A/N: So what took this chapter so long to get out was I attempted to write it using a third person limited view where the action was taking place around character. I didn't really work out the way I hoped so ended up just scrapping most of it and restarting. So this chapter shall continue on with the same changing perspectives as before.
Chapter 5
Day One
Zelle leaned back in his chair as he took in everything he was just told. Ozpin simply stared at him as he took a sip of his coffee. Ozpin had just shown him the video of him going berserk. Sadly they had no idea what caused at as the camera situated in the ruins had destroyed the camera aimed toward there. So what caused his berserk rage is unknown. He watched as he beat the living hell out of the rest of team JNPR and BY. He really needed to work with Jaune. Kid's a liability. He wasn't going to die due to someone else's problems.
He watched as the video replayed and he almost hit Little Red in the face. He had no problem with punching literally everyone else. Peculiar. He would need to talk with Little Red and see if there was anything that he had done or said before he collapsed. Zelle tore his vision away from the screen to look at Ozpin.
"As we have already discussed, I have no recollection of attacking the girls. I also would like to add that I have no idea what caused me to go berserk. Though whatever it is made a permanent mark." Ozpin simply raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.
Zelle raised his sleeve up till it revealed his forearm. There on his forearm, was a strange design unknown to Zelle. It was a circular design, similar to a swirl, but covered the entire top of his forearm, making it more of an oval shape.
Ozpin leaned over his desk a little bit as he studied the markings. A few moments passed before he leaned back and said, "I'm not entirely sure what it is but I can ask Dr. Oobleck to see if he happens to have any records on anything similar. Now, is that all you need or is there something else you wish to discuss. Zelle shook his head.
"That is all." With that, Zelle got up and used his crutch as a support, began to make his way toward the elevator. He watched as the door to the elevator shut and leaned back against the railing of said elevator.
"I really regret choosing to be a hunter. I've had way too much shit happen to me for this to even be considered remotely worth the amount of pain and effort I've had to put myself through. If I didn't know any better I am the protagonist to some shitty manga."
He was broken out of his thoughts as the elevator reached the ground floor. He took out his scroll. Glynda had sent him a message with his room number and his teammates scroll numbers. Glynda had acted as his Rune instructor as well as supervisor during his early stay at Beacon. He didn't think they were close, but they helped out one another when they could. Glynda doing more for him than for her though.
Zelle began crutching his way to the dorms. With a small grin, he decided to just ditch sleeping tonight. It wouldn't be the first nor the last time. Finding Ruby's number in his admittedly short contact list, he messaged her letting her know that he would be out late and not to worry. He was about to put his phone up when he looked through his contacts again. He only had nine contacts. Seven of which were girls and the two men were grown adults. He really needed to get some guy friends.
Changing directions, Zelle began making his way to the forge. Entering through the heavy oak door, he made his way inside. Inside, there were a bunch of heavy equipment as you expected from a forge. Hammers, mallets, tongs, iron bars all lying around. There were twelve stations for people to work at. Each properly equipped to create or modify your weapon as needed. There were repair stations outside this building as well, for those that didn't need to use the forges.
Currently there was no one inside. Freshmen were getting to know their new teammates and the upperclassmen were getting ready for another semester at Beacon. Zelle had other priorities than teammates at the moment. After all, what good is a hunter without their weapon? He passed by all the forges before he reached a locked iron door. Pressing his hand against the door he heard the lock click as it was unlocked.
Entering, he closed the door behind him. Locking it as he did so. Turning around, the place looked more like a lab than a forge. Tubes, glass bottles, mortars and strange machines filled the room. Off to the side there was a smelter and forge as well as all the equipment for smithing. Zelle went over to the forge and ignited the coals starting up the fire, putting on his smock, he went over to a case. Opening it, there were dust crystals. Twelve in total. Half of them were black and the other half a very light grey. Zelle smiled, time to work on prototype fifteen.
"Guys, he says he won't be coming back tonight." Her supposed 'leader' said.
