Two months, it had been two months since the last name was added to Beacon's memorial wall, though reports of grimm attacks and people dying or becoming infected were still a near daily occurrence the students and staff of the academy were just thankful that they managed to go more than a week without having to add another name to the wall.
Lunch time, nowadays many students and even some staff used this period to check on family to make sure they were safe, especially those that lived outside the kingdom or major cities while others watched global news to stay up to date with the state of the other kingdoms. A developing story spoke of a grimm horde that attacked the port city of Argus, thankfully the monsters were swiftly wiped out by the stationed Atlas military with the only casualties being Atlas' robotic foot soldiers. Reports also came in of a container ship from Atlas heading for Vacuo that had gone missing in the seas with the last communication from the ship being over two days ago, so far all searching attempts have been unsuccessful.
"At least nothing is going on around here for a change" a blonde student said disheartenedly as he prodded at his food with his fork.
"You say that like you're unhappy about it" his raven-haired teammate replied.
"I'm not" the blonde said back, "I mean. I'm glad that we're getting a break around here, but there's still the rest of the world. Is it really that much to ask that the whole world can just have a few days where nothing bad happens?"
"No, it's not" his teammate told him, "While it may often seem hopeless we have to keep pushing forward while remembering that we are working to see a day where those monsters are gone for good."
"Yeah so cheer up Jaune!" their orange-haired female teammate practically shouted slapping her hands on the table and leaning toward him, "Things will get better, we just have to keep going until then. And if any of those monsters get in our way, we'll just break their legs!"
The dark-haired boy next to her chuckled, "What she said."
The blonde student looked at the news article on his scroll again, "There's something I don't get, the people that get infected and turn into those things, why don't they use their aura? Even professional huntsman have been infected and turned, but they're not hard to put down."
"It's because their minds are gone" the red-haired girl sitting next to him answered, "The fever that comes with the infection causes delirium and confusion, the mind slowly begins to lose its higher functions" she paused remembering what she read in her studies, "By the time they turn the only thing they can think of is attacking what's not one of them and eating it. They no longer have a sense of self-preservation, unlike the monsters. The grimm, they were mutated from animals, while animals have aura the grimm can't use it since they seem to lack the active thoughts to, but they still seem to have the fight or flight response."
The dark-haired boy nodded, "The virus does seem to affect people and animals differently. Aside from the physical mutations, the mind is affected differently as well. There was a report of a beowolf retreating from a battle when it became too injured. It seems the ones that were once animals still have survival instincts while the ones that were once people don't."
"Zombies!" their orange-haired teammate exclaimed, "Watch out Jaune they're coming for your brains!"
"Alright Nora" the boy next to her said calmly, "I think that's enough movies for a while."
"But Reeeeeeeeeen" the girl groaned, "We have so much popcorn, what else are we going to do with it?"
"Just eat it" the boy next to her said.
Nora laughed, "Oh Ren you're silly, everyone knows you can't eat popcorn unless you're watching a movie. That's the whole reason it was invented."
Ren sighed and looked back to the other two members of his team, "Speaking of inventions, have either of you heard any news on Professor Sin? I overheard Professor Ivy asking Ruby for assistance in helping him recover."
"None I'm afraid" Pyrrha replied, "But that would explain why I've seen Ruby coming in and out of the faculty dorms over the past few weeks."
Jaune looked up at the cafeteria ceiling, "I asked Professor Ivy about him a couple of days ago, he's still taking Velvet's death pretty hard."
Ren closed his eyes, "According to her, Velvet was like a daughter to Professor Sin. Having lost my own parents I can kind of imagine what he's going through. The only difference being he was actually in a position to help her, yet he wasn't able to."
"He's heartbroken" Pyrrha said, "Professor Peach was a friend of his, they were teammates when they were students, and to lose her not long before he lost Velvet. I'm sure it's too much for him."
Jaune agreed, "Yeah, add to it that he's overworked. It's pretty much common knowledge that he's done more work researching this virus than most labs, even I know that."
"Well" Pyrrha began trying to regain her optimistic tone, "Maybe we could help as well. We could offer Ruby and Professor Ivy help with getting him to feel better."
Ren nods, "Yes, I believe that would be a good idea. After all he's done a lot for us not just as a teacher. Professor Sin has made an effort to befriend many of his students."
"Oh!" Nora exclaimed, "We can take him to the movies!"
