Hello everyone and welcome back to HellFall!

First off, happy New Year everyone! I hope all of you have another fantastic year, and if 2015 wasn't fantastic, then let's make 2016 fantastic. Unless you don't like things to be fantastic, then make sure 2016 is just alright at least.

I only just noticed this today, but HellFall passed it's one year anniversary. I remember sitting in my art class being bored and just deciding to start writing, so I started this, an idea I'd had for maybe just a tad too long. It's really amazing to think that I started this over a year ago and see how far it's come since then. And I'd just like to take a moment to thank all of you who have followed this story through the whole year. Your support has been very encouraging, and I hope that you continue to enjoy reading this weird story that I have concocted.

January started, as most of you have probably noticed, which means that I need to start editing 'The Candidates' so that I can get in it before the deadline.

Anyways, one of the first major canon appearances is about to come up, so enjoy!

I sighed, flopping down onto the bottom right side bunk bed. I closed my scroll and dropped it on the bed.

Ember's feet dangled down from the bunk above me.

"What do you think of all this?" I asked, not opening my eyes.

"I think it's interesting." She replied, "You?"

I groaned, "I don't know." I replied, "I wish we could get more information"

"Well they did just crack the code, didn't they?" She pointed out.

"Well, yes." I replied, "But that was already two days ago. Surely they have some new information"

"Maybe they just don't trust us yet." She suggested, "You never know. Or maybe they're confirming it's actually something dangerous"

"I feel like the fact that the Falls are involved is enough reason to panic"

There was a brief pause, "You never know" Ember replied simply.

I heard shuffling in the bunk above me, and her head appeared between her feet.

"Want to go exploring?" She asked.

"We could get in trouble" I pointed out.

She groaned loudly, "Ugh, you're no fun" She said, dropping off her bunk. Her orange metal feet hit the ground with a soft clank. She started towards the door.

"Where're you going?" I asked.

"Exploring, duh" She replied.

"I told you, you could get in trouble" I said.

"You said we could. You never said that I would on my own"

"You could get in trouble" I said.

"I like me some adventure" She said, opening the door and heading out.

I sighed, glancing at my scroll for the time. It was midday.

I wonder how the tournament's going, I thought, searching it up on my scroll and starting to watch. Round three was predicted to end today. With only twenty-five teams in the round, and multiple fights every day, it was bound to go quickly. I almost wished to be back in the arena, just to take my mind off things.

I stared at the bottom of the top bunk for a while, then stood, grabbed Reitō no Fukushū, and headed out into the hallway.

Back in the main room, I looked around. The table was still there, as expected. I glanced over, seeing a guard standing by the prison door.

"Excuse me, sir?" I asked.

"May I help you?" He asked.

"Yes," I replied, "I'm wondering if there's a training room anywhere in here?"

"Of course." He replied, "Just head down to floor B3. There's a gym there available for use"

"Thank you, sir" I said, starting to walk away.

"No problem." He said, "Oh, and I don't believe I caught your name"

"Wintanweorth Coal." I replied, "And you?"

"Abel," he said, "Scitalis Abel"

I reached out and shook his hand, "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Abel"

"As to you, Mr. Coal"

I nodded in thanks, then headed towards the elevator. Pressing the button inside for floor B3, I began to descend.

When I stepped off the elevator, I was faced with two doors: a male and a female locker room. I went for the male one, of course. Inside it looked like any other locker room, which was filled with lockers. I pulled off my suit and pants, wearing nothing but long underwear and an undershirt. I tucked everything away into a locker, then shut it. I kept Reitō no Fukushū slung around my back. The locker had to scan my hand to lock, and once that was done I headed into the gym.

It was huge, full to the brim with exercise machines, punching bags, and all the sorts. I didn't even recognize some the machines. There were already several people inside. I recognized four of them as the members of team CRDL. They looked up as I entered, but didn't stop what they were doing.

I went straight to a punching bag and started hitting it. I spent a good while doing so, and I felt my muscles tighten and tense up.

"You were in the tournament, weren't you?" Someone asked. I turned. It was Weiss Schnee, whom I hadn't noticed was here.

"Yes." I replied, "I know you were, Miss Schnee"

"Oh, you know me?" She asked, "I'm flattered"

"It's nothing special," I replied, continuing to punch the swaying bag before me, "I know everyone who was in the tournament. I watched every fight"

"Oh really?" She asked, "Who's everyone in my team?"

"Ruby Rose, the leader, you, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao-Long." I replied, "Like I said, I know everyone"

There was a long silence. I glanced over for the first time since she spoke. She was still there.

"You don't use your fists as your weapon, do you?" She asked.

"No," I replied, returning my gaze to the bag, "I use my sword." I jiggled it on my back a little, "But it's good to know how to use your body to fight instead of just a weapon"

"Oh yeah?" She asked.

"Yeah"

"A weapon is more effective, and you spend more time with it, so it's better to train with it"

"And if you drop it?"

"Any good hunter wouldn't drop their weapon"

"And what if you do, despite how all-powerful you think you are?"

"Ex-cuse me?" She demanded, her voice suddenly sounding angry, "If you want to say something, then say it"

"You're stuck-up." I said, "You think you're all that and a basket of strawberries. And don't get me wrong, you are talented. But you don't have as godly powers as you think you do" Weiss came from the Schnee family, and I'd seen and heard her interacting with others. Despite not knowing her personally until now, I had already formed what I believed to be an accurate opinion of her.

"Oh yeah?" She asked.

I stopped punching long enough to turn to face her. "Is there something you want?" I asked.

"Yeah," she replied, "I want you to eat your words"

"You want to fight?" I asked, "Okay, find a clear area to do so, and let's go"

"Fine!" She snapped, storming off in another direction. I noticed for the first time that she wore nothing but a white exercise bra and short white shorts. Her muscles bulged off her scrawny arms, and it was clear that she was quite strong just by her physique.

"Well?" She asked, turning her head to look at me, "My eyes are up here. You want to fight or what?"

"Did you find a place?" I asked.

"Duh," She replied, "Just at the end of the gym here is an area set up for combat training"

"Right" I replied, jogging to catch up with her. We walked side-by-side, which felt weird, considering we were about to fight. I felt oddly comfortable next to her.

We found a spot next to two other men who were fighting and stood on opposite ends. The fighting areas were divided by a long piece of black tape stretched across the ground. Each area was rectangular and relatively spacious, which was nice.

Weiss took her dust vial rapier, Myrtenaster, off the floor where it leaned against a wall and took up a stance. I drew Reitō no Fukushū and took up my own stance. We stood still for a moment, then she charged.

So there you have it. Weiss Schnee is introduced to Wintanweorth Coal. I'm sure you all can see where this is going, but if not then you will soon enough.

I'm pretty happy to have left Crimson II behind for the time being to get back to the other colors. Gazini had been receiving way too much attention, and I still have yet to give certain characters their own set of chapters. I recently started Violet II, so now I just need to do Orange II and then I can stop worrying about it. I'll try to steer clear of Gazini for a while though, maybe even until the climax (probably not, he's our main source of new plot information).

And that's about it. Again, thank you for your support and have a happy New Year! As usual, favorite, follow, review, tell your friends, tell your enemies, or don't if you don't want to, and I'll see you all in the next chapter!