Sorry for the stupidly long wait for this chapter (I've had a lot to deal with), please leave feedback and I hope you enjoy! Also thanks for the feedback so far, it's been helpful and informative.

Wounded whispers.

The aftermath

Glynda Goodwitch stalked through the school grounds, having just left Dove in the care of one of the school's physicians in beacons small infirmary. Behind her Ruby Rose took rapid small steps, struggling to keep up with her professor without using her semblance, still apologising profusely, much to Goodwitch's irritation. Sometimes I wonder why Ozpin advanced her a year, Glynda thought.

The day wasn't going well for her, first she'd had to put up with Ironwood's terrible attempts at flirting over breakfast, then she had endured a class of third year students who still liked to make paper aeroplanes during her lectures and now she had an overly apologetic child and a metric crap tonne of paperwork to deal with over a relatively minor injury to Dove. At least the day can't possibly get any worse she reflected, running through a mental checklist of what forms she'd have to fill out as they reached the courtyard in front of the sparring hall.

Her reverie was broken by the crunching of glass underfoot. She stopped suddenly and glanced around the courtyard as thousands of multi-coloured shards shone in the sunlight, Ruby walked into her back with a muted thud, not noticing her teacher's sudden halt, her silver eyes widened in fear and she resumed apologising profusely. Glynda turned, scowling and opened her mouth to shout at the student but was interrupted by the sound of rapid gunfire from within the sparring hall. Glynda's scowl deepened as she took off at a run towards the building, riding crop in hand, closely followed by Ruby. She didn't even slow down as she reached the door, with a wave of her riding crop a rune appeared on the door and threw it open. A hollow sounding bang marked an end to the gunfire.

She heard an anguished voice yelling to get help and realised with surprise that it was the normally quiet student called Yatsuhashi yelling. She stepped over a dazed Russell who appeared to have just woken up and was dabbing at his bloodied nose. Glynda pushed through the crowd but stopped abruptly at the sight that met her eyes. Cardin was lying face down in a pool of his own blood in the centre arena, a panicked Sky and Jaune trying desperately to staunch the bleeding.

Close by, Fox held his team leader in his arms, her hands and torso were blackened as she shivered with a dazed expression on her face. A short distance away Coco's normally gold and brown Gatling gun was completely blackened, sparks danced across its barrels and smoke wept from the motor housed at the back of the weapon. Rod Entbloom sprayed at the weapon with a fire extinguisher tentatively, clearly aware of the risk of its remaining ammo cooking off. A fist sized hole in the composite glass of the arena wall oozed molten glass that sizzled as it dripped onto the concrete floor. To Glynda's left, Yatsuhashi held the limp form of Velvet, her face and hair slick with blood.

The professor turned to Ruby, relieved the young student had persisted in following her so closely "Go get the physicians and nurses, use your semblance, hurry" Ruby nodded once before disappearing in a flurry of Rose petals.

Ok Glynda, triage, who has priority she thought to her self. Cardin looks to be the worst, him first. Goodwitch ran through the still open access point into the arena both Jaune and Sky turned to look up at her, their hands slick with blood. "Turn him on his side, quickly" she commanded. The pair quickly rolled Cardin onto his side, Glynda gasped at the sight of him, his skin was pale and his eyes were shut as his head lolled weakly at the change of his position. She counted at least four bullet wounds with both entry and exit holes, plus a gouge in the flesh of Cardin's thigh. She circled his prone form, waving her riding crop and creating purple runes to apply pressure to the wounds and slow the bleeding. "Hold him there, make sure he's still, count his pulse for 60 seconds then shout me the number." Jaune nodded grimly as he placed his bloodied hands on Cardin's neck and directed Sky where to hold Cardin as Glynda turned her attention to Coco and moved towards the leader of team CFVY.

"I'm alright" Coco wheezed, "see to Velvet" Glynda ignored her and quickly checked Coco's hands and torso, finding the injuries to be superficial in nature.

"Go on professor, I've got her" Fox said, his face set in determination. Glynda nodded and sprinted back out of the arena and shoved through the crowd gathered around Velvet. The faunus girl was in a sorry state despite her convulsions seeming to be less severe than when Glynda had first seen her. Yatsuhashi held her as her body bucked and shook, tears rolled down his cheeks.

