"The NCR has no need for your talents, sir." Crocker said, not looking up from his paperwork. "I must ask you to refrain making such assumptions."

I stood in Crocker's office. The unlit back room of a dingy building had allowed the NCR to occupy as a show of 'good will'. A building that acted as both an Embassy and drunk tank for the MPs to throw people into before the Securitrons got ahold of them. Say what you will about the NCR, at least they knew better than to let a foreign power have its say on their citizens. That didn't mean they were stopping them from filling the Strip's coffers, but still.

I stood in front of Crocker's desk specifically. He was flanked on either side with the aforementioned MPs. Likely to act as his personal guard should some drunkard escape the tank.

"… Brahmin Shit!" I near shouted "With all the crap I've done for you guys it's pretty easy to see you're lying through your teeth."

I saw the MPs get tense. Likely measuring if I was planning to attack Crocker. Overactive bastards.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to." Crocker said, still disinterested

"Don't know what I'm referring to!?"

"Yes, no need to play parrot."

I glared at Crocker through my motorcycle helmet.

"… Alright, how about defending Goodsprings from a Powder Ganger raid?" I asked angrily "You know, the convicts you people decide to give dynamite?"

"Goodsprings is an outside entity to the NCR." Crocker continued "While we do hope for the safety of all settlements outside of our jurisdiction. Unless they were to join our republic, we hold no responsibility to or for them."

I gaped at Crocker for a moment. "… Alright, what about Primm? The town whose leaders were massacred by the Powder Gangers? I helped you to bring law to them!"

"Primm was brought into the republic through the efforts of Lieutenant Royce Hayes. Though his report mentions the usage of an outside contractor, all credit and merit is under his name."

"I was that contractor!" I shouted, outraged

The MPs tensed further, I was likely starting to come off as threatening.

"-And I'm certain the lieutenant compensated you accordingly." Crocker continued

"What about Mojave outpost?" I asked "I'm the reason you guys even know about what happened in Nipton, Hell, I killed Vulpes Inculta! I have his Ripper and Stupid ass hat to prove it!"

The MPs shared a look, they apparently hadn't heard about what'd happened to the dog headed legionnaire.

"Articles of clothing and weapons are hardly proof of another's demise, sir. If they were, we wouldn't have scouts constantly on the lookout for Joshua Graham despite his… fall from grace."

I felt my fists tighten into balls of taut flesh and hardened bone.

"And before you continue-" Crocker continued "Just as with Lieutenant Hayes and Ranger Jackson, Every other person who has reported in has received credit for work done, though still claiming to have aid from an outside contractor. The hostage situation at Boulder City included."

I continued glaring at Crocker. Feeling absolutely furious that all the work I'd done had basically amounted to Jack-shit. But that did leave me with one question.

"Then why the fuck did you send for me!?" I shouted

The MPs both looked at Crocker, who in turn set down his papers and rubbed his forehead.

"It appears you've never heard of the concept of tact." Crocker sighed

"And you've never heard of giving people straight answers." I growled

"No, I have. I'd just hoped you'd choose a better time for this conversation. Hoped that you would pick up on the things I'm trying to tell you."

I looked to both of the MPs, they looked ready to throw me out.

"So, before I have my attendants throw you out." Crocker spoke in a measured tone "Why don't you see yourself out? Go enjoy your freedom, maybe catch a show at the Aces. Maybe go get a drink. Anything, before I need to have them throw you into a cell." Crocker looked me in the eye. Though he probably couldn't tell through the visor of the helmet. "Do I make myself clear?"

I glared at Crocker for a moment, the gears grinding in my head.

"… Yea, whatever." I growled

I saw myself back out of the hovel he called an office.

…

I sat in the Aces Theater for a good eight hours before Crocker showed up. There are worse ways to kill time, so I was willing to stay patient. I spent it drinking and enjoying the show. Hadrien's heckler shtick got old after a while, But Bruce and the Rad pack were always good in my book. I still had one of Tommy Torini's cards hanging around in my pocket. I'd been looking for someone to pawn it off on, but so far I hadn't found anyone worthwhile. I'd even tried the King, but you'll have to take my word for his singing.

The lonesome drifter was just getting keyed in when Crocker crept in. I almost didn't even notice him. Of course, he also made it so blatant he was not trying to draw attention to himself he succeeded in the opposite. He took a seat at the bar beside me and gave a weary sigh.

"This would have been exceptionally easier if you had just set up an appointment." Crocker sighed, motioning to the bartender for a drink.

I had a few remarks I could've made in response. But I had a feeling I was going to get my answer shortly anyway.

Crocker got his drink, rye with a splash of nuka and a smashed agave pod, and took a generous sip from it.

