Chapter 3: New Beginnings


"Hey, Sona. Why did you pick Beacon Academy?"

The blue-haired girl looked up from her notebook, fiddling with her pen as she pondered his question. It was late afternoon in Vale, the sun was just beginning to set. Classes had been over for the weekend, and the students of the academy were finishing up their work. Though some people were goofing off or doing other things. Levi and Sonata were among the few who decided to take their studies seriously. After a few minutes of silent pondering, she shrugged her shoulders.

"I'unno. Just felt like it, I guess,"

"You felt like it?" the miqo'te asked, brow quirked a bit as he looked up from his own notebook. There was a stack of mathematics books beside him, a bit of light reading to keep his mind and his semblance strong. "Seems counter-productive, wouldn't you say?"

"How so?" she asked, setting her pen down. She turned to fully face him, adjusting her sports bra a bit. She was honestly glad the Beacon dorms had air conditioning, or else she'd be suffering from the late spring, early summer heat. "From where I'm sitting, I think it was a good idea."

"Yeah but… you graduated from Pharos Academy, so you practically had a shot at getting into Atlas. My mother said that the facilities there are state of the art. She even said they were better than what Beacon offered. So why travel all the way here and give up all of that?"

The blue-haired girl was honestly at a loss for words. She had been asked this question quite a lot of times, but the answer always wavered. She was never truly honest with herself. For as long as she was alive, she had wanted to become a huntress. She never really stopped to think where she would get her license. At the end of the day, it didn't really matter. But there was one major reason why she had avoided Atlas Academy. A closely guarded secret that she didn't really tell a lot of people. Levi was her friend, her teammate. He had earned his trust, so she figured she could tell him.

"I'm scared of war," she replied, crossing her arms. "I wasn't born into wealth, but that changed because my father is a business tycoon. He predicted cryptocurrency skyrocketing in value before the current trends decided to buy in. He had been setting up his own mining rigs. I still remember him screaming bloody murder when Litcoin shot up in value."

"So wait… you were poor before?"

"Hard to believe isn't it?" she asked, almost jokingly. "Well, we weren't exactly poor, but we still lived in Atlas. My father had his own startup, creating hardware for game console manufacturers, motherboards, CPUs, and the like. But then in a snap, he went from making 100,000 Lien a year to making 1,000,000 Lien every week."

Levi's brows rose a bit, rather impressed with what he was hearing. "Sounds like the time of his life."

"It certainly was, but back to your question, and more importantly, my answer. You see, my great-grandfather fought in the war. He told me how absolutely brutal it was, how he lost so many of his friends, and even family members. Mantle lost that war, it had been a terrible time for him. Everyone was devastated, and the Kingdom had to pay reparations to Vale and Vacuo. He ended up selling everything and becoming a miner. His son, my grandfather, helped build Atlas and was there when it rose to the sky, and my father worked his fingers to the bone, learning how to program things." she said, shifting her gaze once more. "Those things were put into Atlas Military drones, into security, to better the kingdom's defenses. But my father saw nothing but Atlas sharpening its teeth."

She grabbed her pen, clicking it a few times, her lips curved into a frown. "My father was drafted into the war when the Faunus Revolution sparked, and he almost lost his life. That war didn't last long, ten years or so. But that had been enough for him. He decided he didn't want to keep programming things that would go into tools of war, that would kill even more people. Hearing those stories, the stories that my grandfather told me, about his father's time in the war, and my father's own experiences… I just didn't want to be the next in line to join the military and be sent to war."

"We're in a time of peace though, Sonata. Do you really think another war will spark at any point in the next few years?" Levi asked.

"Who knows really? My grandfather had a saying though, one that stuck with me while I was training in Pharos. "So long as men walk the planet, war is inevitable. Only when everyone is dead will the world know peace." When I heard this, I was scared. It made me wonder why I was beginning my training. I was only 11 at the time. But I also realized another thing, and that's all the good I could do in the world."

She gave her friend a smile as she set the pen down. "So, why didn't I join Atlas Academy? Because it wasn't for me. I didn't want to be another soldier. I didn't want to just sit there like a machine and take orders. To keep sharpening Atlas's jaws, keep adding to the military strength, and become a threat to the world. I came to Beacon Academy, to become a huntress, so that I can help those in need. Men, women, children, humans, faunus. It doesn't matter. War never changes, but we can at least work toward making the world a better place. Even if it's inevitable, at least I'll be ready for that eventuality. And I'll fight under my own power and by my own rules. Not by the military's."

"That's… a surprisingly well-rounded answer. Honestly, I was expecting you to say you didn't qualify because you were so short!" he said, only for him to dodge the pen she had been using to write with. She had an angry look on her face, her fist clenched tightly. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! I surrender."

"I'll get you back for that one. I'll pin you down and give you the old leglock!"

"No, please! The last time you did that was in front of everyone in our class, and it was embarrassing. They kept asking me what it was like to be choked out by a short girl's legs, and they kept asking me if I liked having your snatch in my face."

"Did you?"

"I… well.."

She let out a laugh, clutching her sides. "Oh Levi, you are too easy to mess with."

"And you are terrible."

She rolled her eyes, leaning in her seat a bit. There was no way she was going to finish her homework now that her pen was gone. The cool metal of the seat felt wonderful on her back, making her sigh contently. "I have a question for you, since you wanted to know why I chose Beacon over Atlas, I want to know why you chose Beacon over well… Haven, Shade, or Atlas."

"You want to know why I picked Beacon?" he asked, his ears wiggling a bit. He closed his eyes for a moment. "Well, one of the reasons was so I could be closer to my mother. She's been… absent in most of my life. She's been teaching here a lot, but there are times when she's out on missions. I figured having her in my life as a professor would be better than not having her at all."

He fiddled with his pencil, rolling it around on his desk. "I have… a lot of questions about myself and my mother. She doesn't answer many of them, because she thinks I'm not ready. I give her the time and the space she needs, but eventually, she'll have to come to grips with the fact that I'm not her little boy anymore."

"You're a big strong man now," Sonata said, wiggling her brows. He flushed, looking away from his friend.

"R-regardless of that, I just want to prove myself to her, you know? But there's also something else I wanted to keep in my life," he said, taking a deep breath as he looked out the window. The sun had dipped below the horizon, but it's warm rays were still illuminating the land. It had been enough for the lights to kick on, lighting up the main boulevard of the academy in a rich yellow glow. "It's the light of the city, the light of Beacon Tower. It… calms me down."

"The light of the city?"

He bit his lower lip, his eyes meeting with Sonata's for a brief instant. He looked back out the window, deciding to focus on the lush green trees down below. "Have you ever felt like something in your life wasn't right? Like there's something missing and you wanna grab it, but you can't. Because you either don't feel like you can or it's just… impossible?"

"I can't say that I have," she said. This prompted him to sigh, his ears drooping. "Levi, if there's anything you wanna talk about, I'm all ears. You listen to my problems whenever I have them, so I'll do the same."

