Am I nuts for missing this? Peach thought to herself as she took a shot at the pile of Grimm. One of them was bound to get hit with how close they are to one another. I think I'm nuts.

The sight of her partner, embracing the Hyde part, brought a twisted nostalgia on her part. She had been away from the guy for so long that she was reminded of that danger he just exudes whenever Hyde comes around. A level of danger and yet Peach felt as though she was reliving the glory days. The pumping of blood and excitement, her time as a huntress was really getting to her if this was what she was turning into.

She couldn't keep her eyes on Hyde forever. Young mister Arc had the unfortunate circumstance where his fear and survival instincts rivaled Hyde's natural evil air. Grimm were drawn to him almost as much as they were to Hyde.

Fran and Mulberry kept the Grimm off of the young student and Peach only really bothered to aim should any Grimm got past them. Hyde didn't need much help. He'd be mad and annoyed if he did get any.

"Is that all ye bastards got?" Hyde taunted the Grimm. He was covered in those black smudges. Hyde took hold on the Ursa's jaws and split the head apart with his bare hands. "Come on, mates! They're letting me out for once, let's make it count!"

Peach shook her head. Nevermore nearly took her from her tree branch. She shot it down and returned to her tree.

Below, Mulberry and mister Arc fought with their backs to each other. Their teamwork wasn't the best but with Mulberry taking the leadership role, they were doing surprisingly well. Mulberry's experience of both leadership and of shadowing previous students were being shown here.

Fran didn't need any help at all. If anything, Fran was the best among them, Hyde included. Peach used this time to really see just what it was that Servants could do; she recalled Jekyll saying something like him not being a proper Servant. Then again, Fran's circumstances weren't quite the same as Amber's Servant so Peach couldn't be so sure. The one certain thing there was that Fran was racking up the kill count in numbers only Hyde could barely match.

"Oi!" Hyde called out. "That one was mine, ye little brat!"

Fran replied by sticking her tongue out. They were like children.

"Is that how it going to be, yeah? 'right then, best Berserker wins."

Electricity surged from Fran as she slammed hard against a large Ursa.

"That only counts as one!" Hyde took out a Beowolf. "Come at me, then. Come on!"

Hyde was falling behind. While Fran was taking one Grimm out with one swing of that mighty hammer, Hyde was choking Grimm to the death while cutting off the other with his free hand. Both took their time and Fran had taken out another two Beowolves by the time Hyde was done.

Grimm culling was the easiest part here as both Hyde and Fran essentially racked up kills all on their own. Eventually, Mulberry and mister Arc moved to Peach's tree as exhaustion doesn't quite count as negativity for the Grimm to be drawn to. With Hyde, and perhaps Fran, the Grimm practically ignored the three there.

Peach descended from her tree, shooting down any stray Grimm that were coming. "So, mister Arc," she quizzed. "Felt tested?"

Young Jaune Arc was gasping for air. For a student in his third year, he was still somewhat behind in terms of pacing. Then again, this was Hyde. Hyde would make anyone gasp for air in combat. One needed to be like Fran, a Heroic Spirit, to be able to keep up without exhausting themselves. Even Mulberry looked winded.

Peach lazily shot down the Grimm passing by them. The tree might as well be cover. Mulberry only needed to keep his grip tight and the Grimm rushing into his blade cut themselves. Jaune Arc did pretty much the same.

"Just," mister Arc said, still panting. "How… is… professor Hyde… doing that?"

"Miss Rose hasn't told you?" Peach replied.

"I think she did. I didn't believe her. Like, I'd do hero worship as much as anyone but I always thought that those things were… exaggerated. When Ruby said all those things, I thought it was like one of Nora's dreams."

"Well, you better start believing miss Rose, mister Arc."

"A semblance that turns him into this evil? Isn't that a problem?"

"Only if he loses himself to it," answered Mulberry.

"If I may ask, professors." Mister Arc gestured to the Grimm-related carnage. "Is he not lost already?"

Peach turned to see Hyde clearing his throat. Then, he sang, "I feel like I'd live on forever, with Satan himself by my side. And I'll show that tonight and forever the name to remember's the name Edward Hyde!"

"No." Peach shook her head. "I don't think so."

She had to have gone nuts because even Mulberry looked unsure. "I understand that you two are partners, but really?" he asked.

