A/N: Hello reader people readers! So this chapter was a bit of a conundrom for me as it was originally much longer than this (this chapter should be about 6k or more) but I figured that the I could seperate them into two above average length chapters instead. So the next chapter should come out in about a day give or take. Anyways as always make sure you vote in the poll on my profile, a big thank you to all readers, reviewers, and those that favorite my story, you are all a inspiration to continue writing and I can't say that enough! So without further ado, la story~
"Thoughts"-Italics
"Speech"-Regular
"Past/Flashback"-Bold
Training Days
Ash laid on his hands and knees trying to keep the bile in his throat from spilling out from his mouth,"I think I hate you..." Ash said while letting out heavy breaths.
"Good, by the end of the next 3 months you will learn to despise me Ash." Glynda said reading her book and throwing a sword down next to Ash's head, "Run it again."
Ash pulled himself up and almost fell backward, some people would say that this was taking it too far. He was inclined to agree. Ash had asked Glynda to help him perfect his semblance and she agreed on the premise that at no point would he give up during the training process. Naively Ash accepted the terms and began training with Glynda everyday except Sunday before school, during lunch, and after school. She had a special location for their training, a large abandoned room in Beacon. There wasn't anything in it but it had space and according to her, "That's all we need."
And she was right. The room looked like some sort of torture chamber, nothing but spikes on the ground. In the center was one large spike, Ash sighed as he walked onto a platform next to him, it glowed purple and rose him up and over to the highest spike. Ash gathered his equilibrium an stood still on the platform awaiting Glynda's call.
"Project!" Glynda yelled with crossed arms. Ash closed his eyes and his AT's formed on his feet, Ember cecilia around his arms, and Ren's storm flower in his hands. Ash didn't stop there though, several different blades all formed around him.
"More!" Glynda yelled raising her riding crop, making several spikes raise up around Ash.
Ash grit his teeth as he focused more, several more blades forming around him all pointing outward.
"Not enough!" Glynda said waving her riding crop at Ash, spikes launched towards Ash simultaneously. He grit his teeth shooting at the incoming targets, anything he missed the swords picked up themselves, forming a protective barrier. Spinning around on the wheels of his AT's was hard, constantly finding balance and continuing to fend off the relentless shower of spikes.
"Come on, you need more..." Glynda muttered as she started sending spikes from either side simultaneously.
Ash had to abandon the platform and kicked off the top of each spike to dodge the incoming projectiles that his teacher was shooting at him. Dispersing stormflower and replacing it with wilt and blush, Ash did a quick draw and destroyed several more spikes. 12 more swords protected his flank as he was slow to jump off the spike he was on. Ash was gonna turn but felt a blow to his head and then it all went black...again. Glynda quickly pulled a platform underneath him to catch him. This was routine for them really, Gylnda knew that Ash was young and growing so she broke down his muscles as much as she could.
Glynda normally wouldn't take a student one on one for several reasons, the first being most students wouldn't commit to the rigorous training she put them through, the second being it would be seen as favoritism and she couldn't have that, and lastly was because there weren't many students she liked enough to train everyday. But in Ash's case there was an exception to the rule. In his case Ozpin actually asked if she could do it as a favor, in Ash's case he had no team, in Ash's case Glynda liked him. She smiled as she gently laid him to the floor next to her.
Glynda was impressed, Ash had come far in the first semester, all the students had but she had watched him progress one weapon at a time, "3 months have already passed." She thought thinking about the day they started his training.
-3 months ago-
"Run laps." Glynda said without looking up from her book. Ash stared at her quizzically, "Laps? I ask for private tutoring and were running laps?"
"I didn't ask for lip Ash, I said, laps." Glynda said peering up from her book. Ash sighed and began to run laps...and he kept running...and running...and running...and running...and collapsing. Oh yes collapsing. You'll sense a recurring theme here. Glynda clocked a watch and nodded, "Not bad. Now in 10 minutes get up and you'll do short sprints."
Ash looked up at her as if she was insane but Glynda stood firmly holding the stopwatch in front of him, "9 minutes 50 seconds left."
