The next couple of hours slipped Evan's mind, only barely able to recall a few distinct things.
The soft yet wilting voice of Ruby, the cacophony of sounds from numerous people stomping around, the stern voice of Ironwood, the beeping of a heart rate monitor.
It was clear that he was being operated on, but he felt nothing as various tools poked and prodded him. Whether that was because of his body being numb to the pain after the initial attack, or he had been given some form of drug that blocked out the pain, Evan could not discern what had happened.
Waking up in a sterile white hospital bed, Evan shifted his body to look around only to feel a piercing, stinging sensation in his left shoulder. Slowly lifting the covers with his right hand, he noticed his left arm was stuck in a white sling.
"Why am I-oh…yeah. The attack on the CCT Tower." Evan recalled to himself.
Throughout the large hall were white hospital beds, just like his own. At the end of the hall were two doors, with one being on the wall he was staring at while the other was on the wall to his left.
Looking the other way, Evan saw a familiar girl sitting in a small metal chair, close to his bed. Her eyes were closed as she had her head leaning against the wall behind her.
"Penny?" Evan asked.
Instantly, Penny's head rocketed forward as she opened her green eyes. A concerned and grateful look covered her face as she rushed forward to his bedside.
"Oh, Evan! I'm so glad you're awake! After the dance was cut short, I heard the news that you were hurt! I was so worried about you! I thought that you might've…you…I was so scared!" Penny explained as she pressed her head against his chest as she hugged him tightly.
"Hey hey, it's alright. I mean, I'm all patched up now. How long was I out for, anyway?" Evan replied as he hugged her back, or as best he could with one arm.
"You've been out for 14 hours, 25 minutes, and 49 seconds." Penny said aloud.
In the back of the room, he heard the sound of a door unlocking. Stepping out was a woman in a nurse's outfit with blonde hair and green eyes.
"I'm glad to see that you're awake. Your friends stopped by here throughout the night after you were released from surgery." The woman explained.
"Who were they?" Evan inquired.
"From what I can remember, Team RWBY and JNPR all stopped by together, early in the night, but Ruby Rose and Pyrrha Nikos came by occasionally after the sun came up. Penny here promised, a couple of hours ago, to stay by your bed until you awoke, so they could get some sleep." The nurse answered.
"I imagine that they're worried sick about you. Penny, could you go ahead and get them while I stay here with Evan?" The nurse asked the orange-haired girl.
"Yes, ma'am!" Penny briefly saluted before heading out the door to his left.
As the two continued in silence, Evan questioned the woman, "So what's the damage?"
"An arrow was shot and was embedded into the area around your collarbone. The surgeons were able to remove the object and fixed you right up! After a few days of recovery, you should be back on your feet in no time at all!" The nurse replied back as she held her hands together.
Quickly, the members of Team RWBY and Team JNPR entered the long space. Using her semblance, Ruby dashed up to Evan in a flurry of rose petals.
"Evan! Thank goodness you're ok!" Ruby cried out as she hugged Evan.
"See Ruby, I told you that he'd make it through! It's good to see you again, Sparkler Hands. Although, I'd wish it were under better circumstances." Yang replied as she scratched the back of her head.
"How did you get hurt anyway? I thought you were tough enough to take shots from both Yang and Pyrrha. How did you get hurt in the first place? Did a super small meteor fly in from orbit and crash into your shoulder or something?" Nora questioned.
"You know, I'm still trying to figure that out myself." Evan replied back.
"Regardless of what happened, I'm just glad that you were able to recover from it." Pyrrha added.
As the group stood around, in good spirits, Blake nudged Ruby with her elbow.
"Say, didn't Ozpin need to see you two?" Blake questioned the young student. Ruby turned around with a surprised look.
"You're right! After everything that's happened, it totally slipped my mind!" Ruby exclaimed.
"What's happening?" Evan asked.
"Ozpin wants us to come by his office and ask us stuff about what happened at the tower the other night." Ruby explained to Evan before turning toward the nurse.
"Do you think Evan is alright enough to leave the infirmary?" Ruby questioned.
"Hmm…So long as he doesn't exert himself too much, Evan should be able to return to his normal schedule and go back to his room once the meeting is over." The nurse hypothesized.
"That's great! Thank you so much!" Ruby said excitedly as she crouched down next to Evan.
"Come on, Evan, I don't think we want to keep Ozpin waiting for too long!" Ruby continued on as she helped hoist Evan out of the bed and out of the room.
As the two navigated the corridors, the two students found the elevator, with some brown-haired student walking out of it. Upon entering it however, they noticed that someone had pressed every single button on the inside of the machine already.