"Just look at Fran," Peach defended. "She doesn't seem too bothered by it."

Electrical energy surged from Fran, half a score of Grimm vanished.

"Oi!" Hyde sounded offended. "No bursts of attack."

Fran stuck out her tongue again and kept smashing the Grimm.

"Alright, that's it!" Evil just flooded out of Hyde as he got on all fours. He wasn't in that beast form but he adopted a lot more animalistic behavior.

Grimm were drawn to Hyde the most. Even those attacking Fran were drawn away. Fran cried something that Peach couldn't understand amidst all the roars and growls and whimpers of the Grimm. Hyde was racking up the numbers and catching up, if not surpassing, Fran.

Fran gritted her teeth and joined in the fray. Despite the seeming animosity between them, the two never got in each other's way. Hyde has gotten better control of himself as he continued to clash with the Grimm.

"How much more could they take?" Mister Arc slashed at one leaping Beowolf.

"To be fair," Mulberry said. "This was a necessity. Culling of the Grimm had been at its easiest that time. In the years after, Grimm numbers grew."

Peach shot down a Nevermore. She said nothing but had a feeling on the number of Grimm increasing. She can't say it with mister Arc around and even less about Heroic Spirits, if Ruby Rose hadn't told them already.

Grimm horde decreased in record numbers. Fran and Hyde eventually slowed down as well. In this time, Peach readied her weapon, for certainty. Fran could probably do it but it was best that she be ready anyway.

The two's breath was labored. Hyde's danger decreased as a calmer presence came up. Peach's lips curved and put her weapon away.

Jekyll stretched his arms and bent his own back until he heard a sound. "Today, life is good."

He was still covered in those remains of the Grimm. Fran was too but she wasn't as relaxed. She was calm and loose but not as lax as Jekyll was. It was more accurate to say that she was resting and recovering in preparation for the next Grimm culling.

"What's that good enough?" Jekyll asked. "Or did I draw too much?"

Peach turned to Mulberry. He was still the leader, after all. "It's good. Applicants will be harshly graded this year but that is to be expected with you around."

"Maybe we should consider a different sort of test if I'm constantly going to be culling a lot of Grimm to a point of making it easy." He addressed the only student among them. "Mister Arc?"

"I'm okay," mister Arc replied, thumbs up. "I'm okay." He dropped his hand and focused on his breathing. "Just wondering what kind of circumstances had to happen for a semblance like that."

Jekyll shrugged. "Can't remember. It was hazy the first time I did it." Already, he came up with the cover story.

"Really?"

"I take it you haven't discovered your semblance yet, mister Arc?" Jekyll asked. When mister Arc nodded, Jekyll continued. "I'm afraid I can't answer as to when it could happen. It just does. For all I know, you might have found your semblance without realizing it."

The student slumped a little. "Thanks professor. I was thinking that maybe after something like this, I might have some clue as to what my semblance is."

"Don't be too worried," Mulberry said. "Not every semblance is going to be explicit. Some huntsmen go their entire lives without ever knowing what their semblance is. Doesn't make them any less of a huntsman than they are."

Mister Arc nodded. "Thank you, professor. So uh… do we just stick around here and wait to be picked up or…?"

"Why don't you go on ahead," Mulberry said.

Before mister Arc could go, Fran had already accompanied the student. Not willing to let a student simply travel around in the Emerald Forest unsupervised, Fran took her duties seriously.

Jekyll was still gathering his breath as he neared the other two.

"Is there anything that needs to be talked?" Jekyll asked.

"Not really," Mulberry replied. "More on Ozpin. He says he wants an evaluation on Fran's performance, and as the only Servant, you're the only one remotely qualified for this."

He nodded in understanding. Jekyll took a deep breath and began to contemplate.

"I will not deny," said Jekyll. "As it stands right now, I am the weakest among all the Servants here. I am much closer to a top huntsman, courtesy of Hyde, than I am a proper Servant. With Vlad around, I'm not sure I could be much help."

"That's fine." Mulberry patted Jekyll on the back. "Knowledge is its own strength and you have that aplenty, doctor."

The trio laughed there and proceeded their way back to Beacon. Greene would meet them there if she hadn't already come back. In that time, Jekyll gave them as much information as he could in regards to the other Servants, including Jack Schnee-Jekyll of Atlas. The thought of that still brought a snort out of Peach.

