Chapter 17: Mistral's Angel

Pyrrha Nikos panted, drenched in sweat. A massive slab of metal fell to the ground in front of her. Hansel Kobalt, who was standing off to the side, nodded in satisfaction. "I think we can call it a day." He said. "You can relax now, Nikos.'

Pyrrha looked at Hansel, surprised he was actually calling it a day. After hearing about Team RWBY's detention, Pyrrha had been admittedly nervous about this special training. "Are you sure, sir?" She asked.

"You're at your limit, Nikos." Hansel told her. "No, you're past your limit. Continuing would only hurt you at this point. You may have been Sanctum's champion, but you're nowhere near the point where you can safely train beyond your limit."

Pyrrha sighed. "I can't argue with that." She admitted.

Hansel raised an eyebrow. "You're...surprisingly submissive for an undefeated champion." He noted bluntly. "Are you not even going to argue with what I said?"

"You are my teacher, sir." Pyrrha pointed out. "That typically makes you the smartest guy in the room. Whatever criticism you may have for me, I'll take it without any issue."

Hansel took a look at the metal slab Pyrrha had been lifting constantly for her Semblance training. "A pretty impressive haul though. You lifted more than your previous record from your solo training." He noted.

Hansel sighed. "But none of this is going to matter if this does not lead you to unlock your other powers."

Pyrrha's face fell at this. "I take it you still haven't noticed anything different?" He inquired curiously.

Pyrrha shook her head. "No, sir." She said before looking off to the side. "Is it...possible that my soul simply did not...mesh with the previous Fall Maiden's?"

Hansel hummed thoughtfully at this statement. "I'm not an expert on this subject." He admitted. "What I know is combat first and foremost and the mechanics behind it."

Hansel ignited his hand in black flames. "Our Semblances are manifestations of our souls, just like our Aura is." Hansel reminded her. "The Maiden powers may be magic, but according to legends, and Professor Ozpin's history lessons, magic, once upon a time, was a part of our souls, just like the powers we have today."

"Which means, theoretically, that as long as Ironwood's creepy-ass machine worked, you should have the Fall Maiden's power, as your souls were brought together."

"But I still don't feel any different." Pyrrha pointed out.

"Your body is adjusting, Nikos, you shouldn't expect results so quickly." Hansel told her. "This is why we're holding these training sessions. To build up your body so that you can handle the Fall Maiden's powers. If I had not properly trained myself to peak condition, I would've ripped my body asunder with my own Semblance, the same applies you and your new powers."

Pyrrha nodded in understanding. "So it's just a matter of time and work." She mused. "And when that happens...our souls will be…"

Hansel sighed. "What are you worried about now?"

"Sir," Pyrrha said, "if you were in my position, would you be worried about losing your individuality? Your very identity? Who you are as a person? And all of that was replaced by something you don't even recognize?"

Hansel fell silent at that before sighing. "You know," he said, "it's a little late to be having second thoughts, don't you think?"

"I know," Pyrrha said, "but...I came here to Beacon to get away from the identity of Sanctum's Undefeated Champion. I wanted to just be Pyrrha Nikos. And now, I'm in the midst of some sort of soul-merging with the closest thing Remnant seems to have to a demigod."

Hansel gazed at Pyrrha before shaking his head in resignation. "Nikos," he said, "I'm no therapist. Nor am I the type to comfort people. The only thing I know is what I believe to be the truth...no matter how bad it hurts."

Pyrrha fell silent at that statement. "At the end of the day, you chose to step inside that machine." Hansel reminded her. "All decisions have consequences. And unfortunately...that possibility is the consequence you must face."

"But you can't falter." Hansel told her. "Self-sacrifice is a part of the Huntsman's life. It's certainly not always glamorous brand deals."

"If you're that concerned about losing who you are though." Hansel continued. "My advice would be to make sure you have no regrets. Do what you came to do with the time you have, no matter how long or short it may be."

"...You never struck me as the type to talk of existentialism." Pyrrha admitted.

Hansel groaned. "Geez," he muttered, "between you saying that and Team RWBY questioning me treating them to pizza last night, I'm starting to wonder if I'm just cursed to have people make assumptions about me."

"But the point stands." Hansel got back on track. "At the end of the day, it's about being able to leave this world with as few regrets as possible. There are a lot of things in my life I wish were different...all I can do now is make sure things end without more regrets."

"Anyway," Hansel realized he was probably opening up a bit too much to Pyrrha, "go take a shower and go back to your team. I'm sure they're waiting."

Pyrrha rose to her feet and bowed. "Thank you for the session today, Professor." She said politely before leaving. "And...thanks for the advice."

As Pyrrha left the arena, Hansel was drawn to the sound of boisterous laughter. "Ho ho!" Peter Port suddenly lumbered into view. "It looks like Barty and I owe Glynda money. You grew into your position faster than we expected."

Hansel narrowed his eyes. "You better not have gambled on something involving me again, Port." He growled.

Port just smiled. "Come now, young Hansel, it's all in good fun. And besides, our bet serves as a lovely reminder of just how much you mean to Glynda. When she heard Barty and I talking about how long it would take for you to grow into your new job, she immediately got involved and bet it would take you this exact amount of time."