Yang had her head down, her hair covering her face. Blake was reading, but Weiss could tell she was upset by the news and Ruby looked ready to cry at a moment's notice. "No leader should cry," Weiss scoffed. She kept her opinion to herself though. For now.
"Listen, if he wants to be alone, let him. He might be feeling awkward that he has to room with four girls." Weiss tried to reason. Like an actual leader, instead of moping.
Yang lifted her head up, a thoughtful look adorned her face. "You know Weiss you have a point." Weiss flipped her hair, a large smile present.
"Of course I'm right, it is expected of my position as a Schnee." Internally Weiss was struggling. This Zelle looked very familiar. He almost looked like him. NO. She wasn't going to think about that. Weiss' face quickly dropped at her thoughts as Yang continued.
"I guess that leaves it up to me to break him into a woman's charm."
"I can help too," Ruby yelled excitedly.
Yang sweat dropped at her sister, "No Ruby your too young for that."
"I don't understand." Ruby tilted her head in confusion.
"You will later sis."
Blake decided now would be a good time to interject. "He said he wouldn't be coming back tonight so we should all get some rest and unpack in the morning." There were a round of nods.
Weiss sat up and went into the bathroom to change. As she undressed, her mind kept wandering to their only male teammate. She couldn't help draw similarities to him and the white hair definitely didn't help. She glanced at her scroll. She needed a second opinion. But there was only one other person she could ask. She really didn't want to have to contact her sister but this was important.
Picking up her scroll, she went through her contacts before she saw Winter's name. Pressing her name she sent her a message. 'Winter, we need to talk. I may have found HIM. Call me whenever you can.' With that done she put her pajamas on. Quickly exiting, she realized that the rest of her team had already changed and were in bed. She did so as well. Thoughts swirling around the man that was Zelle.
Zelle woke up really early as usual. Taking his head off the desk he was leaning on, he looked around, idly noticing that he had fallen asleep in the forge. Again. Getting up from the chair he leaned back until there was a satisfying pop from his back. He looked over to his now completed weapon. He had spent multiple months getting this stupid hunk of junk working. Now he would be able to test it out. Maybe. So he strapped the weapon onto its custom mecha holster. He immediately felt the weight affect him as his semblance kicked in. Damn was it heavy.
Pulling out his scroll, he checked the time to see it was seven, meaning he only had a few hours of sleep, although this was sleeping in for him. He had classes at nine and he still had to get ready for the day. Knowing how procedure goes from Goodwitch all his stuff would be in the dorm room. He frowned. While he had nothing against the girls, it was troublesome to have four girls and one guy in a room. Might as well get it over with. He would hit up the cafeteria first. Wouldn't want to be hangry when talking to bunch of teenage girls that could create ice or turn into rose petals.
Breakfast was pleasant. He was one of the only first years in here as far as he could tell. They were probably sleeping in. The cafeteria food was top notch. He never knew pancakes could taste that delicious. And don't even get him started on the coffee. Before he died, people called him a coffee addict for drinking a sixteen-ounce cup a day. Since coming to Beacon he would be lucky to stop at the second cup. No wonder Ozpin drank so much. Pulling out a small thermos, he poured the dark liquid into it and made his way to the room.
Walking down the halls he spotted team CRDL he thought they were called, heading the opposite direction. They all gave him shit eating grins. "Wouldn't be high school without bullies I suppose." Zelle thought. He was going to knock until he heard what he thought was construction. Hesitantly, he scanned his card on the electronic lock and slowly opened the door. What he saw appalled him. The girls were standing off to the side as they inspected the most horrible piece of engineering that Zelle had ever witnessed.
They had attempted to make bunk beds. With one bed hanging by rope by the ceiling (Zelle reminded himself to complement Ozpin on the school's structural integrity) and the other stacked on top of books. This was a disaster in the making.
The girls slowly turned around as they heard the door open. In the doorway they saw Zelle looking mortified, gaze toward the beds.