"I feel like… there's something in my life that's missing, and I don't know what it is. I've felt so alone for such a long time. Even now that I walk through Beacon's halls, I still feel alone. I know I'm not, and I know I can rely on my friends. But there are times my mind says no."

"Do you think becoming a Huntsman will change that?"

"Honestly?" he asked, earning a nod from his friend. "I'm not sure. I wanted to become a huntsman because my mother was a huntress. She was so awesome and cool, a force of nature, who took shit from no one. But she's also so guarded. It's as if she's kept me close and at arm's length at the same time. Whenever I was alone, I went up to the highest point in Vale and just looked down. Seeing the lights helped me relax. I figured, if I went to Haven or Atlas, I couldn't be able to be fully relaxed."

"I don't blame you. Being so far from home is just… unthinkable." Sonata said, holding back a yawn. She stretched her arms above her head, locking them behind her neck. "But you know what? I'm happy to be here in Beacon. If I was in Atlas, I wouldn't be able to relax like this. Hell, if my mother even knew I was in a room alone with a boy in nothing but shorts and a bra, she'd spank my ass until it was raw."

"Pfft, it's the opposite for me. My mom constantly asks me which one of you I'm dating, and she always tells me it's fine if I wanna date all three of you at once. That there's nothing wrong with that. It's so embarrassing," he said, cheeks flushed red. Sonata was more amused than embarrassed. "It isn't funny, Sona!"

"I know, I know. I just wish my mom was more like yours. She can be so uptight and old-fashioned, you have no idea. My little sister is probably suffering without me there. That's what she gets for choosing to stay in Atlas." she said, giggling. "So, if you weren't enamored by the lights, would you go somewhere else?"

"Definitely. I'm the opposite of you, I'd love to go to Atlas Academy. Sure, it would suck being drafted into the military if a war broke out, being a graduate and all. But it would be awesome to get to train with military equipment. I mean come on, how can you pass up the chance to shoot a Howitzer? Or drive a goddamn tank?"

"Eh, it isn't all it's cracked up to be." the bluenette said with a shrug. "It's more relaxing here, I like it. Once I graduate, I plan on sticking around. I'll take missions all over Remnant, sure. But I think I'll move my base of operations here. I… hope we can be friends after that."

"Of course, Sona. Why wouldn't we? I mean sure, me and Aria don't get along, and Cadence seems to be focusing on her opera singing and her studies a lot. But if there's a chance for us to stick together, we will."

Sonata frowned, lowering her arms as she fiddled with the edge of her shorts, her eyes locked on her tiny feet. She looked up, keeping her head still as she looked into Levi's eyes, her lips pursed slightly forward. "And if they don't join us?"

"Then we'll just have to make a team of four a team of two," he said with a wink. Her face lit up, a brilliant smile flashing onto her face.

"You know something, there's one more thing that made coming to Beacon better than heading to Atlas. And that's meeting an awesome person like you Levi," she said, making him smile in return.

"I'm… glad. You're awesome too, Sona. I'm happy we met and became friends. Let's be the best hunters we can be, alright?"

"Promise!"

xxx

Beep… Beep… Beep

Levi's eyes twitched a bit, that infernal beeping rattling around his skull. What even was it? He asked himself, as he moved his body. His eyes slowly cracked open, his vision a bit blurred. When it cleared, he was met with something far different than he remembered.

The last place he had been in was General Ironwood's office, but now he was in a different place. This new room was very very white, with hints of light blue, the scent of rubbing alcohol and bleach lingering in the area. He looked ahead, the large windows being covered by sky-blue drapes. There was a whiteboard to his very right, with his name written on it, along with another name he didn't recognize. That damned beeping filled his ear again, causing it to go rigid as he looked around, seeing it was coming from a monitor. He also noticed the large bag of IV Fluids and the tubes running down and into his arm.

"Oh right, the fight with Adam, getting to Atlas, passing out in Ironwood's office." he thought, as everything flashed back into his mind. He groaned a bit in pain as he stretched his body. His throat felt very dry. He noticed the glass of water to his left and raised his arm to grab it, only to remember he didn't have one.

He eyed what was left closely, seeing more of it was missing. There was a silver-colored cup at the end of it, which was flashing with a few different colors. It looked almost like the one Sienna had worn before she had gotten her prosthetic. He raised his blanket, seeing the same type of cup on his leg. Much like his arm, a bit more had been cut off, probably to even things just to fit the cup. Adam had severed it above the knee, and now he had just a little less.

He moved a bit, feeling what was left of his tail wiggling behind him. Just another stump, only about five inches away from his body. Adam had almost cut it down to the skin. Even though the man was dead he wanted to finish him, to destroy him and shatter his body. He was glad Blake had finished him off, he had half a mind to go back to Mistral and throw his body in the ocean so a Sea Feilong or whatever else could eat him.

His mind drifted back to his dream. A memory. One of his time in Beacon Academy, shortly before the big dance in fact. He recalled it with clarity, the conversation he and Sonata had, about Atlas and Beacon, Vale, and everything in between. Now that he was in Atlas, there was a chance he would run into his former teammate, and he'd finally see the aftermath of her fight.

"Special Operative Sonata Piccolo. She's gone far in life… even though she said she'd never join the military, she ended up breaking her word. She probably felt indebted to the General for fixing her, and saving her life." he thought, closing his eyes. "I… don't think I'm ready to face her… I abandoned her, after all."

"Just like you abandoned me."

His eyes snapped open, only to see the disgusting toothy grin Cadence was giving him. It hadn't been that long since he had last seen her. He knew she wasn't real, but his mind still made him see her, and he hated himself for it. She slowly walked toward him, looking at his battered and broken body, smirking. "Wow… that Adam fellow did a number on you, buddy. I'm surprised you're still alive."

"Don't you ever get tired of bothering me?" he asked, his voice hoarse and dry. He really wanted that water. Cadence let out a soft laugh, grabbing a hold of the bed's railing.

"Of course not! I can't get tired, sweetheart! I'm dead after all. My purpose is to make your life a living hell. It's too bad Aria got bored."

"I made peace with her, I finally understood her," he coughed, holding a hand to his throat. "You just… keep showing up at the worst times."

"But that's what friend's are for, aren't they? They are there to cheer you up, but also to inconvenience you, and that's what I am. A minor inconvenience. Oh, but even better! I'm here because I wanna see little Sona! The bitch who lived despite her body being shattered."

"Sona isn't a bitch."

"Oh, but she is. After all, Aria sacrificed herself to save her life. She's probably a broken mess of nuts and bolts. More cybernetic than human. Hell, I bet you she can't even shit right anymore." Cadence said, twirling around the room, standing on her tip-toes. "That's what she gets for going to Beacon. She should have just stayed here in Atlas."

"Shut up…" Levi hissed, his teeth gnashed in pain. His chest still hurt from the gash he had been given, his nerves were on fire. Even with aura, there were some things that just kept hurting. It reminded him of just how weak he had been.