After his short break Ash only managed to sprint half the time he did as opposed to straight running. Glynda marked down his result on a clipboard and she let out a hum, "Good good, now give me push ups."
"No break?" Ash said with sweat drenching his body, he no longer had his shirt on shedding it long ago.
"None. Now go until you can't lift your arms." Glynda said writing down notes. Ash didn't protest and began pushing his body up, he felt heavy though, fatigue draining him of energy her usually had. Ash got to around 100 before he couldn't lift his arms anymore, collapsing onto the ground for a third time. Glynda let a tsking noise from her from mouth and scribbled down more notes on her clipboard, "Hmm pull ups next" Glynda said pointing to a bar not to far from where Ash laid. With a loud huff Ash practically crawled to the bar and started pulling himself up. This process repeated several more times with sit ups, bench press, etc.
By the end of the process Glynda had Ash sprawled out on the floor aching in pain in every possible joint of his body. Everything hurt, the space in between his joints hurt. Ash couldn't even nod at Glynda to tell her yes or no.
"Very good stamina, you stayed running at a constant pace for nearly an hour and continued your short sprints afterwards for nearly half and hour. This shows you recover well and work under fatigue excellently. As far a muscular ability you are much below many of your peers, understandably you are two years younger than them but age won't matter in a fight. You'll start lifting weights after today, ill give you a regimen, you're also short for you age so well be starting you on a new diet starting tomorrow. In 30 minutes well start testing the limits of you Trace ability, rest for now." Glynda said finishing marks on her paper. Ash didn't answer, he just closed his eyes and blacked out again.
Time seemed to pass instantly, Ash awoke again from a sudden shake on his chest. His aching muscles still present but he was under a lot less pain then earlier. Sitting up he saw weapons laid at his feet, a casual look over he guessed there to be about 100 weapons. Glynda stared downward at him with little concern on her face planting a sword right next to his head.
"Ash im curious, what weapon have you used the most?" Glynda asked.
"My AT's...I have had them for a long time." Ash said seamlessly forming them around his feet.
"I see, how many years have you practiced with them?"
"Probably about 7 years..."
"Have you mastered them?"
Ash was quiet, "No...I am always a step behind."
Glynda nodded, "That's the problem Ash, from what I have gathered you have only copied 6 weapons. Out of those 6 there is only one that you would consider yourself above-average in use with. Have you ever heard of the phrase a jack of all trades but a master of none?"
Ash sulked, "Yeah...It's kinda been the problem with my ability ever since I learned how to use it. No matter how much I watch, no matter how perfectly I recreate, no matter how much I do...It's never exact. Even this stupid arm doesn't help with the technique." he said ripping the bandages off his synthetic arm.
Glynda placed an arm on his shoulder and her eyes softened, "But surely better than a master of one. That's the end of the quote Ash. The problem with you is that you seek perfection, you're limiting yourself."
"Limiting?" Ash said with a raised brow.
"You told me and Ozpin that learning different styles was difficult, which is fair enough. But you why not create your own style, taking from other styles you see, combining weapons into your arsenal. Ash you have the unique ability to create weapons over and over and over. Any weapon at your disposal, why stop at 6?" Glynda questioned while pointing to the blade she placed next to him, "Now project."
-Present-
Ash awoke a few minutes later, looking around he took in his surroundings. He was outside and there was a serious amount of green around him. He could hear water trickling down from his right, Glynda had noticed his awakening and greeted him with a small nod and smile.
"How many?" Ash asked heaving himself up.
"71, it's good 5 more since the last test we did." She praised.
Ash groaned, "How many were actually stable?"
Glynda looked sympathetic, "62. But its a process Ash. You're still learning how to create these using the smallest amount of energy necessary. The more you understand the easier it will be to make more."
Ash sighed, "I know...but the goal of 100 this month seems so far."
Glynda let out a scoff, "The goal of 100 was yours, I said 75 and you'll be passing that the next test."
