The Fall Project
From Ashes
Broken Wings
Ozpin sat at a desk with the head doctor of Beacon in a private conference room. It had been a full day since the mission in Forever Fall, and the Headmaster wanted to know if the swordsman would survive. After all, it wasn't every day someone took in a full dose of Deathstalker poison. "So, how is he doing?"
The green-eyed doctor crossed his arms, revealing that his hands were wrapped in bandages from the burns he had received from Nova. "Well, after he was knocked out we had to put him into a medically-induced coma, that way he doesn't freak out and almost kill someone again. As a nice little 'side bonus,' his aura started working in overdrive to clean out what the anti-venom could not. He should wake up in the next couple of days, but he needs to stay here for at least a week to make sure all that crap gets out of his bloodstream."
The Headmaster grunted, "He's not going to like that."
"Well he can deal with it!" The doctor exclaimed. "As for your instructions with his identity, don't worry. No one knows what he looks like."
Ozpin sighed in relief, "Thank you Bones, you have no idea how important his confidentiality is."
Bones waved away the thanks and laced his fingers together, "I think you would like to know, there is something very unusual about that boy."
"Well yes, I noticed that when I first met him."
"No, no, I mean he is physically unusual. As I was giving him a routine checkup, I found a lump of flesh deep in his upper back, just below the shoulder blades. At first I thought it was cancerous, but after I did a scan I saw that it was actually a muscle. The entire upper portion of his back is littered with extra muscular structure." The long-winded doctor took a moment to sip from a glass of water before continuing. "I gave him the works, blood test, full body scan, DNA analysis, you get the picture."
Ozpin waved him on, "And? Is something wrong with him?"
"No," the doctor said, and gave Ozpin a toothy grin, "but it turns out he's a faunus."
The Headmaster raised his eyebrows in shock, "Really? What kind? What's his faunus trait?"
Bones' smile grew and he leaned closer to the headmaster, "I think he's an Avian."
Ozpin was completely taken aback. He ran a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair, astonished by the revelation. However, he was still unsure, "That's impossible. They were all killed during the Great War."
The doctor nodded, and started to get excited, "I know! He could be the last living bird-faunus on Remnant!"
Ozpin shook his head, still doubtful, "But all of them are supposed to have wings. That's part of what made them all such great warriors."
Bones' smile faded, "Well, he was born with wings. Have you ever seen his back? There is a symmetrical scar that goes across his upper spinal column. The scan showed severed nerve-endings deep under his skin, and his spinal chord even splits into multiple different directions. He had wings, but they were surgically removed. Judging by the age of the scar tissue, he was very young when it happened too. The real question is: why would someone want to cut them off?"
The Headmaster placed a finger on his chin, deep in thought, "I haven't the slightest idea."
The doctor jabbed a finger at the professor, "I'm not done, Oz. When Nova woke up, he self-immolated to get us all away from him. Ignoring the psychological problems behind that, I initially believed that his aura was protecting him from the heat, but the tests showed that it's a physical trait that allows him to be completely immune to any form of burn!"
Ozpin gave him a look of bewilderment, "How is that even possible?"
"I have no clue! We could actually be looking at a new species of faunus; a faunus immune to fire! We could run some tests and maybe even develop a new-"
"Absolutely not," Ozpin interjected.
"But-"
"I said no!" Ozpin gave the doctor a stern glare, "He's been through enough of that."
"Alright, fine," the doctor pouted as the Beacon Headmaster turned and left.
Throughout the next few days, the school was in an uproar about the heroic actions of Nova. The stories didn't take long before they became heavily embellished, some even saying he wiped out an entire horde of Grimm all on his own. Some rumors even began to spread that he and Pyrrha were secretly lovers, but the idea was quickly dismissed because of how she always acted around Jaune.
Nonetheless, without even being conscious, Nova had become a celebrity.
Many students in the school were asking, 'Why did Nova save Pyrrha?' It was a legitimate question; the two had barely spoken to each other, and only seemed to know of each other by association. Nova was friends with Yang, who was friends with JNPR, and that was the extent of their relationship.
But while the rest of the student body was pondering the mystery, Pyrrha asked herself an entirely different question. Something that had plagued her mind ever since Nova asked about her fallen childhood friend, 'Why did he apologize for Milo?'
