Not Even Aura can Heal All Wounds

By wildstraydog

Beta: Super Saiyan Cyndaquil

Chapter Seven: A Significant History

I found the response for the last chapter amazing, I'm glad you're all excited about what Professor Peach is going to bring to the table. A lot of lingering questions that readers of this story have been asking in past reviews will be answered, so I hope you're all excited. There will also be of course, a glimpse into what direction this story is heading in, including all the evil Grimm goodness you all expect! Also I would like to apologize if I confused some readers that Nora had died, she is indeed still alive, so sorry for the confusion.

Hate to sound like a sellout, but if you haven't done so yet, go check out my new story, Indecisive Soul, the first chapter is up, and I'm curious to see what everyone thinks about it. Very different from my usual stories. Blake's Mistake will be ending quite soon as well!

Not unlike Jaune was before, Pyrrha had remained in her dorm with the lights off whenever Ren and Nora weren't present. She was curled in a ball underneath the covers, hugging a gold blanket with red trimmings on the edge. The fabric was comforting when it caressed against her creamy skin. She had set the air conditioner on low, the cool air made her more susceptible to fall asleep, where she could forget about the events in the Forever Fall. Pyrrha's frame was tired, wracked from the sobs and lack of sleep she experienced during the week. She tended to avoid the recommendations of Ren to eat – when she did, it was difficult to swallow, the texture of the meal rough against her throat. Her body was suffering from the depression.

Tired of just lying in bed and starving, Pyrrha climbed out of her bed, threw aside the blanket and covers and headed for the bathroom. Knocking the door against the wall, not caring if it left a dent in the plaster wall, Pyrrha, bent over the sink and cupped the water into her soft calloused hands. She threw the cool water onto her face and let out a low pant, rubbing the droplets out of her groggy emerald eyes. She looked at her reflection in the smudged mirror, a flat expression present on her face. Her usual flowing red hair was messy, filled with knots and strands that stood on end. Pyrrha never looked so pathetic, like a lifeless doll with pent up sorrow.

Pyrrha grabbed a towel from one of their hampers and threw it on top of the shower door before turning the knob. Hot water poured onto her glistening skin, soothing her well-proportioned body of any aches and tense muscles. A nice hot shower was what she needed to clear her mind. Her stomach still twisted in pain – the grisly sight of Tawny's limp body against the splintered tree still racked her mind with grotesque images. Pyrrha slammed her fist against the tiled wall in the shower, closing her eyes in a vain attempt to forget. Her breath hitched, and she clambered onto her legs, turning off the shower. She needed air, to leave the room that was essentially her cell from the judging looks of others.

The halls were empty, and the cleaned windows outside strengthened the rays of the sun that blared into her eyesight. Pyrrha threw on only a red tank-top and some black shorts, with an orange jacket hanging on her shoulders. The crisp early morning air made her shudder - she grabbed hold of her shoulders and walked toward the stairs. Pyrrha forgot to check what time it was, too preoccupied with escaping the dorm, though if Nora and Ren were missing, that meant they were training near the hills, so about seven O'clock. She was beginning to regret walking barefoot across the campus, the concrete nippy on her feet.

The backside of the campus was mostly empty, save for the few sporting areas where students could mingle and play volleyball on the coarse sand. But Pyrrha headed away from there, heading into the long clearing that led to Beacon's garden club. The trail was filled with black cobblestones, and overhead was an arch covered in various colorful flowers from around the kingdom. Pyrrha could make out the outline of the greenhouse, a domed building covered in glass – inside were rows of potted plants sitting on metal desks, while on the ceiling was an oval opening where the sun could shine through. Again, this wasn't her overall destination.