Hansel grumbled at this, blushing slightly at how much he meant to his adopted mother. "Why are you here, Port?" He asked. "It can't just be because you wanted to tease me about some damn bet."

"That is quite correct," Port nodded, "I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's a crowd of reporters at the gates of Beacon. They're here to talk to you."

Hansel's face darkened at that statement. Port's face fell slightly, as evidenced by his own mustache frowning at the look on the boy's face. "Took 'em long enough." Hansel said simply, before adding, "so, does Professor Ozpin want me to speak with them?"

"Of course not," Port shook his head, "him and Glynda are trying to get rid of them right now. I'm all for a free press, but they're bothering the students on what's supposed to be their day off."

"This is another reason why I prefer being on the road." Hansel held his face in the palm of his hand in exasperation. "No obnoxious assholes with cameras prying into my life. The world's already made up its mind about me anyway, so there's literally no point to holding any more interviews."

"If I may," Port suggested, "perhaps showing your best side to the media would help? Living with most of the world hating you can't be healthy, Hansel. You're every bit the manly hero as the rest of us are. It's not fair the way they treat you."

"I never said it was healthy, and I never said it was fair." Hansel shook his head. "You can't erase the past. The dead will remain dead. And the pariahs will remain pariahs."

Port watched in sympathy as Hansel trudged off to get some peace and quiet in his room. "The Cursed Family...the Kobalts." Port muttered sympathetically. "While I don't agree with what they did, I at least always respected the lengths they were willing to go for Remnant's sake, and that's more than I can say about everyone else. And bearing that in mind, it's just not right how Hansel's the only one left to deal with the brunt of all that hatred. Bottling up his emotions like that is not healthy. It's going to break him at this rate."

Port sighed, remembering what Ozpin had told the faculty the day he announced he was bringing Hansel back. "It pains me to do something so pragmatic to the boy...but the reality is he is a valuable asset that we need in this school."

"Sir, Hansel is a boy, not a possession." Professor Peach had spoken up before Glynda could voice her objection on such a statement.

"I know, but I need to think about everyone's future...even if it means putting him in such an uncomfortable position." Ozpin admitted, sounding audibly pained.

"If I may, sir, what does Hansel's presence mean for everyone here?" Port had asked, trying to keep everyone on track before this devolved into an argument.

"Hansel has experiences in battle that make him a perfect teacher for the students." Ozpin had explained. "But as a soldier, I need to make sure he does not remain on such a self-destructive path. Wouldn't you agree, Glynda?"

Port's face fell at the sight of Glynda's concerned face. "Yes."

"Every report we receive from him shows an unhealthy obsession with his mission. Combine that with the way he is treated by the general populace and we see a dangerous desire to succeed born inside of him." Ozpin had sadly noted. "I am concerned...that deep down Hansel has self-worth issues that are causing him to bury himself in his mission."

"I cannot allow someone with such talent to ruin his own life. So, I'm hoping that naming him a teacher will give him something else to devote his time and energy to, and consequently give him a greater sense of worth."

I have believed in you for a long time, Professor Ozpin. Port thought to himself. I really do hope you're right about this one. I don't want to see him destroy himself either. No one deserves that.

Everyone's the legendary hero of their own story…I don't want his story to end like that.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of Beacon Academy, Professor Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch calmly made his way into the crowd of reporters, taking note of a few students who were reluctantly and nervously responding to the questions of the media.

"What's Professor Kobalt like?" He heard Velvet Scarlatina respond to a reporter nervously. "Well, he's very tall, and muscley. What? What do you mean has he done anything weird to me because I'm a Faunus? He hasn't done anything like that."

"He's tough, but he's a good teacher." He heard Weiss Schnee recite to the crowd of reporters in front of her. "He has no issue with pushing any of us to our limits, but it's done with the intent to make our generation of Huntsmen a strong one. But when the day is over, he's willing to show a more personable side, such as treating students to dinner."

Ozpin could not help but nod appreciatively at Weiss's experience in dealing with the media shining through. Thankfully, the other students had been giving positive, but nervous testimonies. The nerves mainly being because of the media's insistence on getting answers about Hansel.

It was here that the media noticed Ozpin and Glynda's presence and immediately began to swarm them, making the students get lost in the crowd. "Glynda." Ozpin said calmly.

Glynda nodded and flicked her riding crop. One by one, the students rose out of the crowd. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Ruby Rose shrieked as her and the rest of the students were moved safely away from the crowd by Glynda's Semblance.

"Whee!" Nora Valkyrie cheered. "All aboard Professor Goodwitch's Magic School Bus!"

"There we go." Ozpin had somewhat narrowed eyes, irritated by the media almost running over his students like stampeding cattle.

"Professor Ozpin, is it really true that you hired Hansel Kobalt as the new combat professor?"

"Professor Ozpin, what about his age?"

"Why wasn't anyone informed of this? As a member of the council, didn't you think you had a duty to inform people what you were doing at your school, in light of the Vytal Festival?"

"Professor Ozpin, aren't you concerned about your school's reputation? What about the safety of your students? Isn't there an inherent danger having a Kobalt around as a teacher?"

