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Chapter 47: Try And Try Again

That a member of the famed Team FADE was serving as a teaching assistant was a source of excitement for the first year students of Breaktide Academy despite the fact that they had been luckier than almost any other group of students to date with the regularity at which such audiences occurred. The fascination came in equal parts from the facts that Arctus Slate was a highly decorated Huntsman whose exploits made himself and his team-mates living legends, the fact that he was highly articulate, charismatic and knowledge on every subject that was brought forth for discussion and the fact that being over six feet tall and with bulging muscles which appeared as chiselled marble as they bulged against his almost porcelain white skin the Bear Faunus was an object of admiration for many students, amongst them were almost certainly those whose childhood bedrooms had featured posters of a younger Arctus or perhaps his wife.

Which was a though Athena-Jade steadfastly refused to entertain at that moment.

Team MARZ were, despite the fanfare of the occasion at their usual place towards the rear of the lecture hall where they could direct their focus elsewhere without detection if they so chose and Athena-Jade, after a few more moments of close attention chanced a glance along the dimly, but still sufficiently lit row of seats around her; she loved her brother dearly and found both spending free time and physical or practical training of any variety with him were always worthwhile and enjoyable however when giving seminars he would entertain questions that fell outside of the remit of the lesson by curious students and, if Diamond were not present to keep things in order had developed a habit of becoming overly verbose and giving long, complex explanations which Athena herself recognised as being very similar to those given by their mother. Upon scanning her surroundings she saw another group of students to her right, whispering to one another behind their hands about things which were almost certainly not something Athena wanted to hear; her own team-mates were to the right with Zirconia being the closest, the proximity and sudden awareness of the way the reflected lights from the front of the lecture hall shone in her partners' mismatched eyes as she took notes in her usual flowing script and impeccable detail left Athena feeling as though it had suddenly gotten uncomfortably warm. Putting aside feelings that her refusal to act upon was becoming more and more untenable with each passing day and moment of casual intimacy between them Athena dragged her sapphire eyes away from Zirconia who had been too focused to notice her at all and instead sought out Astra and Regalia, noting that the Deer Faunus seemed to be something of an empty shell of their usual self, signature dark make up absent and uniform collar un-popped as they stared longingly and almost desperately at the broad back of Wolfram Ironside who, along with Team WULF as a whole was in his usual place in the row ahead though Athena noted that she had not seen the two dating leaders interact with one another thus far this morning.

Beside her partner Regalia was clearly attempting to focus on the seminar being given by one of the most prominent Hunters of the age, that she couldn't do so despite her utter fascination with all things related to the craft and lifestyle involved in Hunting the Creatures of Grimm was disconcerting, prompting Athena to watch the Racoon Faunus a moment longer and realise that Regalia was in fact watching her partner much as Athena herself had been, purple eyes darting worriedly from Astra to Wolfram as though she had picked up on something the Bear Faunus had not. The short, muscular and snowy-haired teen prepared to handle the situation with all of her usual directness, likely in the form of a hissed demand for everyone to stop whatever nonsense they were partaking in at that moment and pay attention to her bothers' lecture; that impulse was halted however as Astra leaned forward, tapping Wolfram's shoulder as one might experimentally nudge something to ensure it did not shatter or explode and it was there that Athena found herself doing something she was not proud of.

Listening in on a friends' conversation.

"Hey Wolfie" Astra's throat sounded dry "You wanna do something tonight….I don't mean anything dumb like sneaking out, I mean just hang out, the two of us?"

"I can't" the bluntness of that dismissal lacked almost all of the Menagerie natives' usual warmth and fondness reserved exclusively for Astra and was almost enough to make Athena visibly start in surprise upon hearing it whilst Astra, lacking some of the same discipline could be seen crumpling in on themselves.

"Yeah sure, no problem" their voice sounded like defeat incarnate and it was at this point Wolfram realised that he had come across more cold than he had planned, prompting him to finally turn around enough to acknowledge Astra.

"Team WULF are having a meeting tonight, official business, plans that need to made, things that need to be handled….Less goofy than it sounds when I say it" Wolfram noted, adding the last in response to Laser's muffled tittering which was quickly silenced when Diabla's palm thwacked against the back of his head whilst she herself did not look away from the ongoing lecture.

"Sure, date night some other time then?" Astra nodded in understanding and promptly flopped back in their seat without waiting for an answer, their face a mask of dejection and worry despite their best efforts to hide it beneath a masked of feigned nonchalance which Regalia, proving that she understood social cues better than her quips and quotes might lead one to believe gently nudged her friend and leaned close.

"We can do something tonight?" she offered with a bright smile "We'll see if we can figure out how to unlock your Semblance-"

"What's the point?" if the comment alone hadn't been enough to choke the air out of all who heard through sheer surprise alone the fact that it had been coupled with a bitter, biting laugh certainly would "I mean let's be honest….I'm no closer now than I was when I started, all I've done is cause problems; if facing Ruby Rose wasn't enough to get a Semblance out of me then I don't know what is….So I give up, fuck it"

Hearing that Athena-Jade could sit idly by no longer.

"Giving up? Oh I don't think so, not after everything you put yourself through….You're a pest but you've earned something" the words were a muttered growl, largely indistinct beyond a buzzing snarl to the ears of their intended target so instead, seeing a lost expression upon Regalia's features as the Racoon Faunus who had struggled in her search of friends for so long floundered in her attempts to bring forth words that would help Athena-Jade rose to her feet, hopping effortlessly over the back of her seat so that she could make her way to Astra's unoccupied side without clambering over her friends in an undignified display, the beginnings of an inspirational speech closer to an insistent tirade that was equally inherited from Weiss Schnee as her brothers' verbosity and precision beginning to form in her mind, only to evaporate away as her brothers' voice boomed up to her; Arctus evidently having caught sight of the movement with eyes as keen as those of any other Faunus.

"I wasn't aware my lectures ran on so long that they needed an intermission, my apologies" there was a smattering of applause and a few mocking cheers at that, Athena noting with a mix of embarrassment and jolting, uncertain excitement that Zirconia was visibly straining not to laugh only for her expression to sour as she caught sight of Diabla's smirk. From there she clambered back into her seat and gave a wordless, apologetic gesture to her brother which she now knew he could see before turning her focus toward her apparent friends in need once more. Astra, mercifully looked as though they had been momentarily cheered up by the minor distraction whilst Regalia's features were an interesting mix of thoughtfulness and determination as she set her square jaw and, presumably concocted a plan to get to the bottom of the latest issue plaguing the leader of Team MARZ.

Seeing this Athena decided that making an idiot of herself in front of her older brother had been worth it in this instance and as such Astra found themselves spared from one of her patented glares.

Gestalt-Prime had spent the intervening time between their hasty retreat from Maiden-Gate in a rage far more calculated in its' enactment that the shrieking and rampaging of the hybrid Alpha might outwardly suggest.