"You know what's funny, the fact that you ended up losing so much. You lost an arm, a leg, and your tail. You lost a piece of what makes you, you! After all, a faunus without their trait is… well… they're basically human." the ballerina said, grinning. "It's too bad… if I was Adam, I could have gone for the ears."

He glared at the apparition, as she laughed and twirled around the room. She was in her own world. A ballerina on a gilded stage, and he was the audience. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he tried to calm himself down. "She isn't real, she's just make-believe. When I open my eyes, she'll be gone."

And she was. The moment he opened his eyes, Cadence was no longer in the room. He felt a lot better now, though he was still a bit sore. He brushed his long locks out of his eyes, realizing just how long his hair had gotten in the past few months. If his mother was around, she likely would have forced him to cut it. But now, he was okay with growing it out, at least for the time being.

His ear moved a bit as he heard the door opening. He shifted his gaze toward it, seeing a doctor stepping into the room, looking at a clipboard. He looked up, eyes widening in surprise. "Oh my, you're awake!"

He smiled as he approached the bed. He was a tall man, wearing a long white doctor's coat, with his name stitched to it. Beneath it, he was wearing a bright green turtleneck sweater, along with a pair of brown slacks and shoes. He had a thin pair of glasses on his face, bright green eyes filled with joy and relief. "I'm Doctor Ethan Gold, I've been taking care of you for the last week and a half."

"Week and a half?" he croaked, his voice raspy as he spoke. The man handed him the glass of water he had been eyeing not that long ago, and he downed it in a single go, holding it back out to him. "T-thank you. Has it really been that long?"

"I'm afraid so. When they brought you in, we thought we had to dress your wounds, give you a bit of fluid and painkillers, but it was so much more. Your limbs were severed at an odd angle, so we had to even things out, which also meant doing reconstructive surgery to salvage your nerve endings. After all, without them, we can't get your new limbs to work. To do that, we needed to put you into a medically induced coma."

"I see… what else did you do to me while I was indisposed?"

"Mostly limb repair. Your tail was among the most damaged we had to repair, but we were able to salvage the nerve endings. We also had to remove a good two inches of muscle, bone, and other parts from your leg, since the thigh had essentially been mangled." Doctor Gold said, looking down at his clipboard. "Ah yes, the gash across your chest, it was a lot deeper than we initially thought. Your aura took the brunt of the impact, but not all of it, the blade cut deep into you. From it you ended up contracting an infection that would have easily killed you if you hadn't come here when you did. Honestly, it's a miracle you are even alive right now,"

"I've… been told," he said softly. The Doctor gave him a reassuring smile, lowering his clipboard.

"The good news in all this is you have made a full recovery. We've been monitoring you closely and keeping you on special aura-boosting medication. We gave you a CT Scan late last night and assured you were free of sickness or injury. However, your chest scar may hurt from time to time. Several nerve endings were damaged or even cut entirely, so you may get phantom pains from time to time, nothing a bit of medication can't handle."

"That's good to hear. It's a good thing I'm too stubborn to die." Levi said, trying to make light of the situation. The doctor chuckled, giving him another smile.

"I'm glad you are so chipper despite what you have been through. Your friends have been beside themselves in worry. General Ironwood has put them to work almost immediately, as a means to keep them distracted, but they still come here to talk, even if you couldn't talk back." he said. "Miss Schnee, Miss Belladonna, and Miss Brunswick are frequent visitors, though it's usually Miss Schnee who will stay the night."

"The night? Weiss stays with me during the night?"

"Yes sir, she does. She said she felt responsible for what happened since you sacrificed your leg to save her life. I've told her that it's silly to think like that, but she doesn't let me hear the end of it. We cleared the bed beside you for her, and she makes use of it whenever she's around," the doctor said, his grin ever present. "It seems to me like you have a very special admirer."

"So it would seem," he replied, cheeks tinged red at the revelation. The doctor jotted a few things down, asking him the basic questions along with taking his vitals and his blood pressure.

"Whelp, everything seems normal. I'll be informing General Ironwood and Special Operative Schnee. They formally asked to be informed on the off chance that you woke up. If you need anything, just press the button, and the nurse will be by." Doctor Gold said, heading toward the door. "Don't worry, your friends will likely be informed shortly after the General. You'll be bombarded by cards, snacks, balloons, and maybe if you're lucky, a kiss or two."

"Oh… come on, Doc!" he said, making the man laugh. He was alone moments later, bouncing a bit in his bed. "At least I'm all better."

He paused briefly, glancing at his bedsheet. He lifted it up, feeling around for a moment, sighing with relief. "Oh thank the Gods, no catheter."

He swiftly lowered his blanket as the door opened, his hand at his side. General Ironwood stepped into the room, followed by Winter Schnee. They were both in uniform, their various medals and military achievements on display for everyone to see. Ironwood's expression softened a bit, relief written on his face.

"Good morning, General."

"It's actually seven in the evening,"

"Oh," Levi replied, frowning. "I should have looked at the clock,"

"Don't worry about it," the man said, his tone seeming a bit more jovial than before. "How are you feeling? Is everything alright? Do you feel any pain anywhere?"

"No sir, I feel fine. Well, except for the obvious, missing limbs, fried nerve endings, a craving for chicken tenders and barbecue sauce, the usual," he said. The ever-stoic Winter cracked a bit of a smile, though it was only for a second.

"I'm relieved to hear that. After you passed out in my office, I had thought I'd have to prepare for the worst. Terra would never forgive me if I let her only child die under my care. So I ordered the best care possible and ensured you were well taken care of. I'm glad to see they succeeded in bringing you back. Battered and broken, but alive." he said, standing firm before him. "Which is also why I am here, to let you know that within the next few days, we will be bringing you your prosthetics."

"Sweet, I'm excited to try them on! After seeing how awesome Yang's is, I've wondered what it would be to have one. You know… I wouldn't wish to have to replace one, but I'm glad I have options!" he said cheerfully.

"You… seem awfully chipper about this. I had thought you'd be disappointed at the loss of your limbs." Winter said, earning a shrug from the boy.

"It's no use hanging onto the past, yeah, it sucks that I ended up losing my limbs. But it was better to lose my leg than for Adam to kill Weiss, and I mean that. She means more to me than you think," he said firmly, sitting up a bit. "Which is also why I'd like to apologize to you, Winter. I failed you."

"I'm sorry?"

"Weiss left Atlas to escape your father's grasp. She ended up being kidnapped by bandits and almost sold back to him. She's an amazingly skilled fighter and even helped me refine my own technique and semblance. But I couldn't do anything to defend her from Adam. I vowed to myself that I would protect my friends, but I just sat there and watched him beat her to a pulp." he said, bowing his head. "He slapped her, punched her, tore her clothes off… branded her…"

"It's alright, Levi. That was all out of your control, as far as I am concerned, you did your very best to keep her safe. I knew one day Weiss would meet someone whom she wasn't ready to face. It could have been much worse, she could have been alone. But you were there for her, you and all of your friends. That's what truly matters in the end. You saved each other from that disgusting and vile man, and for that you should be awarded." she said firmly. She reached for her breast pocket, pulling the medal in the shape of the Schnee Emblem, placing it in his hand. "We may share the same crest, but we are allowed to choose its color. I chose blue to represent myself, and now I entrust it to you."