"Why would anyone do this?!" Ruby yelled out as she gestured toward the buttons.
"Someone very petty, I suppose." Evan guessed as the elevator began to rise.
"Seems like we're going to be here awhile. Could this day get any worse?" Evan continued on as the elevator reached the next floor.
Floor by floor, the two students stood in silence. With each floor, Ruby's cheerful attitude changed into a more somber one.
"I'm sorry about what happened last night." Ruby said as she looked towards the ground.
"Ruby, you don't have to apologize." Evan responded as he turned toward her.
"Shouldn't I though? If I was a better huntress, I could've stopped that lady from hurting you. If I was a better leader, maybe things wouldn't have turned out as bad as they did when we fought Torchwick." Ruby replied back.
"What?" Evan asked the young student.
"When the five of us took on Torchwick, Blake and Yang got really low on their aura. If you hadn't saved us back then, they could've…" Ruby's voice trailed off momentarily.
"Ruby…" Evan muttered out.
"Maybe if I came up with a better plan, used my dust more creatively, or attacked Roman in a different way, things could have turned out differently." Ruby continued as she clenched her fists in frustration.
"Us huntresses and huntsmen rely on aura as the greatest defensive measure we have. Without it, we're as vulnerable as any of the people that we are supposed to protect. When I saw you fight Yang in the ring, I was amazed at how tough you were. It seemed like, despite not having an aura, nothing could touch you." Ruby stated aloud with a slight smile.
"So when that lady shot you, I-I just…I thought…I..I messed up, bad. Seeing you on the floor like that, I didn't know if you were going to be ok or not, o-or that you could've…" Ruby explained as small tears began to form in her eyes. Ruby sniffed her nose as the two continued upward.
"Ruby, you gave it your all back there. If anyone should be apologizing, it's me." Evan said as he placed his hand on her shoulder.
"What?" Ruby questioned as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
"I was the one who suggested how we would be fighting that masked individual. Maybe if I listened to a strategy that you made, we could've gotten the upper hand." Evan suggested.
"But…my plan with Torchwick failed! How could any plan of mine have worked against that lady!" Ruby yelled out.
"First off, your plan against Roman would've worked. The only reason it failed was because of some crazy girl with an umbrella. She came out of nowhere, and she was the one who stopped me from attacking Roman. None of us knew that she was there, and as such, we couldn't have done anything to plan around her." Evan elaborated as Ruby looked up at Evan.
"Second, I was the one who leaped into danger. If I knew that fiend could actually hurt me, I wouldn't have tried what I did back there. We learn more from our mistakes, not our victories. So let's take what we learned, and I bet that the next time we see her, we'll be the ones who come out on top!" Evan shouted out as he gave her a friendly punch to the arm.
As Ruby let out a small laugh, the two continued to ascend from floor to floor.
"Thanks Evan, I needed that." Ruby smiled back towards the teen.
"Any time." Evan responded back.
Soon, the two students reached the top floor. In the large office stood Ozpin, Glynda, and Ironwood at the other end of the room.
"Please, come in." Ozpin said warmly.
As the students approached the trio, Ruby stepped forward.
"I'm really sorry if we kept you all waiting. Some jerk pressed all the buttons on the elevator before we got in it." Ruby explained.
"It's quite all right. I appreciate that you both decided to come, especially on such short notice. Evan, Ruby, are you well? I know that the last 24 hours has been rather stressful for the two of you." Ozpin questioned.
"Decent enough, considering I had an arrow in my arm last night. I don't like having this cast thing on, in all honesty. Feels so restricting, you know?" Evan elaborated as Ozpin turned towards Ruby.
"I'm a little torn up about what happened last night, but I'm dealing with it." Ruby said aloud. Walking in front of the students, Ironwood placed his hand on Ruby's shoulder.
"Before we begin, I wanted to let you know that you did everything that a Huntress of your age could have done. You understood the situation, fought with the best of your ability, and I hope that you can take what happened last night and learn from it." Ironwood stated.
"I appreciate, sir. Thanks." Ruby replied with a smile.
"While Evan was recovering, Ironwood described to us everything that occurred at the CCT Tower. Considering how both of you were there, I hoped that you two could hopefully add some extra insight into the situation." Ozpin asked.
"Was this lady in black the only person there? Were you able to recognize her at all?" Glynda questioned the duo.
"Well...She worn this mask, so I couldn't make out most of her face. She didn't even say a word to either of us. She attacked using glass, but...I don't believe that was part of her Semblance. Whenever she moved or attacked, her clothes began to glow." Ruby admitted.
