Author's Note:

Heyyyyyyyyy, remember how I said I was going to chill out? Yeah, I lied. This is the last one for at minimum a week, I promise. Maybe even two weeks, These last four have been older chapters that have been done for legit months, so I need to motivate myself to write new chapters. If I'm just sitting on finished work checking my nails and stuff, I don't have any real reason to write anything new.

Side note of equal importance, you know how the tags are all like "humor and friendship?" Yeah this chapter is a little bit sadder at the start, so just be aware in advance. It isn't too heavy, don't worry. At least I wouldn't consider it heavy? I dunno what the standard for that is, though, seeing as I don't exactly read other fanfics. It goes back to the usual pacing after somewhere near the halfway point though, so this isn't some full on depressing chapter. No, not yet, anyways. So just sit back, crack a drink, (probably a water if we're being honest with each other) and enjoy. And if you don't enjoy, then that's fine too! Not all works are for everyone, and all of that. Enough of my manic ass ramblings though, let's get this going once again.

It had been a painfully long day, exactly a week after my sixteenth birthday. I was this close to breaking down at the slightest inconvenience, and it showed. My eyes were much darker than usual, my posture was weak, and my face was a little pale... Gods, don't even get me started on how much my head hurt.

All my years at Beacon were spent in a blissful ignorance that my parents were missing. They hadn't died that night, they had just gone missing, right? There was a chance I would see them again, right? After over a decade of being unaware, I was called into Ozpin's office. Everything seemed normal, until I sat down and saw the look on his face. Then, he spoke, and Ozpin's words echoed through my mind even as I went down the elevator to return to the ground floor, "Doge... I'm sorry to have not told you sooner, but, how do I put this... Doge, your parents unfortunately passed away all those years ago. One of the final requests of your father was that he did not want you to know until you had turned sixteen. I never was given the chance to ask him why, so I cannot tell you why he wanted that. If it's any consolation, they would have been so proud of you, Doge. I know that I am." At first I thought this might be some kind of joke, but, Ozpin isn't the kind to joke about something like this. Not to mention the look on his face. His gaze was rather empathetic, the most emotional I'd seen him in... fuck... years? It would have been more noteworthy if I wasn't feeling like my soul had been torn from my body.

His consolation just made everything hurt that much more. I'm sure that he knew I could hardly wrap my head around what was going on. Never was subtle enough to hide that kind of thing from him. Ozpin had told me which cemetery they had been buried, along with where I could find their graves. I was determined to visit them. I had to. At least now ai had a task in mind to focus on, so that somewhat helped keep my mind in check.

After stepping out of the tower, I let out a long sigh. What a day it had become. As I walked through the courtyard of Beacon, in the direction of the airship port, a somewhat familiar voice rang out from behind me, "Hey, are you…ok?" It was Blake Belladonna, a girl that I had known for a month or so at this point. She was usually quiet and kept to herself for the most part. We had met through Ruby, because apparently Ruby takes it upon herself to wrangle up anyone who shows any form of introverted behavior and befriend them. Or maybe Ruby just tries to make friends with everyone around her, seeing as she had also befriended Lukas? No, no, not dwelling on that right now.

Blake walks up and stands a few feet away before continuing, "You just look a little off."

Despite trying to play off my own emotions, my voice slightly diminished, "I'm fine. I've had a helluva day, but all in all, I'm alright."

She nods, and decides to change the subject, "Well, what are you heading to the docking area for? If you don't mind me asking."

"I was going to head down to Vale, I have... an errand to run. Probably won't be long."

By this point, I'm expecting her to catch that hint that I really wanted to be alone. Either she didn't, simply didn't care. "Would you mind if I joined you?" she asks.

"I…" I can't really decide at this point. I mean, do I really want to drag this girl to a damn graveyard? Half of me would like the company, and the other half knows better than to bring someone to the cemetery when you've only been friends with them for a few weeks.

"You can say no, if you want." she says.

"No, it's just that…" I sigh, and tell her why I'm so hesitant, "I'm going visit my parents' graves for the first time, well, ever. So… yeah…"

Her face is borderline unreadable, but I sense a little compassion coming from her when she speaks, "I'd still like to come with you, if you'd let me. That doesn't bother me."