"As for Vacuo," Mulberry said. "Can't say much. The Servant there insisted on keeping her identity a secret, something about a Grail War?"

"A ritual where—generally—seven Heroic Spirits fight for the Holy Grail," Jekyll said. "A reservoir of magical energy, a wish granter basically. Did she at least mention her class?"

"Caster," Peach answered. "Jackal-faunus by appearance, Caster by name."

"Officially?"

"Can't say." Peach shook her head. "Not sure if that's how she goes with or if she kept her name hidden there as well."

"Being cautious is probably a good idea," said Jekyll. "Habits from the Grail War. We normally would have."

"But you've kept your name public," Mulberry commented.

"Amber didn't have any Command Spells," Jekyll replied. "I thought it was strange but since there weren't any other Servants, I didn't see any reason to keep my name hidden." He slumped down. "I'm beginning to regret that, you know."

With Amber's summoning of Jekyll and Hyde serving as precedent, it isn't surprising that others capable of magic could also summon their own Servants.

"How does the summoning system even work?" Peach asked.

"Normally? There should have been a catalyst involved. Without one, usually someone much like the one doing the summoning. Even that hardly applies here."

"Right, the King of Flights or something."

"Knights," Jekyll corrected. "The King of Knights had been the first to answer the call."

"Probably Qrow," Mulberry said. "Misfortune is one of the more interesting semblances. In that, it is strange and nobody really knows just how far it could go."

"Enough to counteract Remnant's magic?" Jekyll asked.

Mulberry shrugged. "You'd think Ozpin would have answers but you're proof that Ozpin clearly doesn't know everything. Old man's still surprised that it was possible at all. Look at Fran, she came around because of his cane."

/-/

Ruby had to be saying "I told you so" repeatedly. Jekyll could see the sheer disbelief on mister Arc's face as he bowed his head low with Ruby being this insistent. Not even miss Nikos was covering for him there nor anyone of his team. Still, according to Mulberry especially, mister Arc was doing remarkably well as his own combatant. Can't say anything about mister Arc's leadership without his team though.

Jekyll took a breath. Mister Arc was considered to be the worst among all the students in terms of performance. He's a good kid with a head between his shoulders but that was when mister Arc first began two years ago. Nowadays, he was catching up with the rest of his peers and proving himself capable.

As for Jekyll himself, from being the only Servant to being one among five was a definitely new experience for him here in Remnant. He wouldn't deny the down feelings he got when he was certain that he, like mister Arc those years ago, was the weakest among them.

Hyde could keep up, certainly. But everyone else, even Fran, were closer to being proper Servants than he was. He could really only accomplish such a feat with the aid of a Maiden for a limited time.

Green eyes stared at the empty palm of his hand. There wasn't some means that he could to regain that proper Servant status he had. Part of his dissertation had been the use of the Spirit Origin and connecting it to aura. Little to no information was available in regard to changing one's own aura, limited to a bunch of quacks and cracks with little credibility. Even accounting for Remnant's magic didn't do it since Ozpin wouldn't know either.

As expected had it been any other year, initiation went off without much problem. There was no additional investigation that he, or anyone, had to do. Only Greene had any but that was just because she handled the security of Beacon. Overnight, she was tasked to watch over the students, along with Fran.

Speaking of Fran, Ozpin remembered that her usual attire would come across as rather odd to pretty much everyone, including the colorful huntsmen and huntresses with their strange and peculiar attires. Right now, her outfit was more fit for Beacon's newest staff member: an electrician.

The most conservative electrician Remnant will ever know, Jekyll thought. One thing that had been made clear, even before his return, was that Beacon had been conserving a lot more electricity as of late.

Glynda never looking happier whenever she looks at the electricity bill was proof enough of that.

Fran never allowed the lights to go on any longer than it absolutely needed. Even then, it was always just enough for them to be used properly rather than anything liberal. Jekyll found himself chuckling at the sight. She took her job more seriously than he ever did.

Ozpin said his words, welcoming Beacon's new students. The usual applause was had and everyone was subsequently dismissed. Families and friends were congratulating Beacon's freshmen with many new friendships being formed.

"So," Peach spoke up, suddenly appearing beside him. "What about the little one? She going to follow daddy or mommy?"

