AN: F*CK YOU KERRY AND MILES! I HAVE THREE SHIPS! DON'T GIVE ME ONE AND TAKE IT AWAY IN THE SAME MOTHERF*CKING EPISODE!

Sorry about that. Needed to get my anger out somehow.

Part of this chapter was prompted by CPF12, but I also mixed in some consequences of the last chapter.

Year 2: Talks and Spars

Jason's POV:

Azure is starting to worry me.

Ever since school started, Azure has been quiet. She doesn't boast or snark, and she barely even speaks anymore. A week later, and we're eating lunch, and she's just sitting there at the table.

Its starting to affect us too. I can tell that Haley is worried and tries to prod Azure into responding, to no avail. Rex somehow managed to become more moody than he normally is and keeps glancing over to her. As for me...

Past emotional trauma presumed.

All I can do is feel guilty at invading her privacy like that. Eventually Azure gets up and walks away, with the three of us exchanging glances.

Rex speaks up. "She's heading to the roof." Just like that. Not a guess, a simple statement of fact.

Haley gets up. "I'm planning on getting some close quarters training in. You in, Jason?"

"Might as well."

I get up and Haley learns over and mutters to Rex. "Please do something; you're probably the only one she'll listen to like this." He simply nods.

Haley's POV

I set up a timer for our spar. 5 minutes should be enough time.

"So Haley, any particular reason for this training session?"

I need to get my mind off of Azure and onto something more constructive.

However, I put a smile and lie. "After seeing Phyrra struggle when fighting unarmed opponents, I started practicing my own hand to hand combat. I don't plan on losing to her in the tournament this year."

"So why did you ask me over... nevermind. No weapons?"

I shift into a ready stance. "Just our fists. Are you prepared?"

His response is to charge forward. He punches, prompting me to slip to the side. I follow through with a hook to his ribs. I start throwing punches, forcing him to back up to get out of my range. Suddenly, he moves in fast, slamming his shoulder into my chest.

The impact sends me staggering, but I duck underneath his follow up. A quick jab to his gut makes him back off. I feel a dull ache with every breath, and I realize that I can't afford to let him try that trick again.

I launch a kick towards his knee, but he moves back to dodge it. However, I make no attempt to use the momentum to my advantage. Come on. Attack me.

Thankfully, he fell for my bait and threw a jab at my head. My hand clasps his wrist, and I pull. Because he was unprepared, his body followed the arm and he ran into my shoulder. Shifting my weight, I use his broken balance to flip him to the ground. I attempt to strike him while he is on the ground, but he rolls away and quickly returns to his feet.

He rolls his shoulders, and I see him slightly wince in pain when he tests the right one. He landed badly. Time to take advantage of that.

I move in, and make a point of keeping to his right side. Every time he turns to get his uninjured side facing me, I circle further. I strike at his shoulder, but he twists away at the last second.

Wait, his good shoulder is poin- Damn it! He goes for another shoulder charge and I practically leap out of the way to avoid it. I hook him in the ribs again, but I receive a punch t the temple in return.

I shake my head to clear it and barely catch Jason's punch. He breaks my grip and throws a hook to my head. I grab his arm and attempt to throw him again. He goes with the throw, catching himself on the landing and lashing his foot out to prevent me from moving in.

As soon as he recovers his footing, we charge each other, only for the timer to sound out. We stop, my fist cocked to throw another punch. I laugh. "That was great. Is your shoulder going to be okay?"

He rolls it again. "I think so. It'll be sore tomorrow, but nothing serious. Next time, we're not using a timer. I want to see who's better."

"I look forward to it."

I hear my scroll ring. I pick it up and answer. Rex's voice comes through. "I'm sorry. It didn't work."

Rex's POV

Azure's mind has become... interesting lately. The closest equivalent would be multiple rivers feeding into a whirlpool.

Her thoughts are so disjointed and mixed up I can't read her.

"A Lien for your thoughts?"

"Rex, do you believe in fate?"

I pause. "Care to elaborate?"

Azure stares out at the horizon. "There was some girl. She knew who me and Haley were without hearing our names or even seeing us. Said we 'have a part in fate' of some nature."

"So you met a weirdo who knew more than they should. I specialize in doing that. It doesn't mean anything."

The thing is, is she right? Is my life just some cosmic tool? Abandoned from the beginning, betrayed again and again, getting caught and joining the Hunters-"

"Fuck fate."

She quickly turns to face me. I continue. "We make our own choices. I refuse to accept some predestination bullshit. I have my goal- save Morgana and make her kidnappers suffer- and I will tell you this. If destiny says I fail, I will ignore fate and pull it off anyways."

"I don't feel like I belong here."

(Azure, you managed to claw your way up from nothing to the most wanted list in two Kingdoms. You utterly humiliated a top class Huntsman with a plan you made on the fly. The Hunters wanted you to join them.)

Switching back to spoken words, I press on. "You've earned the right to be here by being yourself. No fate, just you."

Azure uses her Semblance and disappears. I can pick up her mind coming from her room, but her distress has only increased. What did I say?

I pull out my scroll. "I'm sorry. It didn't work."

WN: I'm sorry for taking so long on this. Volume 3's ending hurt a lot and I didn't want to deal with dramatic writing...That and I made the mistake of entering the Abyss that is the Infinite Loops. I even started writing for the RWBY branch of Yggdrasil. If you see a snip authored by YangfromYin, That's me.

If the roof scene reminds you of a certain Jaune/Phyrra conversation, blame volume three sniping me. Including that specific conversation, four ideas I had (not all of it for Dressed in DRAB) ended up occurring in canon. I mean, I get the f*cking Dragon (thats a cliche) but seriously, Adam slicing a lead character's arm off? HOW?! ...Mini rant over.

Haley brought up the Mistral Regional tournament. While I won't actually write the tournaments themselves, Haley will be competing in all four and it will occasionally be influencing the story. Haley ended up losing to Phyrra in the quarter-finals in the first year.

With Azure's actions this chapter, I will hint this. Azure's greatest talent is deception. It will come to a head in a few chapters.

Rex's POV

I have wandered into town on business. Opening the door to a club, I greet the person manning the bar. "Did my package come in?"

He reaches down and places a box on the bar. I open it up and look inside.

Well, Nikos, let us see how you handle round 2.