That last statement almost set Glynda off. Ozpin could feel her Aura spike in rage. I better defuse this before Glynda goes Mama Bear on these reporters. Opzin thought.

"Yes, the rumors are true, the current combat professor is indeed Hansel Kobalt, an 18-year-old. Certainly not the kind of age you'd expect a teacher to be. However, as far as combat knowledge goes, Hansel is the best qualified person for the job." Ozpin explained, wanting to go through each question as quickly as possible to get them out of the away.

"The council was aware of Hansel's return to Beacon Academy, but not as a teacher. As headmaster of Beacon, I am allowed to make decisions I believe best for my school, without constant scrutiny from outside forces. I apologize if this caused concern for anyone, but I do stand behind my decision. As headmaster, I must concern myself with what I believe is best for my school, first and foremost."

"As for the last question I will gladly testify that Hansel is a good man who will do great things for his students and for this school. I don't care what his family history is. As far as I'm concerned, he's his own person. In this world, ignorance is dangerous, and in this case can cost us valuable allies like Professor Kobalt in the fight against the threats that live on our doorstep. In other words, treating people like a pariah, such as him for the things his family did, to me, is far more harmful than whatever fears anyone else has of his presence at Beacon."

"And I can assure you," Ozpin narrowed his eyes, now growing increasingly defensive of the young man he trained and raised for eight years, "those fears are absolutely unfounded. Whatever his flaws, Hansel is a good man who will do good things for this school, and you can quote me on that."

The press fell silent before a brief moment before resuming their "assault." "Would it be possible for you to bring Hansel Kobalt out for an interview? We would love to hear his opinion on the matter?"

At that moment, Glynda spoke up. And it was clear from the tone of her voice that she was not happy with their very existence at the moment. "Hansel is a very busy man with little time to take part in interviews. I'm afraid you'd be waiting an eternity to get a chance to speak with him. Now leave, you're bothering our students."

The press did not seem to care about that. They simply continued shouting, demanding that Hansel be brought out for an interview. Glynda growled under her breath and whispered into Ozpin's ear. "If they won't leave that technically means they're trespassing." She pointed out. "Can I just beat them up?"

Ozpin sighed. "Don't even think about it." He whispered back. "You'll just get your name dragged through the mud. Hansel wouldn't want you to do that for his sake."

Glynda grumbled at this. Ozpin sighed. "Glynda, the Great War was not fought to crush things like a free press. We'll come up with another way."

Ozpin's lips then curled into a very devious smirk. He had an idea to get rid of them. A perfectly legal idea. So, they're really that hungry for an interview? I believe it's time to teach this crowd to be careful what they wish for. Ozpin deviously thought to himself.

Ozpin reached into his pocket, took out his scroll, and dialed a certain number. "Bartholomew," he said after a few moments, "would you please come out to the courtyard? There are some reporters that could use the input of a man of your intellect."

On that day, the hero of Beacon Academy, was Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck. The students had still been watching the exchange, so they had front row seats to the utter demolishing Oobleck handed out to the vultures that were the mass media.

The thing is, Oobleck rarely was allowed to do interviews. Not because he was hostile to the media. Quite the opposite. He loved the press. People who asked questions and wanted to learn? Those were his favorite kinds of people. Unfortunately, the press did not reciprocate his love, big time.

Not that Oobleck noticed, of course. He did not realize that Ozpin only called him out here just so he could get rid of the press in his own special way. So, the man just droned on and on about subject after subject, which by the way, was part of a single, long-winded answer to his thoughts on Hansel's presence in Beacon.

"...In conclusion," an hour later, Oobleck was finally wrapping it up, "Ignorance is a very dangerous state, especially when it involves our fellow man. As history should tell you, we live in a world where we do not have the luxury to divide ourselves out of fear or hate for certain people. Any historian will tell you that the Grimm were far more dangerous to humanity in the Great War than the people fighting it were. This certainly does not excuse the actions of people like the Kobalt Family, but that does not mean we ostracize a white sheep from a family of black ones. It means we welcome that sheep into our flock wholeheartedly."

Oobleck took a deep breath. "Any questions?"

Each reporter and cameraman looked like their souls had been sucked from their bodies from this hour-long answer. "No," one replied softly, tiredly, speaking for everyone, "no more questions."

Glynda uncharacteristically chuckled, watching as the press filed out of Beacon like zombies. "Damn vultures." She said spitefully. "That'll teach them for trying to harass my Hansel like that."

"You are truly a terrifying woman when you don't like something, Glynda." Ozpin muttered under his breath.

While Beacon had managed to keep the media from interviewing their new combat professor, word still got out, unfortunately, as evidenced by the top story on every news outlet in Beacon.

Elsewhere, in the kingdom of Mistral, a certain older woman with beautiful crimson red hair reaching down to her back. Her blue eyes shone as she gazed at the TV before her from inside her study.

"...So, what do you think Hansel Kobalt's presence in Beacon as a teacher means for Professor Ozpin, who's popularity has resurged since the Vytal Festival?" Respected journalist Lisa Lavender asked.