"Zelle, where have you been?!" Ruby yelled as she was quickly in front of said boy.
"Yea, hotshot. Where did you go last night? You already get some action?" Yang smirked as she winked at him. Blake had pulled out a book at some point and began reading it and Weiss was studying him.
Much like Ruby, Zelle had modified the uniform to accommodate his cowl. He now wore black pants and a forest green shirt that had patterns that caused him to look as though his shirt was moving as he did. However, Weiss' attention was drawn to his white hair with black tips.
Zelle was ignoring everyone as he stared at this atrocity that could be called 'bunk beds'. This shouldn't even be possible. How was everything staying together. Zelle slowly looked to the girls and they were all staring at him, waiting for his response to their questions. Well two of them were.
Zelle simply pulled out his scroll. and called the one person he could think of to help.
"Ozpin, I have an emergency." Zelle said blandly. The other girls looked alarmed and Blake even put down her book. "I need bunk beds before my team kills themselves." The girls looked away bashfully while Weiss just sweat dropped.
"And a hammock for me if we have any." Zelle paused. "We don't? Alright, thanks. I'll figure something out." He closed his scroll. He turned to the girls who were staring at him in shock.
"Questions later, we have ten minutes to get to class," Zell commented as he walked out the door. Weiss glanced at the clock and gained a look of mortification before following Zelle. No way she was being late. The others quickly followed.
As they ran through the courtyard, Ozpin took a sip of his drink and Glynda checked her watch.
"They're going to be late," Glynda commented.
"Now, now. Have some faith, they should get there right on time," Ozpin defended his students.
Then they noticed Zelle lacking behind his team as he had his hands behind his head with Ryo following close behind in his dog form. Where he came from was anyone's best guess. Ozpin couldn't help but sweatdrop.
"Well except for Mr. Zelle there. He will definetly be late."
Glynda decided she wasn't having any of this. This was basically her personal student for the past three months. She had taught him runes and rudimentary history as well as various other hunter classes such as teamwork and tactics. She'd be dammed if he was going to be late.
She began marching up to Zelle who turned to her. The lack of sleep was evident on him. Knowing him, he was up tinkering with that blasted weapon of his. Apparently, the design was so dangerous that Ozpin gave him his own private room in the forgery. Even she didn't know the exact details of the weapon other than Ozpin commenting that it wasn't safe. However, that wasn't her concern right now.
Zelle gave her a lazy wave. "Yo, Glynda. How goes it?"
Then there was his infuriating speech. He barely even bothered to use any form of grammar. Glynda was officially pissed.
"Good morning Mr. Zelle. If you don't hurry up you are going to be late for class."
"Yeah, I probably will be. I had to get my team once I realized they weren't in the classroom, thus making me late. So, I blame them by proxy," he replied with a shrug.
Glynda sighed. "Zelle, what class do you have?"
Zelle took a thinking pose. "I believe it is with one professor Port. Why do you ask?"
Suddenly, a glyph appeared above and behind Zelle, officially locking him in place. Zelle began to sweat a little.
"Umm, Glynda. What is this about?"
"I refuse to have my personal student be late for class on the first day. Now I believe Professor Port's class is on the third floor fourth window right of the entrance. Now if we do a little bit of this." The glyph behind Zelle got a little bit bigger. Zelle was now full on sweating.
"Hey Glynda you don't have to do this, I can run there."
"No time. Don't worry I'll take responsibility for the damages."
She didn't wait for a response as he was launched through the air and through the window, crashing through it. With a wave of her crop, she quickly repaired said window and returned to Ozpin.
"That seemed a bit overkill don't you think?" Glynda just shook her head.
"Well, all right then. I need to get back to my office now, if anything serious comes up, let me know." With a curt nod Ozpin left.
Glynda sighed. She could feel it. Today was going to be a long day.
Zelle was not having a good time. He had been studying glyphs and learned how amazing they were and had just recently begun incorporating them into his fighting style. While he may never get as good say Weiss or Glynda, he would be damned to let such a useful thing go.