In the early weeks of her first semester, Ren had taken her and the rest of the team to a small clearing near the cliffs of Beacon. He used for it meditation, a spot where he could get away from the franticness of the world and clear his mind – in secret, he also divulged to Pyrrha that it was a spot he used to relax without Nora. She found it the perfect area to not be disturbed, where she could relish in her own sorrow without being bothered by team RWBY or the worried professors. Some might have it called unfair of her to be so ashamed, but it was her responsibility as team leader to ensure Tawny was protected.

She brushed aside the shrubbery that obstructed her sight, watching her step of the torn roots and scattered pine needles below. Sharp rocks and torn leaves covered the low-cut grass, and from the trees above she could make out birds hopping across the tree branches. The spot wasn't very far from the greenhouse, and Ren mentioned that he never felt the presence of a Grimm. Pyrrha climbed over a familiar boulder that indicated where she was, red marks scratched across the surface as a waypoint. The clearing, unlike the rest of the journey in the forest, was covered in soft green grass, and a picturesque view of the other cliffs and the Emerald forest below. She took delight in the scenery, until she noticed another figure in a meditative pose in the middle.

Yatsuhashi Daichi, of team CVFY, sat peacefully in the middle of the clearing. His hands were folded in his lap, and his were shut eyes close, meditating against the calm breeze that past. Pyrrha was generally shocked – Ren had assured her that no one else knew of their spot. Not wanting the company, Pyrrha stepped back into the forest, snapping a branch underneath her feet. Yatsuhashi did not appear disturbed, maintaining an ever calming presence as a bird landed on his padded shoulder. She admit, it was very serene, like something out of a novel that Blake would read. Pyrrha wanted to stay, but she still didn't have the strength to face anyone in her condition.

"Miss Nikos," Yatsuhashi called out, surprising her. "This area is not mine alone to occupy – if you wish, I will not bother you." Pyrrha slid her hand down her right arm, unsure of his polite offer. She didn't know much about the second year student, only that he was composed and strong.

Pyrrha was uncomfortable to deny his welcome, and she stepped through the brush to sit down next to him in the clearing. She adjusted her long flowing red hair into a temporary ponytail, and struck a similar position to Yatsuhashi. Pyrrha calmed her breathing, and tried to clear her mind of any distractions, abandoning any ill thoughts. Her chest lifted, and air spurt from her nostrils. Ren taught her and the others a few techniques on meditation, although it was usually for naught with Nora Valkyrie around. She loved her ginger-haired friend, but the girl had too much energy.

A gulp sounded from her exposed neck, and a pained feeling shot through her stomach. Again the images of Tawny sacrificing herself ran through her mind, playing over and over like an old-school projector. Pyrrha convulsed forward, panting – Yatsuhashi twitched in response, gazing down at her struggling figure as she caught her breath. Not even the silent confines of nature could get her to calm down, the panic attacks almost eerily similar to her early days of tournament training. Pyrrha decided to give up, standing on her legs and averting her eyes to look at the ground, ashamed of losing her composure like that.

"Please don't go," Yatsuhashi calmly voiced, "If you do not mind Miss Nikos, there's a story I wanted to tell you." Pyrrha looked down at his large imposing figure in confusion – why would he suggest a story of all things?

"Well... I-I'm not sure," Pyrrha strangely mumbled. She was usually very articulate, yet she found it hard to speak for some reason, experiencing a moment of cottonmouth. Pyrrha's lips felt dry, and her mouth was parched – she wanted something to drink, preferably water if possible.

Yatsuhashi startled her by thrusting a canteen into her face. "Please sit down, you don't have to speak if it's too much trouble." Pyrrha took the canteen in her hands, twisting the cap off and relishing the cold water against her lips as it poured into her throat. She sat down across Yatsuhashi, and placed the canteen next to her feet.

"My apologies if I seem like I'm forcing you to stay – you may leave if you wish. I'm not the most talkative individual." A smile made its way on his rigid expression. His face was very muscular, and his short eyebrows caught her attention; he was said to be one of the most powerful students at Beacon.

