Chapter 38
To be fair, there were worse ways to land in a bed. Certainly worse beds to land in, than the one with white linens and a metric fuckton of wires and needles. Worse places to be in Beacon than the room with beds lined up on one side. Surrounded by his team. Yep. And the headmaster. Definitely the headmaster.
"Nexus Shade," Ozpin said, a steaming mug in one hand and a cane in the other. "You've certainly had quite the evening."
Nex hummed, glancing at the tube pumping some sort of clear fluid into his wrist. A healing catalyst probably. "An understatement. Have you seen the bullhead that hit me?"
Yep. That was his story. He was sticking to it. Going with the flow and all.
Ozpin nodded. "A bullhead the size of your thumb, launched by Roman Torchwick himself. A notorious criminal still on the loose."
Roman still was?
Well, it was probably too much to hope for that his fellow thief drowned or something, never to resurface again. It would have saved him the trouble of finishing that virus. Give him time for sleep, training, or tinkering with his gadgets. Or even more coffee time with Weiss.
"Yep. That one," Nex said, frowning as his partner and the ghost-ninja stiffened. "So... uh, we didn't break any laws, right?"
Minus the property damage, vandalism, and probably a butt-load of other things people could nit-pick. Well, they were crimes committed in the name of the law. Certainly, there was some leeway that could be made.
Right?
"As far as I'm aware, the only rule you've broken is curfew," Ozpin said, taking a sip from his mug. Great. Was it cocoa or coffee? "Which will be excused due to certain extenuating circumstances."
Blake flinched. "I didn't mean for this to happen."
The ghost-ninja probably expected them to leave her alone. She could have died. Would have died if Vigilance did not take that shot for her. His current state was proof of the raw firepower behind one of Roman's flares. Understandable, considering that enough explosions and bullets could level the playing field, even against seasoned huntsmen and huntresses.
"I doubt any of you wanted this to happen, Miss Belladonna," Ozpin said. "But the reality remains. You've risked the lives of your teammates."
The headmaster was right. There was no mincing words. Not when he was lying on a bed. And certainly not when his chest practically went through an oven and a meat grinder at the same time.
"To be fair, it was my call," Nex said, a cough stabbing his throat. It totally was. Right? "I led the operation. Also me who involved Team Auburn."
Team AXRN was in another room. The one Goodwitch called her office.
Thank the gods for small blessings.
It was debatable, but Goodwitch would definitely not be as affable as Ozpin. Especially not since they made tomorrow's headline. Beacon's huntsmen and huntresses foiling the White Fang and Roman Torchwick. Easy sensationalist fodder. Even more so since their fight destroyed a dumb, fancy ship. The kind the rich would kill for, while the poor needed to sell their kidneys.
"True enough. Be that as it may, Mr Shade," Ozpin said, his lips pulling into the ghost of a smile. "Miss Belladonna has shown an incessant inability to move on from her past."
Blake scowled, her fists crushing her shorts. "I'm not stuck in the past. I left the White Fang."
Stuck in the past. With her time in the White Fang. Almost like he had been. Stuck in those days—the days when everything seemed so simple. The mornings when his mother would wake him up with a blast of ice-cold water, and the nights when she would train him until the crack of dawn. Well, it was his metaphorical ghost, now lulled to sleep. If only he could do the same with his skeletons.
"And an inability to recognize her shortcomings," Ozpin said, taking a sip from his mug. "I cannot allow such a risk to remain in Beacon."
"What?!" Ruby said, flinching. "You can't expel my partner."
Expel the ghost-ninja. When they went through all the trouble to get her back. Right after the long months they spent together. Friends, even. Despite the fact that they spoke little. They did say the best of friends were the ones who could share nothing but silence. Well, they were not best friends yet. But the potential was definitely there.
"If the headmaster wants to expel me," Blake said, heaving a sigh. "Then there's nothing you can do."
Ruby scowled, her hand clasping the ghost-ninja's forearm. "I can't. But our leader can, right?"
Probably. It did not hurt to try. Besides, his team was relying on him.
"Look, give Blake another chance," Nex said. "She's made mistakes, sure. But who doesn't?"
Case in point—him. Probably more mistakes than any of his teammates. Enough mistakes to dye his hands red and cuff them in irons.
Ozpin quirked an eyebrow. "A centuries-old truth. Very well, Mr Shade. But I'll require more than just words."
Yep. Actions spoke louder than words ever could. They seemed to be of one mind on that front.
Blake nodded. "I promise it won't happen again."
Which was as vague as it came—something that could be interpreted in a lot of ways. One, they would not find out the ghost-ninja was off playing vigilante. Two, Blake would try to move on from the White Fang. For real, this time. Three, he would not get injured. Again. At least, not because of her.
And probably a lot more fibs his brain could churn out.
"While your vow means a lot, Miss Belladonna," Ozpin said. Yep. A lot. "I need Team Snowbear's stance. Will all of you stand by your teammate?"
No shit. They put in all the effort. They could not back out now. It was hardly a difficult choice to make.
"I'm with Blake," Nex said. "Rubes?"
Ruby nodded, smiling as her fingers squeezed the ghost-ninja's arm. "I'm with my partner. Weiss?"
Weiss glanced at the ghost ninja. She frowned, her arms stiff against her sides.
Nex smiled, shooting her a look, saying, everything's going to be alright.
"I suppose I can give her another chance," Weiss said, heaving a sigh. She looked away. "Despite what she's said and done, Blake is still my teammate."
Blake's eyes darted between them. "Thank you."
Ozpin nodded, taking another sip from his mug. "Good. Then I'll give your team some privacy. No doubt you have some words to share."
The headmaster spun and strolled towards the door, mug stiff in his left hand.
Nex sighed, glancing at his team. Three chairs fenced his bed—Weiss on one side and Blake and Ruby on the other. His partner and his two teammates.
Three pairs of eyes stared at him.
No escape then. Ugh.
Ozpin stopped right in front of the glass. "Oh, and, Mr Shade? Do see me when you're able."
The doors slid open, and the headmaster was gone.
Shit. What did he do this time?
Nex licked his lips, rolling his tongue over the chapped skin. "Well, crap. I swear I didn't do anything."
Ruby smiled, yawning as she leaned into her chair. "He doesn't look mad."
