Andy's Point of View

It had been two weeks.

Fourteen days.

Three hundred and thirty six hours.

Twenty thousand one hundred and sixty minutes.

Not that I was counting.

...Much.

I stood before Professor Ozpin's desk with my arms folded tightly across my chest, trying, and failing, to hide the worry that had been eating away at me ever since Alex vanished.

The office was as calm as ever.

The rich scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted lazily through the room.

Sunlight filtered through the tall windows overlooking Beacon's courtyard, casting long beams across the polished wooden floor.

Students laughed outside.

Bullheads came and went from the landing pads.

Life...

Continued.

As though nothing had happened.

I hated that.

"...It's been two weeks."

My voice came out quieter than I'd intended.

"...Since Alex disappeared."

Professor Ozpin looked up from the report resting on his desk.

The old headmaster removed his glasses, setting them carefully beside his coffee before folding his hands together.

"I am aware, Mr. Yan."

There wasn't a hint of impatience in his voice.

Only understanding.

"I've dispatched Huntsmen to search the surrounding forests."

He reached for one of several papers resting on the corner of his desk.

"Search parties have checked every known Grimm nesting ground within nearly one hundred kilometers of Beacon."

He set the report back down.

"We've questioned travelers. Merchants. Villages. Even bandit tribes willing to speak."

He sighed quietly.

"Missing person notices have been distributed throughout Vale. Several have even reached Mistral and Vacuo."

His expression became more solemn.

"I've instructed every Huntsman and Huntress passing through Beacon to remain vigilant."

He met my eyes.

"But..."

His shoulders lowered ever so slightly.

"I'm afraid our investigation has uncovered nothing."

I looked down at the floor.

"...Yeah."

That was the problem.

Nothing.

No tracks.

No signs of a fight.

No blood.

No abandoned equipment.

Not even Grimm remains.

It was like Alex had simply...

Stopped existing.

I let out a long, tired sigh.

"...I'm just worried."

The words felt painfully inadequate.

Worried didn't even begin to describe it.

Professor Ozpin nodded slowly.

"That is perfectly understandable."

He leaned back in his chair.

"I would be considerably more concerned if you weren't."

Silence settled between us.

Finally...

Ozpin spoke again.

"You and Mr. Orr have known one another for quite some time."

I smiled faintly.

"...Since two years ago."

He nodded.

"I suspected as much."

I chuckled quietly.

"I don't think we've gone more than a week without talking since we met."

I looked toward the window.

"...Then suddenly, nothing."

The silence afterward felt deafening.

Professor Ozpin quietly regarded me.

"How are the others handling it?"

I let out a tired breath through my nose.

"...Not great."

He waited.

"Ruby blames herself."

His brow furrowed.

"...Why?"

"Because she was the last person to see him before he disappeared."

I shook my head.

"I've tried telling her it isn't her fault. She knows. But..."

I shrugged helplessly.

"...Knowing something and believing it aren't always the same."

Professor Ozpin nodded.

"A difficult lesson."

"It is."

I continued.

"Yang's angry."

"At who?"

"...Everything."

I answered honestly.

"Herself. The situation. The fact she can't punch whatever caused this."

A tiny smile tugged at Ozpin's lips.

"That does sound like Miss Xiao Long."

I couldn't help smiling myself.

"Yeah. Blake..."

I frowned.

"...She isn't saying much. But she's been reading through every book in the library that mentions strange disappearances. Weiss has basically turned Beacon's archives upside down. Trying to find anything that matches."

I sighed again.

"...Nobody's sleeping much."

"And yourself?"

That question caught me off guard.

I stared at him for a few seconds.

"...Honestly? I don't know."

He remained silent.

Giving me time.

"I keep expecting him to walk through the dorm door."

I admitted quietly.

"I'll hear footsteps in the hallway. My first thought is, 'Alex's back.'"

I laughed bitterly.

"...Then it's somebody else."

Every time.

Professor Ozpin slowly reached for his coffee.

He didn't drink it.

He simply held the warm mug between both hands.

"I've seen this before."

I looked up.

"Huntsmen go missing."

He said softly.

"Sometimes for days. Sometimes for months."

He paused.

"And sometimes, they return."

I searched his face.

"You really think he's alive?"

Ozpin was quiet for several moments.

When he finally answered...

It wasn't the answer I expected.

"I believe..."

He looked directly into my eyes.

"...That if there is anyone stubborn enough to survive circumstances that should be impossible..."

The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.

"...It would be Alexander Orr."

Despite everything...

I laughed.

"...Yeah."