"I don't deserve this, Winter."

"You brought her home, you more than earned it. Not only that, you earned something else as well. Weiss has shown interest in improving her skills with her rapier and her semblance. She spoke all about you and your own semblance and how it's similar to ours. So I extend my invitation to you, to train together. I'll make a fine fighter out of you yet." she said firmly, a smile on her face.

"Oh… wow that's… thank you. I don't know what to say."

"You don't need to say anything, Levi. Just…" She paused for a moment, an almost far-off look on her face. "Take care of her, alright?"

"I promise, I'll never let what happened to her in Mistral happen to her again. I'll swear it on this medal you gave me," he said, squeezing it tightly in his grasp. She nodded, directing her attention back to the General.

"There were some things you wanted to ask him, correct, General?"

"Yes, there were. Tell me, Levi, when did you discover you had silver eyes?"

Levi remained silent, not exactly expecting him to ask that. He thought his reply out carefully, not wanting to reveal too much too quickly. "It wasn't long after we left Haven Academy with the Relic of Knowledge. I always felt like there was something missing in my life. Like there was something there that I couldn't reach. I wanted to use the Relic to figure out what it was, but sadly the questions had already been asked. Instead, I was given something else."

He licked his lips, looking up at the General, making direct eye contact with him. "My mother left me a notebook, where she explained everything to me. It was at the bottom of my pack, I wasn't even aware I had it with me until then. It said everything, about what happened in Eorzea, the special contacts you had made for her, her mission with Professor Ozpin, and… the fact she was actually my aunt and not my mother."

"I see… and what happened to that notebook? Do you perhaps still have it? We might be able to learn something about Salem that we weren't fully aware of." the man said, making Levi frown.

"Sorry, General. I lost my pack during that train crash. Turns out the Relics attract Grimm to it. Professor Ozpin didn't tell us about that, and these Sphinx and Manticores started attacking us. We devised a plan with Ren and Jaune, using their semblances, but with the relic attracting them, we had to decouple the train. Afterward, we wandered through Northern Mistral, where we took refuge from a storm in a farmhouse. We almost died there,"

"Right, right. The Apathy, Miss Rose told me all about that," he said softly. "I apologize if I brought forth painful memories."

"Oh, don't worry about it. You just want to know everything you can if you fight back against Salem. I agree with you when you said Atlas is ready. You've spent all this time building your forces. But you have to remember one thing, General, and that's Salem herself. She's… frightening. The things Ozpin told us…" he paused, not wanting to reveal much more. "She's capable of turning men on each other, and taking what you fear the most and using it against you. I trust Professor Qrow told you about Lionheart?"

"Yes," Ironwood said with a nod. "He did… and it's quite a shame that it went down like that."

"Then you must make sure Salem doesn't set foot on Atlas soil. At this point, her lackeys probably returned to her, told her we had the Relic of Knowledge and is likely gunning for Atlas. The military is strong, so she'll likely take some time to prepare her forces. That means all of us need to do whatever it takes to make sure Atlas doesn't fall." Levi said firmly.

"The way you speak, Levi… it seems almost as if you've seen what Salem can do," Winter said, making him sigh.

"In a way, I have. My mother left a detailed account of her encounter with Salem, when her sister, my birth mother, faced off against her. It was also the day she discovered our trait, the Silver Eyes, had a massive effect on her. It also explained why my race, the miqo'tes, and every silver-eyed warrior on Remnant is… dead." Levi said firmly. He looked up, giving the two a smile. "We mustn't falter, fear is inevitable, but we can't let it consume us. Which is also why I'm so glad to be here. To think, I was trying to convince Weiss and Neo to come with me to Vacuo."

"We're just glad you and everyone else is here, safe and sound. I mean that, Levi. I wasn't expecting to see you again, but I am very happy that you are here. You were among the best of the best in Beacon Academy, despite your team having its shortcomings. Ah, speaking of which, Miss Piccolo should be returning from a mission soon. If you'd like, I could tell her you are here so she could-"

"Don't."

The General was taken aback, surprised by Levi's shift in emotions. His ears flattened against his head, his face changing to an expression of sadness. "I'm not ready to meet Sonata. Not after what happened, not after what she went through. I wasn't there with her, with Aria or with Cadence. I know I shouldn't blame myself for their deaths, but it's still all so fresh in my head. If you could do me a favor? Keep her away from me… until I'm ready. I know it sounds callous and evil but…"

"It's alright, Levi. You aren't callous or evil, you just aren't ready to deal with those emotions. Miss Piccolo only has a few days off from work, since she's the commander of her own designated team. I'll try my best to prevent you from crossing paths, but you know her better than we do." Ironwood said, making him sigh.

"Yeah, when Sona has an idea in her head, she won't quit until she sees it through. I fear for my sanity, but it seems I must lower myself to my basest skills, and channel my inner cat if I am to avoid her,"

"Oh don't be so dramatic,"

"Sorry, Winter. Blake and I have been reading a lot of books lately and I've picked up on those broody speech patterns," he said with a grin. "Anyway, am I taking too much of your time? Or do you have any more questions for me? I can answer anything you'd like, just as long as it isn't one of my deepest darkest secrets."

"No no, you've been more than helpful, Levi. If we have any more questions we'll return. For now, get some rest, I'll have Winter bring you those chicken tenders." the man said, making Winter sigh.

"I'm not paying for them."

"My wallet should be somewhere around here, I have a bit of lien left from a few things I had to pawn in Mistral. Oh, and could you bring a salad on the side? I'm sure your sister is starving."

"My sister?" she asked, confused, only for the door to fly open. Weiss practically barged in, followed by Neo and Ruby. The three stopped in their tracks, wincing a bit in surprise.

"W-winter! General Ironwood." Weiss stammered, bowing her head.

"Don't worry, Miss Schnee. We were just leaving, your sister is going out on an errand for Mr. Athan, so if you'd like something to eat that isn't hospital food, I would ask her now." the General said, brushing past them. "Rest well, Levi, I hope to see you on your feet soon!"

"Thanks for everything, General!" the young man said, giving him a salute. Winter however looked annoyed at the fact she had been turned into an errand girl. He gave her a smile. "Neo likes Neapolitan ice cream, and I guess Ruby can have some tenders too, oh, and chocolate chip cookies."

"Of course, I'll bring that right away," she said, walking out of the room with grace and poise. The door closed behind her, making Levi deflate a bit.

"Man, your sister really knows how to make people tense up," Levi said, his eyes widening a bit as he took in the girl's new outfits. "Wow, you guys look great!"