"80 beats Professor!" Jaune yelled as the crowd quietened down.

"Good, now just keep him still!" Glynda shouted back over her shoulder before returning her attention to Velvet.

As Goodwitch drew closer she could hear Velvet panting heavily, Glynda crouched and reached down to remove the blood-slick strands of hair plastered onto the students face. The professor gasped as she recognised the symptoms; showing the whites of her eyes, bleeding from her eyes, ears, nose and mouth, violent convulsions.

Extreme aura depletion. The pain she must be in right now... Glynda shivered remembering her own experience of E.A.D.

Glynda grabbed Velvets hands and began to channel her aura into the student causing both of them to glow with a faint purple light. She felt herself getting weaker but seeing Velvets convulsions become less and less violent spurred her on. She felt light headed and let go of the student's hands, breathing heavily, relieved to see Velvets convulsions cease and her eyes close. Yatsuhashi slowly lowered Velvet to the ground and listened intently to her laboured but steady breathing, obviously still greatly concerned for his teammates health.

Glynda fished her scroll from her pocket and was shocked to see her own aura depleted all the way into the red. It shouldn't be, Glynda double checked her scroll in disbelief. Velvet didn't have a particularly large aura pool and roughly half of the aura Glynda had used would be consumed in order to make the transfer (aura transference was energy intensive), but still, the amount of aura it had taken to stabilise Velvet was at least double what Glynda had expected. She must have used everything she had and more, she shouldn't even be alive Goodwitch thought to herself. What could force her to use such drastic measures Goodwitch wondered.

The door slammed open and red rose petals billowed into the sparring hall as Ruby returned closely followed by the physicians as Glynda got back to her feet. She related the situation to them as well as she could as Cardin and Velvet were lifted on to stretchers and rushed to the infirmary, Coco insisted on walking, cradling her damaged weapon in her arms like it was an injured child. Yatsuhashi, Fox and their leader followed the stretcher bearers out.

Glynda took a seat on one of the benches, trying to slow her breathing and control her shaking hands. The remaining students gathered around her in a loose semi circle awaiting instruction. "That will be all for today students, return to your dorms. Listen for your scrolls, Professor Ozpin or myself may need to speak to you later. Jaune, Sky, good work. Without you, Fox and Yatsuhashi the outcome could have been far worse." Both students nodded to their teacher before leaving her alone with her thoughts.

Jaune walked back to the waiting teams JNPR, RWBY and RFGE and was showered with praise for his quick thinking and level head. He blushed and muttered his thanks in modest response. Pyrrha draped an arm over Jaune's shoulder and together the group moved off towards the dorms gossiping excitedly about the events which had recently unfolded.

Meanwhile Sky walked over to Russell who was now gazing into a small hand mirror, alternating between inspecting his facial injuries and trying in vain to fix his Mohawk, which was now in disarray following his explosively propelled journey through a second storey window.

Russell noticed his teammates presence and quickly flicked the hand mirror closed and shoved it into his pocket. "Wah da fug happen ta Carden?"

Sky snickered unashamedly at his friends attempt to speak with a broken nose. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Wah. Da fug. Happen ta. Carden?" Russell repeated, the frustration in his voice actually managed to make him sound even funnier. Neither heard the light tapping of footsteps approach from behind them.

"Three things young man." professor Goodwitch said as the pair turned in surprise at the professors proximity.

"First off, language." She said pointing an accusatory finger at Russell and scowling at him.

"Secondly." Glynda said, reaching forward and snapping Russell's nose back in to place with a sickening crunch.

"Ow. Shit!" Russell spat, his voice returning to normal.

"And thirdly, language!" professor Goodwitch snarled as she slapped her riding crop into his knuckles and span on her heel before marching out of the training grounds.

The pair watched their professor leave, "So what happened to Cardin?" Russell asked impatiently as the two retrieved their own gear plus their team mates school bags from the benches they had left it on.

Sky smirked before replying, "You know where you landed? I mean when he kicked your ass and blew you out the window?"

"No, why?" Russell shot back.

"Well... you landed on Coco."