"He'd probably argue with Death."

Professor Ozpin actually chuckled.

"I somehow suspect Death would lose patience first."

That mental image...

Alex standing in front of the Grim Reaper, somehow talking his way into another conversation...

Was so unbelievably like him that I couldn't help smiling.

The smile didn't last long.

"...I just wish I knew where he was."

Professor Ozpin's expression softened.

"So do I."

Neither of us spoke after that.

Professor Ozpin eventually broke it.

"...What of your other two teammates?"

I let out a slow breath.

"They're... handling it in their own ways."

He waited patiently.

"Alexa's taking it the hardest."

A faint smile crossed my face despite everything.

"She and Alex became like siblings after we learned the truth about our origins."

I looked down at my hands.

"They clicked almost immediately. They argued. They teased each other. They watched each other's backs. It didn't take long before they were calling each other brother and sister."

I chuckled quietly.

"Honestly I don't think either of them ever questioned it."

Professor Ozpin listened without interrupting.

"I think..."

I hesitated.

"...Losing him..."

I swallowed.

"...Feels like she's lost a brother."

The room grew quiet again.

"And Francine?"

Professor Ozpin asked gently.

I sighed.

"...Francine's different. She isn't loud about it. She doesn't cry where anyone can see. She just..."

I searched for the right words.

"...Pulled away. She still goes to class. Still trains. Still eats. But she hardly talks anymore. Unless it's me or Alexa."

I shook my head.

"She spends a lot of time by herself now. Reading. Writing. Just thinking."

Professor Ozpin folded his hands together.

"People grieve differently."

"I know."

I answered quietly.

"I just hate seeing it."

I looked toward the window.

"It feels like, the whole team's missing something."

Professor Ozpin nodded once.

"As though a piece is absent."

"Exactly."

I rubbed my forehead.

"We searched Alex's side of the dorm. Twice. Then again. We went through everything. His desk. His notebooks. His drawers. Under the bed. The closet. We even checked inside the walls and under the floorboards."

I laughed bitterly.

"We were starting to get desperate."

"And?"

Ozpin asked.

I slowly shook my head.

"...Nothing. No hidden journal. No map. No letter. No clue where he might've gone."

I looked down at the floor.

"Just, his things."

His books still sat neatly on the shelf.

His boots were still beside the bed.

The jacket he'd thrown over the back of his chair was exactly where he'd left it.

Even his coffee mug...

Still sat on his desk.

Nobody had touched it.

Not because we'd forgotten.

Because...

None of us could bring ourselves to move it.

It felt...

Wrong.

Like we'd be admitting he wasn't coming back.

So we left everything exactly as he'd left it.

Professor Ozpin noticed the change in my expression.

"You've preserved his space."

I nodded slowly.

"...Yeah."

I forced a weak smile.

"...Guess we're all hoping he'll walk through the door one day, complain that someone ate his snacks..."

A quiet laugh escaped me.

"...Then wonder why everyone suddenly tackled him."

Professor Ozpin smiled faintly.

"I imagine that would be quite the welcome."

"...It would."

I looked toward the office door.

"...And knowing Alex..."

I couldn't help smiling despite the ache in my chest.

"...His first words would probably be..."

I lowered my voice, doing my best impression of him.

"'Why's everybody looking at me like I died?'"

For just a moment...

Both Professor Ozpin and I laughed.

It didn't make the worry disappear.

But...

For a few precious seconds...

It reminded us exactly why we refused to give up looking.

Professor Ozpin was quiet for another few moments.

Then...

Almost absentmindedly, he smiled into his coffee.

"I believe..."

He said thoughtfully.

"...Headmistress Goodwitch misses him as well."

That caught me completely off guard.

I looked up.

"...Mrs. Goodwitch?"

Professor Ozpin nodded.

"I do."

I couldn't help staring.

"...Really?"

He chuckled quietly.

"Very much so."

I blinked.

"...I figured she'd be thrilled."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

I laughed despite myself.

"Professor..."

I leaned back in my chair.

"Alex was a constant pain in her ass. He challenged her. He argued with her. He somehow found a way to make sarcastic comments while standing at attention."

I started counting on my fingers.

"He called her 'Teach.' He somehow got away with jokes nobody else would've survived making. He even managed to convince her to smile a couple of times."

I shook my head with a laugh.

"I honestly thought she'd celebrate the peace and quiet."

Professor Ozpin smiled over the rim of his mug.

"So did I."

"...But?"

"But..."

He set the coffee down carefully.

"I've observed something rather interesting."

I waited.

"For the past two weeks..."