"It's hard to say," the guest admitted, "while Professor Ozpin's judgement was vindicated by how his students conducted themselves during the invasion, the act of knowingly hiring someone with that name could very well cause his popularity to tank. It will depend on whether people trust him, or fear Hansel Kobalt more. We'll just have to wait and see what his approval looks like."

"Thank you," Lisa addressed the audience once more, "with this stunning news, some supporters of Faunus rights, strangely not including the White Fang, are questioning how someone from such an infamous family can be hired, and yet plenty of Faunus still find it difficult to find work. Joining me with her thoughts on the matter is our chief correspondent on all things Faunus-related, Hana Kumiho."

The camera panned over to a beautiful orange-haired bespectacled girl with fox ears. "Hana, great to see you. I haven't seen you since you left to do your piece in Mantle." Lisa noted.

"Great to be back, Lisa." Hana said pleasantly.

"Hansel Kobalt," the redheaded woman mused, "what an interesting turn of events."

With that, the woman quickly dialed a number on her scroll. "Hello Ted, sorry to call in the evening, but would it be possible to prepare my private aircraft for a flight to Vale, first thing tomorrow? Wonderful, Ted, you are not just a pilot, you're an angel."

The woman hung up and pressed a button on her desk. She then spoke into an intercom. "Gin, Chrysos, could you please enter my study?"

The clearly important lady waited as two individuals dressed in black entered. The first was a young man of eighteen years old with a scar over his right eye and black hair that had a streak of white in it. The second was a hulking behemoth of pure muscle with tanned skin, a completely bald head, and sunglasses covering his red eyes.

"Sorry for calling you boys so suddenly." She said. "Something important came up."

"Whatever it is, we as your bodyguards are ready to serve, Milady." The hulking man known as Chrysos Agamemnon said obediently.

"Oh, I don't deserve either of you boys." She chuckled. "We're flying to Vale tomorrow. I want you both to pack whatever you may need."

"Vale?" Gin Byakko, the young man next to Chrysos, was surprised. "Is this official business, Ma'am, or a social call?"

"Gin, her reasons matter little." Chrysos reminded him. "As her guards, we do not question, we simply protect."

"It's fine, Chrysos," the woman promised, "to answer your question, Gin, it's both."

Gin grinned. "Sweet, it's been awhile since we've seen Ms. Pyrrha, she's gonna be thrilled when we drop by."

Chrysos nodded in agreement. "We'll be ready to leave tomorrow, Lady Circe."

Circe Ithaca, brilliant politician, caring philanthropist, and aunt to Pyrrha Nikos, smiled at the dedication of her two best bodyguards. "Now that's what I like to hear, dismissed." She said, the two men leaving her study.

Circe's attention was then drawn back to the news. "...Now, hold on, Hana." Lisa spoke up. "Are you saying that the Faunus should not be angry that someone like Hansel Kobalt can find work, but they only can if they work in the mines?"

"Lisa, that's not what I'm saying at all." Hana shook her head. "My point is, nobody is owed a job. Our society, thankfully, is transitioning to a pure meritocracy, where the best qualified are able to find work."

"But what if there was a Faunus more qualified?"

"Professor Ozpin pushed for Leonardo Lionheart's position as Headmaster of Haven, he campaigned on his behalf relentlessly." Hana reminded Lisa. "I don't doubt Professor Ozpin's commitment to giving everyone a fair chance. Not necessarily equal outcomes, but equal opportunities."

"And that, Lisa, is what the Faunus truly want, not equal outcomes, but equal opportunities. The day we start demanding the former is when our society truly starts to decline. If I'm going to ask for a Faunus to be given a fair chance in a similar scenario, I must say the same for Professor Kobalt. I won't ask my fellow Faunus to rally behind him, as my job is to report and investigate. All I ask is for them to take what we know, the different sides to this story, and to form their own opinion."

Lisa was still stunned by Hana's shocking stance on the matter but managed a chuckle. "You're taking a very unpopular opinion to this, Hana. I'd warn you, but you seem to be used to playing devil's advocate."

Hana just laughed. "Playing devil's advocate can be fun." She admitted. "Especially when you think it's for the best."

"Anyway, I couldn't help but notice a lack of comments from Professor Kobalt. So, if he's watching this, I hope he'll one day agree to an interview." Hana continued, now addressing the audience. "I give my word as a dedicated journalist that it will be fair."

"...I'd give my word too, but a politician's word rarely means much, no matter how much good you want to do." Circe sighed, still looking forward to the social part of her trip.

But not looking forward to the business part.

And with that, a new week at Beacon Academy began. Going into their first combat class of the week, Team RWBY and the rest of their classmates were admittedly nervous about today. They had all seen the stories the media ran on Hansel last night. And they were worried he might be...particularly pissed about them.

Thankfully, whatever issues Hansel had with the media, he did not seem to be letting it bother him, as evidenced by his focus on a sparring match between Ren and Yatsuhashi. "Depending on your style," Hansel explained, "this sparring match needs to show you either how to fight someone faster than you, or how to fight someone physically stronger than you."

"Daichi, Ren, stop for a moment." Ren and Yatsuhashi did as asked.

Hansel looked at Yatsuhashi. "You're incorporating my advice into your fighting style, Daichi, your balance is already starting to improve. Good job. If you fought that Mercury Black again, you'd do better."