They had returned towards their hiding place and lair at the blackened sands overlooked by the coastal cliffs and flanked by the Spawning Pit which Hammerfall Canyon existed to annex though their flight had been an indirect one with carnage, violent, swift and bloody littering their path. Gestalt-Prime, accompanied by the tattered remnants of a pack of Winged Beowolves still accompanying them had spiralled out across the island, using plundered knowledge of both the layout and median volumes of traffic across the network of roads between Menagerie's settlements along with expected Hunter presence in order to target several small groups that ventured too far from the limited safety of major and relatively well-patrolled routes, tearing into the meagre offerings in a bid to both satiate their packs' lingering frenzy and their own addictive urges.

With limited success.

The sentient abomination had torn every vehicle and machine that fell into their path asunder whilst their minions had feasted on flesh and bone, the twisted steel they absorbed and fleeting connection to the CCT doing little more than whet their appetite and failing entirely to soothe the itching, pounding sensation of need that set every fibre of their being alight; overriding what burgeoning beginnings of a psyche and personality existed within the Grimm's intelligence with simple base instinct which threatened to consume them if not given proper release. With violence and misery enacted however, and enough fresh material taken into themselves to keep the hybrid Alpha in some perverse form of homeostasis, their flesh and mechanical parts in fine balance they had been able to function with some degree of rationality once again.

It was this cold, calculating aura which sent lesser Grimm scurrying as Gestalt-Prime landed on the slab of rock which served as their perch upon their return.

Whilst their Alpha paid the scurrying monsters no mind the same could not be said of their companions as the Winged Beowolves came tearing down from the sky with claws and fangs bared; falling upon Deathstalkers, Creeps, lesser Beowolves and other such nightmares made flesh like a shower of obsidian meteors to fill the air with the sound of tearing flesh and chitin and shrieks and howls of rage and pain as the crucible of combat into which all of Gestalt-Prime's creations were now thrown recommenced. Tuning out the cacophony of the natural order amongst monsters reasserting itself, familiar and reassuring as the noise was, Gestalt-Prime turned their mind inwards and began dissecting their own troubled thoughts with clinical precision and wolfish ruthlessness; determined to strike at the heart of the matter and rip it clear of the whole.

The objective remained as it had, Gestalt-Prime needed to connect themselves; with a degree of permanence to the thing which the prey called the CCT so that they might forge themselves into the nexus from which the next stage of Grimm evolution would emerge, yet no matter how obvious this goal and the steps toward it appeared to be there was no way to deny reality.

They had once again failed.

Midpoint had been a test run, Gestalt-Prime could convince themselves of this much to the point that the sting of defeat did not grate against them so badly, their initial batch of winged Beowolves being scrutinised as much as the defences of the settlement they had attacked; though the matter of the prey destroying their own CCT uplink continued to trouble the Grimm, even now Gestalt-Prime did not know whether it had been the result of chance or if those who fought them had somehow guessed their intentions and actively denied them. These fears of the unknown were multiplied now, by factors higher than the abomination cared to consider after their latest failure at Maiden-Gate; that the settlement had not appeared on any of their own stolen and integrated maps should rightly have served as a dire warning instead of the glistening opportunity it had been wrongly identified as and now the thinking Grimm was left to ponder how a single opponent had laid waste to a sizeable portion of their enlarged forces before they had even reached their goal and then held Gestalt-Prime themselves at bay before ultimately denying them, showing of a dizzying array of abilities which were inconsistent with the Grimm's knowledge, both from the memories of the Hive-Mind and digital information etched into their consciousness in the process.

They needed answers.

That single fact became evermore painfully apparent with each facet of the hindrances to their plan that Gestalt-Prime analysed and yet, even here it grew more and more obvious that their previous approach had been sorely lacking.

"Demo play though, testing beta build" Gestalt-Prime's shrieking howl was muted to a mutter yet still its' metallic edge grated at the air itself and sent a palpable shiver through the crowd of tussling Grimm around them, causing them cease their culling of their own ranks and fall silent with the remaining winged Beowolves; some of whom now sported scored and cleaved exoskeletons and ragged wings to shoulder and muscle their way closer to the Alpha.

This Gestalt-Prime ignored, looking beyond their minions and to the vast expanse of darkness flanked by jutting spires of bone and violet crystal erupting from the black sand around it and lapped at by seawater which was the Spawning Pit they had claimed as they began to modify and correct their strategy; thus far the Alpha had been distant in their observation, sending parties of monsters to perform reconnaissance and study their foe from a distance yet now the saw the error of their ways, Gestalt-Prime understood that in order to succeed they would need a much more in depth and complete picture of what the enemy was capable of before engaging them than raw data could provide and, the part of their mind dedicated to computation added, greater supply lines and potential for reinforcements.

To that end the hybrid Alpha allowed their consciousness to drift downward from their own being and into the greater web of the tattered segment of what had once been a united Hive-Mine which they held sway over and from there they set about forcing their Spawning Pit to produce more Grimm, of all varieties at an extended rate.

Gestalt-Prime, in their fugue state let out a rumbling growl of satisfaction as they envisioned small, elite units of Grimm spreading out across Menagerie to scour and pillage the island, their movements being masked by the presence of larger forces of more commonplace monsters which would, in turn swarm together and coalesce if needed; a force hidden in plain sight which could converge in great numbers to surround and overwhelm any defence the prey mounted once it had been properly studied for weakness. A force more akin to the armies which had once invaded the island which had been Salem's domain, complete with specialised monsters for key battlefield roles.

"Welcome back gamers, this time I'm running a tank build" Gestalt-Prime rumbled, almost unconsciously as a gargantuan fin breached the surface of the roiling darkness; the body it was attached to still forming.

Regalia, as the confinement to the campus had made painfully common, was restless.

Classes had ended some time ago and the Racoon Faunus had spent as much time studying, or at least attempting to as she could withstand without being reduced to comical and increasingly absurd outbursts until finally being given a reprieve once Athena-Jade and Zirconia decided that they shared her current lack of focus on academia and departed for the gym. Left alone Regalia had soon found the silence of the dormitory overbearing and unwelcome, with the television doing little to assuage it as she could find nothing that caught her interest and she was yet to master the monthly subscription service offering countless movies both new and old which Athena had paid for with a degree of good natured complaining. Seeking an escape from her restless boredom Regalia had set off towards the campus garage where Clunker was parked, taking a winding route which passed many of the display cases, miniature exhibits and other resources which allowed Breaktide Academy to effectively function as a museum before reaching her destination with a tool box in hand and a sense of determination about that quickly faded into resigned groans; the jetbike was in immaculate order and without the chance to speed off into the city and properly let its' roaring Dust engine loose all that was left for the restless nomad to do was clean and polish its' surfaces until they were gleaming before departing once more in search of a fresh form of occupation for her mind and hands which she rubbed together in agitated habit.

She had first meandered towards the canteen, a precursor to her current destination.