Right now, he hated glyphs. Absolutely despised them. He had entered his class in the most grand and terrible manner possible. Straight through the window, right in front of who he presumed to be his professor. He was staring straight up, on his back, at a man with a red overcoat. He was short, very much so, and was extremely… round.
"Ah, just in time Mr. Zelle, as expected from a former warden! Now why don't you take a seat with your team?" The round man proclaimed rather loudly. Zelle flinched at the volume, used to the quiet that came with his tinkering or the surrounding forests where he trained his more. Ahem. Destructive techniques. Pushing off with his hands he launched himself to his feet before gazing around the full classroom. He quickly caught sight of Little Red and Goldilocks waving at him before he saw Belle point at a seat beside her. He took a step when his backpack came crashing through the window. However, Zelle was ready with reflexes born from survival he snatched the backpack out of the air. To everyone else he was a blur before he had his backpack in hand. Whispers began circulating among the students quite quickly after that. Shortly after the display of agility, Zelle amiably took his seat next to Belle. Port began his instruction and Zelle was no longer listening. He instead was thinking up improvements for his new weapons as well as what to do about his new team.
Weiss was trying her hardest to focus on the class, but her attention was too focused on two things. Her incompetent team captain goofing off and Zelle. While one was for more obvious reasons, she was worried about Zelle. He was too shrouded in mystery, almost more so than Blake. He doesn't have any records. None. She had looked and contacted a lot of sources but came back with nothing. However, she had this nagging feeling that she should know him. Her attention was brought back to class when she heard Professor Port say, "Now we shall see what a real hunter can do. Mr. Zelle would you mind demonstrating your skills for the class." Everyone turned to him and he shrugged before jumping down into the clearing where professor Port stood.
"Umm, sorry to ask this but are you going to grab your weapons."
Zelle smirked and replied, "Oh Professor, I am always ready for combat. Just bring out the grimm."
Professor Port nodded and opened a hidden door and dragged a cage out. "Watch closely students, this is what a true huntsman looks like." Professor Port looked toward Zelle. Zelle nodded, and Porfessor Port released the latch, just as a boarbatusk launched itself out towards Zelle.
Zelle simply sidestepped the grimm and let it roll on by. He didn't take out his weapon. Not yet. The thing stopped spinning and turned around as it skidded along the ground. It charged again, this time Zelle was ready. Placing his hand where his katana would normally be he waited until the grimm was almost right on top of him. It happened in an instant. Only three people could track what happened. Professor Port and Pyrrha due to their experience and Ruby due to her high-speed semblance.
Zelle's hand shimmered and a glyph appeared over his hand. Then he drew the katana making a slashing motion at the boarbatusk and at the end of his swing, he let go of the blade and it disappeared into a similar glyph.
What everyone else saw was the boarbatusk roll past Zelle as he sidestepped with Zelle now having his hand extended, not even seeing his swinging motion. Before they knew it the grimm's roll began to slow till it tapped the wall and it split in half as it began to dissolve. Most of the class was confused. Did he just cut the grimm with his hand? When did he move? How strong was this new student?
Zelle turned around and gave a small bow to the people. A small smile adorning his features. People clapped awkwardly, all the while with a jumping Ruby clapping madly and Pyrrha with a look that Zelle couldn't exactly identify. It seemed almost hungry?
The bell rang shortly after and Professor Port dismissed the class. Weiss stormed off and Yang looked at the rest of their team and asked, "So, does anyone know what that was about?"
"No, but she's my partner so I better see what's going on." Ruby replied. Everyone nodded at that and Ruby headed out.
Zelle then saw Ryo trail after Ruby. He sighed, that was never a good sign.
Yang turned around. "So big guy, where were you last night? Hopefully not with another girl when you already have us four?" She asked teasingly, only to find his outline with dotted lines replaced where he used to be. Yang deadpanned and gestured at the outline while looking at Blake simply shook her head and shrugged as she walked off back to the room. She wanted to go ahead and get her homework out of the way so she could get some sleep. Yang sighed and followed her partner. Things were already going great she thought sarcastically.
