Chapter 15: 15- How to Deal with Fire AND books

It had been a week since the Forever Fall incident, and during that time, Team GRAM's relationship with Jaune had noticeably improved, particularly between Adrian and Jaune. Adrian had grown closer to Jaune, even opening up about his past and sharing personal stories from his life. However, Adrian still hadn't revealed the truth about his second life, keeping that part of his story hidden for now.

Gaster, meanwhile, had continued his relentless experimentation with souls, Aura, and Dust, constantly seeking to push the boundaries of his understanding. Today, he embarked on a particularly ambitious experiment. He carefully combined fragments of emotions—"bravery," "kindness," and "determination"—with fire Dust and infused the mixture with a portion of his own Aura. Once satisfied with his work, he stored the concoction in one of the cabinets in the lab, intending to observe its effects later.

With the experiment temporarily set aside, Gaster joined the rest of his team for their classes, unaware of the strange development unfolding back in the lab. As the hours passed, the Dust mixture in the bottom of the cabinet began to react. Slowly but surely, it started to pulsate with energy, as if it had come to life. The once inert materials now glowed with a faint but growing light, a sign that something unexpected was taking shape—something with a power that Gaster had not anticipated.

As the hours passed, the Dust mixture in the cabinet became increasingly restless. What had initially been a faint glow now pulsed with an intense, almost chaotic energy. The materials within the bottle seemed to be fighting against their containment, seeking release. Finally, the moment arrived when the pressure became too much—the bottle shattered, sending shards of glass flying and igniting flames that quickly spread across the room. The fire surged with a life of its own, crackling with an unnatural intensity.

The sound of the door creaking open was all it took to trigger the volatile creation. In an instant, the flames erupted, and the fiery mass launched itself toward the source of the disturbance, sending the unfortunate person who opened the door hurtling into the wall with tremendous force. The flames coalesced into a distinct form, taking on the shape of a bird made entirely of fire. Its wings flapped once, twice, and then, with a screech that echoed through the halls, it soared out of the room and into the open air, leaving a trail of embers in its wake.

The scene left Team RWBY, GRAM, and JNPR in shock as they witnessed the fiery bird's dramatic escape. Their eyes followed the flaming creature until it disappeared into the sky, its presence lingering as a testament to the power that had been unleashed.

Everyone then turned their attention to Gaster, who was still sprawled against the wall, slightly dazed from the impact. The usually composed scientist now looked more surprised than anyone else.

Ron stepped forward, his tone a mix of exasperation and concern.

[Ron]: Gaster, please tell me that wasn't one of your experiments.

Gaster slowly picked himself up, brushing off the debris from his coat. He hesitated before responding, his mind racing to recall the exact details of what he had been working on.

[Gaster]: Maybe… I don't remember creating a firebird, though.

The room fell into a tense silence as the full implications of Gaster's words sank in. Whatever that fiery bird was, it had clearly exceeded the boundaries of his experiment, and its destructive potential was all too apparent.

[Adrian]: That damn bird burned everything in the room!

Team GRAM turned to take in the extent of the damage. Their once orderly space was now a mess of charred furniture and scorched walls, with smoke still curling from the remains.

[Ron]: It burned the kitchen, the lab, and my favorite couch.

The frustration in Ron's voice was palpable. The loss of the kitchen and lab was bad enough, but the couch had been his personal retreat—a small comfort in the midst of their chaotic lives.

Anger and determination flashed across the faces of Team GRAM as they exchanged a single look. Without a word, they bolted out of the room, racing after the fiery bird that had caused the destruction. Their focus was singular: they needed to stop that creature before it caused even more havoc.

Ruby and her team, still processing what had just happened, quickly followed suit. Ruby called out to her teammates, urging them to keep up.

[Ruby]: Come on, we can't let them face that thing alone!

With that, both teams sprinted down the hallway, their footsteps echoing in unison as they pursued the rogue firebird.

[Ron]: Don't let it get away!