His voice remained calm.

"Miss Goodwitch has visited the rooftop garden every evening."

I frowned.

"...Alex's garden?"

"The very same."

"What for?"

Professor Ozpin's smile became softer.

"To care for it."

I stared.

"...She what?"

"She waters the vegetables. The potatoes. The corn. I've watched her remove weeds. Replace damaged supports. Even trim the tomato vines."

For a moment...

I genuinely thought he was joking.

"...You're serious."

"I am."

I pictured it.

Professor Goodwitch...

The strictest teacher at Beacon...

Standing on the roof with a watering can.

Somehow...

The image refused to fit in my head.

"...Why?"

Professor Ozpin looked out the office window.

"I asked her the same question."

"What'd she say?"

He smiled faintly.

"She informed me..."

His voice shifted ever so slightly, doing a remarkably accurate impression of Goodwitch's formal tone.

"'If Mr. Orr insists on cultivating vegetables on school property, then someone should ensure they do not perish while he is... unavailable.'"

I laughed.

"...That sounds exactly like her."

"It does."

Professor Ozpin nodded.

"But..."

He looked back toward me.

"That wasn't the entire conversation."

I tilted my head.

"...It wasn't?"

"No."

He folded his hands together.

"After a rather long silence..."

His expression softened.

"...She asked me whether I believed Mr. Orr would return."

The laughter left me.

"...She actually asked that?"

"She did."

"What'd you tell her?"

"The truth."

Professor Ozpin answered.

"I told her I did not know."

I swallowed.

"And?"

He looked down at the untouched coffee in his hands.

"She simply nodded."

He paused.

"Then she continued watering the garden."

Silence settled over the office.

I found myself smiling.

"...Alex would love that."

Professor Ozpin looked at me curiously.

"Oh?"

"He always joked..."

I chuckled quietly.

"...That the quickest way to get Mrs. Goodwitch to like him was through gardening."

Another smile crossed Ozpin's face.

"It would appear..."

He glanced toward the rooftop visible through the window.

"...He may have been more correct than either of them realized."

I laughed softly.

"...He'd never let her live it down."

"No."

Professor Ozpin agreed with a small chuckle.

"I suspect the first thing he would say..."

He looked toward the ceiling as if imagining the conversation.

"...would be something along the lines of..."

His tone became just a little drier.

"'So, Teach... I hear you've been taking care of my tomatoes.'"

I burst out laughing.

"...That's exactly what he'd say."

"And Miss Goodwitch..."

Professor Ozpin continued with another subtle impression.

"...Would almost certainly reply, 'Mr. Orr, if you utter one more word about those tomatoes, I shall personally assign you enough detention to harvest them for the next decade.'"

The office echoed with quiet laughter.

For the first time in what felt like days...

The weight on my chest eased.

Just a little.

Because hearing that...

Even Headmistress Goodwitch missed him...

Somehow made Beacon feel a little less empty.

And somehow...

Made me believe a little more that one day...

Alex really would come walking back through those doors.

The laughter slowly faded.

Not because the joke had stopped being funny.

But because...

It reminded both of us who was missing.

The office grew quiet once more.

Professor Ozpin took another sip of his coffee before setting the mug back onto its coaster.

The soft clink echoed through the room.

"...May I ask you something, Mr. Yan?"

I nodded.

"Sure."

"When You and Mr. Orr first arrived at Beacon..."

He folded his hands together.

"...Did you ever imagine he would have this sort of impact?"

I couldn't help smiling.

"...Honestly?"

"No."

Professor Ozpin raised an eyebrow.

"No?"

I laughed quietly.

"When we first got here, I figured he'd either become everyone's best friend, or get expelled."

A chuckle escaped Ozpin.

"Those were your only two possibilities?"

"Pretty much."

I shrugged.

"Alex has never really understood the concept of authority."

Professor Ozpin smiled knowingly.

"I had noticed."

"He respects people."

I clarified.

"Titles..."

I made a vague gesture with one hand.

"...Not so much. He'll respect you because you're a good person. Not because you're the headmaster."

Ozpin slowly nodded.

"An important distinction."

"Yeah."

I leaned back in the chair.

"I've watched him talk to police, teachers, Old ladies at grocery stores, and little kids."

I smiled.

"He talks to everybody the exact same way."

Professor Ozpin looked thoughtful.

"I believe you're correct."

"He doesn't really care who someone is. He cares..."

I searched for the words.

"...Who they are."

That earned another approving nod.

"I've noticed another habit."

Professor Ozpin said.

"Oh?"