"I what?" Russell asked incredulously.

"Yeah, straight up broke her precious sunglasses and snapped her last cigarette" Sky couldn't help but smile as he saw his remark cause the colour to drain from his teammates face.

"Are you serious?" Sky grinned and nodded. "Oh god... She'll make hunting me down her number one priority as soon as she recovers."

"Ha, I doubt it. She dragged you in here intent on gouging out your eyes with a spoon. Did I mention Yang gave her a spoon? Then Cardin was all like 'hey let go of Russell or you'll have to find an outfit that works with blood red', he totally stood up for you dude!" Sky said excitedly, he then paused for breath before continuing. "So then her and Cardin go head to head and she redlined his aura but he got up and smacked her with his mace, she was so pissed. That hand bag she lugs round is actually a Gatling gun, she shot Cardin like five times. Would have been more but Velvet's a mage or some shit, so she put up this energy barrier, saved his life but then her face starts bleeding. I think that's when you woke up dude." Sky breathed in deeply, soothing his lungs which had emptied from his rushed divulgence of the story.

Russell's jaw clacked open and shut as he tried to articulate a response to the barrage of information Sky had just given him. "He stood up for me?" he asked disbelievingly. "I want to go see him" he stated determinedly as he slung Cardin's book bag over his shoulder.

Sky nodded in agreement as he hefted Dove's abandoned backpack onto his shoulder and started towards the door "Sure, maybe Dove will be there too."

"Wait, didn't you say Velvet saved Cardin?" Russell said placing a hand on his teammates shoulder to stop him.

"Yeah, why?" Sky asked, confused.

Russell sighed and carefully scooped up Velvet's brown satchel. "Come on, let's go."

The infirmary

The pair made the journey to the school infirmary in silence. An attractive nurse directed them to a waiting area, which was in reality a corridor with four chairs along each wall. Russell had always hated the doctors, especially the waiting rooms, he'd always had to endure cautious glances and hushed whispers from judgemental old women simply because his hairstyle made them wary of him.

The sight that greeted him as he rounded the corner into the waiting area made him long for the days of wary old women, three members of team CFVY sat along one wall. Fox and Coco sat hunched forward in their seats while Yatsuhashi sat back, his head resting on the wall and his eyes closed, whether he was asleep or in some form of meditation Russell couldn't tell. Coco stared at her ruined weapon that lay between her feet.

Fox and Coco's heads swivelled round upon hearing Russell's and Sky's footsteps, their icy stares almost like a sentry gun locking on to a target. Sky stumbled and stopped, but Russell casually took a seat opposite them undeterred. Sky gathered his wits and soon followed his teammate's example. Coco tensed and was about to open her mouth to speak but Yatsuhashi opened his eyes and rested a firm hand on his leaders shoulder, Coco sighed and let her head hang down as she forced herself to relax.

"Hey, Coco?" Russell said tentatively.

Coco's head snapped back up to reaffix Russell with her icy stare, her expression softened as she realised he was holding Velvet's satchel in his outstretched fist. She snatched it suddenly and sat back to examine the bag. "If any of this is missing I'll find a spoon and I'll-"

"-Yeah, because if I stole Velvet's stuff I'd hand you the bag rather than just leave it in the sparring hall like you did." Russell interrupted.

Coco fell silent and Yatsuhashi leaned in and nudged her gently in the ribs. Coco sighed heavily. "Thanks Russell."

"You're welcome" Russell muttered. An awkward silence filled the room. The doors at the end of the corridor squeaked open and an elderly physician emerged followed by a slightly limping Dove.

"I take it you're waiting for an update on the other two injured? Well you may rest easy, both will make a full recovery, although I'm afraid you won't be able to see them tonight, they need their rest." All 6 of the gathered students except Yatsuhashi and Coco began loudly protesting the physician's instructions.

"Return to your dorms students." A stern voice commanded from behind them. The students turned in surprise recognising the voice as that of their headmaster.

"We need to see them professor, we need to make sure they're the ok." Fox said tersely.

"Do you believe the medical skill of Beacon's physicians to be insufficient?"

