They had sealed the wall inside of a day.
A combination of Professor Goodwitch's semblance and a healthy dose of ice Dust conjured to fill the gap once the young army had blitzed north and bought the two of them time in blood. Stopping any more Grimm from getting into the city, or escaping their doom inside.
The powers behind them had waned so far they could no longer teleport vessels through the immaterium into the city.
All day and night Hunters and soldiers roamed in packs slaying all the Grimm they came across. Bringing down the last mighty Goliaths and digging the pervasive Daemons out of the holes they tried to bury themselves in. But no one knew for sure how many remained in the city.
Atlesian soldiers drilled civilian volunteers in basic tactics and weaponry to fill idle hands. Search and rescue efforts continued, picking survivors out of rubble to fill the few hospitals and aid stations that had been secured. Teams were deployed securing food stuffs and water sources to feed the thousands of civilians that were now confined to the southern quarter.
By day three they were sure no one would starve for at least a little while. Trucks had been repaired and groups volunteered to make the long dangerous trek of labor from the inner city back to the camps carrying all that they could.
Looters were a surprising problem. Opportunists of low moral character ran rampant through the hundreds of empty buildings. Some even dared attack the Hunters. But on the seventh day they were certain the vultures had all been culled or fallen back into more accepted behavior.
Day five and day six were spent in forays beyond the wall. Questing to reactivate some automated defenses and warning systems. Mostly to ward off the flying Grimm, but also to reduce the potential threat of land bound creatures climbing the massive sheer wall. During these days beyond the city the young Hunters encountered the refugees.
Survivors from villages and outposts near Vale, and denizens of the city who had managed to escape during the battle. Coming back to their kingdom drawn by the hope of safety in numbers, or to forage for food in a place the city folk were much more experienced with no matter the danger.
Many seeking truth behind the tales they heard of a giant leading the fight.
On the dawn of the second week as the Grimm slaughter carried on, word came in from the scouts. The beasts had begun to gather again. Seemingly preparing to make one last run for freedom, or spite the Hunters as much as they could with their final breaths.
It was a massacre,
Child's play to anticipate the path to be taken through the city and lay in wait for the Grimm's arrival.
The shadow beasts suddenly found themselves trapped in a ring of steel and guns. Tripping over their own feet as Dust, energy bolts and solid slugs ripped them apart and what few survived this fusillade had to face the vengeful blades of the charging young Hunters. The metallic clank of hybrid weapons unfurling the last thing many Grimm would hear.
Down they advanced, for once outnumbering the nightmare creatures. Confidence in their stride, no longer screaming their terror away holding ground against the tide.
Axes flashed, hacking off limbs. Swords lunged for the gutting stroke. Spears stabbed for heads and vulnerable eyes. Flashing knives and other swinging cudgels struck at bending joints laying monsters low. Stepping on dissolving corpses as they closed in on the last.
A lone Beowolf, twisting back and forth looking for any opening against the stormy eyed youths. It snapped and feinted at the lead ranks but they held their ground.
No one was afraid anymore.
The beast growled baring its teeth.
From behind Sun jumped forward shoving the wolf onto its knees with his bo-staff in both hands. It snarled then tried to turn and claw for the monkey Faunus, but Sun nimbly cartwheeled back out of range. Letting Neptune swing his trident down to cut off the Grimm's deadly left hand that was planted on the ground for balance.
It howled in pain as it fell towards the ground, a howl which was silenced when Scarlet slammed a knee into the bone white mask's side. The Grimm feebly tried to rise again, limbs trembling with effort and growling with the last dregs of a bottomless will to continue killing. Until Sage swung his greatsword up and down, like the falling lid of a coffin.
Splitting the Grimm clean in half.
Silence followed the carcass tumbling noisily down onto the rocks beneath SSSN's feet. The moment of victory taking several seconds to take root in the young minds. The fact of all they had accomplished after teetering on the edge of defeat and extinction was difficult to fathom.
They had driven the Grimm from Vale.
They had won.
Hearts beat loud in each and every breast, until the gathered Humans and Faunus together let out a cheer fit to reach the clouds above. Spirits and weapons up as high as the warriors could raise them. Sounding their cry of triumph across the city.
Faces turned to the tall figure glowing with the mid-morning sun behind him, red greatsword balanced back on his leather clad right shoulder held in a heavily bandaged hand. His favored garment recently repaired and presented to him several days ago by the younger Schnee Heiress.