"About two years ago," Yatsuhashi began, pausing for a second to let out a sigh. "The same program that allowed medics to cooperate with teams at Beacon took place, and our team in its freshmen year was chosen." Pyrrha's eyes lit up, her interest piqued.

"Were you all... also sent on a mission?"

Yatsuhashi gave a brief nod. "Yes, the five of us were assigned to escort an archaeologist through the Emerald forest near the academy. The mission was successful but... the medic on our team was killed in action." Pyrrha opened her mouth to response, but nothing came out, and she gazed at Yatsuhashi's somber expression.

"What did you all do, how could you continue knowing that you couldn't save a civilian on the battlefield? As Huntsman and Huntresses, it is our sole duty to protect them." Pyrrha whimpered partway through the sentence, wiping away a lone tear that drizzled down her cheek. A momentary flash of Tawny's body raced through her mind, but she ignored it.

"We stood up, and continued to go through our days in school, completing mission after mission without the guilt of losing another holding us back – do you know why?" Yatsuhashi proposed. Pyrrha shook her head, unable to fathom what drove their renewed sense of ambition.

"The last words Garret ever said... was to never give up. We understood the look in his eyes – he knew it was part of the job that he chose to pursue, knowing full well that he might die that day. A few weeks after his death, some of his old friends visited us. They were thankful, because we did everything in our power to save him from the Grimm, and that he died in the line of duty doing what he loved." She looked down, watching the grass under her legs dance against the light breeze. Pyrrha didn't know what to say – but she remembered what Tawny said before she died.

Tell Jaune, that I always considered him a friend – and to never give up, not even if I die.

"Thank you," Pyrrha whispered, "Thank you so much, Yatsuhashi, you don't know what that meant to me... I need to find my friends and apologize." She used her hand to wipe away more tears, but a large smile overtook her face. Yatsuhashi returned another smile and closed his eyes to return to his meditation – she figured Ren told him about the spot.

She made her back through the forest and past the greenhouse, running to the dorms in hope that she could catch Ren and the others. That wasn't the only person Pyrrha needed to see, she needed to speak with Jaune, to let him know the last words that Tawny spoke.

When she returned to the dorm hall, her bare feet were aching from stepping all over the rocks outside. She twisted the golden knob on the door and swung it open; inside Ren and Nora were throwing a red bouncy ball back and forth, while in the corner Nebula rocked out to some tunes on her headphones with a magazine in hand. Pyrrha stepped inside and pulled off her jacket, catching the surprising stares of her teammates – Ren stood up and approached her with caution, his stoic magenta eyes lighting up in worry.

"Pyrrha, are you alright – we were somewhat worried." Ren placed his hand on her shoulder, a slight grimace making its way onto his face as he saw the mood she was in. He could tell that her ragged appearance was gone, replaced with her normal positive optimism. Pyrrha squeezed his hand and nodded, brushing past him to gather her armor up.

"It's great to finally have you back Pyr," Nebula commented as she took off the lavender headphones. She brushed away a lock of blue hair and giggled – Nebula was always one to brighten the mood in their team.

"Our leader has returned!" Nora shouted with glee, bombarding her with a strong hug. The orange-haired girl rubbed her face into Pyrrha's bosom, mumbling about how worried she was – Nora also took some of the blame for Tawny's death because she was injured in the fight, yet Pyrrha hoisted all the guilt away from her. In a way it was selfish.

"No one is to blame for what happened out there," Ren voiced. Pyrrha stopped in front of the bathroom door, her golden bracelets and leggings hanging from her arms. "We all did the best we could – if we are to honor Tawny, then we should strive to do better in our training." Pyrrha didn't turn around, not wanting to show her team her face as tears slid down her tinged cheeks. She pushed the armor close to her chest and let out a sigh of relief. Her team was the greatest.

"Then we should start by paying Jaune a visit."