"… The NCR-" Crocker said, setting the glass down. "- Cannot admit to the assistance of an unofficial outside contractor. Cannot being the operative word."

"Hmph, afraid you'll get made fun of?"

"Yes." Crocker answered earnestly and bitterly "Imagine this, one man doing what an entire army can't. Solving problems that should take entire regiments weeks, in a matter of days. Showing that all the man power at our disposal is worthless in the face of one postal worker with a chip on his shoulder."

"… oh."

"Yes, oh. Adding into that the fact that you never stuck around to be formally recognized, much to my superior's relief, and there's little reason for the NCR to want your help."

"… Publicly." I supplied

Crocker looked at me out of the corner of his eye and smirked. "Good, you're catching on." Crocker downed the rest of his drink and motioned for a refill. "Now that you and I have 'conversed', so to speak, it's easier for us to spin things in our favor… I've been watching you."

"creepy."

"Not like that. I've had our ranger's keeping tabs on you. I needed to make sure you weren't just making nice for some… other reasons. I'm well aware of your value as an asset to the NCR. But because of all of the Bureaucracy, I've never had an opportunity to have you be formally recognized-"

"And spin the PR in everyone's favor." I surmised

"Exactly. I'm well aware of what you can do, and I'm well aware of how badly we need your help. Kimble, Oliver, and Moore won't admit how tense things are, or how bad we need the help. But I'm here, and from everything I've heard from the scouts and rangers that report in you are a, quote: "Foulmouthed saint given credence to wipeout everything in front of you.""

I gave Crocker a funny look. "Who the hell said that?"

"One of our Ranger teams near Novac. They said you tore through a squad of legion assassins and one of their raiding parties with nothing but a machete and a service rifle."

"Oh, That. I remember that, I had a friend with me who was a good shot. He deserves most of the credit for that one."

"Regardless." Crocker continued "I can see the value in you as an asset."

The Bartender finished mixing Crocker another drink and Crocker took another swig.

"… So where does that leave us?" I asked

"It leaves us here." Crocker said tapping the bar "Officially, the NCR will never recognize you. For all the good you're doing, I know you'll never be given credit for it. Kimble and Oliver would sooner invite Caesar for drinks than do so."

"… But they recognize you."

"And they recognize the people I speak with." Crocker continued smirking. "All of the work you've done until now, it's never going to be put under your name. You'll never get credit for it. What you do from here on, however, counts."

"Fucking brilliant." I groaned "All that work for jack shit."

"Not 'jack shit', a chance. If you're truly looking to help us, then now's your chance to prove it."

"Where the hell would I even start?" I asked "There's not exactly a list of places that I haven't been yet, and tracking down work for them would be a royal pain."

"Hm hm, luckily I can help in that regard. In fact, I think I know a place that's in need of someone with your skillset."

"… I'm listening."

…

I heard my alarm chiming and wanted to ignore it. But the instant I was disturbed, my brain snapped to attention. I was surprised I'd even managed to fall asleep, given the revelation I'd had not even a moment after I'd laid down. But after everything I'd been through, with the dull aches that I still felt throughout my body, maybe it wasn't as surprising.

I eased myself upright, feeling my joints pop in protest at being moved. A goodnight's rest was just what the doctor had ordered, I felt almost perfect. The few remaining aches in my bones would subside eventually. By noon I'd probably be fighting fit and ready to tear into whatever lay ahead.

In the meantime though:

"… Graham dammit you fucking idiot." I groaned "How the fuck did you forget about Dala!?"

I resisted the urge to flop back onto my cot in exasperation at my own stupidity. I was beyond upset with myself at how I'd allowed something like this to slip past my attention.

'She's a brain in a floating jar, how the fuck do you lose track of that!?'

I felt ready to plow my head through the wall. Of all the shit I was allowed to forget, forgetting about Dala had been at the top of the opposite list. The 'Do not forget or suffer torture of the Teddy Bear and pseudo sexual variety' list. The list that existed for the sole purpose of me not subjecting some poor schmucks to the shit the Think Tank was capable of. It wasn't a hard list to remember either, considering most of the time I just kept them locked up in the Big Empty. Lo and behold the one time I take one of them out of it, I completely forget about them. I'd even been planning to shoot her to avoid the off chance of her actually causing harm.

I was trying very hard to keep from panicking. I'd been through worse situations in the past, last night being a stellar example. But unlike last night, this was compounded with the fact that I wasn't the only one in danger now. If Dala was out there, everyone was fair game regardless of whether or not they deserved it.

I took a deep breath and steeled my nerves. I needed to focus and stay that way. If I started to let myself wander I'd wind up worse for it. I needed to figure out a way to find Dala and lying in bed wasn't a solution. I couldn't expect for her to just appear in front of me if I willed it hard enough.