She supposed the poison was affecting his mind to a great extent, making the boy say things without reason. She did know what that was like. At the same time, Nova looked like he was distraught while she told him Milo's fate.
But why?
JNPR was walking between classes when Jaune pulled her aside, "Are you doing okay, Pyrrha?" he questioned, giving her a concerned look. She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind, and took a breath to say yes.
But that couldn't be further from the truth. She released the breath with a dejected sigh, and her gaze fell down to the floor, "No, something is bothering me quite a bit, I'm afraid."
He put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You can always talk to me."
She leaned into his touch, and put a hand on his. Inside, she was in turmoil. What was she supposed to do? She needed to ask Jaune about Nova, but didn't want him to think that she liked the mysterious swordsman. That would be a disaster!
The words hung in her mouth as she tried to explain, "I just… I don't want you to misunderstand."
The leader frowned, but nodded. He didn't press the issue, knowing that his partner would tell him what's wrong when she was good and ready.
If her suspicions were correct, there would be hell to pay. But first, there were several pieces that needed to fall into place. Yang knew him best, so she decided to question her about the mysterious boy's past.
The rest of the day was pretty standard, Grimm studies with Professor Port, the history with Mr…. Dr. Oobleck, then they had the rest of the day to themselves. Most of that 'free time' was spent at study in the library, where teams RWBY and JNPR shared a space together.
Pyrrha approached the Blonde Brawler and asked to speak with her in private, and they moved to a more secluded area of the library. "So, what's up?" Yang asked while throwing herself into a large bean-bag chair.
The redhead had already thought of what to say, "Do you mind if I ask you a few things about Nova?"
Yang frowned, but everyone knew about Pyrrha's total infatuation with Jaune, so she wasn't concerned. "Okay, shoot."
The Mistrali's heart beat faster, "Where is he from? What did he do before coming to Beacon?"
The blonde hesitated. Nova had trusted her judgment with his secret, and she wasn't about to betray that trust by saying something she shouldn't. "He's from Atlas. As for what he used to do, you'll have to ask him when he wakes up. He doesn't really like talking about his past."
"I see," the redhead said impassively. "You said he was from Atlas, did he work for the military?"
"I… uh..." Yang bit her lip, giving Pyrrha the answer she needed.
Yang was worried by the questions she was asking, so to put her at ease, Pyrrha explained. "I know that you are the one who made Nova comfortable here at Beacon, and I want to thank both of you. I am grateful for what he did for me, but I want to know why."
The brawler nodded somberly, "I think half the school does. We'll just have to ask when he wakes up." So Yang wasn't willing to tell everything, which is understandable.
Over the course of the next day, Pyrrha was hard at work at the Vale Communications Tower, speaking to the Mistral police forces with urgency. She demanded that they provide her with the information and evidence of Milo's case, and they willingly complied. For the first time, she dove into the files and studied them extensively.
It was infuriating. Out of the tiny bit of evidence that could be obtained from the incident, Atlas had confiscated the vast majority. Either way, she knew that if they kept so much information to themselves, they had to be hiding something. She had the information she needed. There was one last question that needed to be asked. The problem was, Jaune was the only one with the answer.
After training with her partner, Pyrrha asked to speak for a moment. "Of course, Pyrrha. How can I help?" the blonde boy asked.
The red-head breathed deeply, uncertain and filled with twisted emotions, "I need to ask you something about Nova." The young leader nodded for her to continue, "Why did you tell Nova to stay away from the rest of the group during the mission?"
Jaune thought for a moment, "Well he still hasn't learned to fully control his semblance, so I thought he could be a danger to the others. If things were to go wrong, he has enough power behind that semblance to turn a big chunk of Forever Fall into a pile of ash." Pyrrha's emerald eyes widened, and her face twisted into an expression of anger and grief, concerning her partner, "Did I say something wrong?"
The Mistrali turned away from Jaune, "What you just described is exactly what happened to Milo. His house and the entire surrounding forest was completely destroyed." She grimaced as the memory replayed in her mind, "The explosion threw me from my bed three miles away, and lit up the sky brighter than the sun. We tried to find them when everything cooled down, but Atlas soldiers were crawling all over the place. They told us there was an accident, and that Milo and his family were all gone."