Ash grunted, "Yeah I know..." he said holding his arm out, the bandages loosely tied around his forearm. Glynda noticed the look in his eye, "You wonder how many you could make if you use it?"
Ash closed his hand and sighed, "Not sure...maybe one day when I understand more."
Glynda smiled, something else she had been working on with Ash was his phobia of using his synthetic arm. There was little progress, but it was progress nonetheless. Their moment was interrupted but a sudden yell was sent through the air, Ash eyes went upward as he saw a flash a yellow in the air.
"Is that Yang? I think that's Yang..." Ash mumbled, he turned his head back to Glynda only to her strutting to the Cafeteria with a wicked scowl on her face.
"...Well this should be fun." Ash said kicking himself up and following suit.
Glynda Goodwitch, head mistress of Beacon Academy was currently very unhappy. VERY unhappy. Her cafeteria was destroyed. DESTROYED. Food splattered on the walls...floors...tables...it looked like a twister ran through the ro-No it looked like Ruby ran through the room. Swinging her waving crop to stop a pile of dishes flying towards her and swing it down to the floor before waving her arm around to replace every single table, plate, and fix the spider-cracked wall that they had managed to create.
"Children please. Do not play with your food." She demanded as a familiar yelling came down from the sky. A crash from the ceiling and a mop of yellow fell down into the ground next to team RWBY and JNPR.
Glynda growled and felt a hand gently grip her shoulder, "Let it go." Ozpin said taking a sip from his mug. She sighed and looked at Ozpin exasperated, "They destroyed the cafeteria..."
Ozpin took a sip, "It's fine."
"A kid went through the ceiling!"
"It's fiiine." Ozpin said placating her further. Glynda visibly relaxed and looked at the laughing and cheering groups with a somewhat somber face, "They're supposed to be the defenders of the world..."
Ozpin nodded, "They will be. But for now they're still children. Let them play the part..." He said taking small steps out of the cafeteria, "It's not a role they'll have forever..." He finished ominously whilst looking at Ash.
Ash didn't say anything but it was a silent nod, he understood what Ozpin meant, "Be ready."
Ash tensed ever so slightly, he was ready but he still couldn't tell for what, "What's this chill im feeling lately..." He thought shaking his head, he couldn't think about it now, right now he had flirting to do. Ash walked up two the food fighters with a cheer, "That was pretty friggin awesome guys."
"You should've been apart of it!" Ruby said with a pout.
"Sorry too busy being apart of hell." Ash said rubbing his arms.
"You do look beat up." Ruby snickered.
"You look like an abstract painting." Ash said quaintly, observing her messy attire, covered with food and...paint?
"You look like a guy who isn't getting the notes for the class he naps in next period." Ruby said haughtily.
"You look like a girl who wouldn't dare." Ash said towering over Ruby.
"You look like a guy who can't catch me." Ruby said with a smirk before jetting off in a flurry of roses. Ash stood still as a petal fell on his nose and grunted, "I am a guy that can't catch her..." He grumbled underneath his breath. Yang slid up to Ash with a sly grin, "So how long you gonna hit on my sister?"
"No idea what you mean." He lied through his teeth.
"What about that time you fixed her hair?" Weiss prodded at his cheek.
"It was in her face, the gentleman in me had to move it." Ash said innocently.
"Brushing her face and cupping her cheek?" Ren said in a deadpan tone. Ash shrugged, "She looked cold."
"It was ninety degrees that day." Jaune recounted.
Ash rolled his eyes, "My hand slipped?"
Blake looked at him incredulously, "For 5 seconds?"
"My hand was stiff." Ash argued.
"We had just finished sparring." Pyrrah said in confusion.
"Your punch jammed my fingers..." Ash said with a twitching brow.
"But you didn't use that arm." Nora said with big smile.
"Im sorry am I on trial?" Ash said raising his hands, "Do you guys remember the LAST time you thought me and Ruby were *flirting* or do I have to remind you?" Ash said causing everyone present including Sun to blush a dark red.
-Three months prior-
Sun was on his way to talk with Blake about his schedule for classes when he saw Ruby and Ash walk into his dorm into together.
