….
Ahem.
"Mrs Woods. I presume you've finished reading my notes on the topic we are discussing in today's lecture."
She nodded silently.
"We will have your Semblance replace this Grimm, since it will be quite an engaging experience for the students and we can't use a Grimm we don't even know exists!"
"Though, if you're talented enough to easily beat a hunter, like some people I could name, it would probably be easier to beat them under control of a Grimm, correct?"
"Sir. How exactly do you want me to help? Paige questioned, quietly.
I could share my combat experience with someone… or motion? Both could work, but that's not what I reveale-
"You will use your semblance on a willing volunteer."
…
Peter Port watched his coworker stiffen. Hmm. Did you not expect me to guess?
She watched him without an expression change, and questioned him. "Who is this willing volunteer? We have slightly more than two hours to get a person willing, and I don't think many people would agree to this."
…
"No offence is intended by being so blunt, professor, but I feel nobody would agree."
He chuckled at her failure to stay completely apathetic and detached from the situation. I wonder if I was her favourite teacher. "Mrs Woods. I am the volunteer."
She choked on her reply.
"So, let's get ready, shall we?" Port requested.
….
This was an unusual start to the week.
"Why, this reminds me of my spars back in the old days!"
Professor Port was standing inside one of the sparring rings, loudly talking to a stone faced member of the faculty. They were an interesting antithesis.
"As I have often repeated, the Grimm are a dangerous plague on our civilisation. Despite this, you have had to fight against your fellow hunters.
If your enemies will be the Grimm, this is a problem. Why?"
He noted the looks of surprise on the faces of every student when he skipped past his long stories. "None of you?" Port said, a large look of astonishment on his face as he watched everyone with his widened eyes
A swift turn had him focus on an unlucky group. "Juniper."
"We are fighting in a controlled environment."
"Lie Ren. Thank you for a prompt response."
Port cleared his throat.
"Why do you all think we're here today?"
"… Are we going to have to fight you, or something?"
Port smiled.
He pointed his finger directly at the origin of the quiet, obviously sarcastic comment.
"Ms Xiao Long. What that sarcasm?"
The young woman's eyes widened.
"Apologies, Sir!" Yang shouted out in an overly formal manner.
Port stopped and took his hand down to his sides. "Hmm. It was the correct response, though."
"Please come here, Ms Xiao Long."
He paused, thinking, and twitching his legs, then he jolted up like he was burned, and called out to his coworker.
"Mrs Woods."
The black haired woman turned to face him, and nodded once silently.
"Have we ever discussed The Chill before?"
The class was now, if it even could be, more confused, and some warily were on guard for a long winded lecture.
"No? Well, I may get you to teach the next class tomorrow. I'll give you a brief overview of the creature."
Groans of despair and silent acquiescence came from the students.
..
Port walked off, standing slightly on the edge of the ring, ignoring the students he approached. "You see, the Chill is quite a rarely discussed Grimm, so little is factually verified. Thus, I can't really replicate it in a class setting. I was thinking of selecting a student to a match against me, then acting akin to a Grimm… but that wouldn't work, since the dead don't have Aura. So, Mrs Woods, under no circumstances should we do that experiment! It is far too difficult to get right! Instead, I would like you to tell a story of your encounter with one, and explain the creature's characteristics very carefully."
He did this without stopping, in such a long winded rant they wondered how he didn't lose his breath.
… Yang called out to him. "Professor. Why are we here, then?"
"The Chill had few consistencies, but what it does have is quite worrying. For, you see, the Chill can possess living creatures, like how a Geist possess objects. Terrifying, no? Now, the more dour takes behind this Grimm also say that you can't tell it apart from a person! … Wait. That was the wrong story. Can you fetch me my notes? They're in the second drawer, left side."
He paused. His coworker stopped, and tilted her head to the side, like a confused child would, and pointed towards the direction of the classroom.
"Thank you, Mrs Woods."
"Professor Port? Excuse me?"