She faced him and looked into his eyes, "I am almost certain that Nova killed Milo."
Jaune froze, shocked by Pyrrha's accusation. He took a breath to think things through, and dissuade his partner from doing anything crazy. "Wow. That is… That is difficult to connect, Pyrrha."
Her expression changed to one of grim resolve, and she stormed her way past him. Before she could run off, Jaune grabbed her arm, "Pyrrha, stop. You can't do that."
She whirled around, her long ponytail whipping Jaune across the face. "Why not?! Milo deserves justice!" she spat.
Jaune's brow furrowed with concern. This wasn't Pyrrha standing before him. This was a girl stricken with pain and grief, seeking some kind of vengeance for her still-broken heart.
He pulled her closer and grabbed her other hand, holding on tightly so she would wait and listen to what he had to say. "Pyrrha, you need to think about this. Most likely, Nova wasn't the one responsible-"
"I know it was him!" she shouted in his face, and angry tears welled in her eyes.
"Okay! Even if it was him, he is sorry about what happened, and even risked his life to save you."
The red-head grit her teeth as anger seethed in her heart, "It's not about me, Jaune! Milo didn't deserve to die!" She pulled her hands away and covered her mouth in an attempt to silence her sobs, and the tears began to flow. "He didn't deserve it..." she whimpered.
Jaune reached out wrapped his arms around his partner, letting her cry into his shoulder. He stroked her hair and whispered reassurances in her ear, and the wet tears started to seep through his hoodie. Pyrrha clutched him and squeezed tightly, and continued to weep as more than two years of repressed emotions finally poured out.
He knew that it may not be pretty, but she needed this. He would be right here, someone she could confide in. Finally, she could heal, and move on.
Eventually the crying ceased, and Pyrrha calmed down. She stayed locked in his comforting embrace, but felt the need to apologize, "I'm sorry, Jaune. I didn't mean to get so emotional." She released his hoodie and pulled away, horribly embarrassed by her breakdown.
Jaune gave her an understanding smile and put his hands on her shoulders, "It's alright Pyrrha. You've been bottling those emotions for a long time haven't you?"
She nodded remorsefully, "A couple of years, yes."
"You can talk to me about anything, Pyrrha. Remember that," He said and tapped a finger on her nose, making her smile sheepishly.
She wiped her eyes, and laughed in spite of herself as she smeared her makeup all over her face, "I'm such a mess."
Jaune gestured toward the door, "Come on, then. Let's get you cleaned up."
After five long days, five days, Nova was still unresponsive. The doctors gave the boy an IV to supply him with the necessary nutrients, and assured everyone that he would recover.
But Yang was starting to get worried.
She walked through the white halls of the infirmary with a box of cookies in hand. She came to Nova's room, and froze when she placed a hand on the doorknob. Her stomach twisted into a nervous knot as her fears got the better of her.
What if she went in and he was dead? What if… She shook her head and pushed her way into the room, relaxing when she heard the steady beep of the heart monitor. He still wore his mask, even in a coma, but the rest of him was covered by a simple hospital gown and bed sheets. "Hey, Nova," she called, but again there was only the beep of the monitor.
Disappointed, she walked over to the edge of the hospital bed. Somewhere she couldn't remember, she had heard that people in a coma could still hear you talk. Whether or not it was true didn't matter, the idea gave her enough comfort.
She set the box of cookies next to his bed and sat down on the mattress, "I swiped some of Ruby's cookies for you. She won't really like that but I'll make it up to her."
Beep.
She hated the quiet room. It made her anxious and extremely uncomfortable. "Mike and Gabe got into a big argument today in combat class. Glynda had to hold them in the air upside down to make them finally stop trying to beat each other senseless," she rambled on with a chuckle.
Beep.
She grit her teeth and started to fidget, "Pyrrha wanted me to tell you that she says thanks. A-And Jaune too."
Beep.
Beep.
"Dammit Nova, wake up. Your friends miss you."
She opened her mouth to say more, but she was at the breaking point. Five days the swordsman sat motionless, and nothing she said could rouse him.