Then again, Ozpin hardly ever looked like anything. There was something about the blank face of the headmaster. Hiding something. Almost like he was never present at all. The kind of absentminded where absentminded meant missing a soul. Not possible, since only the Grimm were soulless. Or so the books claimed.
Weiss glared at the ghost-ninja, crossing her arms. "You're not going to say anything?"
"What do you want me to say?" Blake mumbled, staring at her lap. "I'm sorry. I didn't want this to happen."
Nex sighed. There was still that other issue. "It's what you said about us."
"Yes." Weiss shook her head. "It's not true."
Blake fidgeted with her dirt-stained trousers. "I was angry."
Well, that was acceptable. Some things just came out. In the heat of the moment and all.
"And you finally admit it," Weiss said, chuckling as her hand slipped into his. Her fingers brushed the tubes on his wrist. "Why were you so angry at us, anyway?"
Ruby nodded, shooting the ghost-ninja a sideways glance. "You're not a member of the White Fang anymore, right?"
Blake's bow twitched. No surprise there. "I'm not. But I guess it all started on our first day."
Right. The ghost ninja was spying on them. Stalking them since the day before initiation. Call him dense—well, especially dense—but amber eyes on windows were a dead giveaway. Especially since those very same eyes belonged to their team's ghost ninja.
"It's just..." Blake said, her lips tightening. "The heiress of the SDC and a faunus. I assumed she was holding something over him."
"Well, Weiss was holding something over me," Nex said, grinning. "She got my hood out of it."
Blake scowled, her eyes narrowing. "What?"
Weiss glared at him, even as she smiled. "My boyfriend lost a bet. The scarf I'm wearing. It's his."
His hood-turned-scarf still hung around her shoulders, stained by splotches of dried blood.
The ghost-ninja stared at the snowflake, probably realizing the idea behind it. That he and Weiss were partners because they were just partners, and not because one of them was an heiress with an ulterior motive. Or even a thief plotting to steal her company, just like what Roman seemed to imply.
Nope.
They were just people. Ordinary ones who fell in love with each other. Screw the ocean between them. They already swam the distance. But still, he could walk on water if necessary. Or drown. Definitely one of those, judging from how the waves were closing in around him.
"Awwww. That's so sweet," Ruby said, smirking as she gagged under her breath. Apparently, it was already routine for her. "Weiss and Nexus sitting on a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby—"
"Ruby Rose!" Weiss said, crimson staining her cheeks. She was definitely evolving into a tomato. Backwards, then. "That rhyme is inappropriate!"
Nex shrugged, giving the fifteen-year-old kid a smile. "Just you wait, Rubes. You'll find yours someday. Then the teasing will be legendary."
It would be. He only needed to rope in Yang. And maybe even Weiss. But Weiss was not really the type to tease other people.
Maybe Blake then?
Yep. The ghost-ninja definitely had a teasing streak.
Ruby blanched, covering her mouth with her hood. "Nope. Yuck. Gross. Yang gets lots of boys from parties."
Hardly unexpected. Something about Yang screamed party girl. Down to her outfit, even.
Come to think of it, his getup also screamed something. Something along the lines of a spy—midnight-blue trench, white button-up, and black jeans with matching leather boots. Well, he only needed a fedora and some aviators. If he could manage those, then he would totally nail the look.
Weiss smirked, arching an eyebrow. "Boys? Who said anything about boys? Ruby Rose, I'll have you tell me. What do you think about girls?"
Wow. An actual attempt at teasing. Perhaps he was wrong.
Ruby grinned. "Meh. Girls will be girls."
Failure. Catastrophic failure. Impossible to salvage. Perhaps he was right. His partner should leave the teasing to him.
Blake tore her eyes away from his hood-turned-scarf. "I take back everything I said. Maybe it's possible."
"It is. We're going to make this work," Weiss said, squeezing his hand. "No matter what happens."
His brain lashed out, kicking him in the nuts.
Ugh.
Would she really say that if she knew who he really was?
No.
Certainly not if she met his skeletons first-hand and talked to them in her sleep. The kind of late-night talks that left him panting and drenched in sweat. Or at least, whenever they were too exhausted to share some coffee.
Blake sighed. "No hard feelings?"
"No hard feelings," Weiss said, fixing the ghost-ninja a look—a look that lingered a little bit too long. "But I'll be keeping an eye on you."
"You don't need to. I'm done. I'm finished with the White Fang," Blake said, frowning. "I can't be a part of it anymore."
Nex sighed, rubbing the callouses on his partner's palm. "Don't you want to fix it?"
Fix the White Fang and turn the bloodthirsty organization into what it once was. A force for peace striving for true equality between humans and faunus.
Just like how Weiss was going to fix the SDC. Liberate all those underpaid workers in the mines—most of them disadvantaged faunus. And maybe even disadvantaged humans. Well, maybe she could even install an actual health insurance. She only needed to take the company from her father then everything would be perfect.
"Fix it? My parents tried that," Blake said, frowning. "Then they had to change their names and hide in Menagerie."
Menagerie. The tropical wasteland down south. Home to faunus-kind of all species. It was supposed to be relatively peaceful—free from prejudice and human influence. Well, except for the presence of Grimm and the lack of resources. Believe it or not, he did consider bolting from Atlas before. Crash a bullhead into Menagerie and make a hut or something. But then again, he was never really the type to settle down on an isolated island.
It would numb his brain. Or worse, kill him of boredom. Definitely the second one.
"Your parents?" Ruby said, her eyebrows furrowing.
Blake sighed. "My parents were the founders of the White Fang. You could say it's my little legacy."
Legacy. There was that word. The one word that could probably sum up their entire team.
Weiss had the SDC.
Blake had the White Fang.
Ruby had Summer Rose.
And him?
He had Amariss Shade.
Or perhaps not.
His mother was turning into a speck on the horizon. Too far away to touch or to even see.
Would any of her teammates even take care of her memorial?
That was, if Willow, Jacques, or Mekel even dropped by. He certainly never saw them. They never even showed up for the funeral.
But then again, they probably never showed up because it rained, and no sane man would risk a cold in Atlas. His mother would not want her teammates to catch something like pneumonia. Amariss Shade was cool like that. The best parent in the world. And probably the best team leader.