'… but maybe I can get the next best thing.'

I stared down at my pip-boy. The cheery visage of Vault boy a mocking parody of my current feelings.

This thing had helped me keep track of and find 'quests' in the past. Maybe I could buck the system and trick it into working in my favor. It seemed to be voice activated, so maybe if I said a few random phrases I could at least get a starting point.

It was a long shot, but if it worked I'd at least have some peace of mind.

"Ok." I say, trying to think of a few things to say. "Let's start simple: 'Find Dala.'"

Nothing.

"…'Locate Dr. Dala?'"

Again, nothing."

"…. 'Track down the brain in the jar?'"

Still nothing.

"… Create a quest that lets me find Dala." I growled angrily "Or so help me, I will part you out for scrap you computerized turd."

My pip-boy did nothing.

I sighed heavily.

'Calm down Six, it's a pip-boy. For all the bells and whistles, it's not like it's got an AI bound to it.'

I was going to have to revisit this approach later. It was the most immediate option I had that stood the highest probability of success. In the meantime though, I needed to try something different and hopefully get some results. I had no clue how to find Dala, but that didn't change that I needed to. I could only shudder at what would happen if I didn't.

I reached for my box of supplies and began pulling some food out. I started with some coffee grounds. Pouring some water from my canteen into a tin kettle and I started warming it on my hotplate. The coffee took a few minutes to brew, and I didn't have an effective means to pull the grounds back out. But I was used to drinking something with a bit of grit to it.

I poured the bitter brew into a mug and lifted my helmet to take a swig.

"… wait, what time is it?"

I checked the clock on my pip-boy and did a double take, nearly choking on my coffee.

"Aw hell, I'm late!"

I began peeling myself out of my pajamas and struggling to put on my uniform. A small part of me welcomed the distraction of schooling in place of my other troubles. Though I knew that just meant I was putting it off until later. I needed a solution to Dala's issue, but it wasn't going to appear out of thin air.

I belted on my pants, tied my shoes, and bolted out the door. My shirt, tie, and jacket still needed attention, but I had an undershirt and I could put them on while running.

I bolted out my door and narrowly avoided running head first into Yang.

She and my teammates seemed to be waiting outside of my door. Which was strange, considering Snowflake should've been rushing them to get to class on time.

"Uh- H-hey, Six." Ruby said "We need to talk-"

"Talk later-" I said, already wheeling down the hall "We're running late."

Before I let them respond, I turned and ran down the hallway. I cut around a corner and ran for the stairwell. After descending the stairs and busting through the doors separating the dorms from the outside world I began pulling my shirt on. I was no stranger to changing clothes on the fly, and had gotten pretty adept at it.

I'd just pulled on the uniform's jacket when I'd been forced to cut through a small group of people. A group consisting of a giant, a scar riddled blind man, and a pair of ladies I was familiar with.

"Morning Ladies." I said as I weaved past them, shirt unbuttoned and billowing. I fixed that as I pushed onward. I couldn't afford to be late, not to this class. For once, it wasn't even because of Goodwitch. Goodwitch would've been preferable, actually. She's a bitch but I could at least count on her to be somewhat… standardized. There are only so many ways you can be an uptight jackass after all.

My other oppressor on the other hand…

I got my tie knotted unevenly as I skated into the biology lab. Not a second before the class started. I found a seat and settled in as my teammates skated in just behind me.

…

Professor Jaime Peach was not a woman of stature. By comparison, she was perhaps the smallest member of Beacon's educational staff. Falling just a hair's breadth shorter than Professor Port. She had a short bob of hair tucked neatly behind her head in a blossoming bun, all of it the shade of… well, a peach. She had skin the color of fresh tree bark and eyes the vibrant green of fresh leaves. Her mouth small and her nose hooked a bit upward. She had a hard to describe charm to her, akin to something one would feel for… a house plant perhaps?

I said it was hard to describe, sue me.

All of that was overshadowed, however, by the fact that she was dressed in grimy and mud coated clothing. From personal experience, I knew it was from being up early and tending the various gardens on the grounds and not from burying bodies. Bodies make bad fertilizer anyway. Consider Peach was also what amounted to the only member of staff who could qualify as being "scientifically inclined". She, summarily, was also the teacher for all courses pertaining to: Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, Computer sciences, Health studies, First aid, and as was obvious to those present, Biology. Not Grimm biology mind you, just generalized biology. All of which probably explained the massive bags encompassing slightly bloodshot eyes.

"Now I understand that most of you do not appreciate These classes for what they are." Peach said evenly "I've heard it a million times in one form or another. But I'll put it simply: What is the point of taking this class?"

"Is there even one?" Cardin said, just loud enough for a few people to chuckle at his shitty joke.