Indulging a moment to drink in the feeling he thought would never find him again,
Pride.
It brought a smile to the waiting giant's face. If only for the briefest of moments.
Kad quickly reminded the others that victory did not mean that work was over.
With a new spring in their step, the Hunters and Soldiers marched back to their encampment next to Vale General Hospital. This venerable place of healing the busiest it had ever been during the crisis. The warriors made sure to stay well out of the way of the smaller army of doctors, nurses and volunteers looking after the wounded.
Finding the way back to spaces they had claimed as their own in the apartments adjacent. Now set to rest, eat, repair weapons and tend to personal hygiene as best they were able.
Or regale their teammates with tales of the battle.
Yang couldn't help but smile, watching Ruby and Nora dance like Atlas drama stars with moves that had no place in real combat while recounting their version of events with all the skill of a four year old orator.
"First they went like, Rar!" She held up her hands bending at the wrist to imitate talons, "And then we,"
Nora brought her hands down like she was shooting a gun from the hip, "Ba-ba-ba-ba, All of em' bang down, two hundred,"
"No three!" Ruby corrected,
Not to be out done Nora exclaimed, "No Five Hundred!"
Both were stopped with the constant inflating numbers when a hand came down onto Nora's right shoulder. She turned to see silent stoic Ren giving her a nod attempting to calm her down, "I think we all know the number that truly matters…"
He cast his lilac eyes up to the others he gathering their attention.
"Zero," Ren said.
Their lost looks of confusion shifted onto the long haired boy so he elaborated,
"Zero. Every Grimm in Vale has been slain."
The youths now smiled in agreement and understanding. Riding back up on the high of triumph. Days ago when the battle started, in the moments between desperately fighting for survival none of them could have pictured what a victory would look like. Or even if there would be one. But against all odds and expectations they survived, the heroes triumphed over the darkness.
A slight grin came onto Ren's face as well, "I think we can all be proud of that."
Nora however scowled, "Zero's not a number…"
And Ren could only sigh and try to massage down the little headache that appeared right between his eyes. The others however broke out in laughter.
"It's the number zero Nora,"
"How can nothing be a number?"
"It's not nothing it's zero."
"Which is nothing!"
The two old friend's argument carried on downwards, drifting into the background hum of conversation and activity that had found its way from Beacon's halls to their ramshackle base camp. Together Team JNPR began to slowly shift away from their friends ever so slightly.
Giving little red caped Ruby the opportunity up onto a broken slab of concrete into her best leader pose with hands on hips in front of her team she intended to address.
"Evil is vanquished and good is triumphant again!" The young leader exclaimed before she panned her beaming gaze across the other three girls that were her team sat in a semicircle on slabs of a toppled support pillar. From right to left, Weiss Blake and Yang. "So how are you all doing?" Ruby asked,
Weiss gave a sigh, "The facilities here are horrendous…"
"Uhh…" Ruby paused the little pep talk she was about to engage in,
"Seriously," The Heiress continued, her right hand raised for emphasis, "We've been sharing the same restrooms with at least a hundred other people for days. And it's always the last team that wants to clean the restrooms to do it since,"
"Uh huh," Ruby tried to agree,
"And I know it's still early but what are we going to do in the colder months? We can't,"
"Okay, okay," Ruby halted her partner with two palms up. Weiss bringing up somethings she had not even considered, "Well…How's Winter?"
"That's what I was trying to,"
"No. I meant your sister," Ruby explained.
"Oh. She's fine," Weiss said, "Professor Goodwitch is keeping her busy."
"Alright, little better," Ruby muttered to herself, "…What about you two?"
Ruby directed her attention and silver eyes to Blake and Yang. Their Faunus teammate decide to air her grievances first,
"I think I miss the cafeteria the most honestly," She said, whimsically looking to her left at the silhouette of the academy,
Yang sensed where her partner was going, and in mild panic tried to cut her off, "Oh no, we are not doing this! We're not going into food por,"
To late, Blake began to fantasize out loud, "The fresh fish of the day… Tuna… Pasta nights at the buffet when they brought in that cook from town. When they made that Mistrali ramen and sauce..."