"Come on lets do this already!" She said tugging on his arm.
"Okay okay this might take awhile though..." Ash muttered.
"Well I expected it to!" She said pushing him into RWBYs dorm. Sun looked on with curiosity before sneaking up to the door putting his ear to the door, before he could listen Team JNPR walked up behind him.
"Um Sun?" Jaune said awkwardly.
"Shh shh! Listen!" He said pointing to the door.
They heard the sound of a zipper coming undone.
"Wow its so big." Ruby said in awe.
Everyone froze, as the rest of team RWBY saw them leaning on their door, Sun rushed over to them, "Door. Now. Listen." he said pushing his ear back to the door.
"Will it even fit?" Ruby asked.
"I've done this way more than you so just follow my lead." Ash replied.
"Well this is my first time..." Ruby grumbled.
There was a collective gasp at the door before they held in their thoughts.
"What does he mean he's done this more than once!?" Everyone whispered collectively.
They heard a bumping noises and a few things falling.
"Watch it!." Ash commanded.
"S-sorry" Ruby squeaked back.
"Should we go slowly or all at once?"
"It's easier if you just go for it."
"Ugh Ash it won't fit!"
"Of course it can! We just have to push harder, it can fit!"
"No way it'll fit there somethings gonna break!"
" JUST SQUEEZE IT RIGHT THERE!"
"STOPPPPPP!" Everyone shouted slamming the door down. Ash and Ruby looked at the toppled door in confusion, stopping their actions.
"Guys?" They said together, both fully clothed sitting on the floor next to a large plasma screen TV in-between two speakers. There was a ghostly silence that followed the next few seconds.
"Thank god..." They all thought. Rubys face twisted in thought before her face started slowly turning red, Ash looked at her completely confused before thinking over their words as they entered. With a audible smack Ash's hand raised toward his mouth in complete shock, "D-did you...That we?" He managed to say in-between his stuttering.
"You guys..." Ruby whispered in a dangerous tone. The blood drained from everyones faces as they her the sound of Rubys scythe being pulled out with a loud click.
"H-heyyyy little sis" Yang said backing up slowly.
"Hi Yang" Ruby said in a all too happy voice.
"W-why is your scythe out?" Jaune said crawling behind Pyrrah.
"Nooooo reason~" Ruby said innocently.
"...Run." Ren stated. Not a second later did the group bolt out of the room the sounds of gun shots echoing behind them. Ash sheepishly looked around and closed the door, pretending that the whole thing didn't even happen.
-Present-
"That wasn't our fault!" Yang protested with a small blush.
"You guys jumped WAY too far!" Ash said pointing an accusing finger.
"It's not our fault that you and Ruby sounded like you were doing the dirty in your room." Nora said making hand gestures that made Ren flush, "N-nora!" He said placing her hands down. Ash had a blushed on his face and crossed his arms with closed eyes, "I-I rest my case." He said as the bell for the end of lunch finally rang. Ash groaned, "And now I have Port's class."
The rest of the day was uneventful, classes went on as they usually did, Ash slept through several classes although he wasn't that concerned with it. When you have straight A's it's pretty hard to stay awake in class. Ash realized that he couldn't stay awake with Glynda's schedule so she had taken to asking him questions while training him. Ash almost snorted aloud when she said it was a full body workout, his brain included. Looking out the window Ash watched multiple airships in the far distance, "The hell is so many fleets doing here..." Ash thought suspiciously. A small flick on on he cheek made his eyes turn his right to see Ruby pointing to professor Port who was looking impatiently at Ash.
"...Sup." Ash said plainly before the class started laughing.
Ash quickly picked himself up as the bell rung and sped out the door, feeling a pull at his arm. Ruby walked up on him and raised her brow at him, "You were really out of it today, more space cadet than usual." She said with a snicker.
"Are you really one to call me a space cadet?" Ash said continuing his pace, not turning his head to acknowledge Ruby.
Ruby grumbled stepping in front of Ash stopping him in his tracks, "You've been off, you haven't been talking much to anyone in our group outside of class!"
