Monster. Monster. Monster.

That's what they see you as, Lyra. Why not just ignore them and focus on killing the true monsters?

Kyra's voice was incredibly insistent as Lyra made her way through the streets of Beacon. Lyra continued to greet and talk to fans, even as Kyra's voice continued to try and coax her into the Emerald Forest. The smile on Lyra's face grew strained as Kyra grew louder, joined by the cries of her mother and father...

Lyra excused herself from a conversation before she stopped dead in her tracks. She was at the edge of Beacon, right by the Emerald Forest where she had just previously been with Nico.

Nico...that traitor.

The voice wasn't Kyra's now.

Lyra's nails dug into her palms.

After everything we've been through...I see I mean nothing to her. Nothing! Why was I so foolish as to think...I finally found someone who...

The wind blew against Lyra's back, almost beckoning her to the forest. This time, however, the calls to kill were stronger. There was no other reason to enter the forest other than to kill...

Do it. Do it. Do it. Do it. Avenge us, do it...

Lyra took a step forward as she unfastened her axe from her back. She didn't make it very far, as Professor Ozpin's voice rang out to stop her.

"Where do you think you're going, Miss Ng-Nikos?"

Lyra's foot stopped mid-step, and she turned toward Professor Ozpin with a smile as she nonchalantly tucked her axe behind her back.

"Oh, nowhere, Professor," even though she was a master at lying, Lyra knew that there was no lie she could come up with here to excuse the fact that she had clearly been walking toward the Emerald Forest with her axe. "What have you been up to?"

"Nothing much. Just looking around Beacon and seeing a celebrity trying to disobey basic rules about the Grimm," Ozpin smiled back. "What were you doing trying to fight the Grimm without a supervisor? You know the rules."

"It's...complicated."

"...Does it have something to do with your team? I'm surprised to not see them," Ozpin glanced around. Lyra kept her tone even so she didn't give anything away.

"No. They're fine."

They just see me as a monster and never want to be around me. I'm stupid, so stupid...for thinking anyone besides Pyrrha would want to be around me.

"Well, if that's all set, would you mind following me?"

Lyra just nodded, and let Ozpin lead her toward his office. They made it up the elevator, and much to Lyra's surprise, Pyrrha was already there waiting.

"Pyrrha? Professor...what are we here for?"

Ozpin took a seat, gesturing for her to sit as well. Lyra shrugged before she sat next to her sister. Ozpin folded his hands over his desk, a serious look overtaking his usual casual front.

"Have you two ever heard of the tale of the four maidens?"

"Yes! Once upon a time, there was an elderly Wizard who was visited by four sisters. The first encouraged him to meditate and reflect,the second brought him fruit and flowers and revitalized his garden, the third convinced him to step outside and embrace the world, and the fourth encouraged him to be thankful. The wizard then gave the four sisters great powers in return for their kindness, and as the embodiment of the four seasons, they went through Remnant spreading their gifts," Pyrrha's smile faded. "But that is just a story. What's the point in all of this?"

"...What if I told you that story was real?"

"...What?" Lyra just paused. "What do you mean?"

"That story is entirely real. It was lost in time and simply became a story...but I assure you that this story is real," Ozpin eyed both girls. "You may be wondering why I am telling you this. Frankly...war is coming. We do not have time on our side. We never have. Which is why I am giving one of you a proposition."

The elevator suddenly slid open, revealing Glynda as well as most of the headmasters of the other schools. The only one missing was the Vacuo headmaster, who was replaced by a young, blonde woman with half of her hair tied into two pigtails.

"Frankly, I don't believe we should be offering this position to students who aren't even close to graduating," Glynda sighed. "But desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose."

As Lyra looked around, she could recognize General Ironwood, the headmaster of the militaristic Atlas as well as the savior of Nico, Headmaster Lionel, headmaster of the serene Mistral, but not the last woman. She smiled.

"If you're looking for Headmaster Diona, I'm afraid she won't be attending. She's working on...Vacuo matters. I'm sure you understand," The blonde woman said. "My name is Stella, her personal vice Headmaster. We've heard all about you, Lyra!"

"All about me...? Why-?"

"That's classified," Ironwood scanned the area with a frown. "Stella, do you mind showing them an example?"

"Of course," Stella nodded before her eyes suddenly began to glow with flames of gold around her eyes. Fire and ice in both her hands swirled together before she extinguished them both with a trickle of rain from her fingertips. "Tada!"

"Y-You're a maiden? You can do something like that?"

"Of course. That's just a small trinket of my power. Had Cinder been there when I was around, I would have smoked and killed her faster than you can say star bolt..."