It was too depressing.
Feeling defeated, the blonde shifted to lift herself off the bed, but paused.
Yang had been friends with the mysterious swordsman for three months now, and she still hadn't seen his face. If he didn't wake up, they would eventually let him die, and she never would have been able to see. Yang knew the boy would be furious about it, but she had made up her mind.
She leaned toward him and placed her fingers on the smooth white mask, which felt cool to the touch. The eye slits still glowed a soft amber, a false indication of open eyes. A few flecks of dirt remained from the fight at Forever Fall, but for the most part it was well cleaned. Taking a deep breath, she curled her fingers around the strap at the back of his head, and slid it up through his jet-black hair. She lifted the mask, and let out a soft gasp when she saw his scars.
He hadn't lied, it was pretty bad. Even his left eye had been damaged, and was probably blind. She leaned further forward, her hair hanging around her shoulders, and lightly traced the deep scars across the left side of his face.
Imagining the pain that Nova must have felt when it happened made Yang's heart ache for the swordsman. Whoever was responsible for this was a disgusting excuse for a human being.
Then his eyes opened.
For a moment, her attention was ensnared by his piercing gaze. His left eye was milky white from blindness, but his right shined bright gold with an inner fire that spoke volumes of his true character.
He was a fighter. He was defiant. He was very, very determined.
Yang then realized that she was only inches away, hovering above him well within what would be considered 'intimate space.' She sprung forward and hugged Nova, hiding her cherry-red blush from the boy, "Nova! You're awake!" He flinched at her touch like he always does, and made no move to hug her back.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
The blonde slowly pulled back, and shied away from him, "Please don't hate me."
A grin spread on Nova's face, and he chuckled, "Don't worry about it. It's time I showed you anyway." His smile faded, and he weakly cleared his throat, "Pretty bad, huh?"
Yang shook her head, "Actually, it makes you look even more intense than you normally do." He rolled his eyes and frowned while she gave a crooked grin, "Plus, it brings out your eyes. Trust me, keep that mask off and you'll have girls killing each other to get to you."
He burst out laughing, "Dammit, Yang."
Before a pause could lapse their conversation, Yang quickly switched to a new topic to avoid the awkward conversation of why she had gotten right up in his face. "So... how long have you been awake?" Her eyes widened when she realized that he just came out of a coma, "Oh my God, how do you feel? Are you hungry? Should I get the doctor?!"
Nova smirked, revealing his pearl white teeth, "Careful Yang, if you starting showing concern for me people are going to start saying things."
The blonde huffed, "Don't be an idiot! You almost died!"
His smile faded when his joke was ignored, "I did the only thing I knew would work."
"That's very noble of you, but why? Why would you risk everything for Pyrrha?" She glared at him, waiting for a legitimate answer.
His brow furrowed, "Because I won't sit and wait while a friend dies and I can do something about it. Anyone else would've done the same if they could."
Yang nodded, then sighed, "Okay. I guess I should go tell the others you're awake."
"Sure," Nova agreed, "Oh, can you tell Cade to bring me my notebook? And remind him not to look in it."
The blonde gave an exaggerated sigh, "Fiiiiine. I'll tell Cade to bring your notebook full of erotic drawings," she said with a wide grin and she dashed out of the room before Nova could protest.
Now that he was alone, Nova had some time to process what just happened.
He had been awake for about an hour, but wanted to enjoy the quiet for a bit before getting everyone all riled up. Yang's sunfire-aura illuminated his senses as she approached his room, and he decided to pretend that he was still in a coma to see what she would say to him. It wasn't all that surprising that she was uncomfortable being the only conscious person in the room, knowing her extroverted personality.
The aroma of her perfume filled his senses as she sat next to him, and he was surprised that she mustered up the courage to take his mask off. He didn't know what made him stay still, but for whatever reason, he let it happen. Her fingers felt warm on his cheek, and he had to fight with every fiber of his being to keep himself from moving. He lost the battle and opened his eyes, and his and Yang's gaze met.
The sight was what thousands of men would envy. Her wavy hair cascaded over her shoulders, hanging around Nova's head like golden falls. Her lilac eyes were filled with curiosity and wonder. Her left hand pressed against his chest, a welcome pressure that sped his beating heart. She seemed… entranced.
