Chapter 11

The end of first term of school was only a few days away now, my sister and mother had organised to come and stay in a hotel down in Vale to visit me and my team. Serqet was looking forward to seeing my sister again. They hadn't seen one another in person since finishing their own education, saything that my sessions with Anastasia had her ask me about Priscilla and talk more casually than we already do.

Our training with Manus was coming along well in my opinion, though I had been thinking about going back to that Mauzer's place again in the holidays to see if I could get some kind of shotgun like I had originally intended or maybe some kind of automatic rifle- hell if I was able I might try make my own like how my brother had been giving me progress updates on.

Anyhow you probably want to know how the heiress was doing since it's been a while, she's healed up but is doing therapy to help ease herself back into fighting shape, her standing with Ruby has improved and on the whole team SLVR has been much better for it.

I had also been hanging out and talking with Diarmuid a lot more in the past few weeks since we got back from the Forever Fall trip, we had become better friends which was always nice because I didn't have many friends outside of my team and SLVR but they were more like allies than friends because we only actually hung out with SLVR because of Yang and Ruby.

My hanging around Diarmuid had also brought along Shamhat more often and she had become friends with Pyrrha because the redhead was too polite to stop the odd girl from talking around about things that didn't really make much sense.

Speaking of her, I had since figured out what she had been trying to get me to see when she took one of my feathers, she was using it to 'lighten' the souls being sent to Anpu, pretty sure I've mentioned that at length already so I won't re-explain it.

So yeah I did like her idea so I've decided that going forward if I kill anything or anyone to say some brief prayer to send them on their way after brushing them with it.

Anyway right now I was in one of the school's gyms with Manus and Yan Qing, we were all in competition for who could run the longest on treadmills. I couldn't remember how it started but we had currently run twenty kilometres so far which was half of a marathon. My problem with it was that aside from it being hell on my body Yan Qing didn't even look like he had broken a sweat.

Manus tapped out to the tune of a yell of pain and a sudden and heavy thud as he tripped on the machine and went. I didn't stop to laugh or ask if he was okay because not five minutes later did the same happen to me when my own legs gave out from under me as I collapsed onto the machine getting sent off.

"Fuck!" Was the only word I could manage when I sat up feeling all the pains in my legs, back and wings.

Yan was still going strong when I looked back up and Manus was laughing at me inbetween wincing as he touched his own bruising.

While I was recovering from my fall I heard footsteps behind us and looked to see Pyrrha approaching us, she looked slightly concerned for us and how we were wincing, but at the same time worried about something else.

"Azrael you missed Weapon Maintenance." she said standing over Manus and I as the two of us finally picked ourselves up off the ground and Yan was still going.

"Did I?" my face contorted slightly as I furrowed my brow thinking about it, I was pretty sure these last two periods of class had been free/studies.

"You did, Professor Howitzer was asking where you were but I didn't know so you were marked absent."

"Oh well." I said shrugging and rolling my wrists around before clicking my knuckles. "I've just been in here… uhm training and being dragged into a competition with these two."

"You should be more serious about this Azrael, missing classes could mean holiday catch ups and from what you've been talking about you want to make your own weapon and that's the class for it." She seemed rather annoyed about my absence from it, I was doing pretty well in all my classes I thought at least.

As for Howitzer's class being the one where I could make my own weapon, I had forgotten that was all, otherwise I probably would have showed up.

"Sorry about worrying you then Pyrrha, hopefully it won't happen again, I was just lost in what we were doing." the redhead accepted my apology with a nod and smile.

"What kind of competition were you in?" her eyes brightened like the sun with a spark of her competitive side she normally tried to hide from us.

I think she tried to hide it because she felt like no one could match her so she want anyone to feel bad about their skill level if she went all out. The problem was that it wasn't true, Yang could match her for the most part, Blake and I had problems due to our fighting styles and mine still not really being fit for actually fighting and not just using my Semblance.