Zelle tagged just behind Ruby so she wouldn't detect him. Ryo had found himself in his hood, again. Luckily Ryo never pooped so it wasn't an issue, thank god. Ruby caught up and got into a fight with Weiss (you all know what happens), and she sat there dejectedly before she looked up at Zelle who had a determined look in his eye.
"I'll go talk to her." He began walking away, and Ruby nodded solemnly. As she was ready to head back before she heard Zelle's voice ahead of her.
"For what it's worth, I think you will end up being a great leader. You're young, you have plenty of time to fit into the boots of leadership." Ruby perked up at this a small smile gracing her face. She quickly took off back toward the room. Although harsh, Weiss was a bit right. She needed to start acting like a leader.
Zelle lazily strolled next to Weiss. She was leaning forward on some railing and looking off into the sunset as the day ended. Zelle leaned back against the rail and looked at Beacon tower. Silence filled the air as they both stood there for a long moment before Weiss spoke up.
"I'm not apologizing."
"I never asked you too." Zelle replied. Weiss turned to him then.
"So, what are you doing here then? Came here to reprimand me? To tell me that I'm being selfish? Sorry to tell you, but I'm already aware of that."
Zelle shrugged. "Then it sounds like you are aware that you were in the wrong."
Weiss was fuming. "Doesn't mean I'm not wrong! She is much younger than me. I was raised with the highest of expectations. It feels as if she is stomping on my hard work. The tears and blood I shed to get here." As she said this she traced the bottom of the scar on her right eye.
Zelle sighed. "This is exactly why you aren't leader."
"Excuse me, what is that supposed to mean?"
"Your expectations for people are beyond comprehension. You place yourself on this pedestal due to you family. This princess act is exactly why you didn't get the position. You're a princess with no dwarves to help you Snow Princess." He stood up from the rail and stretched.
"That's your family too."
Zelle's head snapped to her so fast, Weiss was surprised it didn't snap.
"I'm sorry, but did you just say I was related to you." Weiss nodded and put her hands on her hips.
"Don't play dumb Ash, I know that it's you. Seriously, what is up with that name? Zelle, seriously? Where did you get that from?"
Zelle was thoroughly confused. Here was Snow Princess telling him that they were related. That was impossible though. He had come from another world, reborn into this one. It didn't make sense. A headache began working its way onto Zelle.
No, wait. He never existed in this world and when he arrived he had a body that was very different from what it was previously. His headache began getting worse. Ryo began stirring in his hood. What if his soul had come to this world, but he never had a body. Then that means this body wasn't his own. This body had a background, he had history. Oh god. Zelle began feeling sick, headache pounding. Then who was he, this Ash or Zelle? Before he could continue with his thoughts, the world suddenly went black.
Weiss watching his face contort into many different faces. Ranging from confusion, to horror, and finally sickness. Before she knew it he collapsed and that disgusting Grimm jumped out of his hood. She would worry about that later though. She dashed over to Ash. He had a light sheen of seat on him and he was sickly pale. Weiss freaked out she needed to get him to the nurse. She began dragging him through the halls before she saw Yang walking towards them.
"Yang! Help!" Weiss called.
Yang saw Weiss dragging the much larger Zelle and quickly ran over and helped. They took him to the nurse's office before they were ushered out of the room so the doctor could look him over.
Weiss went back to the room and saw Ruby studying diligently. She thought of what Ash told her and approached Ruby to help her out and inform her of Ash… Zelle. Yang decided to stay in the nurse's lobby just in case he woke up. Zelle appeared to be a much bigger handful than anyone expected.
A/N: And chapter. Again, I apologize for this chapter being so late and short. Hopefully it was worth the wait. Next chapter will be solely from Zelle's perspective as I continue to build up his character. Make sure to comment on what you thought, and until next time!