Yatsuhashi bowed in respect. "Thank you, sir."

"Ren," Hansel turned to the JNPR member, "you're fast, but you're not landing any lasting hits on him, and it's not just because Daichi's physical prowess far exceeds yours."

"Okay," Hansel turned to the rest of the class, "who can tell me why if this were a real fight, Daichi would win right now? Cast aside parts like the fact Daichi has a year of experience on his side."

"Well," Blake raised her hand, "it's as you said, sir, Ren's not landing any lasting hits. He's not striking any of Yatsuhashi's vital areas."

"Exactly," Hansel nodded, "as deadly as speed can be, it's not a decent weapon when used alone. Take Rose for example, she has recently tried to incorporate her Semblance into attacks to increase their impact. A damn good idea."

Ruby proudly smirked. "A good idea indeed." She said, making Hansel roll his eyes.

"Ren," Hansel turned back to Ren, "the only way you can win is for your opponent to lose. Battle is pretty black and white like that. And the only way your opponent can lose is for them to be rendered unable to continue. Which means even if you are fighting a physically superior opponent, you need to win."

"So use your speed to your advantage, concentrate on hitting your opponent's vital areas. No matter how strong they are, they fall over from being hit in the vitals like everyone else, unless they've got a bullshit healing factor."

"Like you, Teach? You never seem to fall." Yang pointed out.

Hansel sighed. "Yeah, I guess I do heal pretty quick." He admitted. "Obviously, it's not a perfect strategy. You need to be able to adjust on the fly as well."

"Anyway, I want you both to spar again. Daichi, keep doing what you're doing. Stand firm, don't try to outpace Ren. Just block and attack when he's open. It's easier to block attacks when you're stationary, especially when your opponent is faster."

"And Ren," Hansel continued, "try to aim for Daichi's vital areas. His aura should protect him from serious injuries, so you're free to go all out."

"Professor, if I may." Ren spoke up. "You telling me what my strategy will be is going to make Yatsuhashi defend those areas."

"I fail to see how that's my problem, Ren." Hansel pointed out. "You can't be a Huntsmen, if you can't adapt to the situation around you. So adapt."

Ren nodded in understanding as the two students stood at the ready again. Before they could resume, they heard the sound of Glynda Goodwitch over the intercom. "Professor Kobalt, could you please excuse Ms. Nikos? She's needed in the courtyard."

Hansel frowned slightly. He turned to Pyrrha, who looked just as confused as he did. "What's that all about, Nikos?" He asked.

"I...honestly don't know, sir." She admitted.

Hansel sighed. "Well, I can't really ignore a request from Glynda. Okay, Nikos, you're excused for whatever it is you're needed for."

Pyrrha rose from her seat. Jaune gave her a smile. "Don't worry, Pyrrha." He said. "I'll make sure to get you a copy of whatever notes you'll need."

Pyrrha thanked Jaune and exited the arena, wondering what it was she was needed in the courtyard for. Immediately, she wondered if it had something to do with the Fall Maiden. Does Professor Ozpin have some sort of training exercise or mission for me to accelerate the process? No, Professor Kobalt would be accompanying me if that were the case.

Pyrrha soon reached the courtyard and was treated to a shocking sight. Professor Ozpin with two men in black, and a very familiar redheaded woman who was smiling happily at the sight of her.

Pyrrha let out a happy gasp before breaking into a run. "Auntie!" She exclaimed girlishly.

Circe Ithaca smiled and held her arms out. "Come here, Pyrrha." She said as her niece ran into her arms.

Pyrrha laughed as Circe embraced her. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were visiting! What's the occasion?"

"Hey now, you're my one and only niece," Circe reminded her, "I don't need an occasion to fly halfway around Remnant for you."

Ozpin smiled at the family reunion. "I must admit, when I was informed that one of Remnant's most famous philanthropists was coming here, I was surprised. But this little family reunion warms my heart." He mused.

For a brief moment, Pyrrha could have sworn she heard a somber edge in Ozpin's voice. She stopped thinking about it when Circe broke the embrace and smiled at Ozpin. "Indeed, thank you for accommodating my bodyguards and I on such short notice, Professor." She said with a slight bow. "You are a very generous man."

Pyrrha then noticed who the bodyguards were and smiled widely. "Gin, Chrysos!" She said gleefully. "It's so great to see you two! It's been awhile!"

"'Sup, Ms. Pyrrha." Gin grinned.

Chrysos let a small smile grace his serious face. "And it is great to see you as well, Ms. Pyrrha. I hope your time at Beacon is going well."

"Hey now, aunt gets first dib on asking questions about her life, Chrysos." Circe laughed.

Circe addressed Pyrrha once more. "So, how are your studies? Have you made any new friends?" Circe's face then contorted into a teasing one as she asked her third question. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

Pyrrha turned as red as her hair. "Aunt Circe!" She shrieked, scandalized.

Circe just laughed at her embarrassed niece, throwing her arm around her shoulder. "Come on, let's go inside, you can tell me all about it. It's been awhile since we've had any girl talk."

Chrysos immediately walked up to the two. "I'm afraid it can't be merely girl talk, Madam." He pointed out. "As your bodyguard, you must remain within my sight at all times."