"So, I'll tell you all now." Peach continued, gaining a bright edge to her voice. "While it may serve no purpose here, out in the field it never hurts to be in the know. Having even a modicum of information on your side can turn a dire situation into a far more favorable one."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Peach moved from her position at the front of the lab and over towards a window at the side of the room.

"Knowing which plants are edible means spending less nights hungry, knowing where water is safest to drink means less chance of dying from thirst. And, of course in the case of biology, knowing how to interact with your environment can not only make this easier, but can provide possibilities you may have never considered."

Peach leaned against the window and looked at the class.

"That was the purpose of this class. To help you understand that knowing the world around you is perhaps the biggest step towards surviving more than just a fight with the enemies of man. It's a step towards being able to survive without having to struggle for it. Towards growth in all regards…"

'I find it funny that none of these people understand that knowledge is quite literally power in the real world… Guess that's a mistake I still make though'

"Unfortunately-" Peach continued "As was evidenced by last week's practical and exam, many of you have work to do still, and will be returning here next semester."

A chorus disappointed groans sprang up from the class. Peach gave a wry smirk.

"That includes you too, Mister Winchester."

The chorus transformed into a small gallery of laughs. I could see Cardin glaring at Peach.

"Now, that said, You all have the rest of the period to yourselves and the biology lab will remain open to you in the future, should any of you require its equipment. If you have any additional work, you may take this time now to finish it and I might consider it for partial credit..."

As Peach continued speaking most of the other students began packing up and leaving, only a few stayed behind to do more work. I was among that number. I didn't have any more work that needed doing, but I still had my reasons for hanging around the lab a while longer. It also only tangentially had to do with distracting myself from my newest predicament.

I waited as the students slowly filed out of the lab. Some of them were sticking around, so I had time to kill until I could get to work. The fewer people who knew what I was up to, the better. Last thing I needed was for some wise ass to start mixing the ingredient when I wasn't looking and screw up months of planning. In the meanwhile though, I at least had time to set up my equipment.

Out of the corner of my eye though, I could see my teammates off in a corner. I couldn't shake the feeling that they were staring at me for some reason. I was just about to chalk it up to a classic case of paranoia too. Then they seemed to reach some sort of consensus amongst themselves and started much more obviously staring at me. I was doing my best to ignore them.

Then snowflake broke away from the group and walked up to me.

I kept working, hoping that at least seeming like I was ignoring her would be enough to deter whatever she wanted.

"Pardon me… Six." Snowflake said, standing beside me..

It did not.

"'Sup?" I responded, focusing on what was in front of me.

Though she looked slightly irritated by my disregarding of her, she continued. "I had some… questions regarding the story you told us yesterday."

I did my best to hide my surprise. To avoid freezing up like a Sierra Madre hologram without a mainframe. If I did, it was hopefully so momentary she didn't really register anything wrong. Had to be careful what I gave away physically.

I was also grateful for the existence of my helmet, because I have a really shitty poker face.

"That so?" I asked evenly, if a bit stiff. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Well…" Weiss said, seeming to grow thoughtful. I couldn't tell if it was feigned or not. "The story was… interesting, and I wanted to know more about it."

She was speaking with an uncharacteristically high degree of… let's call it grace, that she never bothered with around me before.

"… I'm not averse to answering a few questions." I say, not wanting to come across as defensive. "I just can't promise I can tell you anything very informative."

"Anything you can tell me would be helpful." Weiss said with a smile. A smile that unnerved me. There was something… calculating to it.

"Ok… shoot."

Weiss's mouth curved into a smile a paranoid man might call… calculated. Apparently the act of me actually complying made her happy.

"Well, then to start-" Weiss said, staring at the goggles of my mask "Where did the story take place?"

"… I told you, the land of-"

"No no no." Weiss said, shaking her head "I mean where did it actually take place?"

'uhm… what?'

"I'm… sorry, Weiss, I'm afraid I don't understand."

"Well, you see, most stories come from someplace specific. Sometimes by knowing where, you can get a better idea of what the story looks like."

"Uh huh…" I responded, eyeing Weiss through my mask. "Well, unfortunately, I'm not sure where the story could 'supposedly' take place. It's just… a story that's been passed around the Mojave for as long as I can remember."

"Alright, then maybe you should tell me a bit more about the Mojave." Weiss said, her smile growing from a calculated grin to an almost cocky smirk. "If it's a story from there, maybe-"

"If you're interested in the Mojave, go visit it." I answered back. It was clear to me now Weiss was trying to get something out of me. I'd play along to keep from appearing suspicious, but she wasn't getting shit out of me now.

Weiss's smile transformed into a pouty glare. "I thought you were willing to answer questions?" She said, losing the sweeter tone for her standard haughtiness.