Determined to stop the creature, Ron surged ahead, sprinting past everyone else with remarkable speed. As he neared the firebird, he leaped into the air, trying to bring it down. But the bird, blazing with intense heat, smashed through a nearby window, shattering the glass and escaping into the open air. Ron, unable to regain his balance, plunged through the broken window after it. With no means to fly, he fell rapidly, the ground far below.

[Adrian]: Now we've lost everything and gained nothing.

The weight of Adrian's words hung heavy in the air as the teams watched Ron fall, helpless to stop him. But before despair could fully settle in, Gaster's eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind.

[Gaster]: No, we haven't lost everything. I placed a time bomb in the dorm that will reset everything to how it was an hour ago. It should… work... right now.

No sooner had Gaster finished speaking than a massive explosion reverberated through the academy, shaking the very foundations of the building. The sound was deafening, and the shockwave rippled through the air, causing students and faculty alike to pause in confusion and concern.

The teams exchanged quick glances, torn between worrying about Ron's fall and pondering the effectiveness of Gaster's "time bomb." The situation had escalated far beyond a simple experiment gone awry, leaving them to grapple with unforeseen consequences.

Both Teams GRAM and RWBY, along with Team JNPR, congregated in front of Team GRAM's dormitory. With a mix of apprehension and hope, they opened the door. To their collective relief and amazement, the room had reverted to its original state, unmarred by the earlier inferno. The furniture stood pristine, the kitchen gleamed as if freshly cleaned, and even Ron's favorite couch looked inviting.

[Weiss]: Well, it seems your time bomb worked, Gaster.

[Gaster]: Of course it did. My inventions may be unorthodox, but they're effective.

[Blake]: Should we be concerned about any side effects?

[Gaster]: None whatsoever. The room is exactly as it was an hour ago.

A wave of happiness swept through the group. In the spirit of celebration, Team GRAM extended an invitation to Teams RWBY and JNPR for dinner.

[Adrian]: Why don't you all join us for dinner tonight? It's the least we can do after all that chaos.

[Pyrrha]: We'd love to.

As preparations began, a sudden realization struck Adrian.

[Adrian]: Wait... we forgot about Ron.

[Ren]: What happened to Ron?

[Ruby]: He fell out of the window chasing that firebird.

A moment of panic washed over the group, but before they could react, a familiar voice echoed from the doorway.

[Ron]: And thanks for not helping me.

Everyone turned to see Ron standing there, a smirk on his face and not a scratch visible.

[Yang]: Ron! You're okay!

[Ron]: Of course I am. Took a little tumble, but nothing I can't handle.

[Adrian]: How did you survive that fall?

[Ron]: Let's just say I've got a few tricks up my sleeve.

Choosing to leave it at that, Ron clapped his hands together.

[Ron]: Alright, tonight's menu is chocolate pancakes!

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and the atmosphere in the room shifted from tension to joyous anticipation.

[Jaune]: I'll help with the cooking.

[Ron]: Great! The more, the merrier.

As the teams busied themselves with dinner preparations, the dorm was filled with laughter and chatter. The earlier chaos seemed like a distant memory.

But the next morning, the atmosphere at Beacon Academy took a more serious turn. Everyone was summoned to Ozpin's office about a certain 'firebird.'

As the group gathered in the Headmaster's office, Ozpin's stern expression made it clear that this was no casual meeting. Gaster, feeling the weight of the situation, decided to speak first.

[Gaster]: Headmaster, I promise, it may not have been my fault this time.

Ozpin raised an eyebrow, his tone dripping with dry humor.

[Ozpin]: The last time you said that, the entire academy was dancing under purple snowflakes of your making.

[Gaster]: Okay, maybe it was me. But I'm fairly certain that the firebird won't harm anyone.

Ozpin's gaze sharpened.

[Ozpin]: And how exactly can you be so sure?

Gaster hesitated briefly, then sighed.

[Gaster]: Well... the firebird visited me last night. It called me 'Father.' We had a conversation, and I learned that it just wants to live peacefully in the forest. It even offered to help us if needed—in exchange for some fire dust.

Ozpin closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead, as if trying to fend off an impending headache. The room was silent, everyone waiting for his response.

Finally, Ozpin opened his eyes and looked directly at Gaster.