"Aw, shucks, that's so sweet of you to say, Levi. The General accommodated us and even had some famous fashion designers make us these new duds." Ruby said, twirling around. "My cloak is fixed too! I was getting tired of it being in tatters."

"Cloaks are so awesome and cool, but them getting all tattered is a real turn-off. But it still makes you look gruff and cool!" Levi said, his gaze shifting to Neo, giving her a smile. "You look good too, Neo. But uh… aren't you cold in that?"

She shook her head, adjusting her hat a bit. It was odd to see her with her hair down, after having it in twin tails for such a long time. She looked so much different than the waitress look she was aiming for. It was the same for Weiss, who now sported a more princess-like look, though her combat gear was still quite nice. He also noticed the long thick braid that rested on her shoulder, the end decorated with some beads, along with a pair of charms, a cat, and a snowman.

"Well?" she asked.

"I like the braid, must weigh a ton, huh?"

"It's a lot lighter than it looks," she said with an eye-roll. "How are you feeling, Levi? And be honest with us. Don't give us the same BS you gave my sister and the General."

"I feel fine, girls. Honest. Yeah, it sucks that I ended up losing my limbs, but hey, I'm alive and kicking, and that's what matters!" he said cheerfully, as he leaned back in his bed. "The General said my prosthetics will be ready within a few days, and your sister, Weiss, told me I could join you in your training sessions. Fighting Adam made me realize how far I am from being the best huntsman I can be. He fucking destroyed us, for lack of a better term."

"You're right, we weren't expecting him to be that tough. We hardly stood up a fight with him," Ruby added, tugging a strand of her hair. "But that also opened up the door to new possibilities. Dealing with those Sabyrs down in Mantle made me think of new combinations. We've spoken with the General, and they agreed to add you and Neo to our Team. Alto is being added to Jaune's team along with Oscar. We're the only exception to this rule."

"That's good… it would have sucked to be alone,"

"Well…" Weiss looked away, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Since you'd be the only male in a mostly female team, it was thought by some to be inappropriate. With Jaune's team, it's three boys and two girls, it's fine. We tried to argue with some of the other teachers, but the General's hands were tied. You have to be given your own dorm room," Neo said through her scroll. Levi noticed it was the same model as his new one, the mechanical voice sounding more human than before. She gave him a grin, typing something else into the device. "At least you are in the same hallway as us, three doors down actually. And they never say we couldn't sleep over."

"Leave it to you to find a loophole in the rules," he said with a laugh.

"Sorry, Levi. We would have loved to have you bunk with us, but the rules are pretty firm."

"It's fine, Ruby. I knew something like this was bound to happen. They just don't want me to do things to you ladies." he said with a laugh. "Despite us sharing a room together on multiple occasions, sleeping under the stars, almost dying countless times."

"Welcome to Atlas," Weiss said, making her friends laugh.

"I'm just so happy all of us are here and doing alright. The others are so worried about you, especially Blake."

"She shouldn't blame herself, and neither should you, Weiss. I spent enough time blaming myself for the deaths of my friends and my mother. I've moved on, or well… I struggle too. Adam is dead, all we can do now is close that chapter of our lives. Besides, I get badass prosthetics, and I can shoot laser beams out of my eyes." he said cheerfully.

"At least Adam didn't kill your sense of humor," Neo's scroll said, making him grin. "Regardless of that, there are things we need to discuss. All of us have agreed to work with the Atlas Military to get Amity Tower up and running. Ruby here was right on the money with that crazy idea of hers."

"I know, I was honestly impressed, but it makes sense. Why wouldn't Atlas try to replace Beacon Tower? Though the idea of a satellite is kind of dangerous. People have tried launching rockets into space but the moment they leave the planet's atmosphere, they drop to the ground. Do you think the satellite is plausible?"

"It is, if they use the staff," Weiss said, rubbing her arm nervously. "But if they move the Staff, then Atlas falls. It's the thing that's keeping us in the air after all. The General would have to use the staff to create something to keep the Tower in the air but also keep Atlas from falling. It's going to take a lot of planning and a lot of work. Thankfully, all we need to do is secure the shipping lanes and make sure there are no Grimm on site."

"Speaking of which, our first official mission is next week. We're being tasked with clearing an old Schnee Dust Mine that's been invaded by Grimm. There's a Geist that has become particularly problematic. The General wanted to wait until you were up, since we need as much help as we can get."

"I see… putting us to work already huh? Whatever helps us get our licenses right?" Levi asked, stretching a bit. "It'll take a while but I think we can handle it. So, we're on cleaning duty, sounds nice. I get to see the old mines up close and see how the dust deposits grow."

"They're really neat when you see them up close, we've only seen pictures since all this week has been training and debriefing," Ruby said. "But we hope to actually get some action in soon, other than going to Mantle and clearing the streets of Grimm."

"Baby steps, Ruby."

"I know! I'm just getting antsy! I haven't gotten to try Crescent Rose's new features yet, the Sabyrs die before I can!"

Levi smiled a bit as the two kept bickering between them, with Weiss scolding Ruby and Ruby telling Weiss to have a little bit of fun. Neo of course kept looking between the two, her eyes changing colors with every blink, likely matching the errant conversation between the two. After a moment, Levi cleared his throat, causing the two girls to stop speaking.

"While it is good to see you two back to your old ways, we need to talk about more personal matters. The General has been asking questions… about my mom and the truth about who she was. Has he asked you guys about it?"

"No, we always told him that was something you needed to discuss, it is a private matter after all,"

"Ruby's right, it wasn't our place to say anything. Incidentally, what did you say, so we can have similar stories." Weiss asked curiously.

"I told him my mother left me a notebook with everything inside, but I lost it during the train crash. I also told him about the farm, he already knew about the Apathy," he said, glancing away, fiddling with his blanket. "I… gave him a bit of a warning, about Salem. I didn't tell him the truth about her, but I did tell him to be careful. We can't let her get into Atlas, girls. It's imperative we keep her out of here,"

"We know, it's likely she has her cronies scoping out the place. There had been some odd happenings down in Mantle. Some of the street cameras have been found deactivated, and some barriers have been activated without anyone's order. And…" Ruby paused, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Someone is killing people, all protesters who speak badly about the General."

Neo held her scroll up, showing him the reports. Three people had been found dead in the last week, two on the day they had arrived in Atlas and one the day before. All of them had been found in protests, all of them speaking badly about Ironwood. He flicked the image, reading what was written.

"Serial Killer or Campaign Murderer? How the killings of these protesters are tied to Ivy Brown's Council Seat Election Campaign. All of these men were at rallies against General Ironwood and directly opposed his Embargo and his Shutdown of Borders, but they were also seen supporting Ivy Brown. It's curious then that all of them turned up dead shortly after she made this statement…" he paused, his lips curving into a frown.

"They think this Ivy Brown woman is sending someone out to kill people that dislike Ironwood. It makes her seem marginally better and paints Ironwood in a bad light. It makes it seem as if he's the person killing her supporters." Weiss said firmly.