With the students still largely confined to campus as Headmistress Adel's lock-down continued the canteen had been more crowded than it often was at dinner as those who regularly ventured out into the city were unable to do so and as such it had been no surprise that Regalia had found herself giving and receiving nods of acquaintance and recognition and drifting into the periphery of several ongoing conversations; the last of which had been between a group of Second Year students whom Team MARZ were on the vaguest of speaking terms with through their own tangential connection to Team BASL, it had been one of this group who had mentioned to Regalia that they had seen Astra in the library and Regalia; curious as to what it was that had taken the attention of her friend, partner and leader who had vanished so suddenly after class had promptly gathered two small take-out containers of food and departed.

Taking care to hide the yellow styrofoam boxes from view as she entered, eyes darting furtively around in search of the head librarian whose wrath she dared not invoke.

It took only a short while to find Astra, after being team-mates for almost an entire school year, a notion which gave Regalia pause when she considered it, she had come to know each of the nooks and crannies the rest of Team MARZ sequestered themselves away in as well as she had known where any member of Clan Aiktishaf could be found within their immense roving homestead and the Deer Faunus was exactly where she had expected them to be.

"Heh, need a study buddy?" she asked in a bright but muffled tone as she took a seat beside them and produced the food she had hidden whilst her eyes darted around once more. Food was of a special importance to Clan Aiktishaf and Regalia would wager to any of the other nomad clans, her people might seldom want for food now but the generations they had spent in the outer wastes of Vaccuan territory had produced a culture where sharing amongst ones' friends and family, often an indistinct line, was expected and taking the time to find or prepare an extra meal was often used in displays of solidarity, kindness or courtship. Astra, largely devoid of this context save for what little they had gleaned from their partner in conversations could still not help but smile at the display as they noted that their partner had gone to the trouble of adding condiments and seasoning which the canteen did not usually have on hand.

"Thanks….I appreciate it" their tone was weary and rang hollow though Regalia could not help but puff up a little at the comment before turning her attention toward the small stack of books Astra had gathered before them, realising from the titles adorning the spines of each heavy volume that they were not related to any assignments yet to be completed or reading that might relate to the final mission of the year which Professors had already begun to cast aspersions to; instead and entirely predictably if Regalia were honest the books seemed to relate to the nature of Semblances.

"I thought you….y'know?" Regalia gestured at the books, not quite willing to directly quote what Astra had said during their earlier lesson as if she were afraid that it might cause the idea, which seemed so foreign to the Astra she knew, to take root in her partners' mind. Her fears found a grim sense of vindication however as Regalia was left dumbstruck by Astra's reply.

"I gave it another try….I did" Astra nodded, almost to themselves as the slumped dejectedly in their seat to the point of almost leaning over its' back before locking eyes with Regalia; their expression one of utter loss "You ever think about just going home?"

"I did….You know I did" Regalia's voice was a hoarse and dry croak, food forgotten as she recalled the night where Carmesi and Grapeshot had been revealed as traitors and she, feeling her dreams crushed under the weight of that revelation had prepared to abandon her goal of becoming a Huntress.

"Yeah" Astra murmured quietly, no longer able to meet Regalia's gaze "Honestly….that's about where I'm at right now; I just don't know what I'm doing here any more" Regalia swallowed thickly, eyes stinging as she recalled when she had been the one plagued with such thoughts; it had been Athena to bring her back from the edge of a mistake that night as Astra had not been present to do so, though the Racoon Faunus refused to let that thought rankle or dissuade her, Astra would have convinced to stay if only they had arrived a few moments earlier; with that in mind she reached out and grasped their shoulders gently and trailed her hands down to theirs.

"Please don't" she whispered "Please don't go….There's no Team MARZ without you" hearing the words that they had given to their partner seemed to spark something in Astra, a guttering, wavering spark of their usual charisma which was quickly soured and reduced to a single bitter laugh.

"I don't even know if I've got anywhere to go anyway, I'm pretty much stuck" Their expression was engulfed by a sadness that threatened to consume them from the inside out "I was such an ass-hole to my Mum the last time we spoke I don't even know if Dad would let me back in the house if I showed up there now-"

They were cut off by the ocean-pressure force of the hug Regalia pulled them into.

"I'm so sorry" she murmured into Astra's shoulder, utterly aghast at what she had heard. She had always known that she was something of an oddity amongst her people and that her own path in life would carry her far from the gargantuan shadow of the Aiktishaf yet still, despite feeling as though she was misunderstood Regalia had never doubted that the Clan were her people to whom she could always return; the nomad knew that the ways of the Kingdom were vastly different but an exiling was not something to be done lightly and that Astra's own parents might consider was abhorrent to her.

"You're amazing, y'know that right?" Astra's voice cracked, every word having the air of a farewell about it which left Regalia struggling to fight back her own tears "You're a better friend that I deserve. All I ever do is-"

"Your best" Regalia choked back a sob, terrified at the idea that she might lose a friend here through nothing but a simple lack of will to go on "You never stop trying, so please don't stop trying now….There's nothing you can't get through, you're you….Anyone would tell you the same"

Regalia paused, taking in a shaking breath as she prepared a gambit so brazen that Astra might have concocted it themselves.

"Felix would tell you that"

"Felix thinks I'm an ass-hole" Astra could barely contain another fit of bitter, cracking laughter.

"He's your brother and he loves you" Regalia answered firmly, hoping with every fibre of her being that her next words paid off as she broke away from the hug the two were still locked in "If you talk to him about you're problems he'll help….His car was still there when I was cleaning Clunker, maybe he's still somewhere on the campus now?"

"Felix is still here?" Astra gulped, throat sounding raw at the sound and for several seconds they massaged their skull at the point where antlers met flesh in a futile attempt to fend off against the incessant buzzing that filled their fatigued and troubled mind even as their thoughts whirled with such rapidity that Astra could barely follow them back to their source and pinpoint exactly what had delivered the shattering blow to their resolve which had brought them to this point. After several painfully long moments they finally rose to their feet and spoke again, voice hoarse and ragged yet filled with faintest traces of steel.

"Okay, let's go find Felix" and with that they started off, Regalia falling into place beside them, preparing to use her Semblance to find the Lion Faunus in spite of her previous refusal to use her Semblance outside of class or missions; a small and hopeful smile tugging at her lips as she regarded Astra in that moment.

There was at least a spark of the partner she had missed.

Team WULF's dormitory was currently filled with a few muffled and unobtrusive sounds, specifically the sound of socks padding gently against carpet as Wolfram paced impatiently through the limited space of his teams' living space whilst in her bunk close by the towering form of Ursinia Red could be seen, the Scorpion Faunus looking almost out of place in simple sweatpants and tank-top so far removed from her usual distinctive style as she worked with a needle and thread to re-secure the badge bearing her personal emblem. The quiet was interrupted, as it had been on several occasions thus far by the sound of Laser spitting out a slew of truly loathsome curses from their position on their own bunk, whose own usual state of messy disarray was currently been added to by the sheet they had laid across the uneven surface before scattering countless small parts haphazardly across it; the Vaccuan had used several of the dozens of hidden tricks and gadgets kept on his person of late and many were in need of repair, his supply of small Dust explosives was almost depleted, the internal cooling system of his jacket had been punctured in his most recent sparring match, he had used his last tripwire for an unintended purpose, loaned out a high powered magnet and some spare parts for a scroll and the claws that deployed from the soles of his footwear had not functioned properly since the training mission against Ruby Rose; with this last issue being the cause of his current outburst.