The first thing Jaune did when he woke up in the morning, was message Blake on his scroll. He didn't care if he had to skip classes for a day, finding Professor Peach took precedent over everything else. He still couldn't believe that the author of the book that inspired him to become a field medic was a teacher here at Beacon academy. Blake told him that she was very reclusive – she sent out lesson plans daily for the students so they wouldn't have to attend in one of the lecture halls. Apparently, there were implicit instructions not to disturb her office, which in itself was very odd.

He arranged for him and Blake to meet near the entrance of the faculty offices. At first he didn't expect the Faunus on team RWBY to skip class to help in his inquiry, but she willingly agreed, curious to know the truth herself. Blake arrived early in the halls, donning her Beacon school uniform with her arms folded as usual. She wore a demure expression, and her amber eyes glistened against the rays of the sun through the window – the black bow on her head twitched in response to his presence, which he found cute. The uniform Blake wore fit comfortable against her figure, and Jaune couldn't help but blush. She was definitely one of the cutest girls he ever met.

The entrance to the faculty offices was near the right side of the academy, towards the back in a pentagonal-shape building. The doors were extravagantly decorated like most of the other rooms in the school, while bearing only a small wooden plate nailed in the middle. Jaune pushed open the doors, pressing down on the slick metal handles. His mouth went agape when he saw how lavish the hall in front of them was. The floor was draped with red velvet carpets that looked recently pressed, while the walls were covered in accolades given to the professors by various newspapers and ceremonies.

Each door to a specific professor's office, was painted gold, with the edges adorned in bright green. The door knobs were made from a variety of diamond that was common in Vale, and they reflected against the overhead lights from the chandeliers above. Jaune proceeded forward and immediately spotted a reward for Professor Goodwitch that read: Professor of the Year, 5th running. The first door they passed belonged to Professor Port – next to the plating that read his name, were pictures of Grimm sketches like those seen on the chalkboard in his class. He always was described as a braggart.

It was near the end of the hall and by a glass stain window depicting a victorious huntress, where Professor Peach's office was located. There were no gaudy decorations such as Port or Oobleck's office doors, but a barren metal door painted in a light shade of matte gray paint. The book in Jaune's grip began to tremble in excitement – he was about to meet the very person that changed his outlook on life. There were so many questions he wanted to ask; about the program, how long she trained to be a huntress before settling on a medical degree, or how to use aura for healing purposes. A gulp escaped from his mouth, and Jaune let out a delayed sigh.

"Do you... think she's here?" Jaune peeked through the slit in her mail slot.

"I don't know," Blake responded flatly, "Honestly I've never had a reason to visit the faculty offices – I get pretty good grades." Jaune shot her a sarcastic look of surprise, which she returned with a huff.

"Guess there's only one way to find out." Jaune uttered the old saying and twisted the knob, but stopped as he struggled to turn it.

"Let me see it." Blake pushed him out of the way and pulled out a small needle from her front pocket. She tinkered with the screws in the knob, and twisted the needle into an open slot that unlocked the door.

"How many rooms have you broken into?" Jaune asked out of curiosity.

"A lot." He made a quiet snicker, somehow not surprised by her knowledge of sneaking into locked rooms so easily. It was very cat-like.

The room was pitch black, only lit by the dim lights that hung on the walls. Jaune could make out the silhouettes of several items in the room, the light reflecting off several glass containers. He didn't feel comfortable being in an empty professor's office without their permission, and craned his neck back to give Blake an unsure glance. Blake shrugged, walking past him further into the room; Faunus could essentially see in the dark because of their eyes. Jaune however couldn't shake the sensation that someone was watching them.

"M-maybe we could ask Professor Goodwitch where she is."

"We could – or this is a chance to see what the mysterious professor is hiding." Blake replied with a veiled smirk. Jaune disagreed, but before he could voice his opinion, he felt a light pressure bear down on his right shoulder, the familiar grip of someone's fingers digging into his uniform.

