Rouge laid down on the hardwood floor of the tower watching Cloud and Jazpeer discussing their plans. She glanced over at Ghara, who reclined playing with a twig of grass.

"I'm guessing we won't get any help from team Galena," Rouge sighed, running a hand through her silver hair.

"After what we've been through this semester?" Ghara chuckled. "No way. At least we got a square meal before we came out here, and there's water and a few snacks in the tower."

"At least," Rouge glanced out the cutout window in the tower. "I bet they supplied the other side with a nice hot dinner, just to provoke us."

"I don't think the other team is on their good side either," Ghara laced his fingers together under his head. "Cloud said Pine Bosn whooped them after they went after Nickel Gemini."

"Alright, so they'll sit back and watch us starve, freeze, and fight each other to the death," Rouge laughed.

"I don't think the Professors would like that," Ghara shrugged. "So they'll probably support whichever side has the least amount of people they dislike. Which probably isn't us."

"So the other side gets a nice hot dinner," Rouge repeated. "And we get….dried meat."

Cally, followed by Sakura and Moegi, bounded into the room. Rojo was the last in, Rye on his heels, sniffing around.

"Reporting back, Cap-it-tons!" Cally saluted.

Cloud just shook her head as Jazpeer returned the salute, the latter knowing Cally wouldn't move unless ordered to when she was playing soldier.

"At ease," Jazpeer smirked. "Report."

"All is well, it looks like they won't attack any time soon," Cally noted. "However, they may be waiting for cover of night."

"Thank you, Cally," Jazpeer nodded. "You may go."

Cally smirked and bounced away, grabbing Moegi by the arm and pulling her down the stairs again to return to their sentry duties.

"Your turn," Rojo yawned and stretched out, Rye crawling up beside him.

"See you," Ghara stood, walking down the steps.

The hours passed slowly and Rouge napped for most of it. Jazpeer took his watch with Cloud, letting the others sleep during the wee hours before dawn.

"Well," Rouge shrugged, stretching as she stepped out onto the wall with Jazpeer. "Looks like Team Galena was a big help."

"Looks like they are preparing," Jazpeer said quietly. "Have you seen Cloud?"

"Nope," Rouge leaned back. "I just got up."

"Alright," Jazpeer straightened. "I'll go find her."

Pine watched team Galena out of the corner of his eye. So far they had made alliances with him, but like they said in those history books, mercenaries couldn't be trusted.

"Alright," he nodded at Onyx. "So if I'm getting this right we attack the front gate and my boy Nickel goes around and destroy that wall?"

"That is the most logical plan," Onyx pointed at the sketch drawn of the tower. "All their attention will be on us, and Nickel's tremors can bring down that wall. We will have an opening and can storm the tower. Logically, they will hole up in the tower. However they all know Nickel's semblance and may be watching out for him. That's why we have Rose."

Rose winked from where she lay on the ground a few feet away, twisting daisies into a chain. Nickel sat there, draped with daisy chains and looking a little unimpressed. Pine looked over the detailed plan that Onyx had mostly come up with by herself. His tactics were to overpower the tower with the sheer strength of their forces, not counting on Galena and crew of course. Then Onyx had swept in with detailed elaborate attacks with plans from A to Z. All in all it confused him a bit, but he had caught on soon enough.

Pewter smiled, recognizing one of Onyx's games of chess threaded into the strategy. She never lost. Robin licked his finger and held it up.

"Nice wind," he commented. "I can get over the walls in no time."

"You will attack from the West," Onyx directed. "Along with Richard."

"I'll figure out some way over," Richard glanced over at the walls.

"I'll carry you," Robin grinned.

"I will attack from the East," Sorva smirked.

"Ready?" Pine asked.

"Ready," Onyx nodded solemnly.

"We may not win the Combat Professor's gold star," Galena said sarcastically. "But I bet we will impress Professor Zaff. Ever since we were caught, our team's been riding close to eviction from the school since our last few pranks. This will bring us back. You've got the plan?"

"Yes," the others nodded.

"Lavender, do the honors of taking the flag," Galena handed her a wooden pole.

"With pleasure."

"So what are you doing again?" Nickel typed as they snuck around the south wall.

"Shh," Rose giggled and threw her daisy chain necklace over his head.

She touched him then backed away, nodded,

"You look just like me," she declared.