Ash shrugged, "Were not teammates, I'm not obligated to talk with everyone."
Ruby looked at him angrily, "Even if they're your friends."
Ash was shook out of his apathy by the change in her tone, "Sorry, just been thinking about some things that have happened recently."
"Things?" Ruby asked stepping out of his way so they could continue walking.
"An old contact of mine was murdered..." Ash said running a hand through his hair, he left a clue but for the life of me I can't decipher it.
Ruby was shocked, "Murdered? By who? When?"
Ash shrugged again, "I don't know, well I have and idea but its just a guess...And remember that bookstore that was on the news? Guy that had his head blown off?"
Ruby cringed, "Yeah...So you think he was trying to tell you something?"
"That's the problem..." Ash said rubbing his eyes, "I feel like its something I should've seen it already."
Ruby looked disapprovingly at Ash, ever since he started his three-a-day training schedule with Glynda he hardly ever slept since he stayed up late to practice more or investigate the White Fang and Roman more. She wasn't sure how little but she was sure that Ash was sleeping less than 6 hours a day.
"Okay that's it." Ruby said grabbing a hold of Ash's arm.
"Eh?" Ash said blinking rapidly, his mind so scattered that the sudden grab had only registered as they were half way through the hall.
"You're coming with me mister." Ruby said in a tone that Ash knew there was no arguing with.
"Nooooo." Ash said apathetically only slightly resisting the grip she had on him, he was admittedly tired, and trying to struggle against Ruby right now was too much energy.
"No nothing." Ruby replied remorselessly pulling him up the stairs, a few people looked on in confusion, others in amusement, but Ash was too busy looking at Ruby. She had really improved herself not just as a huntress but a leader during the first semester, some of the executions that team RWBY were pulling off were out-right amazing. As he reminisced the last three months he found himself at the rooftop of Beacon.
"Im confused." Ash said looking around, "Why are we up here?"
Ruby closed the door behind them and pulled Ash down with her next to the wall, she sat with her legs out and pulled Ash's head down onto her lap, "You. Are going to sleep. You didn't sleep all last night."
"How do you know that?" Ash grumbled.
"You don't turn your lights out, I can tell by looking underneath your door." Ruby explained.
"Don't trust me to sleep?" Ash said with a pout.
"You didn't sleep." Ruby dead-panned. Ash opened his mouth for a witty retort but grumbled to himself, "Is this how it feels to just not win any arguments with a girl Trick?" He thought internally, remembering how Trick told him that there are three universal truths in the world, "Death is undefeated, time is undefeated, and any girl you love will leave you speechless in an argument."
Thinking back he only agreed with parts one and two but recently the more he tried to retort at Ruby the harder it was to find witty things to say, "Maybe it's her eyes..." He thought looking up at Ruby who smiled at him, her eyes glistening in the sun, "Yeah definitely the eyes." He thought before letting out a defeated sigh, he saw Ruby's eyes perk up at the sound, she knew. That sound escaping Ash's lips were that of defeat.
"You're skipping class you know, aren't leaders supposed to set and example?" Ash said closing his eyes.
"Today the example I am setting is help your friends, following the rules will be for tomorrow." Ruby said with a devious smile.
"Hyp-o-crite." Ash stressed on each syllable.
"Id-i-ot." Ruby replied in the same fashion.
Ash snorted before snuggling his head closer, "It's bright..." he mumbled turning his face from the sun, even with his eyes closed it was still bright.
Ruby covered his face with her hands and close her eyes as well, "Goodnight."
"Whatever..." Ash resigned, getting the first good sleep he's had in over a month.
Ruby woke up first and felt small shaking on her lap, she saw Ash shake and grimace in his sleep.
"Ash?" She whispered. Ash was unresponsive and continued to squirm while shaking his head, "No..." He called out quietly, "Don't." He begged.
Ruby grabbed Ash shook him away, causing him to shoot away from her in panic. Ash breathed erratically scooting back slowly whilst holding his fake arm in vice-like grip.