Ren lowered his head to hide his smile at his friend's outburst, "Or" he began waiting for Nora to calm down, "We could just be there for him and talk to him. That is the most common way of helping people dealing with grief and trauma, to simply offer your company and talk to them."
A brief chuckle escaped Jaune gaining the attention of his team, "Sorry" he quickly apologized, "It's just a little funny to hear that from you Ren, you're usually the quiet one that lets others do the talking."
"Am I?" Ren asked seeming surprised before Nora pats his shoulder.
"Oh don't worry about it Ren!" she smiles leaning her elbow against his shoulder, "I do enough talking for both of us" she explains waving her arm out in an arc, "I mean that's what makes us work so well together, well even though we're not together, together, but you know what I mean!"
Ren allowed a chuckle in response, "I still think it would be a good idea. We should ask if it would be alright to see him."
In complete agreement the members of JNPR finish their lunch and prepare for their next class and once they were finished for the day they sought out Professors Ivy and Goodwitch, finding both outside the faculty dorms.
"Professors" Pyrrha greeted with her usual smile.
"Ms. Nikos" Goodwith replied, "Is there something we can help you with?"
Jaune stepped forward, "Actually, we were hoping we could help. With Professor Sin I mean. You see, he's done so much for us and other students before things started getting really bad, we hate hearing about his current condition and want to know if there's any way we can help."
Goodwitch's eyes met each of theirs, "I appreciate the offer and desire to help students, but you should focus on your studies for now."
Ivy objected, "Actually Glynda I think this would be a good idea. You, Ozpin and I have already tried several times a day and the best we've gotten is a few sentences out of him. Maybe it's time we let someone else try."
Goodwitch turned to face her, "You mean like young Ms. Rose? I've noticed you've given her permission and a key to his room" the combat instructor paused, "It's not that I disapprove, knowing Sin's relationship with Ms. Rose's family would suggest that she could help, I just don't think we should expose our students to it."
Pyrrha crossed her hands in front of her waist, "With respect Professor...it's nothing we wouldn't have seen or dealt with before. Each of us here have personal experiences with the trauma that comes from those monsters and I know the two of you do as well. Also maybe it would help if Professor Sin knew or personally experienced how many people here care about him."
Goodwitch weighed the options in her mind, she wanted to keep the students away from this, to protect not only them, but her friend and colleague as well. Reluctantly she agreed to let JNPR help, but only under the condition that it would be one at a time to avoid aggravating or overstimulating Sin. She ordered the four back to their dorm for today, telling them to finish their homework first and then they could think of ways to help get through to their teacher. After the first-year team left Glynda turned her attention back to Ivy once again voicing her concern over this.
Returning to their dorm JNPR met Ruby as she was leaving her dorm, a book tucked under her arm.
Jaune greeted her, "Hey Ruby" causing the girl to jump.
"Jaune!" she gasped the book under her arm sliding free causing her to dive and juggle it in a panic, "What are you doing here?" she asked frantically after recovering the book and holding it against her chest.
Nora answered, "Duh, this is where our room is silly."
"Right" Ruby sighed, "Sorry, you just startled me is all."
Jaune apologized with a chuckle, "What's that?" he asked seeing the book she was hugging against her chest.
"Nothing!" Ruby suddenly exclaimed hiding it behind her back, "Uh, I mean, it's just notes. Right, I'm going to make copies for everyone because that's part of being a good leader" she nervously chuckles.
"Ooooooh" Nora grinned, "That sounds suspicious" thankfully Pyrrha opened their door and quickly pushed Nora in.
The redhead smiled at Ruby, "Well, that's certainly great of you Ruby. We won't keep you, please say hi to your team for us" she ushered Ren and Jaune inside before closing the door behind them leaving Ruby standing in the hall on her own.
The young girl sighed, "That was close" she said to herself bringing the book out from behind her back, "Maybe he'll like this" she thought before leaving for the faculty dorms.
Going to Professor Ivy's room first Ruby knocked on the door asking her teacher if it was a good time to see Sin. Following Ivy the young huntress-in-training once again clutched her book tight against her chest, the sound of their shoes clapping against the tiled floor echoed in the otherwise silent hall, each step, each echo triggering different thoughts in her head, what would she say to him when she got in there? It was on impulse that she brought this particular book with her, she didn't stop to think of how short it was or what to talk to him about if they read it together like she planned.