"I am, in relation to some of my more… specialized knowledge. If you want to know fact, go read a book. Got any other questions?"

Snowflake glared at me a little bit longer. Then she exhaled and continued.

"Fine, then here's another one: why was the world 'lit ablaze'?" she said the last bit with air quotes from her fingers.

"… You want the physical answer, the philosophical one, or the political one?" I asked in response

Weiss looked at me like I was an idiot, then pinched her brow.

"What?" I asked "The answer to 'Why did shit catch fire?' isn't as simple as someone left the oven on."

Weiss took a deep breath. "… Fine, the physical answer would probably be the easiest one to start with… so?"

"… Someone left the oven on."

Weiss's calm snapped and she glared at me with eyes that were screaming murder. I couldn't help but smile, how she didn't avoid walking into that one was beyond me.

"As for the others-"I continued "I wouldn't know either. Sensing a pattern? It's a myth, an urban legend people tell for one dumb reason or another."

"So if I were to ask what the other tribe mentioned in the story is" Weiss ground out "you wouldn't know either?"

I shook my head in a firm no.

"Alright." Weiss fumed, clearly frustrated beyond the healthy norm. "Then why do we-"

"Ms. Schnee" Professor Peach broke in "The lab is for work, not socializing."

Weiss's fuming faded as she looked towards the new voice that had broken into our conversation. In fact her color seemed to drain outright and was replaced with a vibrant shade of red in her cheeks. Perhaps she'd forgotten we were still standing in the middle of class.

Professor peach strode over to us with a disarming smile and a peaceful, official air about her.

"W-we weren't socializing professor." Snowflake back pedaled "I just had some questions regarding some other private matters."

"Well then, I must ask you to refrain from speaking on private matters until you're in private."

I fought the urge to chuckle. I couldn't have put it better.

"I… I understand." Weiss said, chastised

"Good, now if you'd be so kind, There is something I wish to speak with Mister Six about.

The chastised look vanished in a blink as Weiss stared at Peach incredulously agape.

"… You heard the professor." I said snidely "A little privacy is in order."

Snowflake glared at me for a moment, then gracefully retreated back to the rest of our teammates. Peach waited until Snowflake had completely rejoined and left with them before voicing her own inquiry.

"Now then, Mister Six-"

"Professor." I interrupted evenly "If you're going to try and rope me back into the Botany club, I must remind you that I was not a willing member in the first place."

Peach's demeanor grew slightly sullen. "Must you be so blunt?"

"In this regard, yes. I'm sorry professor but my interests lie in places other than the tending and breeding of flowers."

'That, and I don't want to be treated like a work horse again.'

The time I'd spent helping Peach had been brief, all things considered. It had been a few hours out of a few weeks of my time. But they'd been hours filled with back breaking labor and effort. There was a reason why not many people had heard of the botany club. It was nearly devoid of students. There were few who wanted to do the labor, or had the drive to actually pursue what amounted making prettier flowers. I was able to count the number of other students I'd seen there on one hand. Which meant a good deal of work wound up falling on my shoulders.

Unless you've had to dig a ditch by hand, you don't know what real labor is.

"Is that so?" Peach asked, seeming slightly nonplused "You had such a talent for it."

"I only spent maybe one day actually working with flowers and plants." I corrected "The rest of the time you had me weeding and digging."

"Yes, but you should see the plants now!" Peach said, regaining some small degree of gleeful energy "I've never seen plants blooming so vibrantly, or so hardy before."

I sighed "I'm afraid I don't respond well to flattery, professor."

The professor stared at me a moment longer, then gave a defeated sigh.

"I understand. It's a pity though, you had such talent for it."

I rolled my eyes in response. An unseen gesture, but it didn't need to be seen.

"Very well then, I shall leave you to your work for now." Peach said, staring at the equipment and notes I was gathering. "Though I'm surprised you're still working, compared to your fellow hunters in training you aced almost everything."

"Yeah, well, I've still got some things to do, so if you wouldn't mind professor?"

Peach nodded and strolled away. Something told me she wasn't done trying to rope me back into the club, but I'd let it go for now.

It wasn't long after that the rest of the students took off. Either deciding to accept their fate or confident enough to not need the extra work. Which left me alone in the lab. Perfect for what I was planning to do next.

'The only plants I care about are the ones in my 'secret' garden anyway.'

I reached into my inventory and pulled out two plants I'd been waiting on for weeks now. A few dried brock flowers and Xander root.

I double checked to make sure I was alone and wasn't going to be interrupted. Satisfied with my semi-private setting, I set to work grinding the root and steeping the petals.