"Hm… I see. Whoever is doing this is killing people who are in favor of her and against Ironwood. If they die, she can spin it to her gain, their loss of life is terrible, and she uses them to further herself in the campaign. But it's a double-edged sword because it also paints Ironwood as a murderer. On top of the Embargo and the Closure of Borders, it just ruins his own standing in the council." he said, narrowing his eyes a bit. "This is a setup, but it doesn't look like it's Ivy Brown who's doing it."

"Oh? Why do you say that, Levi?"

"Because, Ruby. It's too clean for it to be Ivy's doing. These three murders happened after we arrived here, didn't they? Have any happened before that?" he asked. The three girls shook their heads, solidifying his thoughts. "Interesting. Seems far too convenient."

"Now that you mention it, the only known death before we arrived was that reporter, Joshame Hobbs. He was a Spider Faunus, a former miner, and a part-time photographer for the Mantle Tribune. He had been investigating a lead surrounding some misappropriation of campaign funds but was later found murdered. He also didn't seem to like General Ironwood and had a firm stance against him. Perhaps the true culprit felt inspired by this and decided to continue the killing spree." Weiss suggested, causing the young man to hum in thought.

"Perhaps."

"Why the sudden interest in all of this, Levi? Are you suddenly into detective work?" Neo's scroll spoke, making him look up at her.

"Hm… not really. But we need to keep our eyes and ears nice and open, especially because "That woman of whom we do not speak" shall be arriving soon." he stated, giving the three girls a firm look. "We still have to come up with a proper way to deal with her, away from the General's prying eyes. After all, we need to secure the Fall Maiden above all else. Neo, has she messaged you yet?"

She shook her head, holding her scroll out. "I'll let you all know when she does. I left her very specific instructions just in case I didn't make it back to her side."

"Good… then let's just sit and wait. No use worrying about things that aren't in our control, at least not yet."

A light knock filled the room, the door slowly opened, and Winter stepped in, holding a tray of food in her grasp. "I've brought what you requested."

"Oh my gods, yes! I'm fucking starving! Thanks so much, sis, much appreciated!" Levi said cheerfully. Winter gave him an odd look but shrugged it off as Ruby relieved her of the food.

"Of course, I've left your wallet on the tray, along with your scroll. I've taken the liberty of adding my contact along with the General's and Miss Polendina's as well. We've also told Miss Piccolo that you don't wish to speak with her yet. She was saddened, but completely understanding of your request. She hopes you get better soon."

He gave her a nod, keeping his smile on his face. It dropped the moment Winter left the room, his shoulders drooping a bit. "Shit."

"You seriously told Sonata you didn't want to speak with her?"

"I'm not ready yet, Weiss. It's too fresh for me. I'm still dealing with Cadence from time to time, and I'm getting over losing Aria. I just… need a little more time. But I promise, I will speak with her." he said firmly.

"As long as you see her and talk about what happened between you two and the Fall, that's all that matters." the former heiress said firmly. Her eyes drifted to her partner, who was already munching on her chicken tenders. "You better grab your food before Ruby eats it all, Levi."

"Yes! Leave me some barbecue sauce, Rubes, I've been wanting tendies for such a long time!"

"They're so good, especially this sauce. Weiss was right, everything is better in Atlas!"

"I never said that!"

"Shut up, just eat! Hand me my ice cream, it's been so long since I've had some, and someone give me a head pat for doing a good job flying here!" Neo's scroll cried as she pulled the lid from her small tub of ice cream. Levi let out a chuckle, shaking his head. He really had missed this. Being in a safe place with nothing to worry about, it finally let him relax his guard, something he feared he'd never get to do.

xxx

"I had a dream about her… about Sona, I mean."

Weiss looked up from her scroll, seeing the far-off look on Levi's face. Despite it being firm, neutral, she could see the hurt in his eyes. "It was a dumb dream… a conversation we had prior to the fall."

"What was it about?"

"Why she chose Beacon over Atlas," he replied. She noticed his lips curving upward slightly, his gaze shifting toward her. "We connected a lot whenever Cadence and Aria weren't around. She was the one I felt the most comfortable with. I mean… she must have felt the same about me, given she was always half-naked around me,"

"She's always been like that," the white-haired woman mused, sitting up a bit in her seat. "I've known her since she was around twelve years old. She used to be a girl of lower income than ours. So I wasn't allowed to speak with her, but when her father struck it rich with his Litcoins, my father saw him as a… potential investor."

"Ah yes, the monopoly man needs money to fund his empire," he said, making her choke on her spit. She coughed loudly, glaring at him. "S-sorry."

"Anyway, when we first met, Sonata was a shy girl. She didn't really speak with anyone, but she always had this idea of being a huntress. She did say something about not wanting to join the military. It must have been terrible waking up, finding out what had happened, and then being forced to join because you had no other option."

"I'm sure she's made peace with it by now but… I just…" he paused, glancing at his missing limb. He stared at it longingly for a moment, closing his eyes. "I'm scared of what she'll say, how she's going to react."

"To seeing you?"

"To everything, Weiss. To Everything. I know I shouldn't blame myself for not being there for my friends. But Aria died saving her life and then I just disappeared. I walked across Mistral on a revenge plot that went nowhere. I should have instead been there with her, as her friend and her teammate. I promised her we would become hunters together, and I failed her,"

"Levi, that isn't your fault and you know it. We all went through a lot in Mistral, and we're still recovering from it. But I doubt Sonata is going to say anything to you, aside from calling you a dumbass for blaming yourself. After all, what happened was entirely out of your control. We know who's responsible and we'll deal with it accordingly," she said, fiddling with her braid. "You don't have to be scared of facing your friend. I'll be there with you, who better than me? Someone who knows her as well."

He chuckled, shaking his head as he lay back in his bed, giving her a smile. "What would I do without you?"

"Eat chicken tenders with Ruby until you got a stomach ache," she replied, holding back a laugh. "She really put them down, didn't she?"

"Hey, after eating Shrimp Flavored beans for a few days alongside whatever shit we dug up in that farmhouse, I'd tear into my first piece of meat too."

"But we ate venison!"

"Uh… something, something… other white meat?"

Weiss sighed, shaking her head. "Asshat."

"Hey, when I get out of this five-star hotel I'm staying in, would you mind giving me a tour of Atlas? I've always wanted to come here. I want to see if the lights of the city are the same as Vale's." the miqo'te asked, causing her to look up from her scroll. She gave him a bright smile, nodding. "Awesome. I get to see where you grew up."

"Trust me, you don't want to see where I grew up, it's cold and dreary, not to mention empty," she said, sighing. "I should visit my mother, but knowing father is there I…"

"Hey… you don't have to go anywhere you aren't comfortable going. How about we make a promise? When you're ready to go back home and see your mom, I'll speak with Sona." he said, holding his hand out, his pinkie raised. "No backing out, and you have to cross your heart!"