He looked up at an wall, and spoke while reaching out his hand. "Ah. Yes, here it is."
"Has he gone senile?"
"Yang. Can he see you?"
Port completely ignored the students, and walked straight towards Yang Xiao Long as she stepped aside, looking at his face, watching him in astonishment as he did nothing to avoid her.
Her grinning faded. "Professor… Are you ill?"
"…ahem… The Chill is a possibly unfounded Grimm of terrifying possible capabilities. The idea of a creature that can possess someone with no physical change, and is only recognisable by the lack of Aura, if noticed, and repetition of the killed's last words is a horrifying idea. Other stories say it bleaches the corpse's skin white as it kills the host, but gives no notes on if it can perfectly replicate human speech, or for how long. Perhaps it can generate speech, but then falls back into the corpse's last words as a method of tormenting those who would try to kill it? The troublesome part is that it appears to be able to easily spread itself into new hosts, mainly by touch. It is a horrible concept, since no hunter can ever be free from the fear of those you love being harmed."
The students were quiet, since most were speculating what to do about the professor. Because of this, they all clearly heard his lecture, his unorthodox methods today clearly working to have the class hear every word.
They heard it, and stood still, captivated by the incredibly disturbing concept. Some students were even already beginning to glance nervously at their classmates.
"Yes, quite terrifying. So, please leave out the notes in the desk there. I'll use them tomorrow's lesson. Good night, Mrs Woods."
The silent woman nodded. The student body present locked into her for the barrage of questions.
… "Mrs? Is this intended for us to discover the discrepancies in Professor Port's dialogue, helping us if we were ever in a similar situation?
The black haired woman shrugged slightly, but soon started nodding a yes.
Yang watched Port walking around, and noticed, with no little rise in horror, that he started up his lecture again.
She thought about his words. "Mrs Woods…."
"Was I meant to fight the Professor anyways?"
Mrs Woods grimaced, shrugged once again, but walked away to enable the Aura readers.
Okay… Grimm that will defeat me on physical contact…
Yang blinked and her face fell.
"Wait! Miss! I'm a horrible matchup against this kind of fight! Why would anyone choose me? He even said he didn't want this to happen!
Yang started worrying that she was doomed to failure, and everyone watching looked up at the screens out of habit.
Yang was at full Aura, a good thing for a mock fight against a member of staff. They all turned to read Professor Port's level.
Nothing.
Zero Aura.
How in hell did he do that? He did set it up properly, right?
Port continued speaking as they watched the screen in unblinking, undeniable confusion.
"-but that wouldn't work, since the dead don't have Aura. So, Mrs Woods, under no circumstances should we do that experiment!"
Yang Xiao Long stared at her Professor. She slowly drew her gauntlets out, and directed them at Port. "Professor. I am going to shoot you. Do you understand?"
He fell to the ground as soon as she said those words, going limp like a rag doll.
His body limply lifted itself up, and his eyes lolled.
"-under no circumstances should we do that experiment!"
She fired.
The slug hit him dead in the chest, blasting him out of the ring, leaving him unmoving on the ground.
"Okay, Professor. I won the match. I knocked you out of the ring. Is your practical demonstration over?"
She went to Port, and bent down to pick him up.
"-explain the creature's characteristics veeery careful- full…
…."
… Shiiiit. Did I actually just concuss a teacher?"
She grabbed his arm, and pulled him up.
Or, at least she tried. As soon as she touched his bare skin, her mind went absolutely insane. She would have said she just overdosed on some hallucinogenic drug, but this felt closer to waking up having realised you dreamt the entire day.
…Can the professor do this? Is this his Semblance?
She laughed awkwardly. "Okay… What the hell? Professor. Can you not prank us mid lesson?"
….
...
… Why can't I speak?
She looked towards the other students, and called out for someone to get help.
"Practical demonstration over."
What?
"Rubes! Anyone! Can someone get another teacher?"