It's increasingly clear that she wants to accompany me. Well, unless all of her words have a double meaning. But, why? I can't tell what she could gain from this, and it's driving me nuts. "Yeah, that's fine. A little company from a friend certainly wouldn't hurt."

She smiles at this, and while it's a very slight smile, it's something. This girl surprisingly isn't as stoic as she seemed when I first met her. Maybe there's even a fully fledged personality behind her rough exterior. Granted, I guess I'm similar in that regard... Maybe this is her trying to open up in some way or another?

I walk with her towards the airship dock. My eyes keep wandering to the sun, and how it seems to already be setting. I didn't think it was that late in the day, but I can recognize that I've been a mess. Looking dead at the sun over and over definitely isn't helping though, so I avert my gaze to Blake. I've been meaning to ask her about that bow of hers. It must have some kind of sentimental value considering how often she wears it. I don't think I've ever seen her without it, come to think of it.

I board an airship, take my seat, and take a deep breath. My head rests against the wall as I look up, and blink a few times. I hear Blake sit down next to me, and one thought just keeps running through my head: "Why?" I'm not content with this just being a way for her to open up. There has to be something she gains from this, otherwise why would she even bother? So what is it?

The ride seems to fly by, considering how lost I am in my own head. As the airship reaches its destination and slows to a halt, I stand up, and look down at her, "Let's go."

"Yeah, let's." she says, standing up.

There's something about her that I can't quite wrap my head around. Something about her is just… different today. Blake's eyes remain on mine for a moment before she starts walking alongside me. The streets of Vale are mostly empty, the majority of people already home for the evening, or just running menial errands. Our walk to the cemetery in the north eastern side of Vale is a nearly silent one. The orange-red rays of the setting Sun cover us, and while the atmosphere would normally be pleasant, seeing as we were in the commercial district, it's somber and borderline dreadful.

The sun continues it's descent as we reach the cemetery. I stand looking at the gates, and think about all the times I've walked past this exact gate, and never batted an eye. I push open the gate. According to Ozpin, the graves of Mom and Dad shouldn't be far. After a minute or so of walking past tombstone after tombstone, I see them. A hollow sensation fills my heart, and I kneel down in front of the graves. Blake steps closer to me, and I feel her hand on my shoulder. There's flowers utop the graves, and they look fresh. Ozpin must still visit them. That's kind of nice to think about, actually.

After a few minutes in silence, I speak, "Well, for starters, I'm still here, so you didn't die in vain. I've come close a few times, but that doesn't matter much."

I look up to the sky, and see the moon. One of the few things I remember about them was being on a car ride, looking at the moon, and Mom was humming along to a song on the radio…

"Mom, I never forgot what you told me, even if I was barely old enough to remember. 'Always strive to do the right thing.' I like to tell myself that I've been doing decently."

There's a pause as I take in a long breath. "Anyways, I hope you'd both be proud of me. Ozpin has done so much for me. It's not even funny. I have to wonder how close you guys really were, Dad. I mean, Ozpin and the rest of Beacon's staff have really helped me become a real huntsman. I've gotten a decent grip on my semblance, too. Pyrokinesis and all that."

A single tear falls down my cheek and lands in the grass. I hear Blake's breathing behind me stop, probably surprised to see me of all people start crying. I sigh and continue, "It's been hard, growing up without you guys, but I'm going to just try and keep going. I know that's what you'd want me to do. Can't call it quits now, can I? That would make your sacrifices a waste, wouldn't it?"

Reaching into my pocket, I produce a small emblem, with a phoenix on it. My lips curl into a small smile as my thumb traces over it, the small red diamond adorning the front, while my index finger rests upon the crystal on the back. I flip it to show the sapphire eyed halcyon covering the tail side. Holding it up in the light of the shattered moon, the gems blend together to almost look purple. Another singular tear runs down my face, and hangs on my chin for a moment, then falling onto my shoe.

"And, dad, I remember you wanted me to hold on to this until you came back. Last thing you told me other than 'I'll always love you.' Don't worry, I..."

I close my eyes, and a tear falls down each cheek. Blake's hand gives my shoulder a small squeeze.

"...I still very much have it, and always will. Not to mention that the phoenix is my crest, now."

I slip the small seal into my pocket. It's getting late and I know that I can't stay forever. I pull myself back together and speak, "I love you both, and I promise I'll visit again soon. Ave atque vale."

