Hey guys sorry I haven't uploaded a new chapter all weekend. I went to my mother's house and was without internet. Why she doesn't have internet I don't know, every time I ask she says she doesn't need it. Anyway on to Chapter 13!

Chapter 13: Broken Wings

I was in a bed on my stomach when I woke next. A gentle beep echoed through the white room. I was aware of a woman in the room, checking up on me and putting an ice pack on the connection point. She looked down at the mirror and noticed I was awake.

"Oh, you're awake. Good, people have been waiting for you to wake up. I'll go let them in." she turned away but I grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"What happened to me? Where am I?" I asked groggily as the sedatives wore off.

"Well we had you transferred here yesterday morning and immediately went to surgery to replace the plate in your back; I don't know the details myself. I'll get the doctor when I send your friends in." I let go of her hand and she left. I watched the door with my semblance as the nurse left the room. I waited a moment before the door opened again. I was surprised at who walked through the door.

Velvet came through the door first and rushed to my right side. That wasn't what surprised me. It was the fact that Shay came through the door after her and came to my left side. What was she doing here? How did she find out that I was hurt?

I didn't hear the door close so I focused on it once more and was again surprised to find my father standing beside the door.

"Ike, are you ok, what-" Shay touched my back gently. "What is that?" She touched my back to examine it for a moment. I saw Velvet's eyes widen and she looked down into the mirror at me before looking back at Ozpin.

"That is the most advanced technology/ aura crossover ever created. I gave it to him when he was four years old. I wanted to help hunters and huntresses evolve as much as possible." He took a sip of his coffee. "To date nobody who has been equipped with this technology has come out of the procedure without being crippled. My son is the only person to ever be able to use the equipment."

Shay turned to him and just about growled at him. "What kind of father are you, giving him something that could have crippled him at four years old." Ozpin looked at her over his glasses before replaying.

"The moment he was able to hold a sword, I began training him to be a hunter. I gave him the best possible advantages I could to make him a pioneer of the new hunters and huntresses." He looked at me and took a sip of coffee. "I have never hidden anything from my son. He knows everything that I have done to him. I may be his father, but I am not a dad in any regard. I know that and I don't ever expect for him to fully forgive me for what I have done."

Shay took her hand off of my back and took a step toward Ozpin. I gripped her hand quickly and stopped her. She turned back to me with a questioning look. "Shay, don't bother worrying about the motives of my father. I accepted his reasons long ago. The closest family I have now is you and Velvet that alone is enough for me." I turned my attention to my father. "So what happened to me? I feel like my wings aren't attached anymore."

"That's because they're not. We removed the wings from the connection point because the dust in the ports in your wings was leaking into your connection point. You must have been feeling energy near the point and had to work it out, recently. Well when you fought miss Nikos and she hit your connection point she inadvertently caused miniature explosions along the wing shafts. You managed to sleep through that whole process and when you woke the damage was done." He sat down in a chair near the door and placing his mug down on the table beside him.

My mind was working, trying to comprehend what my father was saying. My wings are gone. My fight with Pyrra, the most fun I had had in beacon up to this point, had done this to me. This couldn't be happening.

"But, on the other side of that, your wings were obsolete now, they were with you since you were four. Its surprising the wings were able to lift you at all. I've had new wings crafted for you based on your training as a child as well as your weight and height now."

I brightened at that, but was slightly confused. "What do you mean? All those years ago I was training with a double sided spear. Are you, giving me a new weapon; now after years of training with only my knives?"

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "You trained with one for more years and at a younger age than most people even pick up a weapon. I have faith that your muscle memory will allow you to get back into the flow of its use. It's that or you can go without wings for another year while we recreate the old version." He stood and opened the door and motioned for someone to enter.

Two men walked through the door rolling a cart that held what I assumed was my new wings under a sheet. I waited as the men left and Ozpin pulled the sheet off. The wings were larger than my old ones and had two posts that protruded from half way down along the wings.

"Your old wings were able to carry you, but they were so small that they eventually cracked under the strain and allowed the dust in the ports to enter the wing shafts and seep into the connection port. These new wings are bigger and stronger than the last ones, so as long as you don't gain a hundred pounds, these won't have a problem carrying you, as well as one other for a short time when needed. The ports in these are you filled with blue dust instead of red." He grabbed the posts that protruded a three from the bottom of the wings before continuing. "These may look small but they only stay short until connected. It true form is seven feet long. Not a problem for your 6' 2" frame."

Velvet hadn't said a word since she walked in and I just realized she was holding my hand as she listened, and finally spoke. "How long will he be out of commission? I don't like that half of my team is in the hospital." She squeezed my hand to show there was deeper meaning to her question; she was just too shocked by everything to think straight.

Shay was sitting in the chair closest to me, rubbing my back gently as she listened and held my left hand. Ozpin looked at Velvet over his glasses before replying. "Actually, since he has already had the dust removed and the connection point replaced all that's left is to connect the wings and he should be back on his feet."

Both Velvet and Shay's expressions changed instantly at that news. "You mean Ike will be out of here as soon as you attach those? Then he can leave right now?" Shay said hopefully.