"Get away..." He said quietly. Ruby got up slowly in concern, walking slowly towards Ash whose hair was covering his face.
"Ash it's me Ruby..." She said trying to placate him, Ash sat still and shook slightly seemingly relaxing, "R-Ruby?" He stuttered out. Ruby kneeled next to him, "It's me." She said holding him closely. Ash breathing slowly returned to normal, but when he felt Ruby's grip loosen he grabbed her and pulled himself close to her once again, "Not yet..." he mumbled. Ruby tentatively held him closer, they stayed in that position for a few minutes before Ash let go and dropped his head down, "Thanks..." He mumbled.
Ruby was a bit lost on what to do, never seeing Ash like this before, "W-what's wrong? Nightmare?"
Ash seemed like he didn't want to answer, gripping his arm again, "...Memory...bad memory." He said standing up, fixing his clothes. Ruby looked up at him with worry, she had never seen him so...scared.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She said raising to her feet as well.
Ash almost reflexively said no but bit his tongue at the last second remembering what Glynda had told him when he tried keeping it to himself the last time.
"Just because you don't say anything doesn't make this go away." She had said.
Ash opened his mouth then closed it, "I-a-ask me again in a day?"
"Why not now?" Ruby asked with a small frown, "You looked...pretty shook up."
Ash flinched, "It's how I lost my arm..." He started and felt a finger on his lips, Ruby stood in front of him and shook her head, "Take your time, if you want to wait i'll wait. If you're okay telling me now then continue."
Ash quietly stood with her before shaking his head negatively, "Sorry...it's a bit much right now."
Ruby nodded but held out her pinky, "Then it's promise?"
Ash smiled, "Promise." He said gripping her pinky with his own. The two looked into one another's eyes and Ash pulled closer to Ruby. They both dropped their pinky fingers down, but didn't break contact with one another. Ash stared at Ruby's lips and barely held his composure. He gently traced his hand up her side until he got to the side of her face, tracing small circles on her cheek with his thumb.
"Ruby..." He said just barely above a whisper. Ruby placed her hands on his chest, she hadn't really noticed how much taller Ash was than her, he had a good 7 inches on her at least. She had to look up at him to see his face. Her face was covered in a rosy hue and she was trying to ignore she how close she and Ash had gotten. Ruby started raising on her toes until her face was right below Ash's.
It was almost magnetic, Ash felt his face slowly pull closer to Ruby her eyes had closed as she leaned into, they probably weren't a centimeter apart before the door was kicked down interrupting their...intimate moment. They broke apart instantly as a teenage girl with fair skin and short, dark brown hair with dark shades on stood with her hand on her hip. She had wavy locks on one side of her face, dyed with a gradient that starts in dark brown and transitions to red.
"Interrupting something?" She said tipping her shades down slightly.
Ruby and Ash looked as if they were going to catch sickness from one another, taking a giant step away from one another.
"N-No!" Ruby said with a blush.
"U-Uh ehem...what do you want?" Ash said gathering himself.
She gestured him to come over, "Come walk with me, talk with me."
Ash looked at Ruby who shrugged, "This better be important..." he mumbled silently cursing at the timing.
Ash walked next to the brown-haired girl, pondering who she was. She was tall, about the same height as him, although she was wearing heels. He recognized her as an upperclassmen but besides that he didn't know anything about her.
"Your name is Ash right?" She asked.
"Yeah, yours?" He asked.
"The name is Coco Adel, Ozpin told me to find you." She said with slight hair flip, "You and Rose girl are pretty good fit you know."
Ash decided to ignore the comment on him and Ruby, "What does Ozpin want with me?"
Coco snickered, "It's cute that you ignore my comment about your girlfriend, you're either embarrassed or a task oriented-guy. Both of which I find interesting."
Ash blushed, "Not my girlfriend and you didn't answer my question."
Coco snorted, "Yeah, just a girl you were trying to kiss right? Well let's say you're going on a field trip."
Ash's blush deepened, "So you saw then...And what is up with people here and the pronoun game? Could you just tell me why I'm being dragged to an office?"