"He remembers names."

I blinked.

"...Yeah."

"Remarkably well."

Ozpin continued.

"I've watched him greet maintenance workers by name. Librarians. Kitchen staff. Gardeners. He once thanked a janitor for cleaning the hallway."

I laughed.

"...That sounds like him."

"It surprised the gentleman considerably."

"I bet."

Professor Ozpin smiled.

"I believe..."

He paused.

"...That is why his absence is felt so strongly."

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"He spoke with everyone."

Ozpin answered simply.

"Not because he had to. But because he wanted to."

He looked out the window toward Beacon's courtyard.

"There are many exceptional students. There are many talented Huntsmen. But very few..."

He smiled softly.

"...Make every person they meet feel seen."

That...

Hit me harder than I expected.

Because it was true.

Alex always remembered birthdays.

Favorite foods.

Names.

Little details people mentioned months earlier.

Not because he had some incredible memory.

Because...

He genuinely listened.

Professor Ozpin continued quietly.

"The cafeteria staff have asked about him. The groundskeepers. The mechanics responsible for maintaining the Bullheads. The librarian. Even Professor Port."

I laughed.

"...Professor Port?"

"He informed me yesterday..."

Ozpin adjusted his glasses.

"...That Beacon has become, and I quote..."

He cleared his throat dramatically.

"'Far less entertaining without young Alexander wandering into my lectures asking absurdly insightful questions.'"

I smiled.

"...Yeah. That sounds about right."

"And Professor Oobleck."

Professor Ozpin continued.

"...Has begun leaving history books outside your team's dormitory."

I blinked.

"...Why?"

"In the event..."

Ozpin smiled faintly.

"...That he returns late and requires something to read."

I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

"...That's probably the most Oobleck thing I've ever heard."

"It is certainly a contender."

The laughter slowly faded again.

Professor Ozpin became thoughtful.

"...There is something else."

"What?"

"I've observed the first year students."

I tilted my head.

"What about them?"

"They've changed."

I frowned.

"I don't follow."

"When Mr. Orr first arrived..."

Ozpin explained.

"He challenged assumptions. Students began asking more questions. They became more willing to admit they didn't know something. They started visiting the library more frequently. They debated ideas. They experimented."

He looked toward me.

"I don't believe he intended to."

"He didn't."

I answered immediately.

"He just..."

I smiled.

"...Likes learning."

"Exactly."

Ozpin nodded.

"And enthusiasm..."

He folded his hands once more.

"...Has a curious tendency to spread."

Silence settled between us.

Eventually...

I stood.

"I should probably get going."

Professor Ozpin nodded.

"Your team will undoubtedly be waiting."

"They're probably wondering where I disappeared to."

I managed a small smile.

"Hopefully not literally this time."

Ozpin chuckled.

"I certainly hope not."

I reached the office door before stopping.

"...Professor?"

"Yes?"

I looked back.

"If..."

I hesitated.

"If you hear anything. Anything at all..."

His expression softened.

"You will be the first to know."

I nodded.

"...Thank you."

As I reached for the doorknob...

Professor Ozpin spoke one last time.

"Mr. Yan."

I paused.

"I've learned something over many years."

I waited.

"There are some individuals..."

He looked out across Beacon.

"...Whose absence reveals just how much brighter they made the lives of those around them."

His eyes met mine.

"I believe Alexander Orr is one of those people."

For a moment...

Neither of us spoke.

Then I gave a small nod.

"...Yeah."

I smiled sadly.

"...He'd probably call everybody idiots for getting sentimental."

Professor Ozpin's smile returned.

"I imagine he would."

I opened the door.

The familiar sounds of Beacon Academy washed over me once again.

Students talking.

Weapons clashing from the training grounds.

Bullheads flying overhead.

Life...

Still moving forward.

I stepped into the hallway.

The office door clicked shut behind me.

For several seconds...

I simply stood there.

The hallway stretched ahead of me, lined with tall windows overlooking Beacon Academy.

Students moved from class to class.

Some laughed.

Some complained about homework.

Others hurried toward Professor Port's lecture before they were marked late.

Life...

Just kept moving.

I hated that.

It felt wrong.

Like the world should've stopped for a little while.

Instead...

It carried on without him.

I slowly started walking.

My boots echoed softly against the polished floor.

Halfway down the hallway...

I stopped.

Without realizing it...

I'd turned toward the dormitories.

Toward home.

The dorm room door creaked open.

"...I'm back."

Nobody answered immediately.

Alexa sat cross-legged on her bed.

Her scroll rested beside her.

Dark.