"What in tarnation are you airing your lungs about now varmint?" Ursinia demanded, some vestiges of her sheltered and rural upbringing allowing her to remain shocked at the readiness with which her friend used language that would have been the cause of a small scandal were it uttered in her village.

"Piston's busted, just sprayed everywhere" Laser hissed through clenched teeth as he wiped away a liquid whose sludgy blackness indicated that the mechanism was severely overdue for maintenance; the reply earning Laser a snort of bemusement from Wolfram who ceased his pacing.

"You can be the one to get the oil stains out of the sheets, if you can't then you can be the on to explain to Goodwitch why you ruined her stuff" Laser's sickly greenish yellow eyes widened a fraction as his face cycled through several expressions of calculating concern until he finally prepared to offer a counterargument though before he could do so the bathroom door opened and Diabla finally entered the dormitory in a billowing cloud of steam.

"Glad you could join us darlin'" Ursinia noted, Diabla who looked as odd in her current attire of a comfortable bathrobe which made her seem far less fearsome and relaxed than she allowed herself to be as the Faunus did in her own merely shrugged.

"I'm not skipping cardio day, it's important" her tone brooked no argument or discussion and her explanation was a simple one for why she had arrived late to the team meeting Wolfram had insisted upon and promptly told her leader to wait whilst she showered. Now that the four of them were gathered however there was no longer any reason and Wolfram cleared his throat, the sound snapping Diabla into something resembling the discipline instilled in her by the Atlas cadets and causing her to stand to attention for a brief moment whilst Laser and Ursinia finally set their tasks aside and the tall and striking country girl spoke up.

"Okay partner what's all this here commotion about, aint too often you get all official on us?" Wolfram nodded in agreement with his partners' observation before answering her.

"Yeah well, you know I don't like having to….I trust you all to handle your own shit, you didn't get this far by needing to be babysat"

"Aww he likes us, he really likes us!" Laser exclaimed in an overwrought and theatrical display that earned him a derisive glare from his partner which stood in stark contrast to the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth despite her efforts to hide it; Wolfram from his part merely shook his head at the display before continuing.

"But this is one of those times where I feel like I've got to step up and say something or I'm not doing my job even if it means being in peoples' business 'cos I know you're stubborn enough to cause problems for yourself if I don't" he sighed at that and ran a hand through his wolf-tail of blue-grey hair "Look the end of the year is coming up soon right we all know that, we've got one more mission coming up pretty soon and then it's a few weeks until everyone leaves….I'm heading home, Ursinia I assume you're heading home?"

"You're darn right I am" she answered with a warm smile at the thought of the extended family she had missed dearly only for that expression to falter as she realised what would follow.

"So Laser, Diabla I've gotta ask where you two are planning on staying?"

"I didn't have anything concrete" Diabla admitted through gritted teeth, unwilling to admit to her friends that she had simply been unwilling to confront that reality just yet "I guessed I'd try and find a hostel or somewhere I could crash, hopefully pick up some hours at a store or find some odd jobs to pay for it"

"I was honestly just gonna leave my stuff here so it doesn't get stolen and sleep rough" Laser answered simply, eyes darting as he refused to meet anyone's gaze "I mean after the Overspill it's fine, I've slept in worse places and there's plenty of places you can hole up to avoid the cold at nights so-"

"And this shit right here" Wolfram sucked air in through his nose and exhaled slowly to keep his cool "Is why I have to have a team meeting to stop you from being idiots….Seriously guys, I know I fuck up sometimes but did you honestly just not think to ask for help?"

"I don't wanna ask you for Lien like that" Diabla grumbled, the grim and resolute pride of the Mantle freeholds; a thought forgotten part of a life she no longer considered her own bubbling to the surface only for Wolfram to let out a single barking note of laughter.

"Good, I wasn't offering to pay dumb-ass" he shot back "I'm saying that if you want I'll call home right now and ask Mum if she minds the two of you crashing with us for the summer-"

"And if Wolfie can't accommodate than I'm willing to bet that my folks sure can" Ursinia chimed in eagerly "Hell there's bound to be plenty of mouths to feed as is, one or two more won't matter none….And I'd enjoy the companies"

"You guys don't have to…." Diabla's words failed her, reduced to a single croak as she swallowed thickly and battled against the walls she had put in place, struggling to keep herself from being overcome with emotion at an act of kindness that went beyond anything she had been shown in her tough and bleak life so far.

"Diabla do not talk us out of a good thing-" Laser warned, he too looked almost disbelieving.

"No chance of that varmint" Ursinia assured him.

"You think this is a joke?" Wolfram's eyes narrowed "You're my team….you're my friends and look, I know I don't get sappy but you guys mean a lot to me, you actually think I'd let you end up homeless? Not a chance….I know you two have had to deal with some shit over the years and life hasn't been fair to you but you can believe me on this, we're Team WULF, we don't stop looking out for each other"

"Mighty inspiring there partner" Ursinia grinned, flashing gap teeth in her effort to lighten an atmosphere that grew dangerously close to heavy; the brief moment of relief allowing Diabla to gather herself.

"Thanks, it really does mean a lot….Wolfie"

"And now we're doing this" the burly teen muttered, resigning themselves to the nickname that had been exclusively the domain of his mother becoming a free for all now that even Diabla had used it. After a few lingering moments Laser spoke up, words strained as he gave a wide stretch.

"Honestly I just thought you were making up an excuse to not hang out with Astra, you two argue?"

It was exactly the wrong thing to say.

"Now look what you've gone and done" Ursinia berated him as she watched Wolfram fall silent and sit slumped on the carpeted floor with his back resting against the wall and an almost mournful sigh escaping him as he massaged the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

"I don't know what's going on with me and Astra right now, I mean I'm annoyed at 'em after the mission and they don't seem to get it. I don't know man, maybe it's my fault….Took a perfectly good team leader and fucked 'em up-"

"Now what in all that's good and decent are yapping about now boy?" Ursinia demanded briskly as she leapt from her bunk and strode over to her partner in a single motion, with Laser and Diabla silently retreating and letting their more qualified friend handle the matter.

"I love Astra, I really do" Wolfram's voice wavered in a way that he was not comfortable with "They made me want to do more and be a better leader, a better person….But the longer we've dated it's like Astra's changed-"

"They've got a bone head and lost a lick of common sense is what's happened" Ursinia noted, giving voice to previously private thoughts.