"Ugh, loosen up, Chrysos." Circe teased. "We're in friendly territory. Who's going to hurt me here."

"Even so, your safety is my number one priority, I must insist I remain close to you."

Chrysos turned to where Gin was. "Gin, you agree don't you?"

Much to the serious man's shock, Gin had vanished. He immediately growled like a wild bear. "Where did that boy go?" He snarled.

Circe sighed. "Oh, if I know Gin, he's probably sightseeing around the school. New sights are like a drug to him. It was hard enough keeping him in sight when we were in the city."

"That damn brat." Chrysos growled. "He can't shirk his responsibilities like this."

"Chrysos, it's fine." Circe insisted. "Gin is who he is, and I wouldn't change anything about him. Besides, you're more than enough to protect me. I just brought him along because I knew he hated being cooped up in the mansion for too long."

Chrysos fell silent at this. "...I suppose when you put it like that, I can accept your reasoning, Lady Circe." He conceded. "However, as his senior, I must still punish him for this."

"Don't be too harsh, Chrysos." Circe warned. "He means well, and you know that."

Pyrrha sighed. "I wonder where Gin went this time?"

"Well, since this is a Huntsmen Academy, I can imagine where his first destination will be." Circe admitted. "Why don't we head there first? I simply must see the halls of the school my precious niece has been frequenting."

Pyrrha turned red again. "Just...don't embarrass me too much."

"No promises."

Meanwhile, back at the combat class, Ren and Yatsuhashi had long finished up their sparring match. Now, Ruby and Yang were going head to head, much to Yang's eagerness. "Been a long time since we had a sisterly sparring match." Yang grinned.

"That's because you always won those." Ruby pointed out. "I promised myself I wouldn't spar with you again until I could hang with you."

"I think I can now."

"I want you two to spar because of the amount of attention I spent trying to get you both to improve on your respective styles." Hansel explained. "I want to see if you've taken it to heart."

I shouldn't expect too much. Hansel added inwardly. They're probably still sore from detention. Even I took awhile to get used to my cloak when I first started wearing it. This is just to see if they've been paying attention.

Hansel raised his hand, ready to begin the match. However, no sooner had his hand moved an inch, he suddenly sensed an attack aimed at him of all people. Hansel's eyes widened, instinctively drawing his sword and pivoting 90 degrees.

The class watched in shock as Hansel blocked the kick of a young man with dark hair and a white streak. Ruby's eyes widened at how fast it had happened. I didn't even see any of them move. I only caught the tail-end of Professor Kobalt's fight with Reaper. Is this really how fast professional Huntsmen are?

"Okay, and just who the hell are you?" Hansel asked, pissed off at being attacked without warning. The attacker was now standing on top of his katana.

"Man, you are something. I was going full speed and you didn't even flinch." Gin Byakko noted.

"That did not answer my question." Hansel growled. "If you don't tell me who you are, I will treat you as an enemy, and you don't want to see what I do to my enemies."

"You don't want to see what he does to his allies, either." Yang joked. "Here's a hint, it involves running and weighted clothing."

Gin laughed and propelled himself off of Hansel. "The name's Gin Byakko, I'm a bodyguard under the service of the Lady Circe Ithaca, who's here on both personal and work-related matters."

This caught Jaune's attention. "Circe Ithaca? You mean Pyrrha's aunt? Is she why Pyrrha went to the courtyard?"

Gin laughed. "'Pyrrha's aunt', in the four years I've spent in Lady Circe's service, that's the first I've heard anyone call her that. Most people call her 'Miss' or 'Lady', but 'Pyrrha's aunt', oh man that's a new one."

Gin then realized something, looking at Jaune. "Wait a minute, blonde hair, scrawny, a dopey, unassuming face." He said as the gears in his head started to turn. "You're Jaune, aren't you?"

Jaune fell over at such an unflattering description of himself. Yang laughed at Gin's sense of humor. "Oh man, I like you." She said. "I like you a lot."

Gin turned his attention to Yang and gasped at the sight of her. His face then contorted into a smirk. "Now, now, don't say things like that." He teased as his next words surprised Yang. "Keep that up, and I might start taking you seriously. Cuties like you shouldn't tease a man so."

Much to Ruby's shock, Yang turned red at this. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," she yelled angrily, "I do the flirting and teasing here, pal! Don't you dare out-me me!"

Gin just grinned. "Is that a challenge?" He asked. "I'm not the type to back down, you know. You may find me a little hard to handle."

"I am going to tease circles around you., you jerk!" Yang vowed. "And for the record, I'm sexy, not cute! There's a difference!"

"That's what you're taking offense to?" Ruby exclaimed.

Gin laughed. "Sounds like fun, nice to meet you..." He trailed off, realizing he did not have her name.

Yang remembered her manners and sighed. "Yang Xiao Long, it's...nice to meet you, all things considered."

"Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way." Hansel spoke up, still irritated with Gin's sudden entrance. "What the hell is one of Circe Ithaca's bodyguards doing here, interrupting my class?"

"Easy there, friend, I was getting to that." Gin promised. "Like I said, Lady Circe is here on business, and I wanted to sightsee. I've never been to Beacon Academy and I just love new experiences."