"We were seeing who could run for the longest, as you can see Yan Qing kicked our asses- though I came second." I had originally been on the treadmills because after being run down by that Deathstalker in initiation I wanted to make sure that never happened again so ever since then I've spent at least an hour a day running on them at my full pace to get fast and build up an endurance for that.

Having the Manus and Yan helped me keep coming for sure though, because in the beginning I felt like I wasn't making any progress at all.

"How far did you both manage to get?" she asked, stepping past us toward our machines to check how far we had gotten.

Our mentor/tutor had left to go and get something to drink in the meantime.

"!" Pyrrha looked very surprised when she read how far we had travelled so I stepped over to look as well.

I could see why she might have that reaction, but this was a bad day for me. I normally managed to get at least five more kilometres.

"Twenty three kilometres?!" she finally said, looking at me wide eyed.

Osiris above I felt extra sore and tired when she said it like that, it made me want to just keel over and take a nap or something.

"Yeah we were actually aiming to run the full length of a marathon but Yan's the only one who can do it apparently." I said in between a yawn. "Since you're here though and I'm very tired, wanna head back to the dorm?"

"Sure." was all my partner said leading the way as I trailed behind yawning.

I was looking forward to taking a shower when we got back so I could wash off this sweat and throw myself into my bed for a few hours until dinner.

Then I might start properly planning what it was I wanted in terms of my own custom weapon.

[Going the Distance, Going for Speed.]

My eyes were heavy and lidded as I awoke from my nap, I could hear my team in discussion about something when I finally decided to pull myself up blinking groggily at the room I looked about.

Looking down at the box of my masks I wondered if I should put one on.

Speaking of them though, it had come to my attention that each of them had varying strengths in how much they blocked my Semblance out. It seemed with the blank mask Mum must have perfected it finally because I couldn't even see the death lines anymore and there wasn't any way for me to access them. The Black one was the next strongest, but all it really did was lessen my Semblance by sort of shutting off my Aura and making it in a perpetually broken state.

Which wasn't really all that useful seeing as it meant I had no Aura at all, though I had figured out that it just absorbs it until I take the mask off at which point its all restored to me, giving me a huge boost in energy as it was restored.

The Cat one that ended up bringing Pyrrha to her knees was basically a copy of the fox one I had been wearing up until that point.

Sighing I looked out the window next to my bed, I thought about going up on the roof again to think, I liked it up there. Getting my Scroll off the drawers between mine and my partners bed, If I wanted to actually get started on this weapon of my own then I ought to stop lazing around and not doing it.

I spoke about it earlier like it wasn't actually able to create my own, but in that same class that I missed this afternoon I had been discussing the idea of actually making one with Mr. Howitzer. So I should probably go to his class right now and see if he's still in there working on something so we could get to making this thing.

With that underway I suppose I do need a mask, so I'll take the fox one for now.

Sighing, I did what had become common for me and went out the window shutting it behind me as I flew off toward the main buildings where the Weapons Shop/Maintenance class was in its large workshop.

Finally walking into the enormous workshop I could hear machines going and people talking, I noticed two people immediately one being Ruby who was in the middle of talking to-

"Nereius, what are you up to?" I asked looking over the younger girl's head to my green haired friend who was standing over a workbench with his spear on it.

My friend was about six foot tall, had green hair that was spiky except for a single bang that hung over the left side of his face, and his eyes were golden. He wore a padded black t-shirt, pants with shin high boots and black leather gloves. Though missing his chest piece, pauldrons, greaves and vambraces he was basically in his combat outfit.

Ruby was in her usual red cloak, corset, skirt and boots.

"Just replacing a few bits and pieces on my spear, what are you here for?" he shot right back at me, both of us looking right over Ruby as she started to look annoyed that she was being ignored.

"Hello to you as well Ruby, how are you doing? I hope you're not disturbing Nereius." My finally looking at her or at least verbally acknowledging her appeared to change her mood.

"I'm Good! I was just seeing if he needed help with the mechanism in Diachor-" she stumbled on the word.