"No but-"

"Then return to your dorms, come see your teammates after classes tomorrow" Ozpin said softly as he placed a hand on Fox's shoulder. The students sighed in defeat and filed out of the corridor, Sky aiding the limping Dove, while Yatsuhashi insisted on carrying both Velvet's and Dove's school bags back to the dorm.

Ozpin watched the students leave before walking into the emergency ward.

The emergency ward 5pm

Velvet's awakening was sudden, for a blissful moment it felt as if she was merely submerged in water with her senses dulled, she swore she could hear the trickle of water from a wet rag. She broke through the surface and into consciousness and all sound and sight and feeling rushed back into her at once. Velvet felt as if every muscle in her body had been pushed past its limit, her heart felt heavy and her face felt especially sore.

She gasped in pain, her sharp intake of breath becoming a panicked gurgle as she realised an oxygen mask was strapped over her face. "Ssshh. It's ok, you're safe" a voice soothed. She tried to turn her head towards the voice but found she didn't even have the energy to move, it was a struggle just to keep her eyes open, her vision was blurred and tinged red until she blinked away the tears that had formed upon her awakening.

A trickle of water near her left ear foreshadowed a wet rag that appeared in her peripheral vision, wiping away the last of the bloody tears that streaked down her cheeks. She tried to thank whoever held the rag but her gratitude was muffled by the oxygen mask.

"Professor Peach? Can we remove the respirator? Miss Scarlatina and I have a lot to talk about." Velvet recognised the voice of Beacon's headmaster.

Professor Peach loomed into Velvets field of view, scrutinising his note book. He looked Velvet up and down and checked the student's temperature with a hand to Velvets forehead, expressing father-like concern before nodding to Ozpin. Professor Peach cradled Velvets head gently while Ozpin removed the mask. They listened carefully for a moment to Velvets breathing to make sure she could breath without assistance.

"Take it slow Velvet, you're suffering from E.A.D., that's extreme aura depletion. You should make a full recovery but you have to rest, your body can't take any more strain, especially not your circulatory system. Your heart nearly stopped and many of your veins and arteries ruptured especially in your face. A direct injection of a healing dust solution into your bloodstream, administered by head physician Tarquin and myself, flash sealed the wounds. You're lucky to be alive." Professor Peach said sternly, trying to mask the concern in his voice with an assertive tone. How does Glynda act so cold all the time, I know deep down she cares but she's always able to keep that air of authority about her professor peach wondered. "If you feel too tired to answer the headmasters questions, tell him to shut up and go away."

Velvet grinned meekly. "Yes professor" she croaked. Professor Peach seemed satisfied and backed off sitting down in a reclining chair at the bedside to review his notes.

"I'll make this as quick as possible, I assure you" professor Ozpin soothed, though whether he was soothing Peach or herself Velvet wasn't sure. He paused and gazed deeply into Velvets brown eyes. "You're eyes allude to many questions Velvet, please ask away." He broke eye contact and leaned back. "It's only fair" he added smirking.

"Cardin, Coco, are they ok?" Velvet asked succinctly, far too tired to use full sentences.

"Coco's injuries were superficial, she's already back in your dorm with Ruby Rose, stripping down her weapon." Velvet let out of a sigh of relief that caught in her throat as Ozpin's face darkened. "Cardin is still in surgery, five bullet wounds, his shoulder is broken, four of his spinal vertebra are shattered and need to be replaced with metal prosthetics." Velvet choked back a sob. "So far head physician Tarquin and surgeon White both believe he will likely survive the surgery and will, depending on his healing factor, make a full recovery."

"Surgeon White is extremely capable, Cardin is in good hands, though your concern is touching" professor Peach added without looking up from his notes. Velvet's eyes widened and she blushed slightly, realising how obvious her concern for Cardin's well being had become.

"What do you want to know professor?" Velvet asked, hoping to change the subject.

"I need to know the truth of what happened in the sparring hall, as I understand it you were not present when Russell and Cardin ignored professor Goodwitch's instructions to stay out of the arenas until her return. I simply need you to tell me what you saw, honestly." Ozpin said sternly. Velvet recounted, to the best of her ability, the events leading up to Cardin's injuries but hesitated when Ozpin asked about the damage to the arena and Coco's weapon.