Jekyll failed to answer in that moment. It took him minutes to even chuckle. "I wouldn't know."

"You might want to start thinking about it sometime, beansprout," Peach replied. Hearing that brought nostalgia to Jekyll's ears. "You're a father now. Skipped the process a bit, but hey. Maybe Jack would want a little sibling one day."

"I don't think that's going to happen." Jekyll shook his head. "Because you know…"

"What makes you think Hyde makes you any less than you are?"

"Not many people are going to accept Hyde, Peach. That's a given."

"Then you have a standard. Only those who could accept you—all of you—gets to put a ring on that finger."

"I'd say that it would be a very short list but that would mean I'd actually have to make one."

"I'm sure you will eventually. I mean, remember Cinder? She liked Hyde."

Jekyll groaned. "She's a complete reversal to any sane person. Doesn't like Jekyll and prefers Hyde." He felt a chill go down his back. "She scares me sometimes. I haven't heard anything about her."

"She's still in prison. Even on good behavior, she's not going out anytime soon. If there is an attempt to escape, it'll come from outside."

Jekyll and Peach left the venue. But since there was still time before classes were called to begin, he already set aside some time just for it.

Why am I suddenly nervous? Jekyll thought. It's just a call.

The video feed showed Jack first. "Father!" she was too close to the camera that Jekyll could see the back of her mouth whenever she would open it. She was already more akin to the Schnee family with that manner of dress, almost all white with only a little blue for color. "You called!"

"I promised, didn't I?" Jekyll felt his shoulder stiffen.

Blurry and nauseating vision filled the video feed as Jack was carrying the scroll. There was clear excitement there that Jekyll needed to look away with how shaky the camera was. It was hard to tell what was what with the whites and blues that is the Schnee manor. His head was dizzying.

Eventually, the camera rested and became stable and Winter could be seen, up to her shoulders with Jack holding the camera. Her face then filled the camera and at a much better distance than Jack was.

"You actually called." Surprise painted Winter's voice, slight curve in her lip. "Thought you'd use that time to at least adjust back into Beacon."

Jekyll chuckled. "I'd be breaking my promise to Jack if I did that. It wouldn't do well."

Winter shared in that sentiment. "You and I are not ready for this, Jekyll."

"Does it look like we have a choice? At least, I know that Jack is in good hands with you around."

"You mean Klein," Winter called out. "He has the experience and has done it more than I ever could."

"There's a first for everything. It's really a shame that I can't be there."

"Father will be here during the Vinyl Festival, right?" Jack asked.

"Vytal, Jack," Jekyll corrected. "And yes, I will be there."

Then, Winter moved to another topic. "How's Ozpin's Servant? I heard he had one. The general was furious that he kept that a secret."

"Less a secret and more of a gamble," Jekyll explained. "Ozpin took a chance. It worked out favorably." He sighed again. He shook his head.

"Henry?" That was the most unnatural attempt at calling him by his first name that Jekyll had ever heard. It would be odd if Winter still called him by his last name, rather formal for a supposedly engaged couple.

"It's fine. Only that I'm now the weakest among all Servant here. Jack could best me easily, even with Hyde."

It was a statement of fact, nothing could be changed about that.

"With how you yourself could be," Winter said. "Ideally, we wouldn't have to engage in any fight at all. Imagine the destruction it could cause." Then, she added, "sorry."

"Don't be." Jekyll gave her his best smile. "Jack is an Assassin. Fran over here is a Berserker. I can't say for Vlad."

"Why is that?"

"Vlad qualifies for more than one class…"

It was the longest explanation for how classes work. Topics and subjects that Jekyll never thought he would ever talk about, but given the circumstances, it was best to treat it as a Grail War of sorts. Perhaps he should forward some of this information to Ozpin.

"That sounds complicated," Winter commented at the end.

"Depends really on what the person is capable of achieving. One isn't just accomplished in one area alone. Vlad is one of them."

Jack got bored at some point there and went off to play. Nothing too concerning, just Jack being a child. A behaved child, this was the Schnee Manor after all. With Jacques Schnee still trying to run for a seat in the council, there was a desperate need placed on them all to live up to standards. Jack herself had to act some way in public.

"I'm still surprised that Whitley becoming a deterrent to father is a good thing," Winter commented. Then, her voice turned a little annoyed. "There are still too many Pumpkin Pete's cereal around here."