"I'm just as clueless. There wasn't much that she gave away during the fight." Evan added.
"Except the part about the glass, that description reminds me of the woman that I had to fight off the night that we met Miss Rose." Glynda pointed out as she turned toward Ozpin and Ironwood.
"The art of sewing Dust into ones attire clothing is a long passed down technique across the globe. That certainly doesn't narrow it down." Ironwood reminded Glynda.
"Do you think that this lady is working to the White Fang or Torchwick?" Ruby questioned.
"It is certainly possible. However, we don't have much evidence right now to confirm it." Ozpin stated.
"Wait, I...I believe that the lady breifly mentioned a hideout. It was...outside of Vale, over in the southeast." Ruby claimed.
"Really?" Ozpin said curiously.
"Hold on. Didn't you say that she-" Glynda asserted.
"Your assistance is greatly appreciated, Miss Rose. If you'll excuse us, we just need a moment with your friend here." Ozpin interrupted before Glynda could finish.
"Any time." Ruby replied back as she headed for the elevator.
"Oh, and one more thing. I strongly urge you keep this situation under wraps, if you will." Ozpin added.
"Of course, sir." Ruby stated as she entered the elevator.
As the elevator doors closed, the trio turned toward Evan.
"What is it?" Evan asked hesitantly.
"Miss Goodwitch has extensively told me of your sparring matches with Miss Xiao Long and how you stood on fairly even ground with Miss Nikos. Your skin is practically made out of iron from what she has told me. Considering your unusual origins, you can imagine our shock at what happened last night." Ozpin said to the young student.
"As such, we wanted to know if there was anything that stuck out to you in particular while you were fighting that masked individual." Glynda stated.
"I mean, Ruby already told you most of it. She used a lot of glass weapons, and those basically bounced off me. It wasn't until the end of the fight where things changed. As I was jumping forward to attack her, the right side of her face, mainly around right eye, was covered with this…yellow fire." Evan claimed.
Upon hearing this, the other teachers turned toward each other with uncertainty and worry.
"Are you sure?" Glynda questioned.
"Yeah. After that, her arrowhead flared up with that same yellow fire. I didn't think it would do anything, but that thing hurt." Evan said.
"I've never really been that injured before. I usually just shake off most things that come at me. At worst, I get a bruise or something, and even that goes away pretty quickly." Evan added.
"Getting hit by that arrow…it…it felt wrong. I don't really know how to describe it. It just slipped right past my skin and stabbed into me." Evan finished as he clutched the wound with his right hand.
"And that's exactly why we need to take certain measures moving forward." Ironwood announced as he stepped forward.
"Until further notice, you are not allowed to leave Beacon Academy." Ironwood continued.
"What?!" Evan yelled out in defiance.
"Since you are technically an Atlesian student, as your headmaster, any decision I make regarding my students supersedes Ozpin's in this regard. I cannot in good conscience let you wander about Vale, especially in your current condition, now that we know that there are people who can put your life at risk. In addition, I will have guards stationed outside your room while you rest." Ironwood stated with a conflicted look on his face.
"It was just one accident", Evan said as he held up his index finger. "I won't let it happen again!" Evan exclaimed, but the General did not relent.
"How is this fair?! Ruby gets a pat on the back, but I get put under house arrest!?" Evan yelled out as he held his right arm out in outrage.
"Everything turned out fine in the end, didn't it? What separates me from Ruby, huh?" Evan said as he turned towards Glynda and Ozpin.
"Ruby Rose is someone who has been training to become a huntress for many years at this point. She has dedicated countless hours to achieve this goal. While your skill in combat is without a doubt impressive, you lack the knowledge that comes from attending huntsmen academies. You've only been a resident on this planet for a handful of months, and have attended this school for only a small fraction of that time, in contrast. From what the General's troops have told us, there is the potential that the same individual that attacked you, could be one of the students on campus. I assure you, Evan, that this is merely a safety precaution." Ozpin explained.
"Safety is one thing, but I'm practically a prisoner here from what I'm hearing!" Evan snapped back.
"Why are you doing this, General?! You've never thought to do this when I was brought here? What changed?!" Evan questioned as he turned back to Ironwood.
"Dammit, Evan you could have died!" Ironwood shouted out, causing Evan to shrink away from him.
"*Sigh* Do you know how close that arrow was from piercing your heart?" Ironwood asked. Before Evan could answer, the General continued.
"Approximately two inches. Two inches was all it would have taken for you to no longer be here with us. Two inches is what would have changed a quick surgery into an autopsy." Ironwood elaborated as Evan stood in silence.