"Diachoristikó ouranoú, it's the name of my spear." the green haired man said while Ruby nodded along. "As I said earlier though there's nothing for her to do as I've got it covered."

She pouted and stepped away, eyes lighting up as she looked at me.

"I'm just here to talk to Howitzer Ruby so no I won't be letting you turn my sword into a canon." I said blandly before heading further into the 'class' past the many tables, benches and machines.

"I'll come with you, I need to ask him about something as well." My green haired friend said chasing after me coming up on my left with his spear in hand, Ruby had left, which I was glad about because I found it difficult to talk with her sometimes.

"How've you been anyway?" He asked as we walked along and with his spear pole in hand leaning it over his shoulder.

"Been decent, your Aunt asked how you're doing as well." I replied.

He sighed. "You know she could just come and ask me you don't need to pass on messages from Anastasia whenever you're with her."

Yeah so Nereius was Ana's nephew because of his father/her brother being like fifteen years older than her. She asked if I had known him while I was in a bout of quid quo pro, at first I wasn't sure what she was getting at until she explained despite their five year difference she was his Aunt.

I didn't know any of my Aunts, Uncles or even cousins- I've met my grandparents once, but my mother was an only child and as it appears when my father left us he took his family with him. My sister still remembered him better as I've mentioned but I still had two and a half years with him even if I don't remember anyhow because of how young I was.

"I don't mind it though because I am more likely to see you than her so passing messages between you doesn't bother me any."

"Hm… anyway what did you want Howitzer for?" He asked, golden eyes looking curiously at me.

I was in a navy blue shirt, tan shorts and sneakers at the moment.

"I've been talking with him about making a weapon of my own recently, so I've finally gotten off my ass to come and see him about it properly." I scratched the back of my head, sighing.

"Well what sort of thing do you have in mind? I could help you if you like?" Nereius asked, tapping the polearm in hand.

"That's the thing, I'm not really sure."

"You know he's going to ask you the same thing so you'll either need to think fast or give yourself a smaller selection of options by narrowing what you would like down with the practicality of having whatever it is balance out with your ability and Semblance." Damn he had a good point.

"Guess that means no explosives then huh?" I joked, eliciting an elbow being jabbed in my side.

"Solatium, Astēr. To what do I owe you boys the pleasure?" Our professor said as we stopped in front of him, he was in the middle of drawing up a design to go on a blueprint.

"Oh I was looking to see if you'd still help me design and make this weapon I've been wanting to put together?" I said suddenly feeling more embarrassed or self-conscious.

"We can, you just need to sit down with me and actually talk through it and we can probably have it ready for you by the time you first years take your mission or the Vytal Tournament at the latest." The older man said not looking up from his work. "What about you Astēr? I thought you got everything you needed from me earlier?"

"I didn't want anything I just came along for morale support- that and because Rose has been wandering around bugging people about their weapons again."

Howitzer growled lowly as an annoyed look briefly crossed his face. "I told that girl she wasn't allowed to come in here unless she was actually working on her weapon." he looked up, eyes narrowing, spotting something behind us. "Get Out Already Rose! I shouldn't have to say it twice!" he yelled, making Nereius and me wince.

Said red hooded girl squealed at being found out and a trail of red rose petals was left in her wake as she rushed out of the building.

I took the moment to sit down across from our teacher pulling out my Scroll to look through some of the images I had saved as reference.

"So? I shouldn't have to ask- so you want something melee focused, Gun focused, multi purpose or something else entirely? Tell me about this Semblance of yours and how it affects the way you fight, how do you work flying into fighting? Do you fly in combat? Why don't you?" He continued on listing off questions that I slowly began working my way through over the course of the next hour with Nereius throwing in his opinion whenever I talked about ideas I was thinking about.

[Not Armed And Ready]

I began using my study/free periods through the week to go and spend time with Howitzer as I was putting this thing together in my head and what I was creating. I still wanted either an automatic rifle or shotgun of some sort, but I wasn't sure what kind of melee option I wanted.

