CH.7
The ride was quiet. Áspro helped Nero through various stretches and movement exercises. The pilot came over the intercom and let them know that they were about a half an hour away from Beacon. Nero sat down next to Weiss. "Hey so how are things?"
"Could be better, After you disappeared, this guy showed up and tried to steal some stuff, but we beat the shit out of him."
Nero stared at her.
"What? Anyways, he showed up again helping the White Fang, we beat him again. And then, we went on a mission outside to Mountain Glenn, and guess who we found. The guy again. I know, crazy. This time, we were on a train. It smashed into Vale and made a hole for Grimm to come in through. And again, we won."
"Well, it sounds like your guest had a lot of fun while I was gone. Is there anything I haven't missed?"
"Well, the Vytal Festival is in a week, but not much else. Winter break is coming up."
"And you won't be participating in that," Áspro said sitting down.
"And why is that?" he replied, slightly confused.
"You are not ready for that. You should still be in bed at the hospital. Until I say you are ready, you are not allowed to do major physical activities."
"Well, that sucks. Next, you're going to tell me I can't go to class."
"You can still do that."
"Dang, maybe next time."
Once again the pilot came over the intercom. "Please fasten your seatbelts. We are coming in for a landing."
They all clicked their seat belts in and sat back to relax.
The door to team NIGT's room clicked open. Nero walked in to see Ivory and Gale sitting at the kitchen table. The sound of the shower could be heard coming from the bathroom. Ivory turned around.
"If this is about the… Nero… NERO!" He jumped up and ran towards Nero. Gale stood up and looked in shock. Ivory grabbed Nero in a hug.
"What happened to you?" Gale asked.
"Let's just say it wasn't good, but I'm back now."
Taylor ran out of the bathroom in a towel.
"Nero, you're back, are you ok? Where were you?"
"Sit down and I will explain."
"And I just woke up about eight hours ago."
"And who is that?"
"This is my assigned medical technician, Doctor Áspro. She will be helping me get back to full power, hopefully before the tournament. Isn't that right, Doctor?"
Áspro nodded her head.
"There you go. Now you are all caught up."
"But you didn't tell us how you ended up in a hospital in Vacuo?" Gale said.
"That's because I don't know how I did, all I remember is waking up in the hospital."
"How do you not know?"
"The doctors said because of my condition, my body most likely repressed the memories."
"So... it's just a blank spot in your memory?"
"Exactly. I remember walking down the street in town and then my next memory is waking up in the hospital," Nero said. "There is something I remember I don't know if it was a dream or not though."
"What is it?" Gale asked leaning over the table.
"A woman, she was wearing a red dress… she said something about what I was, or what I am going to be. And then she touched the left side of my face, and it burned. But how it was…"
Nero was cut off by lvory. "What the hell is wrong with your face?"
"What do you mean?"
"Its glowing, but just the left side and it's a pattern," Taylor said.
She reached out and touched it.
"Shit, that hurt. What the hell? It burns."
"What do you mean."
"Hold on." Gale ran into the bathroom and grabbed a hand mirror.
"Here, look."
She held up the mirror. As if a dam opened, the memories flooded in, and it hurt. Nero dropped out of his chair and gripped the left side of his face. Then, it all went black.
"Get Ozpin in here he is waking up." Gale's voice was the first thing he heard. He opened his eyes.
"Nero, are you alright?" Ozpin asked standing beside the teen's bed.
"Seeing as it was my left side, I'm all right" Nero joked around, but he could see Ozpin was not amused. "Yes I am fine, I guess."
"Young man, what is it that you mean by I guess? By the nature of that mark on your face, your life is in danger."
"What do you mean?"
Ozpin straightened his glasses.
"I recognize that mark, and it is not good. Can we have some time alone?"
Everyone left the room in a hurry. The door closed and as if on cue Ozpin looked back at Nero.
"Do you know anything about your parents?"
"No. Why?"
"So, Jacques told you nothing."
"Told me nothing about what sir?"
"Nero, you are special. Not in the mommy and daddy say you are special, you are a rare occurrence, special."
"Sir?"
"Nero, you are what we call a catalyst."
"What do you mean, catalyst?"
"A catalyst causes something to happen, and the appearance of a catalyst in this world means something very grim," He paused and fixed his glasses. "Salem has awakened."
"What, who's Salem?"
"Salem is an evil being from before time dead set on destroying the world."
"What do I have to do with any of this?"
"Cause Nero, you can stop it. Not only are you the catalyst, but you are something new entirely."
"What do you mean?"
"Your parents, they were working on a top-secret project to produce the first artificial human, Grimm crossbreed. And it worked."
"What do you mean sir, what do I have to do with a human Grimm crossbreed?"
"Because Nero, you are that crossbreed. The fruits of your parent's labor."
"You have to be kidding? I'm human look at me."
"No your not, Nero I need you to trust me," Ozpin sat down. " Your name, Nero, is an acronym for, Neurogenic Enhanced Reactive Organism. Designed to the last cell to be stronger, faster, smarter, tougher, special have you ever noticed how the Grimm don't directly attack you," Ozpin took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "And being the catalyst enhances you even more. It's time you see that you can show yourselves."
As if on cue two figures phased into being. The one on the right of Ozpin was tall with pitch white hair and golden eyes he was wearing white pants and a white button-up shirt an almost warm aura radiating off of him. The other man was just as tall, but the complete opposite. He had black hair, so dark it made complete darkness not dark. And his eyes were blood red. He wore a pair of black jeans and a black hoodie. His aura was dark and cold. Nero jumped not expecting two men to appear out of nowhere. He fell out of the bed and jumped to his feet.
"Who the hell are they?!" Nero said looking Ozpin in the eyes.
"They are the spirits of the Creators of the world. The catalyst is able to call them forth and use them. However while in their astral forms they can only be seen by you. But if you use them as they are meant you will be able to learn how to use two moves called catalyst break and catalyst sync."
"Wait if I can only see them how can you see them?"
"Because Nero I am the same as them in a way. But that is for another time, I am sending you on a mission, alone. The purpose is for you to learn how to use them effectively, you leave immediately. Pack a bag with items to spend the next three days in the depths of the Emerald Forest. That is all for now, any questions you have for me you can ask these two once you are in the woods," Ozpin stood up and walked to the door. "You have one minute to say goodbye to your team and Ms. Schnee if you so wish."
**Authors Note**
Hello again everyone, sorry about the large gaps in posting but alas I am back. For now... that is right i'm most likely going to disappear. And that is because I am undertaking a new project... I am attempting to write a book... And not just any book, a full length novel. I thank my loyal fans for continuing to read my stories. an expect a new chapter of TFS every now and then but in no way am I going to try and say that it will be a every other week thing. I will write chapters for TFS when I am not writing my novel or when I have free time in school. So don't expect regular posting. And once again thank you for reading, your support is important. And sorry for the short chapter the next one I intend to be much longer.
Thank you and see you again in the next chapter.
RDE