Powered off.

She wasn't reading.

She was simply staring out the window.

Francine sat at the desk.

A notebook lay open before her.

She hadn't written anything.

The pencil rested between her fingers.

Motionless.

She looked up as I entered.

"...Ozpin?"

I nodded.

"Same as before."

She lowered her eyes again.

"...Nothing."

"...Nothing."

Silence.

I quietly shut the door behind me.

The room felt...

Different.

Not empty.

Incomplete.

My eyes drifted almost automatically toward the opposite side.

Alex's side of the dorm.

His bed was still made.

His jacket remained folded neatly over the chair.

His boots rested beneath the frame exactly where he'd left them.

Even his notebook still sat open on the desk.

A pen rested across the page.

Waiting.

Like he'd only stepped out for lunch.

Alexa finally spoke.

"...I almost cleaned his desk yesterday."

I looked over.

She laughed weakly.

"...I couldn't do it."

Francine quietly nodded.

"...Neither could I."

I slowly sat down on my own bed.

"I don't think any of us could."

Another long silence followed.

Eventually...

Alexa stood.

Walking over toward Alex's bookshelf.

Her fingers lightly brushed across the spines.

History.

Medicine.

Engineering.

Botany.

Military strategy.

Fiction.

Poetry.

There didn't seem to be any pattern.

"...He alphabetized them."

She muttered.

I smiled faintly.

"...Yeah. I noticed."

She pulled one book halfway free.

Then pushed it back.

"...I almost borrowed one. But..."

She sighed.

"...It felt wrong."

I understood.

Perfectly.

Everything on that side of the room...

Felt frozen.

Like time itself had refused to move.

A knock came at the door.

"...Come in."

Ruby peeked inside first.

Behind her...

Yang.

Blake.

Weiss.

Nobody smiled.

Ruby held a small paper bag in both hands.

"...We brought dinner."

I blinked.

"You didn't have to."

Yang shrugged.

"We figured..."

She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly.

"...Nobody's really been eating."

Alexa looked away.

"...We've eaten."

Yang gave her a look.

"You split one sandwich between the three of you."

Alexa didn't argue.

Because she couldn't.

Yang walked over and placed the bag on the desk.

"Burgers."

She announced.

"And fries."

Ruby quietly added,

"...Extra fries."

Nobody moved.

Finally...

Yang sighed dramatically.

"...If Alex walked through that door right now..."

She crossed her arms.

"...What's the first thing he'd say?"

That actually made me think.

Then...

I smiled.

"...'Why does everybody look like someone stole their dog?'"

Ruby laughed softly.

"...Then he'd notice the food."

"'Oh.'"

I deepened my voice, doing my best impression.

"'Never mind. Somebody did steal your fries.'"

A few quiet laughs spread around the room.

Yang nodded approvingly.

"Yeah. That sounds about right."

Blake smiled faintly.

"...Then he'd steal one anyway."

"He absolutely would."

I answered immediately.

"And deny it while chewing."

Weiss rolled her eyes.

"'I was quality testing them.'"

Ruby giggled.

"'For science.'"

The room actually laughed.

Not loudly.

Not for long.

But...

It was something.

Dinner wasn't particularly lively.

Everyone ate.

Mostly because Yang kept staring at us until we did.

Conversation drifted.

Classes.

Assignments.

Professor Port's latest lecture.

Oobleck somehow managing to talk even faster than usual.

Anything...

Except the one thing all of us were thinking about.

Eventually...

Ruby looked toward Alex's empty chair.

"...I miss him."

Nobody answered.

Because there wasn't anything to say.

She looked down at the wrapper in her hands.

"...Everything reminds me of him. The firing range. The library. The cafeteria. The training hall."

She smiled sadly.

"...Even Crescent Rose."

I looked up.

"What do you mean?"

"He always noticed little things."

She explained quietly.

"'Your scope's a millimeter off. Your bolt sounds different today. Did you clean your barrel?'"

She laughed through her nose.

"I'd spend an hour trying to figure out how he noticed."

Yang smiled.

"He notices everything."

"Noticed."

Ruby corrected quietly.

The room fell silent again.

Blake eventually stood.

"I'm going to the library."

Yang looked over.

"...Again?"

She nodded.

"There has to be something."

"What?"

"I don't know."

She admitted honestly.

"But sitting here..."

She looked toward Alex's empty bed.

"...Isn't helping."

Weiss stood as well.

"I'll come with you."

"I'm looking through Beacon's older records."

Ruby blinked.

"...For clues?"

Weiss shook her head.

"...No."