"So I have intruders do I?" a mature feminine disembodied voice commented. The lights to the office flipped on, blinding Jaune for a second as his eyes winced, until the entire room came into view. He was amazed by how large it was.

Near the front of the door, were several polished black desks arranged in rows. On top, was an assortment of lab equipment and papers sprawled together in a pile; each table was populated with empty coffee mugs with cute illustrations of the Grimm on the sides. The back wall of the room was covered by large book shelfs that extended to the ceiling, stacked with hundreds of textbooks and various literature concerning the medical field. The flasks on the table were filled with a coalescent purple liquid that bubbled every few seconds. Cylindrical tubes next to the flasks were labeled in alphabetical order and filled with what looked like blood, only a darker shade then most animals.

In another corner of the office, was an aged wooden shelf that contained bowls of crushed plants used for medicinal purposes like those used in the ancient days before the Great War. For Jaune, it was a treasure trove of history that he could study for hours. Some of the techniques he observed in his book were put on display only a few feet from where he was standing. Jaune become lost in the spectacle, forgetting the tight grip on his shoulder that presumably belonged to Professor Peach. For some reason Blake was shaking, perhaps startled by the woman's sudden appearance if indicated by her pale face.

Peach let go, and when he turned around he was surprised by how beautiful his idol was. She had shoulder length curly pink hair that was spun into ringlets, while one lock slid across her face. Her bright piercing green eyes were hard to turn away from, and her thin cocky smile oozed an aura of confidence. Peach wore a short knee length plaid skirt, and a black tank top with a large white lab coat over it. He noticed a few freckles by her tiny nose, and her lipstick was a light red hue. Peach's figure was very thin yet muscular, and by her aura, Jaune could tell she was a force to reckon with.

"Are you... Professor Peach?" Jaune incredulously asked.

She gave an amused laugh. "Of course I am – but you kids need to leave now, you're not supposed to be here." She pointed to the door with a tired sigh, her face twisting in annoyance as a small grimace appeared.

"Please allow us to stay," Blake politely asked. "Jaune has wanted to meet you for a long time." Peach looked over at Blake in confusion, and directed her gaze onto him. She approached with a curious expression, her eyes looking him up and down until she smiled.

"Is that a medic uniform from the Vale Medical Preparatory School?" Jaune's face lit up, and he nodded in a vigorous motion.

"Interesting, but you still need to leave." She replied, a look of boredom in her expression. Jaune held up the gray book with a pleading look in his soft blue eyes, praying that the professor would lend him a minute to ask some questions. Her small mouth was agape, and she took hold of the book by its rough binding and examined it in silent amusement.

The way she flipped the book and caressed the cover was strange, her finger tracing the edges in broad strokes. Jaune would have been happy by her reaction, except he noticed a somber look in her eyes, the neutral expression gone from her narrowed gaze. Peach appeared trouble, as if he brought back some uncomfortable memory to the surface... she looked so sad. Peach opened the book up and set it on the desk closest to the door, where her computer sat in off mode. Blake looked over at Jaune in bewilderment, unsure of what Peach's reaction would be.

"Tell me boy," Peach began in a low mumble, "Where did you find this book?" Jaune gulped, stepping forward to sit down at the desk across from her.

"Back in my village, our library donated a lot of books to the people when making room for new additions, and my mother brought it home. This is embarrassing to say... but that book, it changed my entire life, and led me to become a field medic." Jaune gushed, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. He still couldn't look her directly in the eyes.

"I even know the quote: 'To protect those without means, serving the warriors of old when none dare to venture into darkness. We are their shield, and they the sword, for not even aura can heal all wounds.' It's stuck with me forever... I didn't have the best childhood." Jaune noticed the look of worry in Blake's eyes, and he averted his gaze back to the surface of the desk.

"Alright, you have my attention – Jaune is it?"

"Jaune Arc." He curtly replied, the eyebrow raise by Peach not going unnoticed. Not surprising, everyone knew of the Arc family.

