Pyrrha didn't speak to (F/N) for the next couple days. She wasn't sure she could ever talk to him again, knowing what she did. He'd admitted to killing someone. What was worse, he'd admitted to killing more than one. Pyrrha had thought about asking how many but she thought if he'd told her she might not be able to take it. Still, not knowing might have been even worse. When (F/N) had first told her what he had done she was horrified. Now, after recovering from the initial shock, she was conflicted. Confused. Part of her didn't want anything to do with (F/N) anymore, but at the same time she still felt herself being pulled towards him. Everything she had seen had suggested that (F/N) was kind, loving, and extremely gentle. He abhorred violence and found beauty in everything and everyone, no matter how flawed. Despite everything he had seen, he still believed there was more good in the world than bad. And yet, despite treasuring life, he had admitted to her that he had destroyed it. Pyrrha didn't know what to do. Her instincts told her (F/N) was safe, and her heart longed to be near him, but she simply couldn't get the idea of (F/N) murdering someone out of her head. So she pushed him away.

Without her company, (F/N) started to isolate himself. He would sit alone at lunch, and during classes he sat as far back and in the shadows as he could. When classes ended, he swiftly returned to his room, locking the door and shutting the curtains. The nightmares were worse than ever. Even when he was awake, all he could see was red. His head was constantly filled with the sounds of gunfire and screaming, the smell of dead bodies lingering in his nostrils. In the middle of one of Oobleck's lectures a particularly nasty memory flashed before his eyes. His body jerked and he'd accidentally gripped the table so hard it shattered. Muttering an inaudible apology, he ducked out of the classroom.

Combat class became the worst part of his day. Filled with the constant sound of gunfire and other loud noises, it made him jumpy and paranoid. Goodwitch, displeased with (F/N)'s lack of attention, called him to the front of the class for a match against Ruby. Not even a minute into the fight, as Ruby rushed him with her scythe, (F/N) got a flash of an enemy soldier rushing him with a machete. When his vision refocused he saw Ruby lying on the floor, whimpering in pain as her aura flickered. Her teammates and Professor Goodwitch rushed to her side to see if she was okay. Horrified, (F/N) took a step forward but was confronted by an angry Yang.

"What the hell's wrong with you?!" She shouted in his face. "You could have killed her!"

"I-I..."

"You what?!" Yang screamed angrily, her eyes glowing red. "Well?!"

Slowly backing away, he turned and ran to the safety of his room. Curtains closed, lights off, he huddled into a ball in the corner of his room, clutching the back of his head.

It was on the fifth day of his absence that there came a knock on his door. Not waiting for a response, the visitor opened it and stepped inside, light from the hall illuminating the dark room.

"Mr. (L/N)." Professor Ozpin says from the door. "Please come with me."

___________________________________________________________________________

"I mean, what the hell was he thinking?" Yang asks her teammates angrily.

Following her match with (F/N), Ruby had been taken to Beacon's medical wing, her bottom two ribs broken. It was just recently that she had been released, her aura helping to expedite the healing process, though she was still extremely tender. Her teammates were currently escorting her through Beacon's many courtyards and back to their room.

"Yang," Ruby begs for what feels like the one-hundredth time, "stop blaming him. It wasn't his fault."

"I can't believe you're standing up for him." Weiss says disbelievingly. "I mean, he broke your ribs."

"Yeah, but I don't think he meant to hit me that hard."

"Then why didn't he, oh, I don't know, not hit you that hard?" Yang says sarcastically.

"You weren't fighting him." Ruby defends. "I saw him up close. Something in his eyes... they changed. It was like he was seeing something else. Something bad."

Yang is about to open her mouth again when a bullhead landing close to them stops her. The engines quiet down and the doors open, and out steps Weiss' older sister, Winter Schnee.

"Winter?" Weiss asks in surprise, running over to the airship. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

"Be quiet!" Winter snaps. "This is not a personal visit. I cam here under the direct orders of General Ironwood."

"Why?"

"That's classified." Winter says sternly. "Now if you will excuse me."

Without so much as a goodbye, the elder Schnee sister walks past Team RWBY in the direction of Beacon Tower.

"Geez. What's her problem?" Yang asks, affronted.

"Yeah, she was pretty rude." Ruby whispers.

"Hey!" Weiss says indignantly. "That's my sister you're talking about."

"That does explain a lot." Blake says thoughtfully.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

________________________________________________________________________________

"Why am I here Ozpin?" (F/N) asks in a monotone voice.

"It has come to my that you've become somewhat... lax, in your studies." The headmaster says. "Several of your professors have left notes detailing your plummeting grades, and Professor Goodwitch even informed of an alarming event which took place several days ago during one of your matches."

(F/N) scoffs, rolling his eyes as he sits back in his chair.

"Do you find something to be amusing?"

"You don't?" (F/N) asks. "We fought in the biggest war Remnant has ever seen and you're talking to me about my grades? This whole scenario is a joke."

"And what of Miss Rose's condition?" Ozpin says, peering over his glasses. "Do you consider that to be a joke?"

"That was an accident." (F/N) says quickly. "I didn't mean to..."

"I am well aware that you had no intention of harming young Miss Rose. But the fact of the matter is she spent several days recovering in our medical wing thanks to your... accident."

(F/N) stares guiltily at his feet. "Is she okay?"

"She has made a full recovery, yes." Ozpin nods. "Though I would advise steering clear of Miss Xiao Long. At least for the time being." Ozpin takes a small sip from his mug before continuing. "Let's drop the pretenses." He says. "No Professor Ozpin or Mr. (L/N), let's just talk. What's bothering you, old friend?"

"It's nothing."

"Don't lie to me (F/N). We know each other too well for you to hide the fact that something is clearly haunting you. Is this about the war?"