Blake's soft voice fills the air for the first time since we arrived, "They would be so proud of you. I know it."

Turning around and looking up at her, I see a certain look in her eyes. I speak, my voice stabling out, "Thank you… You really didn't have to come here."

"I did." she replies in a firm yet gentle tone.

Knowing better than to argue, I stay silent. More tears fall, and she crouches down next to me. The only light remaining in the graveyard comes from the moon, and Blake whispers, "There's no shame in being upset. You don't have to, but you always have the option to confide in me. That's what friends are for, right?"

I see that look in her eyes again, it finally makes sense; It's the look of somebody who cares. That's why she wanted to come here, because she truly cares about me. With that realization, I can't keep myself together any longer. I break down, and hug her. My eyes are closed as hard as possible while I rest my head on her shoulder. It's at this moment that I feel myself getting closer to her. I feel like I could tell her anything, and it would be alright. After a few minutes of silent crying, I pull myself back together, and look into her eyes. I hardly manage to stammer, "T-t-thank you… I don't know what I can do t-to repay you…"

She shakes her head. "There's nothing that you have to do." she says.

"Are y-you sure?" I sniffle after speaking.

"Posit-"

There's a loud slamming sound that causes me to wake up, and I see Lukas and Levi standing over me. There's a textbook that has been presumably slammed onto my desk, and based on the angle of how they're standing, Lukas is the culprit. My eyes are red and puffy from the nap, and my expression is a little somber. I manage to get a grip on myself before they notice.

Levi clears this throat, "Ahem. Um, are you joining us for lunch? You've been out for almost two hours."

"Sure, yeah, uh, just give me a second." I say, sliding a book into my bag.

Lukas speaks up, "If you're not feeling good or something, we can leave you be..."

As he trails off, I shake my head. "No, no I'm ok. Just had a dream that brought up some interesting emotions." I say, while rubbing my eyes and shrugging.

It seems like a switch clicks in Lukas' brain, and he nods. There's a ninety percent chance that he knows exactly what kind of dream I had. "Well, Blake's waiting for you in the cafeteria, so you might want to haul ass." he says.

All I do is nod in response. I then take the lead, and begin my journey to the cafeteria. My feet feel a bit heavier than usual, my shoulders are slightly slumped, and the world looks a little duller. I don't know why, but those dreams always screw with me. It's minor though, and it'll pass. Then again, those damn dreams... Always perfectly capturing some moment or another. Sometimes they're nice, and sometimes they're that day. That entire day was the textbook definition of bittersweet, yet every time I dream about it, it's just bitter.

I'm not really hungry, but I know better than to grab nothing, so I grab a roll and place it into my mouth. A portion is torn off as I pull it back, and I start to chew slowly on my way back to the table, and sit down. Apparently, Blake isn't waiting for me, as she's noticeably missing. Well, noticeably to me, at least.

"Hey, ya big dope! Been a minute, huh?" says a girl with orange hair and big eyes. It's none other than Nora Valkyrie. Ren's also present, quietly eating his food. He gives me a curt nod, and I return it.

"Hey Nora, Ren, how are you guys?" I say. My voice thankfully holds together.

She chirps up yet again, "I'm doing great! Today they were serving pizza! Wanna guess how many I ate?"

"Slices, I'm guessing. Uh…"

My thinking is interrupted by Ren, "No. She doesn't mean slices." His voice is as disappointed as the average parent seeing that you failed a test. Or at least that's what I'm guessing one would sound like. I never did fail a test, seeing as failing a test when you're five is a feat all on it's own.

I can't resist a smile as I respond, "Three?"

Nora nods happily, and Jade joins us. "Hello friends, how has the day gone for you?" Jade says. Her voice is a tranquil melody compared to Nora's bombastic tone.

"Great!" Nora beams.

"Decent." Ren says, once again contrasting Nora with his calm demeanor.

"Eh." I say before tearing another chunk of bread away with my teeth.

Levi, Yang, and Lukas sit down as Jade keeps the conversation moving, "'Eh?' What's wrong? Troubles with your relationship?"

I blink a few times, and shake my head, "No, not that I know of."

"Then what's snuffing you out?" says Yang. She's noticeably close to Levi, who isn't really paying much attention to anything.