Arriving at Sin's room Ivy unlocked it asking Ruby to wait outside for a moment while she checked the room to make sure there was no alcohol. Unable to watch her old teammate, her colleague, her childhood friend drink himself away she took away and threw out all the alcohol from his room and lab and just to be sure she checks every day to be sure. It took nearly a month just to get Sin to speak and at times she, Ozpin and Glynda had to force him to eat and of course she came in once a week to clean. Thankfully his personal dorm wasn't a mess, having done his laundry the day before the hamper was empty, the bathroom was scrubbed down, the only issue was a plate of food that had been sitting on the table since that morning, breakfast she had made for him that he apparently didn't touch.
"Dammit Sin" she said finding him sitting on his couch staring at his TV that wasn't turned on.
His hair a mess, and dark circles under his eyes he sat there wrapped in a blanket leaning into the corner between the armrest and backboard slowly rocking back and forth.
Kneeling down next to him she hugged him holding his head against her shoulder, "At least you're out of bed" she said before looking at the TV, "Trying to decide on what to watch?" she asked only to get no answer.
She took the remote from his hand and set it on the table, "Ruby's here" she said getting a reaction from him, "She's outside, she wants to see you."
His eyes lowered, his gaze falling to the carpet, "I'll let her in" Ivy told him, "Just take your time, we're both here for you."
Returning to the door she allowed Ruby inside watching her go to stand next to him before leaving to return to her own room.
Ruby looked around, the room was a lot nicer than it was the last time she came by, Professor Ivy clearly spent a lot of time cleaning up and taking care of him.
Walking over to her depressed teacher she smiled at him before sitting next to him, "I remember you said you were friends with my mom dad" she said to him, "Professor Ivy told me you were also in love with my mom" she noticed her teacher shift, "I was too young to remember a lot about her, but I remember there was this one story she would read to Yang and me at night, dad told me it was mom's favorite."
"The Girl and the Four Beasts" Sin muttered finishing Ruby's thought.
Ruby nodded with a smile, "Yeah. The story about a girl who had to find four magical creatures, once at each corner of the world to help her save it. Dad said that even before I was old enough to read I would always grab that book off the shelf when it was bedtime, waiting for mom to come read it to us" her tone lowered, "He always said he would start and let mom finish when she came back and we'd always fall asleep before she did."
Her tone lowered at the memories, she was too young back then to know why her mother had been gone for so long.
She continued, "Even though I have it memorized now I still like to read it. Dad told me you liked the story as well so I thought that maybe we could, you know, read it together for a little bit."
Slowly he turned his head, not looking at her, but at the book's cover, "They made a movie off of it" he said quietly.
Ruby nodded and smiled, "Yeah I know, I never got to see it, but I heard it didn't review well."
Sin looked away, "It was pretty bad."
Ruby asked, "How bad?"
He answered, "It only lasted two months in theatres."
"That's bad" Ruby noted, "Well, I still want to see it, may as well get the experience."
She watched the blanket shift as Sin raised his hand and pointed toward the cabinet next to his TV. Following his aim she walked over and opened the door to see his movie collection, in the middle of the top row was the movie adaptation they were talking about. Turning the case over she read the description on the back immediately seeing the differences in the plot between the movie and its source material.
She turned to him, "This already sounds bad" she smiled as she turned the TV on and slipped the movie into the player, "You get comfortable and I'll go make some popcorn" she said disappearing into his kitchen.
"You're so much like her" Sin muttered as the movie started, "It's like I'm back in school with her."
Ruby returned with a large bowl of popcorn setting it between them offering him the first bite as the opening credits began.
"You're going to regret this" Sin told her only for the girl to smile.
"Maybe" she answered, "But at least I'm not watching it alone. If it's that bad I'll have someone to laugh at it with me" she smiled again when she noticed her comment enticed a grin from her teacher.
Somewhere in the sea of western seas of Sanus, 42 hours ago.
A large container ship comes to a stop in the middle of the sea, it's mighty engines groaning to a halt as sweltering clouds of steam erupt from them. The crew wonders in confusion why they stopped, they were still at least a day and a half from port, at first they wondered if the ship's captain had ordered the engines to be shut off, but further inspection showed multiple mechanical malfunctions. The chief engineer went to speak with the captain to explain the situation only to find that it wasn't just the engines, their radios and navigations were out as well, everything except the ship's lights were no longer functioning.