Well, until he dethroned her. Eventually. It was certainly something to work for.
"Then why not claim your legacy?" Weiss said, frowning as she stared at the ghost ninja. "It's yours, isn't it?"
"It's not that simple," Blake said, her eyes fixed on her lap. It was probably the very first time she did not have a book. Her very own safety blanket. "Sienna Khan won't just give up the White Fang. Not when its current methods actually work."
Sienna Khan. Infamous leader of the White Fang.
The ghost-ninja had a point, as jaded as it was. Most shops actually sold stuff to faunus the moment the White Fang assumed more drastic methods. Restaurants and other dumb, fancy establishments even stopped kicking faunus out. Not out of respect. But out of fear. Fear that the White Fang would show up at their door guns blazing. Not exactly the most ideal situation, since it only fanned the flames of their unspoken war.
"I hate to admit it. But you're right," Weiss said, her eyelids drooping as she sighed. "No one can fix the world in a single day."
Fixing the world. That was a thought.
"You can do it," Ruby said, grinning as she placed her hand on the ghost-ninja's shoulder. "You can fix the world or whatever. I'll help."
Fixing the world.
It was something to work for. A long-term goal. Some sort of higher purpose.
Well, it was something to think about at least.
But for now, he had to be a team leader. A damn good one.
Baby steps. One day at a time. His partner was right.
The world could not be fixed in one day.
Not when Remnant had a metric fuckton of problems.
Chapter 39
Someone else was in the infirmary.
No, seriously.
Nex took a long drag, clicking his tongue at the familiar chill. The whiff of alcohol wrinkled his nose. No surprise there.
And then the rest came.
Flowers, baby blue, and some sort of coffee coupled with steamed meat. And sweet, sugary Valean bagels. Definitely those. Huh. His partner was here, while the rest of his team was missing, judging by the absence of their heartbeats in the room. They were probably still asleep.
"I know you're awake, sleepyhead," Weiss said, giggling as something thumped over wood. She probably placed the tray of food on the cabinet. "You're not that good at pretending to be asleep."
Ugh. Sleep. Class.
Need she remind him?
The only consolation he had was the fact that the week was the semester's last. One last hurrah before the glorious break. And here he was, in a bed, nursing a set of barbecued lungs and a bad case of sunburn. But still, it was effectively legalized cutting of classes. Probably the best thing in Beacon since government-sponsored fees and free food slash lodging.
"Zzzzzzz..." Nex said, rolling his eyes. His lids were still closed, but it was the thought that counted. "Zzzzz... I'm totally asleep, Miss Schnee... Zzzzzzz..."
Weiss hummed, the grin on her face definitely audible. "I see. Then you wouldn't object if I do this."
Something pressed into the foam, sinking one side of the bed. Warmth loomed over his chest, strands of what was probably vanilla-scented hair tickling his nose. Something familiar and silken-smooth locked with his lips. Heat pooled over his stomach. Just like their first time and the dozen times after.
She was kissing him.
Here in the infirmary. Alone while the nurse was probably off somewhere else.
Oh, what the hell, right?
Something about the situation strummed all the right chords. His brain was definitely melting into a puddle of goo, even as he licked her upper lip. Begging for entrance with no ID. She shivered and grabbed his arm, even as she nibbled on his lower lip. The floodgates opened. His tongue burst into the dam, twisting around hers. It was wet and warm and moist, her teeth hard, especially since she just so happened to taste like salt and butter.
Valean bagels. Or was it croissants?
Evidently, someone got an early bite.
Weiss huffed, her hot breath stroking his chin. "We shouldn't be doing this, Mr Shade. It's inappropriate."
Nex smirked, peering through half-opened lids. "Then I guess I should wake up. Before you do something even more inappropriate."
Weiss pulled away, plopping down beside him. "It's before we do something even more inappropriate."
Admittedly, she had a point. It took two people to share a kiss. Among other things. But then again, he was just an innocent, injured huntsman lying on a bed. There was no way even Pareidolia could have predicted a huntress would assault him. While he was oh-so helpless and vulnerable. A terrible tragedy, one fit to be chronicled in a book somewhere. Probably one entitled The Adventures of Miss Schnee and Mr Shade.
Or maybe even Artificer.
But, well, that one was already half-taken.
"Nope. I was asleep," Nex said, humming. "It's all on you, Miss Schnee."
Weiss smiled, her ponytail brushing his arm. "Whatever makes you sleep better, Mr Shade."
His partner was already dressed in her school uniform. Probably because it was a school day. A Monday, to be exact. Not that Grimm Studies and Dust Theory would be missed. It was easy enough to figure out the latter. Hrunting and Vigilance was already an application of everything on the course outline, and much, much more.
Grimm Studies could go fuck itself. Professor Poop handed out homework, but he never collected it. A waste of time. Come to think of it, their teacher never did give exams.
How exactly was Professor Poop going to grade them?
"Care to open your mouth?" Weiss said, a spoon trapped between her index and her thumb. Soup, probably. Chicken, judging from the scent. "You're not seriously going back to sleep, are you?"
Nex blinked, snapping his lids open. "Nope. Just a bit tired."
The spoon slipped into his mouth, the broth was actually chicken. No surprise there.
Weiss shovelled more soup into him—a vacuum cleaner on hunger strike. The bagels followed, gone in an instant. By the end of it all, he was ready to go back to sleep. But it was doubtful his current nurse would allow him.
Nurse Weiss, even.
Huh.
That was a nice thought. He should totally get injured more often.
"Why did you do it?" Weiss said, placing the spoon back on the tray. A grey one. It probably came straight from the cafeteria. "You didn't have to do it."
Why was she even asking?
Weiss Schnee did not have as much aura as him. Not since their first match and the dozen times after and certainly not now. That shot would have cremated her alive. Turned her into ashes. And he would have lost yet again—just like his mom.
The answer was obvious, as irrational as it was.
"I guess you're the gift that keeps on giving," Nex said, staring into the pale blue. She was the ocean, while he was the boat, buoyed by the tides of fate. "Please. Don't make me continue this speech."
Weiss chuckled, her fingers brushing his wrist—the one with a lot of needles. "I was scared, you know."
"Don't be," Nex said, smiling. "I'm not going anywhere."
Not even all his skeletons could have dragged him away from her.