"Jack's a Servant. She'll be fine."

"That is no excuse, Jekyll."

Jekyll could barely hide his own amusement. Winter is already taking her duties seriously, just as he expected her. Winter had always been driven by that duty of hers. Even motherhood, adopted Jack may be, was something that she would take seriously. Jekyll needed to step up if wanted to make it lighter for her.

He had been alone with his own thoughts for too long. Winter asked, "what?"

"Nothing," he replied. "Only that you're already taking the role of Jack's mother, albeit the disciplinarian one."

Winter face warmed. "With Whitley being the spoiling uncle, someone has to make sure Jack grows up with good habits."

Jekyll heard a faint cry from Jack. Already, she was becoming that kind of child that finds certain things boring and just wanted to go out and play.

"So," he asked, choosing to move to other topics. "How's initiation?"

"Hardly worth noting," Winter replied. "Nothing unexpected occurred. Everything went as smoothly as it could be. There were a few students who had to drop out early due to health reasons. Nerves must have gotten to them and affected their focus. You?"

"I couldn't recall if there was anything similar. I can say that not everyone passed though, as usual."

It is to be expected when it comes to admissions. Huntsmen academies are no exception. Depending on the school, Jekyll could expect some parents filing complaints that their precious child is unable to enroll in the academy, maybe some desparate enough to fake transcripts or some other sort of credential. But who would be desparate enough do that? Jekyll himself was an exemption.

Now that he thought about it, Ruby got into Beacon two years early. Whoever was supposed to take her place had she got in normally must have been crushed. A lot of them probably were when they heard.

"By the way," Winter said. "What exactly is Beacon's plans on representatives for this year's Vytal?"

"Already asking about Weiss?" Jekyll didn't know that, actually. He was just guessing, and he guessed correctly.

"No," Winter answered quickly. Too quickly. "I was just wondering what criterion Beacon would have in choosing its representatives."

Jekyll raised an eyebrow. "Even if I did know," which he doesn't. "I don't think Ozpin would willingly let me share it." The man probably would; Ozpin was too lax about these things sometimes. Ozpin may be the face but Glynda runs the school.

Winter took the bait. "I suppose not. Knowing your competitors is part of strategy and tactics."

"And you're already trying to secure Atlas Academy ahead."

"Last Vytal tournament didn't have the most legitimate victory with the attack on Beacon. Atlas has been wanting to prove itself after making it to the finals. We wish to win legitimately."

"Considering that Atlas is hosting it this year, should I be worried?"

"Nothing too much, I assure you."

Onwards, the only thing left was small talk. A talk between friends, nothing more. Friends that have been tasked to take care of a child but that was it. It was a façade at the end of the day. They weren't a genuine family, let alone a normal one.

He had laid there at his bed. His eyes, unsure if they're Jekyll's or Hyde's at the moment, stared at the ceiling. He really was the weakest Servant among them. A capable huntsman but also a liability to everyone around him.

Is there a way for me to become who I was? Back when I was… a Berserker-class Servant? Tatsumi...

He shook his head and turned in his bed. He had to remake his own body for that. He doubts that even Ozpin could do anything about it. The only thing that could would be a powerful thing of creation.

/-/

He beheld the sight before him. It was a magnificent looking thing, just like Mistral and Atlas. But the grandeur of such architecture kept his beloved star imprisoned, both body and mind. Her voice was meant to be heard, yet she would risk having it lost forever in the field of a soldier.

"But first," said Erik. "I must see this place for myself."


AN: The more I learn of JnH, the more I risk overdosing myself with hopium that Berserker-JnH comes to FGO, or we get an anime of it. I couldn't find any official artwork depicting the werewolf form of JnH, so I'm only working on the werewolf page on the Type-Moon wiki and Woodwose as an image in my head.

The closest I could find was this image of Serenity with Hyde in the background on the Type-Moon wiki. There's this Reddit post with the accompanying audio of JnH transforming into werewolf form but I couldn't verify if that one is official or just fanwork (search: "Henry Jekyll enters his monster wolf form in the Prototype Fragments Audio Drama")

If anyone there knows of any links or any image depicting JnH's fully transformed werewolf form other than the ones I mentioned, let me know, I'd really appreciate it.