Unable to help herself Weiss began to fantasize out loud as well, "The ham and pumpernickel flatbread sandwiches. The gourmet fillet, in fresh green salad plus the vinaigrette. Thursday's dinner rolls straight out of…"
Yang threw both of her hands up into the air in surrender, "Come on! Boring! Cheeseburgers… And fries. Big ones. With a whole chocolate milkshake to start off dessert!"
"Start off?" Blake asked her partner,
"Oh yeah!" Yang said with a grin, "Dessert is the most important meal of the day."
"…Dessert isn't a meal."
"At our house it was."
"I'm... Not surprised," Blake sighed and looked up to Ruby, "I don't suppose we need to guess what you miss most from the kitchens?" She said with a little smile,
"Umm," Caught off guard the scythe wielder could barely mutter, "Bangaw… Bangaw caught some rats last night…"
The other three girls froze. Only hearing one piece of their leader's latest statement, one that made them collectively sick.
"Excuse me?" Weiss exclaimed,
"Bangaw," Ruby explained, "That guy on team,"
"I know who he is," The Heiress interjected, brushing aside Ruby's explanation, "Please tell me no one actually ate them!"
"Uh…"
"Don't tell me you ate one?!"
"What? No!"
Yang brought her right hand up to her mouth, feeling the contents of her stomach rise, "…Hu! I'm gonna puke!"
"I wasn't eating rats!" Ruby shouted in denial.
A small noise brought three of team RWBY's awareness to their fourth member. One rarely heard during their tenure at Beacon. But easily recognizable. It was Blake. She was starting to laugh.
"What is so funny?" Weiss asked turning from imaginations churning her intestines.
"Nothing," She said trying to give a dismissive wave, letting her smile persist for another few moments, "I'm glad."
Ruby tilted her head, "Glad about what?" She asked,
"To be alive. To be here with all of you. Everything really."
Their leader smiled, "Yeah," Ruby said, "It makes me wonder how things will be when we really get back to normal…"
But in the midst of her sentence the young scythe wielder was cut short. A noise like a bomb going off stopped her dead making all four girls and most of the camp jump in alarm. As a yellow bolt of lightning sprang up from the ground and arched across the city scape from the other side of their make shift barracks.
They all knew where the blast came from.
And Yang's cheery mood disappeared like rain on a warm sidewalk.
"Right," She muttered as a scowl crossed her face, "Normal."
Ruby looked to her sister, "Do you…"
The blonde shrugged, "Might as well. Come on."
Luckily this time the giant managed to catch himself on one of the many stout stone edges in this arena of rubble as the energy threatened to overwhelm him. His right knee pushed up another small mound of muddy ash, staining his mended black pants yet again. His heaving breaths were long and ragged as the shock left his system.
Two others uncovered their ears and opened their eyes in the higher tiers of fallen stone, another similarly unbraced herself from an automatic response her body had initiated.
Alicia, Raven and Penny sat in a row left to right fair arms reach apart what they had deemed an acceptably safe distance from Kad and his experiments.
Every moment he had to spare not fighting Grimm or putting out one of the thousand other little brush fires that came from managing what was left of the city, Kad spent here in this secluded blast crater. Running his right hand that had healed into a mass of scar tissue beneath the wraps of bandages and healing salves close to the relic crystal, sat on a nearly perfect cube of stone in the center of this place. The messenger bag he kept it in down by the base filled with the insulating cloth and some other supplies.
Kad kept gathering some of the energy flowing within. Trying to train his body to withstand more and more.
Sometimes the results were more extreme than he intended. Like the lightning bolt that had shaved off another rooftop corner when Kad had to let go lest he risk destroying everything in a hundred meter radius. Again. But each moment holding the wrath of nature in its purest form brought him more understanding.
Some understanding, just the barest awareness of potential. But not yet an ability to act upon it. For what he gained was lost when the last dregs of power had withered and died within his aura and body.
Many times he tried to replicate this with other types of crystals. Fire, ice, electric and dozens of more now dead shards were stacked off to his right. Yet nothing felt even remotely similar to the force within the shard which he could still barely even explain to himself.
As such progress was painfully slow. Towards an end he could not even imagine.
Kad reached out for Ignis, grasping the red blade by the hilt in his left hand. Using the weapon as a crutch to push back up off the ground. The giant swayed off balance, taking a step back and bringing his covered free hand up to his forehead while his eyes swam in colors.
