My home is a fair ways away from here, so we have a lot of walking ahead of us."

"Uh, right," I reply before getting up and walking over to my soon-to-be Hostess and followed her as we began to walk out of the station.

And there we have it. Like I said, rewards for the quest will be handled next chapter, but at least I finally have this quest out of the way, so, yay for me. I will try to update Reading: The Gamer of Fate next, but who knows when it's me involved. In the meantime, here's what Giro unlocked this chapter. I'll cover Flux in more detail when it actually happens in the story.

Zephyr Family Magecraft - Unique Passive - Lv. MAX

Signifies the Gamer to be part of the Zephyr family of Spirit Charmers. Unlocks an MP Meter, which is used for all Wind-based spells, and the Possession Overdrive Ability, at the cost of going into Flux for one month every six months. Increases the power of Wind-element Spells and Arts by 50%.

Gust - Spell - Lv. 1

The starting spell for all Mages who practice Wind Magic. Weak when compared to the other elements, but far more accurate, Wind Magic is especially powerful against airborne targets. A talented Aeromancer can manipulate Gust to create new Wind Spells. Costs 50 MP to use.

Celaeno's Influence - Unique Passive - Lv. MAX

The influence of Celaeno, an Aerophoenix class Elemental, as a Spirit Charmer's bonded Spirit. Grants the Gamer access to the Astral Plains while in a state of meditation and the passive buff Aspect of the Aerophoenix: allowing the Gamer to self-resurrect when killed once every 2 months. Reduces the cost of Wind-based Spells and Arts by 25%

Possession - Overdrive - Lv. MAX

An Overdrive-class ability unique to Spirit Charmers. Reduces the cost of all Arts and Wind magic by 100%, doubles and restores EP, doubles EP and SP Regen, and triples the Gamer's INT, WIS, and ACR. Gamer loses the ability to control their actions while Possession is active (demerit). Gamer suffers the Flux status ailment for a length of time proportional to time spent in Possession, with every 15 minutes of Possession equaling a full hour of Flux (demerit).