I ground the root until it was almost a fine powder, then mixed it with a small blast of a more basic substance to break the proper proteins from the fibers. In this case, Abraxo cleaner. I wasn't sure on the concentrations of this world's own cleaning substances, so taking a chance on them now would likely be a mistake. I only needed a small amount anyway, enough to reconstitute the dust into a paste. Had I used a fresh one, I could've gotten away using something less potent for the protein extraction. Like, say, hot water.

Chemistry isn't an exact science, I swear.

Afterwards I'd combine it with the reconstituted brock flower and its liquid, which would neutralizes most of the bases anyway. Then it was only a matter of heating it, macerating it, centrifuging and repeating until the proper proteins and nutrients separated out from the solids. I've gotten adept enough at making it I could do it in my sleep. The only thing left after that was putting it in a syrette and testing it. I could pressurize it later to ensure it didn't spoil or lose potency. For now I just needed to make sure it worked. Good thing I still felt like shit.

I took an empty syringe and sucked a few ccs of the pale yellow liquid into the barrel. Enough for maybe half a standard dose. Just enough to get me feeling normal.

I could hardly contain my excitement at that point. After months of having to handle things the old fashioned way, I was close to having an incredibly powerful tool back at my side. I took a moment to stare at the syringe, a smile on my face.

"… Well, no sense in keeping myself in anticipation."

I squirted a little of the liquid back out, just enough to ensure I wasn't going to give myself an embolism.

I stuck the needle in my arm and pushed the plunger.

…

"It should be right around this corner." Weiss said, leading the group of girls.

Team RWBY followed the path their Ice themed member designated, leading them to a clearing on the school grounds. A round, walled off little area teaming with plant life. Since Weiss had last been to it, more plants had sprung up, and flowers of all kinds were in bloom. She even noticed the 'mutfruit' tree had begun to grow fruit. Though she could tell they were still far from ripe.

"Whoa~" Ruby said, walking past her teammate "It's so… pretty."

"Six really planted all of this?" Yang asked

"Probably not all of it." Weiss said "But I know he said a few of them were plants native to where he's from."

"Ok, then what are we supposed to do with them?" Blake asked

"Well… maybe we could take a few of them and… see if we can find out more about them?" Weiss said lamely

"… I don't think researching plants is going to help us." Blake continued

"That's assuming we can even find anything on them." Ruby said "We all saw the picture, there's no telling where they're from."

"Yea, or who anyone in it was." Yang said "I know I'm not the only one who was weirded out by the guy with the moustache who looked like a half melted snowman, right?"

"Or the blue giant." Weiss added

"Or the robotic dog." Blake continued

"Guys~" Ruby whined, trying to focus the conversation "We don't know anything about what was in the photo."

"Maybe it was just a costume party." Yang joked

"A costume party? Really?" Weiss asked skeptically "In the middle of a burned out city?"

Yang just rolled her eyes as her joke flew over her white haired teammate's head.

"It doesn't really matter What was in the photo right now." Ruby continued "We don't want to jump to conclusions and have a repeat of last night."

"Agreed." Blake nodded

"Indeed." Weiss sighed

"Well duh~" Yang smirked "Though Weiss's stupid questions probably have him on edge now."

"Hey!" Weiss rebuked "I'll have you know I put thought and care into those questions."

"Then proceeded to ask him in the most point blank manner." Blake said "Also, thought and care? You were going to ask him what we wanted to know in the bluntest way possible."

"W-well, he's constantly making these small mistakes, I thought I'd catch him in one."

"And it didn't work." Ruby sighed "And now he probably thinks we're suspicious of him."

"Well we kinda are." Yang continued smirking

"Well he didn't need to know that! We're supposed to be his friends! What if he doesn't trust us now!?"

"Whoa, chill baby sis" Yang said with a chuckle "I don't think he's going to stop trusting us just like that, regardless of how dumb Weiss's questions were."

The heiress glared at her blonde teammate.

"… Right now, we don't know anything." Ruby said "But the worst thing we can do is start making assumptions based on the few things we know. The only thing we know for sure right now, is that he's lying about something. If we start making assumptions then we could wind up doing things that can't be undone."

Ruby felt a small pang as she said those words. She knew Six didn't have many people he trusted. He'd said as much back during their trip to Vale a few days prior. She knew what it was like not to have many friends, and she didn't want to alienate one of her own. It made her worry.

Sensing her younger sister's unease, Yang walked over to her and patted her on the back.

"It's ok Ruby" Yang said with a warm smile "We're not going to try and push him away or make stupid statements about him until we know everything."

The blonde brawler gave a White haired heiress a coy look "Right Weiss?"

In a spur of childlike insult, Weiss stuck her tongue out at Yang.

The random act of childishness gave Ruby a small chuckle.

"He's our friend." Yang affirmed "We're going to figure out what's going on with him."