Alicia cupped her hands and shouted, "Are you okay?!"
"I'm fine," Kad answered taking the hand against his head and closing those fingers into a fist before his face, "Just a little dizzy,"
He turned one eye to the girl on the outermost left,
Raven scowled, before raising her right hand ever so slightly and turning it clockwise,
Kad heard the telling sound of a vortex opening. A noise he had instantly memorized when he and the onyx haired Huntress began their little recurring dance. It came again, like metal struck and humming. A dark spot sprouted and grew in size right in front of Kad who had raised his right hand the moment he first heard the noise and sensed the gentle swell of aura.
The thousand kilogram hunk of concrete smacked into the flat of his palm, powerful fingers crushed down tight. Holding the ragged piece of masonry aloft, rather than smashing it to pieces in a punch this time. After three heartbeats, with his arm muscles starting to burn Kad turned the block and set it down to the ground with a crunch.
Alicia turned and scowled at the other girl, arms crossed with both hands now on her black leather sleeves. Though this time refraining from drawing her knife like the first time she realized what Raven had tried to do.
She slightly understood why Kad let the dark Huntress continue with her attempts to cause him harm. To keep the giant focused and attentive during this training, so he said. But that didn't mean Alicia had to like it.
A light electronic chirping noise drew Raven's red eyes down to her scroll. After a moment she stood and nonchalantly turned around to leave the arena, anything she felt over this latest little joust with the giant hidden behind a carefully crafted mask of disinterest.
So far she had made good on her oath to watch Kad's every move. Becoming a new constant shadow at his side. Looking for any sign that the Huntsman was planning something. That this was all just another elaborate ruse to seize power and control. So far she had found nothing to warrant her suspicion, and he seemed to welcome this new supervision.
Kad didn't just need to think he was doing the right thing this time, Kad needed to know.
Alicia and Penny moved in the opposite direction. Down towards their friend. Concern plain in their eyes,
Alicia reached up for Kad's still healing hand, "Here, let me see," She requested,
Kad pulled his hand dodging his partner narrowly, "I'm fine."
"Let me see…" The request had an edge in it this time as the red haired Huntress raised her palm and voice.
"Don't worry," Kad tried to assuage her,
"Someone has to since you obviously don't. Have you even slept since this whole thing started?"
"Not my record yet. A couple weeks without sleep is normal. Though what about you? You've gotten just as little sleep as I have."
"Blatant lie right there."
Growing more and more irritated Kad turned to leave, "I told you…"
He managed a single step before collapsing. A single sound of surprise left the giant as the little strength he had regained disappeared like it was never there and Kad nearly fell down again. Catching himself on the rock Raven had hurled at him with his left hand and the sword within. Painfully pressing his knuckles down between the hilt and stone. Small rocks scattered by his ungraceful dive.
Alicia threw her shoulder into Kad's side to try and keep her partner up, but only managed to slowly help turn him to a sitting position with his back to the slab. The effort breaking Alicia's words into fragments.
"Sit, down you, big…Idiot…" She managed to mutter, standing up and wiping the beads of sweat from her brow once the giant was seated.
"Dammit Kad," She scolded, "I…"
"Yeah, yeah… You win, I'm bloody…" He sucked in a deep breath, "Sittin down," Kad said, holding up his right hand signaling what he couldn't say as more stars swam in his eyes. Laying his sword gently on the ground and leaning back with a groan.
The concern hidden behind the steely pointed exterior began to show on Alicia's tanning face seeing the state Kad was in.
"Don't move," Alicia commanded, "I'll be back with some food… And you're gonna eat it even if it's some of Ren's algae juice."
Kad gave a wheezing laugh, "I've had worse."
With that Alicia turned and began to climb. Soon leaving Kad alone in the pit with Penny.
The two turned their heads to look at each other.
Nearly at eye level with Kad's impressive stature down on the ground. Penny tilted her head and ran her left hand up pushing some loose hair back behind that ear. Kad shifted uncomfortably sliding his back closer to the rock.
Without waiting for his permission Penny took his injured hand up and began to unwrap the linen stretches, Kad did not protest. At least not out loud. She tried to be gentle, but the bandages had practically become glued to Kad's flesh and her peeling them away made the giant wince ever so slightly.