"Practical demonstration over."
She stood, went to where her team were, and sat by them.
Yang looked at the screen. What could she say? Habits.
… She saw both bars at zero.
Nothing.
Zilch.
Yang was all for expecting this was a weird old dream. She just has to wake up by pinching herself, or something.
I'm dreaming. Just say that I'm dreaming.
"Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow."
"-whether the weather is cold-"
What in the world is she saying?
…
Ruby turned to her sister as she put away her gauntlets. "Yang. Are you… okay?"
"I'm perfectly fine. Are you well?"
"Yup. I'm good."
She saw her sister smile as she turned back towards Port, trying to find out what the purpose of his lying there was for.
… "So, I did pretty good in that match, right? Victory high five?"
"Is now a good… time?"
"Is your practical demonstration over?"
"Yes?"
Yang held out her hand for a high-five.
Ruby hit it.
It made a very sharp noise.
Then, a cry of shock came from Ruby, and her teammates lunged to catch them as they spontaneously fell.
"Team RWBY." A voice boomed out.
Professor Port stood in front of them, eyes wide open and staring.
"You have failed to pass this class.
Ms Xiao Long, you are dead. This goes for Ms Rose as well.
Ms Weiss. You, unfortunately, have touched Ms Rose, and thus you are functionally dead. Your family will never find your body, since it will most likely be destroyed mercilessly."
"What? I paid careful attention to the lecture!"
"If you did, you should notice that I, in fact said it twice."
His voice increased. "Did you also notice that I very clearly said to my coworker that we should never try to do this in a sparring ring?"
…Yes… He did say that.
"Despite my own words explaining that we should not even set a foot in here? Here. We. Stand."
Yang bolted up, and from the look of it, very nearly shouted at her lecturer. Instead, she tried to emulate Weiss's 'secretly and subtly judgemental and aggressive tone' she sometimes used.
"Sir. What was that?"
Weiss glared at her for an instant before returning to watch their teacher.
"That, Ms Xiao Long, was you touching my possessed corpse, and being controlled by a Grimm. Then, since your sister touched you, she became possessed, killing you in the process.
Furthermore, since Ms Schnee is the last to have physical contact with Ms Rose, she likely became possessed after touching the now dead Ms Rose. Because of this possession, she will die as soon as the Chill leaves her, or her body is hunted down and destroyed completely."
…
"Professor. I'm not trying to be funny. Please explain what in the world happened to me!"
"I believe, if you stay behind after class, your team can find out. You will have to give me full annotated and researched pages on this lecture by next week. The rest of you, please give in your notes to Mrs Woods as you leave."
"… Who are you, and what have you done with Port?!"
The professor watched the rest of the class stop their slow walking out of h to the room. "I already explained that, Did you not listen?"
The students completely halted all movement. Nobody wanted to have to stay behind, but they didn't know what this unusual behaviour of Port would lead to.
"Please leave out the notes in the desk there. I'll use them tomorrow's lesson. Good night, Mrs Woods."
With those last words, he fell to the ground.
….
Someone was shouting in the halls.
Sigh. Children, the entire lot of them.
"HELP! Professor Port just collapsed again!"
Did this girl just say "again"? What in the world is that fool doing?
...
Student Rose ran into the infirmary and called out to the occupants, before being interrupted by the nurse currently working.
"Where is he? Why didn't you bring him here?"
"I can't touch him! Weiss, Yang, and me all died last time!"
Her ears twitched.
"You… just left him where he was?"
Damn it, Peter. What the fuck did you do to make then think that?"
"MISS! Do you have one of those big puffy complete protective things?"
"Why?"
"Nobody can touch him, or we'll get possessed!"
… Re: What the fuck, Peter.
She had every intention to tell him off for whatever insane thing he did today, but Ms Rose had no intention of stopping yet.
"Yang already was possessed by it, and I really don't want to be possessed by a Grimm again!"
…
…
Grimm.
Wait. He's not that insane. What did they see to cause this?