She looked almost embarrassed.

"I..."

She hesitated.

"...Need something productive to do."

Nobody made fun of her.

Because...

We all understood.

People handled grief differently.

Yang trained.

Blake researched.

Weiss organized.

Ruby blamed herself.

Alexa withdrew.

Francine buried herself in silence.

And me...

I kept expecting the door to open.

Kept listening for familiar footsteps.

Kept glancing toward the hallway every time someone walked past.

Part of me knew it was irrational.

The other part...

Refused to give up.

As Blake reached the door...

She paused.

Without turning around, she quietly spoke.

"...When he gets back..."

Not if.

When.

"...I'm making him explain everything."

Yang snorted.

"...Good luck."

Ruby smiled for the first time all evening.

"...He'll probably start with..."

She lowered her voice.

"'It's a long story.'"

I laughed.

"...Then somehow turn it into a six hour explanation. And skip the important part."

"'Oh yeah, I died for a bit.'" Yang added.

More laughter.

Small.

Real.

It faded quickly.

But it left something behind.

Hope.

Fragile.

Quiet.

Almost impossible to see.

Yet...

Still there.

Because not one person in that room...

Had said if Alex came back.

Every single one of us...

Without realizing it...

Had already decided.

He wasn't gone.

He was just...

Taking his sweet time getting home.

The following week settled into an uncomfortable routine.

Wake up.

Classes.

Training.

Search.

Sleep.

Repeat.

At least...

That was how it was supposed to go.

Instead...

Every day seemed to begin with the same question.

"...Any news?"

The answer never changed.

"No."

It was becoming a word I hated.

Professor Goodwitch's combat class had somehow become even quieter than usual.

Normally...

Alex would've been the first one talking.

Usually before class had even started.

Whether he was asking an odd question...

Making some smart remark...

Or somehow getting under Professor Goodwitch's skin within the first thirty seconds.

Now...

There was nothing.

Only the sound of students assembling.

Goodwitch stood before us, crop tucked beneath one arm.

"Today..."

She began.

"We will continue working on coordinated team maneuvers."

Her voice remained as composed as ever.

"If your partner falls..."

She paused.

"...You adapt."

A strange silence followed.

It only lasted a heartbeat.

But...

Everyone heard it.

Even Professor Goodwitch seemed to realize what she'd just said.

Several students glanced toward Team RWBY.

Then toward us.

Nobody spoke.

Professor Goodwitch continued as though nothing had happened.

"Mr. Winchester. Miss Xiao Long. You're first."

The lesson proceeded.

Students sparred.

Teams rotated.

Strategies were practiced.

Yet...

It all felt slightly off.

Almost forced.

Eventually...

"Mr. Yan."

I looked up.

"You're with Miss Rose."

Ruby stepped forward without a word.

Normally...

Alex would've made some joke.

"Don't go too hard on the short one."

Or...

"Remember Ruby, friendly fire isn't actually friendly."

Something.

Anything.

Instead...

Nothing.

Ruby and I stepped onto the training floor.

Professor Goodwitch nodded.

"Begin."

Ruby rushed forward.

Fast.

Almost too fast.

Her footwork was sloppy.

Her swings lacked their usual confidence.

I sidestepped Crescent Rose.

Tapped her shoulder with the wooden practice rifle.

"You would've been hit."

She nodded quietly.

"I know."

We reset.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Each attempt looked the same.

She wasn't distracted by the fight.

She was distracted by everything else.

Finally...

Professor Goodwitch called for a stop.

"Enough."

Ruby lowered Crescent Rose.

"I'm sorry."

Professor Goodwitch remained silent for several seconds.

Then...

Unexpectedly...

She walked closer.

"Miss Rose."

Ruby looked up.

"I understand."

That was all she said.

No lecture.

No criticism.

Just...

"I understand."

Ruby swallowed hard.

"...Thank you."

Training ended early.

Nobody complained.

As everyone packed away their weapons...

Professor Goodwitch quietly called out.

"Mr. Yan."

I stopped.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"If you have a moment."

I nodded.

"Of course."

The training hall gradually emptied.

Soon...

Only the two of us remained.

Professor Goodwitch stood looking out one of the large windows.

Hands folded behind her back.

For several moments...

Neither of us spoke.

Then...

Without turning around...

She asked,

"...How is Miss Rose?"

I blinked.

"...She's trying."

"And your teammates?"

"The same."

Professor Goodwitch nodded almost imperceptibly.

"...Good."

I hesitated.

"...Can I ask you something?"

"You may."

I rubbed the back of my neck.