"So your idea of a new experience is attempting to sneak attack someone who frankly doesn't appreciate sneak attacks." Hansel deadpanned.

"Hey I knew you'd be okay, you are Hansel Kobalt after all." Gin pointed out, smiling brightly without a care in the world. "Either you block my kick, or you just take it with no problem."

Before Gin could further justify his actions, a single voice silenced him as a chill went up his spine. "Gin," hissed Chrysos Agamemnon. Pyrrha and Circe were standing behind the hulking man with looks of sympathy on their faces.

Gin nervously looked over his shoulder, sweating profusely. "H-hey, Chrysos."

Gin immediately turned and began to run away, desperately trying to escape, only to be grabbed by Chrysos, who had appeared behind him in an instant, grabbing Gin by the neck. "No Bear Claw!" Gin pleaded. "Please for the love of God, no Bear Claw!"

"If you don't want my claw that badly, don't do foolish things like this!" Chrysos pointed out, tightening his grip on Gin's neck, making the young man shriek in fear and pain.

As the class gazed at Chrysos' punishment in a mixture of fear and disbelief, Hansel was warily gazing at Chrysos. I barely saw him move, and his Aura levels are insanely high for a bodyguard. Hansel noted. That guy's tough. Leagues ahead of that Byakko guy, in fact. Where does Ithaca find her bodyguards?

Hansel then noticed the top of a familiar tattoo on the back of Chrysos' neck. It was mostly hidden by his shirt, almost intentionally. Hansel's eyes widened. No way…

It was a mafia tattoo. As in, the guy had once upon a time been an enforcer for a mob boss. Maybe Corleone, considering the guy's impressive power level.

Circe laughed before deciding to come to Gin's defense. "I think he's got the point, Chrysos, you can release him now."

"As you wish." Chrysos nodded, dropping Gin to the ground, leaving him gasping, clutching his neck.

Circe took a moment to look at the class. "And you must be Pyrrha's classmates," she noted, "I hope you've all become great friends. She's such a sweet girl."

"Oh yeah, Pyrrha's awesome." Nora Valkyrie immediately spoke up, making Pyrrha smile.

"Yeah, super nice too." Ruby added.

"Super nice, eh? Good for you, Pyrrha, I'm so happy that you're treating people the way you should." Circe could not help but smother Pyrrha with a hug.

"Auntie…" Pyrrha groaned in embarrassment.

Circe looked out at the crowd. "I would love to try to get to know all of you before I leave. It would mean the world to me, considering how much Pyrrha talks about her amazing friends."

Gin made a full recovery from Chrysos' punishment and shot up to his feet. "I want to get to know you too!" He declared. "And there's only one way to do that!"

"Gin…" Chrysos warned.

"A totally awesome battle royale!" Gin cheered. "All of you against me!"

"Someone's cocky." Yang folded her arms.

"Actually, he has every reason to be, Yang." Pyrrha admitted. "Gin's actually stronger than I am."

Everyone gazed at Pyrrha in shock. This guy was stronger than her? Gin eagerly turned to Hansel. "What do ya say, Professor? You don't mind me hijacking class for this, do you?"

Hansel gazed at Gin quizzically before shrugging. "Go ahead," he said, "makes no difference to me. Might be a good learning experience."

"But Nikos and Team RWBY, you are barred from participating." Hansel informed them.

"Why?!" Ruby whined.

"Your team is still sore from detention, Rose." Hansel reminded her. "Don't think I haven't noticed how sluggish you all were coming into class. You would just be a liability. That's fine though, your bodies still need to adjust to the workload. As for Nikos, she knows Gin, so her fighting would be pointless."

"It wouldn't make much of a difference anyway." Pyrrha added. "Like I said, Gin's way stronger than me. Chrysos trained him, and Chrysos is one of the strongest fighters I've ever seen."

Hansel nodded in understanding. "Okay, I want everyone participating out in the arena. The rest of you, up in the stands with me."

Ruby grumbled, clearly not okay with being sidelined, but followed Yang and Pyrrha into the stands. Gin, meanwhile, had the biggest grin on his face as he watched the other 11 students join him in the arena.

"I'll let you guys make the first move." Gin promised.

"Hey, it's Chrysos, right?" Hansel spoke up to Chrysos.

"Yes?"

"How long are they going to last against him?" Hansel asked curiously.

"Not long," Chrysos admitted bluntly, "Gin is a fool, but he's a natural talent. He had the misfortune of not being able to receive a proper education due to some...past incidents. So, I took it upon myself to pick up the slack. Now, he's stronger than any other student."

Must've been quite the teacher, for a former mobster. Hansel noted inwardly.

Russell Thrush immediately rushed in to attack Gin. Gin chuckled and was immediately propelled off the ground by his boots suddenly igniting out the back, like rocket thrusters. In the process, he easily avoided Russell's attack. "Whoa, that's an interesting weapon of choice." Ruby gazed at the boots with stars in his eyes.

"They're like that Mercury's feet, but with rockets instead of shotguns." Yang added.

"And now they've lost." Chrysos said with certainty.