…
"What did they see…" she murmured.
"Please get the Headmaster, and can you also get someone to find Port's new assistant?"
The girl nodded and sped off down the corridor.
She heard a familiar sound- light laughing- coming down the opposite direction, and sighed.
"Peter. What… what did you do? I don't HAVE a full body hazardous material suit."
"Oh, it's quite simple." He chuckled. "I just seemed like I was possessed by a Grimm. Have you heard of the Chill?"
Her eyes narrowed. -And you say I'm the sadist? Bastard.
"It's not a bastard move if it works to get them to learn to know the threat they're facing."
"Whatever you do… I'm not a part of this. Glynda will have your head."
Port laughed, and exited the hallway, walking with a confident ease towards the headmaster's office. Nobody commented on the fact that he was meant to be dead in a sparring ring.
Today, I think, was a very good lecture. he thought.
...
….
"Peter. Why?" sighed Ozpin.
"You remember the week I learned that Creeps had incredible mobility through digging underground? I took my lectures seriously then as well."
Ozpin's cup halted as he tried to calmly take a sip. "I… don't remember that week."
"Hmm. Guess I didn't tell you two days ago. Did you know Creeps have excellent burrowing abilities?"
He set his drink down, and his eyes narrowed slowly.
"I have to say I hadn't really heard of that, Peter."
"It's quite interesting! It has some potential to be a very engaging lesson, if I just say so myself!"
"Peter… besides your excitement in a new topic to explore, can you at least notify me before you engage in something that gives two of our close associates conniptions?
"I am sorry for not explaining it beforehand. I was sure everyone would understand the lesson material very clearly. I'll explain what I did to the students, in order to avoid disheartening anyone away from the lessons."
"I heard about a Grimm possessing you."
"Yes, you did. Now… if you'll excuse me, I need to find-" Port spoke.
The headmaster pulled up his open palm. "Glynda? Please bring them in."
Port turned to see the headmistress enter the room. She was followed by his assistant, and then, the team he was currently going to go find.
"Peter. I'm currently planning on suspending you for at least a month. Is there anything you can do to convince us against that?"
"Well, Ozpin…"
"I am sure everyone will understand that this includes the members of team RWBY."
… Ah…
...
Port called for the attention of his assistant. "Mrs Woods?"
Please help out here?
Ozpin watched the ensuing chaos as Ms Xiao Long flung herself to the wall, and all the members locked eyes with the professor in unison.
"Good day teaching, professor?" Ozpin said.
"I've had a lesson teaching a completely engaged class. It's been quite a good one for a little over four hours."
"I apologise for the inconveniences we caused, headmaster." Page added on.
Xiao Long peeled herself away from the wall. The headmaster noticed a slight fracture, and sighed.
She raised her hand and spoke without looking away. "Sir, with all due respect… I had to watch a thing control my body. That shouldn't qualify as a good day."
Paige sighed. "It seems my heartfelt apology wasn't enough. How about I… hmm… stop using this until I can get a way to seal it. I am now banned from using the ability again unless we have been given prior permission. That seems much more reasonable."
…
The team finally acted like she was there. They looked in confusion at her.
"…You caused this?" Brown asked her.
She looked at them and quietly spoke.
"Wether the weather is cold?-"
She was interrupted by the sound of a hand moving rapidly.
Paige took the punch.
-NO. NOBODY is hurting her.-
Addendum: She would have taken the punch, if Blair hadn't started trying to intervene.
She grimaced as the fist was flying towards her pale, pasty face.
Pt-tomp.
It made a quiet sound like a bean bag hitting wet durum noodles as the air in front of the fist was pushed along Paige's cheek.
It was a few millimetres away from landing.
…
…
Nobody moved for five seconds after that.
Ozpin, however, was the exception. He slowly set his drink to the side.
"Mrs Woods?"
"That was unintentional, sir. She's protective."
… "Mrs Woods. Please deactivate your semblance."