"They're acting like I used to….While I'm trying to be a better me Astra's turning into the old me, or a worse them and I don't know how to get through to them" at that Wolfram held his own hands out before him, indicating his Semblance as he added "Maybe I shouldn't have started dating him….I'm too good at breaking stuff to know how to fix anything-"

"Now that's bullshit" Diabla snapped from the opposite side of the dorm before a shushing gesture from Ursinia silenced her.

"Honey, Diabla's ornery and all down but nine when it comes to dealing with people but she's right on this one" the Scorpion Faunus took a seat beside her partner "And darn it I don't know a damn thing about courting and whatnot, feel like if I tipped my hat to folks here they wouldn't know the meaning so don't feel you gotta put any stock in what I say….But gosh darn it Wolfie don't you go throwin' away a good thing now, not over a little misunderstanding"

"I just….Damn it all why is this so difficult?" Wolfram snapped irritably, massaging their eyes with the heel of each palm.

"Cos if it wasn't it wouldn't be worth having" Diabla growled from the far end of the dorm, pointing at Ursinia as she added "I know less about love than she does, don't know if I really swing anybody's way but I do know that you're not a quitter….You wanna call things off with Astra that's your choice, you wanna make things work then do what Astra, the Astra that made you want to be more would do; take some time, come up with a plan and then act on it"

"Y'know….for an angry little bang-tail from out in the freezing rear-end of nowhere good she makes a point" Ursinia noted, giving Diabla a mischievous smile that was weakly returned whilst Wolfram, taking a moment to mentally pull himself back together and master his emotions let out a shaky breath.

"Yeah….Yeah you're right. I just need to talk to Astra and figure out where we stand with each other" yet for all the conviction in his words the fear and uncertainty now bubbling in the leader of Team WULF could not be ignored.

The gym within Breaktide Academies' campus, a vast place filled with the latest equipment including several pieces of machinery custom built to withstand the strain and forces its' students could implement, as was befitting of a Hunter training academy was currently filled less with the sounds of exertion and the dull thud of moving weights and more with the chorusing cheers and yells of an ongoing spectacle taking place within it.

Causing a sizeable crowd of gym-goes to gather around and form a single focus of attention that Athena-Jade found herself oddly unbothered at not being the centre of.

She and Zirconia had made their way to the gym a short while after classes had finished for the day as they had told Regalia they intended to; encountering Diabla leaving as they entered though there had been no conversation between them as Athena simply had nothing to say to the former rival with whom she remained civil when the situation called for it largely for Astra's sake. Once inside the gym and properly warmed the Bear Faunus had found her way to the free weights, donning gloves and applying chalk as she went and prepared to perform several sets of squats with Zirconia as her spotter; lifting weights that were comfortably within the triple digits of any reasonable measuring system in a display that was equal parts entirely warranted and expected as Athena trained hard as a matter of course and this had been her scheduled plan for the day and also a case of her showing off, the sheer effort involved in each motion allowing her a temporary distraction from the feeling of her partners' eyes roving over her sweat-sheened and bulging muscles and pausing longer than necessary at the sight of powerful thighs clad in tight shorts. It was exactly the attention Athena wanted but still could not muster up the courage to act on, the misinterpretation of her previous attempt leaving her resigned to letting Zirconia take the first step forward out of whatever longing awkwardness it was they had found themselves in, each uncertain of the other but wanting more whilst pretending they did not.

Whether it was a matter of watching Athena with the naked want that the Bear Faunus hoped for or simply a matter of her dedication to the task Zirconia did not leave to join the crowd as it began to gather around the sparring mats.

With the end of Team MARZ's first year as students approaching with relentless certainty they and their fellow freshmen could almost be forgiven for forgetting that there was a class of final year students preparing to graduate from Breaktide and make their way out into the world.

It was one of these students who had approach Professor and Master of countless forms of armed and unarmed combat, undisputed in her right to teach in multiple disciplines and inarguably one of the finest fighters Haven Academy had ever produced, Arslan Altan as she trained and simply bowed respectfully before gesturing towards the mats; both Athena and Zirconia had heard rumours from older students claiming that whilst not strictly a requirement to graduate it was still expected for each student to face Professor Altan in single combat in one of their final lessons and, if not emerge victorious then at least give a good enough accounting of themselves to ensure the terrifying warrior woman that the last four years of her time had not been wasted upon them. Given that this fight was conducted without weapons or Semblances it would seem that it was a mere prelude to the main event, though the volume of the ongoing cheers and how long they had continued for would suggest that the unknown upper class-man was doing better than Athena, Team MARZ or indeed any first year could hope to.

What broke Athena-Jade from her concentration however was the sight of a figure who was familiar, though their presence in the gym was not; training, if the word could be used to generously on a heavy punchbag with gusto that far outpaced their abilities.

"Okay, time for a break" Athena huffed the word out breathlessly as she deposited the weights, dropping them the last inch or so onto the resistant mats covering the ground with and audible thump before rolling out her shoulder and seizing her water bottle then making her way, on trembling legs that felt as though they might betray her at any moment and with Zirconia close behind toward a bruised, sweating and wheezing yet still determined Fox Scarlatina.

"Stop, stop, stop….Your form is all wrong, your gonna break your own wrist and fingers hitting like that, provided you don't trip over your feet first" Athena tried to sound anything but condescending and faintly bemused but could not quite keep the note of superiority from her voice, prompting Fox to whirl around and stare down at her from his far taller height, ears drooping in a sign of annoyance that Athena provided ample opportunity to direct away from himself and retort with a sneer.

"Right so I'm taking advice from the chick who wears band-aids full-time so we don't know when she got her ass kicked"

"As opposed to the current look you're going for" Athena gestured to the younger teens' bruised but healing face, stopping and raising a meaty, paw-like hand to her mouth when she heard Zirconia let out a faint gasp behind her.

"I'm sorry" the snowy haired girl stared down at her feet "I shouldn't have said that, it was out of line….How are you?"

"Not dead" Fox answered with a shuffling shrug.

"We thought you were seriously injured, we heard you were taken to the hospital" Zirconia murmured, barely above a whisper.

"I was" he nodded "It was pretty bad by the sound of things, that's why my Mum….Professor Adel, Coco-damn it y'know who I mean, she uh unlocked my Aura and tried to go through the basics of self control with me but I don't know if I'm getting it"

"Oh" Athena's mouth hung open for a moment as comprehension dawned on her and the sudden presence within the gym of the teen who had never shown much interest or aptitude for the life of a Hunter or indeed any kind of physically strenuous activity began to make sense "You're worried you'll that you're gonna break everything you touch-"

"Or hurt someone" Fox added with a sullen nod and worried expression which he quickly tried to hide. Athena chewed her lip thoughtfully for a moment, sharp teeth grating against the skin before she made a decision and set down her water bottle before taking a position beside the younger but taller and far more delicately slender teen from which she could more easily position his limbs.