"Cute when you blush kid, try to keep that going, and didn't anyone ever tell you patience was a virtue?" Coco said getting underneath her underclassmens skin.
Ash grumbled and sped up his pace to Ozpin's office, unable to trade words with his senior who was currently laughing at his expense.
"Coco..." Velvet said pulling at her leaders arm, "Stop teasing the poor kid."
Ash stood next to team CFVY, Velvet in particular, trying his best to ignore Coco and her insistent teasing. He was essentially a whole new shade of red.
"Oh fine but its all fair game once we leave." Coco compromised while Velvet gave Ash a empathetic look.
"Ozpin..." Ash said trying to keep his composure.
Ozpin was bemused by Ash's disposition and decided to spare him, "Hm quite. Well Team CFVY already understands why I have called them here today, do you understand why I have called you Ash?"
"You know if I could read minds I think I would have chosen a different profession." Ash said his brow twitching ever so slightly.
"Ash you're the only first year student with no team yet you have the most field experience out of all the first years. Although you have only just begun to scratch the surface of your capabilities im willing to send you to the next level." Ozpin explained.
"Okay so im doing this for more experience?" Ash asked.
"Team CFVY will be going with professor port outside the walls of Vale to clear out some Grimm that are swarming a settlement."
"I don't understand these settlements...why don't they just move within the safety of the walls?" Ash said with a frown.
"Things are rarely simple Ash, you should know that. You'll be assisting team CFVY, you are to support them in battle so no running off on your own." Ozpin commanded remembering the warehouse incident very clearly. Ash nodded, there was no need to play hero and rush back into the hospital.
"Good, you all leave tomorrow. Meet with Professor Port after school." He said turning around in his chair to overlook Beacon. All of team CFVY left but Ash stayed behind holding out a note.
"Ozpin a old contact of mine named Tukson was murdered not too long ago..." Ash stated.
"As in Tukson's book trade?" Ozpin said in recognition.
"Yeah the very one, he died leaving me clues about something important." Ash said running a hand through his hair, a habit that had been ingrained in his brain, "I think he could tell telling me was dangerous so he left very subtle hints in books."
"I see...So when do you think you'll decode it?" Ozpin asked.
"Hopefully a week."
"Then keep at it, we need all the information we can get."
"Yes sir." Ash nodded.
"Very good, dismissed." Ozpin said running a hand through his hair, "I have a bad feeling about all of this." Ozpin thought closing his eyes.
"You're going out side the walls?! But those areas are restricted for first years!" Weiss yelled in shock, causing a shush from the librarian. Weiss looked over and quietly apologized before sitting down and pulling Ash next to her, "How are you even allowed to do that?!" She said in a hushed yell.
Ash looked at team RWBY, JNPR, and Sun and Neptune with a sheepish look, "Ozpin said due to field experience I have that he trusts me to backup team CFVY."
"No offense but team CFVY is one of the best teams in Beacon, they wouldn't need your backup." Blake said looking up from her book.
"I don't know what you guys want from me, I don't know if there's one person in existence that could tell you what Ozpin is thinking." Ash said with a shrug, "I honestly wish I was staying here so I could focus on other things..." He grumbled.
"Other things?" Yang questioned, trying to gain another lead for the White Fang and Roman. Ash looked at the group with hesitance, "Personal, hope you don't mind." he said deflecting the question.
"Ohhh man you're so lucky getting to work with team CFVY!" Jaune whined.
"We all wish you the best of luck Ash." Pyrrah said with placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Ash smiled gratefully, "Thanks."
"Make sure you don't bring an Ursa home!" Nora said popping up right next to him.
"Ursa?" Ash asked looking at Ren.
"Just leave it alone." He said dryly.
"When do you leave?" Ruby said with a frown.
"Tomorrow." Ash said mirroring her expression.
It was awkwardly silent as the two stared at one another, Sun was about to say something but was nudged by Neptune who gestured his head to Ruby. She grabbed Ash's hand and gripped tightly, "Be safe okay?"