The Artificer managed to stay anonymous for years.
Surely, it could stay like it always did.
Weiss breathed a sigh, her shoulders sagging. "You can't see the future. Anyone can die in our line of work."
Finally. His partner said it.
But still, he should have been the one saying that. Somewhere along the line, she must have learned to say it as well. If only they could stay like they were. Just two students, arguing about studying or some other shit—the simple, golden days.
"I want you to promise me something," Weiss said, frowning. "You're not allowed to refuse."
Whatever it was, it must have been serious. There was that look in her eyes.
Weiss Schnee. A huntress on a mission.
"What?" Nex said, quirking an eyebrow. "This isn't about—"
Her index pressed on his lips, her trimmed nail poking the tip of his nose.
"Promise me," Weiss said, lifting her finger. "If it comes down to a choice between us, you'll choose yourself."
And were those words not familiar?
His mother asked the same thing, a long time ago. It was derivative. But the meaning still held. Survival. The centrepiece of his life ever since Amariss Shade passed away. Perhaps it was her legacy. Or maybe not.
Surely, his mother must have had a greater purpose.
And... maybe, just maybe—his mother's purpose was already right in front of him.
Staring at him with pale blue eyes.
There was probably a reason why Qrow Branwen was the only one who came back from their last mission.
Whatever that mission really was.
"I can't promise that," Nex said, clicking his tongue. Not anymore. "Forgive me if I refuse you, Miss Schnee."
Weiss scowled. "This isn't a joke."
Nex grinned. "I'm not joking. At least, not this time. What brought this on, anyway?"
What happened to her?
Where was the stubborn, idealistic woman who insisted on risking their lives just to save some people she barely even knew?
Students who gossiped at her back, mocking the ice queen and the heiress while she ate and studied alone. The woman who just so happened to be his partner. Alone in the world while she sang for thousands of people. Anthems of her isolation and loneliness. Mirror Mirror was a bit on the nose, but Weiss Schnee was never really the type for convoluted, philosophical metaphors, or even puns.
"Last time it was Ruby," Weiss said, squeezing his hand. "And this time, it's you."
Well, Ruby Rose did do something similar. Only it was a jar of sap instead of a stray bullhead.
"Well, what can I say?" Nex said, chuckling, even as the needles pricked his throat. "I guess we both have a flair for the dramatic."
Weiss rolled her eyes, even as she smiled and brushed his wrist. "There's no convincing you, is there?"
Nex grinned. "Nope. You'll have to make do with your stupid, stupid dolt, Miss Schnee."
Stupid was something his brain agreed with. It was irrational. Even Pareidolia was chiming in. His own semblance kicked him in the nuts every time he opened his mouth.
Nexus Shade was an edge lord, an anonymous thief, and an analyst. A damn good one. Pareidolia reflected that. His brain reflected that. Down to his thoughts, even. He was most definitely not a psychiatrist, or even a sterling paragon of virtue.
"Then I guess I just have to become even stronger," Weiss said, flashing him a smile. "Powerful enough to protect everyone around me."
Nope. Power meant nothing if her opponent simply shot her in the back. The way Roman Torchwick did. It was shameful. Cowardly, even. But he would have definitely done the same if he was in his fellow thief's shoes.
"That's not your problem," Nex said, coughing. "You need more awareness."
Battlefield awareness did not happen in a single day, after all. There was a stark difference between pointless spars in the ring and fights with actual stakes. The first one elicited a yawn, while the second one sent the red pumping. But then again, he probably saw too much of the second one already.
"I am aware. If I was powerful enough to defeat dozens at once," Weiss whispered, "then I couldn't have been blindsided. You wouldn't be hurt."
Admittedly, she had a point. Her glyphs were powerful, but being overwhelmed was still a very real possibility. Especially since she was also protecting Blake—stuck halfway between defence and offence. And despite the fact that the White Fang goons were probably green, bullets were still an excellent equalizer. Numbers and explosions, even more so.
"I guess you're right," Nex said. No point in arguing with her. "And I definitely have to step up my game."
If he was going to throw around his shield, then he might as well go all the way. His brain spat out a lot of ideas. Some more upgrades to his weapon—preferably his shield.
Time to flex the old, engineering muscles. It had been months since he last touched something mechanical. Well, school was making him busy. Beacon was the real shit, even if it had teachers like Professor Poop.
"Oh?" Weiss said, leaning against his arm. Her breath stroked his nose. Definitely coffee and croissants. "Your game, Mr Shade?"
Nex smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Worried, Miss Schnee?"
"Should I be?" Weiss said, her eyes peering into his. A huntress marking her territory. Or even their territory. "You're my stupid dolt."
"Nope. You're my Weiss-angel," Nex said, meeting her eyes. It was probably corny. But still, it was the thought that counted. "Or something."
Weiss smirked, her nose poking his. "Corny. But oh well. If it's from you, then I guess I can live with it."
Great.
She leaned down, pecking his lips.
"I have to go," Weiss said, squeezing his hand. She pulled away. The air-conditioned breeze sent pinpricks through his palm. "See you at lunch?"
Nex quirked an eyebrow. "Lunch? I can eat on my own, you know."
Considering that Beacon had its own nurse, he could probably make do without Nurse Weiss. Not that it was unappreciated. No. Of course not. If she wanted to, then far be it from him to stop her.
"I'd be a bad girlfriend if I neglected my boyfriend," Weiss said, winking. She beamed and parked a hand on her waist. "Right, Mr Shade?"
Then she was gone.
And he was alone.
Nex stared at the white-washed ceiling, fiddling with the wires in his wrist. He wanted to stand up, but the damn catheter would have definitely ripped.
It was probably the first time he landed in a hospital bed. Or at least, a proper one. Nursing his injuries alone in the darkness of his flat was gruelling, but it was definitely useful in learning first aid. But still, this was definitely the first time he was injured for someone else.
Purposely, even.
Oh well, oh well.
His lids drifted shut. He shuddered, salt stinging the corners of his eyes. Two trails of warmth dripped down his clammy cheeks.
Was he really crying?
Fuck.
No.
No.
Nexus Shade did not cry.
He was an edge lord.
Not a frail, squishy person.
Or at least, in theory, as darkness swam and drowned the world.