"An Arc – how strange, I thought you were all skilled Hunters?" Jaune felt a pang of sorrow in his heart, the mention of his family painful to remember. How long had it been since he last heard from his mother and younger sisters?

"I... rather not talk about it."

Blake approached from behind and took a seat behind Jaune, catching his low whisper. "Professor Peach, excuse me for asking this, but why do you not teach us directly?" Jaune smiled, promising to thank Blake later for changing the subject.

"Simple," Peach chuckled, "I'm too busy with my experiments to teach you kids." Wait, was she just really lazy? The professor gave a low sigh and looked over at Jaune, eyes narrowing as if expecting some answer.

"You wanted to ask me something Jaune?" Jaune straightened in his chair, almost forgetting why he was even visiting the author of his favorite book.

"Y-yes... this is hard for me to explain – a friend of mine and I, we were sent out on a mission with different teams, and during our patrols-" Jaune paused, taking a deep breath as he pushed down the look of happiness on Tawny's corpse. "My friend, she died, and I came to a realization – are we all so useless on the battlefield, why aren't we trained to handle the Grimm? Blake and the others always brought this up, but I just ignored it until now." He clenched his fist under the table, a little surprised by his outburst.

Peach stood up from her desk, and walked over to a small stool with a kettle pot on top. "You had to ask the difficult questions – do any of you want some herbal tea?" Blake nodded, and he watched as the professor dropped a couple of bags, while sprinkling a few leaves inside the pot.

"Guess I can waste the next hour talking to you, but don't think you'll leave without a punishment – you did disobey my syllabus, Miss Belladonna." Blake let out a defeated sigh. Jaune would help with her assignment, whatever the punishment was. Although there's no telling with a woman like her.

"I'll accept the punishment, but leave Jaune out of it." Peach giggled, a mischievous smile forming on her lips.

"The best way to answer your question Mr. Arc, is to start from the beginning," Jaune found it odd that she was formal all of the sudden. "I use to be a student at Beacon – I was on team MPLE (Maple), and we were some of the best students in the academy. We came in second during our senior year in the tournament, though we never compared to team STRQ." He didn't recognize any of the names, of course he knew very little about Beacon's long and storied history. It was his dream to attend the academy, but he never really looked into past tournaments.

"It was about two years after we graduated, our team was sent on a huge mission to escort some politicians safely into Mistral from Vacuo. Everything was going smoothly, until an ambush by the Grimm surrounded us – one of our teammates, Evergreen, took on a Beringel to allow us time to escape. Crazy enough, he killed the damn bastard, but his wounds were fatal – I tried everything within my powers to save him, but he died." If Jaune remembered correctly, a Beringel was a large ape-like Grimm.

"Just like what happened to team JNPR..." Jaune responded in a hushed tone.

"Needless to say, it was pretty devastating for all of us... especially me – I kind of had a longtime crush on the guy. We all split up after that, mostly because of me. That was when I decided to attend medical school." Jaune noticed Peach's eyes light up, catching a glimpse of the renewed energy in her expression.

"I wanted to apply the practices onto the battlefield, so no one would have to die like Evergreen again. They called me a prodigy you know, not surprising since I graduated in only a year and half. That's when my studies formulated into something greater. I came up with a theory, one that would actually change Remnant's outlooks on the medical field: medics with combat capabilities that could apply their knowledge of medical science in battle." Jaune was a bit taken back, her theory much different then what was presented in class.

"Your book, it talked in length about this, but they never taught any of it at my school. It doesn't make any sense." Jaune explained, equally flabbergasted as Blake by the lack of training the medics were given.

"The world is not simple – my theory was presented to the medical community, and was accepted with open arms at first. Vale began to train a couple hundred students in my new practices, but I soon learned the archaic history of Remnant in general was steeped in dirty politics. All of Remnant considers aura to be absolute, a power given to Huntsman and Huntresses to battle the dark forces of the Grimm. It always puzzled me that in the many centuries we've battled them, that we never put something like I proposed into practice."