Ash grabbed with his other hand, "I will, promise."
"Ash and Ruby sitting in a tree..." Yang started.
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Sun followed.
"FIRST COMES LOVE!" Yang said throwing an arm around Sun's shoulder.
"THEN COMES MARRIAGE!" Sun continued.
"THEN COMES-"
"NORRRAAAA!" Nora interrupted the two's teasing.
Ash stood quietly with a visible twitch, "You're both dead before I leave." He threatened.
"Gotta catch us first." Yang said making a mad dash, Sun following behind cackling.
"GET BACK HERE YOU STUPID BLONDES, no offense Jaune." Ash said stopping to apologize for one second.
"SHHHHH!" The librarian hushed.
"Isn't this supposed to be a place for reading?" Neptune asked.
"Thank you!" Ren said throwing his hands up.
Ash sighed having given up on his pursuit on the devious blondes, it wasn't that he couldn't catch them if he REALLY wanted to but the fact was he wasn't mad, just embarrassed, and in the words of his mentor, "If you're embarrassed it probably means there some truth in what they're said."
Ash shook his head and headed back to his dorm room and laid on his bed alone. Looking up at the blank walls, "Mentor...I know you would be mad...but im still sorry." Ash said gripping his arm tightly, hot tears falling down his face, "It's my fault."
Ash sat patiently in Professor Ports classroom, he made sure to wear his black hoodie, apparently they were heading up north. Ash had a backpack with the bare necessities, a change of clothes, extra dust in vials,sleeping bag, rations, and not much else. Everyone had left and it left only the two of them in the room, the professor was gathering some papers before he took notice of Ash.
"You must be the young man Ozpin has placed in my care." He said stroking his mustache, "I must say he speaks highly of you."
"I'll try to live up to expectation." Ash said tightening his bandages.
"It's quite an expectation to live up to i'll have you know."
Ash smirked, "All the more reason to do it then right?"
The professor smiled, "Now that's the attitude of a huntsmen! Very well, we should get going to the bullhead, we don't want to keep team CFVY waiting now do we?"
Ash nodded and the two left the classroom and out to the cliffside which had several aerial docking bays, where airships and bullheads docked to allow their passengers to get on. Standing next to the last bullhead was team CFVY. The group went double checked everything and professor Port looked at Ash.
"Are you ready young man?"
Ash took a deep breath, a bundle of nerves in his stomach and nodded, "Yeah im rea-"
Ash was spun around suddenly to face with two familiar silver orbs and his eyes widened, before he could speak he felt a small pair pf lips cover his own. The only thing that Ash could process was the taste of strawberries and the smell of roses. It was only for a few seconds but it made the nerves in his stomach unwind, "soft..." he thought returning the kiss by pulling her closer with his arm around her waist, Ruby threw her arms around his neck and the two stayed connected by the hip for what felt like minutes.
As Ruby released Ash sporting a blush she backed up playing with the bottom of her sleeves, "Show em whose boss."
Ash tried to respond but his brain still hadn't caught up to where Ruby was and he felt a hand pull on his hoodie backward, "I-I'll be back!" He said suddenly as Coco sat him down on the bullhead, the propellers spinning and making gusts of wind.
Ruby had a small smile on her face, "You better."
Ash sat dumbfounded in the bullhead as they took off the cliff side and into the blue sky. Coco laughed before placing her hand on his shoulder, "Looks like you got a girlfriend loverboy." She teased.
"Congratulations." Velvet said happily.
"You two look good together." Yatsuhashi said with smirk.
Fox looked at Ash and gave him a thumbs, "Not bad kid."
Ash tried to find something to say but could only feel the blush on his face getting larger, "I-I...Were...S-shut up." He sputtered pulling his hood over his head and tieing the strings down so his face was covered causing the entire crew to start laughing.
"What a wonderful thing! Why I remember a lovely young lady I met in one of my travels, we met during a mission-" Professor Port started one of his infamous rants. Ash closed his eyes and tuned everything out, he knew this was going to be a long trip.