After his internship ended, Tsutsumi returned home, only to immediately travel back into the past to look after Miyu. During this time, he kept himself out of sight. Explaining why two Tsutsumi Ryokos were walking around would only lead to endless questions he didn't want to answer.
That's why, for now, "Pyrrha" was the one taking Miyu out to play. If anyone asked, he could claim to be her babysitter. Miyu already knew the truth, that behind the borrowed face was her older brother, so she never complained. To her, it didn't matter if he looked different; it was still him. Either she spent time with him like this… or risked losing him to suspicion and questioning.
After another full day by his little sister's side, Tsutsumi slipped back into the Aurora Curtain, traveling once more to the AR Wizard World. To him, those Semblance-like abilities were no different from quirks, and there were certain stronger, rarer powers waiting to be claimed.
Yet instead of heading straight into his dorm room, Tsutsumi wandered up to the rooftop and sat beneath the open night sky. He leaned on the railing, eyes tracing the endless stars above. Stargazing, strangely enough, it had become one of the quiet hobbies he'd picked up during his time in Miyu's world.
A soft sigh escaped him as he rested his head on his folded arms, eyelids heavy. Then, slowly, he closed his eyes.
...
The table rumbled.
Tsutsumi sat beside his teammates, patiently sipping his tea and ignoring the chaos around him. The tea was surprisingly good, better than he expected from a school that felt more like a college.
The table shook again. He calmly tilted his cup aside as bits of pancake flew past. Further down, Nora tore into her breakfast like it was her last meal on earth, stacks of pancakes vanishing at record speed.
Tsutsumi's gaze drifted toward her. "Nora."
She looked up, a chunk of pancake still dangling from her mouth.
"Mind your manners. The food's not going anywhere. No need to eat like an animal."
She gave a syrup-stained salute with her fork, swallowed half-chewed pancake in a single gulp, pounded her chest twice, and grinned. "Roger that, leader!"
Ren discreetly mouthed a thank you across the table. Tsutsumi acknowledged it with a small nod.
"So, who's excited for combat class?" Yang leaned forward with a smirk. "Who do you think's gonna kick the most butt?"
Team RWBY sat across from them, Ruby practically vibrating in her seat.
"Ooh! Me, me!" Ruby waved both hands. "I can't wait to show off Crescent Rose to the class! It's gonna be awesome! Plus, we get to see everyone else's weapons too! Ugh, I can't wait!"
Combat class with Glynda Goodwitch was scheduled after lunch. The first lesson of the week: an assessment match. Students would face each other, fighting not Grimm but one another, while Glynda evaluated their skills. With free rein to go all-out, it was easily the most anticipated class on the schedule.
"Hey, Purple," Yang called, pointing a finger at him. "You don't even look interested. Nervous? It's okay to be scared, you don't have to hide it from me."
She winked, then gestured at Pyrrha and Ren. "Even your teammates look excited."
Tsutsumi gave her a deadpan stare. "…Who are you again?"
"Ugh!" Yang clutched her chest, faking heartbreak. "How could you be so cold, Purple? I thought what we had was special."
Ruby eagerly jumped in to back her sister. "Yeah, Tsutsumi! I've seen everyone else's weapons except yours! What is it? Where do you keep it? Is it cool like my scythe? Or, wait, is it lame?" She froze, waving her hands frantically. "I-I mean, it's fine if it is! All weapons are cool in their own way! Hehe…"
"Maybe I don't have a weapon," Tsutsumi said flatly.
Ruby shook her head so hard her hood nearly fell off. "No way! Everyone has a weapon! So what is it? A gun? A sword? A spear? Or a gun-sword? Ooh, what about a gun-spear-sword?"
Tsutsumi didn't answer. Inwardly, he noted how obsessed this world was with mixing guns and blades together.
Ruby leaned forward, practically begging. "Soo… which one is it?"
He stayed silent. Because the truth was simple, he is the weapon.
"Pfft, ha ha!"
The sudden burst of laughter cut through the cafeteria chatter, dragging everyone's attention to the entrance.
A team of four males stood blocking the doors. They hounded a group of Faunus students trying to pass, sneering and mocking. One of them, a boy with slicked-back orange hair, was the loudest, barking insults as his teammate tugged at a student's horns like it was a joke.
The mood in the cafeteria shifted immediately. Conversations stilled. Shoulders tensed. Everyone at the table went quiet.
Blake, normally reserved, radiated fury. Her amber eyes burned holes into the scene.
The Faunus students being mocked ducked their heads, some covering their faces in shame. One girl was already trembling, tears threatening to fall.
Tsutsumi calmly sipped what was now cold tea.
"Simply atrocious," Pyrrha muttered. Her voice was low, but her glare was sharp. "We're supposed to be better than that. Despicable."
Even in a world where humanity faced extinction, racism and bigotry still thrived. Some things never changed.
"I think… we should get going," Weiss said, clearly shaken. "Dr. Oobleck's class will be starting soon. We shouldn't be late."
World History and Archaeology with Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck.
Tsutsumi's eyes followed the man as he zipped across the lecture hall like a caffeinated blur, darting from one side to the other. His left hand clutched a wooden pointer, while his right never left a steaming mug that looked surgically attached.
From the very first day, Oobleck didn't waste time on introductions or course outlines. No welcome speech, no "this is what you'll learn." He simply dove straight into history headfirst, dragging everyone along with him whether they were ready or not.
Within a week, he had already plowed through the introductory and classical periods. Now, somehow, the class was already knee-deep in lessons on the Faunus civil rights movement.
It didn't matter what world humanity found itself in, peaceful coexistence always seemed out of reach. Even staring down extinction, people would still rather bleed over petty differences.