When sleep came, so did the fires of ancient cosmic destiny.
Sulphur razed his lips, ash and dust squeezing his lungs—some sort of hellish mixture straight out of Atlas Primary's lab. Amber eyes blinked, flirting with the darkness. The red eyes followed. Feathers burst into black. A maelstrom surged—storm, earth, and fire gnashing against the walls.
The walls. Familiar. Towering. Stark white against shadowy black, bracing against a tide of blood and ink.
Wet hitched in his throat. Red. Fingers groped at his neck, the cloying warmth stuck. Flushed hot. Drowning. Drowning in slow motion as jaws of fire swallowed the beating sky.
A familiar, pale-skinned girl stood before the tower, her eyes bleeding crimson. She brandished a sword and a staff, raising them against the tide and the river's end. Her tattered, white cloak blew in the darkness. The wind and the storm howled, golden vines twisting around her bloodstained arms.
The girl under the white hood growled. Her eyes blazed silver, blood and ink parting before thunder and ice—
"Nex," Blake said. Dub dub dub dub. Her heartbeat stood where his partner had been. Probably a few hours ago. "I'm sorry."
Nex snapped his lids open. That damn girl again, coupled with inconsistent sensations and images. Curse his overactive imagination. "For what?"
"This," Blake said, frowning. She was still dressed in her uniform. "All this."
Tactical retreats had their uses. But still, the ghost-ninja had a point. If they talked it out, then he could be attending classes.
Oh, wait.
It was actually a good thing then.
Well, relatively.
"It's fine," Nex said. He grinned. "At least I won't be attending more classes."
Blake chuckled, shaking her head. "You're a really positive person."
Positive?
Wow.
Truly, the ghost-ninja saw things very differently.
What was it about people mistaking him for someone else?
Ironwood and Weiss, said he was talented. And now Blake, saying he was positive.
If only they knew better.
"Nope. Not really," Nex said, shifting on his pillow. "But it's great you invent whatever qualities I lack."
Certainly more than what he could invent himself.
"I'm serious. You always have something to lighten the air," Blake said, plopping down on one of the chairs. The ones reserved for whoever visited him, right beside his bed. "How did you..."
The ghost-ninja paused, amber eyes fixed on his wrist.
"What?" Nex said, quirking an eyebrow. "I can't read minds, Blake. You gotta speak up."
"How'd you end up together?" Blake said. "You don't hide it. She'd have known."
The ghost-ninja was definitely referring to his extra pair of ears. Well, Weiss did say something about them.
What was it again?
Right. Something about being more musically inclined because of having two pairs of ears. Well, maybe there was an inkling of truth to it.
"I guess we're both loners," Nex said. Then they found each other. "Why do you hide yours then?"
Blake pressed her hands, taut over her skirted lap. "Why else?"
Why else, indeed. But there were other ways. One could not hide from themselves, after all.
"You want to be seen as who you are," Nex said. "Not as your extra pair of ears."
Blake nodded, her bow twitching. "Somehow, I knew you'd understand. Even if you think the White Fang is stupid."
To be fair, stupidity was relative. Somehow. It definitely was.
Right?
Shit.
Screw it.
"It kinda is. Come on, Blake," Nex said, heaving a sigh. "You left the White Fang for a reason."
Blake nodded, heaving a sigh of her own. "I can't agree with that."
"Can't?" Nex said. "So you just left?"
Blake scowled, her fingers crumpling her skirt. "They're just misguided."
Nex rolled his eyes. "Then un-misguide them."
"I can't," Blake said, her lips tightening. "I'm done."
The ghost ninja was done. Just like he was with his father.
Well, maybe Qrow Branwen was misguided too?
Nope. Fat chance. Ten years was an awful long time to be misguided.
Was it really that hard to write a letter?
Or even send a message through the fucking scroll?
Ugh.
But there really was no point in thinking about any of it.
Again.
"Then make a choice," Nex said, sighing at the white-washed ceiling. "In binary, it's either a one or a zero. Is or isn't, B. Don't half-ass it."
The him about a year ago would be laughing in his face.
Don't half-ass it?
Great job, Nex.
Good job at being a huge, fucking hypocrite.
"Guys! We brought lunch!"
Ruby sprinted through the doorway, carrying two wooden baskets, one in each hand. Evidently, the cafeteria gave them takeout. Again.
Weiss strolled in, smiling as Ruby's hood fluttered right in her face.
The nurse should have scolded the silver-eyed girl. But then again, maybe the guy was off on his lunch break too.
Chapter 40
Admittedly, it took a few days before he managed to walk without the damn catheter. And the very moment he could, he made straight for the library, dragging along one Ruby Rose. She was surprisingly knowledgeable on the subject—glowing eyes connected to fairy tales. Well, it was probably because silver eyes were on the metaphorical serving dish.
Did she already know about it?
"The Silver-Eyed Warrior and the Maiden," Ruby said, grinning as she placed a stack of books on their table. Apparently, she already did. "There's also The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight, The Four Seasons, The Old Man and the Seat, and—"
"The Maiden and the Artificer," Nex said, shifting in his seat. They settled for a lone corner behind two shelves and a desk lined with other students. The golden vines on the thing popped out, even if its midnight-blue sleeve was sandwiched between two others. "It's kinda my favourite."
Ruby plopped down beside him, leafing through a book's worn pages. "Artificer, right?"
Right.
The Maiden and the Artificer.
It was the tale of an ancient smith—a pioneer of the stars. One who forged artefacts long lost to their world's history, together with his trusty companion: the Maiden, the woman who imbued his creations with magic. She defied the laws of nature, flicking her wrist to conjure calamities and miracles out of nothing. An impossibility, as even their semblances had to draw from aura and concrete materials like dust.
But still, most importantly, her eyes glowed.
Well, the whole thing was probably just a fairy tale. Magic definitely did not exist. But then again, silver eyes and glowing eyes were real. Well, maybe glowing eyes were not exactly magical. Perhaps they were simply defects brought about by mutation. Or aura, even. Just like how the faunus seemed to be mutations derived from the human genome.
"If you're the Artificer," Ruby said, smirking. Her pointy elbow nudged his arm. "Then Weiss is your Maiden, right?"
Huh. That was a thought.
Nex shrugged, glancing at the wide, varnished doors across the hall. "Maybe. Magic isn't real, though."
