The sky flashed as streaks of blue and white lights cracked the horizon followed by the deafening rumble of thunder. The heavy downpour led the student body to remain inside for the day, many of them opting to study. The sky lit up once more and a girl with long blonde hair starred up at the sky, leaning her back against the pillar of the archway that led inside. Her hands cupped together behind her back she counted the seconds between the lightning flashes and the thunder's rumble.

Her team back at their dorm studying while she stood outside alone watching the storm. There was a time when she was afraid of storms, not because of the noise or the dark clouds that covered the sun and moon, but because of what could be hiding in that darkness, growls masked by the thunder and black bodies perfectly camouflaged with the shadows around them. Even though she no longer feared the storms and had learned to brave whatever they may conceal she still found herself on alert when they came. She was still a little girl not even ten years old when a storm hit while her and her little sister were playing outside, even with the rain the two girls decided to continue playing for a little longer, not seeing or hearing the creature that lurked beyond the trees watching them.

Storms always brought a chain of memories to her, at first it was of that day, then the memory would be replaced by an older memory of the day she placed her at the time baby sister into a wagon and left home to search for her mom. Then there was a day she was training with her sister trying to teach her the importance of basic hand to hand combat. The one thing that these memories always had in common were the Grimm.

For a time the girl was convinced that the Grimm were just drawn to her, but she soon realized that those were all moments of bad luck or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. She didn't fear the creatures of Grimm themselves, no, she was more afraid of what they could do to someone. How if someone were able to survive being attacked all it took was a single bite to become infected and then change into something entirely different. It was the close calls in those memories that caused her fear, how both her and her sister could have at any moment have been killed or worse.

Even though she no longer feared the storms, they still caused her to remain in a constant state of alert. The direction of the wind changed causing the rain to began pelting her and bringing her out of her memories. Stepping back inside she closed the door behind her being greeted by one of her teammates towel in hand.

"Thank you Blake" she said taking the towel, quickly drying her hair.

The dark-haired girl stood there, "You've been gone for a while. Something on your mind?"

She hesitated, "Just. Memories. Storms like this always brought some bad luck for me."

Her friend smiled, "You never struck me as the type to believe in luck Yang."

The yellow beauty shrugged, "I kind of don't, I just don't really know how else to describe it. When Ruby and I were still little thunderstorms like this just had a habit of drawing the Grimm to us."

"I see" Blake replied gazing out the window, "Well don't worry, if there are any Grimm here I'll protect you."

Yang smirked, "Oh? Think I can't handle myself?"

Blake crossed her arms returning the grin, "In some situations. I seem to recall getting the drop on you a number of times in our last practice match."

Meeting her teammate's eyes Yang's fist rested against her hip as she tilted her head, "Well someone's getting feisty today. I like it."

Blake's shoulders lowered, her folded arms dropping leaving her right hand to linger along her left arm, "Anyway, I think we're all done studying for tonight. Ruby managed to provoke Weiss again before fleeing the room so I'm just waiting for things to calm down some."

Fishing her scroll out of her pocket Yang chuckled, "Well that lasted longer than I thought it would. What'd she do this time?"

"The usual" Blake told her, "Just Ruby being Ruby."

Yang shook her head, "That could be any number of things" she still smiled, "Well since we're both here, want to hit the gym with me? I could use something to take my mind off things."

Blake looked at the windows again, still being battered by the rain, "The gym is on the other side of campus" she reminded her.

"Oh don't worry" Yang said, "I'll be sure to grab an umbrella to keep my little kitty from getting wet."

Blake's cheeks flushed a little as she looked away trying to hide her face, "D. Don't call me a kitty."

Yang's arm wrapped around her shoulder and she leaned over her faunus friend, "Relax, you know I'm only teasing you. So, gym?"

After a moment of thought and another smile Blake agreed, returning to their dorm for an umbrella and a bag of extra clothes before leaving the dormitory building. The storm only grew stronger as it got closer to Beacon leading the two girls to take a detour through the main building. Many students remained in the main halls having private study groups while others just met up to chat with each other, on a normal day many of these students would be in the courtyard. Returning outside Yang opened their umbrella holding it between them as they walked across the courtyard toward the campus gym, the sky flashed as streaks spread out above them the flash answered by the roar of thunder and the swirling winds spreading the downpour in every direction.

"Honestly" Blake began once they entered the gym, "All this rain makes me want to curl up in bed with a book."

"That sounds nice" a voice answered.

Their eyes moving to the row of treadmills, "Of course I'd say reading while enjoying a hot bath would be even better, especially after I'm done here."

Yang waved to her, "Professor Ivy, what brings you here?"

The russet haired teacher answered, "Needed a distraction, Sin's been insufferable lately."

"Professor Sin?" Blake wondered, "What do you mean?"

Ivy reached for her water bottle, "Once classes ended he locked himself back in his lab to keep researching a cure for the Grimm. After he promised to take it easy for a few days."

Blake walked over to her, "Isn't that good? He's trying to find a cure to help save lives."

Taking a sip from her water, Ivy shook her head, "Not if he's going to go at it for days without sleep. Add to it aside from lunch between classes he hasn't eaten at all this week."

Neither of the girls were sure how to respond, "Is he really that focused on find a cure?" Yang asked her, "He knows there are other hospitals and doctors out there doing the same right?"

Ivy panted, "He's still taking Peach's death pretty hard. He blames himself for it, he thinks if they hadn't split up he could have prevented it."

Blake hugged her arm, "Losing a friend hurts. There aren't many things out there that can match it" her voice carrying the tone of experience.