"Hey Hops, I think I'm gonna have to write off some of tonight as a bust, if you wanna go work out then that's fine" Zirconia took one cursory look around her before remaining firmly where she was, prompting Athena to continue albeit with a smile that was far softer than her words "Okay, I'm gonna give you some tips and I promise this is not me trying to act like I'm better than you; but you dated my cousin for long enough for me to know that you've never been in a fight in your life….Except for that time you got beaten up that beach and we had to save your ass"

"You really are my hero" Fox snorted, disgruntled that the incident wherein he had convinced Team MARZ to accompany him to an illegal party had not been entirely forgotten.

"Just doing my job as a Hunter" Athena countered in the sing-song tone only a younger sibling could deliver before adding "I don't suppose you got a look at whoever attacked you?….I'd like to do my job as a Hunter by throwing them off the roof-"

"Athena can we talk for a moment?" the idle chatter as the Bear Faunus moved her impromptu student into a position from which he might throw a punch with any degree of accuracy, power or control was brought to a halt by Zirconia intruding with a rare forceful note to her voice, though her volume never rose above the usual muted rasp.

"Yeah, sure" Athena answered without hesitation, signalling to Fox that she would rejoin him in a moment as the two students took a few steps away "What's up?"

"Why are you asking who attacked him?" Zirconia's mismatched eyes were suddenly upon Athena and filled with an intensity of the kind the Bear Faunus had not been wholly prepared for "What are you planning on doing?….We can't risk being caught acting without permission again, you know that. We have too much to lose here-"

"Hops, Hops relax okay" Athena-Jade reached up to place strong hands on slender, yet athletic and surprisingly firm shoulders.

"We can't-"

"I know" Athena insisted "And I promise you that I'm not going to get any ideas and run off to do anything without thinking. Honestly I didn't expect Fox to have any answers, he's just a kid who got caught up in something that has nothing to do with him and now he's dealing with that and the fact he just had his Aura unlocked and everything that comes with it on top of whatever else he had going on and it's not right; I just wanted him to know that he's got people in his corner….So like I said if you need to train then I'll meet you back at the dorm but right now I'm gonna help this kid throw a punch so he's got some idea of how strong he is and how to control it"

"I see" Zirconia paused, letting out a breath she had not been aware of holding upon hearing that Athena's sudden gung-ho enthusiasm would not be manifesting in the sort of short-sighted yet admirably heroic gallivanting that might be expected of Astra which Zirconia herself would doubtless find herself drawn into despite her own misgivings. Hearing what her partner intended left the Grasshopper Faunus instead filled with a warm, comfortable fuzziness deep in the centre of her chest as she was reminded once more of just how much more than her admittedly pleasing appearance and the family name which preceded yet never defined her Athena-Jade Slate truly was.

From there Zirconia's decision was easy.

"When I was learning to control my strength, before my Guardian allowed me to start training and learning to fight" she mused slowly "He bought me my first violin and told me that learning to play an instrument would give me the fine control to do anything….If Fox isn't a fighter perhaps another method would work?"

"I knew I could count on you Hops" Athena beamed with a smile that was pure adoration, the moment stretching out as both girls wished the other would make the first move and rid them of their own nerves and insecurities; yet neither did and eventually Fox could not be kept waiting any longer.

As late afternoon blurred into evening the garage of Breaktide Academy was dimly lit and gloomy, though mercifully provided an escape from the biting chill that was beginning to set in as the sun dipped below the horizon outside. The parking lot, covered and protected from the elements as it was remained almost entirely empty owing to the lack of mobility currently afforded to the students however footsteps could still be heard echoing throughout as Felix Xiao Long and Eagle Arc entered through one of several side entrances.

"Think it'll be safe to go aboard again?" Eagle asked with a laugh that was accompanied by an exaggerated shudder "I don't really wanna walk in on those two?"

"Well let's hope that if Car isn't there that his cat at least stares at 'em until they decide to keep it to their cabin" Felix replied with a bemused chuckle. Whilst each of the famous Team FADE had been present at the academy, reporting what little there was to discuss with Coco and Ruby between aiding various Professors and giving multiple lectures and practical demonstrations throughout the day all whilst being pestered relentlessly for autographs and selfies Carcharodon Gore had been elsewhere, partly owing to the Shark Faunus serving as the purser and boatswain of the Nemesis Kharybdis whilst others who often held the rank were absent and partly to the fact that Coco Adel, being familiar with the heavy hand Carcharodon used to teach had decided that he would not be giving any lessons at her academy. With the possibility of Carcharodon being elsewhere, possibly negotiating for supplies or searching out new leads and with Felix and Eagle still at the academy Arctus and Diamond had departed before the final lesson of the day and were, both Felix and Eagle assumed, enjoying the opportunities that privacy presented them with; neither Felix nor Eagle would begrudge their friends this despite the fact that each of them, now they had been on the island Kingdom for months was beginning to feel an aching want for their own lovers however the idea of walking in on their friends in the act as though they were still students with their own dorm was hardly an appealing one.

The conversation came to a halt as the two blondes drew close to the Killer Bee, Felix's jet black and highly customised vintage muscle car where Eagle nudged him and nodded towards a pair of figures leaning against a nearby pillar where they had been cloaked in shadows.

"Heads up"

"What do they want?" Felix muttered, only partly to Eagle and with overlong canine teeth bared as he took in the sight of his younger sibling flaked by their partner; Astra's bloodshot and puffy eyes darting around nervously as though looking for an escape before they finally approached with visible apprehension whilst Regalia hung back in an apparent effort to give her partner some space and privacy, though the Racoon Faunus did give a bright smile and wave to both Felix and Eagle which the towering and freckled blonde woman returned without hesitation, followed shortly after by Felix who raised his cybernetic arm in recognition.

Regalia was, in Felix's mind a good kid who did not deserve to suffer the constant headache that Astra was becoming.

"Hey" the Deer Faunus croaked out gently, voice trembling with nerves as much as their form as their sea-green eyes darted from their brother to his partner whilst Felix simply folded his arms across his broad chest, fingers of his left hand drumming impatiently against the gleaming golden surface of his metallic right forearm; a limb which Astra was uncomfortably reminded had been cut away by Felix himself in the final battle against Salem in a show of tremendous willpower.

"Hey" the Lion Faunus echoed bluntly, whilst beside him Eagle remained silent but ready; her own large family leaving her painfully aware of how easily the tension between the two siblings could spill into something neither intended, especially with such strong personalities at play. Astra remained silent for a beat before gesturing for Felix to step away with them.

"Can we talk for a minute?"

"Anything you've got to say can be said in front of Eagle" Felix answered firmly, extending a hand out to prevent Eagle from taking a single step, his mechanical tail swishing behind him in mild annoyance at the request.