Peach grabbed the pot and poured two cups of tea into some of the empty mugs from the tables, and presented one of them to Blake.

"So, what happened?" Blake asked.

Peach brought the mug to her lips and tilted it, the tea sliding into her mouth. "As I said, politics – for a long time the Huntsman of Remnant have believed that they, are the true guardians of the world. Many esteemed families actually still hold this belief, including the Arc family," Peach emphasized as she turned to look at Jaune. "Very soon, my teachings came into question, including the cost effectiveness of its future. The council believed that the years of resources it would take to train individuals separate from the institutions could be used to train more Hunters." Jaune was soon beginning to understand what Peach was implying.

"That's ridiculous," Blake spat, disgusted by the council's views. "How could any of that make sense? Do the lives of Hunters mean nothing to them?"

"Ridiculous isn't the word I would use – I consider it downright heartless," Peach hissed, a venomous aura emanating from her body. "Mysteriously several of my students and some of the teams they were assigned began to suffer losses. My practiced was called into question by the council, and they concluded that I was risking unnecessary lives... as a result, I was exiled from Vale, and my school was taken down." Jaune looked down in shame, a feeling of guilt present because his family was somehow involved in her downfall.

"That book you carry Jaune, it's very rare. The council had most of my texts burned. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for old Ozpin. He was willing to let me stay here and teach, though even he doesn't have enough influence to lift the ban on my medical teachings. I'm sure you've both had enough history classes to know that Vale's biggest ally is Atlas – their military relationship also had some say in why my studies were forbidden. Gotta put more money into the war machine right?" How could she be so cheery after telling him such an awful tale?

"Then how come medics are still enlisted in Vale?" Blake was right. The council banned her practices, so why allow any of the students to become medics?

"Despite what happened, Vale played it on the safe side, and ensured the communities that students could still enlist as field medics in the medical schools – don't get the training though, only the academics. The council doesn't care how many bodies pile up, as long as more Huntsman and Huntresses are being pumped out of the academies." He didn't know how to feel – betrayed by the very system he believed in.

"So they don't care if I live or die?" Jaune uttered out loud, seemingly talking to himself.

"Our world is cruel," Peach replied in a soothing voice. "If it wasn't for Ozpin and my husband, I might have just given up." Jaune broke out of his short-lived daze and looked to Blake.

"Did you say husband?" they both asked in unison. Peach giggled at their reactions and stood up with her arms folded, taking a proud stance as she grinned.

"Well of course, my lovely husband is part of the reason I've remained at Beacon! I forgot to tell you my real name – most people call me Peach, but my full name is Peach Oobleck." The world froze, and all Jaune could see was black and white. He was sure Blake almost fell out of her seat; the thought of Dr. Oobleck having a wife was mind blowing, including someone so beautiful - it had to be a dream!

"Y-you're married to Professor Oobleck!?" Blake sputtered.

"Why is that so hard to believe? He's so handsome and intelligent." Peach swooned, lifting her head up as she daydreamed. Jaune swore he saw little stars floating around her head like in the cartoons.

"Yang will never believe this..." Blake whispered.

"Professor," Jaune excitedly shouted, standing up from the desk. He extended his hand, until Peach took it, her firm grip surprising him. "I want to thank you, for telling me all of this, you really didn't have to – but now I know what I need to do." Blake looked over in awe, impressed by Jaune's determined expression.

"I don't know why I did – maybe it's your eyes, they remind me of when I was young." Peach teased.

"We should probably get going Blake, I bet everyone is looking for us about now." She nodded, and followed behind Jaune before glancing back at the mysterious professor.

"I don't get many visitors, come by whenever you want!" Peach slammed the door shut, and they both could hear the shuffle of papers and equipment from the other side of the door. She was certainly eccentric.