"Indeed!" Oobleck barked as he zipped past the rows of desks, pointer smacking against the map. "Before the Faunus Rights Revolution, known more commonly as the Faunus War, humanity was adamant, and I mean very adamant, in centralizing the Faunus onto this patch of land here!" Whack. "Menagerie!"
He paused only to down another gulp of coffee before resuming, his voice rising and falling with caffeinated fervor. "To some, this may feel like ancient history, yet it happened no more than fifty years ago!"
By now, no one could tell if the man yelled from sheer passion or because the caffeine wouldn't allow him any other volume setting.
"The repercussions of that war are still with us today! Which brings me to my next question: to those of you of Faunus descent, have any of you personally experienced discrimination based solely on your appearance?"
The silence was heavy. A few hesitant hands went up. Tsutsumi's pen rolled between his fingers, spinning over his thumb before he caught it again.
"Terrible!" Oobleck roared, stomping the floor. "Downright horrific! Prejudice born of ignorance is poison! That is why we must remember history, lest we be doomed to repeat it! Ignorance breeds hate! Hate breeds violence!" His tone dropped suddenly, his words carrying weight. "My students… nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscious stupidity. People will get hurt, or worse."
His glasses glinted, driving the point home.
"If you need an example, look no further than the White Fang. Once a peaceful organization seeking coexistence and fairness for their kind. But progress was stifled, their hopes strangled by constant prejudice, until desperation turned to radicalization. Violence became their only voice. A tragic cycle."
The name alone stirred the room. Faunus students turned away in shame, while human students stiffened with unease. Blake's face tightened, Weiss sneered.
"But I digress!" Oobleck chirped, pouring another cup as though nothing had happened. "Now! Who can tell me the most decisive moment in the third year of the revolution?"
Weiss's hand shot up. "The Battle of Fort Castle, sir!"
"Correct!" Oobleck bounced on his feet. "And what advantage did the Faunus have over General Lagune's forces?"
A yawn tugged at Tsutsumi. His pen spun effortlessly over his thumb. Just as it rolled back into his palm, the spinning stopped. The moment a crumpled paper ball smacked against his head. His eye twitched.
"Ah! Mister Ryoko!" Oobleck beamed. Pen gymnastics is an interesting skill to hone! Why I'm an expert myself! But I'm happy to know that you volunteered!"
Tsutsumi: "…?"
He glanced over his shoulder. Sure enough, the same burnt-orange-haired brat from the dining hall lounged smugly, feet propped up, smirk plastered across his face. Tsutsumi's knuckles itched.
Oobleck leaned closer. "So, my fellow pen spinning extraordinaire, what is the answer?"
Tsutsumi sighed. "The Faunus are known for their exceptional vision. Some even have near-perfect vision in the dark. General Lagune's arrogance blinded him. He attacked at night, certain of victory. Instead, he marched straight into a fortified position, with no element of surprise, and was soundly defeated."
"Well done!" Oobleck clapped, beaming. "Beautifully reasoned! Just, try to keep focused next time, hmm?"
"I'll try. No promises."
Snickers rose when a voice behind him muttered, "Bunch of animals just got lucky if you ask me."
Tsutsumi didn't miss a beat. "Huh? Did anyone hear a child whining just now? Poor kid's probably still crying to his mom about it."
The boy slammed his desk. "The hell did you just say to me?!"
Tsutsumi smirked. "Oh, my mistake. I didn't realize the crybaby was an actual student. I shouldn't make fun of people who are mentally retarded. You have my sympathy."
The class erupted, snorts, muffled giggles, and Yang outright barking a laugh. Cardin's face turned scarlet.
"You're about to have my fist in your face!" he shouted, his feet standing on the table, preparing to leap. Tsutsumi shifted, ready for him.
"Mister Winchester! Mister Ryoko! That's enough!" Doctor Oobleck snapped at the two of them.
"Unless you want to continue this in detention, then I highly suggest the two of you cease this instance." He pushed up the bridge of his glasses, his gaze locking on Tsutsumi. "Please sit, and don't cause more trouble in my class."
His gaze shifted, "and you," he then pointed to Cardin, "Stay up. Since you seem to be rather enthusiastic about including yourself in this conversation. Would you care to add anything meaningful to our discussion?"
"Yeah, I got something," Cardin sneered. "My dad says it's easier to train a dumb animal than a real soldier."
"You're not the most open-minded person, are you, Cardin?" Pyrrha said sharply. "Faunus are people."
"People?" Cardin scoffed. "That's rich, Miss Invincible Girl. Last I checked, people don't have tails or ears or fur or freak mutations."
Blake's voice cut in, low and cold. "Maybe if General Lagune had paid attention in class, history wouldn't remember him as a failure. But history repeats, so perhaps you're just another Lagune."
"Ooh girly-! You better take that back or I'll-"
"Ahem." Oobleck's cough froze him mid-sentence. "Or else you'll do what, Mister Winchester?"
The doctor shook his head, marching right up to him. "Terrible. Ignorant. Completely unacceptable. You'll be staying after class, and we'll discuss remedial lessons to address your… deficiencies. I'll also be informing Professor Goodwitch. Sit. Down."
Cardin sputtered. "What? This is bullshit! You're punishing me for voicing my opinion?!"
"Language, Mister Winchester. And freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Beacon Academy is a place of equality, not bigotry."
Cardin wilted under the sheer authority in Oobleck's voice, sinking back into his seat, face flushed with humiliation.
"Now!" Oobleck clapped, snapping the attention back. "Pens out! Papers ready! Because this will be on the test!"