"Okay" Astra raised their hands in a none-threatening gesture and swallowed thickly before blurting outwards that cracked their voice like stone striking glass as they were uttered "I need help bro"

"You've got nerve kid I'll give you that" Felix's voice was low and imposing as his arms crossed once again "After you last mission you told me you didn't want anything to do with me, you gave our Mum attitude when she tried to talk to you and then when you came begging to be part of the relief job for Midpoint you went behind my back and decided to go looking for trouble; but now you need my help? If you were anybody else I'd kick the crap out of you right now-"

"Fluffy that's enough" Eagle warned, gentle tone laced with steel as she braced herself for an explosion of anger from either party; what happened instead was that Astra seemed to almost crumble under the weight of their brothers' words.

"I know" the words were choked out, as though the admission fought against being given "I keep messing up….I've messed up everything for Team MARZ, with you and my parents, I might have messed up everything with Wolfram and I don't even know how to stop….I was trying to do the right thing, I really was"

Seeing their sibling so broken left Felix feeling hollow as their anger evaporated.

"Come here, idiot" the last word was offered in a soft chuckle as he reached out and draped an over Astra's shoulder and pulled the teen into a reassuring, loose hug "What did you do this time?"

"Tried to win by any means" Astra mumbled and though Felix did not know exactly what they meant he had heard some talk of a training mission involving their Aunt Ruby wherein Astra had been thoroughly thrashed and could easily imagine the teen losing sight of everything around them in a single-minded and self-destructive focus that they were now paying the price for.

"Put something you wanted and your pride and ego above everything else again didn't ya?" the Lion Faunus breathed out, not willing to let Astra escape their guilt; when they nodded silently he added "Wasn't worth it was it?"

"Are you just gonna make me feel even more of an ass-hole all night?" the younger Faunus huffed.

"Will it get the point through your thick skull?" Felix countered.

"Sometimes being a Hunter means making choices that you hate yourself for….not letting yourself put your own plans above a mission is honestly one of the easier calls, even when it doesn't feel like it" Eagle noted, reaching out and squeezing the shoulder of the teen whom she had come to see as part of her large extended family with the ease with which the Arcs were known for taking others into their fold "Sometimes you've gotta be the bigger person"

"Yeah that's what Mum said" Astra mumbled uncomfortably.

"Have you spoken to her yet?" Felix demanded, seeing Astra shake their head guiltily the quickly produced their scroll and added "Well you're gonna talk to her now"

"I don't know if-" Astra fell silent upon seeing the look in their brothers' deep blue stare which made it abundantly clear that the matter was not being discussed. A silent exchange of looks between Felix and Eagle sent the taller of the two blondes over to where Regalia was still lingering on the periphery, the two seemed to get on well naturally and would no doubt find something to discuss whilst the two siblings attended to a personal matter. Sitting on the hood of the Killer Bee the Lion Faunus gestured for Astra to take a place beside him and held is scroll out so that the two of them would both be in the frame of the video call as it began and after only a few seconds the screen, flickering and grainy owing to both their current location and the usual troublesome signal of Menagerie came to life.

"Fluffy, how are you; isn't it late over….Oh, Astra….It's been a while"

"Hey Mum"

The open wastes were illuminated only by the light of the broken moon as those currently occupying a certain barren stretch of desolate nowhere had elected not to use their portable lighting rig in an effort to both conserve energy and keep them from drawing the attention of any more Creatures of Grimm after their previous encounter with a sizeable Deathstalker had left one side of their vehicles' exterior warped and corroded by powerful acid whose stench offended nostrils even now.

Though Carmesi Hueso was handling the dark far better than Major Grapeshot, as was to be expected of a Faunus.

"Oh damn and blast!" the older man spat vehemently as he was almost sent sprawling to the ground by an unseen rock jutting upwards before he could use Magnificent Ivory in its' cane form to catch himself; the outburst causing Carmesi to look up from his position crouched at the damaged side of their rough and ready armoured buggy, his crimson eyes gleaming in the moonlight as he bared sharp teeth and growled out a warning.

"Are you trying to draw more Grimm?"

"Boy don't presume to lecture me, I had seen action when you sucked at your mothers' teat!" Grapeshot thundered, face flushed with indignant fury which only deepened to an almost worrying shade as the Komodo Dragon Faunus retorted.

"And now you're old, frail and stumbling in the dark….You're going to get us both eaten"

"We wouldn't have had so much bother from the last Grimm if you hadn't used what limited supplies we had in our repair kit to fix that blasted knife of yours-"

"And if I didn't have my blades I'd be sitting in the car like a good little boy until you run out of ammunition….And then we'd get eaten" Carmesi rumbled, reaching over his back and fondly drumming his fingers against the handles of his recently repaired weapons without drawing them before spitting on the ground and continuing "The repairs will hold, our supplies and the containment unit were undamaged but we're going to need to visit another settlement soon"

"Jolly good" Grapeshot harrumphed, fiddling idly with his hat and privately wondering just what he'd be willing to trade for a warm bed and a glass of brandy at that moment, finding himself revolted by the realisation that his overzealous young companion was right in at least some regards; the Major, no so disgraced he could not claim the rank had gotten old and with each day in the wastes that passed with no sign of the abominable Grimm they had been turned loose to find the idea of retiring with a legacy larger than himself to leave behind seemed more and more like a wishful fantasy.

He was granted a reprieve from such miserable thoughts by the feeling of his scroll, the one used solely for interacting with Benefactor vibrating.

"Ah, a communique! Jolly good show!" the corners of his imperial moustache twitched and Carmesi slunk closer so that he could be seen by the shadowy and distorted form of the unknown puppeteer to whom the military man had signed over his life and decency; the modulated voice cold and toneless even beyond its' usual digitisation as the Benefactor spoke.

"Major, Carmesi"

"Good evening sir" Grapeshot fought the habitual urge to salute "Our efforts to locate the target are ongoing, rest assured that we will emerge victorious; one matter of note to report sir is that Carmesi assures me he was successful in dealing with Miss Oralie-"

"I am well aware of the fact Rowan Oralie is dead" the Benefactor interrupted "I am also well aware of the continued sloppy and incomplete work you provide….I was led to believe you were a professional Hunter of Grimm Major?"

"Sir" Grapeshot cleared his throat with a dignified cough and fought to keep his manner polite and civil despite the way the aspersions rankled "I can assure you that I have been nothing but thorough-"

"Then would you, either of you, care to explain to me why you are nowhere near the settlement of Maiden-Gate right now since I have word; from a new channel broadcasting it across several Kingdoms no less that the settlement was attacked by Grimm yesterday!" the distortion of the Benefactor's voice morphed the sound into a frightening, electric shriek and Grapeshot was silenced and shamefaced, allowing Carmesi to take charge of matters.

"Are people certain of the fact it was-"

"People know what they saw and what they are told" the Benefactor interrupted the obvious question "However I am certain that it was the work of our target, which means that those who are working against us are also certain; this cannot have escaped the notice of Coco Adel and her allies, not when Maiden-Gate is guarded by Nickel Polendina"

"Then how do you propose we proceed sir?" Grapeshot enquired, preparing for a comment from Carmesi which was all too predictable and yet still grated against nerves with its' reckless brashness.

"With decisive action" the younger man snarled "My plan has merits and you both know it!"