"When I saw Coco deploy her weapon I knew there was no other way." Velvet said quietly.

"If I may interject, I'd like more detail on the usage of your semblance?" Professor Peach asked.

"My semblance is Electro-kinesis, I have control over electricity and can use it in moderation to fuel my aura. The opposite is also true, I can use my aura to create an electrical charge."

"We had prior knowledge about your semblance, what came as a surprise to us is the strength of your semblance and the way in which you used it" Ozpin said leaning forward slightly in his chair.

"I don't know what you mean professor" Velvet said evasively.

"What the headmaster means, is that he wants to know why you used so much of it, rebalancing your aura deficit actually redlined professor Goodwitch's aura. Now what is intriguing is that most people who experience E.A.D. do so defending themselves from great threats and most actually die before they even register their aura deficit. That makes two things about your situation peculiar. You weren't directly threatened, you were defending someone else and you remained in conscious control of your semblance long after even a fully trained huntress would have passed out from the pain and exertion."

"I know... the pain was intense..." Velvet said quietly, shivering involuntarily as she recalled the immense pain she had endured.

"Why did you defend Cardin from your teammate? When by all accounts he has acted towards you in a hostile manner, you endured long past the point you should have been able to." Professor Peach asked softly, not wanting to the push the student too hard.

"Cardin and I never used to get on, he used to be hostile towards me, but... something changed... I... care about him" Velvet whispered barely audible to the two teachers.

Professor Peach nodded knowingly while Ozpin merely arched an eyebrow. "That will be all Velvet, get some rest, we're going to go check how Cardin's surgery is going." Ozpin said before nodding to Professor Peach, the pair rose from their chairs and left the room, the double doors squeaking shut behind them. Velvet listened to their footsteps receding down the corridor, her lids drifted closed and darkness overtook her once again.

The emergency ward 8pm

Geez its dark

Beep

What's that sound

Beep

Everything hurts

Beep

Am I dead?

Cardin opened his eyes, dazzled by the stark white ceiling of the infirmary and the setting sun, low in the sky, that cast its light through the large window that dominated the wall to his left. The faint but aggravating beeping noise originated from a heart rate monitor to the right of the bed in which he currently resided. He tried to rise, gasping in pain as his movements exacerbated his already sharp pains across his torso and back.

A firm hand pressed down on his uninjured shoulder stopping him from sitting up.

"Moving now would be unwise Mr Winchester" Ozpin said leaning forward to check Cardin's bandages, concern obvious on his face. Cardin nodded weakly in response and relaxed back into the hospital bed's warm embrace.

He started forward again, his eyes widening "Velvet?" He rasped. Tears filled his eyes as his sudden shift of position wracked his body with pain. "I saw her go down, is she-"

"Not to worry Mr Winchester, Miss Scarlatina should make a full recovery within a week. She'll be out of here long before you are." Beacon's headmaster soothed. Cardin's shoulders sagged and he breathed a sigh of relief as he fell back into his pillows. Ozpin told him the severity of his injuries and how long it would take him to recover. Cardin asked a few questions and muttered a curse when he was told he'd be unable to walk properly for the next two weeks.

"Water" Cardin croaked. Ozpin walked around the bed and retrieved a beaker full of water and ice. The professor poured a generous amount into a mug and held it to Cardin's lips. Cardin sipped and was momentarily caught up in the bliss of savouring the cool liquid soothing his raw throat.

"Thank you professor" Cardin said gratefully, already feeling slightly better.

Beacon's head master shook his head smirking, "No need to thank me and just Ozpin will do Cardin, I hope you don't mind me calling you that. I've little patience for formalities."

"Um, sure thing prof- I mean Ozpin."

"While we're on the subject of thanks, there are a few noteworthy individuals deserving of your thanks." The professor said as he took a seat on a wooden chair next to Cardin's bed.

"I'll be sure to thank Velvet as soon as I see her." Cardin promised.

"Velvet is deserving of praise to be sure, but professor Goodwitch, Sky and Jaune also played a role in saving your life. If not for their quick thinking you would most likely have bled to death."

"Why did it have to be Jaune?" Cardin muttered dejectedly.

"Sorry Cardin, I didn't catch that?" Ozpin said leaning in slightly to better hear Cardin's response.