"Just some things, I guess." I say, tossing the last bit of bread into my mouth.

"Things?" rings out a voice from behind me. I don't even need to turn around to know who it is. Blake sits down next to me with her plate of mostly seafood, and looks me dead in the eyes.

"Sorry, I was in the restroom, what's going on?" she says. Fuck it, not any use in hiding what's going on.

I swallow before speaking, "A dream. You know that goes sometimes." It always surprises me just how damn vivid it is. I mean, I can remember almost every damn detail of that night, and it was perfectly replayed in that dream.

Blake sets a hand on my shoulder, and speaks, "Well, you're free to take a break from everything. You may think you're good at hiding it, but everyone can tell that you haven't been sleeping well. I'm sure that everyone here would vouch for you if need be. Plus, Lukas and I can bring you any work that you miss, so you aren't drowning in make-up work over break."

"Yeah, we'll tell Goodwitch that you're seeing things or something." Lukas says with a smile. He then takes a gulp from his thermos.

Nora chimes in, "Yeah, we'll say that you're becoming a psychopath!"

I slightly tilt my head, "Don't you mean schizophrenic?"

She scratches her head in response, "Are those not the same thing?"

"No, Nora. They are not." says Ren, who just looks at Nora with a neutral expression.

"Whatever, you get it." says Nora, who's spirits haven't been dampened in the slightest.

I chuckle lightly, and shake my head with a smile.

Ruby then plops down across from Yang, and next to Lukas, as her dessert covered plate clatters against the table. She stuffs a cupcake into her mouth and waves enthusiastically at everyone, opting for a nonverbal greeting. Everyone else either nods at her, waves back, or in Levi's case, awkwardly does both. He starts a wave, then nods, then half waves again, before just doing both. Relatable. Weiss and Pyrrah then take their seats, and just observe quietly. Thankfully Weiss and Lukas manage to stay in their own lanes. Jaune… Yeah, no telling where he went.

"Is it really that obvious that I've been sleeping badly, though?" I ask. Nearly everyone at the table nods, and I can't help but laugh. "Right. I'll take a day or two off to fix my sleep schedule."

Ruby enthusiastically nods, "That's a good idea."

Yang follows up, "At this point, you 'oughta just take the last three days off. Your attendance is already bad enough, one extra day won't hurt."

She has a point, honestly. I mean, already ten days out in the first three months is impressive in it's own right. I'm literally just the guy who's hardly ever in class, yet passes with flying colors. Well, "passes with flying colors" when I try.

Suddenly, thunder rumbles outside, and Yang checks her scroll. "Damn," she says, "it looks like it's going to rain soon. You're probably not going to make it all the way to your dorm by the time it starts."

"Just go to my dorm, Doge." Levi says.

I nod after checking the weather app myself. "Will do. Alright, I'll catch you guys after classes. And do not tell Goodwitch that I'm schizophrenic."

"And what if we do?" Lukas asks.

"I'll tape you to the lightning rod at the top of Beacon Tower, and we'll see if your semblance makes you resist to lightning or not once and for all." Now, I'll be deadass, I don't even know if there's a way to reach the lightening rod up there, but I'll find a way.

He laughs and rolls his eyes. "You'd have to catch me first."

Cheeky bastard has a point, however, ambushes are a thing. "If you want to test your theory, go ahead."

Lukas shrugs and takes another sip of his coffee. I smile a bit, stand up, and leave the cafeteria. Looking up, dark clouds fill the sky and lightning dances through the heavens. Mood. I walk over to team DAIS' dorm and kick off my shoes. I take off my blazer and lay down on the sofa. Now's as good a time as any to catch up on sleep, so I cover myself with the blanket on the sofa, and settle in. The sound of rain tapping against the window and the occasional crack of thunder eases me into a deep, dreamless slumber. Thank the gods.

Yeah, alright, that was my first try writing a flashback/dream sequence. As stated above, this chapter was "finished" a couple months ago, when this was just a thing for my friends, but upon rereading it, I rewrote nearly every paragraph. Overall, I'm kind of happy with how it turned out, especially compared to the original version. The chapters after this one are much more recent, and they're the ones that I'm the most proud of, so look out for that. Now, I'll see you guys in a week or two!