Penny did not fail to notice this and paused, looking back at his face, "Bandages should be changed every couple of days to prevent infection and allow one to clean their wounds."
He nodded, old news to him. Beacon's lessons were basic in the subject of first aid but he still remembered every second of those classes. And more from the time before he came to the school. She cast away the old bloody cloth, quickly knelt grabbed a fresh bandage from the nearby bag and stood again. As she began to rewrap his burns Penny spoke again.
Asking a question. One which caught the giant off guard.
"Kad, are we friends?"
"I… Umm…"
He could not answer,
Kad knew the girl was friends with some people he thought very highly of. Some of which he might consider to be his friends again after he abandoned his mission under Cinder. But in some parts of his heart he truly didn't believe. She was a powerful warrior and had his respect in that regard. He had grown accustom to her presence at his side in the last few days.
But were they friends?
Penny sighed, "It's alright, I've,"
Kad interrupted her, "No. No, I don't think we're friends…"
The android's heart sank.
"But…" Kad continued, slowly, "I, would not, be opposed to,"
Now beaming Penny threw her arms around Kad's broad neck and shoulders before he could finish. Her strong arms pulling her shoulder into his throat,
"Ach!" Kad coughed, left hand raised in reflex, "Pen, huh!"
Her emerald eyes widened like saucer plates, "Oh!" She quickly took a step away, "I apologize."
Kad rubbed his throat, "It's okay. Though a little warning next time would be appreciated.
She nodded, "Anyway. Why I asked is… Is because I want to ask you something else."
"Alright," Kad said,
"Something, personal…"
The giant's eyebrows drew harsh lines on his forehead, but they quickly disappeared, "I'm not keeping anymore secrets Penny. Those have already cost me… Cost me too much."
"Then may I ask?"
"Go ahead."
She inhaled then exhaled a deep calming breath, "What are you?"
"…What do you mean?"
"You're not Human are you?"
"What makes you say that?"
Penny shifted her green eyes away then back again, ""I've seen what you can do. Not just by watching you fight. I… scanned you… Several times…"
His curiosity raised along with the hairs on the back of his neck Kad let the girl continue, "I've made a couple, observations… More than a couple. Just, it's everything about you. Strength, size, your behavior even in some ways... Did you know you have two hearts?"
Said organs began to beat much faster and Kad slowly began to defensively respond, feeling his back against an invisible wall, "Assuming, you might be correct. And extremely lucky with a hunch there."
Just saying such things gave it away that she was right,
"What is it to you?" He asked, "Why are you asking me this?"
Penny looked down at her own hands slowly being raised up to her chest, "Because… I want to know if… If you are like me."
Now it was the giant's turn to be confused, A hundred questions raced through Kad's mind, "Like you? What do you mean like you?"
Was she from the place as well? How much did she know?
And they all hinged on what the girl said next.
She sighed, "My father was commissioned by the government of Atlas to build a synthetic being capable of generating an aura. A fighter stronger and tougher than any other Hunter before. And I am the result of his work."
"You…"
"I'm, I'm not real" Penny said, eyes cast down in sadness, but she brightened up a heartbeat later, "I mean. I can think, act and choose… But I'm not, exactly a Human being or a Faunus. I am,"
"A weapon," Kad intoned, though Penny took it as another question,
"No," She replied, "Perhaps that was their intent. But I simply am. I am what I am."
"And you're, a robot."
"Sort of."
Still locked eye to eye Penny chose to give the giant a little more concrete proof. The black center iris expanded like a saucer plate and then contracted into a piercing pinpoint. A slight tilt of his massive head gave sign of Kad's surprise. Penny held up her right hand next to Kad's left ear. Rapidly curling and uncurling her fingers. His superhuman hearing caught the telling whirls of delicate modern cog work and the tiny puffs of working pistons. Finally Penny brought that palm down face up exposing the minor cuts and abrasions across the pale skin from the week's long battle.
Carefully she took her left hand and peeled back one of the more severe cuts. The ichor that flowed through was clear as ice, not the shades of crimson the giant was all too familiar with. And down into the wound Kad saw the polished metal supporting frame in the shape of bones that definitely didn't come standard on a Human being.
"Hmph, well. That explains a bit," Kad murmured,
"So…" Penny began again, "What are you?"
He looked down to his bandaged hand. The giant let out a weary sound of pure misery "…I don't know."