"It would be easier if we had some place to start." Weiss grumbled "But he keeps shutting down every time we try."

"… So why don't we just avoid him them?" Blake asked no one in particular.

"Avoiding the problem doesn't make it go away Blake" Yang teased

"That's not what I meant. I meant, why don't we try using what we've got to get better questions." Blake motioned to the garden around them "We've got these plants, which may or may not help, but we also have this."

Blake pulled out the book the courier had lent her, still scuffed and damaged externally.

"How's a book supposed to help us?"

"It's got an Author, someone named 'Twain', but it has other information. I have a friend who runs a bookstore in Vale, if I pass the book to him-"

"Then maybe he could shed some light onto where it came from." Weiss surmised

"And where Six is from." Ruby extrapolated

Ruby thought about it for a moment. It wasn't the most immediate solution, but if it worked, they'd be a step closer to understanding Six and his mysterious photo.

"… maybe we should ask Six if he has any other books too." Ruby said "If he's got more of them, then maybe we could use them too… It's worth a shot at least."

Blake nodded in agreement. "I'll take it down to him tomorrow. We've got time before Ozpin's punishment is put into effect. But I have no clue how long this'll take. Until we have an answer though, we just need to keep an eye on Six and see what else he does."

"Hopefully nothing too dangerous." Ruby said softly

"Psh, what's the worst he could do?" Yang asked

…

I fell to a knee and bit back the urge to vocalize my pain at the top of my lungs. Near biting through my lower lip in the process. My eyelids were clamped shut as I struggled to concentrate and force the pain out of the way so I could keep clear and coherent thought. My arm spasmed uncontrollably beside me, the pain rippling through it making it night impossible to use. The pain itself wasn't as bad as some others I'd felt. Cazador venom could hurt for what felt like days. Nightstalker bites felt like you were on fire. Bark scorpion stings felt like your skin was melting off. But none of those ever felt concentrated. They had a habit of spreading through the rest of the body fairly quick. The liver is good about filtering out poison, so long as the blood can move it.

This was different. Either it wasn't moving or it was moving slowly. The pain was entirely concentrated in my arm and felt like I'd injected pure atomic fire into me. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. I didn't know what, but in that instant it didn't matter. I could only think about the pain and, worse, what the liquid was doing inside of my arm.

I put every ounce of effort I had at my disposal and stared at the spot where I'd injected myself. It was hard to see anything at first. Pushing through panic and looking for the tiniest thing wrong left me not sure what was. I saw it though, after what felt an eternity of staring and searching. A thick, sickly yellow color slowly forcing its way up to the rest of me. I could feel the pain moving with it.

'Fuck trying to wait this out.'

I ripped the belt free from my uniform and clamped it down on my arm just ahead of the liquid. Pulling it tight to the point I could feel my arm going numb. I lifted my mask enough to hold the belt with my teeth and picked up the knife I'd used to prep everything. It took no small amount of control on my part to actually nick the vein properly. Nor did I avoid stabbing my arm several times when my focus lapsed. But I did eventually hit my mark. I did my best to prop my arm up and let whatever was in my arm drain. At that moment, I was genuinely glad that the lab had an ample supply of paper towels on hand in case of spills. Trying to explain why the lab was covered in blood was not on the agenda for tonight.

The two formed a strange, orange ichor as it ran out onto the waiting paper. A repulsive and clearly wrong substance. I waited and held the belt even as my teeth began to ache. Until my blood stopped looking as repulsive, and more... well, red. When it did, I began wadding paper towel around it and pushing as much pressure onto it as I could. The pain continued to ebb through my numb arm. There were clearly remnants of the substance in my system. But as I released the belt from my teeth and set the knife down, it grew more manageable. I could still feel it, even with warm blood rushing back into my oxygen deprived limb and out the messy stab wound. But compared to the near atomic level pain I'd been feeling, it was smaller. More a gently rocking wave of pain rather than a searing shockwave of torment. I breathed shakily for a moment. Pulling my mask back down as I tried to let my nerves steady themselves and letting a cool sweat begin to roll down my face beneath the helmet.

"Wha … da phuk?" I slurred, trying to bring myself to rights.

I was trying to let the pain pass. I needed to focus on something else. Something other than the pain.

"Dat wann't s'ppose to happen."

Fortunately, I'm good at getting sidetracked.

I locked the belt tight enough on the paper to improvise a temporary bandage, before putting a hand on the lab table and forcing myself up. I took a second more to focus, then glared down at the puddle full of poison and blood. A nasty orange blob sitting semi-congealed on the paper.

"That's not right." I said, picking the needle back up. "You're not supposed to do that."