[Ozpin]: You owe me a golden ticket to 'The Place with No Name.'

Gaster's eye twitched at the mention of the ticket, a coveted pass that granted access to the VIP section of Ron's underground ramen stall. The thought of parting with it made him grimace, but he knew he had little choice.

[Gaster]: Fine, deal.

Ozpin gave a small, satisfied nod.

[Ozpin]: Good. Now, let's keep this firebird situation contained. We can't afford any more... surprises.

Gaster nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. As they left Ozpin's office, Gaster silently vowed to be more careful with his experiments in the future—at least, for a little while. The others, while relieved the situation hadn't escalated further, couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity about what other surprises Gaster's creations might bring.

After all was said and done, Gaster returned to the dorm and immediately headed to the lab. His mind was still buzzing from the meeting with Ozpin, and he knew he needed to be better prepared for the future. He reached for a stack of notebooks, each one meticulously labeled with titles like Ron's Summon and Necromancer Skills, Ron's Many Powers, Adrian's Skills and How to Improve, and Maple's Many Weaknesses and How to Help.

Gaster carefully set aside all but one notebook, his expression growing serious as he picked up the last one. The cover read Body Strengthening by THE MAD ONE, and just below the title was a stark warning: Do not read for your own safety. The warning was followed by a note: Ron.

Gaster stared at the notebook for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought.

[Gaster]: If Ron's words are true, I need to prepare for the worst this world has to offer.

He placed the other notebooks on a nearby shelf, their contents to be explored later. But the one he held now felt different, heavier with implications and the unknown. Gaster's fingers brushed over the warning on the cover as he weighed his options.

[Gaster]: What exactly are you hiding, Ron?

With a deep breath, Gaster decided to ignore the warning—for now. He couldn't afford to leave any stone unturned, not when the stakes were so high. He opened the notebook, his eyes scanning the pages, ready to absorb whatever knowledge it contained, no matter how dangerous.

[Side Story: The Golden Ticket and the Date]

A blond man in a sharp suit and a red-haired girl in a flowing dress strolled together through the dimly lit, hidden corridors of Beacon Academy. Both wore elegant masks—his a serpent, hers a delicate butterfly—adding an air of mystery to their presence. Their footsteps echoed softly as they approached an unmarked door at the end of the passage.

The man knocked gently, and the door creaked open to reveal a figure in a fox mask. The eyes behind the mask were keen, sizing them up quickly.

Instead of responding, the blond man reached into his jacket and produced a golden ticket. The sight of it caused the Fox Mask's eyes to widen slightly. Without another word, the Fox Mask stepped aside, bowing slightly as they gestured for the couple to enter.

[Fox Mask]: Please, follow me, sir and ma'am.

They were led down a rightward corridor, their surroundings becoming increasingly opulent with each step. The walls were adorned with rich tapestries, and the lighting grew warmer and more inviting. Finally, they entered a luxurious, intimate dining area. A group of masked waiters, each with a different animal-themed mask, awaited their arrival. The waiters moved with practiced grace, setting up a table and chairs in the center of the room, where the couple was promptly seated.

The ambiance was nothing short of enchanting. Soft candlelight flickered on the table, casting a romantic glow. A girl in a butterfly mask played a delicate melody on the harp, while a small ensemble of violinists added a rich harmony to the air. The table was soon filled with an array of exquisite dishes, each presented with the utmost care.

As they dined, the two spoke in hushed tones, their conversation punctuated by soft laughter and gentle smiles. The atmosphere was perfect—private, elegant, and utterly romantic. After some time, the girl subtly signaled one of the waiters, who quickly approached with a curtain in hand. The waiter discreetly unfurled the curtain around their table, shielding them from view.

With the room's eyes respectfully averted, the girl removed her mask, revealing a tender smile. She leaned in, her lips meeting the man's in a passionate French kiss, a moment of intimacy that the outside world could not intrude upon. The soft strains of the harp and violins continued to play, serenading them as the world outside their curtain faded away, leaving only the two of them in their private moment of bliss.

{Note: This is the last of the fast uploading I may start uploading two or three times a week from now or maybe for will see you next time}

[Chapter end]