Nickel jumped, still not used to her swapping semblance. Rose transformed into him and ran off before he could type another word. He grimaced at the daisy chain, but left it on. As soon as he used his semblance, Rose's appearance would slip away into a pile of broken ice that would melt and disappear quickly. He needed to be in position.

"They are coming," Jazpeer said, running down the tower steps into the open ground between it and the wall. "Cloud, you ready?"

"I am," Cloud nodded.

"Moegi what are you doing?" Jazpeer asked.

"Tower guard," Moegi said mid-yawn. "They won't plant their flag without me knowing."

"Good," Jazpeer nodded. "Cally, you good?"

"MORE THAN!" Cally sprinted along the wall.

"Sakura?" Jazpeer turned to her.

"With you," she straightened her shoulders.

"Jazpeer says their on the move," Cloud instructed her team. "Rojo down with Rye on ground with me and Ghara with Rouge on the wall."

They all hurried to their posts.

Nickel did his best to do as instructed and sneak up without being heard. A funny command since he was deaf. Oh yes, tell the only person in the team that can't hear a thing to stay quiet when moving across a bunch of dead dry grass and leaves. Really funny.

He had gotten the message to move on his scroll, so he hoped he was doing the right thing.

Bending down next to the wall he placed his hands against it. He needed to be ready to run once the wood started to come down.

It didn't take someone with super sensitive senses to feel the tremor running through the ground. Cloud, ran towards the source, knowing already who was there.

On the north wall, Cally skipped around, grabbing the her yellow balls and supercharging them.

"TAKE THAT!" she shouted, throwing them amongst the crowd nearby, careful not to get to close to the walls.

Robin vaulted into the air, using the wind to propel himself and Richard over the wall. They landed just in time to be greeted by Rye and Rojo.

Another tremor shook the wall, this one bigger than the last. Sakura stumbled as she fired off an ice arrow.

Nickel ran as the wall crumbled after that last shake. As soon as the dust cleared he came back, ducking under Cloud's staff. Drawing his cutlass he jumped on the pile of rubble and faced her.

Lavender smirked as she teleported through the window of the tower without a problem. She managed a landing in front of the surprised Moegi. One blow and she was knocked down the stairs. Glancing up at the camera, Lavender smiled and planted Team Galena's self made flag in the stand, throwing Team Jasmine and Team Cargo's flag aside.

Everyone outside froze in surprise as Professor Sterling shouted for a cease fire from the speakers on the observation post he and the three other professors had situated themselves.

"Team Galena is the winner!"

"What?!"

The next morning….

"We didn't see that coming," Pine snorted at their breakfast.

"No," Onyx sighed, crumbling her pastry as if to resemble her carefully laid plans.

"I guess we should have been giving them more attention," Cloud leaned back. "At least we know now never to underestimate them."

"I should have seen this coming," Onyx looked frustratedly at her pastry.

"I think we were more worried about each other," Jazpeer sighed. "Here's to trying harder next semester," he said, raising his mug of coffee.

The mugs clinked lightly against each other and the leaders went back to their breakfast.

Elsewhere in the World of Remnant…

"I don't take orders on how I find people. I do like to hear in what state you like your missing loved one back."

The head of the Yamato family, Current, leaned back in his chair, surveying the bounty hunter in front of him. The bounty hunter was tall, with silver hair falling over in a thin fringe over one eye. A red coat fell to his knees over a black shirt and pants, boots lacing up to his legs. He didn't look like much, but then, he had underestimated his own son.

"Alive or dead," Current Yamato said at last.

"Good," the bounty hunter smiled. "My two favorite words!"

The head of the Yamato family didn't look impressed, his mouth parting slightly to reveal his fangs.

"Now, bounty hunter…" he began.

"Oh no," the bounty hunter shook his head. "Since we are...business partners...you can call me Geppetto."

"Geppetto," Current hissed. "Go get my son."

"Of course," Geppetto smirked.

Geppetto stood up and walked out of the mansion, down the hallways and into the courtyard. Looking back he smiled. It was good to have a fresh, new job with the words...dead or alive.

Guys...we made it through the first semester! *cheers and donuts and coffee all around*

I kept up with the end of a volume extra scene...that last bit with Geppetto, the bounty hunter :D

See you soon! Volume 2 will be out soon!