"Well the ship has been sailing for twenty-six years" the chief officer said, "Perhaps it's time to take the old girl out of service."
"That would explain the engines" one of the deck officers said, "But what about the radios and navigation equipment? Those are replaced every year."
The deck officer in charge of bridge administration and radio checks offered a suggestion, "Maybe a bad system update?" his peers turned their attention to him, "I noticed there was some minor interference on the radio this morning and there was a systems check of everything before we left port, maybe that caused it."
"That doesn't explain the engines" the chief engineer said, "All of them malfunctioned and shut down. I don't know about the rest of you, but that seems pretty suspicious to me."
They all exchanged looks for a moment, "Are you suggesting sabotage?" one of the deck officers asked.
"Right now that doesn't matter" the ship master said to all of them as he gazed out of the broadside window, "Look. There's an oil rig out there, if we can see them then they can damn sure see us. Let's just get one of the emergency flares and fire it off, they'll send someone over to help."
He turned back to face them, "We can anchor the ship here for now and move there to use their radios. Then we can work on investigating possible sabotage."
"Sabotage is such an ugly word" someone said from the corner.
The present crew turned their attention to a young man leaning against the wall next to the door. A bit shy of six feet with silver grey hair slicked back while unkempt in the front and wearing a slate grey and black zipped up jacket with grey eyes to match the rest of his look. He smiled and shrugged at their confusion before nodding toward the wall of equipment behind them.
"Intentional damages" he suggested, "Permanent obstructions…" he shrugged again, "Eh, let's go with sabotage."
The ship master stepped forward, "Is there something you need Sailor?"
The young man smiled, "Yes actually, I need you to look at this" he hands over his scroll showing a video of one of the cargo bays in the lower decks.
The officers watched as the young man in front of them appears on screen and unlocks over a dozen containers before running away.
"What's the meaning of this?" the master says before the chief officer draws his attention back to the recording.
They watch the doors on each container slowly open and then grimm begin stepping out followed by swarms of infected, easily hundreds of them.
"Grab him!" the ship master ordered only for his words to be cut short as the young man stepped forward his leg shooting up from the floor and kicking him in the chest sending the old man sliding across the steel floor.
Catching his scroll that flew out of the ship master's hands the grey-haired saboteur smirked, "Well, that didn't look good now did it?" he asked them.
The chief officer lunged forward to tackle him, but the young man stepped back and kicked again, this time accompanied by the sound of a gunshot coming from his boot and the crew watched as the skull of the chief officer exploded outward, pieces of his brain and skull scattering around his body as it fell back blood quickly pouring from the lethal injury.
"Well, my work is done" he said, turning toward the door, "You guys might want to start swimming, if you're lucky you'll drown."
The young man stepped out of the door and climbed to the roof of the bridge as a bullhead flew close by dropping a rope ladder for the saboteur to climb. Inside the bridge the remaining crew checked on the ship master as the ship's alarms began sounding, the swarms of infected and packs of grimm on the lower decks began attacking the crew. As the ship master got to his feet something slammed against the bridge's window, a small group of infected spotted them and began attacking the glass that obstructed its path.
Climbing into the airship as it flew away the young man looked back seeing several emergency flares going off from the ship, "Well my part's done" he said turning to the individual behind him, "How about your end?"
A tall fair skinned, red-haired man stepped into view, he wore a long-sleeved black blazer with a red undershirt and black dress pants. On his face a visor like grimm mask and at his hip a sheathed sword.
"Done" he answered staring back at the oil rig fading into the distance, "The White Fang and I contaminated their food and water supply with the virus. They'll all be turned within the hour."
The grey-haired saboteur sighed, "Well sounds like you had fun. The food sucked and I actually had to work while I was there. So boring" his scroll rang, "Yeah?" he answered putting it on speaker.
"Is it done?" a female voice asked.
The young man chuckled, "Of course. Both targets have been hit and we're on our way back with the bullhead."
"I see" the woman answered, "Well done Mercury. And you as well Adam. I'll see you both when you get back to Vale."
A/N. Sorry for the long break in between chapters, had to return to the real world for a while, still as scary as it always has been, but hey update in time for Halloween if you celebrate it. If not, well hopefully it's still a good day for you. Or whatever day you read this, hopefully it's a good day.