I stared at the blob. For a moment, it looked as though it had fully congealed, the platelets coagulating into a hardened mass. But with the slightest motion, it was fully liquid again. With any clots having dissolved away.

"…and you're definitely not supposed to do that."

I fished a petri dish out of the lab supplies I'd gathered and scraped some of the ichor into it.

I was dumbfounded. I'd used that formula dozens of times now and never had a problem like this happen. Hell, it shouldn't have happened period. The only change I'd made was having to include the Abraxo cleaner to account for the drying process. But the caustic effects of the cleaner should've been balanced by the acidic elements from the root and flowers. I'd done the math just to be sure. So why did it still try to kill me?

'… did it balance out?'

Now doubting my own ability to do basic math, I reached into my inventory and retrieved an orange. I'd been saving it for a snack later, but the juice would serve as a weak enough acid in this case. I tore a pip loose and squeezed a few drops over the nasty looking blob of science.

Nothing happened.

If it were caustic, it would've had some form of reaction to the, albeit really weak, acid in the orange's juice. A little fizzing, a little bubbling, maybe even a few potentially hazardous fumes. But there weren't any. The blob stayed completely quiet and still. Which meant it wasn't overly basic and that my math wasn't that far off. But it didn't explain what went wrong. I'd done everything by the book, so to speak, but I still felt like it was trying to kill me.

But that only left the Broc flower and Xander root. Which made no sense. Why should they be any different from the ones back in the Mojave? They got sunlight, plenty of it. They got water, more than they probably ever did in the Mojave.

'Hell, I even gave them fertilizer when I was stuck under Peach's tyranny. If anything they should be better than the ones in the Mojave, they should… be… stronger.'

I fought the urge to slap myself in the face. I was an idiot.

"Of fucking course they're stronger you idiot." I growled "You gave them everything they needed to be stronger."

There was the problem. The brock flower and Xander weren't the same as the ones in the Mojave. With proper nutrients and care, they'd grown into something different. Maybe more potent versions of their previous incarnations. Maybe outright poisonous versions of themselves. I hadn't bothered to check to see if anything had changed. I hadn't thought to. Nothing had changed with the ones I'd grown in the Big Empty's nursery. Maybe the electric lights weren't a good enough alternative to the sun. Whatever the case, it meant only one thing: I had to refine the recipe… again.

I sighed heavily "It was a pain to do it the first time, I don't want to do it again~"

It'd taken me weeks of off and on trial and error to get it right the first time. Time I didn't want to throw into it again… Time I was going to have to throw at it again, regardless.

I sighed defeatedly, lowering myself enough to rest my face in my hands. Nothing could ever be simple. Not when it seemed like I was finally getting a leg up on this world.

"…Alright." I exhaled "Gotta figure out if what I know is even remotely close, or if I gotta start from scratch."

For that, I needed some notes. It's important to make notes when making potentially hazardous liquids you want to inject yourself with. That way you don't make the same mistakes twice. I had a few of them recorded on holotape, just needed to get them. Which meant going back to my room.

Which meant cleaning the mess I had here before I left.

'… or just locking the door so no one finds this stuff.'

I went with the latter option. I was just going to need to pull it all back out anyway, so it didn't make much sense to clean up at the moment. It didn't take a good deal of effort to reverse lockpick a door anyway. Better to at least take some precautions anyway.

With the door secured, I raced my way back across campus for my notes. Ignoring any remaining dregs of poisonous gunk in me and being careful not to disturb my fresh wound. That and the ever present ache left from the events my failed stimpack was supposed to heal.

I crossed campus fairly quickly. I knew most of the shortcuts by this point and made a point of avoiding contact where I could. I'm not averse to socializing, but getting caught up in conversation was a reoccurring theme in this place.

I crossed the campus in record time and was through the dorms before I knew it. Once I was in my closet again, I began scrounging through my personal effects for the notes. It didn't take long, so I decided to properly bind my wound and grab some coffee too. I got the feeling I was going to be at this for many long nights, so I'd might as well try and get the jump on it.

When I pulled the sack of coffee beans out though, I pulled something else with it. The TPPT clattered to the floor noisily.

I stared at it for a moment, then moved to make sure it wasn't any more busted than it already was. It wasn't, but it did remind me of what I'd been trying to ignore today.

'… I've got to find Dala.' I thought, carefully placing the TPPT back amongst my items.

I needed to find Dala, or at least figure out what had happened to her. She'd practically disappeared into thin air and that wasn't a good thing. But worrying about it at the moment wasn't my concern. Tracking her down was going to require some effort of its own. For now, dealing with what I knew I could handle seemed infinitely more appealing.

I was going to have to find Dala eventually. Just not today.

'… just don't forget about her again, dumbass.'

With a tired groan, I collected my beans and headed back to the lab. It was time for some science.