She paused for a moment, glancing down at her chest, remembering what lay beneath her dress. She put those thoughts out of her mind, as she crossed her heart, wrapping her pinkie around his. "I promise."

"Wonderful! Now grab your scroll, we're going to play Team Tetris! Me and Alto have the high score and I wanna see if I can shatter it!" he said excitedly, as he flicked his scroll open, holding it tightly in his left hand. Weiss rolled her eyes. Her novel, while interesting, could wait just a little while longer.


Four Days Later…

"Whelp, you've made a full recovery, Levi. I'm happy to announce as of this moment, you are free to go!" Doctor Gold said cheerfully, holding his tablet scroll out to him, along with a stylus. "I just need your signature and we'll get your paperwork ready,"

Levi took the stylus in his hand, signing his name across the dotted line. The doctor smiled, placing his scroll in his pocket, turning around briefly. "Now then, the General dropped these off personally a few hours ago. He's going to be waiting for you at the Academy's front entrance along with your team. Special Operative Schnee will be by in around ten minutes to escort you. If you need help changing, let me know and we'll get a nurse to help you."

"I… think I can manage," Levi said, glancing at the three large boxes on the mobile table, along with a bag which contained his clothing. The doctor nodded, taking his leave for the moment.

The miqo'te took a deep breath, reaching for the table, pulling it closer to him. He opened the small box first, in it lay the first of his prosthetic replacements. A brand new right arm, though unlike Yang's, which connected up past the elbow, this one would connect to his forearm just below it. It was a smooth white color, the inner parts being a shiny black color. He picked it up from the box, looking it over a moment, seeing how light it was.

"Wow… this is really lightweight. Dust-infused metal, light yet durable. Atlas what would the world do without you?" he asked himself, as he held it up to his arm. He snapped it into the place, feeling it almost awaken the moment it did. He opened it and closed it, staring at it in awe. "Holy shit, it feels so real."

After fiddling with his new limb for a moment, he opened the second box, finding his new leg replacement inside. It was in the same style as his arm, black and white. It was slightly heavier than his arm and with good reason. It couldn't be too light as it would throw off his fighting style, but it also couldn't be too heavy or else he'd have a hard time moving. It almost resembled his missing one, leading him to believe they had used photos of him to create it. He swung his good leg over the edge of the bed, hiking up his hospital gown, seeing the scars left behind from Adam's attack.

Much like with his arm, his leg went on with a snap. Once he was used to the odd feeling, he stood up from his bed, stumbling a bit. He hung onto the table, getting his balance a bit. The soft mechanical movements of his leg reminded him of his new life. He shook it off, taking a deep breath as he walked around. He gave a few kicks, satisfied with his new limb.

"Two for two, let's see if the tail is any good," he muttered, almost chuckling to himself as he opened the final box. There it was, a mechanical-looking tail, resembling the one he had lost, only it had no fur, and was a smooth silver color, in an attempt to match the missing limb. He noticed it was a bit longer than his original limb, and had an odd rounded tip. He shrugged, spinning around for a moment, finding what was left of his original tail. He snapped the new one into place, shuttering a bit as a shiver went up his spine. "Okay, that one felt weird."

His limbs finally in place, he decided to get dressed. He grabbed the bag with his clothes, pulling everything out. He whistled a bit, impressed with what he had been given, finding some familiar garments as well. "Whoever picked this out has good taste. Probably Weiss and Alto."

It didn't take him long to get dressed. Once he was done he stood in front of the full-length mirror, looking himself over. He was wearing a pair of thick black pants, with white thermals underneath. He was wearing brand-new leather combat boots, reaching up to his shins. On his torso, he was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, over a white thermal shirt, which peeked slightly from beneath it. He was wearing the scarf Neo had given him around his neck, the bow tied to the left. Finally, he wore a red-lined, white jacket, which he kept buttoned up halfway, the lapels folded back. He left the collar raised, the red lining being visible. He folded the sleeve back, leaving his prosthetic arm exposed, as a constant reminder of what had happened to him.

"I clean up nice," he said softly, moving back toward the table. He reached for the medal Winter had given him, placing it over his breast pocket, making sure it was fully secured. He grabbed his glove, slipping it onto his hand, making sure he had his scroll and everything else that belonged to him. He heard a knock on the door, making him jump a bit.

"Levi, are you ready yet?"

"Oh uh… yeah, I'm all set," he said, allowing Winter to fully step into the room. She looked at him with a scrutinizing gave, earning a similar hardened look in return. Her face softened a bit, giving him a smile.

"You look good. Are the prosthetics working alright?"

"Yes… they feel… really natural," he said, opening and closing his hand. His tail flicked around, just like his real one used to. He was honestly having trouble accepting it wasn't real.

"Great, I'm sure Doctor Polendina will be pleased to hear that. If there's anything wrong or anything you wish to change about them, he'll gladly take care of you. Now then, we need to bring you back with your teammates. We also need to get you your weapon back, along with your fixed cloak."

"I knew I was missing something," he said, glancing around the room. "I feel naked without it,'

"Well then, let's not keep them waiting. I'm sure you'll be very happy with the repairs we did to it. It belonged to your mother didn't it?" she asked, earning a nod from the young man. "We figured as much, we wanted to keep it as preserved as possible, which is also why we couldn't merely get rid of it. Step lively, we mustn't keep them waiting."

The walk was silent, and if Levi cared to admit, very awkward. He didn't really know what to say to Winter. She felt stiff, almost like a mother, yet not exactly one. He could tell she cared deeply about Weiss and her career as a Special Operative. There were a lot of questions he wanted to ask, but he didn't really know where to start.

"Um… Winter?"

"Yes?"

"How long did it take you to become a Special Operative?"

"Four years of training in Atlas Academy as well as two years in the military. I took my career seriously and my training even more so. I wanted to make sure my merits overshadowed the name I was born into. So I gave it my all, and rose through the ranks, far faster than any of the other cadets in Atlas Academy. It takes people upwards of 10 years to make it where I am, but I am an exception." she replied, glancing down at him. "Are you interested in becoming an S.O.?"

"Perhaps? I dunno. I've been thinking a lot about what I wanted to do after I got my license. I know we have to fight against Salem and protect the relics, but I also want to do something else with my life, you know?" he said, ears flat against his head. "I guess, I didn't really have a plan after Beacon. All I did was walk across a continent in hopes I could kill the one who was responsible for the attack on Beacon."

"And did you?"

"No… I put myself in the path of danger, almost got myself killed, dragged two good friends into it, and well… there is so much more that I don't even want to discuss. I've been reflecting a lot on everything. I've told myself before that I need to grow up, to face the music, and stop playing kid games. But I keep doing the same shit. I want to be a huntsman, that hasn't changed, but I'd like to have a plan B if that makes sense." he admitted.