Ivy slapped the controls of the treadmill causing it to slow, "I know. She was my friend to, but I don't want him to work himself to death."

She stepped off the machine adjusting her silver sports bra, "Sorry, I didn't mean to vent to you two. I'm just really frustrated."

"It's understandable" Yang answered, "I assume you tried to bring him something to eat?"

Ivy nodded, "Yeah. And of course he got so caught up in his work he completely ignored it until it went bad. Damn fool."

"You'd think a doctor would take better care of himself" Yang said with a shrug, "Just a thought, have you tried forcing him to eat?"

"I wanted to" Ivy told her, "But I was being literal when I said he locks himself in his lab."

Yang suggested next time she try beating the sense into him, a thought Ivy already admitted to having and considering.

Walking away from the treadmills to the sandbags she raised her fists and began swinging, "Thanks for letting me vent girls, you don't have to listen to me anymore."

"I don't mind" Yang told her, "I came her to distract myself as well, though now I'm a little concerned for Professor Sin as well."

"Yeah" Ivy panted, "You, Ozpin, Glynda, me and pretty much the rest of the staff."

She nails the sandbag with a heavy left hook nearly ripping it from its hanger. Her frustration was subsiding, but she was still angry. He promised her he would rest for a while instead of work, he promised her he would take it easy for at least a few days. But of course he goes back to his lab, back to his work.

"He wasn't always like this" Ivy tells them when the two girls come back from changing, "He would still withdraw to his lab and work for days at a time, but he would still get some measure of rest between days. Usually three or four hours, but since Peach died he's been going without entirely."

Yang began stretching her arms across her chest, her attire now consisting of a bronze loose fitting jersey and black athletic shorts, "Any other ideas on how to get his head back in the game?"

Ivy rested her forehead against the sandbag, "Only one I can think of involves beating it into him. Something I fear will only make it worse."

She forced a smile, turning to the girls, "Enough of that for now. How would you like to try a true workout? One that only a real huntress uses."

Yang grinned, "I'm always down for a challenge. How bout you Blake?"

The cat faunus seemed reluctant, "I really only came along to help you, I think I'll stick with my normal workout."

Ivy checked her scroll, "Let's see. It's almost seven right now, dinner is in half an hour. Hmm. Tell you what, if you can stick it out with me I'll take you into town and buy you dinner, sound good?"

Yang brought her fists together, "Sure does. What kind of workout do you have in mind?"

Ivy leaned forward bracing herself against her knees inhaling a deep breath before straightening up again, "Well I'm already halfway through my workout so I'll just tell you what to do and if you can manage to catch up with me then you can join me for the rest of my workout."

She grinned and turned to Blake, "Ms. Belladonna are you sure you don't want to join us? A free dinner in town is on the table."

"I'm good" Blake reassured her.

"Very well" Ivy replied returning her attention to Yang, "Now do as I tell you."

Yang's natural strength proved a boon for her as Ivy's training was akin to teaching someone to swim by throwing them in the deep end of the pool. Only two hours in and Yang was approaching her limit, but despite her fatigue and sore body and aching joints she still grinned. Never one to back down Yang stood up on Ivy's command and kept going much to her teacher's approval and silent praise.

"That's enough" Ivy said just as Yang stepped onto the treadmill, "You can stop now."

Yang looked at her, "That's it?" she panted, "I can keep going."

Ivy crossed her arms, "I'm sure you could, but not for much longer. You did last longer than I thought you would. I'm impressed."

Yang chuckled even though she felt her body cramping, "Worked up a good sweat, but there was nothing to it."

Ivy couldn't help, but shake her head, "Alright, we'll continue some other time. For now go shower and change. As promised I'll take you into town and buy you both a nice dinner."

Thunder greeted them as they stepped outside, "Wow" Yang said looking up at the darkened sky, "I completely forgot about that."

Blake opened their umbrella, "Well you did say you wanted to come here to take your mind off things. Looks like it worked."

"Exercise is good for that" Ivy said opening her own umbrella, "A good workout can take your mind off a lot of things."

"Maybe that's what you should do with Professor Sin" Yang told her, "Give him a good old fashioned work out. Of course you'd have to get him here first."

Ivy fell silent as she pondered the thought, "I actually hadn't thought of that" she admitted, "It could work."

The huntress began walking, "I'll think about it. Come, the last bullhead runs at midnight so we've got a bit under two hours to make it back."

The storm continued even as they returned to Beacon, showing no signs of letting up anytime soon, the rain came down harder while the wind was unable to decide which way it wanted to go. The streaks of lightning and the deafening roars that followed them penetrated the walls of the academy, one clap strong enough to even shake the ground rousing a few of the students from their sleep. Even after they returned to their dorm and changed into their sleepwear, Yang's mind drifted back to her memories and how much she disliked thunderstorms.

She turned onto her side watching the lightning flash outside her window and with each clap of thunder her eyes moved to her sister across the room. Ruby, fast asleep would twitch with each boom causing her older sister to smile. Yang wasn't the only one who used to be afraid of storms, for a long time Ruby was as well, so much that when they still shared a room she would flee into her big sister's bed and sleep next to her. Seeing her sister flinch in her sleep with every sound of thunder reminded Yang that not every storm had a bad memory attached to it.

The sky flashed once more and Yang turned over to face the wall focusing her mind on the sound of the rain against their window.

As she closed her eyes she heard her sister's voice as it was years ago, "Yang...I'm scared. Can I sleep in your bed? Please?"