She chastised the air in the still room. "Blair. Friends aren't toys. I can protect myself."
…
With that said, the students moved again. The most remarkable movement was when Yang Xiaolong hit Paige Woods with a fist that could probably blow up a car in a single impact.
… with a millimetre of space between her fist and the target.
…
As she neared the floor, Paige chose to just take it easy for a minute. Thus, for all intents and purposes, Yang Xiaolong may go down in Beacon legends to be the first student to knock out two members of faculty with a single blow in less than ten minutes.
… "Oh no."
"Yang. Did you just kill her hair?"
…
"I… think I might have? They weren't looking this pale before. I am VERY sorry!"
"… Hell. Am I going to be expelled for this?"
"She's not dead." Ozpin comforted them. "But, since we're currently in a rather unusual situation, based on her use of a semblance on an unwilling person… that expulsion may not happen, depending on if she decides to repeat her actions, and if you choose to once again assault a regretful assistant for reciting poetry."
"Peter. We're going to be suspending your assistant's pay, and also banning her from using her semblance without verified permission, as she said herself. Besides that… I feel you should still explain why she believed this was a valid idea?"
Glynda let the hunters in training out the door, and closed it behind them.
Peter Port left the elevator that day one 23 year old huntress heavier, and his holiday bonus pay lighter. He also had to get his lesson plans signed off by the headmaster at least a week before teaching any newly planned material.
He sighed at the last words Ozpin told him:
"-Needless to say, I am not going to be trusting you doing a lesson on Creep burrowing, Peter."
…
Port, despite all this, was looking forwards to his next lecture planning with his new assistant.
Before anything else could distract his jovial thoughts, his mind wandered to his classes in the years before. How did I completely forget this student?
…
Didn't she call herself Briar at one point? That's a good starting point. Let's see if we can jog the old memory with some good old fashioned class rosters.
…
Though, honestly, out of everything Ozpin could have given to hide her semblance, did he really have to say she can use the Grimm? Out of everything he could have said? That… hah!
That was a bit too much!
He chuckled lightly at the idea, causing a few stares from the passing students.
His furrowed brow convinced people to not question it.
Honestly, it's like the students think I'm just a one dimensional person. Why were they so surprised today? They've only been through just a fraction of my classes. There's no reason for them to not pay attention.
… just a fraction…
Controlling the Grimm. It was ridiculous. People tried, and had consistently ended in failure. You could bait it with negative emotions, but if you weren't aware of what you were doing, then that was just for the insane or sadistic.
-but he wouldn't call illusions the ability to control Grimm. That's two very different things.
Although…
She casually used him like a puppet on his request, just from his small request based on his suspicions about what her semblance counted "sharing senses" as.
If they went from only sharing sight, to sharing muscle movements in less than a day?
Ozpin telling him her semblance was to control Grimm…. she could, maybe, possibly do that….. They just needed a little push to realise that first.
…
Ozpin was stretching the limits of a workday, but he had quite a bit of research to get through. He reduced some of the light fixtures to prevent the tedious pain from the now vividly contrasting brightness overhead, and paused with collecting a new document.
He muttered quietly. "Port's already trying to get new lectures in?"
Ozpin glanced down at the contents.
Looking around his desk, he tried to find a pen in order to write out the message. Writing it in his handwriting, thinking through the words in his head, it may be able to help him understand this. He needed to be sure he was reading this accurately.
"Headmaster Ozpin. I, Peter Port, Professor of Grimm Studies at Beacon Academy, wish for permission to work with my assistant in order to use her semblance, titled Blood Bond, on a captive Grimm.
We cordially request your acceptance and presence, if we are granted the ability to do this test.
P. Port, Grimm Studies Professor & B. Hardy, Grimm Studies Associate Lecturer."
Ozpin looked out the window.
A small glimmering set of windows was lit up amidst the dark panes of Beacon at midnight.
Peter. What in the world are you doing…
….