"I said I'll thank all of them when I recover."

"Very good." Ozpin said leaning back into his chair.

"Oh by the way, professor Goodwitch and I will be investigating into what happened today and it is likely several of the students involved, including you, will be punished. Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

"Just one thing professor. None of this was Velvet's fault, she tried to stop the fight, she saved my life. She deserves no punishment, only praise."

Beacon's headmaster arched one of his eyebrows in apparent surprise. "Nothing to say in your own defence?"

"No."

"Well I thank you for what you told me, though I must admit Velvet was never in any real danger of punishment. Both myself and Glynda know she is a reliable and highly disciplined student. Anyway I'll leave you two alone, you have a lot to talk about."

"What do you mean?" Cardin asked in confusion.

Ozpin smiled and reached forward holding down a button on the side of Cardin's bed gently tilting him into a more upright position. Cardin could now see the entirety of the hospital room in all its stark white splendour.

He could also see Velvet, sat up in the hospital bed opposite his. Her face had a slight blue-ish tint, tainting her normally alabaster skin. Velvet's eyes were tired and red, a grey clip was attached to one of her slender fingers monitoring her heart rate. She wore a plain white tank top that mimicked the rooms style and colour perfectly.

"Good day Cardin, farewell to you also Velvet, I wish you both a speedy recovery." Ozpin said before strolling out of the room, his soft footsteps faded away as he walked down the corridor. Cardin watched the professor leave before returning his gaze to Velvet.

"Hi" she said smiling weakly.

"Hi" Cardin replied in kind, though admittedly a little more awkwardly. "So...uh did you...erm..."

"Yeah I heard everything. Even the bits Ozpin didn't. Thanks by the way." Velvet said her grin widening.

"Oh...well you did save my life so it's the least I could do" Cardin said sincerely. "Also what did you mean when you said 'you heard what Ozpin didn't?"

"When you muttered about Jaune?" Velvet answered.

"Oh...wait, how?" Cardin asked disbelievingly. Velvet rolled her eyes and pointed at her faunus ears. "Oh."

"Do you hate Jaune because of what happened between your father and his Grandfather?" Velvet asked. Cardin sighed heavily. "Sorry I was just curious since I found out they died in the same battle when I was researching for my presentation."

"Part of it is that, his grandfather got the steel cross, while my father got nothing. They both died doing the same thing but only one gets recognised for it, they're buried side by side you know? I've been to Atlas' field of the fallen, all my fathers deeds summed up in a six by four inch plaque mounted on a marble post, Jaune's grandfather is the next grave along. The thing that makes me hate him most of all though... I was bullying him on a field trip to forever fall Peach sent us on, out of nowhere this huge ursa shows up and all my teammates run while it mauls me, Jaune saved me, even after everything I've done to him, and proved he was better than me and I can't help but hate him for it and now he's saved my life again."

"I see... do you hate me now too?" Velvet asked timidly.

"No. Why?"

"I saved your life too, you said it yourself and I thought we had become friends."

"We have, I don't hate you Velvet" Cardin said shaking his head.

"Good" Velvet said, smiling her captivating smile.

"My turn to ask a question." Cardin said, catching himself admiring Velvet's grin. She nodded for him to continue. "Why did you save me from Coco?"

Velvets smile faded and her face flushed red. "Same reason you told Ozpin none of this was my fault. Because we're friends." she said awkwardly before yawning.

"Tired?" Cardin asked. Velvet supressing another yawn as she nodded in response. "Me too" he said as he grabbed the remote from his bedside and turned the lights off one by one. "Get some sleep, you need your rest Velvet."

"Thanks Cardin, the concern is touching" Velvet teased, her white teeth flashing as she smiled in the darkness.

"Oh shut up." Cardin spat, hoping the mock hostility in his voice would hide his embarrassment. Fortunately he'd forgotten another common trait among Faunus; perfect night vision. Unbeknownst to Cardin, Velvet saw him blushing.

"Goodnight bully." She whispered as she nuzzled her head into the pillows.

"Goodnight bunny." Cardin whispered back.

Special thanks to OneTruePastrami. Please leave feedback, hope you enjoyed.