"Of course, it's about the war. What else would it be?" (F/N) says aggressively.

"Why don't you tell me about it." Ozpin says patiently. "Maybe I can help."

(F/N) sighs resignedly. "I've been having nightmares." He says. "They weren't bad at first, just little snippets of the war. But then something happened."

"Yes, I am aware of the unfortunate incident with young Charlotte."

"Well, things just got worse from there. The nightmares got more vivid, more frequent. Eventually I started seeing things when I was awake. Every time I closed my eyes I was there. Back on the battlefield."

"And then what happened?"

"Things got better for a while. I stopped getting flashbacks. I even got a few nights of uninterrupted sleep."

"I see." Ozpin says thoughtfully. "And would this perhaps have anything to do with your relationship with Miss Nikos?"

(F/N) nods. "Yeah. I think so. She uh, she's really somethin' else. I always feel at my best when I'm around her. Like I haven't committed the sins I did. Or at least like someone could forgive me for them, because lord knows I can't."

"So, what happened?" Ozpin asks. "I take it the nightmares and visions have returned, and getting worse. Why?"

"Pyrrha, she won't talk to me anymore."

"Why not?"

"She asked me if I was hiding something from her." (F/N) admits. "Told me that if I didn't tell her the truth that I'd lose her. So, I did. I told her."

"What did you tell her?" Ozpin asks, a hint of concern in his voice.

"The truth." (F/N) responds. "Not all of it, not about the war. I let her think it was some gang war I grew up in. Told her about how I lost my arm, how I fought, and killed."

Ozpin nods and sits back in his chair. "And so, in trying to hold on to her, you lost her."

"Something like that."

"I see. And have you talked to her since then?"

"What would be the point?" (F/N) asks bitterly. "She doesn't want to talk to me. She can't even stand to look at me. It's not her fault though. I shouldn't have told her. At least then maybe she wouldn't think of me as a monster."

"You're not a monster (F/N)." Ozpin says.

"I know about a few thousand grieving families that might have disagreed with you."

"You're not a monster." Ozpin repeats. "You weren't cut out for war, you never were. You're weren't a fighter. It's what Mantle did to you that turned you into one."

"Yeah, they turned me into a weapon." (F/N) says bitterly. "And I did what weapons do. I killed. I killed enough people to fill a dozen cemeteries and a hundred times as many urns."

"And despite that, you're still a good person." Ozpin tells him. "You enlisted to protect your family and were tortured and experimented on for it. You helped end the war and as repayment they stashed you away for eighty years while everyone and everything you ever knew died. And even now, when Ironwood thawed you out you agreed to help without a moments hesitation because you still want to protect people. If these nightmares prove anything, it's that you're a good person. You call yourself a monster, but monsters aren't haunted by their sins. Evil men don't see the ghosts of their victims. You are consumed by your guilt but think nothing of the good you've done."

"That's because I haven't done anything good."

"Yes. Yes, you have." Ozpin assures. "You defended your family and kingdom during the greatest war Remnant has ever seen. You tried to give that young girl a new life, and when others took it from her you gave her a respectful death. Even just last week, you saved the lives of hundreds when you stopped the terrorists from attacking the peace rally and when you apprehended those Purifiers. You have done more good than you know, but I have seen the fruits of your labor. I have seen peace flourish because of your actions during the war. And I have seen so many lives touched by your presence without them even knowing it. You are a good man (F/N)."

(F/N) is about to respond when the elevator doors slide open. Turning in his seat, (F/N) sees Winter Schnee walking into the room.

"Miss Schnee." Ozpin says, straightening in his seat. "To what do I owe the pleasure."

"I apologize for the interruption." She says. "I have come here under orders from General Ironwood concerning Mr. (L/N)."

"I see. I take it you want to discuss the mission the General sent (F/N) here to conduct."

"How did you..."

"(F/N) has a long personal history with my father who also served in the war." Ozpin says conversationally. "I recognized him almost immediately. The rest wasn't hard to put together."

"I see." Winter says, hiding her shock.

Just then, Ozpin gets a notification on his scroll that causes his face to lose some of its color.

"No." He whispers. "No, no, no."

"What is it?" (F/N) asks.

Ozpin sets his scroll on his desk, a large holographic projection appearing in the air.

"This is Lisa Lavender reporting live from Summa Academy where just minutes ago the White Fang stormed the premises, seizing control of the building. The academy which teaches children ages eight to thirteen, known for its anti-Faunus enrollment policy, is now being held hostage by the White Fang, presumably in retaliation against the Purifiers' actions at the peace rally last week."

"They're holding kids?" (F/N) asks in angry disbelief.

"Mr. (L/N), we cannot allow this situation to escalate any further than it already has. I hate to ask it of you, but..."

"I'm already on it."

"I'll send the coordinates to your scroll and have Team RWBY and Team JNPR meet you there."

(F/N) nods and makes for the elevator but is stopped by Winter stepping in front of him, blocking his path.

"Wait." She says. "I can't allow you to go to that school."

"What?" (F/N) nearly shouts. "Why not?"

"General Ironwood has sent me here with the express command of keeping you out of the public eye. If you arrive at the scene, there are sure to be hundreds of cameras that will capture your image and broadcast it across all of Remnant."

"So what?"

"So, you're supposed to remain a secret." Winter reminds. "No one can know who you really are, and the more you expose yourself like you did at the rally, the more likely it is that someone will put two and two together and realize who you are."

"Purifiers have just arrived on the scene." Ozpin says. "They've brought an army."

"Out of my way." (F/N) says impatiently, pushing past Winter.

"(F/N), I'm ordering you to stop!" Winter shouts. "Let the others deal with it, General Ironwood has ordered you to..."

"Tell General Ironwood to shove his mission up his ass. I'm done working for the military."