"Enough!" the Benefactor shot back without hesitation "Enough of this talk about your plan Carmesi! When I tell you that a Grimm almost destroyed another settlement your answer is to use the people of another settlement as bait; are you a fool?"

"Well said sir" Grapeshot, puffing himself up with open enjoyment and vindication before preparing to discuss the matter with the Benefactor further, all the while regarding Carmesi with the air of a parent removing an unruly child from the adults' table, the Faunus himself merely let out a low and guttural sound as his mind raced before interjecting in the conversation before it could properly begin again; raising a single hand to silence all parties as he made his proposition.

"What if it wasn't a settlement?" he rumbled "Grapeshot and I have a CCT signal booster, it's enabling us to speak right now….What we need is a way to amplify it or attach it to something that would draw the target; proper bait for our snare"

"And where do you propose we find such a lure old chap?" Grapeshot demanded with no small amount of condescension, to which Carmesi merely gave a satisfied growl.

"I have a plan" Grapeshot looked ready to object yet before he could do so the Benefactor spoke up.

"Does this plan put innocent lives at risk?"

"No plan is without risk….But it risks less lives than a settlement, especially given that the people at the most risk are capable of defending themselves, also given that our target is going to continue attacking settlements my plan is the safest option; even if it is….distasteful" there was a moment of lingering and oppressive silence that followed the answer wherein Grapeshot's mouth worked silently before he blurted out a forceful and disbelieving objection.

"Sir, I say you can't possibly mean to entertain this-"

"I mean to create a better Remnant, a bright new tomorrow for everyone" the Benefactor answered firmly "I have tried to do so bloodlessly where possible but it becomes clear that in this instance our own principles will have to be the first sacrifice….Rest assured Major I do not enjoy the prospect. Carmesi, you have my permission to do what you need to in order to capture your target; you will have one attempt at this and I expect you to succeed with minimal casualties"

"All who deserve to see your vision will do so" the reptilian nodded solemnly before turning to Grapeshot and sneering at the Major before uttering the older man's old maxims back to him with scorn and venom.

"Let's be about our business shall we old chap? The game is afoot!"

Author's Notes:

God I love cliffhangers.
But rest assured, the big finale of the first year arc isn't upon us just yet….I've got a little more angst to wring out of this and a couple more fun set pieces to show off before the big one.

But anyway, let's summarise shall we?:
Team FADE were a lot of peoples' first crushes in universe.
Astra without a popped collar, say it isn't so!
Because just when Astra thought they'd managed to fuck everything up, they fucked up in a new and unexpected way.
Yeah, Astra is in a bad place….And I can promise you that they haven't hit the bottom yet.
I'm not sure Athena-Jade's pep talk/lecture would actually have helped if Arctus hadn't stopped it.
Gestalt-Prime should be in the new Snickers advert, they're not themselves when they're hungry….Despite always being hungry.
Gestalt-Prime's scenes continue to be tricky to write 'cos they're all introspection, they don't have anyone to interact with at the moment.
Nickel slapped the self confidence out of Super Grimm the way Ruby did to Astra.
So they're rebuilding their forces….But now they're thinking bigger and in terms of logistics and supply lines; wish should tell you how big the finale is gonna be.
A giant fin….Well, Regalia did say at the start of this volume that the Land-Sharks grew to be bigger than the one Team MARZ were fighting.
Regalia with Netflix would be terrible, she'd never get anything done.
Regalia shows affection through food, get you a Regalia.
Yeah Astra was genuinely considering calling it quits, Regalia was about t have a whole moment where something came full circle….Then she remembered that when she was about to quit it wasn't actually Astra that stopped her.
"There's no Team MARZ without you" is a callback though.
Astra's parents almost certainly would let them come back home but Astra's managed to convince themselves of the worst case scenario.
Regalia invoking Felix was definitely a gamble.
The Team WULF official meeting is indeed real and begins exactly as you'd expect.
Seriously, the idea of Diabla in something fluffy and soft is just odd.
Diabla's hard-ass routine really doesn't work any more, she loves all of these dorks.
One more mission….Provided I don't do something crazy and switch up the formula.
Seriously, where do students with no family go when schools' out in Remnant?
And then Laser went and pushed the Astra button.
Well Wolfram managed to perfectly identify the problem with Astra and then go and conflate it with their own issues….Because college romance am I right?
"Cos if it wasn't it wouldn't be worth having" this is probably not sound relationship advice, but given Diabla's history you can see why she thinks that way.
An uncertain Wolfram is a bad thing, he picked that uncertainty up from Astra; he used to be decisive.
There's that streak in AJ that led to her heading out to Menagerie to make her own name outside of the family manifesting in her crush; she knows she's hot but she wants to be wanted.
And of course they both know they're into each other, they both think the other one might feel the same but nobody has got the guts to make the first move.
AJ doing squats would absolutely have a crowd under normal circumstances, so to create a diversion….Someone about to graduate feeling brave enough to challenge Arslan Altan to a fist fight.
And a follow up to Fox having an Aura now….Of course the kid can't throw a punch.
So Zirconia's concerns are valid….But with certain bits of context you could take them another way.
How many violins do we think Zirconia broke?
Look Arctus and Diamond have probably had very little time alone while they've been on the island and they should be allowed to enjoy it when they can….Even if Eagle wife and Felix's boyfriend are on another continent and reduced to sending pictures; but at the same time fucking on the kitchen table when you share the living space with other people is just rude.
If you read FADE you know what Carcharodon's teaching methods include.
Can you blame Felix for being a little sick of Astra right now?
Felix just went with the older brother version of "Are ya winning son?".
Okay so, a call home….Although patching things up on that front might actually make Astra more likely to leave since they know they're welcome back at their parents house.
Honestly Grapeshot tripping over his own feet in the dark amused me.
God these two are not the well-oiled machine they used to be.
Carmesi's weapons are fixed.
Oh the Benefactor is beyond pissed. Also yeah, the news of an unsuccessful attack on Maiden-Gate where only a few Hunters were injured but no civilians has gotten out, Grapeshot and Carmesi just haven't watched the news yet.
And now we're back to Carmesi's plan; he's been shot down twice...Third time's the charm.
So, it's not gonna be a settlement that Carmesi's deliberately draws Gestalt-Prime to….I'm sure some of you can see where this is going and how it's gonna play into the finale.

Thank you to Lurkweed and MajorBrony95 for their reviews on the last chapter.
Oh you'll love what's to come regarding our various antagonists in the second year arc.
I mean I feel like Nickel would have something on hand to counter something as simple as fire.
Yeah Jaune is definitely a cautionary tale.
Astra definitely has a hard head, so it's a matter of who or what can actually get through to them.
Ruby is absolutely her Port & her Oobleck, she is literally mentioned by name in the book Port wrote and Oobleck took Team RWBY on their first mission; there's something formative about that.

As always thank you to everyone that reads this, with a special thanks to those of you that follow, favourite and review.