If it was, then people should have been using it more. Or at least, more evidence of it should have been recorded. Besides, if magic was real, then it should have been in a thesis somewhere. Not stuck between the pages of a dusty old fairy tale.
"It'd be cool, though," Ruby said. She sighed, snapping the book shut. "Just imagine it. Wizards and knights everywhere. Heroes."
Nex shrugged, scanning through The Four Seasons. No heroes allowed. "Nope. Heroes don't really exist, do they?"
Ruby pulled out a red book. "Yep. Heroes exist. My mom's a hero."
Summer Rose.
Of course. Ruby Rose would think her mother was a hero.
Well, everything was relative.
Was Amariss Shade a hero?
Nope. Most definitely not. His mother was no hero—or at least, not the fairy tale definition of the word. Nor was he, in hindsight.
"And Nex," Ruby whispered, frowning. "Your dad's also a hero."
Great. Evidently, Yang did tell him the truth. Now if only they could stop endorsing his father, then everything would be perfect. It was, well, most definitely grating. Like shards of broken glass rubbing his extra pair of ears.
"Nope," Nex said, rolling his eyes. He cupped his cheek, easing the knots loose. The cons of being a Broody Face. "No heroes allowed."
Heroes died too often, anyway. Becoming a villain was definitely much better than being dead. Or, well, living long enough to become the villain.
Ruby propped the book open with one hand, sifting through its yellow-encrusted pages with the other. "He's an awesome uncle. If you just gave him a chance—"
"Look. Let's just finish up," Nex said. A chance? Did his mother even get a chance? No fucking way. "What's on it? About glowy eyes."
"Why are you so angry?" Ruby said, scowling. She rose in her seat, staring him down. Her eyes glowed silver. But it was probably just his overactive imagination. "He came back, didn't he?"
Not this again.
"Yep. He came back," Nex said, heat rising from his stomach and smothering his chest. The other students flitted about in the library, quiet as rats. "After disappearing for ten years. Without so much as a damn note."
Ruby blinked, practically sinking into her chair. "What?"—her voice shrunk into the back of her throat—"But he always gets us presents..."
Well, that was an amazing tidbit. Wonderful, even. Fuck. Fuckity fuck. And probably all the other swear words in his dictionary of expletives. It certainly spoke a lot about Qrow Branwen—dicking around with his cute little nieces while his own son was scraping the bottom of a dumpster for tomorrow's meal—
Screw it.
There was no point in thinking about his father.
His mother would have definitely agreed.
Was it better if Qrow actually put on a damn condom?
Nope. No way. If his father did, then he would have never met Weiss or any of their friends. Gods forbid, but it was something to be grateful for.
And to be... happy for, even.
"Well, there's your answer," Nex said, pulling out his scroll. A document flashed on the screen, his fingers typing in some new stuff. Great. Now he was doing research on glowy eyes and magic. It was practically one slip away from the loony bin. "Far be it from me to impose on my father."
Pareidolia hummed, processing the data. But still, there was no way to form a concrete conclusion. Definitely not when they were sourcing it from fairy tales. Of all the reliable references in the world.
Silver eyes. Maidens. Seasons. Magic.
Whatever it was connecting them, it had to exist.
Right?
Cinder Fall was out there with her glowy eyes—
Wait.
What if Cinder Fall was a Maiden?
It was a credible hypothesis. And if she was, then her weakness was sitting right beside him. That was, if The Silver-Eyed Warrior and the Maiden was a reliable source.
But placing Ruby in Cinder's path was foolish, especially when all they had going was a fairytale and some droplets of optimism. Not a very comforting thought, since Cinder was obviously powerful enough to cow both Roman and Neo.
His colleagues were just one step away from being a professional pair, despite the age difference between the two. Neo was definitely close to his age. Practically childhood friends, even.
Well, according to Roman.
Neo probably saw it a little differently.
Ruby sighed, patting his shoulder. "You're not a burden."
"Maybe," Nex said, chuckling. But maybe he was. "Or at least, I'm trying not to be."
Yep. Nexus Shade was never a burden. Living alone for ten years transformed him into a multi-tool that could do everything himself—from sewing his own clothes, to building his own gizmos, and down to preparing his own coffee.
Never relying on others.
Never could.
"Weiss cares. Blake cares," Ruby said, smiling. "I care. You can count on us, team leader."
Fuck.
If only they knew who their team leader really was.
Nex shrugged, forcing a smile of his own. "Well, thanks. And I guess we're done here."
"We're already done?" Ruby said, glancing at the stack of books. "Why are you studying glowy eyes, anyway?"
Double fuck.
If only they knew where he really went, when he said he was off to buy some dust. Dust, which in hindsight, he did not have. Hrunting and Vigilance was effectively crippled since its cartridges were empty. Even his trench coat was just a fancy dud without it. He really had to find a way to procure some. Preferably in a more than legal manner.
Maybe he could ask Weiss?
Nope.
Her stockpile was close to running out. She definitely needed it more than him.
"It's just a passing interest," Nex said. His stomach committed first-degree murder, acid gnawing at his chest. It was just another one of his pretty little lies. Just another notch on his broken coffin. "I thought I already outgrew fairy tales. But it comes back, you know?"
Ruby grinned. "I know, right? You don't really outgrow your childhood."
Great. Apparently, she bought the half-assed excuse.
Now if only—
"Words to live by, Ruby Rose," a familiar voice said, a mug of steaming cocoa sitting down beside the stack of books. "The lives we lived are oft mirrored in ourselves. Even now as adults."
"They are?" Ruby said, flushing. "Oh! Good afternoon, headmaster."
Nex rolled his eyes. Words of wisdom right there. "Oz. You wanted to talk?"
"Indeed, Nexus Shade," Ozpin said, snatching one of the books on the table. The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight—embossed in gold on its faded, silvery sleeve. He flipped through the first page. Then the second. And the third, a brittle smile on his lips. "Interesting reading."
Interesting indeed.
Now if only Ozpin did not sound flatter than usual, then it would just have been another one-off line.
But still, what was it about that particular fairy tale?
The Maiden and the Minstrel Knight.