Eventually Nereius ended up fighting Pyrrha in a spar and they came to a stalemate coming up in a draw of running out the clock in an impromptu spar my partner set on my friend when I had been hanging out with him and Diarmuid in that old ruins of an arena my team did our first lesson with Manus at.

The thing was that he reminded me of her and she reminded me of him, something about the two was just so similar. Though I think that during their spar he had been holding back because I'd seen him move before when we did one of our own a while ago that left me flat on my ass in a second, where as with Pyrrha she appeared to be trying her heart out and he was keeping himself to her level for the sake of her pride.

Either way she ended up looking like she was about to throw herself onto him when that match had been done, I think it was her competitiveness.

Anyway I mentioned Manus earlier and I suppose that brings me to-

"WOAH!" I yelled out as he grabbed onto my ankle and brought me down slamming me into the ground before letting go as my partner pushed him back enough for Blake to pick me up.

Being dragged out of the fray of another strike from the behemoth of a man I dodged backward taking stock of my two handguns I had been dual wielding while trying new things. So you'd understand my surprise then at seeing both my normal one and my backup both smashed to shit.

Looking upon my mangled guns I just stopped and stood still staring at them.

"Fuck!" I yelled looking down at them, rotating the metal mess in my hands to see the extent of the damages.

Man you've got to be kidding me these things were six hundred and fifty lien each.

After a moment of sorrow and pitying the guns I just threw them off to the side and got out my Khukri and flew back into the fight in time to catch Pyrrha on her way out- rather as she was being thrown and spun her around throwing my partner right back into it with a brief thank you from her.

As things went on I basically just spent the rest of the fight acting in support and throwing the others back into it and dive bombing our mentor occasionally.

When everything came to a stop and I touched down on the ground next to the stadium seating I sat down next to Blake with Yang and Pyrrha on my other side, I bit back on a yawn that tried to escape me. I had been really tired lately as I was trying to make sure I got all of the credits I needed for the current papers and whatnot.

My score in classes like the Gun Course were high because I didn't need to write anything aside from reports of what we encountered and how they were dealt with because of it being a simulation of the resorts we'd need to compile after missions later on.

"Sorry about your guns Azrael." Manus apologised when he stopped standing in front of us and took a seat on some rubble he had made into a seat.

I sighed "It's alright I was going to be buying a new one in the break." He apologised again and went on to continue our usual discussion we went through. He had been helping us with team tactics up until now and making sure we had a synergy in combat.

We talked for about thirty odd minutes until the echo of the school bell could be heard and he sent us on our way. Yang gave me grief about buying standard issue guns from stores and them being weaker than your average Huntsmen weapons. Something about the materials being weaker because they were meant to be for law enforcement, home defence and general civilian use at ranges and whatnot where they just weren't dealing with Grimm. Grimm being the obvious separating factor in why our weapons would be more durable and stronger.

Though the market for 'civilian' weapons still had quality weapons it's just that the metals and whatnot for Huntsmen weapons were more expensive so reproductions or standardising designs was too costly.

That meant the combat schools had budgets specifically for students' weapons and whatnot. Or at least that's what she explained to me, apparently her Father and Uncle were teachers at one of the prep schools which was also why a girl as outgoing as her had some of the best grades in our year.

As for what day today actually was seeing as I mentioned spending the rest of this week in and out of Howitzers workshop, today was Friday now and Manus had made a habit of bringing us out to the ruins on Fridays after Ms Goodwitch's class hence why I mentioned my partner and friend having their spar.

He had come on out with us to challenge her and left after what happened to go and hang out with his team.

Anyway as we walked back into our dorm and took my mask off our leader stopped us from going off to do whatever.

"Wait before you three disappear. I wanted to ask if you'd come out and celebrate our first term of being a team? We don't do too much together outside of training and those few classes, so I thought it'd be cool to walk around Vale to a bar or something?" Her lilac eyes betrayed the sombre nature of the request in that she wanted to make the most of our friendship and team by ensuring there were memories to look back on.