"…You don't?" The pupils of Penny's artificial eyes widened,
Kad shook his head, "No… I can't say that I'm like you,"
He picked up the old blood stained bandage for emphasis, "But you're correct… With your question unasked… I suspect, I wasn't exactly born naturally… I don't know what I am…"
"Well, you must know something?" Penny continued after a silent moment she took to process, "Don't you? Where did you come from? Do you have a creator? A father like mine?"
"I, don't really know," Kad said, "I remember bits… Fragments, of… A place. A place I was taken from… And… And, someone… But I don't know what they mean. It just feels like I'm living in a dream sometimes. And I could wake up in one of two places… That everything I know is just lies and half dreamt, and painful fantasies…"
Trying to direct some deductive reasoning to this conversation and keep the giant from trailing off into wandering silence Penny asked, "Do you know where it was you were taken from? Atlas? Mistral?"
No place on Remnant he knew that,
"No I don't know where… Where I come from," He told her, "I don't know what I am…"
"But you must have theories?"
"I do."
"Well, what are your theories?" The girl asked,
He looked to the crystal at his side, clenching and uncurling his wounded hand, "I know I said I wouldn't keep secrets Penny. But I can't tell you what I don't know… And I don't want to scare people with what I suspect."
"Then you're still keeping secrets," Her tone was neutral but it boiled Kad's blood.
"I will tell everyone if I figure it out myself, but until then," He almost growled, but settled down quickly enough and tried to change the subject, "So… Do you think your father made you to wield that?"
He nodded to the crystal,
Penny looked at it, "I am unsure, it is a plausible explanation. He never mentioned anything like it but I'm sure if I asked he would tell me. Do you think General Ironwood knew? He was a large part in my commissioning."
"Maybe, though Ironwood wasn't on the best of terms with Ozpin at the end. Though I can guess why,"
"Well… There is one way. Let me,"
"No," The giant stopped her there,
Penny blinked in surprise, "I'm not saying I'm going to take the crystal permanently,"
"Believe me I'd let you if I could," Kad's tone was as firm as iron, "Penny you're not strong enough. That thing almost killed me… I… I…"
He let out a deep breath, "I don't want to take the risk that I'll hurt someone else."
"I'm stronger than you think," Penny replied,
"Probably," Kad acknowledged with a nod, "But regardless I am saying no.
With that Kad stood cradling his injured hand while he moved to the other side of the pit. Casting a deep shadow over Penny. Back to chewing on his thoughts in silence.
"Is that all?" The girl asked,
He turned his head, "What?"
"Is that the only thing bothering you?" Penny asked, moving closer on his right so Kad didn't have to strain his neck trying to look at her, "You think you'll hurt someone?"
"No, that isn't bothering me,"
As he prepared to carry on Penny interrupted him, "Then this is about her,"
His spine bristled, all the wounds and old scars on his body seemed to give off a collective twinge of phantom pain, "What is this Penny?"
"You're moody, withdrawn. You're not yourself,"
His heart sank even deeper to the bottom of his chest when Kad responded. Dark truths coming out of his mouth,
"You don't know me," He said, "And none of you can even begin to understand what I'm… What I had… What I've…"
The giant's heart beat began to rise. Teeth clenched he managed to stop himself and the cruel clutches of emotion digging in his chest that were chopping his words of hurt to bits. Just when he was on the ugly verge of lashing out blindly Kad froze,
Froze when he felt the light pressure from Penny's hand now wrapped around his right wrist, and her quiet voice offering words of warmth to her friend.
"Kad, it's okay to be sad… To have regrets…"
"This…What I'm going through… This is not about what I had to do… It's not about, the future… Just, the only thing that's going to bother me is that they all… She, she called,"
"Kad! You down there?!"
The shouting voice of his Faunus teammate Co'Balt cut Kad's pouring heartbreak short.
But Penny was happy he felt he could talk to her.
Kad took in and let out one last deep breath before he gently squeezed Penny's hand back and then let go, turning to face the direction of his teammate's voice.
"What Co'Balt!" He called out over the crater,
The Faunus' horned head crested the rim, dirty blue vest and grey shirt being buffeted by the light breeze. Co'Balt' put his right foot up on a piece of rubble and leaned down on the bending knee,
"CRDL's back. And the Marshall's awake again."