"How would Ruby, or Penny, or anyone else have felt if last night was the last time they would have ever seen you?" Ironwood said as he gave a somber look to Evan.
"I…It was…" Evan, filled with guilt, muttered out as he looked to the ground.
"Why didn't you call for backup? I was there Evan, at the dance. We could've helped you. Please, tell me. Why did you do it?" Ironwood pleaded as he knelt down to face the young student.
"I…I just wanted to make you proud." Evan admitted, his voice wavering with each word. Ironwood looked on in surprise as Evan continued.
"I thought that I could handle it. I-It was just one person. I thought…that the two of us could've handled it. I wanted to…to prove myself. You've given me so much, and I've done almost nothing to make up for it." Evan announced as he wiped the small tears forming in his eyes.
"I didn't intend to hurt anyone through my actions. I'll accept my punishment if that's what you wanted to hear. Is…Is there anything else that you needed from me?" Evan briefly looked up towards the General.
As the trio stood in silence, the General quietly responded, "No. You…You are excused, Evan."
Turning around, the teen slowly stepped out of the office and into the elevator. Facing Glynda and Ozpin, Ironwood placed his left hand on his forehead.
"Do you think I was too hard on him? You all know of Evan's strength. To lose someone like him, would be a great loss for humanity. Maybe, I'm overreacting…" Ironwood said as he trailed off.
"It's not a decision made lightly. You had clear reasons to do it." Ozpin stated.
"Sometimes…there is no "right" decision, only paths that both lead to pain. We, as their mentors, have to choose the lesser of two evils. " Glynda replied back.
"*Sigh* Regardless, from Evan's description of the events, it's clear that the magic from the Maidens can slip past Evan's defenses and actually injure him. Not only that, but whoever stole the Fall Maiden's powers is actively working against us. There is no chance that she is operating alone. If she is working with the White Fang, then we should use the information that Miss Rose gave us. That hideout could contain valuable intel on the enemy. I'll send my available troops toward the southeast, and eliminate whoever tries to stop us." Ironwood solemnly declared.
"Do you not realize that the Vytal Festival is almost upon us?! Imagine how the public would react to something like that?! The amount of uncertainty and fear generated would bring untold numbers of Grimm to our doorstep!" Glynda said angrily.
"Indeed. While I would want nothing more than to finish this conflict quickly, we must look at the bigger picture. This scheme could perhaps extend far further than the borders of Vale. We must be cautious moving forward if we are to succeed." Ozpin stated.
"You cannot be serious Oz? Do you really expect me to just sit back and let this situation unfold-" Ironwood pointed out as he began to raise his voice.
"That is not what I am saying, General!" Ozpin yelled out as he rose from his chair.
"Think of it this way: At the start of a battle, how should be sent out? The cavalry, or the scouts?" Ozpin continued as he collected himself.
/-/
Returning back from the elevator, Evan dragged himself back to his room. As he sat in his bed, Evan heard a knock on the door. Opening the door, he saw Ruby standing there, wearing a backpack. Evan looked on with a defeated expression.
"Hey, Evan! Me and…Wait, what's wrong?" Ruby questioned.
"It's…It's nothing. I'm just in a mood right now. What's going on?" Evan replied.
"Well, me and my team are going to go and investigate this hideout to the southeast. There's this section of Vale called Quadrant 5 that's nearby the place. While there's a lot of Grimm over there, I'm sure we can handle it. I just wanted to see you before we left."
"Best of luck then! While you're there, try and take down…at least 50 Beowolves. It'll be a little bet between the two of us." Evan said as he gave a small grin to the female teen.
"You're on! See you in a few days!" Ruby replied as she waved goodbye and walked away. As Evan looked down the hall, he noticed the backpack wiggle and shake, almost as if something was in it. Ignoring the thought, Evan returned to his room and closed the door.
The next handful of days came and went rather quickly and were rather uneventful. Even after he was allowed to take the sling off, Evan still felt downtrodden. Team JNPR tried to cheer him up on occasion, but they were usually busy either focusing or preparing for their upcoming mission. As the night approached once again, Evan decided to lay down and go to sleep.
/-/
And there's another chapter completed! I really enjoyed writing the conversation between Ruby and Evan in the elevator. I'll be rather busy this weekend. Dokkan has dropped another World Tournament for everyone to slog through, so that's going to eat through a lot of my time. The next chapter should be released either on Monday or Tuesday of next week. If you have any thoughts on the story, leave a review and let me know. See you all next time!