Hansel watched with newfound interest as Gin's features suddenly became more feral. His teeth turned into fangs, his eyes became like a wild beast's, and his own Aura flared up to the point where it almost seemed like it was an animal on a rampage. "Is he a Faunus?" Weiss asked in surprise.

Circe shook her head. "No, Gin is quite human." She said, watching as Gin rocketed back and kicked Russell in the head, flooring him and leaving him unconscious.

"It's his Semblance, which he appropriately named 'Beast Mode.'" Chrysos rolled his eyes at how childish the name sounded. "Gin can increase his physical attributes at will by transforming his body into a more beast-like state, hence the tiger-like fangs in his mouth."

Gin rocketed forward now, grabbing Dove and Sky and driving them into the concrete, leaving them both unconscious. Coco quickly transformed her handbag into a minigun, only for Gin to turn his attention on her. "Gotta take out the long-ranged fighter first." He noted, delivering a powerful kick to Coco's stomach that sent the girl airborne.

"Coco!" Yatsuhashi yelled out in concern as his leader hit the ground and laid there, motionless.

Cardin bravely swung his mace at Gin, only for the beast-like man to grab the mace and yank Cardin forward, driving his forehead into Cardin's with a powerful headbutt. Cardin groaned and slumped forward, unconscious.

Gin then turned his attention to the 6 remaining students and rocketed forward to them at speeds none of them could keep up with, and began to knock them out one by one. Nora swung her hammer out in front of her, only for Gin to leap into the air and kick her square in the face, knocking her out.

Fox managed to follow Gin's movements and tried a sneak attack, only for Gin to notice his presence and rocket himself into the air, delivering an uppercut to his jaw, sending Fox airborne.

Yatsuhashi sent out a shockwave with his blade, standing protectively in front of Jaune while Jaune desperately tried to come up with a strategy to beat this guy. However, Gin suddenly appeared out of a slipstream behind Yatsuhashi and karate-chopped him in the neck, making the big man slump forward.

"Sorry about this, Jauney-boy." Gin apologized with a feral smirk.

Jaune desperately held his shield out in front of him as Gin threw a powerful kick. Thankfully, Jaune managed to block it, however the force of the kick was actually so strong, it lifted him off his feet and sent him into the wall. Jaune could only groan, as he slid down the wall.

Pyrrha winced at her crush falling like that. But, unfortunately it was to be expected. She watched as Ren desperately tried to shoot Gin down with Stormflower, only for Gin to vanish into a slipstream once more. He then reappeared and delivered a rocket-powered knee into Ren's gut, making the young man's eyes bulge.

"Eye of the tiger, baby." Gin bragged, turning his attention to the last of the students.

Velvet Scarlatina stared at her 10 unconscious classmates in disbelief. That took a total of 20 seconds. Gin had managed to knock them all out in a third of a minute. Ruby was staring at Gin, agape. "Hey, Mr. Chrysos, you said he had no education?" Ruby asked for confirmation.

"As I said before, Gin had some misfortune early in his life, and as such could not receive the same education as you students do." Chrysos explained. "When he came into Lady Circe's service he was utterly useless, but he wanted to do well for her sake. So, I took it upon myself to make him strong. What you are seeing is the result of someone who only trained for the past 4 years. No way was I going to let a weakling protect Lady Circe. He lived and breathed training."

"It certainly made him a more confident young man. I'm proud of him." Circe admitted, watching as Gin prepared to resume his assault and end this battle royale.

Hansel could not help but stare at Gin in newfound respect. Living and breathing training, huh? Hansel noted. And not being afforded the same opportunities for whatever reason...this guy...is kinda like me.

Ruby kept her attention entirely on Gin. So this is the kind of strength you need to be a pro. She thought, gazing at Gin with newfound respect like Hansel.

Yang just pouted. "Showoff." She muttered with no sense of irony.

Velvet quickly generated a copy of a weapon from her camera. Gin gasped in amazement as Blake's Gambol Shroud suddenly appeared on Velvet's hands. "Whoa, that camera is freaking awesome!" He cheered before grinning bestialy.

Velvet bravely stood her ground, in a stance just like Blake's, thanks to her Semblance. It was actually not a bad strategy. She knew she had to use a weapon Gin had not seen yet. Fighting up close with Ember Celica was out of the question, Crescent Rose left too many openings, and Myrtenaster could not be properly used without Weiss's Glyphs.

That left Gambol Shroud as her only option…

Gin vanished into a slipstream once more. Velvet's ears twitched, managing to track Gin's movements with sound. Seeing he was going to attack from the left, Velvet spun around and swung Gambol Shroud.

Gin's eyes widened slightly as he rocketed over Velvet's swing. She actually forced him to dodge the attack. Faunus really were dangerous to fight. Their animal-like qualities gave them skills like advanced hearing, which made them great at tracking the movements of even him.

Gin then held his feet out above him and used his boots to rocket into Velvet, body-slamming her into the ground. "Not bad, Bunny-Girl," he complimented as Velvet went limp, unconscious, "but not good enough."

Gin rose up and raised his index finger into the air. "The eye of the tiger!" He yelled again.

Chrysos heaved a sigh. "Now if only he weren't such a show-off." He lamented.