In a rare act, Blake placed her hand on his shoulder, her amber eyes looking deeply into his. "How are you doing Jaune? I know it was a lot to absorb – but you seem adamant about your next move." Jaune nodded, removing Blake's hand. The warmth from her pale hands took him by surprise.

"Thanks, but I am... right now, I'm useless in the battlefield," Jaune explained as he looked at his bare hands that lacked any true callouses. "I'll never let anyone die, and for that I need to train." Blake's eyes widened, but a smile tugged at her pursed lips.

"Glad to hear you won't give up, but remember, you're treading in dangerous waters." With the support of Blake, he would begin to train tomorrow, and start finding a suitable weapon to use against the Grimm. But before he did all that, he wanted to see everyone, and for just a moment, Jaune swore he saw the ghost of Tawny smile in the background.

"Still can't believe their married." Blake reiterated.

Today, Weiss would be finally able to leave the cramped infirmary that had been her prison. She was ready to abandon the strange odor of medical equipment and breathe some fresh air outside the academy. One of the nurses stopped by earlier to provide her with the crutches she would have to use for the remainder of the week until her aura finished healing up her fractured foot. While she was not entirely enthused to be hobbling across the halls of Beacon, it was better than remaining cooped up in the infirmary. Weiss wanted to see her friends, to resume classes as if everything was normal.

The crutches looked old, the crutch pad and grip looked worn, and the fabric tattered, while the adjustment area was duck taped together. Weiss adjusted the sheets of her bed to the side and dangled her legs over the bed, gently placing her good foot onto the tiled floor. She took hold of the grips with her tiny hands and hoisted the pad into her armpits, pushing herself up from the bed. It would take some getting used to, but it would suffice for getting around the campus. The door to her room creaked open, revealing a smiling nurse.

"Miss Schnee, you have a visitor today." A visitor?

"Tell them I'm leaving now, I don't wish to waste any more time in this room." She tried to be polite, but the nurse looked uneasy.

"I'm afraid, she was very insistent."

The clacking of heels filled her ears, and a tall figure clad in white pushed past the nurse. Weiss looked up in annoyance and froze. "W-Winter, what are you doing here!?" She almost lost her balance, falling back onto the bed as her light blue eyes widened in disbelief.

"I had heard that you were injured during a mission – it's good to see you are healthy Weiss." Her older sister sat on the edge of the bed, glancing down at her bandaged foot in veiled curiosity.

"I-I'll be fine," Weiss stuttered, "That still doesn't explain your appearance – are you not supposed to be on a mission in Atlas?" in their last correspondence, Winter mentioned that she would be away for some mission near the edges of the continent... yet here she was.

"Correct, but I was in Vale delivering a report to one of our commanders on vacation. When I checked in with Headmaster Ozpin to see how you were doing, he informed me of your accident during you're mission." She was glad to see Winter's confident expression, but it made her dread what her father would think of this debacle.

"Do not worry," Winter assured with a brief smile, "Our Father is unaware of your injury - so how did you come to fracture your foot?" Weiss was about to explain her version of the story, when the door opened again to reveal the last person she wanted to see in this moment.

Winter turned to see who had entered the room, and Weiss noticed her eyebrows rise in interest. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you Weiss." Jaune excitedly apologized before reaching back to the door.

"Please leave Jaune." Weiss practically ordered.

"Jaune...," Winter mused aloud, "Are you by chance Jaune Arc?" Weiss mentally slapped herself for her slip of the tongue. Jaune stood at the door, throwing a questioning stare in her older sister's direction. It was this type of chance meeting that Weiss wanted to avoid at all costs, and now it was too late. Jaune was such a fool.

Here are some quick notes on Peach and the characters mentioned in the discussion between Jaune and Peach, which I may elaborate on later.

Team MPLE (Maple) members include the following:

Maroon (guy)

Peach

Lavender (girl)

Evergreen (guy)