I chimed in at that point. "Do it; attach them." Shay turned to me with the eyes wide.

"What are you saying? You're here because the last ones were damaged, it could have killed you." She put her hand on my head softly. "You dot need them."

"Shay… I do need them. I've had them all my life; it's like having an arm removed. I feel crippled, even now that I'm just laying here waiting for the sedatives to work their way out of my system." I pulled my hands from Velvet and Shay and pushed myself up on shaky arms. I slipped but Velvet was fast enough to catch me and helped me up.

"Ike…" she sighed as she understood my words. "Ok, I understand. They've become so much of a part of you that you can't live normally without them." She sat on the bed I was in and laced her hand in my mine and sighed. "I'll support your decision." She looked at Ozpin. "I still don't agree with what you did to him at such a young age, but let's get this over with." Ozpin nodded to her and looked at Velvet.

She looked at me and we exchanged a look, before she looked at my connection point. There was a silent moment before Velvet looked up and nodded. Ozpin reattached the poles vie magnet to the wings and motioned for them to follow as he headed to the door, grabbing his mug and can before opening the door. Velvet squeezed my shoulder and went to follow Ozpin. Shay stayed for a moment and kissed my cheek before hopping down and following.

Ozpin held the door open for the girls as they walked out, before the engineers and a doctor entered and Ozpin left. "Alright, lay down and we'll attach the wings so you can get out of here." One of the engineers said. I did what I was told and watched the engineers position the wings in the ports on the connection point. "Alight, this isn't going to hurt a bit. We are attaching the wings… now." I felt a slight push and a click.

The doctor monitored my health for a moment as I stood up and felt the new weight of the wings on my back. I realized upon standing that the connection point seemed to be bigger, as well as the hearing something about it being replaced. When I asked one of the engineers, he held up the old one.

"Ya the old one didn't have the surface area to hold the new wings. Even if it did the weight of the new wings would have put too much strain on the one spot that the old connection point was attached to. Your new one is wider and connects to the entire length of your spine beneath your skin. Also there was a magnet attached to each of the wings where your hands would meet them." I was surprised by that and the engineer pulled out a scroll and showed me the recording of my fight with Pyrra when I used my wings as weapons. "They are a foot longer and wider. So they give more lift and have more weight behind them when you use them like you did here. Also they constantly use your aura so you can manipulate them without having to worry about forcing your aura into them."

I nodded as I listened and wrapped them around my body. The extra length made them reach all of the way down to my legs so I rearranged them to cross over my chest and wrap around my lower back. The posts sat straight up into the air against my back and rose slightly above my shoulders.

I looked around for my shirt but didn't find it, sighing I thanked the doctor and engineers as the doctor turned off each of the machines and unplugged me from them. I walked out into the hall to find Velvet and Shay waiting for me.

I noticed the one way window that allowed them to look into my room. Velvet nodded to me and smiled, happy to see that I was alright and back to normal, but Shay was pale having seen my wings for the first time herself. That's right she didn't know that I had wings.

I walked up to her and hugged her, kissing the top of her head between her ears. "Don't worry, I'm fine now." I looked up at Velvet and nodded to her, "let's get back to Beacon."

It was then that I noticed that my father was no longer here. He was gone, most likely back at the air ship waiting for us so he could get back. I walked hand in hand with Shay, following Velvet as she led us to the dry dock and we walked out towards the only airship that was ready for lift off. Ozpin stood at the end of the ramp waiting for us.

Velvet entered before us, Shay followed her and waited at the top of the ramp for me. Ozpin stopped me with his cane. "You're not allowed on this ride home. You have wings, get used to them and meet me in the combat practice room in two hours." He stepped ahead of me and walked to the top of the ramp before looking back down at me." I'll drop Shay back of in Vale, your are to stay away from Vale and go straight to Beacon." He held up his scroll. "If you do, I will know." The ramp closed and the ship took off. Shay ran over to the window and looked down at me as she rose into the air.

I took off towards the edge of the building and leapt off, opening my wings and felling the air gather beneath them before I rose into the air. I felt the new connection point against my spine, it was far more comfortable than the last one and I was able to quickly rose into the air and caught up to the airship, flying beside it.

After a while Ozpin looked over at me and gave me a look that told me it was time to head back to Beacon. I nodded and went close to the airship window where Shay sat. I touched the window and smiled before diving beneath the Airship and pouring on as much speed as I could. I shot ahead of the airship and veered towards Beacon. The whole way pushing my abilities to the limits as I twisted and turned, stalled and suddenly changed direction. I was so used to doing them with obsolete wings that now that I had a pair that was actually meant to carry my weight it was easy and far more responsive.

I was on a whole new playing field now and I needed to start training so I didn't fall behind after coming so far. I smiled as beacon came into sight. Things just got a lot more fun.

Ok then. Ike is back on his feet and equipped with wings that are meant for his weight. Since he has had the same wings since he was four, it's surprising they still carried him. Once again I apologize for not uploading this weekend, but I didn't have internet, so I did a lot of other writing, and homework. As always let me know what you think, Likes and dislikes, concerns or phobias. I really appreciate everyone for their input. Eternal out.