I understood why, Blake and I were relatively closed off and Pyrrha didn't really engage in conversation unless you dragged it out of her or dropped it in her lap. So for someone like Yang I imagine we're a lot quieter than the people she might have imagined spending her next four years with. We might have had our moments of extroverted-ness but I think she wanted us to join her in something she liked as much as she helped any of us out with things we liked.

"Sure I'll come, I need to buy a replacement gun anyhow until this one I'm making is done, plus drinking with you couldn't go that badly right?" I asked, eliciting a chuckle from Yang as she turned facing the other way scratching the back of her head.

The other girls agreed to go as well for whatever reason it caused the blonde to drag us all into a hug which wasn't very pleasant for my wings.

"When are we leaving?" Pyrrha posed the question.

"Seven."

I guessed that I probably ought to dress like I at least cared instead of how I usually dressed myself for outings which was just in whatever I found first amongst my clothes. That being said as Yang, Pyrrha and Blake were heading to go and take showers to clean off the training with Manus I stopped Blake and asked her to stay back a moment so I could talk with her.

She looked a little defensive immediately and eyed me curiously.

Making sure the other two couldn't hear us and that they had started running water before I talked I started after a minute of silence. "I wanted to ask you about why you're still hiding that you're a Faunus? I mean look at me I came out and people are fine with it, unless your reason is because your family were the leaders of the White Fang?"

Her golden eyes were wide and something akin to fear and terror sparked through them as she instinctively looked to the exits of the room, I put my hand on her shoulder.

"You don't need to say if you don't want to Blake I just… it gets lonely being the only Faunus in our group especially when I've known you were one for such a long time- and I find it hard to count Manus because his trait isn't apparent to us." I said explaining myself and giving my truth, it was tough when everyone around me was human now after years of being in Valor where there were quite a few Faunus.

As well as that I didn't have many friends back home if any so I hung out with my mother and siblings most of the time and it's why I've been so ready to just talk about them here whenever I get new ones because it is something I never really had. After all you get a stigma about you and rumours spawn when you're the kid who killed a boy for pushing you over.

I may have said that I wasn't bullied for being a Faunus but that was because all the kids around me were too terrified I'd kill them, no one knew how my Semblance worked except for my mother and as those years of isolation went on myself when I would play around in the forest. I used it on animals, trees and bushes which was how I learned the intricacies of it.

"I-I… you d-don't!" she stumbled her words whilst having lost some of the fear she was displaying, it had been replaced by something I couldn't quite place.

"I won't tell them if you don't want them to know Blake, I just wanted to ask was all." I said taking my hand off her shoulder. "Please don't run away because you've been found out, but if you won't tell the others could you at least let me see them?" I said pointing to her bow.

She looked so hesitant and worried but after a moment of silence between us calmed down and sat on her bed and I sat on the edge of mine. Honestly I had expected her to bolt.

Blake took off her bow allowing the cat ears of hers to be free for a moment.

"Surely that feels much better right? I mean you wear that thing to bed." I watched as the raven haired girl looked somewhat glum brushing her ears.

"I- I will admit it gets uncomfortable- how did you not feel pain all the time when you were hiding your wings?" she asked back.

"That was part of why I just gave in and in that first fight against Jaune came out with them." I took the moment to stretch them out briefly hoping that the distraction would be enough-

"If that's all I'm going to go clean up." She stood and as she began doing up the bow again our blonde leader came through the door into the room looking directly at her eyes glowing brightly as they caught her partner in the act.

The bubbly girl threw herself onto her moody partner crushing her in a hug all the while saying. "I'm so glad you came out with it Blake! I've been waiting for you to reveal your ears and you've finally done it!" said girl being crushed looked mortified and confused.

"H-how did y-you know?!" Blake asked much like how she had me, Yang setted her down.

"I've known since the first time we met, your bow twitched when I spoke and it flattened on your head whenever there was a loud noise- plus it's pretty obvious considering your last name." The blonde explained away.