"...Why are you asking me?"

She was silent.

Long enough that I almost thought she wouldn't answer.

Finally...

"...Because."

She said quietly.

"...They are more likely to answer you honestly than they are me."

That made sense.

She finally turned toward me.

"The students often believe instructors incapable of understanding grief."

I looked down.

"...I guess."

"They are mistaken."

Her voice remained calm.

Professional.

Yet...

There was something beneath it.

Something tired.

"I have taught for many years."

She continued.

"I have watched students graduate. I have watched others leave. I have attended more funerals than I care to remember."

Silence.

"I do not wish to attend another."

I didn't know what to say.

So...

I simply nodded.

Professor Goodwitch adjusted one of her gloves.

A habit I'd noticed whenever she was thinking.

"...Mr. Orr."

She began.

"...Possessed an unfortunate talent."

I couldn't help smiling.

"...Only one?"

The faintest hint of amusement crossed her face.

"...Among many."

She corrected.

"He had an uncanny ability to insert himself into situations that had absolutely nothing to do with him."

I laughed.

"...Yeah."

"He also possessed an equally uncanny ability..."

She continued.

"...To improve those situations despite himself."

That...

Sounded exactly like Alex.

Professor Goodwitch looked toward the training floor.

"He challenged students. He challenged instructors. He challenged me."

Another pause.

"...Frequently."

I grinned.

"I remember."

"He was infuriating."

She stated matter of factly.

"I believe he asked me no fewer than twelve unrelated questions during a single lecture."

"...That sounds low."

For just a heartbeat...

The corner of her mouth twitched.

"I was being generous."

The smile faded almost as quickly as it appeared.

"...The classroom has been remarkably quiet." She then quietly added.

I looked at her.

She wasn't complaining.

She genuinely meant it.

"...It doesn't feel the same."

She admitted.

"No."

I answered softly.

"It doesn't."

Professor Goodwitch nodded once.

Then...

As though realizing she'd said more than intended...

She straightened.

The familiar composed instructor returned.

"You are dismissed, Mr. Yan."

"Yes, ma'am."

I turned to leave.

"...Mr. Yan."

I paused.

Without looking back...

She spoke one final sentence.

"If..."

She hesitated almost imperceptibly.

"...When Mr. Orr returns..."

I smiled faintly.

"When."

She gave the smallest nod.

"...When Mr. Orr returns..."

Her voice became just a little drier.

"...Kindly inform him that he still owes me three essays."

I couldn't stop myself from laughing.

"...I'll make sure he knows."

As I stepped into the hallway...

I found myself smiling.

Because that...

More than anything...

Sounded like Beacon.

Nobody was planning for Alex's funeral.

Nobody was packing away his belongings.

Nobody was replacing him.

Even Professor Goodwitch...

In her own way...

Was already planning to give him detention the moment he walked back through the doors.

And somehow...

That made the academy feel just a little more alive.

Team RWBY and Team AFAF found ourselves sitting together in the cafeteria.

Normally...

Alex would've been in the middle of whatever conversation happened to be taking place.

If there wasn't one...

He'd start one.

Usually with something completely ridiculous.

"If you had to fight a Nevermore with nothing but a frying pan..."

Or...

"Does Grimm taste like burnt marshmallows?"

Questions nobody but Nora would ever ask.

Yet somehow...

Everyone answered them anyway.

Now...

His chair sat empty.

Nobody had intentionally left it open.

It had simply...

Stayed that way.

Ruby absentmindedly pushed peas around her plate.

Yang leaned back in her chair, lazily spinning her fork between her fingers.

Weiss was reading while eating.

Somehow.

Blake had disappeared behind another novel.

Francine quietly ate without saying much.

Alexa stared out one of the cafeteria windows.

I sighed.

"...Alright."

Six heads looked up.

"This is getting ridiculous."

Yang raised an eyebrow.

"...What is?"

"We're acting like somebody died."

Silence.

Immediately...

I regretted my choice of words.

Ruby lowered her gaze.

"...Sorry."

I muttered.

"I didn't mean..."

"I know."

Ruby answered softly.

She forced a small smile.

"...I know what you meant."

Another silence settled over the table.

Finally...

Yang slammed both hands onto it.

Not hard enough to spill anything.

Just enough to get everyone's attention.

"Okay."

She looked around.

"We either keep sitting here feeling miserable. Or..."

She pointed toward everyone.

"...We do something."

Blake slowly lowered her book.

"...Like what?"

Yang opened her mouth.

Then...

Closed it.

"...I don't actually know."