"Hm… being a Special Operative takes a lot out of you. You have to be ready to do things that most people wouldn't be willing to do. To put the security of Atlas and Remnant before yourself. I've made a great many sacrifices in the past to get where I am." Winter said, slowing down to a stop. She turned to fully face him, looking directly into his eyes. "You have the skill and experience that rivals fourth-year students in any of the four academies. Take your training seriously, do as you are told, and maybe, just maybe, you'll make it to where I am."

"I will. You know, you and Weiss share a lot of similar traits."

"Oh?"

"Yep, no-nonsense attitude, diligence, and focus, same icy cold stare that scares the crap out of me. It does make me wonder, do you have an angelic voice like her?" he asked, making the woman frown.

"I'm afraid I don't. The last time I tried singing, I ended up killing our neighbor's dog."

"Well then, I'd rather not hear you sing then," he said, instinctively flattening his ears.

They settled into a comfortable silence, both focusing on their walk toward the entrance of the Academy. Levi was just glad to see more of Atlas than he had when he had been transported to the academy, or what he could see from his windows. Thankfully, the walk didn't last much longer, as they arrived at the entrance hall, where the rest of his friends, alongside Qrow and General Ironwood had been waiting.

"Levi!" Nora cried, almost knocking him to the ground, he stumbled a bit, groaning from her tight embrace. "I'm so happy to see you not dying and stuff!"

"I'm happy too Nora, let me breathe!"

"Oh, sorry," she said, releasing the young man.

"It's good to see you, all of us were worried," Jaune said, holding his hand out. Levi looked him over, giving him a handshake.

"Sorry I worried you guys, you look good with that haircut," he said cheerfully, glancing around at the others, locking eyes with the General. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long."

"Of course not, this is a momentous day for you, for all of you. It is the first day of your new lives here at Atlas Academy. I have given your friends time to accommodate themselves in the academy and get used to their surroundings. They have been taking some low leveled missions in Mantle to get them used to the work, and I extend that offer to you as well. Though you deserve the same amount of time to get to know the place. So, I decided to give you all the next few days off." he said, earning happy murmurs from the group. "However, you all start your real mission bright and early on Monday morning. You will all be sent an email on Sunday with directions to the Huntsman and Huntress Briefing Room, where you will all receive your missions."

"We expect you all to keep up your training and make use of all of our facilities. You have experience from your time in Mistral, but experience isn't enough. Diligence and Focus on your craft will help you strengthen it. Your fellow cadets, huntsmen, and huntresses are invaluable tools for you. Use them well, and if you need anything, do not hesitate to ask us."

"Thank you so much, General, for everything. If not for you, I'd likely be walking around with a peg leg." Levi joked, holding back a laugh.

"It was my pleasure, after all, your mother was a close friend of mine. It would be a disservice if I didn't help her son during his hour of need. Do enjoy your off time, come Monday, you'll be put through the wringer," he said firmly.

"Uh, sir… we're not allowed to say stuff like that,"

"Don't fret, Winter, I am allowed a joke or two," Ironwood said, taking his leave. Once they were gone, Ruby zoomed up to Levi, holding a bag in front of herself.

"Here, I was practically about to explode with excitement! General Ironwood sent your cloak out to be fixed, and Doctor Polendina ended up making some adjustments to it," she said. He reached inside the bag, pulling the garment out of it, his eyes widening a bit.

"Oh wow… I haven't seen it be this white in years."

"We got it dry cleaned, among other things," Weiss said, smiling. "It uh… kept me warm, and covered when my dress was… you know. I was the one who insisted on getting it fixed."

"Thank you, Weiss. I appreciate it," he said softly. He pulled the garment around his shoulders, securing it tightly to his jacket. The garment extended downward, being a few inches above the ground, the edges glowing a bright blue. The inside was lined with crimson red felt, along with a hand-stitched image of his emblem. The outside, of course, featured the red rose his mother was fond of, right smack in the center of the back. "Is this hard light dust?"

"Yep, Doctor Polendina figured lining it with some hard light dust would keep it from tearing and fraying. It also makes it look ten times cooler in the dark." Yang said, smiling.

"I couldn't get mine done because my cloak was torn and frayed everywhere. I should have taken better care of it," Ruby said, sounding dejected.

"Come on, Ruby, you got a brand new one, one that's way more durable than the last one," Blake said, trying to cheer her friend and team leader up.

"There is one more thing we wanted to give you, but I figure we could give you the tour first. We have a few things we wanted to talk to you about, regarding things," Oscar said, breaking his silence. Levi looked around, noticing Alto was absent, making him frown.

"Sure, no problem. By the way, where's Alto? I assumed she'd be here,"

"She wanted to be here, but she was getting some things settled with her Huntress-in-Training license. Since she took a year off, her license ended up expiring, so she had to take some written exams and some physical training exams as well. She should be done by the time we're done with the tour," Qrow said, his speech was surprisingly normal. "Come on, let's get to it. There are some places in Atlas that I'd like to show ya. That way you'll have new hangouts that aren't the academy grounds."

"But first, the important things! How do your new limbs feel? Are they heavy? Do they vibrate? If you punch a wall and it hurts, does that mean you are too weak or too strong?" Nora asked, making Levi blink rapidly. "What about your leg? Does it have rocket thrusters like Penny? Or is it just a regular boring mechanical leg?"

"Nora, you're overwhelming him," Ren said, pulling the feral-looking girl away. "I apologize for her,"

"Don't worry about it," he said with a laugh. "My new limbs are wonderful, Nora. They don't exactly feel like the ones I'm missing, but it's pretty damn close."

"That's exactly what I felt when I tried mine on. You don't really feel pain, but you do get this funny feeling from time to time. Hell, there are times I'm scratching my arm, because it itches, and then I remember it's fake and I end up having to fix the paint job," Yang said, giggling. "I'm getting a brand new one, I can't wait for you to see the new shit I added to it."

"All of us got new upgrades for our weapons, they weren't up to Atlas Standards," Jaune said, making air quotes with his hands. "Weiss handled the upgrades to yours, they were minor, compared to the rest of us."

"Your blade was chipped, and the stock needed some more varnish, and the cylinder needed replacing. There are a few other things that I'll let you discover," she said, giving him a wink.

"Awesome, I can't wait to see it. For now, let's focus on this tour, eh? I wanna see where we'll be hanging our hats for the foreseeable future."

"We'll start with the Grand Library then, it's way bigger than Beacon's. And yes, Levi, it has our favorite books," Blake said, a grin on her face. He grinned back, feeling a sense of joy wash over him, one he hadn't felt in a long time.

Things were changing rapidly for him, but he was excited to see what his new life in Atlas would bring him. Even if a part of him was worried about the creatures that moved in the darkness.


A/N: This is probably the last update I'll be doing for a little while. I am a bit busy at the moment, real life has been a pain in the butt. But it is what it is. I hope everyone likes what has been added to this story, and if not that's fine too. Let me know how I can improve, alright? I am always looking for ways to improve. I can be hard on myself and always believe my writing is bad but eh... I think all of us are like that. Well, until next time, see you~