It was another tale about another Maiden, one who was a knight in service to some king or another. She served to the death, fighting her king's war. Definitely a tragic one. The ending, even more so. Pointless. The entire thing was, down to the reasons behind it. To think a war could start just because a guy fell in love with the wrong girl, or even because a girl fell in love with the wrong guy.
Stupid plot right there.
Ozpin closed the book, placing it down. He took another one—The Silver-eyed Warrior and the Maiden. "Miss Rose, I hope you understand that fairy tales are exactly just that. Fairy tales."
Yep. Just fairy tales. When glowy eyes and silver eyes exist?
Well, maybe there was a sliver of truth to it all.
Tales had to come from somewhere, right?
Or maybe even someone.
"Yep. It'd be awesome though," Ruby said, smiling as the headmaster returned the red-sleeved book. "If I really had the eyes of a hero."
Ozpin lifted the mug of cocoa to his lips, his throat bobbing. He put it down. "Heroes aren't born, Miss Rose. They are forged through the fire and the flames, as Mr Shade here can attest."
Nex snorted. Hero? He was the furthest thing from the word ever since it was conceived. Or ever since he was conceived.
"Something amusing, Mr Shade?" Ozpin said, placing his mug on the table.
Well, everything was. But the headmaster did not need to know that.
"Nope," Nex said, pushing himself to stand. Well, he was already done anyway. "Should we go somewhere else?"
Ozpin nodded, glancing at the stack of books. "I'll have the staff replace the material. And Miss Rose?"
"Yes?" Ruby said, smiling at the headmaster.
"Do keep in mind what I just told you," Ozpin said. "Every hero pays the price. Even in fairy tales."
Nothing but the truth. Every hero pays the price, in fairy tales and especially in the real world. There was no place for knights or wizards in their world.
Nexus Shade was most definitely not a hero.
He was just an ordinary guy. Well, maybe a team leader. But that was it.
Ruby frowned, leafing through the pages of another book. "Alright, headmaster."
With that, Ozpin snatched the steaming mug. The headmaster took brisk strides towards the exit, motioning for him to follow.
"We're still working on it, right?" Ruby said. "After you're done."
She probably meant her semblance.
Well, they were making some progress with it. Particularly the part where she moved like a slug—a slug storm-struck by rose petals, but a slug nonetheless. She only needed to find some way to get rid of the roses part, then their teammates could probably stop complaining about the mess.
Every. Fucking. Time.
Nex shrugged, even as the headmaster's steps slowed. Probably listening in. "Yeah, sure. After we do my shield?"
Ruby grinned, holding up her thumb. "Yep. It's going to be so awesome."
Ozpin led him out of the door, the uninjured, we're attending class students giving them a wide berth.
They went past Oobleck's lecture hall and Port's classroom. Weiss would be in the former, probably taking rabid notes of the lecture, while Yang and Jaune ribbed her about some stuff or another. Most likely their relationship.
Blake would be in Port's class, probably reading while the man embezzled another tale about his youth.
What was it about the man and blatant lies anyway?
He could definitely lie better than Professor Poop.
Not that it was something to be particularly proud of.
A brief, ten-minute stroll towards the Tower of Beacon, or well, its beacon, along with a quick elevator ride, led them up to the headmaster's office.
It was a stark contrast against Ironwood's, or even Jacques'.
Gears—clockwork, really, spun from floor to ceiling, covering the walls of the headmaster's office. Bronze, silver, and gold mingled with green, the ticks poking his extra pair of ears. The incessant sound was definitely there, even as he took tentative steps.
Hell, even the floor was made of gears—which was probably why they were stepping on glass instead.
Did Ozpin really have a fetish for gears?
The thing was even on the headmaster's cane—embossed in gold like his own emblem. No doubt the cane retracted into a more compact form. But still, it looked old, judging from the vines on the hilt down to the chips on the pommel. It was old enough that even Pareidolia lacked the necessary data to synthesize its derived forms—
Nex flinched, static buzzing through his head. Just like that one time with Cinder—lines upon lines of meaningless and chaotic data.
"Is everything alright, Mr Shade?" Ozpin said, taking the lone chair behind the desk. The mug was already on his side. "Your injuries were quite severe."
Pareidolia was already on it, racing through the archive called his brain. And it was cackling even more.
Nex shrugged, plopping down on the hard, wooden chair. "I'm fine, I'm just—"
A cough wracked his chest, stabbing needles into his throat. Shit. He really had to stop hanging around cigars and inhaling second-hand smoke. They were definitely bad for his well-being.
"A tad out of breath?" Ozpin said, frowning. He placed the cane on the black wood. The same wood as a certain general's. Huh. "There's no shame in it, despite what you may believe."
"And what exactly do I believe?" Nex said, quirking an eyebrow.
Ozpin took a sip of his cocoa—the steam warm and unexpectedly sugar, coupled with some sort of liquorice. "Never before have I seen a huntsman so eager."
Eager?
Great. Now he could add Ozpin to the list. Along with Blake and that one teacher in Atlas Primary.
Professor Tree, right?
"While your peers were asleep, you were off traipsing through the Emerald Forest," Ozpin said, his fingers steepled—just under his chest. He rested his joined hands on the table. "You secured your objective before it was even announced. You went well and beyond what was expected of you."
Nex shrugged, managing a smile. "Nope. Just completing my mission."
Like any other huntsman would have done.
Ozpin nodded. "Indeed. And then you chose Weiss Schnee to be your partner. Why?"
Why, indeed.
"She's my best friend," Nex said, laying his hand on the cool armrest. "And well, now my girlfriend."
Surely, those were good enough reasons.
Right?
"Truly?" Ozpin said, smiling—a smile that could have dissolved in water. His eyes were fixed on his cane. "I'd congratulate you, Mr Shade. But such unions seldom last."
Nex frowned, leaning into the soft backrest. "How'd you know?"
"Call it an old fool's truth," Ozpin said, pulling out something from under the desk. "One that, unfortunately, none of my friends ever believe." He placed the chessboard on the wood—a set chiselled from marble, the pieces black and white. "Care for a game, Mr Shade?"
"The truth is relative," Nex said, tapping the edge of the table. His heel rode against the leg of his chair. "And I don't play chess."
Ozpin smiled, flipping open the board. "Please. Humour me for a while. Perhaps you'll find chess to be suitable for your talents."