Weiss sighed.

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, but Miss Belladonna has already exhausted Beacon's library."

Blake didn't deny it.

"Ruby has spent every free afternoon retracing Alex's last known route."

Ruby nodded.

"I have."

"Mr. Yan."

Weiss continued.

"You've practically lived in Professor Ozpin's office."

"...Twice."

I corrected.

"Today."

Yang blinked.

"...Today?"

"He wanted updates."

Alexa finally spoke.

"We've all been doing something."

Her voice remained quiet.

"But..."

She looked toward the empty chair.

"...Nothing's changed."

Nobody argued.

Because she was right.

Nothing had.

A loud voice suddenly echoed across the cafeteria.

"OI!"

Nearly everyone turned.

Nora Valkyrie enthusiastically waved from several tables away.

"There you guys are!"

Before anyone could respond...

She grabbed Ren by the wrist and practically dragged him across the room.

Jaune and Pyrrha followed close behind.

Nora stopped beside our table.

"...How's everybody doing?"

Silence.

Ren looked at her.

"...Nora."

"What?"

"...Read the room."

She looked around.

"Oh."

Her smile faded slightly.

"...Right."

Without another word...

She pulled over an empty chair and sat down.

Ren did the same.

Soon...

JNPR had joined us.

Jaune rubbed the back of his neck.

"We heard."

I nodded.

"Yeah."

He sighed.

"I wish there was something we could do."

"There isn't."

Yang answered.

"That's the problem."

Nora looked around the table.

"...Can I ask something?"

"Sure."

Ruby answered.

"...What was Alex like..."

She tilted her head.

"...Before Beacon?"

That question surprised all of us.

I looked toward Alexa.

She looked toward Francine.

Eventually...

I smiled.

"...Exactly the same."

That earned a few confused looks.

"He always had that sarcastic streak."

I chuckled.

"He always read too much. He always somehow found random facts about everything. He'd help anybody. Even complete strangers."

Francine quietly nodded.

"He once spent an entire afternoon helping an elderly woman fix her fence."

Yang blinked.

"...Seriously?"

I nodded.

"Never met her before."

Alexa smiled faintly.

"...He came home covered in mud. And acted like it wasn't a big deal."

Jaune laughed softly.

"...Sounds about right."

Pyrrha looked thoughtful.

"...He strikes me as someone who couldn't ignore another person's problems."

"Nope."

I answered.

"Didn't matter if it was a flat tire, or the end of the world if he thought he could help, he would."

Ren quietly folded his hands.

"...Those people are rare."

I looked toward him.

"...Yeah. They are."

The conversation slowly shifted.

Not toward Alex disappearing.

But...

Alex himself.

The stories became lighter.

Ruby laughed as she recounted the first time Alex had corrected the maintenance crew about a rifle's firing pin.

Yang described him somehow talking Professor Port into giving an extra history lecture after class.

Weiss reluctantly admitted that he'd helped organize one of the academy's storage rooms because he couldn't stand how inefficient it was.

Blake quietly mentioned finding handwritten notes tucked inside library books recommending other titles.

"They were his."

She said.

"He'd leave little reviews."

Everyone looked surprised.

"...Seriously?"

She nodded.

"I've found eight."

"What'd they say?"

Blake smiled.

"They weren't complicated."

She reached into her book.

Pulling out a folded scrap of paper.

"I kept one."

She unfolded it carefully.

Written in Alex's unmistakably handwriting were only a few lines.

Good book.

Slow beginning.

Stick with it.

Chapter twelve is worth the wait.

-Alex

Silence.

Then...

Ruby laughed.

"...That's such an Alex review."

Yang snorted.

"No spoilers. Just enough to make you keep reading."

Blake carefully folded the note again.

"I think..."

She looked down at it.

"...I'm going to leave it where I found it."

"Why?"

Jaune asked.

She smiled softly.

"...Maybe someone else needs the encouragement."

Nobody spoke after that.

Because...

That sounded exactly like something Alex would've wanted.

Around us...

Beacon carried on.

Students talked.

Laughed.

Complained about assignments.

The world hadn't stopped.

It never would.

But for the first time since Alex disappeared...

The conversations weren't about losing him.

They were about remembering him.

Not as someone who was gone.

But as someone whose presence still lingered...

In classrooms.

In books.

In gardens.

In jokes.

And in the quiet habit every one of them had begun to notice...

Looking toward the cafeteria entrance...

Every time it opened...

Just in case.

One day...

The next person through it...

Would finally be Alex. --------------------
A/N: And done. kuwebby2, what do you think?