And even now, he could still feel her warm breath against his lips.
If either of the twins found out that they had been in that position, and he didn't kiss her, they would have his head on a pike. But he couldn't do it. He wanted to, but it felt wrong. Being drawn toward Yang gave him an agonizing, burning sensation in his heart.
He felt guilty.
He felt like he was cheating on someone.
Pyrrha stared at Nova's infirmary door. Jaune stood behind her, and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes," she said confidently, "It's time for me to move forward." She turned the doorknob and pushed into the room to see all of the people involved with the Forever Fall mission piled inside Nova's hospital room.
Impatient from all the attention, Nova acknowledged them by nodding in the newcomers' direction and turned to Ozpin, "Everyone's here. What did you need to say?"
The Headmaster cleared his throat, silencing the room, "On behalf of Beacon, and the kingdom of Vale, I am honored to present to you, The Shining Beacon." He presented a medal in the shape of Beacon's symbol of crossed axes, and a blue and white ribbon. "This award is given to a student who goes above and beyond all expectations by risking certain death to save a fellow Huntsman or Huntress."
An irritated breath escaped the swordsman's lips. In Nova's eyes, the medal was no more important than a shiny sticker you receive from your preschool teacher for performing some mundane task. Out of respect, he accepted the medal and placed it on the bedside table. "Thanks," he said, with a subtle tone of distaste in his voice.
"We will hold a short ceremony to officially announce the award if you so desire," Ozpin continued.
Nova shook his head and waved a hand, "No, that's not necessary."
"Very well. I would also like you to know that Dr. Bones has discovered that you are, in fact, a faunus." Everyone exchanged astonished glances and shared their surprise with one another.
The Headmaster waited patiently for Nova's reaction, but he seemed completely unphased, "What are your thoughts, Nova?"
All eyes turned to him, and he growled at the attention, "I don't think it really changes anything. I look the same, I feel the same, so what difference does it make?" Ozpin nodded, understanding the boy's apathetic take on racial issues. "Out of curiosity, was the doctor able to figure out what kind of faunus I am?"
Ozpin nodded, "Both he and I believe that you are an exceptionally rare breed of faunus. You are an Avian."
"Oh wow, that makes perfect sense," Gabe said. Everyone gave him confused looks, unsure of how anything could be connected. "Think about it. Falling asleep in trees? Insanely good eyesight? When he teleports with Mike he says it feels like he's flying? It makes perfect sense!"
While the others continued to come up with some of his behavioral quirks that could be identified as 'avian,' Yang noticed that Nova had reached over his shoulder and touched the scar on his back.
After a few moments of tracing the old cut, he lowered his arm and sighed, "Okay. Thank you, Headmaster. Can I get out of this place now?"
The old professor laughed, "I'm sorry Nova, but no. You need to stay in bed until the venom in your blood is completely cleaned out." The swordsman groaned in disappointment.
Pyrrha summoned the courage to walk forward, and stood at Nova's bedside. Before she could speak, Nova interjected, "You don't have to say anything."
Determined, she nodded her head, "Yes, I do." She needed to hear herself say the words. "Thank you Nova, for saving me. I am grateful for what you did, and if there is any way I can repay you, just tell me."
He studied her for a moment, then hummed as he thought to himself. "Just don't do anything crazy in the future. I might not be there to save you again," he said with a teasing tone. Pyrrha nodded and bit the inside of her cheek, still feeling some animosity toward the boy.
Soon after, everyone was dismissed from the infirmary so Nova could rest, and the day went by as normal as it could at Beacon Academy.
It didn't take long for the infirmary staff to kick Nova out. Despite everyone telling him otherwise, the swordsman practiced using his semblance for extended periods of time to increase his endurance on the battlefield. They tried to stop him by confiscating any and all Dust or ammunition he might get a hold of, but Nova, being the crafty and resourceful person he was, started pulling energy out of the electronics that littered the room.
After several thousands of lien worth of hospital equipment that needed replacing, they finally released Nova from the infirmary. He strode out of the building with a wide, mischievous grin plastered on his face.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
-Matthew 5:4