"Well, at least you managed to save Amber," Ironwood sighed. "...Where's Qrow?"

"Late, I presume," Glynda shook her head in disappointment. "Never mind that. Did you tell them?"

"I was getting there. I asked both of you because this is a situation not to be taken lightly. You will be granted incredible power," Ozpin said. "And-"

"I'll do it," Pyrrha responded, heroic as always. Ozpin grimaced; it was at that moment that the late arrival, Qrow, appeared, accompanied with Weiss' older sister, Winter.

"Well, you might wanna see what you're signing up for first," Qrow took a sip from his flask, making Winter roll her eyes.

"Follow us."

They all took an elevator heading straight down, further and further from the school. Eventually, when the doors opened, the basement of Beacon was revealed.

"This is the vault of Beacon...and where the last fall maiden was kept," Ozpin directed the two toward a container with a woman inside..a scar was over her face, and her eyes were shut. Her features were contorted in pain. "Amber."

"Oh..."

"Atlas' technological advances has made it possible to start aura transfers," Ironwood said proudly. Glynda shot him a look.

"Not entirely ethical, is it now?" She eyed him, and Ironwood sighed.

"No, but it comes in handy for our purposes here."

"Amber here was attacked by someone who was trying to steal her power. We intercepted the attacker, but..." Ozpin frowned. "Amber is in critical condition. The way the maiden powers work is that the last person in the maiden's thoughts is where the power goes. However...we're worried that the person in her thoughts was her attacker. We can't afford for the power to go to her."

"...We can transfer her powers with her aura, as the two are combined," Ironwood explained before his features grew grim. "However...we have no idea if your personality would remain intact."

...is that true...?

"Intact?" Pyrrha exclaimed. "You mean that...we would merge...?"

"Essentially, yes," Ozpin said. "We understand if you don't wish to pursue this-"

"I'll do it," Lyra interrupted, her eyes lighting up with white flecks. Maybe...a chance... "I'll do it."

"Miss Ng-Nikos, I don't think you are aware of the situation," Glynda frowned. "Your personality could be entirely at risk-"

"I completely understand, and I'm willing to take the risks."

Please let me.

"Lyra, I think you need to think about this a little more," Pyrrha put her hands on Lyra's shoulders. "This is not something to be taken lightly. I can't just allow you to do this-"

"Why? This is what has to be done."

"No. As your older sister, I'm not just going to stand here and let you be in the way of danger," Pyrrha said. Lyra's eyes momentarily flickered with flecks of blue; the statement just reminded her of Kyra...

"I want you both to think this through entirely," Ozpin said gravely. "But we do need an answer by the end of the 1v1's."

"...I understand," Pyrrha sighed. "But Professor...if we both said yes, who would you take?"

"...We will figure that out if the time comes," Ozpin sighed as he ran a hand through his gray hair.

"Well, you know my answer," was all Lyra said.

"Right. Well, let's get you guys back up there," Ironwood said. "This information is to remain confidential."

"People would presumably not approve of Atlas' technology," Winter eyed Qrow. "Good luck at the tournament."

"Represent Beacon well," Qrow chuckled as they all boarded the elevator. When it arrived at a normal floor, and Lyra and Pyrrha stepped out, a familiar face was there to greet them.

"Lyra-! We've been looking all over for you, I was literally just trying to contact Ozpin to make sure you weren't missing-!" Tanya's loud and frantic voice rang through the entire vicinity. Lyra turned around, hoping to maybe hop back onto the elevator, but it had already closed and left with the others.

"Fantastic. Why were you all looking for me?" Lyra's smile didn't even make an effort to reach her eyes; she struggled to keep the venom from dripping off of her tongue. "I don't think we have anything to talk about!"

"Wha-" Tanya was temporarily thrown off guard as she had forgotten just exactly how Lyra acted. Tanya cleared her throat. "No, we do! We do, we do, we do! Come on, let's go find the others, the team wants to say something-"

"No, I think I'm okay. I don't really need to listen to what you all want to say," Lyra couldn't help but scoff as she walked forward and pushed past Tanya, leaving behind both Pyrrha and Tanya. Lyra looked over her shoulder; "I get it. You guys think I'm a monster. I don't need to hear it again. Don't worry. I'll be out of the way soon enough. It's fine."

Lyra left, leaving behind a confused and worried Pyrrha as well as Tanya. Pyrrha glanced over to Tanya, accusatory.

"...Did something happen between all of you?"

"...Kinda," Tanya sighed heavily. Pyrrha narrowed her green eyes.

"Tell me everything."