The headmaster arranged the pieces on the board—the white on the headmaster's, the black on his.
"My talents?" Nex said, quirking an eyebrow.
There really were no such things.
"The Atlesian mechs, Mr Shade," Ozpin said, adjusting his glasses. "And one Cardin Winchester."
Well, maybe Ironwood failed to keep it a secret—which could explain why his name was on the roster.
Or did the good general really tell Ozpin?
But still, the second one was definitely more important.
Did Cardin yap?
If the idiot did, then maybe he could as well.
Jacques was still on speed dial, after all.
Nex shrugged. "What about Cardin?"
"Mr Winchester turned in his application of leave," Ozpin said. "Citing private circumstances. Perhaps you know of them?"
Ozpin definitely knew, even if he implied otherwise. It was clever of him, admittedly. Perhaps the headmaster had other sources—sources that could have been the idiot's two cronies, or maybe even their redheaded team leader. But still, there was one thing he could do. One thing the headmaster probably did not expect.
"I did what I had to do to protect my friends," Nex said. Nothing but the truth. "I couldn't allow such a risk to remain in Beacon."
Ozpin raised an eyebrow. Definitely because of his words. "Indeed? Stripping a young huntsman his due, just for a jar of sap?"
That confirmed it. The idiot's cronies did yap on him. On them, even.
"A jar of sap could eventually turn into a grenade," Nex said, leaning back in his chair. "And it was in Grimm territory. You don't do stupid shit like that. Shit that could cost people their lives."
Wherever Winchester lived, it was most definitely not on Remnant. Pursuing a petty grudge, when rousing a forest full of Grimm could have gotten all of them killed. It was the height of idiocy—especially for someone who claimed to be a huntsman-in-training. Someone who should have understood.
Ozpin tapped the edge of the board. "While your vocabulary reminds me of someone I know, your words bear an unfortunate grain of truth."
The headmaster nudged a stout, round-headed piece. A pawn, probably.
Two tiles.
Pareidolia engaged, humming at the back of his skull, crystallizing every single possible outcome, like vines twisting through a forest, from what he knew of chess.
"Remnant isn't a fairy tale, Mr Shade, no matter what Miss Rose believes," Ozpin said. Right. No need to tell him. "You know how the pieces move?"
Nex shook his head. "Nope. But I don't think this game is about how the pieces move, anyway."
That would be too obvious.
Right?
Nex nudged a pawn, copying the headmaster's move, so the two pieces stared each other down in the middle.
"Truly?" Ozpin said. "Then what is the game all about?"
"It isn't about how the pieces move," Nex said, smiling. "It's about how the players keep moving. No matter what happens on the board."
Ozpin hummed, lifting a knight. "What happens if they don't move, then?"
Nex shrugged. "They stop moving. Or well, they die. Two ways, really."
Keep moving forward. Or sometimes, backwards or to the sides. His mother would have agreed.
"Just like the White Fang agents you dispatched?" Ozpin said. "For someone who seems keen on preserving life, you are awfully blase with dealing death."
"Death wouldn't really exist without life, would it?" Nex said. They were two sides of the same coin. "The guy who fails to understand that isn't really alive."
After all, why live when you could not die?
Why survive when, well, there was nothing to actually survive?
Ozpin stilled, glancing at his cane. "Perhaps. Shall we resume, Mr Shade?"
And so they did.
Pieces blurred, Pareidolia hanging over his shoulders like a tour guide. With the constant nudging, even.
"Did you know why Mr Winchester harboured such prejudices?" Ozpin said, moving his bishop—the only one of its kind left. It was a fierce fight, but its other half died in the end. "Perhaps you'll find his story quite interesting."
Why did it even matter?
"I don't," Nex said, licking his dry lips. "But it doesn't really excuse his actions, does it?"
Ozpin shook his head. "No. There is no excuse for intentionally and knowingly injuring one of your peers. Not without some higher purpose."
Well. They seemed to be of one mind on that front. As well as the higher purpose part, even.
"Mr Winchester's ancestry could be traced back into the Great War," Ozpin said, "and after that, to the Faunus Rights Revolution. Perhaps you can hazard a guess?"
"Winchester," Nex said, moving a rook. Check. But still, the surname seemed familiar. "Nope. Sorry."
Ozpin frowned, covering his king with his bishop. "General Lagune wasn't always a Lagune. He married into the Winchesters, a long line of human warriors, assuming their name and the burden that comes with it."
"So what?" Nex said, rolling his eyes. "Cardin's mad I insulted his grandpa?"
Ozpin nodded, taking a sip from his mug. "That, and General Lagune's loss exacerbated his discriminatory tendencies, passing it down to his children and their children after."
Ozpin's reasoning made sense. Time did not heal everything. Certainly not when the knives were still there—on both sides, even.
"The Winchesters couldn't move on from the past," Nex said, moving a knight. Check. "So they're going to keep hating faunus forever?"
Ozpin stared at the board, his hand stiff over his king. "You and Mr Winchester aren't so different, Mr Shade."
Nex quirked an eyebrow. "Aside from the extra pair of ears, you mean?"
Pareidolia hummed, practically grinning. And the headmaster probably noticed it as well.
"Mr Winchester hates the faunus," Ozpin said, eyes boring into his. "While you hate your father."
Nex flinched, his jaw clenching. "And how would you know?"
Not this again. From Yang, Ruby, and now to fucking Ozpin himself.
Were they all in on a conspiracy or something?
"Have you seen a mirror lately, Mr Shade?" Ozpin said, sipping on his coffee. "You cannot escape the past."
Nex shuddered, drawing a deep breath. "I don't have a father. All I had was a mother."
"Amariss Shade. An old friend," Ozpin said, fingering the crown of his king. He sighed and looked away. "A tale for another time, unfortunately, as I believe we're done here."
The white king fell, bowing before the black queen.
"What?" Nex said, killing a cough before it could escape. The headmaster could have still won. "You're just giving up?"
Ozpin smiled and took a long sip from his mug—like a man stranded in a desert. "There's no point in fighting a losing battle, Mr Shade. I'm sure we're of one mind on that ideal."
The gears continued to tick, even as the headmaster dismissed him and bade him goodbye. Time slipping through the cracks right there. Like distance and sand through the hourglass.
Gone forever.